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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Do you use moisturizer in summers? {Your Opinion}

Ok, I will be a very bad beauty blogger if I say no! But, the sad truth is yes, I am not using moisturizer these days, neither on face or body! It is so damn hot and my exposure to air conditioning is quite minimal.

In the morning, my routine is to apply the sunscreen right after stepping out from shower. I am using MVO Moisturizing Face Screen which needs an oil base to go smoothly on skin. But, even if I apply a drop of oil, my skin turns out oily after 10 minutes so I found out a new base to apply. I am using Maybelline on the face instead of only the eyes as it is meant for! Honestly, it is totally matte and blends really well with the skin giving me a smooth base for the sunscreen application. And, finally, my skin is not THAT oily either at the end of the ritual.

And, at night or in the evening, I use coconut oil to remove the sunscreen so I slather it in a decent quantity for 5 minutes and remove with a tissue paper. And, go for a face wash. After that, IF I feel like which is not quite often, I wipe my face with a toner which totally makes the skin feel heavy! So, no place for any mositurizer.

And, the story of a body lotion is altogether different, laziness being the foremost reason. And, I think I was using Nivea for dry skin couple of days back which was in March probably. And, obviously, it was not a great choice for summers! It made my skin feel really sticky so I started skipping the entire routine instead of just changing the product! Now, I am using a lighter lotion but I still do not use it everyday.

Btw, someone told me Vaseline Aloevera is a decent choice right now in Hyderabad weather. I was thinking of getting it but have not yet implemented the thought! I thought at least a small bottle would serve as a hand cream but nope! I am using the Vaseline cocoa butter which my friend has in the office which is obviously again not a great choice!

Btw, which hand cream are you using? Or, are you using it? If you are not, I have to say that at the very least keep on moisturizing your hands because they get extremely dry because of all the work they do and the constant washing they undergo! I had stopped moisturizing my hands totally till few days back and I realized they were looking so 70-year old!! So, that is something one has to do consistently. Now, my hands are a little better.

I know not moisturizing is a cardinal sin when it comes to skin care and would never ever ask you to resort to it. But, then I got thinking what exactly is necessary at this point? Moisturization or Hydration? Are they both different? My skin does get dry! It is not like its a pan of oil but somehow it ends up getting hydrated from inside so I don't really feel uncomfortable. Then, do I need moisturization in such a case?

Now, its your TURN! What do you do? Do you also skip your moisturization due to heat or humidity or laziness? Or, you try to follow the routine religiously whether you feel dry or NOT?

Related Posts:
Should you use body powder on face?
Do you apply Egg on Hair?
Do you get boils on your nose bridge or around in summers?

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Just Gossip Vol. 13 - Do you watch movies on weekdays?


Watching a movie late into the night on a weekday is amazingly invigorating when you are totally stressed out from daily routines. Me and my friend had tried it a few weeks back with Pyar ka Panchnama. Even though we had seen the movie earlier, we laughed into fits while watching it again!! 

And, then, I watched Nautanki Saala on Thursday night!! Few scenes were damn funny, btw! But, the girl was so dumb. I mean seriously how can any guy fall for such a brainless hotness!! I mean I did not really expect something so dumb from Ayushmaan Khurana :( 

The part where the destructive Mandar climbs few stories to Nandini's house was fun when compared to the sneaky-ness of RP. But, the chemistry between the lead pairs is really off (I can't even find a word for the disaster it is!).

The girl doesn't even know how to act or express and the guy is hopelessly helpless. Even the most romantic scenes were bereft of anything except the physical exhibitions.

Anyways, you talk about your experiences. Have you tried a night show on the weekday? Does it help you cope with stress? Well, if you are a hostelite and studying, this would be a regular routine, I hope! If not, you seriously need to try it :D

Related Posts:
Just Gossip Vol. 12 - Happy Holi!
Just Gossip Vol. 11 - Sneak peek into upcoming posts!!
Just Gossip Vol. 10 - Whats up?

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Weekend Gossip Vol. 9 - New Updates!


Ok, so, I am really really sorry that I have not been present on the blog very sincerely for the past two months. I think I might make a come back pretty soon so cheers for that!! And, I have already finished with the pile of emails in my mail box.

