Get Younger Looking Skin with Himalaya Youth Eternity in 4 Weeks

Lovers, forget your love,
and List your love of these,
She a window Flower,
And he a winter breeze
(Robert Frost) 

Skin aging is like the harsh hands of winters that are lurking right above your face window, peeping in slowly to rage you off. Do not wait for skin to show, wrinkles to appear and dullness to seep in. Get preventive and protective with a right skin care regime, cause when it comes to skin health, prevention had always been economical, better and effective than cure!

Preserve the Beauty of the Youth

I have often seen women asking for the right age to start their skincare regime. A couple of years back, in fact, I too was asking the same question. Like a lot of you, I thought I too am blessed with a great skin but that is like underestimating the otherwise cruel aging process.

Well, I am not against aging. Instead, I encourage age but age gracefully. Those who ware following me on Instagram would know where I am coming from.  I am 36 and though a lot of people tell me that I still look like 26, I still do not feel flattered as I can skin how my skin has deteriorated in last 2-3 years. It is high time that I need to regularize my skincare regime and get started with an end to end the anti-aging regime. While I was unsure of which product to pick, I got an invite from Himalaya Personal Care to experience the launch of their new anti-aging range- Youth Eternity.

Preserve the Beauty of the Youth with Himalaya Youth Eternity

The Goodness of Edelweiss (How It Works)

Our Youthful skin is the gift of nature. To protect the same, you need other gifted products in nature like the Edelweiss flower, a plant found in the pristine mountain slopes of the Europian alps. Edelweiss has a unique ability to preserve itself in harsh habitats. Any damages caused by the climatic conditions is reversed by the regenerative and self-renewing power of this lovely flower. Edelweiss if you have seen, always stays pure, fresh and blooming. Something that we would love our skin to be. No?

How it works [source brand]: The products apparently uses the plant stem cell technology that gives the Edelweiss flower the ability to preserve itself. The stem cells are combined with herbal active extracts of the flowers like Rose Myrtle, Woodfordia, Fire Flame bush and C Baccifera to give you the potent Himalaya Youth Eternity. 

To know more about the products visit the Himalaya Personal Care Website.

About The Range

The Youth Eternity range consists of three leave-on products viz-

1) Himalaya Youth Eternity Day Cream

It aims to soften the skin, reduces fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, and pigmentation in 4 weeks. It also claims to minimize visible pores (saving you a lot of cosmetic primers), even the skin tone and enhances the skin luminance.

Size: It comes in 10ml, 20ml, and 50ml. 

Price: Rs 499 for 50ml

2) Himalaya Youth Eternity Night Cream

It aims to soften the skin, reduces fine lines and wrinkles in 4 weeks. It also claims to improve skin hydration, skin tone, and increase skin elasticity.

Size: It comes in 50ml. 

Price: Rs 499 for 50ml

3) Himalaya Youth Eternity Under Eye Cream

The product promises to take of many eye issues like- hydrating the under-eye skin, reduces crow's feet, under eye pigmentation, wrinkles, fine lines and dark cirles in 4 weeks, while antioxidants in it help to treat puffy, morning eyes.

Size: It comes in 15ml. 

Price: Rs 525 for 15ml

Other Ingredients

Haute Kutir Experience

Being a Himalaya Personal Care active consumer [check my review of other Himalaya Products on the blog, link below), I have to give them a try. I am generally a bit skeptical about trying new anti-aging products as the chemical composition goes really high. Given the brand's legacy, I was happy to give them a try.

So it is over a week that I have started using the day and the night cream. My experience thus far is quite good as the emollient level is quite high and leaves your skin moisturized without any oil traces. The cream is indeed fast absorbing and have not caused any kind of itching or allergies thus far.

I have recently started wearing the eye cream. Though I liked the fact that unlike several other eye-creams, you need not have to use it before going to bed. The brand advocates to use this twice on a day and am glad that it does. 

The pricing is quite competitive and affordable

What I liked about these products

1) Use of Edelweiss Plant Stem Technology: I read about the Edelweiss flowers some years ago and was very keen to try it sometime. Glad that Himalaya Personal Care adopted its benefit in their new range

2) Hygienic and Sturdy, spill-proof Packaging: The day & the night cream, comes inside the lightweight, plastic pump bottles that make it quite hygienic to use the product without exposing the entire product to the light or the open environment. Hence, preserving the texture and composition. Even if the cream exchanges many hands, the pump bottles with transparent lids protect it. It is a big plus for me as compared to open mouth jars. 

