Beauty Review : Chumbak’s Skincare Range

Chumbak as a brand is all about joie de vivre. Their stores are so vibrant and eclectic that every visit fills you with zest and delight. I love their motto of #makehappy 😊. Recently, the brand came up with their skincare range, something very different from their usual categories. The packaging is aesthetically pleasing and the nomenclature is quite artistic. The products are devoid of any parabens and carcinogenic substances. And the best part, they are all hand processed and Chumbak is against animal testing.

Here we are reviewing the shower gel, hand sanitiser and lip balm :

Good Things Shower Gel :

– priced at 395 rupees/250 ml.

– very mild with a subtle floral fragrance. The fragrance reminds me of a soap i used as a kid though I can’t recall the name.

– not very effective for cleansing and doesn’t lather much.

I am a big fan of shower gels from The Body Shop, there are so many to choose from different skincare ranges and each has a special purpose. I hope Chumbak comes up with more and better options in this category.

Good Things Hand Sanitiser :

– priced at 195 rupees/50 ml.

– floral fragrance similar to the shower gel.

– gets absorbed quickly.

Sanitiser has become an essential thing given the number of germs and viruses in the environment, but I always dread the smell of these. This is a great product from Chumbak , you get clean hands without that pungent smell.

Tangerine Tales Lipbalm :

– priced at 195 rupees/8 ml.

– light texture and quite moisturising.

– can be a perfect base for matte lipsticks.

– tantalising aroma of tangerine.

This is my favourite out of the three. I do not prefer glossy balms as they ruin the matte effect. This one is not heavy and yet very hydrating for the lips.

So the sanitiser and the lipbalm surely won my heart. I will definitely be reviewing other products from their skincare range soon.

Wedding & Lifestyle Exhibition : Urge

Another expo in the pink city, but with a very elaborate and eclectic decor. Shopping is such a great experience amidst such vibrant spaces and with so many unique things to choose from. It was an amalgamation of apparel ranging from gotta patti to block prints, embellished footwear and quirky juttis, handbags and ornamented clutches, mobile covers, semiprecious jewellery and even some organic cosmetics.

Enjoy the pictures :

We have a separate category for all the expos that happen in Jaipur, here’s the link . Do follow us on Facebook and on Instagram.

Travel : The Naini Retreat, Nainital

If you remember our very first blogpost on Nainital , we did mention about covering the best places to stay as there are no renowned hotel chains in Nainital. The three best hotels to stay are : The Naini Retreat, Shervani Hilltop, The Manu Maharani. Here we are reviewing our favourite out of the lot, The Naini Retreat –

About the property : Historically referred to as the residence of the Maharaja of Pilibhit, The Naini Retreat Hotel is among the best heritage hotels located in Nainital near the lake. The hotel is situated on the picturesque Ayarpatta Slopes, providing a breathtaking view of the Naini Lake at an altitude of 1,995 meters. The hotel embodies an old-world charm along with visible impressions of contemporary luxury.

Dining options : Coming to the food , there are 3 options : Lake View, which is their multi cuisine restaurant serving Indian and International delicacies. It is the perfect place to enjoy you meal with a panoramic view of the lake. Next is Stella Bar, which offers choices of the cocktails and mocktails. And then there is Garden Cafe and Grill for a quick breakfast, brunch or a dinner.

Recommendation : It definitely is the best place to stay in Nainital as it excels on all the prime parameters : location, food and luxury. Coming to the pricing, it was at a lower rate per day than both Shervani Hilltop and The Manu Maharani. Valley view rooms at The Manu Maharani were priced at fourteen thousand rupees approx, which is exorbitantly high compared to the facilities offered. Overall, a highly recommended place for your stay in Nainital.

Travel Tip : Call the hotel for exact directions as the route given by GPS isn’t appropriate for four wheelers.

Mint leaves in drinking water

Travel : Artificial Lake & Chairlift, Auli

The artificial lake in Auli is perched at an astounding elevation and is one of the world’s highest man made lakes. It was created to help in providing artificial snow on the ski slopes in event of scanty rainfall. This also helps in extending the skiing season in Auli. The lake is located right next to Clifftop Club  and we did cover some of its pictures in our very first blogpost on Auli.

The snow-clad mountains, skiing slopes and azure-blue water make for the most amazing scenery. The fact that it is a man- made lake does not dampen the magic and beauty of the place in any manner. Nature truly holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction.

The rope way connecting Joshimath to Auli is 4 kms long and offers magnificent views of the Himalayan landscape. If you really want to have a rendezvous with nature, the chair lift is the best available option. It starts from near the ITBP base camp and goes up till the lake. The fact that the chair lift is completely open and runs just a few feet above the ground adds to the thrill.

