How long do you sleep? {Your Opinion}

So, again a fun time :) Yup, I know we are all lazy bums (except those who are really active all day long, kudos to you) who totally love sleeping!! So, what has been happening recently is that my sleeping time is getting stretched way beyond the permissible limits of 8 AM and I am getting late to work every day!!! No, I am not sleeping late either. I am going to bed by 11:45 PM at max. And, whenever I get up before 9 AM, I have a hang over and feel sleepy and tired everyday.

Generally, everyone's bodies have their own sleep requirements and need respective hours of sleep everyday. Mine is generally 8-9 hours a day and if I sleep later than 11, I tend to sleep more. If I sleep at 9 (sometimes I have to when I get headaches), I am awake by 2 AM which is extremely inconvinient. Also, I prefer not to sleep in the evenings coz it gives me really weird dreams and the night time is entirely screwed.

So, how long do you like to sleep? What's the minimum time your body needs to rest to wake up fresh?

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Do you stop in middle of your exercises? {Your Opinion}

This question is prompted by two facts. One of my friends with whom I regularly go for a walk always gets tired by the end of fourth round and prefers to sit down before continuing. We walk on a walking track of around 750 metres on which we prefer to take four rounds every night. Also, I have another friend whom I used to accompany occasionally on her walking trips and she used to totally halt in between the walks because she used to get tired. And, no it never used to be brisk or on a very difficult terrain either and not long even (around just 1km) and she always had jogging shoes on!!!

Yes, I do feel bad for people who are young and can't walk even that much. This is when I always realize how important it is to be physically active because I do not desire to be in either of my above-mentioned friend's place. I am lazy and that's where it all ends. But, I just wanted you to ask if you stop in between when you are doing any mild form of exercise. Also, it opens up an interesting theory which I have been meaning to share with you all since quite long.

Did you know that when you are exercising, it is advised to vary your paces with time. So, for example, if you are walking, start slowly and then work up to a brisk walking pace and then suddenly slow your pace to slow walk and then keep on varying the speeds of your walk. Likewise, when you are cycling, going from vigorous to light to medium to heavy to vigorous is recommended. The reason is it improves stamina and burns more calories. But, at any point of time, stopping the exercise in between is never EVER recommended. If you are used to doing so, never ever do that!!! Always start slow and end slowly and if you feel you are tired, slow down but NEVER STOP.

So, for how long do you take your walks or keep your exercises going? Do you prefer to stop or vary your paces?

PS: For all the book lovers, check out my review of "The Krishna Key", the latest anthropological thriller by Ashwin Sanghi here. Looking forward to seeing you there :)

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Are you sold the fairness products by sales assistants? {Your Opinion}

When I went to watch Heroine, I also went to check out products at the H2O+ counter at Shopper's Stop just like that to get some samples :D I did get samples but the guy was repeatedly selling me the whitening range of their products!!! I told him that I do not need any whitening products but still he continued with that. Its not the first time I had this kind of an encounter. Female assistants are even worse, in my opinion. 

If they see any person with darker skin tone, they simply start selling the whitening products!!! To give credit to the guy I mentioned above, he did try to sell me the brightening products later on! Anyways, I have often noted that this is a trend everywhere. And, I don't think its fault of the SA's but the society on the whole as Indians are really and I mean REALLY obsessed with white skin. 

I wanna clear a small misconception that many people have. Even many of the South Indians are in fact very fair and have flawless complexion, may be not as much as Kashmiris but definitely fair in a creamy complexion kind of a way. So, yes, those people are really proud of their complexion and often look for people with the same complexion. I have often noticed that North Indians often think that all Southies are dark but that's not true at all. I'll elaborate more on this theme later :) 

Anyways, you tell me - do you get irritated by these whitening products unnecessarily thrusted upon you or you like to buy the fairness products?

Don't forget to share your opinions on these posts:

Face Mask Sheets or Face Masks?

