Being Juliet: Review of the New Period Subscription Box in India

Subscription Boxes in India

The subscription box businesses had taken wings in India. We have different subscription boxes in beauty [My Envy Box, MSM box, Enchantess, The NaturesCo and Fabbag] to Bling boxes to Lifestyle Box [Sugar Box] to Gourmet boxes. Joining the race in an altogether and a unique way of its own are the Monthly Period Subscription Boxes.

The period subscription boxes is a sure shot winner of a concept [even though it is another idea exported from the west] and had a liberty of combining Beauty with Sanity and lifestyle to ensure definite consumer. To say it in a better way- it adds "sanity" to the prevalent subscription themes of Beauty, Gourmet and Lifestyle with the unique potential it has to offer.

After all, whether we buy new makeup or not, but sanitary is an "impossible to ignore" necessity that all girls, women adhere by.

It is part of being a woman and hell no, who would not like to be pampered in those days of the month?

Buy A Shapewear and Stylish Petticoat for Saree By Zivame

Love wearing sari but hate that clumsy petticoat?

Found that sexy gown you have always looked for but finding it too sheer to dress?

Want to showcase your Hourglass figure wearing a sari?

I too have undergone the same dilemma over time and again and no matter how much I love wearing a sari, I have not come to terms yet with that traditional petticoat that is mandatory to be worn under a sari. I have got so pissed that I even tried wearing a sari over my denim. Yes, you read it right. I have actually worn a sari over my Levis so that I can have free movement while walking, climbing car seats and stairs. However, that ain't any practical or long-term solution to our petty petticoat woes.

Sari and evolution

Its is interesting to see the way sari has evolved or being evolved over the period of time. The whole 9 yards have got a different meaning with custom made, semi-stitched or full stitched sari. As the time changed, the sari changed and even the fabric of the petticoat changed but the design. The design is still a round shape stitched long skirt with a big string to tie at waist. The blouse moved from backless to noodle straps to corsets, but the petticoat remained the dark horse and in fact, one of the most neglected partners of a saree.

And please fish-cut petticoat is not an innovation but a duckling nightmare and unless you are ready to hop, skip and jump in your saree, do not go for one.

I was having this petticoat nightmare and apparently like all the good old telepathy works, there came Zivame with their revolutionary new shapewear!

Heard of a Saree wear that is shape wear too? Something you can wear with your cocktail dress? #Fashion #LifestyleBlog

— Ekta Khetan (@NumeroUnity) August 27, 2016

Introducing Zivame Saree Shapewear

Zivame- India’s leading women’s lingerie and E-commerce brand apparently heard our Petticoat woes. They have recently introduced a one-of-a-kind revolutionary product in the Shapewear category- "Saree Shapewear". 

Here's how it looks like-

 

This might look like a regular fish cut skirt to you. So here are few features that will help you visualise and understand better-

Zivame Saree Shapewear aims to provide you-

- Broad and soft waistband for hassle free/ string free saree tucking

- Aims to Shapes and tones thighs and legs 

- Compression panels around buttocks, shapes hips and love handle with its tube to A -line cut 

- Mermaid fit by toning down the length

- Flexibility to be worn under sarees, fitted gowns and long skirts

The product is priced at Rs 1495/- and comes in 5 different colours- Black, White, Red, Beige and Blue.

It is not a one size fits all product but it comes in different sizes from Small, Medium, Large, XL to XXL, to suit different body types. Here's a quick size guide-

The Multi purpose shapewear #Fashion #MustBuy

I have selected one in Black colour and going to team it with my long satin night kurta or any of my saree in a dark colour. It is very easy to slip on and rests your predicament of tying a normal petticoat using that painful drawstring that leaves a mark in your tummy.  The long slit at the bottom of the shapewear facilitates your movements and gives you enough leg space or comfort even while you are driving or planning to sit on the floor. The fabric is soft and lightweight. You can wash it at home [preferrably handwash] and avoid ironing or bleaching. 

You can also wear it underneath your night/ day gown [understanding the dressing pattern by different classes in India] or you can easily double it for your sari in the day and evening gown. 

Do remember it is just a fashionable shapewear that enhances your existing shape, and not any alternative to exercising or slimming solution. 