For those who have sent me queries, please give me this weekend to answer you all. And, thanks a lot for your patience!! And, please forgive me for ignoring you all for so long. Sometimes, time can just fly!!

And, for all you people who have left comments on the blog, thank you so so much. I have a huge backlog of around 500 comments to answer and I have just started with them. So, please please bear with me and I am going to answer each and every one of them and let you know the status ASAP.

Love you all and thanks for all your support!

Related Posts: 
Just Gossip Vol. 10 - Whats up?

Saturday, April 25, 2015

My tryst with Natural Shampoos - Some Random Product Reviews - Part V


So, I have finally used 3 SLS-free shampoos and I decided to put up some words about them. One thing before starting. Please do not expect natural products to perform just like commercial products. They may be better or worse in their own ways.

Soul Tree Triphala Hair Revitalizing Shampoo


Price: Rs 350 for 200ml

My Experience
I had used this shampoo way back in last September and I was really excited to try it out. But, unfortunately, it failed to meet my expectations!! It was drying for my hair and it also did not clean the oil, oil applied on the hair not the natural oil.

Neev Olive Neem Shampoo


Price: Rs 85 for 100ml

My Experience
I finished this product just last month. For a change, it was way better in experience than the previous one. It did not dry my hair a lot and it cleansed the hair well, if oil was not applied on the hair. Hair was bouncy and soft after the wash. 

click on picture to enlarge to read text clearly!

But, it cleanses only little of the applied oil which was sad. But, it lathers really well and smells of rosemary. And, I used to use it on the days when I was in hurry and had no time to oil my hair!

Organic Surge Moisture Boost Shampoo


Price: Rs 625 for 250ml

My Experience
The only answer to this product is I am liking it. And, it has been the best of all the shampoos I have used till date. But, unfortunately, no shampoo has answer to my dry hair :(

It lathers really well with a very less amount of product. And, the quantity is enough to remove the dirt and dust. The best part is it removes the oil, howsoever quantity you might have applied and you do not have to use the shampoo more than twice!

click on picture to enlarge to read text clearly!

Ok, one problem is with packaging. The shampoo starts leaking out as soon as you open the fliptop so it has to be stored properly; upside down! Also, it does give a subtle shine but you have to use the conditioner. Sadly, I did not get the conditioner with it.

Damn, it is expensive!! But, it does last long. Oh yes, I forgot to mention, if you skip the conditioner it makes the hair little frizzy which is sad. Otherwise, it is a decent shampoo which can be given a try!!

Get it from flipkart:


What about you? Have you tried using SLS-free shampoos? How do you like it?

Related Posts: 
Some Random Product Reviews - Part IV
Some Random Product Reviews - Part III
Some Random Product Reviews - Part II

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Asthma {Infographic}

Facts and Statistics of Asthma in Children

This infographic is shared by Asthma Remedies & Designed by Data Visualization.

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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Blogging Series Vol. 8 - Read and Reread the Posts!


This is one of the most important tips when you are blogging. This is something I used to not really focus on earlier because I think there was no preview option when I started blogging or may be I was too lazy. 

But now that I have that option, I always keep on checking how the final post looks and accordingly I can make the adjustments to the pics sizes and correct any spelling and grammatical mistakes which always occur.

Keeping a check on how the final product looks shows that you are more serious about blogging. And, good language is very very essential. Otherwise, it can be a huge turnoff for people. No one likes excessive grammatical or spelling mistakes. One or two per post is forgivable but if it keeps on occurring in every paragraph, while focus of the reader goes to the next mistake instead of what you are trying to convey.


Also, one of the key tips while writing is to be as precise and short as possible. Try to keep the posts short to 300 to 500 words and wrap up everything in that. If it goes beyond that, turn it into another post. Keep the language simple and easy to understand. 

And, keep using the preview option till you are satisfied with the final look of your post. Yes, it takes time but it is satisfying when you see the results! Also, when you reread your post, the ideas start flowing and the shape of your entire post changes as it did with me for this particular post!!

Do you read your posts again and again till you are satisfied with it?

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Monday, April 20, 2015

Weekend Gossip Vol. 8 - Was it really Ek Thi Daayan?