Cable car from Joshimath

Chair Lift

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Decor : Gulmohar Lane 1

It was while doing our Homes of the stars post that i came to know about Gulmohar Lane, a bespoke furniture label based in Jaipur. They have designed a lot of stuff for Parineeti Chopra’s home in Mumbai, which came as a big surprise as most star homes and their objects are completely opposite of anything unostentatious. So this was followed by some research about the brand’s ethos and then finally a wonderful interaction with the couple who owns this amazing brand.

Shweta Mewara and Saurabh Ailawadi, both NIFT graduates who worked with some of the leading brands in the fields of design, interiors, retail and brand management. During these job years they switched cities very frequently, every time styling a new space and turning it into their abode. This is when they realised the glaring gap between the demand and supply of simple, elegant and affordable furniture especially the one which is customised as per demand.

So the idea of Gulmohar Lane was born, with the aim of creating furniture that is comfortable, high on quality and adds beauty to a home. When I met the couple, the brand felt like a mirror image of their personalities : easy-breezy and quaintly charming. The duo is very clear on what they do not what to sell, you would not find any synthetic upholstery and only natural fabrics are used. Same rules apply to the wood being used. It’s amazing to come across brands which are conscious about their ecological impact.

Here are pictures from our visit to their store in Jaipur :

(All pictures were clicked during our visit to the Gulmohar Lane Store in Jaipur)

In the second part of this blogpost, we will be giving you a glimpse into some of their different collections of furniture and upholstery. Stay Tuned. 😊😊

Wedding & Lifestyle Exhibition : Lagan Mandap 2nd Edition

It is very gratifying to cover the new edition of an expo, which you have covered before. It’s like a journey that you have completed as an experience collector and nothing can be more rewarding. As the name suggests, Lagan Mandap is all about the glitz and glamour of wedding shopping. Here’s the link to the previous edition of this blogpost . This time the exhibition was held on a much larger scale with lots of participating stores and beautiful fresh flowers based decor.

One could find everything needed in a wedding under one roof. There were a plethora of semi-precious jewellery stalls, embellished clutches, sarees, Indo-western gowns, lehengas, footwear and a lot more. Also they had some very eclectic gift wrapping and packing stuff, which is a very important part of wedding preparations.

Enjoy the pictures :

Lagan Mandap : Wedding Exhibition

Continuing with our wedding season series, here are certain pictures from another wedding expo – Lagan Mandap held at the SMS convention centre, Jaipur.

And The Mountains Echoed…

We travel for so many reasons : to honour ancient paths, to better understand the world, to broaden our minds, to look within ourselves. We travel because the winds inside our hearts compel us to drift. We travel for work, we travel for adventure, we travel so that we may achieve stillness. If we are truly wise, we travel for travel’s sake.

We travel so that we might find ourselves. It’s a paradox, in that the further we go, the closer we come to penetrating our self’s center. Looking at these mountains make you realise how small we humans are in front of nature’s might. Nature can keep our ego in check 😉

Travel : Radisson Blu, Haridwar

Between Haridwar and Rishikesh, I have developed a strong affinity for the latter. Rishikesh delights me. In Rishikesh, one feels very close to nature and a sense of tranquility. On the other hand, Haridwar is congested and like a routine city. I would definitely recommend staying in Rishikesh and opting for a day trip to Haridwar to visit all the places.

About the property : We stayed at the Radisson Blu during our stay in Haridwar. It is far from the main city and is located close to the industrial hub. There wasn’t anything special about the property and it is just like one of those typical business hotels. I won’t advise it to people who are visiting Haridwar for religious/ recreational purposes.

Recommendation : It primarily caters to people visiting for official purposes or weddings. As a tourist, I was not happy with the idea of staying so far from the Ganga as that is what Haridwar is all about. But as they say, every experience teaches you something and makes you wise.

Here are the pictures-

Wishing you lots of travels in this year ❤️, do follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Brand Review : Woodgeekstore

Wood + Geek – the combination appears to be quite an eccentric one. They are geeks with a passion for all things wooden and are trying to break the conventional image of wood by exploring it beyond its traditional uses. There is the usual walnut, bamboo, mahogany, rosewood, teak etc, but used in a plethora of bohemian ways. An artist truly has a wild mind and a disciplined eye.

Woodgeekstore offers an eclectic collection of customised wooden posters, journals, notebooks, pens, bow ties, phone cases, sunglasses along with cover. Imagining wood in such an unconventional manner speaks volumes about the creativity of the Woodgeeks team. Moreover, these products are the perfect thing to gift- eco friendly, quirky and personalised with a design or message of your choice.