So, what are you waiting for? Give the new Saree Shape wear by Zivame a hearty try. Who knows if it becomes another staple or #MustHave in your wardrobe. 

Unboxing & Review of My Envy Subscription Box September 2016

I had a long day at work discussing content, media strategy etc on unveiling a new song featuring Sunny Leone for my client's film. I was half dead when I reached home and was greeted by a packet that courier guy delivered in the noon. Envisaging that it could be the latest subscription box from My Envy Box, I could not resist the temptation to open and check the same.

The box was a sheer delight and seeing its creative theme outlay, made me happy and charged. The theme for this month's box was travel/ wanderlust. The box came designed in an attractive travel suitcase print. The box looked irresistibly good and I without any further ado, I opened it to check the content inside.

What: My Envy Box

Type: Beauty Subscription Box

Theme: Travel

MRP: Rs 850/-

Month: September 2016

Video review: My YouTube Channel

What's Inside My Envy Box- Unboxing

Here is a list of products that I received and my opinion about each of them-

1)  C.A.L Detail Me Mascara: Rs. 450 for 12ml

It is a full sized product that comes with a flat brush. I tried it twice including while shooting my YouTube Video and loved the impact. It gave an instant lift to my eyelashes, almost akin to my Inglot Mascara. I liked this product.

2) C.A.L Muah Collection Lip Gloss: Rs 450 for 10ml

This is another full-size product and the shade that I received is Stauy S28. It is a very soft, mild, bubble gum pink kind of colour. It has a doe-feet brush applicator that is easy to use but can get tricky while applying the shade. The lip gloss, however, is smooth, soft and creamy. I have swatched this shade in  my video, you can check here.

I liked this lipgloss and feel that it will be best suited for people with naturally fair complexion. If you have wheatish complexion and you like this colour, you can try this with a makeup base or as a gloss over your pink lipstick. The lipgloss comes in 4 other shades too and may differ from box to box.

3) Ma Earth Botanicals-Rose Facial Scrub: 40g Deluxe Sample for Rs 275

Rose is my one of my favourite fragrance and my first choice for all beauty products that I pick. I have never tried this brand excited to try this Rose scrub that smells heavenly. The scrub is in powder form with heavy granules. The sample should last me 3-4 scrub rituals. So, I look forward to trying this one soon.

4) Kronokare City Detox Face Wash: 30ml deluxe sample for Rs 125

Though I do not like receiving face wash in my beauty boxes, the description of this was quite interesting. The product claims to cleanse the skin off the chaos that city leaves on your face i.e. pollution. Now that is a very fancy description and having used the same brand's ginger moisturiser in the past, I have high hopes and will sure try this one too.

The best part is it is free from Paraben, sulphate etc

5) Dermalogica Oil Free Matte sachet: Rs 3825 for 50ml

I do not use sunscreen, so this product does not interest me. The sachet is too small and I wonder if it will be sufficient enough to conduct allergy test.

6) TRUUTH Beauty Formula Tablets: Rs 400 for 30 pills
I was surprised to receive this product. It is a nutritional/ Biotin supplement and contains Biotin that claims to improve your skin, nails and hair in no time. The description sounds good but I am unsure of trying this without prior consultation from my doctor or any dermatologist as it is not a vegan product and contains horsetail- a herbaceous perennial plant .

What I liked

1) Overall packaging was attractive, artistic and thoughtful. I may retain the box for personal storage or gifting purposes.

2) Value for Money: The box MRP is Rs 850 but the Collective MRP of products inside comes around Rs 1750.

3) Product Range: I liked the C.A.L products i.e. the lipgloss and the Mascara. the Mascara is , in fact, better than one from the Maybelline that I am currently using. The rose scrub and Kronocare face wash made a good combo too.

What I did not like

The brand packaging for both the C.A.L. products looked rusted and old to me. It came in a golden box with rusted imprints that are often found in old and damaged goods. I looked for expiry details and while it suggested use up to December 2019, I am little sceptical about the brand packaging. The brand could have done away with Dermalogica small sachet as it barely makes any difference.

