Rabu, 26 Maret 2014

Online Shopping : An Experience Worth Sharing

Online shopping is becoming very popular in Pakistan these days. It is a new-fangled fashion and trend in Pakistan but it looks like this trend of online shopping has increased among Pakistanis suddenly. Now, people just want to go online either on a website or a face book page and place their orders without facing the trouble of driving to the store and picking up the goods themselves.

In Pakistan, many new businesses have been launched online and one such online shopping store is Daraz.pk. It offers products of both multiple international and national brands straight to your home.

Recently I was contacted by Daraz.pk and they offered me a discount code voucher of 1000 PKR to shop from their store and share my experience with my friends and lovely readers. When I visited their website, believe me it was hell difficult for me to settle on a single item. They are offering multiple items at amazing prices. There are also offering many facilities like seven days return policy, cash on delivery and free home delivery on shopping of more than 1500 PKR.






 If you are new to Daraz.pk then you need to make an account there. For this click on login or register option at the top right corner. After that click on as a new customer and a form will appear in front of you. Fill it. 



 Once your account is created you can enter your address by clicking on the address book.

I also followed these steps to create my account. The next thing was to use that discount code voucher. After spending hours I selected Color Studio Professional Knock Out Marker and Color Studio Professional 3D Max Mascara.

Those who are new to this online shop, once you have settled on an item double click on it. You will see buy now option, click on it. 


I also clicked on buy now and used the discount code.


After that I clicked on add another item to add mascara and then clicked on go to next step.


After adding both items I clicked on confirm now. As I used discount code so from order summary you can see that I had to pay nothing, not even a single penny. The expected day of delivery was March 25th, 2014. Immediately after placing the order I received a call from their representative, he confirmed my order and address and he also mentioned that I have to pay nothing. After that I received sms too confirming the order along with order number. And guess what, I received an email too within few minutes with all the information. I was really impressed by their quick service.

Even on their website they have mentioned purchase life cycle.



I even signed up for their newsletter to receive 10% discount. For this I only entered my email address.


If you want to track your order then simply click on where is my order?When I clicked on this option this information appeared.


I received my parcel on 26th March, 2014. It was one day late as the expected date of delivery was 25th March , 2014 but it was not company's fault as the weather was acting up badly. The return form was also in the the box. As I loved my goodies so there was no need to even think about returning them. I received my goodies well packed.....:)






My goodies was packed in a transparent bag.




 Both eye liner marker and mascara were in a perfect condition.




Overall, I am really happy with the customer service, efficiency, quality, packaging and affordable prices of daraz.pk . They deliver exactly the same products as they show in the pictures.



I am definitely going to place my order again in the near future. If you are planning to shop from this online store then simply click on daraz.pk and don't forget to join them on facebook. By the way when I visited their website right now, a spin wheel with different discount offers popped up and I won 10% discount (Yahooooooo). You can also win by visiting their website so don't waste your time....:)

I hope you enjoyed reading this post....:)

Thank you for your time.
Stay Blessed....:)



Selasa, 25 Maret 2014

6 Quick Tips for Dry Lips

M
Photo Source: marin | Freedigitalphotos.net
any people might experience having a dry and chapped lips at one point in their life. It's not surprising, as the skin on the lips is very thin, making it more sensitive than any other skin parts of the body. Low humidity environments, such as air conditioned rooms, make our lips prone to drying. Sun exposure can also risk the lips to being sunburned.

Even though our lips consist of a small part of our skin, it is no excuse to skip lip care. Long before I started this blog, I am guilty of neglecting my lips. Not only were my lips dry and chapped, they were also very pale. When I discovered lip gloss, I saw the huge difference between beautiful lips and dull lips. Of course, I later learned that lip gloss is only a quick fix, not a cure, and therefore switched to lip balms.


If you tend to get dry lips, here are some tips to dealing with them:

1. Avoid licking your lips. Saliva are not for moisturizing the lips. They can only exacerbate the dryness.

2. Do not breathe through your mouth. If you're a mouth-breather, then it's time to kick off the habit. Continually blowing through your mouth can quickly dry the lips, making them very vulnerable to getting chapped.

