Kati Bihu & Some memories!!!

All the photos are from my last Kati Bihu @ home, 2014

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তুলসীৰ তলে মৃগ পহু চৰে

তাকে দেখি ৰামচন্দ্ৰই শৰধনু ধৰে...

Today was Kati Bihu back home in Asm! Naturally, I am homesick and nostalgic thinking about all past Kati Bihus I got to celebrate at home! I probably took most of these opportunities for granted. Starting from Ganesh Chaturthi or Viswakarma around August and September, these ongoing 2-3 months, Indians celebrate a lot of festivities. I am an Assamese-Indian and for the community I grew up in, it was Viswakarma in Mid-September, followed by Durga Puja (that happens anywhere in September or October or even in November), then Lakshmi Puja right after, which is then followed by Kati Bihu. All these festivals impressively lead to Diwali couple of days later.

My parents did a great job in making us culturally aware. But back in those days, I used to not appreciate the cultural and social importance of each of this myriad of festivities. They all kind of seemed more religious than cultural to my young mind. There was also the fatigue from celebrating so many festivals back to back! At that age, I was very lazy regarding household chores and if I am being brutally honest, these festivals always seemed to add extra work to my list of chores! Also, there were some rituals or steps that just did not make any sense to me! My mom, always insisted on taking a bath right before we would start lighting lamps for these festivals – typically in the evenings! Even though, I might have already taken a bath that day. Because, you see, bathing means you are “pure” (as if you can wash away your sins or wrong-doings) and you can only do God’s work when you are clean and pure! The same reason is why it is against custom to partake in religious activities when you are on your “periods”; you are viewed as unholy (/not sacred) for those few days! Recently, I have been having some discussion with my friends and sister on this topic. My scientific, engineering brain knows that this attitude is discriminatory towards women and as a modern woman, I should be brave enough not to abide by these traditional, unreasoned customs! But being raised in a conservative set-up, it is still possible for me to feel a certain unease, may be even guilt when I come across a religious/cultural type of event in those days. I hesitate to participate, and immediately I am questioning my educated, progressive mind! Even in my own house, when I am on my periods, I cannot bring myself to light up my evening lamp in the thapona (prayer table) that I typically light every day. It is very strange and confusing to me! I get torn between being a modern woman and being someone who tries to love and embrace my tradition & culture, at-least the part that seems justifiable. But coming back to my previous grief about bathing twice, I used to have serious fights with my mom – “why I need to take another bath when I am already clean and have already taken a bath earlier in the day, God  (or any higher power) will value a clean heart or is he going to fuss over my bath right before lighting the lamps”. All these relatively smaller ritualistic addendums that always seems to attack and demean women, really bugged me! So much so that I could lose the sight of the cultural significance behind these festivities!

Life has completely changed now! I have grown a lot! I live alone so I am responsible for all my chores! 😊 Hence, there is absolutely no point in dreading additional chores! Also, living here in USA for the last couple of years I have had more first-hand exposure to different culture across the globe. This made me understand and realize at a deeper level how deep and rich my culture really is! In India, religion is intertwined with culture and sometimes, some religious nonsensical customs make my blood boil!!!! But, almost all these festivals have a deep and practical value & reason behind it. As I grow older, I am finding more meaning in these festivities! I am finding more appreciation for being from where I am! From where I am makes who I am!

Anyway, this tangential prelude was to say that I miss home and these few months are specifically harder because of these non-stop celebrations! Kati Bihu, however, does stand apart among all these celebrations! Like the other two Bihus (Bohag Bihu and Kati Bihu) we celebrate, this Bihu is also associated with different distinguished phases of the agricultural calendar. But unlike the other two Bihus (or any typical festivities), this is not at all flamboyant! In fact, it is celebrated in a restraint and somber manner. It is observed when the harvest saplings are planted in the field around the month of October! The granaries in an ordinary home of an ordinary farmer is empty at this time and hence there is a somberness in the environment. It is why this bihu is also known as Kangali (Poor) Bihu.

The rituals associated with this bihu is also very minimalistic in nature. The main custom we follow is to light up a main lamp underneath a Tulsi (Basil) plant in the courtyard of a typical Assamese home! Tulsi is considered as an auspicious plant in Indian culture and for this Bihu, we either plant a new plant or clean up to add a new coat of clay foundation for an existing plant. With this lamp and some food offering to God we pray for happier and healthier crops. Traditionally, there will be a few other lamps near the granary or gohali (stable for cows) at home! In the paddy fields in villages, these lamps are installed on bamboo sticks at a higher elevation than the corps. These are called “Akash Banti (Sky Lamps)". I lived in the city and we did not have any paddy fields of our own. Also because this was a short holiday, we never managed to visit my grandparents’ home to actually witness Akash Banti! When we started to live in the second floor of our house, my mom had additional Tulsi plant in ceramic pots (in addition of the main plant we have in the courtyard). We would light up these lamps for the entire month, and often the responsibility will be shared by me and my sister!

