Loving my Lujobox - Beauty Subscription Box

These days, Beauty Boxes are so in demand. Different brands have made it easier to send across sample sized products wrapped in a box, for a month, to help a woman shell out lesser money and still look as flawless as she wants to. I personally love these subscription boxes so much, I've been using a few kinds myself and here I am today, sharing the review of another website that has recently started sending out it's luxury beauty boxes! It's LUJOBOX (lu-ho box). The name's so catchy, you cannot turn your back at it!

They sent across a sample box for me to try and share the review with all you women out their who've been asking me about subscription boxes lately. Trust me, the box is a dose of lavishness that comprises makeup, skincare, fragrance, haircare and much more! Let's scroll down and take a look at the products I received in my October Lujobox.

*A three month subscription is priced at : 2565/- only, comes with 4-5 branded products a complimentary Lujobox T-shirt.

LA CURE - FACIAL SCRUB CREAM

This product is my favorite. It's enriched with dead sea minerals directly extracted from the dead sea. Combined with natural apple extract to provide a striking improvement to the skin's texture, leaving the face looking radiant & luminous tiny grains of walnut shell act as a natural exfoliator removing dead skin cells, assisting cleansing whilst clarifying the skin, improving elasticity and suppleness. Suitable for all skin types.  |  Priced at : 449/-

WILD EARTH - PEACH GRAPES CHERRY BODY BUTTER

It's a rich, creamy and buttery concoction of the most exotic butters & oils. It moisturises parched, dry skin and leaves it screaming for more. Its lovely fragrance lingers on your body for hours! This product is claimed to be the best seller all along and is a must have in the winter season. Brownie points to this product for doubling up as a foot butter!

In the box - Deluxe size : Priced at 165/-  |  Full size : 550/-

QUINTA ESSENTIA ORGANIC - LAVENDER HAIR MASK

A well balanced formula for all hair types. It contains no harsh or synthetic elements but only pure organic food grade oils to give your hair a pre-shampoo treat. The relaxing benefits of French Lavender essential oil help you ease while you keep this mask on. It's works very well for oily scalp.  |  Priced at : 650/-

ELENBLU - LIQUID EYELINER

Is it just me or happens with you too that if you're not wearing a nice eyeliner, your makeup feels incomplete? I'm thankful to Lujobox for sending across this perfect formulation that glides seamlessly to prevent tugging and has a glossy liquid-like finish that doesn't smudge or budge all day. This liner lasts upto 10 hours (sometimes more). The strokes are effortless!  |  Priced at : 449/-

ELENBLU - CRAYON GEL LINER (EMERALD GREEN)

It's a quick-dry, water-proof formulation glides or seamlessly to prevent tugging and has a gloss liquid-like finish that won't smudge or budge all day, lasting upto 10 hours. Fierce, feline or edgy, what works for you, this eyeliner is best at proving it's worth! Water-based, free of volatiles, free of parabens, this product is everything you'd want for your intense eye look!  |  Priced at : 339/-

The subscription process works exactly like other box subscription, with just some exclusive offers. See all HERE. 

I've personally used products from this box and have loved them all for now. Looking forward to try another box. You should too try a 3 months subscription and let me know your feedback! Until next, lots of love.

Photographed by : Shiv Ahuja

~xoxo~

My Body Skin Care Routine with Mantra Herbal

Starting a blog post with a surprise note appears weird? Welcome to Picker At Pace!

Note : It's been almost a year since I received the products (that you will read about below) from MANTRA HERBAL. And, if you're wondering why I am I posting a review after a year, it's because I wanted to share an absolute honest review after using each of them till the last drop. So you now know that my body skin care routine hasn't changed past 1 year. Not that it was planned, but yes, it's like that!

Shall we start? Read below...

First things first, the MANTRA BODY CARE range offers a selection of proprietary formulas designed to help rejuvenate the body. 'Mantra Herbal' is an initiative of the Baidyanath Group, a name synonymous with Ayurveda since 1917. You remember your nanis and dadis must have spoken to you about their favourite products from the brand, yes? If not, what world did you come from? #GoogleItNow

Coming to what products Mantra sent me to use and review; everything came in pretty fascinating packs in hues of blue. I could smell only herbal fragrances that left me mesmerized! Check out all 3 from the Ayurveda range below..

1.) Jasmine, Triphala and Pearls Deep Cleansing body Scrub  |  Price : 900/-

It's a deep cleansing scrub with Crushed Pearls, Triphala & Avocado. Triphala is said to be a potent combination of Amla, Bahera & Harre which is known for its antioxidant & blemish-fighting properties. Crushed Pearls acts as a natural exfoliating agent that also brightens and purifies the complexion. 

