My sister is on roll. This is yet another review post by my sister.

Hiiii!!!   Very Happy to meet you all again. First of all we girls should feel proud about our Eyes :-). Girls,we have so many songs to describe our eyes why not make it look stunning?? Yep, today am going to take you through a product, which I have been using for months. 

MNY's Hyper Glossy Liquid Eyeliner

While walking through a lifestyle shop at Inorbit mall, blinking my eyes on every single display, I positioned my eyes on this cute little product. I went and stood there for a minute while a girl at the counter started describing about this product (even though she didn’t have to do as I had already decided to get this). I grabbed it in my hand and came with it to my room (After paying only).

Hyper Glossy yes, rightly named, this one has a glossy finish, which made me instantly happy as i need not touch those boring, drying matte ones.

Maybelline claims

For dramatic, dazzling eyes, choose Hyper Glossy Liquid Liner.

With a smudge-proof formula, this eyeliner has a great staying power and lasts for up to 24 hours. Just Sweep on a thick, bold line and enjoy beautiful, highlighted eyes all day.

Here’s why you’ll love it:

• Has intense black color with a high-shine finish

• Is easy to apply and creates a sleek, bold line

• Has a smudge-proof formula that enables 24 hour wear

Price: Rs. 225

Ingredients

Aqua, Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Denaturated Alcohol, Steareth-20, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Laureth-21, Caprylyl, Glycol, Xanthum Gum, Tocopherol

Shelf Life: - 30 months from the Mfg. Date 

My personal views on this product:

·        Finish-This gives an amazing glossy finish not a shimmery one. A little quantity will run for a long way. It dries in seconds so you need not sit seeing down for minutes. Glossy finish gives you a fresh eye look throughout the day.

·        Packaging- It comes in a cute little plastic bottle with a slender long cap. The bottle is only one inch size so it is easy to carry anywhere.

·        Brush-It has a fine, thin and soft tip. You can apply on a thin line or thick line with this one. This one is perfect for winged and cat eye look too.

·        Staying Power- This stays put for 7+hours on your eyes, if you don’t rub your eyes (which I always do).

·        Waterproof- It does not smudge, as I said before, it stays put for a long time. Okie coming to attacking it with water, it is water resistant but not water proof. It can withstand water, but rubbing it with water makes it loose the fight and fade away, but for me this is a plus, I don’t want it to stay and give me a hard job in removing it.

·        Price- It’s a budget friendly eyeliner, if you want a good brand and with a good quality.

·        Availability - In all malls and even in almost all shopping websites. 

What I think could have been better:

·         Quantity- Why MNY why? This really disappoints me .Quantity is too less :( 

I love this product and can hardly find any negatives. I love Maybelline because of their quality and their price when compared to other branded products out there. 

As mentioned in my previous post (Click here), I finished The Cuckoo's Calling. It’s about a famous super model who (Lula) plunges to her death, which police eventually confirms as suicide. The Main characters are Coromon strike (detective), Robin (assistant-I started liking her because she has characters similar to mine).It’s more like conversation type of story, too many characters to remember but a good story to read on a slow day.

P.S the quote in the pic is by Romanian Proverb written in my dad's handwriting, but all pictures are taken by me  :).

Hello All, today I am going to share with you ideas for how to keep our skin young and glowing

After all Precaution is better than cure right?

Do you guys know the sun is the major cause of wrinkles?

Yes, it is.

Why do we need to wear sunscreen?

Sunrays have UVA and UVB rays

UVA rays-

·       Damages inner lying cells and major cause of premature aging. 90% of wrinkles are caused by the sun (Ugh…!).

·       It also has melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma, two types of skin cancer cells

UVB rays-

·       This causes sunburns and tanning.

So to have a glowing and young skin we need to have a sunscreen no matter whether you are a boy or girl.

How to choose a sunscreen depends upon how long you are going to be exposed to the sun. Even on a cloudy day, you need to wear sunscreen as UVA\UVB can penetrate through clouds.

SPF-Sun Protection Factor it is. This protects you from UVB (You don’t get a tan and no to sunburns). While buying a sunscreen see whether it has a minimum of SPF 15, because it can protect your skin for 150 minutes (2 hour and 30 mins). Going for SPF 30 can protect your skin for 300mins (5hr).