Do Follow me on Instagram #ILoveMyEnvyBox 

A beauty subscription box is the gift that you give to yourself every month, and a reason d taire to look good and stay beautiful. Give yourself a joy of monthly #beauty subscription box by @myenvybox_india every month, and they will splurge you with wonderful cosmetics, box by box. Here's what I got in #myenvybox this #September... Detailed unboxing video coming soon #ilovemyenvy #style #lifestyle #instagood #instacool #instalike #instalove #photooftheday #igers #photogram #blogger #recomended #tflers #vscogood #love

A photo posted by Ekta Khetan (@ektakhetan) on Sep 14, 2016 at 2:07pm PDT

You may also like to check their jewellery box designed by Simran Chabra this month. I totally loved the pieces as illustrated in the picture and contemplating to order one for myself. If you are interested, you can also avail the discount code- SIMJB10 to avail 10% discount on MRP Rs 2500 making it Rs 2205 net.

Haute Kutir Verdict: Overall, I liked this box. It has been beautifully envisaged, designed and packed. With Durga Pooja 2016 coming soon, a lot of people will be planning their annual travel and this travel edition may interest them. 

If you like this box, go for it as it is value for money with 3 full sized products. The choice of brands is wide and interesting. 

Definitely Recommended!

Well, that was about the products in My Envy Box. How about yours? 

Do share your experience and check my vlog on @Youtube

Till next time,

Stay Haute and Good

Ekta

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Top iOS Supported WaterMarks Apps For Your Photos #MacBookProject

A picture speaks 1000 words

Pictures, blogging and social media have become an inseparable trio. Often, pictures may not appear as we perceived them while clicking, or there will be some basic edits like adding your copyright stamps.

Given the amazing photo editing features on some of these social media apps like Instagram and Twitter these days, additional editing has almost become obsolete to me. I may not edit any picture for my blog but given the rise in plagiarism, it is crucial to add a watermark on pictures before sharing them online/ in person. Off course, I am done with free service and am sure, you too will echo the sentiments. If not, check my post on- WHY YOU SHOULD WATERMARK YOUR PICTURES

Adding Watermark to your pictures

In my previous post,  we reiterated the importance of adding a watermark in our pictures/photos/images. Time to harp a little more on that subject and as promised, check out some popular apps to add watermark to your pictures.

Constraints while adding watermark

There must be 100s of photo editing apps that are available online, on iOS and Android stores. A lot of times it becomes so difficult to find out a right app for your photography needs, convenience and budgets. I find editing a tedious job and hence always emphasise on capturing a "first-time correct" picture. However, adding watermark becomes a tedious task especially when you have a large number of pictures to be added.  

Recently, when I lost all my pictures, documents, personalised watermark etc when my laptop crashed, I lost heart to recapture/ create them again. Thank God for Google Photos that I could recover some of my original/ unedited pictures and started things fresh on my new device i.e. iOS powered Macbook. Switching from a veteran friend Windows to new found love iOS wasn't easy, and working with pictures was even more confusing for a tech savvy person like me. In spite of having used MacBook Air earlier, am still discovering and learning new things every day, painstakingly. 

solely based on my personal experience using some of them.

So, in this post, we shall quickly highlight Top 5 watermark Apps based on the following criteria-

a) iOS or MacBook Centric

b) Single V/s Bulk Uploads Compatibility

c) Solely based on my personal experiences
d) Focus on Visible Watermarks rather than invisible watermarks

Top Five Apps to add Watermark on your pictures

1) MacBook Photo Preview

It is a free, inbuilt tool that is available with pictures preview. You can access this using "Annotate" from the"tools". Open the image by right clicking [or whatever command you have added for it] the image from finders. You can add watermark by using text, basic shapes, speech bubble, Loupe, mask and even a signature using camera or trackpad-

The app is free, simple and good for adding for adding multiple watermarks on a single photo. However, it doesn't support bulk add and tedious to work with pictures saved in the MacBook Photos. It is a basic app and works best for text watermark, speech bubbles and adding signatures. You can also edit your picture in preview, unlike other watermark apps.

2) Impression 2

If I am not mistaken, this app is only iOS-centric and compatible with iOS 8.0 or later. This is free and simple to download. Before trying this app I tried other apps like visual watermark extra and most of them were unimpressive for me.