3. Use a lip balm as often as needed. Balm retains moisture and creates a protective barrier against the harsh elements.

4. Choose lip products with SPF. Do not ignore protecting your lips from the sun as they are very prone to sunburn.

5. Exfoliate your lips regularly but gently. This allows dead skin cells to be sloughed off, making the lips smoother. I use a soft bristle toothbrush to do this.

6. When choosing lip balms, check the ingredients. Petrolatum, beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, oils, and squalene are very nourishing to cracked lips. On the other hand, eucalyptus, menthol and camphor can cause irritation and dryness.

Howstuffworks: 5 Tips for Battling Dry Lips

Mayo Clinic: Chapped Lips FAQ

Selasa, 18 Maret 2014

Product Review: Jason Natural Soothing 98% Aloe Vera Moisturizing Gel

I had been using Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream for several months already, but decided to buy a different moisturizer before setting out for a December trip to Hong Kong. The reason was Kiehl's product is lightweight and moisturizing enough only during high humidity days. I was afraid that it wouldn't be enough to protect my skin from the harsh cold wind of Hong Kong.


So I ended up buying Jason Natural Soothing 98% Aloe Vera Moisturizing Gel. I made a quick research on the Internet and saw that it fared well on ratings from different sites such as TotalBeauty, Amazon, and MakeupAlley.

The product caught my interest because of the high concentration of Aloe Vera and it's affordable price tag.

Product Name: Jason Natural Soothing 98% Aloe Vera Moisturizing Gel

Price and Availability: Php 225.00 (Healthy Options) / 113g (4oz), Amazon

Ingredients:
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Aqua (Water), Carbomer, Gluconolactone, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Arginine, Allantoin, Panthenol, Menthol, Sodium Phytate, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, AMyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Fragrance (Parfum)
*Certified Organic Ingredient

Remarks:
Possible irritants include potassium hydroxide, menthol, and fragrances. All ingredients are noncomedogenic according to cosdna.com database.

Description


"This concentrated, non-oily daily moisturizing gel naturally delivers instant dry skin relief. Aloe Vera soothes dry, irritated, sun damaged or newly shaven skin while a boost of nourishing Allantoin and Vitamin B5 replenish and recondition. With use, skin is calmed, balanced and nurtured back to its healthy-looking best." --- Jason Natural

Review:

I mentioned in my previous post that I use a sunscreen during daytime and a moisturizer during the night. Which means I only use this moisturizer gel from Jason Natural once a day. 

A glob of Jason Natural moisturizer.
The first thing I noticed from the product is it's super sticky texture. The consistency is very thick and the color clear. Applying a thick glob of this product over my face isn't exactly a pleasant sensation to me. I can still feel the tackiness after allowing the gel to be absorbed onto my skin.

Applying a bit more leaves my skin feeling cool, a result of the menthol ingredient found in the formulation. I like that sensation, but I had read that some users find the product stinging their skin. So, I don't think this is something that the sensitive skin will like.

Though I don't like the sticky feel, I like how it moisturizes my face. I used this in Hong Kong, where the temperature had plummeted to as low as nine degrees Celsius. The moisturizer prevented my skin from peeling (an incidence I had experienced during my earlier visits to Hong Kong).

However, when I started to use this product twice a day, I started noticing my acne to be flaring up. I assume that this is due to the irritating ingredients found within the tube. Irritation is one factor for acne to develop.

Pros:
-no parabens, sls, and pthalates
-contains high concentration of aloe vera
-affordable
-noncomedogenic
-moisturizes without the greasy appearance

Cons:
-contains irritants that may not be suitable for sensitive skin
-sticky

Verdict:
I love the soothing effect of aloe vera, but the irritating ingredients seem to cancel out the good effects. I will still keep using it though until I find a more suitable moisturizer. If you decided to purchase this product, use it only once a day.

Rating: 3.5/5

Sabtu, 15 Maret 2014

Fasio Smart Curl Mascara

Yes, it's that time of the year again!!! The universally hated kafunsho season.
People are sneezing, itching, coughing, and what not. Green stuff is slowly dripping from their eyes. Disgusting.

Spring allergies are never pleasant, but in Japan they are even more unpleasant than elsewhere. They are brutal and exhausting. And they seem to last forever. From about mid February until the end of October. There might be a brief break in August, but that all depends on how wet the summer season is.