I use it once every week and absolutely love it. This invigorating scrub gently removes my dead cells and impurities, encouraging the appearance of fresh skin, which feels smooth after every wash!

2.) Jasmine and Neem Body Wash  |  Price : 1099/-

This body wash comes with an excellent diffusion of active ingredients which calms, reactivates & softens the skin while rejuvenating the whole body. Neem, with calming and clarifying properties, leaves skin feeling cleansed and refreshed, while Jasmine leaves a gentle fragrance after every wash!

I use this product on a daily basis and will recommend it to everyone who loves to use natural body washes. PS : Add 5 drops on your loofah and you're sorted for a bath.

3.) Kokkum Butter and Pistachio Winter Care Lotion  |  Price : 1195/-

This is my favourite from the lot. A unique moisturizer with time-tested Kokkum Butter and Pistachio blended with nourishing Almond Oil to counter the ravages of winter, like chapped skin (however, I've used it in summer months as well). It's a rich treat that quenches dry skin, making it smoother & younger looking. The Almond Oil promotes healthy glowing skin. Pistachio and Kokkum Butter nourishes the skin without being greasy (best part in summer).

I never leave my house without applying it. It makes my skin spfter and smoother, and also helps me keep up with my rough days! 

Note : I LOVE MANTRA HERBAL...so much so that after my packs finished, I actually bought more for myself which I currently use too! The routine is : Body Wash + Moisturizer DAILY. Body Scrub ONCE A WEEK.

I hope you liked reading this post. If you did, do share it ahead. Until next..lots of love!

~xoxo~ 

Aplava Shopping Haul (in just Rs. 2000)

In the busy world that we live in, it often becomes impossible to find time for ourselves and to go out shopping in malls, stores for stuff you need. And that's when online shopping comes to our rescue where they offer various products under variety of brands on a single website, sending them to your door step at your convenience!

I recently had to shop for some skin and hair essentials that I use on daily basis, and along with that some beauty products that my makeup artist recommended that we need to get hands on for my shoot schedules. With shortage of time, of course we couldn't go out shopping and that's when I stumbled upon this cool brand APLAVA.com!

Aplava is a website that claims to want to give its customers an experience of divine purity. What I really liked about the website was, that their team has developed a mechanism to advice and recommend products based on your skin type and skin concerns. All you gotta do is, use the 'personalized beauty section' on your profile page to get customized recommendation for your daily skin routine. They have a team of dermatologists, beauty advisors who select brands from a wide range of product categories including skincare, hair-care, makeup, bath and body, fragrance, candles and aromatherapy, mom and baby, home care, etc.

Also, what caught my eye was the affordable pricing of the products for each one, along with different discounts which you apparently don't get while shopping at the stores! So, I happened to purchase a lot of products from aplava.com, and all for a total of Rs. 2000, now isn't that exciting? Take a look at my haul below.

1.) Garnier Men Oil Clear Face Wash (for my brother) : Rs. 167

2.) Dove Hair Fall Rescue Shampoo (650 ml) : Rs. 410

3.) Maybelline Colossal Kajal : Rs. 180

4.) Street Wear Color Rich Perfection Compact (Neutral) : Rs. 175

5.) Coloressence Aqua Shimmer Base (Beige Blush) : Rs. 175

6.) Votre Refining Toner : Rs. 199

7.) Street Wear Color Rich Mega Shine Lip Gloss (Smokey Brown) : Rs. 170

8.) Coloressence Mesmerising Lip Color (4gm - Nude) : Rs. 175

9.) Coloressence Mesmerising Lip Color (4gm - Red) : Rs. 175

10.) Mesmerising Lip Color (4gm - Earthy Touch) : Rs. 175

I thoroughly enjoyed shopping at aplava.com, and for many people, shopping online for beauty products of their choice is the most suitable source as it not just saves your time but with some research, you can acquire huge savings also by taking hold of money-saving offers and discount coupons on all your purchases. And for those who are scared of fake products being sold online, trust me APLAVA is one of the most trusted websites I've come across and recommend you all to take a look at!

It deals in quality branded beauty products that offers different choices to select from to provide to every shopper’s budget demands and preferences. Currently, they're offering a Monsoon discount of 10% on a purchase of Rs.999 or more with surprise sample products along with the package. Use code : JULY to avail it now!