The beauty of this app is that it does support text/ picture watermark too and good for single as well bulk watermark tasks. Download the app from bluecrowbar open and drag the pictures from your MacBook. 

You can check the layout from the image below

It is quite a simple app that also allows you to create a "preset" wherein you can create and use a standard watermark for all the images, present and future. 

You can export the pictures to iPhoto, aperture or any folder in your notebook. This supports JPEG, PNG and TIFF formats too.

However, the limitation is that you cannot customise different watermarks at different pictures for bulk upload. Nor you can edit your pictures like MacBook Photo Preview. 

Also, when you upload a file image/logo, it becomes blurred post export.

One good thing is that this is a free app, unlike iWaterMark that leaves its own watermark unless you buy the premium service.

3) Photo Bulk

Another batch processor for Mac but it is a paid feature. You can download the free version but it will allow only one image at a time. Yoy can use text, image, date stamp and even a script for the watermark in Photo Bulk. Unlike Impression 2, it processes the image watermark clear and up to the opacity level as selected by you.

Another beautiful thing about this app is that helps in resizing your image, optimise and compress too. You can also change the file name using this app at one go. You can buy the personal license as well team license [for 5 Mac]

4) iWaterMark

This is one of the most common available tool for both iOS and Android platform. You can sue this on your notebook as well smartphone as well. It is a paid app and comes with exhaustive features. 

However, you can use a free version too but that will add its own brand watermark in your picture. You can learn more about its features here

I have tried the free version but uninstalled it for obvious reasons.

5) Microsoft Powerpoint

Believe it or not, this is my most favourite tool for picture editing, adding watermark or designing a layout or thumbnail. It is simple to use and does not require any internet connection to use. When I lost my data on windows to encryptions, I lost my ppt files wherein I have created batches of personal layout and watermark designs too.

You can make your own watermark using "insert" feature in .ppt and "apply all" in all slides. MS PPT also helped me to crop/ do the minor edit on my pictures and I am planning to get one installed in my MacBook soon enough. 

The best thing is- this is a part of mandatory MS package and is available on almost all systems. 

There are other ways to add watermark like - Photoshop [more popular], Picassa [retired to Google Photos], UMark amongst others. So select from the above-listed apps and suit yourself :)

If you know of any other app that belongs to this category and is good too, do care to let us know at hautekutir@gmail.com

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Celebrate #No1Yaari Meet and Greet Dhoni with Your Friends

We are born son, daughter, brother to someone. A Majority of our relations is purely established with our birth. However, there are few relations that we chose by ourselves. One such relation is  - Friendship.

Khalil Gibran has rightfully said- Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity. 

While a lot of people come and go in our lives, few stays back stay forever. Those are the rare few who accepts us without any condition, they brave the test of time, rise above the opportune, sees us through thick and thin. They are our real friends and the friendships- #AsliYaari

Real friendship does not change with time, it rather evolves with time. McDowell's No 1 Soda truly believe in real friendships that is one of the finest taste of life and hence, you will see a lot of their initiatives revealing around real friendship or #No1Yaari, their new campaign featuring Cricket sensation and Yaro ka Yaar- MS Dhoni. 

Dhoni ki #no1Yaari

A true friendship truly evolves over time and stays true irrespective of what life may bring to you- Success or failure, family or career, business or pleasure. True friends may get temporarily distracted on the pretext of career, pressures and situation but are always available at the beck and call of their friends. Like the one India's most successful cricket captain MS Dhoni has with his friends- Chotu and Param Bhai. Want to know more about their friendship? 

Watch this heart touching video that signifies that true friends are real friends and how #asliyaari stands through thick and thin of time-

Before you may pass it as another commercial trick, I want to mention that this TVC is not just inspired by a true story but it is a true story. The friendship is real, names are real and so are the people.

This trio from Ranchi, have been together through thick and thin, and never resist celebrating their asli yaari at every opportunity they receive. Mahi [as Dhoni is fondly called as] and his friends have seen each other through all the hardships and successes and have always stood by each other’s side.

The #AsliYaari Contest

So if you too believe in #AsliYaari and love your friends, come celebrate #AsliYaari with Dhoni, and your friends. All you need to do is- take part in this lovely contest to win a fabulous opportunity to meet Dhoni. Who knows if you could win a chance to meet Dhoni with your real friends?

