New skin.

I have tried eight products from Dr. Barbara Sturm’s line of skin care over the past seven months. Some simple math (that i obviously couln’t do myself) would tell you that that each and every product only impressed! (Except for the sun protection but we will get to that later.)

Here are some haul and product shots here.

Would you guys like me to do a review or day/night routine video? Let me know in the comments here or over at Instagram!

N x

 

p.s. this post isn’t sponsored or paid for, and neither will be the actual review.

Skincare misses.

To be honest, I’ve never really had skin care fails. I always buy products that I instinctively know will be good for me, and I know my skin the best. And thanks to the endless fish rice balls my mum fed me as a baby, I have always had skin I’ve been happy with. Pair that with the OG good genes and I have had it good. Until I got restless when I couldn’t buy the Power Couple duo in Sephora in NY earlier this year and twitched uncontrollably until I did get my hands on them. And honestly, I think New York was trying to take care of me.

I eventually did buy the Sunday Riley Good Genes combo via Sephora and have it shipped to me, but I really just shouldn’t have. Rash and allergy acne ain’t cute.

I really really wanted to love this product but couldn’t and can’t recommend it for people with sensitive skin. It’s a pain in the backside, resetting all of that skin damage.

Pair that with Perricone MD’s High Potency Amine Face Lift and YIKEA. Thankfully this was a sample along with some other pieces I bought, and whilst it started really well with my skin feeling instantly softer and plumper; the rash was back within 3 days and it was angry!

(mind you, the product usage was spaced over months)

I moved back swiftly to my beloved Dr. Haushka oils and thankfully didn’t push this product as hard I tried with the Sunday Rileys.

Note – I’d promised myself that I’d stay away from acid-ey sounding and complex product names but since this one was a sample, I sort of lost track. Remember it’s all fun and games until your face starts to look like a baboons arse, so if you really do need real skin help, go to a dermatologist!

What have been your skin misses? Share with me on Instagram or here in the comments, I’d love to hear about them!

Sunset vibe

A quick run to the supermarket for some local beer for baby J and this is what we wore.

Paired my VB jeans and top from Ali Express (balance!) with a vintage shawl from New Delhi, Dior Tribal earring and customised Scarosso ballet flats. Unfortunately, Scarosso don’t offer customisations via their website anymore (either that or my browser is missing weird a plugin) but their shoes are still really great, but unfortunately all leather.

Baby J in Levis Jeans, Timberland shoes and Nor Black Nor White Jacket.

Orange and pink and blue.

Having been in New York recently, it’s safe to say I am smitten*. It is one of those places that doesn’t underwhelm your expectations of it, or your senses for that matter. It is as exciting, cool and fascinating as I’d expected it to be and I loved being there! Just like so many people I’ve heard and read about; the ones who’ve gone to New York city for a holiday and can envision themselves living there, I am already intensely infatuated with the place. I am not moving there any time soon but the first impression it left was, essentially, “wow.”. I loved the little neighbourhoods, the food, the incredible shopping, the food, the pulse of the city which was very reminiscent of home, and did I mention the food?

In Venice I wore one half of one of my favourite suits from Henry Holland. It’s orange, its lace, a crop blouse with a high waisted skirt and these are too many of my favourite things in one look for me to pass it by. The orange set I bought last summer in not available anymore but their current sale is fantastic!

Another great thing about a suit is that you can wear the pieces in different looks. On a day out to the MET, I paired the top half with an American Apparel dress, denim jacket and Nike flyknits. I had to throw some leggings on midway there ’cause it was freezing!

Busted!

Hypnotised.

*smitten

Warm and happy. Hey there.

• – Nirja x

//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js

Just go with it.

//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js

I have never been the biggest fan of travel and while everyone I meet or know just wants to pack up their bags and explore a new place, I believe I am happiest when ‘unpacked’ and settled in a place, unless I have my entire family and all my friends to travel with. I am the proverbial elephant in a world teeming with bumblebees. Not that I mind, elephants are awesome.

