Indulgeo Essentials Squalane Skin Hydrator Review | Rose Oil Natural Hyaluronic Acid Variant | Repairing Skin Barrier | Beauty Blogger | Beauty Review

The one product that changed my skincare game forever - Indulgeo Essentials Squalane Oil i.e. Squalane Skin Hydrator ❤️ 

Feb 2020 onwards I have been battling issues like rosacea, acne outbreaks, inflammation, and from April 2020 onwards, full on damaged skin barrier, meaning unbelievable amount of inflammation and outbreaks and redness on my cheeks and actually all over face. I am fed up of how my skin is behaving all of a sudden. All my life I have had pretty nice naturally glowing skin with minor skin troubles now and then...but now *sigh*.

Anyway, I started researching like crazy and came across all sorts of suggestions from skin experts, dermatologists, beauty bloggers... 

Stop exfoliation (done!), 

Stop picking on pimples (done!), 

Stop using tonnes of beauty products (done!), 

Start using ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, ceramides, peptides...

Oh boy, so much to learn and be confused about! 

Squalane oil kept popping up as an ingredient to soothe and hydrate skin as well as repair the skin barrier. So I looked around and found this offering from the famed brand of Indulgeo. They are famous for gold-based oils but I have never been interested in pricey or gold-flake-based products, but now, with Squalane, I got no option but to buy it. And I did!

Packaging of Indulgeo Squalane Skin Hydrator is quite travel-friendly. Simple green glass bottle, that is not good news for clumsy hands, but be careful and it is all good :D

Ingredients list is pure squalane that is 70% olive derived and 30% sugarcane derived. Well, this is the Rose Oil variant so it must also have some rose essential oil though it is not mentioned in the ingredient list on the packaging.

Claims are nothing short of miraculous, in fact, it makes me wonder why we did not hear of this earlier! Squalane is similar to Squalene that is produced naturally in our body but its quantity decreases as we age. This Squalane mimics natural sebum, controls oil production, works at a cellular level, helps in conditions such as acne and eczema, helps in collagen production and aging gracefully, is exceptionally hydrating even for oiliest of skins since it is so natural...etc...etc...

Availability of Indulgeo Squalane Skin Hydrator, like other Indulgeo products is quite good on its own website, Nykaa, Vanity Wagon, as well as on Amazon :)

Quantity of this 30 ml little bottle is enough to last 2 months even with daily usage of 2 times since only 3-4 drops are required every single time for entire face.

Usage - AM as well as PM, just 2-3 drops are needed after water-based moisturizer and before oil-based or heavy moisturizers. 

Effect - My facial skin is combination-dry, ultra-sensitive and acne-prone and as I said, I got this exclusively for the research that said it will help me in repairing my damaged skin barrier :) 

❤️ I actually got squalane options from 2 other brands also, and I sent them DM asking about the method to apply this, as in should I use it in conjunction with something else because I was focused on repairing skin barrier. Only Indulgeo replied on instagram, others ignored, so points to them for customer service.

❤️ They said I should use it after water based products (such as toner or facial mist) and before oil based products or moisturizer. I found this strange because it's an oil...but I thought okay,let's try...

❤️ It is expensive no doubt. But I got it at 25% discount from Vanity Wagon. And this has rose oil as natural hyaluronic acid, so I got squalane + hyaluronic in less than Rs. 1100 and it lasted me 2.5 months on daily application (Already ordered 2nd bottle)

❤️ My routine for the first 15 days after receiving this- cleanse face with Himalaya neem face wash, spray rose water, put squalane just 4 drops all over face, finish with a layer of lacto calamine.

❤️ After 15 days I introduced Tribe Concepts Kumkumadi Tailam + brightening cleanser before squalane, and finish with Deyga Organics beautifying serum.

❤️ Either way, Indulgeo Squalane Skin Hydrator calms my skin down immediately, gives a soothing silky finish, hydrates and plumps my skin. For the first 15 days when I used it alone, it did immense work in my skin repair, as evident by pictures.