I am a really big darpok!! Anything remotely psychological or horror makes me run away from the place and close my eyes tightly! But, then, some very interesting kind of scary movies spook my interest. One such was the trailer of this movie.

Have to say that its first half is really really amazing! I closed my eyes many times and missed a lot of scenes. The kids were amazing and there is a baby girl in the movie who is just beautiful :) And, kudos to Konkona. She is such an amazing and flawless actor.

Yes, the best part of the movie is just her. And, if you have searched for the reviews of the movie online, they are all correct. The first half of the movie is spooky and its a downhill after that! The climax is said to be amazing at many places but honestly it falls flat on the face.

It is just predictable and hilarious!! Some of the action scenes are borrowed from chinese flicks and some from True Blood. Nothing was remotely scary and in fact you end up gritting your teeth for some action.

But, have to watch the movie for the first half and Konkona. That is gonna be in your mind for a long time even after coming out of the movie. She looks beautiful and her eyes are so expressive; overall a deliciously thrilling package.

Oh, I forgot to mention about the soundtrack. Don't miss the song which plays during the credits in the starting of the movie. And, then, there is Kaali Kaali Aankhon ka Kaala Kaala Jadoo Hai which gets on your lips by the end. And, then, there is a really haunting background score specially associated with Daayans.  

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Saturday, April 18, 2015

Should you use body powder on face? {Your Opinion}

Ok, so, this was a question asked to me a long time back by a reader. She had asked me if she could use the body powder on the face. I don't even remember what I replied to her. But, I wanted to take up this topic as a post. Why? Because, I remember what I used to do till a couple of years back.

Now, I remember from my childhood that whenever me and my mom used to get ready to go out somewhere, she would always complain my face was looking a bit oily and would ask me to use some powder on face. There used to be face puffs on the dressing table and mom and me used to puff the face with powder. That's nostalgic with the aroma of Pond's dreamflower talc in a foot long tin dabba, remember?


And, then, I used to get all the powder inside my nose and it irritated me for quite sometime!! But, now after these many years and with a lot more awareness, I can safely say body powder should not be used as a face powder. In fact, the body powder which irritates the mucous membranes in the nose should not be used for the body either. Inhaling just anything is as toxic for the body. And, then, these days we have all the scare of body powders having talc which is magnesium silicate which is claimed to be cancerous.

And, also, body powders are not as finely milled as face powders so they do look patchy and then you do not have tints in the body powders. And, then mineral makeup came claiming it has everything friendly for skin. But, unfortunately, it is expensive and did not suit everyone!

PS: Oh btw, did you know that there are colored face powders like yellow, purple, green, lavender, peach, mauve and white and may be many more! They are used for different types of imperfections like dark circles and uneven skin tone among others.

Anyways, what do you use? Have you ever tried body powder on face? Or, you strictly stick to loose powders?

Related Posts:
Do you apply Egg on Hair?
Do you get boils on your nose bridge or around in summers?
How do you perceive people with fairness products in their hands?

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Do you apply Egg on Hair? {Your Opinion}

Hey Everyone! I know I am not being regular with the posts so please bear with me. So, today, I wanted to discuss a very stinky topic. Now, I love watching videos on hair care and reading home remedies for hair care. But, more often than not, you would find egg to be almost one of the best remedies for healthy hair.

Now, I perfectly agree with that because I myself have tried it and I totally love it. But, there is a huge catch with Egg. The Smell. Yeah, you all know how awesome it smells! And, now I am not able to bear it. And, my whole room and bathroom starts stinking so I am not able to use it anymore.

I have been applying curd very regularly in March but sadly it is not helping with the hair dryness. I don't know what's wrong with it because curd works fantastically. And, I do use homemade curd not the yogurts available outside. And, still no benefits. And, I have been seriously thinking of switching to egg. It does help hair dryness and provides nourishment.


But, how to avoid the smell? Well, first is Essential Oils. May be they will work unless egg is so powerful that it will overpower the goodness of EO's :D Ok, second, I heard in one of those home remedy videos that lemon juice helps reduce the stink from egg. Well, I do not know how true it is but seems worth a try. But, there is another catch. Lemon makes the hair extremely dry, at least for me. So, I tend to avoid it. 