I didn’t face any issues while ordering stuff from their website. Cash on delivery is available for non-customised products and it takes about a week for the stuff to get delivered. For personalised items, they do share a digital mockup for the customer’s approval and then it is actualised.

Here’s what I ordered-

1. Personalised sunglasses cover-

These can be an ideal gift- creative and economical. The cover looks good, can be personalised and is very sturdy.

2. Personalised sunglasses along with a free customised cover-

There are various styles available- wayfarers, round, aviators etc and you also have the option of choosing the wood of your choice from rosewood, bamboo, mahogany etc. Full marks for creativity but I am not so content with the quality of the glasses used, the wooden frame is good and given that natural is the new cool so the sunglasses look super chic.

Hope you enjoyed our review of the Woodgeekstore, it is our constant endeavor to bring such creative stories to you. Ciao 😍

Dearpacker Sheet Masks From Nykaa

Sheet masks are having a moment, thanks, to the benefits they provide for the skin, not-to-mention the variety available and convenient packing. There is a sheet for everything- to brighten, tighten, hydrate or reduce large pores. You can also get an overnight sheet mask and use it as a quick-fix at a destination wedding where you are not likely to find a salon.

I had never heard the name of this Korean skincare brand Dearpacker, until I saw their sheet masks being sold on Nykaa. They were organic, reasonably priced and had some salubrious ingredients making them worthy of a try. Nykaa had a fabulous offer by which one could purchase seven masks for 500 rupees. Here’s my review of the seven sheet masks I purchased –

But before I apprise you about the characteristics of each of these sheet masks, I want to add that Dearpacker has surprised me and the masks are much better than what I had expected them to be. In fact, these masks beat the sephora ones both in terms of pricing and quality. It is commendable that Nykaa is adding such a wide variety of brands to its array.

1. Green Tea + Jasmine Flower

Green Tea – improves the overall appearance of the complexion and neutralises the damage done by exposure to UV rays.

Jasmine flower- has soothing and calming properties to diminish visible redness.

Fragrance- None.

This was the first one I used and it did create an amazing first impression. It had a rejuvenating effect and added a fresh glow to the face, it is perfect to be used for any occasion especially when one has less time. 

2. Lavender + Argan Oil

Lavender- restores essential moisture balance to soften skin and its relaxing aroma provides natural stress relief. Sm

Argan Oil- is rich in Vitamin E to deeply hydrate and nourish skin, delivering dewy glow.

Fragrance- strong lavender.

This one had a moisturising effect. It is good for winters, when the skin gets dry and chapped.

3. Lab Collection Mask – Anti-Aging & Firming

The blend of active ingredients such as adenosine and almond oil improve elasticity, smoothen fine lines and wrinkles for a youthful glow.

I would recommend this one as a part of your facial care routine, not intended to give an immediate glow but helping to improve the texture of skin in long run.

Fragrance- None

4. Coconut

Coconut- helps the skin stay moisturised, with preventing moisture loss throughout and gives a healthy, smooth and even tone.

Ideal for a cooling and rejuvenating effect.

Fragrance- Coconut Cookie 🍪

5. Fenugreek + Cucumber

Fenugreek- has cooling agent for brighter, clearer skin and imparts a soft glow on the face.

Cucumber- reduces skin tanning and rashes. Also restores moisture and comfort to sensitive skin suffering from irritation.

This one is ideal to get an instant glow and nurturing the skin.

Fragrance- Cucumber 6. Lab Collection Mask – Anti- Dry & Hydrating

This sheet mask contains a blend of hyaluronic acid aloe extracts which continuously plump and strengthen the skin’s natural protective barrier while delivering a moisture boost.

This again should be used as a part of daily skin care regimen to prevent any breakouts or allergy.

Fragrance- None 7. Pea + Yogurt

Pea- stimulates the process of regeneration and gives skin firmness and elasticity.

Yogurt- effectively reduces roughness and lightens skin without drying out.

Helps in improving the complexion and lending a youthful glow to the skin.

Travel : Bob Dylan’s Cafe, Shillong

The Scotland of east, Shillong, has established itself as the rock music capital of India. The winner of India’s Got Talent- Season 2 was the Shillong Chamber Coir. Bacardi NH7 Weekender, India’s largest multi-genre music festival hosts an edition in the gorgeous hills of Meghalaya every year.

Shillong’s love for music has been epitomised in the form of a cafe dedicated to the maestro Bob Dylan. You will fall in love with the quirky music based decor and the stunning views of hills all around. The cafe also has some souvenirs, which the visitors can buy as a token of remembrance. The food options are decent and the taste is much better than the other restaurants in Shillong, especially vegetarian.