For me, this festival is about resilience and about being cautiously optimistic! As a farmer (that too in a challenging economic environment of a developing country), there is a lot of impediments that one needs to fight off to guarantee good harvest at the end of the season. So, with this Bihu, as a community we try and start with some prayer & positive vibe to gear up for the upcoming months of labor in the fields.

Because it is autumn, it gets dark soon and there is a certain nip in the air! There is a lovely smell of Xewali Phool (Night Jasmine flower) that just adds another layer to the overall solemnness in the atmosphere! And then you light these lamps underneath the plants which makes the plants look so magical; immediately your heart is filled with gratitude and hope for the future! I do miss all of it!

Happy Kati Bihu!

Love,

~Arrru 

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in "Tutti-Frutti": Review and Swatches

I first tried Orange Lip color back in 2013, from my sister's lipstick stash! And I have been in love ever since! Even though some of the orange or coral colors can make teeth look a little yellow, nonetheless I love my Orange/Coral/Peach-y lip shades!

It already feels like summer here and if you are craving for some summery shades but still there is some hesitation, "Tutti Frutti" might be where you want to start! I bought Revlon Color Burst Matte Balm in "Audacious" for my sister last year around spring, and I picked this particular lip butter for me. I thought this would be a perfect to take with me during my never ending work tours; just to add some color to my otherwise bare face!

The lip butter is pretty sleek with convenient color coordinated packaging. The actual tube is also thin and sleek. The cap has two quilted side; and it closes nice and tidy enough. I have travelled A LOT with it, and the cap has NEVER betrayed me :-) For a total of 0.09 oz. (2.55 g) it costs around $5.99 to $9.39 depending on the store. These lip butters can be found in almost all drugstores like Walmart, Walgreen, Target, Ulta, CVS, Rite Aid and on the Revlon website. The good thing is that there is always some kind of sale with Revlon products! But I do think that a full price of around $8-9 is a bit steep for colored lip butter. 

These are nicely pigmented; I mean as much as you can expect from lip butter! Revlon website describes the product as "Pamper your lips with a gel formula that provides super-charged hydration and glides on buttery smooth. In fact, 94% of women's lips felt were softer, smoother, and instantly hydrated."  I find them easy-to-wear and very smooth on the lips. I actually love the feel and look for the first 2-3 hours. But as time goes by and I don't apply any other lip balm in between, this lip butter makes my lips chapped and dry which is exactly the opposite of what it is meant for. I do like the luscious and yet subtle look it gives me for the first few hours; but I don't think I will be interested in picking up another shade. I love Revlon's lip products, like the matte balms, super lustrous lipstick but this was a mild disappointment. I have very dry skin, so that might be the reason.  

Having said that, I have to be honest and state that, this has been one of the most used lip product in my giant stash, over the past few months. Mostly because I carry it with me for my work tours. It is easy to carry, gives me a little bit of color and I don't have to deal with the fear that I will destroy it while travelling.

Hope you guys had a lovely weekend....!!

Love,

~Arrru

NYX: The Natural Shadow Palette: Review and Swatches!!!

It was my first or second ever trip to Ulta! I needed to to use up a coupon (little did I know that these coupons are so addictive!) I saw this cute little palette from NYX at the end of an aisle. At that point I did not have any high-end palettes with me so I thought this will be my "perfect" little neutral palette!

Ok! So, fast forward 1.5 years and here is my review of this palette for you guys :-)

The Natural Palette has 6 neutral shades mostly leaning to the lighter side, with a total weight of 6 g/0.21 oz. You can find NYX in Ulta, Target, CVS or online at nyxcosmetics.com. NYX almost always has 50% BOGO offer. The regular price is around $ 7.50.

I love the packaging. Tiny, compact and sturdy enough! I dont expect a mirror at this price point. You can also see the smudge applicator which is still in its pristine form. :-) But overall, the packaging really makes it perfect for travel.

I have never tried NYX single eyeshadows but I have heard good things about it. And I have great experiences with their blushes! So, naturally I had high expectations from this too! But unfortunately, it was not at par with other NYX products I have tried.