Or, may be, I would try using egg with musk root this time. And, that would be a working day so that I don't have to bear the egg smell all day long. It would dissipate till the time I am back. Only my maid would be cursing me :D Or, it is also said that if you mix egg with henna, it doesn't stink. So, probably I might go ahead and check out either of the remedies. 

What about you? Do you apply egg on your hair? Can you bear the stink or you take some steps to reduce the stink? Would love to hear your remedies :)

Related Posts:
Do you get boils on your nose bridge or around in summers?
How do you perceive people with fairness products in their hands?
Do you think air makes your hair dry?

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

MIA!!

See ya folks after I wake up :)

Ok, that was a lame way of saying I will not be available :D I was in quite a different state of mind when I wrote that up, but not drunk if you are thinking so. Anyways, I would like to reiterate that I shall be out of action for some more time, well let us say indefinite period of time. Well, for now, I am not in a mood to close the blog. 

In fact, before I went offline, I had quite some plans for expansion. I guess all of them have to wait till I learn how to take the grind of life. And, quite a few thoughts I have been thinking of penning in between. Let us say I need more clarity so I shall retrospect them in meantime. And, yes, please do miss me otherwise it will be very disheartening to come online again!!

See ya guys and have a comfortable time till then.
Love
Swati

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Do you get boils on your nose bridge or around in summers? {Your Opinion}

This question is primarily for people who wear glasses. Do the nose pads irritate your skin?

Come summers and this problem gets aggravated for me. The sweat and the heat and constant pressure on the bridge of the nose due to the nose pads creates little bubbles or boils on the skin. And, it constantly hurts me.

The only relief I get is by removing the specs but since I do not use contacts it is definitely difficult. If I sit in air conditioning or in a cool place, it provides little relief. But, if the area has been already inflamed, it hardy helps!! The only remedy to this problem is to remove the glasses and use ice on the boils! And, applying aloevera also helps.

Have you ever faced such problem? What do you do to prevent skin from getting inflamed by friction?

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Saturday, April 11, 2015

How do you perceive people with fairness products in their hands? {Your Opinion}

Hey Everyone! Welcome to a brand new week :) And, I am trying to stay a little regular this week. So, lets raise a toast for that!

Anyways, I ran out of my face wash and since I was too lazy to go to the supermarket, I just went to the general store downstairs in the complex and bought the one face wash they had!

And, guess what, it was Pond's White Beauty Facial Foam. I bought it because it has no SLS. But, I did not take any poly bag to carry the items being eco-conscious :)


Now, when I was walking back, it struck me suddenly that what would people think of me seeing the White Beauty face wash in my hands. Not that I am too bothered about what others think but it sounded interesting to read about how you perceive such people!

I think its a very natural thing that if we find fairness products in someone's hands, we automatically check out their complexion and judge whether they really need those products or not! And, if they are even a bit darker, we do think they are interested in getting fair!

But, what would you think about a lady or girl carrying such products? Do you judge them? Or, try to check out their complexion and whether they really need fairness products? Or, do you just ignore it thinking it must have been the only product available in the shop they had to pick up!

What do you say?

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Thursday, April 9, 2015

My Hair Diary - March 2013

getting snaps of my hair is damn difficult on the new cam!

So, another month gone! And, this month I was pretty diligent about my hair :) So, yay to that! But, unfortunately I am not as diligent on the posts so you would be missing the posts on Tuesday and Thursdays and weekends. And, I have yet to reply to comments!

What I did?
Moving on, I have been using Organic Surge. Coming up soon with the review. But, I am loving it for now. Its the only SLS-free shampoo I have used till now which actually cleansed the entire oil from the hair and made the hair pretty soft.

Next come the DIY's I did this month. Well, I did get inspired by my friend and tried to take more care of the hair. I got musk root and used it with yogurt as much as possible. And, I used parachute advansed hot oil almost every time I washed the hair. But, not every time! 

yeah, that's my hair just after washing without any serum or conditioner!

And, the next thing I followed this month was using Grapeseed oil with Rosemary EO on scalp and Pomegranate oil on the hair as an after-wash hair serum. But, one thing I had neglected was conditioner. I hardly used conditioner. 