To deal with this mess I take a battery of allergy meds - tablets, two kinds of eye drops and two kinds of nasal sprays. But even with all that I still want to just poke my eyes sometimes. Quickly and efficiently, preferably with something sharp so I can scratch the insides of my eye sockets at the same time to relive the itch. 

But sadly, I can't afford to go through life as a blind and otherwise challenged person, so I bravely suffer through the itching and the swelling and the goo and the asthma and the stuffed nose and everything else.

Taaaa... sezon na kafunsho w pelni. Ludzie smarkaja, charchaja, oczy swedza, zielone cus z nich wycieka. Wiosenne alergie nigdy nie sa przyjemne, ale w Japonii sa one wyjatkowo brutalne i wyjatkowo wyczerpujace. Zaczynaja sie gdzies tak w polowie lutego i moga sobie trwac az do konca pazdziernika.

W walce z kafunsho biora u mnie udzial tabletki, dwa rodzaje kropli do oczu i spray do nosa. Ale nawet przy tym wszystkim, mam sobie ochote oczy wydrapac i nos wydlubac. Najlepiej czyms bardzo ostrym, szybko i skutecznie.

Niestety, na zycie jako niewidoma inwalidka nie moge sobie pozwolic, wiec dzielnie znosze te droge przez meke.


Easy to imagine that if something drips out of your eyes 24/7 for about 6 months in a year, any eye makeup (or any makeup in general) is difficult to put on, even more difficult to maintain, and quite frankly - pointless.
It will just:
1. irritate your swollen eyes even more, and
2. will be obliterated by the dripping goo (eyes and nose) within less than 3 minutes after application.

That's why when the kafunsho season is upon us, I simply give up on any kind of eye make up. 
But the native females are a lot more ambitious, and even though they also suffer from kafunsho, they still manage to walk around with their eyes fully made up. I envy their will power. I'm not that strong. If my eyes itch, I need to scratch them.

Jak latwo sobie wyobrazic, jesli oczy swedza i cos z nich wycieka 24 godziny na dobe, jakikolwiek makijaz jest trudny do wykonania i mijajacy sie z celem, bo:

1. tylko podrazni spuchniete rejony jeszcze bardziej i
2. zostanie gruntownie i dokladnie rozmazany w 3 minuty po wykonaniu.

Dlatego tez, podczas sezonu na kafunsho, o ile nie musze wygladac jako tako prezentacyjnie, to odpuszczam sobie malowanie oczu.

Japonki, pomimo tego, ze na kafunsho rowniez cierpia, to i tak wala pelna tapete w rejony okolo-oczne. Nie wiem jak one to robia. Ja nie mam na tyle silnej woli, zeby w swedzacych galach sobie nie dlubac.




Finding a mascara that would survive my compulsive eye rubbing is almost impossible. Why? Because I and Japanese mascaras don't get along. Why? Because they tend to consists mostly of annoying and very unflattering fibers. I absolutely despise such formulas.

I know, and I understand that Asian women need those fibers to make their lashes look longer and thicker.

My lashes are long enough. They could be thicker, but so far, I'm not complaining.

Dodatkowym problemem, przynajmniej dla mnie, byla mascara, ktora owe dlubanie, ze o zielonej wydzielinie juz nie wspomne, by wytrzymala.

My sie z japonskimi tuszami do rzes nie lubimy. Dlaczego? Ano dlatego, ze jak wiekszosc azjatyckich mascar, skladaja sie one glownie z bardzo irytujacych klaczkow.

Wiem, ze te klaczki sa Japonkom potrzebne, aby uzyskac efekt gestych i dlugich rzes. Moje rzesy sa juz wystarczajaco dlugie, podkrecone i choc nie sa geste, to nie narzekam.


Within that last few years I've probably tried every single Japanese drugstore mascara. All of them were fibrous and incredibly annoying. After each Japanese drugstore mascara try, with a huge relief I'd be back to my favorite Lancome Virtuose. But only from the end of October until February.

I've tried a few more or less exclusive mascaras as well. The biggest disappointment was, hands down, the mascara from SK-II. In retrospect, its strongest point was the packaging. It looked like a very swanky bright red dildo.