The color range is kind of odd. I love the coffee color, the coral, as well as the taupe. But the rest looks and appears almost same. I have never tried using them without primer; honestly I don't think its worth trying :-) With MAC paint pot underneath, these shadows have wear time of around 6-7 hrs without a lot of creasing or losing the original intensity. Apart from the deepest shade, the rest of them has weak pigmentation. So it takes a few layers to build up the intensity. 

There are no color names..so I think I will just talk about them one after the other.

1. There is a matte cream/white shade. It appears almost white on my skintone. I use it for highlighting my browbone. I do use it when I am using this palette, so I guess it works fine for me. 

2. The gold flakes on beigey-yellow base is without doubt the worst shade in the pan. Very weak pigmentation and extreme fallout. I never wear it. But for this particular look, I tried using it and my under eye area looked horrible with all the fallout! The color did remain on the lid but there were no traces of the flakes after few hours! Very disappointing!

3. There is a lovely coral shade. Its matte! It's not highly pigmented so I love to use it to slightly warm up my crease.  

4. There is a beige shade with sheen. Not great pigmentation & nothing else to say about it. 

5. There is a very pretty taupe shade with sheen! I use it all over my lid. Not highly pigmented but because of that, I can wear it and still feel a bit pulled-together without looking like I am wearing makeup; even in working in a rugged electric substations!

6. My MOST favorite and MOST USED shade in this palette is a matte deep brown/coffee color and I love it! It has a very good pigmentation. Most of the days I use this to fill up my brows instead of spending my beloved and expensive Anastasia Brevely Hills Browwhiz. The pigmentation is good, yet not overly harsh. I can very easily use this on the outer-v or on the crease to deepen any look, without having to be careful about messing up the look. I get great use out of this shade and for me, because of that only, I think the palette was worth 7$.

NYX is a great brand from drugstore; its CRUELTY FREE, it's affordable and has a huge variety of shades in almost every product. I already have shared a million times that I work in a hardcore field environment and I travel a lot for that. I take this palette with me as there is not much risk or fear of damaging it. Even with low pigmentation for most of the shades, I can use it to lightly color my lids and if needed I can create a dark look too! So, for all these reason I think, even though it is not a GREAT product, for me, this has proven to be a justifiable purchase. If you are looking for similar products or if you are just starting out, this is may be a worth looking into. I will still suggest you to save some bucks and invest in a great high end palettes like Lorac Pro.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend... it will pass in a blink of an eye! :-)

Love,

~Arrru

Formula X for Sephora The Twenty Two ::: Review and Swatches!!!

You may already know that I am a big advocate of value sets and when Sephora dropped the price from original cost of $55 to $22, I knew I had to get it. (Please keep in mind I started this post long back in Fall, '14). Its a total of 22 mini (0.16 fl oz each) Sephora FormulaX nails. So there are a lot of colors to play around and after using it for 8-9 months now, I can confidently say that my $22 was well spent. The color range and finish type are versatile and I like that they are mini size. I have never finished a full size nail polish, have you? :-) On average, the performance was good. Apart from a very few, they were pigmented and easy to apply. They lasted 3-4 days on an average without chipping. A few of them have better staying power though!!

Colors: 6 of the polishes are described as 'color' which I assume are the normal finish for nail polishes. I love each one of these. The pastels are perfect for Spring and I wear the bright colors irrespective of the season. I find this group to perform consistently. All of them are pigmented, easy to apply without any streaks and have good staying power.

Glitters: There are 4 glitters, apart from one, the rest are same design but with different base. I wish they would have included different shapes of speckles into different shades; that would have been fun. Nonetheless, I like them! Its hard for me not to incorporate at least one of these whenever I paint my nails.

Mettalic: Back in the days, when I was not much interested in makeup and hardly had one or two nail polishes in my vanity, these were the type of colors I always picked. Love each one of these!

Neons: I think this group disappointed me. Look at the colors; so vibrant, so fresh and full-of-life but they are not at all pigmented. The energy and the colors in the the bottle do not seem to transform well to the nails; not at all! With the green and the yellow I need coats and coats to make it look neon-y! The purple however does not show up they way I would have wanted even after many coats.

Details

Bionic: It's a neon yellow and black different sizes of confetti on a clear base.
Meteroic: This one has really tiny colorful speckles with same kind of confetti in black and white.
Wham: Pure white with tiny strand and different sizes of confetti in white on a clear base.
Turbulent: Same as Meteroic, but nice sky blue in place of green. I think I love this one the most.
White Matter: Simple opaque white :-)
Dark Matter: Simple black and very clever and crisp nomenclature I must say.

Flashy: Bright true warm red. I can see an orange warm undertone to it. Its a very bold color.
Indelible: I love this shade of mid-tone purple. A very appropriate "Spring" shade. It goes on very smooth too!