One thing I noticed about my hair was that I was losing more of my hair if I did not wash it within two days and then it was getting itchy and very dirty. Well, this is what even my colleague complained. She told me that if even a little of sweat gets accumulated on her scalp, she starts losing hair and gets really itchy. And, if she is washing her hair daily, its behaving nicely! Yeah, the question is should we wash our hair daily? Let's see!!

Products Used
  • Shampoo - Organic Surge Moisture Boost
  • Leave-in and Scalp Treatment - Soulflower Grapeseed Oil with Rosemary EO + Soulflower Pomegranate Seed Oil
  • Hair Oil - Parachute Hot Oil Treatment
Related Posts:
My Hair Diary - February 2013
My Hair Diaries - January 2013
My Hair Diaries - November 2012

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Skinetica Anti Blemish Solution {Product Review}


Product Review by Punam

I was super excited when I received this solution from skinetica as I have oily, acne prone skin and the brand claims to reduce acne in 2-3 days. IS this really true? Let’s find out!

Price: £9.99 (Rs 840) for 100 ml

Ingredients
Purified water, Ethyl Alcohol, Fragrance, Quaternary Ammonium Chloride

My husband told me that Quaternary Ammonium Chloride is an anti-microbial which kills the bacteria.

My Experience



In a nutshell, its one of the nicest product I have used till now for my oily acne prone skin! It did reduce my acne to 50% in 3 days. It comes in a simple white bottle with a green flip flop cap that may leak if not kept straight.

It smells completely like any chemical would smell and initially it was strong for me but gradually either I got habituated or it became mild. Its consistency and texture is like regular water, transparent and runny.


It has to be applied like a regular toner with a cotton pad. As soon as I apply this, it gets absorbed into my skin with out making it dry. I started using it in last week of February when it was still colder and I expected it to dry my skin but it did not. I apply this after washing my face and my skin is good without a moisturizer. But I still use a moisturizer as a habit. 

I have two types of acne - cystic and tiny ones on my forehead. This solution was effective on my cystic acne and reduced their size in 3 - 4 days to 50-60% on using it twice daily. It had no effect on blackheads or tiny acnes on the forehead, though.


As a rule, my skin gets really oily in summers. But, right now my face is not that oily. So, may be this product is helping! I have stopped using it from last 10 days and I can still feel less oil. 

One more important thing which I noticed was that before and during my periods, I did not breakout which I usually do! And, the only new thing in my routine was this product. So, may be this actually controls bacteria!

Overall my experience with this product was good and I have noticed improvement in my skin texture as well. It is actually an effective solution to reduce acne.

PS: Product sent by brand. Thanks a lot Punam for such a lovely review! 

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Horses have Split Ends too!!

Have you met Kini and her Black Beauty? Oh, they are the darlings of everyone! Even if you want to hate them, you can't. They are just so adorable that they would take away your heart with the innocence in the eyes and happiness in the smile. But, when you are so lovable, you would stand a sore sight for some eyes!

Kini loves to ride Black Beauty day and night. And, she loves long gallops, come sun or rain! And, when you love so much of outdoors, its inevitable that the effects would be visible on you. Not that the rosy cheeks did not use to glow with the rush of blood, but both Kini and Black Beauty were getting the brunt of wind and sun on their hair and skin.

The green eyes full of jealousy were quick to see the imperfections cropping up in Kini and Black Beauty. Their skin was drier and tanned and their hair was all frizzy and all over the place. But, these sights were more cuddly for others who loved them. One day it so happens that there was a horse race in the town and of course, Kini and Black Beauty had to win it. But, at the end of the match, due to the opponents deception, Black Beauty took a stumble and rolled over along with Kini.

The result was a mud-covered, hay-wired Kini and Black Beauty who found themselves subject of all the sniggers. A dejected Kini rode back home and when she got all cleaned up found her hair to be absolutely rough and dry like a broom with so many splits. Black Beauty fared no better. Even she had splits and her chestnut glossy locks poked into Kini's cheeks.


Kini has a habit which I have not yet disclosed. She is crazy after the Bollywood actresses and from time to time impersonates one or the other ladies. So, if it is Kareena month, she would use all her product endorsements right from the soap to makeup and if it is Aishwarya, the products would change accordingly. And, in the crisis, she depended on her darlings for rescue. On she went to the mall and bought all the products endorsed by her favorite heroines which was practically a lot of products.

