#Styleback with Tata Tigor: Car Launch & Test Drive

"Fashion fades, only style remains the same".

 Coco Chanel

March was such an action packed a month for me. It left me exhausted, panting but filled with some wonderful travel memoirs. One such fascinating experience was attending an exclusive car launch by Tata Motors.

Styleback with Tata Tigor: A never ever Before, Car launch with Elan

There are certain beauties that are beyond the emphasis of words. Memoirs, journeys and experiences that are seen, experienced, felt but not explicitly told. One such fascinating experience was "launch of Tata Tigor".

If you are/were following me on Snapchat/ Instagram and Facebook during the period, you would have definitely seen and learnt about the experience, the launch -Live. Those who missed it, let me present you the story of my experience, picture by picture.

Day 1: Mumbai To Delhi to A1 Qutub

The mandatory flight selfie after I boarded my flight. Jet, Set and Schedule to Go!

Tata and Team Indiblogger flew all the designated bloggers from the different city including me from Mumbai to New Delhi Airport.

Once we reached Delhi, we were escorted to a stylish world of Styleback at Qutub, ensconced in European- French setting that included- a live studio, selfie booth, specially curated menu and loads of fun-filled activities. Let's have a dekko-

Here is the man of the hour, the legend of the event and the chief guest of the show- The all new Tata Tigor in all its luminous glory.

It was an afternoon straight from the pages of French Riviera. We soaked in all the sun till it turned to dusk and we were escorted to our hotel to check-in and get ready for a gala of the evening to follow.

Andaz Apna Apna

Yes, we stayed at the beautifully designed hotel- Andaz by Hyatt at the pulsating Aerocity. Tired but all enthusiastic to know about the new machine i.e. Tigor, we changed into evening wear and headed to the big ballroom to have a better preview of the Tigor- a name so powerful and intriguing in itself.

Not to forget the mandatory car selfie!

Day 2: Taking Tigor by Wheels

Flagging off the P-D {Petrol-diesal} beasts on road.

Tigor at the Transport Museum, Haryana. Have you been there?

Wel, that's how the cookie crumbles and the day unfolds. Do check out the new Tata Tigor and let me know where would you like to drive it to.

Till next time,

Love and Glory

Ekta

Attending India Wine Awards at Sofitel, Mumbai

Finally, awards for the Wines!

I attended India Wine Awards, the first of its kind wine awards events along with other eminent members of the wine and hospitality domains at the Sofitel Mumbai BKC. 

I hope you caught me to live in action on my Instagram and Snapchat Stories. In case, you missed it. Follow me now on Instagram & Snapchat [Ekta Khetan]

Talking about the glittering event, the ceremonious evening saw names like Rashmi Uday Singh, Rahul Akerkar, Rajeev Samant, Seema Jaidev Mehrotra among others. 

It is an initiative by Sonal Holland, India's first Master of Wine and Founder-Director of SoHo Wine Club, Subhash Arora, President, Indian Wine Academy and Founder-Editor of delWine, and Sourish Bhattacharyya noted food writer.

There were as many as 154 medals of Silver, Gold and Diamond awards. Phew! Including 23 Best in Class Trophies for outstanding wines in the competition results. Now that is something to spoil the Indian wine consumers with. Choices!

Over 301 wines entered in the competition. A panel of 12 distinguished wine experts and restaurant operators judged them over 2 days of listings, tastings and trials.

My Envy Box: Unboxing & Review

My Envy Box #WorkHardGlamHard

Holla Beautiful,

We are back with another unboxing video of the new My Envy Box, April 2017. 

If you are thinking, what kept us thus long from posting this review, let me remind you of our unboxing video on the YouTube. 

Check out the video and do Subscribe us on YouTube for more such videos. 

We are currently 498 subscribers strong and maybe by the time we finish writing this post, we may hit 500 subscribers milestone.

Yippeee & Yoohoo!

Do not let the fizz, fizzle down and keep the excitement roaring. Your feedback and support encourages us to write more, publish more and even shoot more. 

If you have not seen the unboxing video yet, have a look here at-

Thanks for watching the video. Let us tell you bit more about the box-

What: Monthly Beauty Subscription Box

Brand: My Envy Box

Month: April 2017

Theme: Work Hard, Glam Hard

MRP: Rs 850

Here is a quick dekko of all the products-

Have got 5 products this month. Out of them, 3 were full size and rest of the two were- deluxe size.