Eureka: Very bright fuchsia color. I never liked pink girl-y colors before, but I am slowly becoming a fan. Equally nice for fingers and toes.

Omny: Very bright "true blue" color. Love it. Does not suit my tan hands that much but I still adore it.

Extraordinary: This is one of the nude shades. Very pastel-y kind of light grey shade. Love it. It will be perfect if your work in a very formal environment.

Unmistakable: Very pastel-y sea-foam green color. Goes on very very smooth.

Brazen: Baby pink color, goes on smooth and opaque. But it is too "barbie" for me, my hands ends up looking much more tan than it actually is.

Infatuated: This one and "Unmistakable" look a bit similar. But this one is true "baby blue" color. Very pastel-y and spring-y.

Thrilling: I love this color. Its not always easy to find a "true nude" nail polish for tan skin tone. I think this is the best I could find till now. Smooth as well.

Radioactive: Neon Lime Green. It's very thin in terms of consistency. I love the color during winter. But pigment-wise, I am very disappoint in it.

Haphazard: Very deep vibrant shade of purple. I had high hopes for this shade, but this is actually very sheer. I need at least 3-4 coats for the color to show up even and opaque. Most disappointing!!

Zap: Another non-performing in the bunch. It's neon yellow. I have heard that this color is very hard to manufacture. 

Vroom: This is my kind of color. :-) It's a taupe bronzy kind of color which makes my hand look very pretty. LOVE it.

Rocket Fuel: It looks like a duo chrome. I can see silver and pale emerald color. I have grown a fondness very this.

Racy: This might be my most favorite color. Its a light purple and metallic; right up my alley! :-) And it goes very smooth, among the metallic colors, this is the most hassle-free to use.

Need for Speed: Its a silver-y rosy gold color. But it looks a little more silver-y on my nails. Also very streaky when applied. It did not impressed me at all.

Like I said, the kit was released in early summer of last year. I know I am unforgivably late in reviewing it, but better late than never right? I am not sure if it is still available but if they release it again, and if you want to build up your nail inventory than this might be a good option. And if they offer sale price, than I would say go for it. :-) Plus, a lot of these colors are in their permanent line. Overall, FormulaX nail polishes are really nice :-)

Love
~Arrru

In love with "Caudalie Favorites Kit: 2014"

All of my latest reviews have been mostly skincare! I have not been playing with makeup a lot recently ;-) If you have spent a little time “Discovering Me”, you know that I am a huge fan of value kits; both in makeup and skincare! But I still have to agree that there is a 80% chance that one or more products from these sets may not appeal to me. This set however has pleasantly surprised me!  I have been hearing a lot about Caudalie Skincare and when I saw this set in Sephora for $32 with 5 decent size products, sometime last year, I thought it will be an excellent opportunity to test the brand.

The set contains:

- 1 oz. Beauty Elixir 
- 0.33 oz. Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet 
- 1 oz. Hand and Nail Cream 
- 0.15 oz. Lip Conditioner 
- 1.69 oz. Make Up Remover Cleansing Water 
- Travel case

As you can see, the products are travel-friendly which is what I exactly need. It makes my life so much easier :-)

Lip Conditioner: I can happily say that this is the BEST lip balm that I have ever tried till now. It is a wonderful balm. Velvetty smooth to apply and keeps my lips moisturized for hours, even during the harsh Chicago weather! I also love the smell. Very light fragrance which I can’t exactly pinpoint what it is!

It got finished way too soon though, in just two months or may be less than that! My other trusted lip-balm from Nivea lasts me far more than that. The regular size lip conditioner retails at 12$; quite costly for a lip balm. For these two reasons, I probably would not buy a full size product at regular price. :-) But, but if I can score a value kit with this in it, I will be all over it. ;-) I really LOVE this.

Beauty Elixir: This is a product from Caudalie that is so well loved in the beauty community. And it should be!  It has a strong but very refreshing smell. I really LOVE the smell. I generally apply it right after shower and before I use my moisturizer. I don’t use it on an everyday basis though, it is a costly product and I don’t want to get addicted to it :-) This bottle costs 18$ separately and I believe I would be ok spending that much. It makes me feel very fancy… and sometimes we deserve to feel fancy. :-)

I also love the packaging, it’s very slim and stylish….I have finished the product but I am not yet ready to throw away the bottle; it’s so pretty!! :-) The spritzer is also very nice as in it sprays the product evenly.