And, then started her woes. None of the products worked on her and month after month she was tired of getting her hair trimmed to get rid of the splits but they would come back again and again! And, her hair was getting shorter and more drier. And, worse still, she could at least get her hair cut but what would she do to black beauty. She started testing the products and only if she was satisfied would she use anything on Black Beauty.

But, no miracle happened. The most promising ones failed. Finally, Kini's mom took matter into her hands. And, after one shower, Kini found her hair to be super soft and super shiny. Kini was so amazed that she went screaming in her excitement to her mom and gave Black Beauty a luxurious bath with her mom's help. A few more washes and a month and her hair had no splits yet. One more month and her hair was back to feeling lot softer than it had in the past few months. And, so was Black Beauty's!

When she and Black Beauty were back to their old self, Kini asked her mom about the magic formula. And, then her mom replied, “I have always trusted in my daughter's choices so I used your own formula. The only difference is I believed in what real women said and endorsed instead. Dove Split End Rescue System is the answer. And, guess what, it not only worked on you but also cured Black Beauty's splits!”

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Do you think air makes your hair dry? {Your Opinion}

I have still not got out of that non-blogging mode. If you are a blogger, take my heed. Its dangerous. Even if you are not publishing them, just keep writing the posts to stay in practice or otherwise you might end up turning lazy and not do anything! 

Anyways, this question was prompted by my colleague last evening. She has curly and rough hair and her hair is really difficult to manage being a lot frizzy as well. She loves caring for her hair and she has been giving me quite some tips, some of which I totally agree with!


So, she observed yesterday that even if she sits in front of the fan, her hair starts turning rough! Yes, you would already know wind makes the hair a lot dry so when you are traveling, even if it is a public transport, hair does turn dry and gets tangled, right? At least, mine does.

But, she is right. Sitting right in front of the fan or under the fan will also turn your hair dry. Now, why it is so is something I can not say but it might be with the dry air. If the air is dry, it will try to suck the moisture from anywhere. So, if you are sitting right in front of the air, your moisture would be the first to get sucked up, I guess! Sounds really vampire-ish :D

Anyways, if you are present in dry climate, you would notice your hair getting drier anyways, howsoever much you might try. And, that happens with best of the hairs. Only, their damage is a little less noticeable in the beginning. Same thing goes to air conditioning. Do not let your hair or skin get too used to it! 

So, what do you think? Have you noticed your hair getting dry?

Related Posts:
Do you find more dirt on your neck than face?

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Do you find more dirt on your neck than face? {Your Opinion}

Hey! So, following the Clinique 3-step skin care system I have been almost regularly using a toner. I am loving it because it hydrates my skin and I get to remove the dead skin cells also with it. You should definitely check out what Paris talks about exfoliation while toning. 

So, yes, since I have read her post and that was the same time I got to use the Clinique products, I decided to continue with the toning part. Right now, I am using Paul Penders which is an Australian brand. Anyways, coming back to the topic, I apply toner in the morning and evening both.

Now, I have noticed that in the morning even after washing my face, the cotton pad turns gray in color while wiping the toner and in the evening, it turns brown depending on whether my face got cleansed well or not otherwise sometimes it also turns gray.  

What's gray and brown? Gray are the dirty dead skin cells and brown is the left-over makeup and in my case sunscreen. So, it also becomes a good reason to double cleanse your face and neck instead of just using a face wash.

But, I have noticed consistently that more dirt is on the neck area than the face. I do not know why it would be so because I cleanse my face and neck equally while having the shower and I use my face cleanser till the décolletage! Have you ever face such an issue?

PS: Writing a post after so long feels really weird! I have been absent from the blog because of some issues and deadlines. And, now that I am back, I would like to remind you that I have rescheduled my timings. I shall be posting only three times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I want to follow this routine slowly and get back on track! Thanks a punch for your patience :) And, yes, I remember I have to reply for the comments and the queries.
   
So, what do you say? Does your neck look more dirtier than the face?

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Do you clean your mobile?
Does oil leave buildup on hair?
What do you love about Yourself?