After coming back from Tonga I discovered that my nearly new Virtuose was virtually dry. I did not expect that from Lancome - major fail!
So, it landed in the waste basket and I had to rush to the drugstore to buy "anything". 
And that's how I discovered the new, just launched mascara from Fasio. Fasio is one of many lines from the mega company Kose.

Its name was Smart Curl and was available in three different varieties: L (length), C (curl) and V (volume). There was only one color available - black.

I got the L version for 800 yen (promotional pricing, it retails for 1200 yen).

W ciagu ostatnich lat sprobowalam chyba kazdej drogeryjnej (i nie tylko) mascary. Wszystkie byly mniej lub bardziej klaczkowate. Wszystkie, przez te nieszczesne klaczki, doprowadzaly mnie do szalu. Po kazdej nieudanej probie siegalam po moja ulubiona lancome'owska Virtuose i oddychalam z ulga. Ale tylko od pazdziernika do lutego.

Probowalam tez bardziej ekskluzywnych marek. Chyba najwiekszym rozczarowaniem okazal sie tusz od SK-II. Jego najmocniejszym punktem bylo opakowanie, ktore wygladalo jak blyszczace, czerwone dildo.

Po powrocie z Tonga dokonalam bardzo niepokojacego odkrycia. Moja niemal nowa Virtuose mascara od Lancome zrobila sie zdecydowanie za sucha. No co jak co, ale takiego obrotu sprawy od Lancome sie nie spodziewalam. Virtuose wyladowalo w koszu na smieci, a ja pojechalam do drogerii kupic cos na "byle bylo".

I tak to wpadlam na premiere tuszow do rzes od Fasio. Fasio to jedna z wielu linii Kose.

Mascara nazywala sie Smart Curl i byla dostepna w trzech wariantach: L (long, na dlugosc), C (curl, na podkrecenie) i V (volume, na volume :-). Kolor byl tylko jeden - czarny.

Jako ze byla na promocji za raptem 800 jenow (cena wyjsciowa to chyba okolo 1200 jenow), kupilam wersje L.


For 800 yen I didn't expect any fireworks. I was prepared for yet another fibrous Japanese disaster, which was going to end up in the trash.

But the super tacky white packaging immediately captured my heart. LOL!


Za takie pieniadze cudow nie oczekiwalam. Bylam przygotowana na kolejnego klaczkowatego bubla, ktory po kilku pierwszych probach wyladuje w koszu na smieci.

Z miejsca urzeklo mnie mega-tandetne biale opakowanie.





Of course!!! Here they are! Fibers!

Po otwarciu, surprise! Klaczki!



Those hated, black fibers.

Znienawidzone, czarne klaczki.



I didn't even want to try it. I stuck it somewhere in the bathroom and immediately forgot about it. A few days later I bought a new Virtuose. And then the kafunsho season came.
Lancome was its first casualty - it was impossible to use mascara. My eyes were dripping, my nose was dripping and everything was itching.

And probably I'd still be eye makeup-free if not for a certain special occasion where I had to look vaguely human. 
I remembered Smart Curl and it's water- and everything proof properties.
I tried. 
I didn't get my hopes up.

Nie chcialo mi sie jej probowac, wiec odlozylam na polke i natychmiast o niej zapomnialam. Kilka dni pozniej kupilam nowa Virtuose.

A potem nadeszlo kafunsho. Tusz od Lancome poszedl w odstawke, a ja zaczelam wygladac jak ofiara losu z kapiacym nosem i rozbabranymi oczami.

I pewnie wygladalabym jak ofiara losu do dzisiaj, gdyby nie pewna oficjalna okazja, ktora wymagala z mojej strony przyzwoitego wygladu, a co za tym idzie - rowniez makijazu.

Odkopalam Smart Curl. Sprobowalam. Nie liczylam na zbyt wiele.



In the evening my dripping and itching eyes still looked very decent. The mascara was on my lashes, and not under my eyes, in my eyes, or godknowswhere. The annoying fibers were still sticking to my lashes and each other, and not to my eyeballs. I didn't feel any additional irritation (other than what was already going on due to kafunsho).