Hand and Nail Cream: This is definitely another favorite from the set. My nails are not generally very fragile. In the event of continuous nail-polish wear, I use this cream and it heals my slightly yellow-ish nails :-) It’s moisturizing too as hand cream. I apply it before going to bed at night, it feels so luxurious! I am in love with the smell. It’s very citrusy, very fresh (I think I should take a crash course on understanding and describing fragrance note :-)) I have never fallen in love with a cosmetic fragrance as I have with this. :-)

Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet: It was a tiny tube and I finished it in 3 to 4 weeks. It is a light moisturizer with a very nice fragrance, the texture looks a little bit gritty but it’s a smooth moisturizer. It’s very weightless on the skin. It absorbs quickly and is good under makeup too. I have not been wearing a ton makeup these few days, but it did perform well for the days I did wear makeup. It performed extremely well in the hot humid Florida as I have been living here for work last few weeks; it might not be thick enough for cold drying climate. After I finish up the all the moisturizer I have been hoarding, I might be picking up the full size version of it.

Makeup Remover Cleansing Water: Like all the other products in the set this one also had a very mild fragrance. It is however a very simple and light makeup remover; certainly not for heavy duty makeup. This is the only product that I have not been using much, rest of the product I have already finished already. I don’t have a lot of complaints, but performance wise this is the only product in the bunch that I would have liked to perform better.

As I have already mentioned, I already have finished three of these products. I loved the kit so much that I went on a mission to get a backup. It was sold out in Sephora; so I bought the second set from Caudalie USA website. I got a free lip conditioner as this was my first purchase from them. I really want to appreciate Meagan from Caudalie Customer Care. She and other members of their online team were very helpful and communicative during my purchase (there were a few problems, and they really helped me out). Good customer care is something I always look for when I am trying out a new skincare brand. I love the story behind the brand too; you can read more about it here. I have become a fan of the brand and I would definitely be experimenting more. Do you have any suggestions?

Also, this is a limited-edition set that was curated for 2014. But it might still be available in Caudalie USA website. Also, right now Sephora has Caudalie favorite set for 2015 which almost has the same product except for the Gentle Cleansing Milk. I say pick it up, you will not regret it :-)

Love,

~Arrru

REVLON Colorburst Matte Balm in SULTRY and Balm Stain in ROMANTIC Swatces and Review :-)

I have expressed my love for Revlon lip products before! Today I have two more products from Revlon for you! Lip crayons have been incredibly popular for a while now. I believe Revlon was one of the first few brands to launch this type of lip crayons. Please correct me if I am wrong.

I got their lip balm stain in Rendezvous for my sister ealry last year. Since then I was itching to try one for myself. Then during one of Ulta's Buy One Get One 50% off sale, I picked up two shades :-) You can find these in Ulta, Walgreens, Walmart etc. 

Colorburst Matte Balm in SULTRY: Depending on the store the cost varies from 8$ to around 10$. I feel like I am forever in search of a natural color for everyday wear! This shade is such a beautiful mauve color! It may appear a little bit pink from time to time; but it's just the right amount of pink. Very comfortable to wear. It's very creamy and hydrating but the finish is definitely matte! Very impressive wear time as well. I have had 10 hrs. of work days and I could still see the very faint and even stain when I reached home (Well, hotel actually as I am always travelling for work). The packaging is good enough; not very bulky. The color of the tube matches the lip shade and feels matte corresponding to the matte finish of the lip shade; that is very convenient. I also love that these are automatic pencils. But I do think they are a little bit high on price considering it's a drugstore product. But apart from that, I am highly impressed by this particular lip product.

Colorburst Balm Stain in ROMANTIC: Depending on the store it varies from 5$ to 9$ for 0.09 oz. The packaging is same but keeping it coordinated with the lip stain, it’s a tube is a little shiny, even the bottom is in metallic silver material. I am really liking this! But the writing at the surface has already started to rub off, which disappoints me. I purchased both of these at the same time, used it at the same rate, but the "Sultry" still has its names on. In the tube, "Romantic" looks like a berry shade, but on application it turns up to be a red and has a sheen! It is a very EASY red. It goes on very smooth and the feel on the lips is a bit stiff, a bit plastic-y. It’s not very bad though. I use it for days when I yearn for some red lips but I can't, as I work in field where a red lipstick does not really look appropriate. It immediately brightens up my face. If you are scared of trying red lipstick, I highly recommend starting with this kind of sheer-red. It will warm you up until the time you are comfortable to wear a full-on Red lipstick. The staying power is not very impressive though, it stays for a maximum of 2-3 hrs. on my lips. I don’t mind reapplying once or twice during the day. Price is same, but as I bought it in BOGO sale, I think it is a good-enough deal.  