Not that I do not appreciate the thrill of seeing new places; there are certain spots on the planet I definitely wish to visit, I believe I am missing the “urgency to travel” or the wanderlust gene.

Well seeing as I like being in one spot with all my clothes and books and my beloved blender in my apartment, all convenient and routined, I have to travel. A lot. I travel for work, I travel because my family is full of bumble bees, and mostly I travel because my people are just so happy on flights and airport lounges nestling the idea of approaching a new place. I am not. But I distract myself with “airport style” and other such inanities. Another reason I don’t “dig” this constant movement is that it really affects my practice. I have been practicing Hatha asanas for almost 12 years and now the venture into Ashtanga has really kicked me hard. Hatha is beautiful and restorative and long. Ashtanga is quick and pacy and not exactly the key definition of restorative. Both are exquisite and life changing as is any physical practice that is followed over time, but there is something about Ashtanga before sunrise that feels like a mind and body cleanse. It has helped me in ways innumerable but I am most grateful for it’s effect on my bouts of chronic pain. And that balance gets hurt when I travel. For one, jet lag will confuse you regarding Brahmamurta. And then there’s the exhaustion and your minds innate resistance to anything that’s good for you. In the past six months, I have been to twelve cities in four timezones and with a terrible lot of groaning in the mornings.

I love my life and I love my opportunities and I am forever grateful for my blessings but do any of you Yoga practioners out there ever struggle with discipline and focus? I would really appreciate tips. Maybe the re-transition to a vegan diet will be the boost I need?

Lace and water.

//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js

I spent a couple of days in Venice some time back and stepped out of the city with a serious case of mal de debarquement which is also highest in women in their 40’s but… anyhow. That happened. Venice is stunning. Almost untouchable and “how could people possibly live their go to work, walk to dog life here” kind of way because every thing is so damn beautiful.

I’d laid off the sneakers throughout the trip because this heaven deserves high heels dammit! And God knows beautiful shoes make the best gifts, so I ignored the weak ankle for four days and lived a little.

For Venice.

My favourite look from from my city escapades was this forever 21 top paired with a Henry Holland skirt (it’s actually part of a suit, but more on that later) and shoes from Odel, Colombo. Very Dolce & Gabbana Ss16, but at 1/12th the cost. BOOM.

Can’t link to the products unfortunately since they’re all from last years SS and FW collections. All current collections/ available products will be linked!

Look how stoked with that complimentary wine!

You will also see one of the pictures mention Sunday Rileys Power Couple set and the havoc it wreaked on my skin. I love products and I really really love skincare. And I only buy them when they’re cruelty free – Sunday Riley seemed to have had hit the perfection trifecta, except my skin turned into a monster after a weeks use.

I will discuss the Sunday Riley debacle in one of the future posts!

&otherstories glasses + my skin reacting to the Sunday Riley Power Couple duo. It got a lot worse!

Mondays.

//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js

& smoothies. For all those who do not know, I fast on Mondays. And yes, while this may seem like an awfully tough day to fast on, I am allowed fruits and milk and other sattvic fasting foods so working and practicing and running can all happen without the feeling of “bleh”.

So here’s my smoothie recipe that’s completely Monday friendly. I usually play around with recipes and add fruits that I like, but I am practicing more with Ayurveda body type approved foods so this is extra good for your Vata woes.

Monday smoothie:
1/2 Avocado
1/4 Mango (the mangoes I got are massive, so.)
A handful of cherries
1/2 glass full fat milk (I usually go with the Rice, Coconut, Pineapple variant that essentially feels like drinking love, but they come with added salts and Monday fasts are also sodium free)
A handful of almonds
A shot of espresso (not very Ayurvedic but this is also Monday specific)

BOOM.

Let me know of your smoothie recipes in the comments section!