I used Panna Pompa micellar water to remove my eye makeup. The mascara needed three swipes. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised.

Wieczorem moje cieknace i rozdrapane oczy nadal wygladaly nienagannie. Tusz siedzial na rzesach. Nic sie nie osypywalo. Klaczki do oczu nie wchodzily. Nie bylo dodatkowych podraznien.

Do demakijazu uzylam miceli Panna Pompa, tusz ladnie sie zmyl po trzech miznieciach.
Musze przyznac, ze bylam bardzo mile zaskoczona.


I've been using it almost every day since then and for the price I paid for it, there's really nothing I can complain about it. And I like to complain.

Fasio Smart Curl is 100% kafunsho-proof. 

The L version is the least fibery of the three. Version C and V are a bit heavier and seem to consist mostly of fibers and little else. I'm going to stick with L. I just wish they made it in other colors, as well.

Od tamtej pory uzywam niemal codziennie i nie mam sie do czego przyczepic. Co jest o tyle niesamowite, bo ja lubie sie czepiac i niemal zawsze szukam czegos czepu-wartego az do skutku.

Jednak w przypadku Smart Curl od Fasio, moge te mascare z czystym sumieniem polecic.
Jest w 100% kafunsho-proof.

PS. Wersja L jest najmniej klaczkowata. Wersje C i V sa ciezsze i skladaja sie niemal wylacznie z klaczkow. Tuszu sie w nich nie dopatrzylam. Czyli, trafilo mi sie jak slepej kurze (lub kurze z zaropialymi oczami).

Jumat, 14 Maret 2014

Saeed Ghani Herbal Skin + Whitening Soap

Hello ladies! 

If you love herbal skincare products then you must be familiar with Saeed Ghani's name. Today, I am going to review Saeed Ghani's Herbal Skin + whitening soap.

Claims
Herbal skin + is an advance whitening product, specially designed at Saeed Ghani's herbal laboratory; was created after years of pioneering research by combining the century old recipes with science and technology. Our skin whitening secret is a unique formulation with combination of natural ingredients extracts. That works by elevating skin clarity and brightness. The nutrients and exfoliates contained in the herbal skin + lightening formulas promote the generation of new skin cells and are highly essential in providing an even skin tone. The result is a silky white complexion that glows from within.

My thoughts and experience
I used this soap for full fifteen days to review it properly. It comes in a card board packaging which is, white and light yellow in color. The soap itself is wood like in color and, it's not smooth like other soaps. When I used it for the first time, I felt the tiny grains while rubbing it in my hands. It has a strong fragrance but, I am ok with it. It lathers very well and keeps the skin dry for 5-6 hours easily. I use it twice a day for best results. The only thing which I don't like about this soap is, it is very very slow in reducing the dark spots. Even after 15 days I can still see the lightest dark spot on my face. I am not even satisfied with it's whitening claims. It has pure ubtan in it but my skin has not brightened up. It's almost the same. Well, the plus point is that it cleans the face deeply and I don't get any breakout.

Well, I am not going to repurchase this soap as I have better options. I only purchased it to reduce the dark spots on my face and it failed to do so.

 Pros
  • Budget friendly (PKR 80).
  • Prevents acne growth
  • Cleanses effectively
  • Keeps the face matte for 5-6 hours.
  • Lathers well

Cons
  • Strong fragrance
  • Doesn't reduce dark spots
  • Whitening claim is not true
  • Only suitable for oily and acne prone skin 

Availability
It is easily available at all leading superstores in Pakistan for 80 PKR.

Recommendation
Well, I will not repurchase it. But, if you are interested in trying this out then it is suitable for oily and acne prone skin. It is drying for dry and combination skinned beauties.

My Rating
3.5/5

Thank you for your time.
Stay Blessed.....:)


Jumat, 07 Maret 2014

Teeni Meeni Haul

Hello Ladies,
I am again here with my second mini haul.
I posted my first one in January and in February my haul was all about shirts, tights and scarfs so I skipped post on that. Now I mostly opt for online shopping so I placed my first order on 1st March. Let see what I got.