The products came neatly wrapped in an attractive maroon colour messenger bag print. I loved the overall packaging and designing, including the "school notebook" designed cue card. 

What I Liked

1) The Theme

2) Selection of brands

3) Product sizes and samples

What I Did not like

Nothing as such.

My Favourites from the box- I am looking forward to trying the Tvach Glow water and the foot soak. In case, if you are wondering, I have tried the lipstick colour too. It is an interesting shade but may appear a little dry when you apply it on bare lips. The pigment is rich and good. Here's a swatch for those who may like to see-

Given all the other details in the vlog. Do go ahead, subscribe to my channel and this lovely subscription box.

Love,

Haute Kutir

Vivo V5 Plus Limited Edition to Celebrate 10 Years of IPL

Go La Vivo with  IPL

This IPL, get ready to Vivo with V5plus limited Edition handset phone.

It is that time of the year that everyone is hooked to their television channel, online scorekeeper while making a long queue near the café or the coffee machine, discussing averages, wide angle and batting line. Yes, it the time for IPL, India’s one of the most loved cricket edition where sports enthusiasts, fans and alike gather together to accord the spirit of the game.

Not just that. This year is double special as the Indian Premier League completes its 10 years of inception.

Yes, it is a time for double celebration. To commemorate this milestone, one of our popular mobile brand Vivo has come up with a special edition phone VIVO V5 plus.

VIVO V5 plus is a limited edition phone that is launched recently at a high voltage event in Hyderabad. Bollywood Actress Soha Ali Khan who appeared in some path breaking cinema like Khoya Khoya Chand and Sahib, Biwi Aur Gangster had graced the occasion along with Mr Rahul Johri, CEO- BCCI.

About VIVO V5 Plus

This limited edition handset is a5.5FHD and comes in a matt black colour. It has a special VIVOIPL engraved on the back cover.

The phone does not compromise on quality and has 20 MP Dual Front Camera and 16 MP Rear Camera. It’s large display of 13.87 cm (5.5) FHD Display make viewing content on mobile a great experience. It comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Octa-core CPU and 4 GB RAM/64 GB ROM

The features are quite competitive and you must be wondering about the price. The phone is priced at Rs 25,990

The beauty of VIVO handsets is its camera. The dual lenses of the device i.e. 20MP and 8MP create sharpness on the face while creating a beautifully blurred background which is enhanced by digital optical algorithm to generate an amazing Bokeh effect.

You can buy this phone online from Flipkart or any other Modern trade outlets from tomorrow i.e. 10^th April onwards.

Hurry! It is a limited Edition Phone!

So if you are a cricket/ IPL enthusiast and planning to buy a new phone, do check out this handset.

Celebrate Cricket, celebrate IPL with Vivo limited edition V5 plus

About Vivo India:

The premium global smartphone manufacturer, Vivo entered India in late 2014. In a short span, Vivo India has become an established Camera & Music brand. Vivo India currently has its presence in more than 400 cities in 22 states, with a strong focus on Camera & Music. Vivo is one of the fastest growing companies in India and one of the top 10 smartphone brands in the world.

So, go VIVO with the new smartphone in town and tell us your experience, along with your selfie.

Stay Haute, Stay Connected

Haute Kutir

___________________________

Do Follow me at-

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Snapchat [ektakhetan]

My Latest MEB Video, Giveaway Update and More

Hi Lovelies,

Vlogging is a huge exercise but indeed a fun thing to do. I am glad about your super positive responses on my videos thus far and cannot share to upload more videos.

Of all the different videos that I have tried shooting for my blog, YouTube Channel, the unboxing videos are most frequent in numbers and quite close to my heart. I love unboxing the monthly subscription boxes especially the beauty subscription box like My Envy Box and others.

I hope you have subscribed to my YouTube Channel and watching all the videos that I upload. In case, if you do not want miss any new uploads, go to my channel and press the bell button to get notified everytime I upload a new video. Pssst, do not worry, I won't spam :)

Thank you for your love and feedback on my unboxing and review post My Envy Boxing March 2017.

I am back from my Sikkim trip and as promised you in the post hitherto, I could finally manage to be home, edit the video and upload on my +YouTube India channel. It may be a bit too late, considering the latest box will be out for delivery from 2nd week of April. Nevertheless, I am posting the video here along with links of past few MEB unboxing videos, just in case some of you may want to refer them back.