PA+- Protection Grade of UVA (PA) this gives protection against UVA rays (You are safe from wrinkles and skin cancer). The more the +’s the more you are safe from sun. Chemicals which give us these are avobenzone, oxybenzone, mexoryl, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

Talking about the product, I opted for

LOTUS HERBALS 3-in-1 MATTE LOOK DAILY SUNBLOCK.

The Product claims to give

• Sun Protection
• Skin Lightening
• Mattifying

I opted for this because it has SPF 40 and PA+++.

   How to Use:

Apply liberally and evenly on face and exposed parts of the body (neck, arms, legs, etc.) before exposure to sun. Re-apply frequently.

 Ingredients:

Water, talcum, kaolin light, glycerine, polyacrylamideC13-14 Isoparaffin laureth-7, oxybenzoene,octyl methoxy cinnamate, titanium dioxide, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, isopropyl myristare,cyclopentasiloxane, elcosene, copolymer, fumed silica, 2- phenoxyethanol, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone, red iron oxide, yellow iron oxide, fragrance.

My personal views about this product:

• SPF 40 & P+++-It has everything a good sunscreen should have Jthis one protects us from both UVA & UVB rays.
• Hygienic Packaging- It comes in orange tube with a flip-flop cap. Flip cap is sturdy and travel friendly
• Fragrance-It has a mild fragrance similar to fair ever (if you have ever used). It lasts only till the applying stage. After which there is no fragrance.
• Consistency- It has very thin and flowing consistency which goes matte on blending. It is non-greasy and non-sticky.
• Since I have combination skin, I prefer matte ones. It is not heavy or thick, which is a surprise for a matte sun block though..!
• Finish-It gives a matte finish. Hence, people with dry skin need to moisturize their face before applying. It’s a boon for oily skin beauties out there. It does not leave a white cast. Since it is tinted (Sandal wood colour), it gives a sheer coverage so ladies out there can go with this product for a daily wear.
• Price-It comes in 2 quantities, 50g and 100g.I got this in 100g which is priced Rs.345.

What I think could have been better:

• Price is not bad yet if it’s lessened a little then it’s great.
• The Only draw bag is that the product tends to get accumulated near the mouth of the tube :).

       Where did I get this product:

• www.amazon.in
• I recommend you all to purchase a (this) sunscreen to keep your skin young and live :).
• Guys I am currently reading THE CUCKOO’S CALLING novel…so far so good:). If you guys know any good novel, share it with me. I would love to hear from you. That’s all for now catch you guys soon.

I love Indian food, but never knew I had this particular craving for Biryani all along. I used to be a regular customer at star biryani. I however don’t find any other players matching up the famous star biryani. I like Thalapakattu and Anjappar biryani too, but star biryani has always remained my favourite. I happened to move to the UK for my education where I lived for two years, yet I could find Indian restaurants at every corner of any street. I enjoyed my favourite biryani there as well, but couldn’t find Star biryani, not that I complain about it. Later on, my marriage, I have shifted to Germany, where the Indian population is comparatively. I missed my biryani so very much. I decided I will try it myself and failed several times to get that taste. After say nearly 4 to 5 times of continuous trial during the weekends, I must say I have perfected the art of making Biryani. I am so happy to share my version of Biryani which is a combination taste of star, thalapakattu and Anjappar biryani. Please do give it a try because after you try as stated here you are going to love it and be happy about it.

Procedure for Marination:

Firstly clean the chicken and marinate the chicken with curd (I50 g), turmeric (1/2 tsp), Red chili powder (I used 2 tsp) as per taste, Dhaniya or Coriander powder (2 and a half tsp) and salt as per taste. The longer the marinating time the tastier the biryani gets, yet I marinated for just half an hour (Could marinate for 1 hour).

 Ingredients

Chicken -1KG

Rice- 4 cups (1=150g)

Oil- 2 to 3 Tsp

Curd- 150G

Turmeric-1/2 tsp

Red chili powder- I used 3 tsp (2 ½ for marination and ½ tsp while making the gravy)

Dhaniya (coriander) powder-4 tsp (2 ½ for marination and 1½ tsp while making the gravy)

Salt as per taste- I used 1 ½ for marination and 1 tsp in the gravy.