Budgeting on Shopping 

Hair Mask first or Conditioner?

How long do you leave the conditioner?

Is Vanity Silly?

How are Rich Feel products? {Your Opinion}

So, have you heard of the brand? Apparently, it is a herbal brand and as far as I can recall, I do think I have heard of the brand but can't recall. So, I want to ask you if you have heard any reviews of the brand or used them? Please do put in your views. 

The reason I am asking is coz I pampered myself with a hair growth hair spa today. And, they used the rich feel products. They were supposed to use L'Oreal professional but suddenly changed it to this one. I am skeptical about herbal products, no doubt!!! So, would love to hear your views :)

Image:Snapdeal.com

Is rheumatoid arthritis hereditary? {Your Opinion}

I would request you all to please answer the question in case you know any doctor, you are a doctor or you have any one in your family or friends with such cases. I need some information regd. this disease.

For the uninitiated, rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease which occurs mainly in the joints but not necessarily restricted to it. The cause of the disease is as of yet unknown but a mistaken identity flares up the disease. The white blood cells start killing the body's own cells thinking them to be foreign substances. In case of rheumatoid arthritis, they mainly attack the joints.

Apparently, according to wiki, low levels of vitamin D can also trigger this disease. For those who do not know, Vitamin D is extremely important to prevent any disease related to the bones. So, if you are getting less of Vitamin D, I would suggest you to eat a balanced diet and get good dose of sun everyday. Also, deficiency of calcium leads to arthritis so better to get a good dose of it. Waiting for your comments :)

Image Courtesy:topnews.in

Do you like to drink milk? {Your Opinion}

This post is specially targeted for females of all ages. I have always loved milk since I was a kid and used to gulp it down within 10 seconds but I like cold milk and detest hot milk. In fact, I am a little uncomfortable with hot foods!!! Yes, garam (warm / hot) roti is good but garam vegetable is a no no for me. I know that some people just can't take cold or warm food. I prefer warm, of course, not cold!! 

Anyway, coming back to the topic, my milk love stayed till I went to hostel at 17 where it definitely got a little hit but still I persevered with Complan. Yes, I am a Complan girl :D Then, I moved to Hyderabad and here, I had my first taste os real cow milk and that's it!! There was my milk love all obscured into a puff of smoke. Why? Because, the real milk is so damn tasty and you can't bear to drink tetrapacks or packet milk after that. In fact, I hate tetrapacks even more. 

And, now, I really really stay away from milk. So, what's the problem?? Well, as you know women have less tendency to absorb calcium and they need to have good nutrition for good health to carry them through pregnancy and all hormonal changes to the menopause when women literally need calcium supplements. It is a proved fact that people who have taken good calcium intake during their childhood fare better but then, it is also advised not to stop drinking milk altogether!!! 

So, I am stuck in a dilemma and though of sharing this with you :) Hope, I didn't bore you to death with all this rant which is completely unplanned and written in one breath!!!

Image Courtesy:coffeewithharrison.com

Do you wash your face first thing in the morning? {Your Opinion}

When do you wash your face? In the shower or when you brush your teeth? I generally wash my face in the shower, howsoever late that may be. Its very rare that I wash my face first thing in the morning. But, it is supposed to be a good routine to wash your face first thing in the morning to remove all the oil accumulated at night as well as to remove the dead cells which have been accumulated when the skin repairs itself. Also, scrubbing in the morning is said to be extremely beneficial to remove the dead skin cells and reveal glowing skin. So, when do you wash your face?

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How to wash your face?

And, last day to enter the Aloeveda giveaway. Hurry!!

Image Courtesy:dovebeauty.co.za

Do you feel confident in your own skin? {Your Opinion}

So, after eons of ages, I went out for an outing at night (for a dessert party) today with some of my colleagues and enjoyed it so much. I did get dressed up as well with my really cute top and my Oasap flip flops. Me and my friend had brownies with ice cream but since it was CCD and not Barista, they were not as tasty :( Anyway, so, my question for today is just the one which you get asked in the Dove ad. Can you go out without makeup?