How to Participate

All you have to do is-

1) Comment on this FB video <link> by tagging your 2 friends to stand a chance to meet Dhoni with his tagged yaars [friends]

So what are you waiting for? Come join the celebration of brotherhood with McDowell's No 1 Soda Dhoni and his #No1Yaari.

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New Video On Sugar Box Fashion Forward Edition: Unboxing & Review

The month of August was the onset of festivity, gifts and a month full of pamperings and shopping. I not just bought myself loads of clothes, New MacBook Air, Beauty & Lifestyle Products or even gifting an impromptu 3 days travel getaway to Chandigarh, I also indulged in trying some new subscription boxes for self. Teej and Rakhi shopping were the biggest excuses and I do not wonder why my bank balance is running in a diminishing graph! And my family thinks that July was the Overdraft.

We will talk about my finances at some other [read appropriate] time. Time is now to tell you about my new buy- SugarBox.

What is Sugarbox

Sugarbox is a theme-based monthly subscription box. They have a new theme every month wherein they will send a pre-defined, standard subscription box containing 4-5 beauty, fashion, Gourmet and lifestyle accessories. The cost of a box varies from theme to theme and time to time. The regular subscription boxes cost around Rs 1500 i.e. if you book it once the theme is revealed. It later changes into Rs 1900 once the shipping starts.

To know more about Sugarbox, do check their website.

Sugar Box Fashion Forward Edition

The theme for August Sugar box was- Fashion Forward. 

Though I ordered and received my box by 16th of the month and shot my video by 20th of the month, I couldn't manage to edit and upload the video until today. I was actually unhappy with my video and given the time and technical constraint [in-laws visiting, another impromptu trip to Dahanu, tedious editing, still figuring new video editing tool etc], I planned to re-shoot the vlog [which thankfully didn't work out]. Hence, after a strict Nike pledge [just do It] that I won't step unless I finish the editing and upload, I did it! I told myself that if I do not finish this by today, I will give my maid one-day additional holiday and do the dishes by myself, and that worked. Phew!

Better late than never, and better honest than being a false crowd pleaser, am up with my new #YouTubeVideo on my #YouTube channel.

Here we go-

I always try to keep my blog/work technically sound but in case, if for some technical reason you are not able to watch the video above, do check it on my +YouTube India channel at- Link

Do Follow me on YouTube for Good Karma :)

What Came Inside my SugarBox Fashion Forward Subscription box

Though I have entailed all the products on my video, once again here is the list of products that I received v/s my candid opinion on each of them-

1) White Faux Leather Backpack

I loved this bag and probably the reason I ordered this bag. Though the bag's exterior quality is not great, the product is mint fresh and looks cute. I have started using it including carrying it to Oriflame Novage launch in August. A big Yay!

2) Pony & Bear Keychain

Absolutely loved the design, colour and everything. It was truly a "delight" in the box!

Yay!

3) Pink Pie Candies

Not fond of candies. So it is Nay for me.

4) Seduction set of 3 mini lipsticks

Loved the mini sizes, the pink shade looks amazing. I thought of doing swatches here but now am thinking about doing an independent post of them. What say?

5) Handmade Jewellery lacy Choker

The black lacy number looks good except for the quirky red kiss pendant that I am gonna remove and use. It is a Yay! 

6) Fashion Tshirt

It is a black colour mid length number with boat neck and "strap in sleeves" shoulder.  Check the video for the look. The Tshirt's print - Stressed, depressed but Well Dressed looks nice. However, the fabric is quite cheap in quality and could have been better. Though am glad that they chose to send a T-shirt over done to death scarf in this bag. 

7) Plastic Sipper

Though I could not stitch its relevance to fashion, the mug is an interesting piece of travel accessory that comes with an option to change the design by merely changing the cover paper. Good for carrying water, cold coffee or any other cold beverages as I do not advocate carrying a hot drink in a plastic, uncertified sipper. 