Ginger paste- 3 tsp (add more as this helps in digestion and enhances the flavour of biryani)

Garlic Paste- 2 tsp (Do not mix ginger and garlic together for biryani, please follow the procedure for better results)

Cardamom-4

Black Cardamom-2

Mace- 1 large piece

Black jeera- 1 to 1 ½ tsp

Clove-4

Cinnamon- 4 to 5 medium sticks

Bay leaf-4 to 4 leaves

Aniseed-5

Procedure:

·         Wash rice real well, then either use a large vessel to boil the rice or rice cooker could be used. I used a rice cooker.  Rice has to be cooked half way through meaning just 50 or 60 % cooked along with mace just 1 big piece, add black jeera one tsp and add 2 to 3 black Cardamom to rice.

 On the other hand, use a large cooker for making the chicken gravy. Place the cooker on the stove with 2 Tsp of oil or could use more as well for even better taste (Once a while, crossing the border is no mistake) in a medium flame.

 Once the oil is hot, add half tsp of curd (very little) this is to remove the bitterness or any raw taste the oil has. After a few seconds, add in bay leaf, aniseed, cinnamon, clove and green cardamom. Once they splutter wait for a bit and add in half a tsp of red chili powder and sauté for a few seconds.

 Then add in the ginger paste and sauté it well for two minutes to three minutes, it could start sticking to the cooker (not to worry) keep sautéing.

Immediately add in the garlic paste and sauté it well for 2 to 3 minutes, continue on the medium flame. 

Onions must be added here and drop in 1 tsp of salt, wait until they turn light brown in colour, by now the whole kitchen must be filled with the spices aroma.

Once the onions are sautéed for 5 minutes on medium flame, add tomatoes and sauté again. Tomatoes have to be mashed real well. Just for about 5 to 10 minutes, this mixture should be mixed well. Now add in the dhaniya powder (1 and a half tsp) and mix well. 

After 5 minutes, add in the marinated chicken to this mixture and mix well with all the ingredients, add in mint leaves and coriander leaves to avoid the raw chicken smell. Cook till the chicken is perfectly done.

Meanwhile, keep stirring else ginger and garlic paste will tend to form a coating at the bottom so please stir the gravy continuously. Simultaneously check the rice. I cooked rice just for 10 minutes in the rice cooker with water, which was not measured instead filled by eyeballing till the rice is immersed well with excess water. After 10 minutes, drain off all the excess water, remove off the mace, and could be discarded. If the rice seems to be just 50 % done, don’t worry, it gets cooked while it is kept in Dum.

Once the gravy is done and the chicken is cooked well, wait till the gravy is thick enough and then add in the half-cooked rice and stir well. Add in little batches of rice and keep mixing well with the gravy.

Once the mixing is done, close the cooker and place the cooker on top of a flat pan. Put pan on the stove on the low flame. To make it faster and tastier the cooker could be sealed with the aluminium foil paper, and then the cooker could be closed and placed on the pan. I recommend keeping it in Dum for about 40 minutes minimum and do not forget to reduce the flame to low.

After about 40 to 1 hour in the low flame, remove the cooker and wait till the pressure inside is lightened. Meanwhile prepare raita by adding sliced onions to the yogurt. Chat masala and cucumber could also be sliced and added to the raita for an extra taste. Serve on a plate with the raita on side and I recommend to eat using hand as the taste is better than using a spoon or a fork.

Note:

All these Indian spices could be bought from any of the Indian store nearby your place depending on where ever you stay :). I wish you guys give it a shot and please do share your experience. I would love to hear your comments on the final outcome and If you have any doubts please do shoot it in the comment below. I will get back to you ASAP. Have a great day and happy cooking :).

It was a bright day and I was so excited that I was going to cover the Colosseum (The world wonder). I dressed up all well as it was sunny and I had been craving for the sun when I set out from Germany to Italy. I was nearing the colosseum and I found these men showcasing their illusions of being sat in the breeze.

Then I entered the colosseum looking at its grandeur right from the entrance, as I happened to think of all my research I did prior to reaching this place. This was constructed in 70AD. It was expected to hold 50,000 to 80,000 spectators witnessing the gladiatorial contests, mock sea battles, animal hunts, etc. The guides around said the gladiators and other animals would be waiting for their turn of fight by standing under the stage. There use to be high class, middle class, and low class breakup back then, which use to be reflected in the way the seating arrangements were made. The kings and the high-class people would be seated in the closest viewing place and the low class people would be made to view from the highest distance point of the colosseum.

These were the stairs the kings used to take to enter the colosseum. I was so surprised to know that there used to be sea battle fights. This little underground canal would fill up the entire battlefield with water and the huge ships would enter into the battlefield for sea wars (ohhhhh). I was so amazed to imagine that I was standing in a place where around 70,000 and above deaths happened. This is the only place where the huge number of deaths happened apart from the battlefield then.