Of course, I would need your love and support to watch, like, comment and share on this video/ other videos on MyYouTube Channel

So, go ahead- watch, comment, like and subscribe. 

Important Notification

Last Month, I have hosted a Youtube giveaway on my channel wherein I have got an overwhelming response from a lot of you. Love to all who participated in this video, shared and subscribed.

I am in middle of skimming through your comments and will soon come up with winner[s]. Unfortunately, there are quite some spam messages that I need to filter through and hence the delay. 

I am meanwhile, also working on some of my old videos that I have shot quite some time back but couldn't edit and upload. yes, I know "work expands as time expands" but I will upload new one super soon. Maybe tomorrow, since tomorrow is Monday, a day other than Wednesday/Thursday when I usually upload my videos.

So be patient and keep watching/ reading Haute Kutir.

Have a Good Life,
Haute Kutir
________________________

Do Follow me at-

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Snapchat [ektakhetan]

My Current Beauty Favorites

January, February in April?

I know this is the obvious question and definitely eligible for brickbats. I hold guilty and must admit that even though I shot this video 2 months back, I could not post this until now. 

Why I did not? 

Well, a lot of things happened during that period including a severely bad health condition [My frequent visits and tests at KDAH on Snapchat & Instagram Stories were a living proof of that.] Then some newer and immediate commitments came knocking my mindshare, some dull phase of life, travel, family commitments et cetera wherein everything took a first precedence than the post that was my personal quest and not actually a tethering responsibility.

Why Am I Posting It Now

They say better late than never. And if you liked something, you must tell people [readers] about it, in case if someone is looking to buy in that category, it may help.

So living with that belief and the jest of sharing as much I can with others, I after weeks of contemplations and denial, decided to take it live.

Above all, dude it is my blog wherein I can post my content [esp if it is requested by readers] better late than never. No? :)

Have my views changed?

Before I envisage that, let us first quickly see all the products that I have mentioned there-

1) Real Technique Makeup brushes- Sam's Pick

2) Lakme Absolute Illuminate Eye-shadow [French Rose]

3) Votre Face Serum

4) Organic Harvest Lip Balm- Strawberry

5) Himalaya Rich Cocoa Body Butter

I have spoken about each of them at the [bearable] length in my YouTube Video here, which I would humbly request you all to "watch" and if possible- "Do Subscribe".

Appending the video here -

In case, if you are not able to watch it here, here are the links you may want to check-

1) My Favourites Video

2) My YouTube Channel

My Views on the products mentioned in this video [Then and Now]

1) Real Technique Makeup brushes- Sam's Pick

They come in six different types and are fluffy, soft, with taper and an absolute delight to work with. The form factor is sexy and the grip is good/hygienic. I bought them with great hope and they [especially the buffing brush] did not let me down. 

Recommend? Yes!

2) Lakme Absolute Illuminate Eye-shadow [French Rose]

I am an undying fan of Victoria secret makeup palette and often use all my eye-shadow and blush from it or the moe platter. 

I reviewed the Lakme Absolute Illuminate range by Sabyasaachi on my blog and received a lot of enquiries about the eye-shadow range. Hence, I decided to try it and, it thankfully did not let me down. I have two palettes, one I got at Lakme-Grazia Tea Party at Asilo, Mumbai and another one I bought online.

In this video, I have talked about the Shades type- French Rose. It comes in 6 different shades from Salmon to orange to other mild hues of pink, including a beige tone. The product is handy and comes with an in-built mirror. The shades are simple, matte and refreshing and have a soft texture. Pigmentation is good.

Do Check My Video Review of Lakme Absolute Illuminate Range

3) Votre Face Serum

I liked the small bottle, the dropper head and often use it with my foundation or moisturiser on shower fresh face. I have a calming effect on my face and gets absorbed easily. I heard that a lot of my readers/followers did not like this product. So I suggest you try it before you buy as it is no cheap at Rs 1700. Yes, I think the product is slightly over-priced. If you are looking for face serums, you can also try the Green Tea Serum from Innisfree that I have reviewed on my blog. Pssst I heard, it is Bipasha Basu's Favourite :)

4) Organic Harvest Lip Balm- Strawberry

I loved the cute packaging, neutral fragrance and rich texture. I am still using it and it is so far, so good! Do Try.