To answer the question myself, yes. I am absolutely comfortable in my own skin and in fact, I feel better without having even a moisturizer. My skin looks natural and in fact, I love going out at nights because I don't have an obligation to apply anything on my skin :D No sunscreen or any BB cream t prevent the white cast, yay!! And, that was one of the reason why I loved the outing :)In case you are thinking that my skin is flawless, no, its not!!! I have hell lot of pigmentation issues and my skin is sensitive to hyper pigmentation which makes it super important to apply the sunscreen regularly and my skin has great amount of yellow tones as compared to pink tones and my forehead is darker than my face and my neck is really pigmented and more than my neck, the joint of the neck and the shoulders have lot of pigmentation. So, you see I am not really flawless as some people really are. But, I love my skin as it is. Oh I forgot to mention the amount of facial hair on my chin, sideburns and neck which is probably the worst.

So, what about you? 

Image Courtesy:flawlessskin.net

Are you a difficult customer? {Your Opinion}

This thought came into my mind when I went for my leg waxing last month. I am a very difficult customer. During my waxing session, I do complain a lot about the heat of the wax or cry out when it hurts :( My skin is extremely sensitive to heat and that too at different points, my skin's tolerance to heat is different so I always shout variably at different times :D Its hilarious when narrated as an incident but not as humorous in real life!!

Again, when I go to buy clothes, I am damn choosy and I hardly end up liking anything. My mom gets irritated with me!!! Similarly, I am very choosy when it comes to skin and hair products. I don't use any product which catches my fancy (most of the times). I do try to find out as much as possible about the product beforehand. Most of my purchases are instincts instead of impulses. 

So, what kind of customer are you?

Image Courtesy:cavsi.com

Do you wash your hands after applying skin products and before doing your hair? {Your Opinion}

I like to keep my hands clean all the time. And, whenever I apply any moisturiser or sunscreen, I like to wash my hands afterwards. That's also a reason why I don't like hand creams because they tend to make my palms sticky. And, also, before doing my hair, I like to wash my hands so that the skin products don't get transferred to my hair and make it greasy or create a product build-up.

How do you manage your skin and hair care routine? Do you do your hair before your skin???

Image Courtesy:lovingyou.com

Do you endorse any brand? {Your Opinion}

[Source:brandingrevolution.com]

Granted, no one is gonna ask me to be a brand ambassador of any brand, what so ever but I often find myself faithful to some brands to the extent that I might be doing small inline commercials in my day to day life just like it happens in "The Truman Show". [If you haven't watched it yet, you should definitely check it out. Its probably Jim Carrey's only movie in which you can't see his extra-mobile face moving and btw, its an amazing movie.]

So, yes, I endorse different brands for different reasons. For example, when it comes to skin care, whatever product I might be using, Nivea is the first name which pops up in my mind!!! Then, when it comes to hand washes, I am totally loyal to Dettol and I so hate Lifebuoy (and I have never ever even used it)!!! Similarly, when it comes to pickles, you would find me saying Priya all the time or even a discontinued line of Sanjeev Kapoor's endorsed products, don't remember the name though!! When it comes to knives, its Crystal for me and the truth is I don't know of any other brand :D Such is my affinity to certain brands.

Are you similarly crazed on any brand?

Do you ever get conscious? {Your Opinion}

[Source:totalbeauty.com]

Today I had applied Neutrogena sunscreen instead of the regular MVO Moisturising face screen or Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint, both of which have zinc oxide and are physical sunscreens which I personally prefer. But, both of them are tinted and go on the skin like a foundation. Whenever I apply any tinted moisturiser, I always feel conscious of it. I don't know why but it happens with me even when I use a tinted lip balm. So, basically, you can say color makes me conscious which I didn't feel when I applied the Neutrogena sunscreen today. 