It was told to us that the colosseum suffered damage due to an earthquake, which happened to demolish half of the colosseum wall. I enjoyed the inside view of the colosseum and kept telling within myself that there were animals, gladiators and other fighters waiting for their turn of death knowingly just to entertain the crowd without any options left for them. There were several partitions under the stage probably for animals and gladiators.

I walked around the colosseum and just peeped out from the top to see the Arch of Constantine, Which was actually constructed as the then king happened to win a battle and the construction took several years for its completion, then again this got destructed a little in an earthquake. This was constructed about 1800 years ago.

I was looking at the construction and the view from the coliseum just to find this bunch of youngsters doing some kind of awareness campaign with a uniform dress worn by all and they shouted something in Italian language. 

Once I had a walk all over the colosseum, I remembered my friend who had already been here and recommended me of a cafe which does excellent tiramisu. I have tried tiramisu in Germany and didn’t like it much but once I tried there, I was so much in love with it. It just melted away and I fell in love with tiramisu more than anything else did there. I wanted to try tiramisu again and I did try in some other place before I started from Rome but I regretted for trying it. The best tiramisu is from the nearby cafe to the coliseum, if you go there do not forget to try tiramisu in the nearby cafe to the colosseum.

Then I went the Arch of Titus, one of the oldest sights in Rome and one of the first triumphal arches in the world!

The next march was to the Palatine Hill, which is one of the Seven Hills of Rome. The best-preserved house date back to the 1st century BC and was the home of Emperor Augustus and his wife. There were certain places which had the restriction to walk on, as still the excavation was happening to dig out these beautiful remnants of the ancient history. I was stunned to see such tall pillars and buildings, which happened to be underground till date. These were excavated for tourists to enjoy the history. I saw the Julius Caesar, then the Roman General’s grave.

Once I finished my tour in the Palatine Hill, I headed to the Indian restaurant called Maharajah.

I really loved the ambience. I was too tired to cover any more places, which happened to be the end of the day.

 I started out the next day to the other world wonder the Pisa. This magnificent beauty was peeping from the side to welcome me.

The whole trip was a feast to my eyes because where ever I turned I could only see artwork, but even in the leaning tower of Pisa ohhhhh, it was splendid. I was on my second trek (St Peter’s Basilica was the first trek) now to the top of Pisa which roughly had 300 plus steps.

I was definitely tired, but there were 4 bells on the top and the breeze was in the full swing which kept me refreshed.

I climbed down after the beautiful view from the top of the Pisa to find every single person posing like this... So I did take a few pictures like this yay!  The only thing that was running in my head was ‘’Oh my god I am just standing in the same place where Newton and several other scientists had worked hard to finish this beauty’’, which was halted after its 2^nd floor thinking that the architect went wrong some were and he was sacked only for several scientists to complete it.

This same day I travelled to the Beautiful Island the Venice. I must say I got reminded of my Phi-Phi island trip (Thailand). It was in the night I landed in Venice and it was definitely cold but stunning. I must Venice looks beautiful in the night.

I was super excited to get up early in the morning to see Venice from my hotel balcony. It was definitely beautiful and there happens to be the seawater smell always in the air.

This is the bus station in the Venice.

There comes the water-bus to its Bus stop.

I got dressed up well, but had to wear a long coat, as it was quite sunny yet with a cold breeze.

There were several artists making their creations.

The famous carnival masks were on sale. 

Then I covered the whole Venice by walk, as it’s a small island. I enjoyed walking on the streets of Rialto Markets, the Grand Canal, the clock tower, the St Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge was as expected stunning.

Really!!! Only made in Italy...No China??? 

These are made of cabbage, do you believe this???

This is the restaurant I had my sumptuous lunch.

 The top most left corner was the place for prisoners back then, that is the reason these iron grills were on those windows.

This happens to be my favorite place...

The Venice was stunning; there is nothing much to see around, but a best place to relax with your loved ones.

 I stayed in Venice for a couple of days and relaxed myself. I started back to my home thereafter.

The whole Italy trip happened to be a treat as it was filled with art, architecture, and tasty food like pastas. I would love to go back again someday. My next blog post will be one of the famous Indian food recipes, please wait for it till Sunday. Hope you enjoyed my posts so far and if you have anything to say, please do share it in the comment box below until then bye bye take care.