5) Himalaya Rich Cocoa Body Butter

I have reviewed this product in details on my blog. My first impression about it was good and my current impression is also good. It is creamy, rich and soothing. Do Try.

Well, those were my collective thoughts and favourites for the mentioned months. Of course, they aren't one time fancy. I still have them and using.

Would you have any query regarding the products that I mentioned here or feedback or personal experience, do share here. Sharing is caring and I do care for you.

Cheers to the beautiful you!
Haute Kutir

Lifestyle Photography with New Nubia Z11 MiniS

A Picture Speaks a 1000 words

If that is not true, Instagram would not become such a popular social media platform across the globe.

It is not just Instagram but there are other photo based popular social media platforms like Pinterest, Tumblr, Flickr and more. With the advent of camera enabled smart-phones, photography is a common habit with larger preview. It has become so popular that you will find hundreds of picture editing apps on Android, sprawling every day.

While photography remains one of the most used feature of a smartphone, the focus off-late, has been shifted to videos and stories from the still pictures. I am talking about Snapchat and rising popularity of 15 second stories that has attracted attention of social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter extra, that they could not help but incorporate it create customer stickiness.

How To Be Kiss Ready with Himalaya Mouthwash?

Are You an Onion Head?

I love eating onions but not smelling like them. If your breath smells of the onion, it is not the fault of the poor vegetable but something about your hygiene habits.

Beauty is not just about looking good from outside. How you smell also matters. While there are numerous perfumes in the market that you can spray on your body and hair. However, it is the mouth that gets neglected. A stinking mouth is such a deal breaker and the bad breath is a strict no-no.

What? You want to stop eating onions? Well, that is not a solution. Onions especially raw onions are very good for health as it beats the heat in the body and fights against the cancerous cells.

Besides, it is not just the food that causes teeth stain or bad breath. Brushing after the meal is a good option but not an end solution it itself. Your mouth needs a holistic cleaning, something beyond regular brushing or periodical dentist visits.

Hence, using a good mouthwash is imperative.

Be Kiss Ready With Himalaya Herbals

One of the million things that men want to know about a woman or what is wanted in her man is- Good breath. Trust me very rarely you will find someone who likes to kiss a sack of rotten tomatoes or that strong pungent dinner that they may have eaten. Not me, for sure!

It is not just the food or the cig that you smoke but various other things may cause bad breath. Ageing is one of them. Before you jump guns and say- Hell, I am just 30 years old and my wife is in love with me truly, deeply, madly. Very Good! Now, use a good mouthwash give her the gift of even fresher breath and get ready to play elongated tonsil tennis with your partner. I so much feel like the 80s advertising lady, holding a bottle of Himalaya Mouthwash in my hands, wearing a starch-ironed kurta and smiling on the tune of ting-ting-a ting!

Well, no the products are sponsored but my views are solely owned and not biased. I give a lot of weight to fresh breath, not just in my partner but anyone I meet. Can't stand that odour you see!

New Himalaya Herbals Mouthwash

As a teen, I use to abhor certain mouthwash due to those heavy bitter taste. Bitter is good for health, said all elders unless you mention Alcohol. Alcohol, yes another problem to dealt with other mouthwash that I was using was the Alcohol content that made it taste very bitter for me. Even if it meant that I remain with the dragon breath I woke up with. 

The good thing is this mouthwash from Himalaya are not alcohol based. Not just that, it comes in three exciting flavours. They are-

1) Himalaya Sparkling White Mouthwash in Papaya & Pineapple Flavor

It is a refreshing mint flavour that claims to aid in whiter teeth without chemical bleach

2) Himalaya Active Fresh Mouthwash in Saunf & Mint Flavor

It is a formulation packed with Fennel seed which helps prevent mouth odour and promises to give long-lasting fresh breath.

3) Himalaya Complete Care Mouthwash in Miswak & Pomegranate Flavor

 It is a floral mint flavour that helps in maintaining healthy gums and teeth.

I never thought a pineapple for a bad breath. Well, when pineapple can fight flatulence, what is bad breath.

Price: Rs 95/-

So, which flavour are you trying today?