Do you feel conscious if you make a slight change in your everyday look, it might be a different hair style or a tinted moisturiser. I have tried out side braids this past week and loved them. On the first day, I did feel weird but then, I got used to it and carried it off. I do want to do simple hair style tutorials. But, what can I say, call me camera shy :D But, I am working on it and hopefully, something should materialise.

Do you get conscious of any change? 

Alternative to Baby Wipes {Your Opinion}

[Source: Google Images]

So, today, my question is a little different. The thing is that after I use oil on my face to remove my sunscreen, I wipe it off using Baby Wipes. I am using Himalaya Baby Wipes till now but I am thinking that it probably is a little expensive and if there is an alternative to the whole process of removing the sunscreen from the face before going for the face wash. 

The thing is I don't want to use cotton as it is a little harsh on the skin and feels rough while wiping off the oil. So, gals, do you have any ideas?? Or, may be you can tell me how you wipe off the cleansing milk from your face??? Anything natural would be even more appreciable. I don't want to use a wash cloth because then I will get an extra work of cleaning the wash cloth properly. So, looking forward to your opinions on the same :)

Do you prefer online shopping or physical shopping? {Your Opinion}

For me, I would say online shopping is far more easier but it doesn't really fulfill the need for a shopping therapy if you are looking out to destress yourself.

Pro's of Online Shopping

Easier, convenient, at the click of a finger, you really don't have to exert yourself, no need to carry the large shopping bags all the way to the car or your home, everything delivered on the door step just wrapped nicely giving a feeling of a gift, exciting to wait for 1-2 days for the delivery, secure enough now a days with the option of COD, no need to go to a shop when you feel damn lazy and you run out of a thing which you badly need for a party tonight (ok, may be it's not that quick yet)!!! 

Let us talk about the Con's 

I like the feel of seeing and holding the thing and deciding whether to buy it or not. This is not possible in the virtual shopping. And, consequently, it might be a little disappointing at times. Also, I can carry my goodies in the physical shopping immediately and enjoy them. You have gotta wait in the online shopping option. And, sometimes, the manufacturing of the product might have been too old for your liking. And, physical shopping is definitely funner when you have friends and family with you.

What do you think - which one is better for you?

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Image Courtesy:wirelessduniya.com, my1stop.com.my

Have you ever used a face wash as a body wash? {Your Opinion}

I just wanted to ask you all if you had ever used face wash in place of a body wash? I have definitely done so on many occasions, the most being during my travel. If I am going to my relatives place or some where else, I always carry my face wash and use it for my body as well. This serves to lighten my travel kit and spares me the necessity of debating on the best body wash which can be easily carried. Also, I feel that face washes are supposed to be milder than the body wash (need not be so in all cases, though) so they keep the body skin softer and do not dry out the body as some soaps and body washes tend to.

What do you think? Pin It

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Did you know about Himalaya Herbals Organique?
Are eggs good for hair or not?
Can you guess what they are?
Oil before hair mask?
How often should you change your pads?
How many products do you layer on your face?
How long do you leave the conditioner?
Is Vanity Silly?
Hair Mask first or Conditioner?
Budgeting on Shopping
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Did you know about Himalaya Herbals Organique? {Your Opinion}

Well, this came as a surprise that Himalaya has actually got an organic brand line of itself and that is probably not available in India. I came across this review on one of the blogs on the Neem face wash and the walnut scrub and apparently this product line is available in Malaysia too and many other places abroad. And, their products are almost the same as available in India. The only difference is their ingredient list. Apparently, the brand uses organic products. Check out their website here and below I have an interesting comparison between the ingredients list of the same products - one of the Organique line and one available in India. 