Here are the pictures from our visit –

Travel : Tripura Castle, Shillong – 2

In the first part of this blogpost , we took you through day one of our stay at the picturesque Tripura Castle in Shillong. For day two, we decided to shift to a treehouse cottage, which was situated right on the top of the valley. It is not place where life is dictated by smartphones or the obsessive need to browse through the many apps that exist on that device.

It is a place to enjoy what you have forgotten- the sheer beauty of being in touch with the planet and its many joyous sites. It was my childhood dream to stay in a treehouse and I couldn’t be more happier.

Here are the pictures-

Travel : Tripura Castle, Shillong – 1

Travel is more than the seeing of sights- it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.

So this was my first sojourn in the North East, a long awaited trip with my bestie. We took a SpiceJet flight from Jaipur to Guwahati, which is the quickest and the most comfortable way to reach. From Guwahati, prepaid taxis are available to Shillong for two thousand rupees.

About the property : Since it was just the two of us, we wanted a hotel which is a like a mini hill station in itself . Based on the reviews and images on Goibibo, we booked Tripura Castle . It is located on a hilltop and offers a panoramic view of Shillong. The property is beautiful and the plush wooden interiors give you a vintage vibe. The property is managed by female staff and Shillong is essentially a matriarchal society.

The best part is that the property blends in very seamlessly with the natural surroundings. It felt like living right in the middle of a forest with all the comforts you need. And you can witness the entire town of Shillong right from the room’s window overlooking the valley. In the evening, there are bonfires and musical performances to add warmth to the otherwise chilly weather. Sun sets very early in Shillong and by 5 pm it is all dark, a very different and quaint way of life.

Dining options : Food was something that didn’t impress me much, more so because I am a vegetarian which is not a great thing to be in North-East 😂. So, it was definitely a struggle finding decent vegan options. There’s a lot of variety for non vegetarians.

For day one, we stayed in a room located in the main building while for day two we opted for a treehouse cottage which was a fascinating experience. The pricing varies from five thousand rupees to seven thousand rupees depending on the season. Here are pictures from day 1 –

My beauty haul at Sephora

So during my stay in Delhi, I visited the Sephora store at the Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. I wish Jaipur had a Sephora store too, it is very convenient to have all the makeup / skincare brands under one roof plus you can get detailed information about any product from their beauticians. I was looking for a face mist and some face-sheet masks from a long time, at Sephora I got a chance to try my hands on various kinds of brands , which sell these products.

Here’s a look at what all I purchased –

1. MAC lipstick- shade – Mehr

I loved my first MAC purchase- the Ruby Woo lipstick, it is perfect for outings/festivals and the texture is impeccable. So it was time for another sumptuous buy from the same range, I bought the Mehr matte lipstick which is a beautiful rose taupe shade and is perfect for everyday use. I will be reviewing it soon in the beauty review section.

2. MAC lip pencil- shade- Hip-‘N’-Happy

Though I wasn’t planning to buy a lip pencil, a beauty expert suggested this particular shade and said that it can go with a lot of peach/pink undertones. I prefer thin/ well-sculpted lips instead of the bee sting ones, and after using this product I have realised that a lip pencil can prevent your lipstick from getting messy and slipping off your lips. It also reduces the amount of lipstick required per application.

3. Forest Essentials– Facial Tonic Mist- Bela

I had been searching for a face mist that can be used to hydrate the face at any given time of the day and which can be applied onto makeup too. There are a lot of brands selling toners but they are meant to cleanse the skin and their frequent use can lead to dryness. On the other hand, a mist is used to refresh the face especially when we do not have the privilege of washing it. I was looking for a rose based fragrance but that wasn’t available so I bought the Bela flower one. I have been using it almost 3-4 times a day and it really helps in rejuvenating the senses. A blogpost soon on my love for mists ❤️

4. Sephora – Pearl Face Mask

During the journey 😂

Sheet masks are a great invention- easy to apply and no need to rinse them off. They hardly require 10-15 minutes of your time and can help in making the skin of your face healthier and more beautiful. I used this mask during a long journey through the mountains, it did help in moisturising my face and reducing the dryness caused by the harsh winds. But the result was a little less than what I was expecting as Sephora sheet masks are priced at 400-500 rupees each, which is four to five times the price of other sheet masks. I didn’t experience any cooling/brightening effect, which could have helped in reducing the fatigue. Therefore, I won’t be buying this particular mask again.

5. Sephora – Rose Face Mask

This one is intended to give a plumping and brightening effect, will be reviewing it after use.

6. Sephora – Peony Fizzing Cube

The cube dissolves in bath water, making it milky and scented. It seemed like a perfect thing for some in-house pampering. Review soon.

Hope you liked my beauty haul, we would love to know your experience at Sephora. Also, if you have used any of the above products, do share your feedback 😍