From The Beauty Broadway (Online shopping Facebook Page)
 Clinique Rinse-off foaming cleanser mousse (30 ml) : PKR 650
Clinique even better skin tone correcting moisturizer (15 ml) : PKR 650
Delivery charges were PKR 270 as the owner of this page lives in Karachi and I live in Islamabad so delivery charges vary according to location.


My experience with The Beauty Broadway
Well as far as my experience with this online shopping face book page is concerned I placed my order in mid February. You read it right. At that time I asked the owner about the payment method. She in-boxed me the details that either I can go for easy paisa, UBL omni or bank transfer. I preferred easy paisa as the shop is near my home. I can't tease my family members again and again to use credit cards and transfer the money. Sadly I still don't have a bank account as I am on pocket money (Moment of Silence for a minute ...-_- ) but I am planning to open soon. The owner of the page told me that her limit for easy paisa is over. I am mad after CLINIQUE as I own some really amazing stuff from this brand. After knowing that it's not easy for me to pay I forgot it. 


Then on 28th February I received a message on my cell phone Hey! you never returned. To be very honest I was in a shock for about five minutes. Then I even told her that I backed off because I always prefer easy paisa or COD. I was again in a shock when she told me that the products are still with her. I told her that I will pay the amount tomorrow. On 1st March I made the payment. She dispatched the products on 3rd March and on 4th March I received them.


It still amazes me why she didn't prefer to add these two products in-stock album. There are many girls out there who are mad after this brand. I even don't know the name of owner of this face book page but I am really thankful to her for being so nice and kind. I will definitely place more orders soon....^_^

From Local Store


Facial Sponge: PKR 75
Pond's White Beauty Cleansing milk: PKR 185



Overall I am really happy with these purchases as I will use them on daily basis. I haven't wasted money and it makes me more happy....lol...:)



I will review these products soon. I know this post is late but I hope you enjoyed reading it. I am going to try other online shopping face book pages too and will post about my experience with them. I really enjoyed writing this post because of these fresh and yummy mini pizzas....:D


Thank you for your time.
Stay Blessed....:) 


Minggu, 02 Maret 2014

The Versatile Blogger Award

Finally I received my second award by two very cute sisters Hira and Maria of The sisters go shopping . It's an honor and I am really humbled and once again thank you so much ...:)




Rules
 Here are the rules when selected for the Versatile Blogger Award.

  •  Thank the person who gave you this award.
  •  Include a link to their blog.
  •  Nominate 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award.
  •  Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

 Nominees

I want to nominate 15 awesome bloggers I love to follow. They ALL deserve this award :)


Zatheela of pink clouds blog
Bia of the beauty finds
Samar of glamour girlz blog
Natasha of my little world of makeup
Seemal of the brunette head
Aamna of aamnah khan's blog
Haniya of my own nail art
Zubia of the bedside dreams diary
Sadee of sadee style beauty and fashion blog
Rinako of Under an impartial sky
Sadia of sadia malik's blog
Nayab of nayab loves
Shang of the feminine crusade
Aaliyah of pyari beauty
Shehrzad of pretty peachy and pink

I have tagged these bloggers in a random order and they all are my favorite so I cannot think of giving them any position or order....:)
    Now I have to mention 7 facts about myself....:)

    1) I am a beauty blogger but still I stay 100 miles away from makeup. I want my skin to look fresh and thank God I get ready within 10 minutes as I use lipsticks only....:P

    2) I am mad after pink color. I have 9 suits in pink color and now whenever I go for shopping my friends beg me not to even touch pink suits in shops. I really hate them for doing this...-_-

    3) I love action movies. I cant sleep without watching a movie. I feel like I have missed something so I don't care about the time and watch one movie per day....:)

    4) I can't watch a movie if I don't have anything to eat. For me its must to keep on moving my mouth. Same is the case when I watch a cricket match....:P....If I have nothing to eat then I don't watch a movie....:'(

    5) I cant read or write if television or music is on in the background. It irritates me and my brain stops working...:/

    6) I am a foodie person. I keep on trying different restaurants but wherever I go I always search for biryani and chow-mein in the menu first.....:P 

    7) I love to cook. I keep on trying different dishes whenever I get time...:)

      Again I would like to thank you Hira and Maria for giving me this lovely award....:)

    Hope you liked this post.
    Thank you for your time.
    Stay Blessed.....:)