Besides, the product packaging is handy, travel-friendly and unbreakable.

3) Non-Greasy and well fragrant (mildly): Good absorbancy is imperative for any anti-aging product. If your anti-aging product is greasy and does not seep too well into your skin, it may not able to benefit it but instead, add to damages. Likewise, a neutral fragrance is good for skin than the ones that are heavily scented.

4) Economical Pricing 

5) Turnkey Skincare: The range has 3 leave-on products for all your needs- day, night and eye care. Hence, you have a symmetrical composition working for you/your skin without making you invest in other products to suit the above needs and then work together as a comprehensive solution.

6) No Phthalates or Parabens

What Could Have Been Better

Cannot think of anything thus far. Maybe need to use more to see the translated benefits and improvements if any.

Haute Kutir Verdict

A great promise, a wonderful composition using Edelweiss and an attractive value proposition. If you are aged above 26, go for it, give it a try. After all, a good skin is the best makeup ever.

Recommended!

Say Yay to #PreserveYouthfulSkin and #preserveyouth.

Haute Kutir

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Five Reason Why I Liked November MEB | Indian Beauty Subscription Box

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever"

Do you like experimenting with new beauty products without investing a lot of money in the beginning? If yes, you would like subscribing to My Envy Box.

As usual, the November My Envy Box is full of lovely bunch of Beauty products. This time the focus was purely on the beauty care products.

Here is why I liked this box and think it makes for a good buy.

Top reasons why you should buy November MEB

1) Six products with 4 full size products

The box packed six products, out of which 4 were full size. Generally beauty subscription boxes packs sample or deluxe size products that are meant to be available free. However, when it comes to MEB, they are different!

2) Focus on Beauty Care

The products this month were a complete head-to-toe care range from natural Amla [Indian gooseberries]-Shikakai hair pack to the lovely foot moisturizing socks.

3) Value for Money

For the maximum monthly MRP of Rs 850/- you will receive the products worth more than Rs 2300 in the box.

4) Gifting Option

The month of November is a precursor to the festive December with upcoming Holidays and the cheer. At such occasion, gifting an envy box is a valuable option in terms of affordability and wonderful packaging. The points above [1,2,3] will add to the merit.

5) Doorstep Delivery

You do not have to worry about ordering and shipping. Once you place the order on the website, you need to add the delivery address and place the order. The stuff will be neatly delivered to the address given.

What's Inside MEB?

Want to know what have I got inside my November Envy Box?

Well, watch this video and do follow me on YouTube

Aha! Do not forget to watch some fun bloopers at the end of this video. I am sure you will love them.

Unable to watch the video above? Click here

Hope you liked my post and the video. If you do, do follow me on YouTube and Instagram as well.

Love,
Ekta

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Zomato 

Fight Anaemia with Yummy Paani Puri

Street Food is Love

Street food or junk food is something that my fanciest dreams are made of. I totally love snacking on them. Whether it is Mumbai Vada Pav, Lucknow's famous aloo Tikki, Deep fried samosa or the omnipresent Paani Puri.

They not just look sumptuous, taste better but invoke the greatest feeling in all Indians especially. Yes, we women love feasting on Paani Puri. And if we have our way, we would have made Paani Puri our national dish. 

That deep fried shell, filled with scrumptious aloo masala, dunked inside a sweet-hot tamarind water, waiting to pop and burst inside the mouth. Way too tempting, women! 

Way too unhealthy and unhygienic too! 

Well, street food is such a love and I wonder why people associate all bad words like unhealthy unhygienic with it? Too bad for those who do. Little did they know that if prepared smartly, street food can take care of few health issues including deficiency of iron in our [women] body. 

What? Paani Puri, to help in curing Anaemia?

Yes, you read it right. I said, Fight Anaemia with Paani Puri.

Do not look as shocked, just read on...

Women and Anaemia

Anaemia is a deficiency of iron in the body. It happens when the RBC or Haemoglobin [a substance present in blood] has gone down below the normal level. It is like inadequacy of oxygen in your blood and we all know the value of oxygen to conduct a human life. A study conducted in 2015 suggested that 59% of women in India are anemic [Source: Times Of India].