I hope this quick review was helpful for you! The matte balm is absolutely fantastic and when I am back to my shopping mode again I will definitely try out new shades! I can't say the same for the Colorburst Balm Stains. 

Have a great weekend folks!!

Love,

~Arrru

Ash Gourd and Chickpeas with Alkali ( কোমোৰাৰ আগ আৰু বুটৰ সৈতে খাৰ)

Life has been hectic past few months! I had a very busy trip to India; before and after that I lived in different cities for different projects. Among all that, I have not been able to find time as well as inspiration to cook much at the comfort of my own kitchen!

Anyway, you guys know that I love authentic Assamese cuisine. One of the major reasons for that is my mother’s awesome cooking! Her style of cooking is simple and very fast and her dishes are never boring no matter how many times she prepares them! When I went to India in 2013 for vacation, I did not really have much chance to gorge on mom-made awesome food, but for this trip I made sure that I don’t miss any lunch and dinners at home among my cozy little family :-) There have been pigeon meat, duck curries, pork fries, different type of freshwater fish and lot of pitha-laru (delicious sweet snacks loved by every Assamese)! I have every intention of sharing all these recipes but let's first start with something green and healthy :-) This sabji (curry) is one of the many tricks my mom uses to jazz up an otherwise boring vegetarian meal! It's definitely different than the vegetarian recipes that I can prepare here in USA.

Ingredients: Young/budding leaves and vines of Ash Gourd tree (not the best description so please refer to the picture below :-)), Chickpeas (white ones known as Kabuli Boot or Brown ones known as Desi Boot in Assam), Ginger Paste, Pasfuron, Dry Red Chilies, Khar (alkali solution. you can also substitute it for Baking Powder), Salt, fresh Green Chilies. Turmeric powder is NOT needed.

1. Soak the chickpeas in water for at least 2-3 hrs.

2. We need to clean up the leaves and the stems. First peel away the outer layer (which is also covered with short coarse hair) of the stems and chop them into medium or to your preferred size.

3. Heat oil in a pan (I use mustard oil). Add the pasfuron and dry chilies.

4. Add the vegetables and chickpeas. Keep stirring.

5. Add ginger paste, you may add a clove of garlic if you want.

6. Add the khar/baking powder and salt.

7. When you can start seeing the vegetables have started to melt add the green chilies. This gives a fresh aroma to the sabji. Keep stirring.

8. This sabji does not really need a lot of time to cook. Add a little bit of water and bring to heavy-thick gravy like consistency.

9. Serve with rice, roti, bread or with whatever you wish for.

10. The other side-dish you see in the plate (at the bottom) consists of the vegetables seen on the picture at the side :-) (Very easy to prepare; add the vegetables in a heated oil and keep frying untill it melts with little ginger-garlic paste, that's it.)

In a proper Assamese meal this khar sabji serves as a side dish. :-) I am yet to figure out a grocery store here in USA where I can find these type of green stems so I don't really know when next I am going to taste this sabji again :-) I can only hope :-( 

Love,

~Arrru

Bought it, emptied it: Philosphy's "Hope in a Jar for Dry Skin"

This is the first skincare product in "Discovering Me" and I am going to keep it short :-) Philosophy's "Hope in a Jar" is a cult-favorite moisturizer. Like every beauty enthusiast, I also feel the curiosity to check out "insanely hyped" products like this one :-) My skin is VERY dry skin; and I don’t know about others, but I am already dreading the winter. Anyway, I moved to the harshly cold Chicago from the humid south-central just before the horrible polar vortex in the beginning of the year, and that sudden change in weather left my already dry skin extremely parched! As my regular moisturizer was not cutting it, I picked up a value set especially aimed for dry skin from Philosophy (which included "Hope in a Jar for Dry Skin") hoping that they will bring back some life to my skin. While I loved the moisturizer well enough to finish off the jar (I just emptied the jar today :-) ), I will not be repurchasing it, not for now at least! That's my experience in a nutshell.

The price for 2 oz. of product is a whopping $42. You can find it in  Sephora,  Ulta, Macy's, Nordstrom, among other places and also from Philosophy website. Because I got this in a value set, I spent much less than the regular price for this particular jar. 

It has a simple, classic and effective packaging with plastic white jar and black lid! It's minimalistic; which I really like. After using and travelling with it for 3-4 months, I did see a crack on the outer side of the jar that made me question about the sturdiness of the bottle. (I swear, I have never dropped it!). Also, whenever I travel with it, the moisturizer clings onto the lining (which is unavoidable), but because the lining is cardboard it seems to absorb some of the oil from the moisturizer. I feel it compromises the moisturizing quality over time.