8) Quirky Pins

They are cute accessories and I will try wearing them as brooch on my casual outfits

Haute Kutir Verdict: The overall package was more of a street, casual and chic than being "Fashion-Fashion Forward". However, the trend forward is speculated to be more chic and bohemian and, if that happens, this fits the bill 7/10

Though I liked the products inside, I feel it could have been little sassier, more haute and could have rings, brooches, earring, eyewear than the mug. Nevertheless, the box was good overall and I do not regret buying it. My clear favourites are- the bag, the choker, the keychain, the pins, the lipstick..oh my God, that makes almost all the products :)

Do I recommend buying this Edition? Yes

Will I buy them again? Yes, why not?

VFM/ Value for Money ? At Rs 1500 it indeed is. However quality could have been better. Although, I do not understand the logic of escalating the price to Rs 1900 from 1500 post the shipping starts. If the products grab your attention, you may skip that too.

Hope you liked my post and video. Do subscribe to me on YouTube, I do video every Wednesday/ Thursday.

You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Stay Haute, Sugars!

Ekta
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Why You Should Watermark your Pictures

Blogging and Photography

Pictures have become a very important tool for story-telling these days and adding pictures to your post adds more weight to it. If you are a lifestyle blogger like me, it becomes imperative agenda of your story telling as the subject of your writing is heavily image dependant especially when you are talking about product features/reviews, events, tutorial and more. With the advent of smartphones, photography has become easier, convenient and accessible to all including people like me who do not like to use to DSLR or an additional camera. As a blogger, I prefer to invest in a phone with better camera and processing capability rather than carrying my bulky DSLR. 

Editing pictures for blogs and Social Media Shares

A lot of time, I relay the original [read camera shot] images on social media especially while live tweeting/blogging or uploading it on Instagram. 

However, when it comes to Blogs and Online Intellectual Copyright or IPR, mere clicking and sharing do not suffice. "watermarking" your images has become more important than ever unless you are ok to let anyone use your pictures for personal or professional use, without giving due credits [including revenue sharing in view of content monetization] to you. 

As a blogger, I click a lot of pictures for self and sometimes for others too. However, I was unaware of "watermarking" as a tool for IPR. I had my share of bad experiences where people used pictures clicked by me for professional usage without giving me credits or even seeking permissions. There is a thin line between using pictures for personal usage and professional usage. A credit is a must, whether you are a facilitator, friend or recipient, you must learn to give people credit for their work, especially in social media and writing.

However, like I said, a lot of people are not educated enough to give due credits and it is often upon you to protect your work/credibility. Watermark becomes imperative in such scenarios and if you are a blogger or even an amateur photographer, you must add watermark to your images even if it may appear as big pain.

Why You Should Watermark your images

To sum up, you must watermark your images so as to-

1) To Bring Credibility to Your Projects

We all know the importance of Pictures in our blog and invest a lot of efforts in clicking/ editing/ organising and adding pictures online. You can always use pictures from www or PR or professional photographer on your online document as long as you give due credits. However, when a reader sees that you have taken pains to click the pictures, and they attributes to your personal testimony, bringing more credibility to your work.

2) To Increase your Online Visibility

Often when we search for a picture say on google images or so, the one with a good layout and watermark helps create your brand's visibility

3) To Protect your Intellectual Property Rights

We already emphasised on it. This comes handy when you are a visualizer or so, and the photographs are part of your business portfolio like Behance etc. I totally dislike and disrepute a person/firm that uses my work without due accreditation or permission. A watermark at a strategic place ensures your credit and seal even when used without permission.

4) To Create Your Own Brand

I shoot almost all my pictures and add a different angle to it without using photoshop or so. Photos on my blogs and Social Media are my narratives and part of my overall portfolio that I have created independently through personal R&D, self-improvisation, extraneous efforts. A lot of mature brands annotate this to the quality of your work. 

5) To Prevent Revenue Leakage:

We have discussed this under IPR when someone uses your captured brilliance for a commercial purpose and earns out of it without giving you due credit, you risk your probable revenue out of it unless agreed upon. This happens largely with nature and wildlife photographers, travel photographers, food photographers amongst others.

Those were my top 5 reasons for using a watermark on your pictures. Hope they were useful. 

How to Watermark your images

we have established the importance of using the watermark, it is equally important to learn about tools that facilitate the same. Selecting a right tool is equally important and to keep the objectivity of this post, we shall elaborate on this topic in a separate post [coming soon].

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