     Before                                          After a week

I. Love. It. 

Even now my skin has its own share of problems but it is much much better than it was 6 months ago and I give the credit to all these products-

Himalaya Neem Face Wash

Patanjali Rose Water

Tribe Concepts Brightening Cleanser + Kumkumadi Tailam

Deyga Rose & Mulethi Face Pack

Indulgeo Squalane Skin Hydrator  

Deyga Beautifying Serum

GlamAroma Washed Ghee

Patanjali Aloe Vera Gel

Indulgeo Squalane was the one product that immediately showed its results. That is why I regard it so highly, as it gave me noticeably calmer and smoother inflammation-free skin within a couple of days. There is a lot of work to be done but Indulgeo Squalane is definitely going to be my go-to for a long loooooooong time.

YES 

• All I need to say, YES, it worked as expected and in fact even better in helping repair my skin barrier

• Non-comedogenic

• Lasted more than 2 months on my horsey-sized face so not very expensive

• Hydrates skin like nothing else without making it oily

• Available in Amazon, Nykaa, Vanity Wagon, often at good discounts.

NO 

• Hmm, the glass bottle is not good for clumsy hands :D

Recommended -YES. Want a good hydrating oil? Want an oil that works at cellular level of your skin? Want to repair skin? Want to keep your skin routine simple yet effective? Squalane is good for all these situations. Rating is 5/5.      

Smytten Review | An App For Beauty Skincare Haircare Health Lifestyle Fanatics | Try And Buy And Try Some More | Beauty Haul | Beauty Review

I have no clue how I did not join the Smytten app yet, but worry not, better late than never :) 

Smytten is an app with a wordplay on 'smitten', and it allows all beauty, skincare, healthcare, haircare, lifestyle fanatics to try products from top-notch brands before buying them. It is an app with a shop and a trial section where one needs to pay only Rs. 199 for picking up sample size products from brands such as Just Herbs, Aroma Magic, Votre, Seer Secrets and many more. These sample size products differ in quantity from 10 ml or 10 grams to 50-60 ml or 50-60 grams. In short, they are enough to use for 2-4 times so that the user can make up their mind if it is worth buying the full size product or not. 

If worth it, then simply go to the Smytten shop section and buy the product! Easy-peasy. But the best part about this app is that every time we pay Rs. 199 for the trial section, we get Rs. 169 back in our wallet that can be used for more trials or we can get Rs. 169 off while purchasing a full-sized product! How cool is that! 

So I made an account on Smytten, logged in using my mobile number, and fell in love with so many options for the trial part. There were 6 points in my wallet and each trial sample has certain points assigned to them. So, for example, a Votre 50 grams cream for 2 trial points while a Just Herbs 10 ml rose water for 1 trial point. Sometimes there are full sized products for 6 trial points too! 

I chose samples using the 6 trial points and got Rs. 169 points back in my wallet. Then I went to the shopping section and got Aaranyaa Hair Spa at a massive 40% discount PLUS Rs. 169 OFF! This is called Super-Bonanza shopping :D And after shopping for a full-sized product, I got 6 more trial points in my account. And so on and so forth. Now looking at my haul size, you can see for yourself how many samples I got in 3 rounds...And there is so much more to try out. 

I am a beauty and skincare junkie so I got shampoo, conditioner, hair oil, face wash, clay masks..but there are samples of tea, perfumes, handmade craft materials, eco-friendly hygiene materials and MUCH MORE that I am craving to sample. 

Pretty Soon my friends, Pretty Soon :) 

Oh, if you want to sign up to Smytten now, you can use my referral code CW9cayr..of course you can sign up without it too. You will get your own referral code and everytime someone signs up using that and places a trial order, you will get Rs. 200 cash in your wallet to spend on buying awesome products. So if you feel like this pose added a bit of joy to your life, do consider using my referral code --> CW9cayr :)

Global Culinary Journey At The Sassy Spoon Powai | Beautiful Modern Dining Destination | Food Review | Food Photography

Powai has suddenly turned into the party zone and top culinary destination in the suburbs, giving tough competition to venues such as Lower Parel, Anderi, and BKC. One of the newest entrants here is this sassy place. Walk in to feel like you just entered the saner version of Alice in Wonderland. 