Now on to the product itself! Even though it's for dry skin, it is a very light moisturizer. I did not find it greasy and it really sinks into my skin comfortably. I do use my favorite “Hope Is Not Enough Facial Firming Serum” every other day in conjunction with this. When I first started using it as a daytime moisturizer during the winter months, I really hoped it would take care of all the dry patches in my skin; it did not do anything magical though! It performed well, provided me decent moisturizing but not 100% up to my expectation. Some days, I needed to reapply twice or thrice during the day! It was, however, perfect for my dry skin once summer set in. I really liked to use it when I am having good-skin days, but whenever I deviate from my regular routine and my dryness goes out of control, this just is not enough! I have to use some kind of facial oil to tackle the dryness! That is the reason why I am not very keen on repurchasing it. This might be ideal for someone who has normal skin, but what’s the point when it is meant for dry skin right? ;-) I have seen some complaints about the scent in Sephora review, but I am very comfortable with it :-) I also love that it has never given me any issue while using under makeup. 

Pros:

1. Thin and not greasy.
2. Absorbs quickly.
3. Works well under makeup.
4. Great in summer.

Cons:

1. Very steep price.
2. I personally don't like the cardboard lining in the lid. 
3. Not good ENOUGH for me during EXTREME winter.
4. The packaging on the outside cracked a bit towards the end :-( 

42$ is a lot of money to be paying for a moisturizer; so I naturally have had high hopes! Like I said I did have a pleasant time using up the entire bottle, but it did not mesmerize me enough to repurchase.

This review is ENTIRELY based on how it has worked on me! I am a strong believer of the fact that the performance of a skincare product entirely depends on the nature of the user's skin. While it was nothing miraculous for me, it might work wonders for your skin! Have you used it? If you have, what's your experience? Please feel free to share; I always appreciate your feedback! 

Love,

~Arrru

Throwback Thursday: "Viswakarma Puja" - Now and Then!!

How time changes everything, well “almost” everything!! I am always amazed by this very true fact of life. Being an Engineer in India, September 17^th was always different than other days! Because, it is when “Vishwakarma Puja”  is celebrated. Viswakarma is the Architect God in Hindu mythology, and this particular Puja is celebrated mainly in the industrial sector across many different states in India...read more about "Viswakarma Puja" here :-)

I remember washing and cleaning all the machines in our home with my sister; when we were younger we handled small apparatus like refrigerator, mom's sewing machine, TV, VCR etc. :-) and as we grew older, we got promoted to washing the car! :-) Whether each of us personally believes in God or in the power of prayer, as Indians, Pujas are such an integral part of our culture. For this particular Puja, we pray and thank the almighty for blessing us with so much technology; that’s the essence. I also remember going to my uncle's office who worked in the Public Works Department where this Puja was a huge thing and being so overwhelmed by the amazing community consisting of technical personnel from all level. After that, I joined Engineering, and because my home was in the same city as my college, I was able to help mom with the household duties and still catch AEC (Assam Engineering College) Puja in action :-) I especially enjoyed the enthusiasm and vigor of the lab technicians while planning and organizing the Puja! After that I missed it for a bit as I was out-of-state for a few years. Then I joined ASEB (Assam State Electricity Board) and it was a whole different story! I worked at a divisional head-office and we supervised three sub-divisions. Each unit will organize their own Puja and after attending the Puja at our office, we will visit each subdivision. I do miss the joyous feeling of an otherwise extremely busy and comparatively tensed revenue office; it was really a refreshing change for me! Each subdivision would also organize a gourmet feast after the Puja; it was almost competitive among the subdivisions! As they would try to book the best available date for organizing the feast and not to mention, to plan the best menu J. Working in an electric utility where “limited resources” is a constant problem, can be really stressful for employees at every level; hence I really appreciated this kind of festivity once in a while!

Me with my wonderful ex-collegues; yes, we all dolled up and I can't believe how much
 I have changed in these years :-)

But now September 17^th is just another day - I wake up, get ready and go to office, come home, surf a bit, have dinner and get ready for the next day! And thanks to my nomadic work life, I don't even get to pray and do the Puja on my own, even on a minuscule level! But change is inevitable and I am hoping, someday again, I will be able to observe and enjoy these festivities again :-)

Liebster Award

Zahra from I AM CHIC LONDON is a fellow blogger and she has recently nominated me for the Liebster Award. She is the first friend I made from this beautiful world of beauty blogging. Thank you so much for this, Zahra! To give you all a better idea about Liebster, I am explaining it, as found in her blog :-) And definitely check her out; she is very chic and elegant :-)