I am anemic and I know how terrible it is. It is like living with continuous pain, fatigue, and deteriorating skin condition. The bad news is that it can lower down the quality of your life. Good news is that it is easily curable and can be maintained with adequate food that is rich in iron.

The iron enriches food like Spinach, Raisins, Broccoli, Oats, Beans, Lentils, Chicken, Beetroot, Almonds, Eggs, Methi, Whole wheat bread, Mushrooms, Fish, Brown rice and more. 

I know a lot of you do not like some of the ingredients as mentioned above or may say, I am vegetarian so fish, chicken is a strict no-no, so is a mushroom!

Well, am not asking you to turn non-vegetarian or start eating vegetables that you always despised. All I am telling you to do is eat Paani Puri!

Eat My Special Paani Puri to overcome anaemia!

How?
well, I have a special recipe here that both vegetarians, non-vegetarians, and even Jain would love to eat. I have curated this recipe in my bid to make people try eating food substance that they may find boring. That included kids who thought Spinach is a bitter vegetable and oats are just too bland. Championing my cause of making kids eat the healthy ingredient via "hidden warfare", helped me ideate this recipe when I was trying to start eating Spinach.

How? Let's check my quick recipe and try it out

Haute Oats Paani Puri 

I have taken few iron enriched ingredients like spinach, finely milled oats, raisins and almonds, beetroot. You can key-in more or different ingredients. Well, the possibility is as endless as your imagination.

The procedure will remain the same, however, ingredients may vary.

For Puris or Golgappa [The shell]

1 cup Finely milled Oats
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 cup Suji/ Rawa
Oil to fry [ You can bake too]

1. Mix all the above three ingredients together, bind it with little water and make a non-sticky dough.
2. Take small balls of the dough, roll in a round shape, place it on a rolling plate and with the help of rolling pin, make small, round puris
3. Deep fry the poori in any oil of your choice. You can try a rice bran oil as well.

For the stuffing
This is purely at your discretion. I have made 2 different types of stuffing here. The first is the simple stuffing wherein I have taken some raisins, fine chopped them and mixed them with some soaked sprouts, almond shavings and thin julienne of beetroot and black carrot [it is very high in iron]

Mix them all together, add some black salt if you like

For the water/Paani

1. One cup washed, boiled and juiced Spinach
2. One piece of soaked Tamarind
3. One Lemon 
4. Two spoons of Jaljeera powder
5. Half cup of Pomegranate Juice

Take the watery spinach juice, pomegranate juice and mix the jaljeera powder in it. Crush the soaked tamarind into pulp and add that in the water. Stir with a spoon and check for the taste. The water should taste mildly tangy. You can increase or reduce the tanginess by adding the amount of tamarind. Do not worry if it is slightly bitter like because of spinach. You can add a bit of lemon and some salt to bring it to your liking.

Besides, the raisin filling in the puri will balance it out.

Final serving: Take two shot glasses and fill them with the flavored water. Take the puri and press a small hole on top of it to add the fillings. At this point, let your feelings dominate the fillings and go with the flow. If you are a big potato lover and want to keep experimentation simpler, you can add mashed potatoes, mixed with green herbs like Cilantro and black salt and pour it in your puri.

Place the puris atop the shot glasses and serve.

It will be a great kitty party idea wherein you are having a healthy meal with great visuals and a proposition that all women irrespective of their age will love.

Alternatively, you can change the fillings and serve the puri without the flavored water. {refer the picture below}

Here I have just fine shredded some iron-rich vegetables like beetroot, carrots, red cabbage and mixed them with herbs like crushed basil, cilantro, boiled peas, finely chopped onions, mixed with Almond shavings. I have kept the Panipuris on a plain white plate, you can use any funky plate of your choice. Make a small cavity on the top, add the fillings inside it and sprinkle some chat masala and shredded feta cheese on it.

If tangy is on your mind, add a dash of tamarind chutney at the side to up your plating quotient.

Tadaaa...Enjoy your iron-rich paani puri. And remember, iron deficiency is a serious concern but can be tackled with a little care and loads of imagination wherein you can turn your gluttony into a healthy habit.

Want to share a feedback? Do let me know in the comment box below, along with how did you like this dish.

Bon appetite,
Ekta


For some interesting iron-rich recipes, check out:  Livogen

Stay tuned to my Youtube Channel, Instagram and Twitter for more updates.