The greenery below the ceiling with the fairy lights, the differently-colored chair cushions, the careful arrangement of quirky collectibles along the booth wall, the life-size van fixture at the well-appointed bar, the medley of high chairs with zebra pattern, the cherry blossom motif on the pillar in the center and the juxtaposition of primary colors against each other. Look at me, I can write an architectural digest episode here! 

Combine this with an ever-helpful staff, a menu that promises a tour around the world, live music on special nights, a general bonhomie in the air and you know this is a winner. Prices are on the higher side but cannot complain looking at the location and the brand name. The quality of the food certainly justifies it to a large extent.

For our review session, we had and loved-

TOMATO, OLIVE AND PARMESAN SOUP- LOVED, hot bowl of warmth that I needed on this chilly evening,

WARM LEMONY COUSCOUS WITH TOASTED ALMONDS, PEPPERS, CHILLI, CORIANDER SALAD- Healthy wholesome bowl, different flavors and textures went well together, a nice trip through west asia,

SPICY KIDNEY BEANS EMPANADAS WITH QUESO - Straightforward, heavy dish, try it when you are in a group, could feel a bit dry but tasty nonetheless, 

BAKED BEETROOT & FETA KEFTEDES IN ONION SEED PITA WITH CUCUMBE TZATZIKI -LOVED, MUST-HAVE, the beetroot & feta koftas were OUTSTANDING, if I could make beetroot taste like this I would never eat outside food #justsaying :D Would come back here just to try this,

BAKED LASAGNA WITH CREAMED LEEKS, MUSHROOMS, SWEET POTATOES & CHEDDAR - Again LOVED, and on the healthier side with layers of lasagna sheets, mushrooms, sweet potatoes in a hearty tomato sauce, Italy tastes good :D, 

NUTTY RICOTTA RAVIOLI WITH HOMEMADE RICOTTA, WALNUTS, PINE NUTS AND GARLIC CREAM SAUCE- Hands down my FAVORITE, the play of ricotta mounds with nuts and creamy sauce, explosion of flavors in mouth, had the potential to be bland or heavy and was none, try this for sure!, 

SEVEN TEXTURES OF HAZELNUT AND CHOCOLATE-Think of every chocolate and hazelnut based dessert form-pastry, disc, biscotti, mousse, molten sauce..this ultimate dessert has it ALL, if you love chocolate and hazelnut, try this. If you don't, well try this anyway and then probably go for therapy :P, 

RASPBERRY MOUSSE- Dark Chocolate meets Raspberry in a mousse form and gets immortalized in a fluffy decadent dessert with tangy raspberry sorbet by the side. MUST-HAVE!

True to their promise, you can travel around the world on one plate here with fresh ingredients, delicious culinary experimentation, cool ambiance, prompt service, and smiling helpful staff. On all points, a complete pleasure. This hungry hippo gives a thumbs up. 

Karwari Food Festival | Solitaire Restaurant Hotel Kohinoor Continental | Best Food Festival Destination | Food Review

Anybody making a list of best buffet dining destinations or food festival destinations in Mumbai, make Solitaire Restaurant at Kohinoor Continental your top pick right away. Delicious food, very value for money price point, elegant calm ambiance, excellent staff and superb service-pick your reason to visit Solitaire and just do it :)

I have been here for multiple food festivals over the years and not once have they disappointed me or my family. Have loved the Thai Food Festival, the Maharashtrian Food Festival, and now the Karwari Food Festival that is going on right now till 17th of November 2019. There aren't 500 items in the buffet, but more than enough for anybody to feast like royalty.