11 Random Facts about me:

1. I miss Pomy, our pet dog who left us in 2010 after spending 11 years beautiful years with us. I miss her EVERY single day.
2. Mango, Pineapple and Pomegranate- A few of my favorite fruits.
3. I have been to 18 states in United States of America.
4. I prefer pen or liquid eyeliner over gel liners.
5. I want to visit Paris and Santorini. Some day!
6. Strangely, I don't remember my VERY first lipstick.
7. When I was a kid, I never liked fish. But now that I am so far away from home, I miss freshwater fish so very much.
8. I love assembling IKEA furniture ;-)
9. The brighter the lip color, the better.
10. I have a younger sister (more like a twin) and we talk about makeup and fashion for more than 75% of time during our overseas call.
11. I love exploring different cuisines.   

Zahra’s questions:

1. What are you most passionate about? :::: I am not sure :-) I have such compartmental passion for many different things. My career is very important... :-) and then I love blogging, I love working towards promoting of my mother tongue and ethnic nuances of Assamese culture!
2. What inspired you to start blogging? :::: From childhood, I always had an interest in writing. After I joined my first job, I started to slowly publish my poems and articles (which are still in my blog) and since last December, I have started blogging on a regular basis about my two new-found fascination: cooking and makeup :-) Your top tip for newbie bloggers? :::: Always invest your time in taking your pictures.
3. Who is your style icon? :::: I pick up inspiration from everywhere; people I observe in my day-to-day life, internet and the good old fashion books :-)
4. Do you have a motto that you live by or favorite quote? :::: One of my favorite quote is from Madbhagawat Gita (an spiritual book on Indian Mythology). It says "কৰ্মতহে তোমাৰ অধিকাৰ, তাৰ ফলত নহয়" ("You have a right to perform your pescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action."). Another one is "Live and let live". I so hope everyone would respect this quote.
5. What’s your favorite make up product/brand? :::: Oops! Tough question for a beauty blogger and I am going to give a long answer. My favorite product keeps changing. Sometimes I am crazy about bronzers and sometimes it’s all about the blushes! But Bright lipsticks and black eye liner will always remain my all-time-favorite. And if I have to pick up only one brand, it will be "Tarte". And special mention to "Bite Beauty" for lipsticks!
6. Your favorite Book/Movie/TV show? :::: All time Favorite book "Anuradhar Desh" (The land of Anuradha, it's a novel in Assamese language). My favorite movies keep changing- currently it's Milli, Kuch Kuch Hota Hain, Dil Chahta Hai, Silver Lining Playbook. All-time favorite TV-series: "Friends". Current favorite: "Modern Family".
7. Your favorite social platform? :::: Instagram, for now!
8. What makes you smile? :::: Spending time with the best of my friends and family, compliments from stranger, appreciations on my blogs and Instagram pics, "Friends" show! And a lot of other things....
9. Favorite travel destination? :::: Out of the places I have been to, California is my very favorite.
10. Currently top on your wish list? :::: I am currently a bit bankrupt ;-) so, I am trying to hold off temptation. But here is my list 
# Clinique Cheek Pop
# Marc Jacobs Siren Palette
# Kat Von D Tattoo Liner.
11. Do you have a favorite MUA/YouTuber? :::: Lisa Eldridge (so much to learn from her), Jaclyn Hill (so much fun with her), Marlena (for overall inspiration)

I am further nominating all these beauties :-)

1. Heather from allthingsHeather 
2. Zhahara from Azhian Beauty
3. Poppy from Glitter In Her Eyes
4. Manashi from I am What I am
5. Ivy and Daisy from the eighth forest 
6. Maya from PINKCOGNITO
7. Laura from lipstickjunkie 
8. Meagan from kissmeg 
9. Sanchari from The Serious Butterfly 
10. Cel from TropicThrill  
11. Hannah from Hannahh(??)

My questions for you all are

1. If money and time is not a problem where would you go for an epic vacation?
2. Favorite color for makeup packaging?
3. Books/Movies/Shows that you can read or watch over and over?
4. Are you a morning person or a midnight-lover?
5. Favorite color for clothing?
6. Cooking - Love or Loathe?
7. Do you feel boredom? What do you do to avoid it?
8. Designer brands with obnoxious price! How do you feel about it?
9. Favorite Hollywood icon and why?
10. What do you fear most?
11. What do you love most for the choice of platform (WordPress, BlogSpot etc.) for your blog?

Thank you so much for your time... I hope all the beauties I tagged will keep the chain going forward :-) Happy blogging!!

Love,

~Arrru