The ingredient list is of the walnut scrub. [Image Courtesy: My Women Stuff.com]

And, this is the ingredient list of the same product available in India

Have you seen this line in India anywhere? I do wish they bring this to India too and no idea why they didn't till now. Pin It

Also register Your Opinions on:
Are eggs good for hair or not?
Can you guess what they are?
Oil before hair mask?
How often should you change your pads?
How many products do you layer on your face?
How long do you leave the conditioner?
Is Vanity Silly?
Hair Mask first or Conditioner?
Budgeting on Shopping
Face Mask Sheets or Face Masks?

Are eggs good for hair or not? {Your Opinion}

[Source: Google Images]

I came across a very interesting article a few days back and I wanted your opinion on it. The article goes somewhat in the fashion that eggs do not really do anything for the hair in the terms of providing nutrition and nourishment. They only end up coating the hair strands and that is all there to it. In fact, to get the advantage of eggs, it is advised to eat them and not apply them on the hair. And, also, the size of the protein molecules in the egg are too big to be absorbed by the hair. So, whatever you think egg treatment is doing to your hair is just a temporary and superficial result as compared to permanent treatment. [Please read the entire article here.]

I must say that the argument that the size of protein molecules being too large might be true and I have no idea about that. I don't know the source of this scientific fact so I am not going to say anything for or against it. But, in my personal experience, I have used egg and yogurt mainly to treat or deep condition my hair. And, even though egg smells pretty bad, the results have always been very fabulous and I can also go to the extent of asserting that egg does help the hair to grow. It may be possible that egg protein molecules are large enough to be absorbed by the hair follicles (I have no idea about that too).

So, what do you think of this argument? Do you think egg is good for hair?

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Oil before hair mask?
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How long do you leave the conditioner?
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Can you guess what they are? {Your Opinion}

Ok, so, I have a fun guessing game for you all. Guess what the snaps are and write your answers in the comments section. No prizes for the winners but it will be fun as we have an upcoming DIY recipe which is going to use both these things. So, that's your hint too. Let's see who guesses right. One is easy and one is a bit harder.

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Budgeting on Shopping
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Oil before hair mask? {Your Opinion}

[Source: Google Images]

So, this question came out of one of the reader's queries. So, I wanted to ask you what you think - should you oil your hair before applying hair masks (homemade) or not?

Well, here is what I think. No. Why? Hair has a limited absorbing capacity and you would want your hair to absorb the nourishment you are providing the hair through the hair mask, whether it is an over-the-counter product or home remedy. And, when you oil your hair, the hair soaks in the oil because of which the hair's absorbing capacity reduces and it will not be able to soak in the entire hair mask's goodness. So, it is always better to apply a hair mask, any hair treatment or even oil on dry and, preferably, washed hair so that it is free from dirt, grime and its own oils.

It is often said that hair conditioner should not be applied on dripping wet hair. Why? Because, hair is already soaked in water so how will the conditioner be able to act on the hair except for simply coating it. Well, this is my opinion and I would definitely love to know yours. And, one thing I would like to make clear is that there is no hard and fast rule for hair or skin care. It all depends on the logic and a little understanding of how the skin and hair work and what works best for one.

What do you think? Pin It

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How often should you change your pads? {Your Opinion}

Ok, so I would like to ask all of you a question today. During the period days, how often do you change your pads? 

The reason I am asking is from two concerns - hygiene and blood flow. Now, some people suffer from excessive blood flow for which they have to change the pads very frequently. But, what about the hygiene aspect? Well, you are getting so many awesome products in the market which give complete protection lasting up to a day also. BUT, even if your blood flow is not heavy, the dry blood in the pad acts as a stimulant for bacterial growth and there is a certain type of bacteria which causes vaginal infection so you should change the pads once in every 4-6 hours so as to avoid the infection.

Also share your opinions on:
How many products do you layer on your face?
How long do you leave the conditioner?
Is Vanity Silly?
Hair Mask first or Conditioner?
Budgeting on Shopping
Face Mask Sheets or Face Masks?