They have brought the perfect home-cooked feel, everything tastes like prepared by a loving grandma, so this is the right place to say goodbye to oil-laden food that is the usual trademark of typical 'restaurant food'. And the walk till Solitaire is also adorned with ambiance-enhancing decorations, nice touch :) For me, the main draw was that Karwari food, from the coastal Karnataka region, that is mainly seafood based, also had many options for a hardcore vegetarian like me. Ingredients like coconut, hand-pounded spices, tamarind, potatoes have been used generously and I cannot emphasize this enough-nothing has been doused in ghee or oil to make it tasty, rather the real taste of real ingredients shines through in every preparation. This is the best differentiating factor here that even my mother loved a lot.

Started off with PANAK, the most refreshing drink hands down, with Jaggery, Lemon, Ginger, Black Pepper together, how can this not be magical :) Alongside there was also SOL KADI and BUTTERMILK but I ended up having 3 rounds of Panak and would have had more if a delicious spread of food did not beckon me :D

The starters and salads section was hands down my favorite with plethora of bites in crunchy and healthy avatars, including-

BEETROOT KISMOR- Tangy-Spicy medley of Beetroots, Peanuts, Onions and just a dash of homemade masala,

TOUSHE MULYAR- Cooling preparation with Cucumber, Dahi, Coconut,

ASSORTED PAPAD- Do not miss the Shankh shaped papads!

ASSORTED KAAP- Basically fritters but baked, not fried, thin slices of Potatoes, Bananas, Brinjals and Yams. Sound humble but wait till you taste them, the delicious crumby coating will force you to go back for seconds.

DAL VADE- THE BOMB! I lost count of how many of these I had. Looked like the simple tikki we have but I haven't had a more balanced mix of spices, onions, daal in a tikki version EVER. I kid you not, I am salivating just thinking about it even now.
KHOTTE- Idli steamed in Jackfruit leaves, try it for the earthy other-worldly flavor not found in any food nowadays :)

For main course, we noshed on another set of down-to-earth dishes found in Karwari households. Think veggies with coconut, curries with mix of tamarind and chillies with capsicum and raw mangoes, bhakris made of healthy ingredients such as jowar way before quinoa and kale became fashionable! We had and loved-

KAIRI UDIT METHI- Raw Mango + Karela in red curry, a bite of bitter with a lot of tanginess,
BATATA TALASINI- Simple Potato Bhaaji with Mustard, 

CHANA SURANA GASSI- Bengal Gram and Yam in a hearty thick curry with coconut and hint of tamarind,

PUGHE MIRSANG ROSE- Capsicum and Potatoes in wholesome coconut curry,

BHINDI SUKKE- Ladies fingers frolicking in a paste of coconut with loving masalas,

DAL made just like mom makes at home, no butter, no ghee, no flashy tadka, just plain happiness,

JOWAR and RICE BHAKRI, AMBE-MOHAR RICE that went as well with all the curries as the jodi of Leonardo di Caprio and Kate Winslet,

The Home-made pickles were a great hit with mom in this section too.

And then we had to save some space for dessert too, a limited but nonetheless delicious selection of authentic Karwari delicacies enticed us. We had-

FRUITS such as pineapple, kiwi, watermelons, papaya,

MOONG DAAL PAYAS,a lightly-sweetened moong daal porridge, can be had even by those who do not like sugar,

SUKRUNDE, looks like pakode but tastes like Puran Poli, with the same stuffing inside the outer gram flour covering, a dollop of ghee will make it even better,

PATOLI, my mom is from Orissa and she tells me there they call this Pittha, rice batter stuffed with coconut and jaggery and then steamed in turmeric leaves, MUST-HAVE, simple but heavenly,

And the most delicious dessert ever-GADBAD ICE CREAM, a rage in Karnataka, mix of Vanilla, Strawberry, Mango ice creams with wafer chips, chocolate straws, chocolate chips, tutti-frutti nuggets, jellies, sprinkles..basically just let yourself be a 5 year old kid again and enjoy a trillion calories in a glass :D

Seriously, what else is the definition of good life? :)