How to do Salon like Facial at Home? DIY Tips

Women and Skincare

Women tend to ignore caring for themselves while tending to her family and house. Their biggest excuse is- I do not get time. Time laughs off this excuse and keeps on working its blunders on our skin which includes blackheads, discoloration, dullness among others.

To keep all these issues at bay, it is imperative to go for regular facials or skin cleanups. No matter how clean you keep your skin, whiteheads or blackheads are bound to come. Besides, who does not love that little care and pamper? Well, our skin loves a little pamper. So pamper it with a good-hearty facial.

No Time For Facials?

We all love getting facials but off late getting facials at parlor has become an expensive and unhygienic at times. Do not let haywire schedule to keep you away from taking care of your skin.

Do not let the busy schedules or tight appointments miss your beauty regime. Do not let economies [expensive facial costs at parlor] make you skip your facials. For now, you can do an easy-peasy facial at the comfort of your home and within just Rs 200/-

Salon Like Home Facial at Home

If budget, time and method is the constraint you are facing, worry no more. Go for some home facial kit including the one by VLCC personal care. I have recently tried one of their facial kit- Insta Glow Facial kit with Chandan and Kesar Extracts. My experience was surprisingly good and not as tedious I thought a home facial would be.

How to Do Facial at Home?

To help you understand better, I have demonstrated the whole process step by step in my video. Do watch my video to know more. If you have any doubts, do let me know the comment box below or in the Video comment box.

What I Liked about this Kit

• It is a one-time use kit that comes with 5 tubes, clearly marked with numbers 1,2 to 5 as per the steps to be followed.
• The products feel good, rich and sufficient enough. Y
• You can start feeling the difference post cream massage itself. 
• Quantity is sufficient
• The tubes come seal packed to ensure the product quality and hygiene is maintained and any kind of spillover is avoided.
• Affordable
• Easily available

Do I recommend this kit? Yes

Do remember to not use soap for a day or two on your face post the facial. You may clean your face with cleansing milk and tepid water. 

Haute Kutir Verdict: A facial kit is a quick and economical option for taking care of your skin. You can do it in the comfort of your home while doing other activities. If you are a beginner, you may like to invest something that is good and affordable. The VLCC instaglow kit does deliver what it promises unless you have a very problematic skin. This kit is good for regular maintenance but if you have a problematic skin or a large number of blackheads, it is advisable to visit a beauty salon and get some expert help. 

I totally love the fresh Chandan and Kesar fragrances in the products. 

Disclaimer: The review is solely based on my one-time experience and worked with my skin type. 

Haute Kutir

You may also like to read:  Review of Oriflame Pure Nature Tropical Fruits Facial Kit

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Stay tuned to my Youtube Channel, Instagram and Twitter for more updates.

Fashion on Colors TV ITA Awards Red Carpet

When you are watching Bigg Boss, you are totally hooked to your TV. Baring the ad breaks, wherein you take a break only to check the trending tweets on the show. Bored with lopsided #IStandWithVikas Tweets, I decided to check something else today.

I tuned into ITA awards and more than which award went to which show [I found almost everything on Hindi Entertainment Channels not so interesting], I thought of checking the styles on the red carpet today.

Who Wear What on ITA Awards 2017

Here are few style checks from the awards today. Some we liked, some we admired and some we would love to believe as if we have not seen them.

1) Rochelle & Keith Sequiera

They gave perfect couple goals with their well-coordinated cloths. While Keith looked dapper in his black suit with a blue silk tie, Rochelle kept it simple and elegant with her white and red hi-lo dress. 

Haute Kutir Vote: Yay

Winners of My October Instagram Giveaway

Hi, Fox and the Folks

How are you doing? And how was your month gone by? Well, mine was as hectic as always and I had my shares of some good laugh and loads of tears and moments of jeers. But see, I survived.

October was a great month with lots of festivals. To spread the festival camaraderie, Well, no. Let's say to widen the festival cheer, I had hosted 2 back to back contests/ giveaways on my Instagram page.

If you have not subscribed to my Instagram, you missed a lot of things. If you subscribed and then unsubscribed, Ah! why?

However, if you are an old subscriber and active on my social media updates, you are a winner all the way. How?

Well, by doing that you stand a great chance to participate in interesting contests that I host on my YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

Let's cut it short, here are the two contests that I hosted and their winners-