Mouth Freshener V/s Mouthwash

I have spoken about this launch on my Snapchat and Instagram stories. A couple of your replied back saying you prefer a tasty mouth freshener any day than buying/stocking a mouthwash. Well, to answer your query, it is like using a room freshener in lieu of room cleaning. While a mouth freshener may be tastier to eat but it may not be good for your health or may not help to kill the unwanted bacteria in your mouth. A mouthwash helps in killing those bacteria to a substantial rate.

The product claims to kill bacteria up to 99.8% and gives up to 12-hour protection from the germs.

What I liked about the Product

1) Range of flavours including Meswak and Saunf plus new variants like pomegranate and papaya
2) NO Chemical Bleach Included
3) Devoid of Alcohol based formula hence no bitter taste
4) Chemical Composition and age instruction are written on the label

What I did not Like
1) Inferior packaging; bleeding cap

Overall, it is a useful product for oral hygiene and must be used twice, daily.

So do not be an Onion Head and try Himalaya Mouthwash today.

So before you go for that kiss, go for a 30 seconds swill and see the difference!

Smell fresh, breath fresh

Haute Kutir

Beauty Food: 5 Beauty products from your Kitchen

They say- we are what we eat. By that metrics, I feel I am "Haldiram Bhujia" and Aglio Olio pasta as these are the two things that I find myself eating almost all the time.

On a serious note, food plays a very vital role in our beauty regime. It not just satiates our palates but is a great source of beauty and skin care too. Often we hear a new product launched in the market with a goodness of olive, XYZ and some other natural ingredient. However good that may sound but at the end of the day they are primarily chemicals with added flavours and nothing beats using a natural ingredient directly. 

You do not have to go far or spend additional to look beautiful. Instead, you can pick some of the widely available items from your kitchen and use as and when required.

Ghee: Ghee in its purest form is a perfect emollient and very good for Indian skins. When we were kids, my maternal grandma used it for my winter chapped lips and skin. She would take the purest of cow milk's ghee and apply it on my lips, hands and elbows. I would wake up to smoother and brighter skin next morning.

A word of caution, you may avoid using white bed sheets/clothes when applied ghee on your skin.

Turmeric: It has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties which also doubles up as a great skin purifier and cleanser. In ancient times, people would take turmeric flower and fruit, and blend it into a soft paste, mix it with milk and Kesar [Saffron] and apply all over their face and body before taking the bath.s

It will help making your skin glow and its antiseptic properties will keep it away from infections and inflammation. If raw turmeric is too yellowish for your skin, then mix it Besan [Gram Flour], curd or milk and use it as whole body ubtan.

Pic Source: stylesatlife.com

Besan: Talking about the besan made from the yellow pulse is like taking another turn to childhood memories. Taking an ubtan bath made with besan was an unsaid ritual at my home. You can toss other natural ingredients in it like honey, Milk/Yoghurt, Sandal Powder, Saffron, Oats or just water. It is only going to cleanse and soothe your skin, naturally. 

If bathing with is difficult for you on an everyday basis, then you may try using it for face wash and see the difference.

Eggs: Ah! one of the common food for singles, bachelor and kids too. Eggs are high in Protein and do wonder for your Hair and Skin. When it comes to food, a lot of fat conscious people avoid eating egg yolks. However, when it comes to beauty, egg yolks are as desirable as egg whites, especially for your hair. The egg is a great hair conditioner. Take a raw egg, break it, mix it with little castor oil or 2 spoons of beer and apply all over your hair. Leave it for at least 2 hours before shampooing. If you have very dry hair, take only egg yolks, mix with desi honey and apply. if possible, do keep a hot towel turban to let it seep in. 

What will you do with the egg whites? Well, you can separate and make a healthy omelette out of it or use it on your face as a mask.

Salt: Yes, you heard it right. I said salt. A lot of people use Salt in boiling water to do pedicure or soak their feet at home. Apart from that, you can also use it to whiten your teeth naturally. Take the salt, mix it with Mustard oil and brush your teeth with it. Rinse it thoroughly with water and see the difference.

With these tips, I hope to have saved you quite some time and loads of money from going to that parlour. Oh no, I am not against going to Beauty Parlours but when you have so many quick and steady fixes at home and that too at the comfort of your kitchen, why would you spend your hard earned money on the so called brands and their pocket burning products that charge you a premium for mere label and advertising?

Do try these tips and let me know your feedback. Off course, do not forget to check for allergies [if any] against any of these ingredients.

Be Beautiful, stay Beautiful

Ekta