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If you were looking to buy skincare, haircare or beauty essentials soon, I really hope this post helped you in some way. Let me know in the comments what do you think! Until next time, lots of love.

~xoxo~

My First Facial and Waxing Experience at Juice Salon Lucknow

Hello pretty ladies, hope you are all doing fine! Its been a while since I've updated the beauty category on this blog, and your messages kept on piling about the same in my mail box. So, to clear them all at once I thought of sharing my recent facial and waxing experience done at this newly launched JUICE SALON located at Shahnazaf Road, Hazratganj, in Lucknow. Not so new as to say, this salon has been into existence for about one and half years now but I came across it only a month back when the owner called me over for a trial!

Juice as a brand is quite known for its exemplary services offered to both men and women by extremely talented professionals to maintain the quality and class! As for me, I'm not a regular visitor to salons and I don't even prefer splurging on my beauty and skin regimes but Juice seemed a mid-ranged affordable salon to try when I enquired about their service charges. You can read all details about my facial and waxing experience below!

FACIAL

Many girls of my age (as 23 years now) go in for frequent facials and spas, etc. but I prefer taking care of it at home in natural ways. To be honest, facials and I have never got along well. Every time I am back after getting one, I end up getting a nasty pimple the very next day or often by the evening itself. Having tried several brands, I can say none of them have shown that glow or skin lightening effect that one gets after a good facial for a good long time!

But, to my recent visit at Juice Salon, the consultants tested my skin and recommended me the MINRO VEGETAL FACIAL with BLACK MASK DE-TAN. I was particularly impressed with the name itself, and the beauty therapist guided me to a quiet and dimly lit room much like a spa setting and we went ahead with the process!

All the products that were set to use

Step 1 : Casual Cleaning

Step 2 : Cleansing

Step 3 : Toning

Step 4 : Scrubbing

(removes dead cells from your skin and also removes white-heads)

Step 5 : Ozone Steaming

(opens the skin pores which is essential for the skin to breathe easy)

Step 6 : Black & White Head Removal

(ensures removal of blockage in skin pores)

Step 7 : Massage (with Body Balm & Cream)

Step 8 : Application of Black Mask

(essential for making the face skin bright, firm and soft)

'Le Moor Black Mask by Remy Laure' claims has therapeutic properties. It is chemical and perfume free. It is rich in Vitamin A or Retinol and has natural antibiotics, trace elements and phyto hormones. It works great for de-tanning as it is full of ions, absorbs toxins and refines the epidermis to stimulate the skin. The much renowned black mask or 'Le Moor' had a wonderful cooling effect on my skin and felt gooey yet non-sticky, something like algae. It felt nice! The mask was allowed to stay for a good 25 minutes, not letting it dry at all.

Step 9 : Removal of Black Mask

The procedure was the same like all other facials. However, the techniques were so different than what I have ever experienced. Churning and grinding motion and acupressure techniques were used several times during the massage that I didn’t even realise when I went into deep slumber and believe me this has never happened before. Kudos to the beauty therapist Mitali Mishra who very sweetly managed to put me to sleep and wake me up all relaxed and rejuvenated! 

The entire facial costs Rs. 3000 in total and since its a little expensive one, I'd recommend it to each one who likes to pamper themselves once in a while for a lighter, brighter and radiant looking skin with no signs of pimples.

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WAXING

Let me just break it to you that this was my first waxing experience ever. Yes, I'd been a waxing virgin till now. Always under the impression that I have the tiniest hair so they need not be removed, but while in conversation with this beauty therapist at Juice, she managed to convince me to bravely get my arms and under arms waxed.

Picture taken before the waxing session

I'm sure many girls like me are sceptical about getting their skin waxed because of the innumerous discomforting stories narrated to them by friends and cousins, saying its painful and not suitable for sensitive skin, etc. Well, I had similar thoughts once upon a time too, and then this consultant at the Juice Salon busted all the myths, and gave me a lovely waxing session using the best products available.

Step 1 : Application of Pre-Lotion

Step 2 : Application of Hot Wax

The therapist used 'RICA' brand wax with white chocolate flavor, on my skin. This Italian-based wax uses a vegetable oil base combined with glyceryl rosinate (the sticky substance) for quality hair removal with less pain. The advantages of using Rica wax are superior hair removal with gentle and nourishing anti-inflammatory care.

Step 3 : Application of Wax Strips over the Hot Wax and Rubbing

Step 4 : Pulling of Wax Strips in Patches

I'm sure you can see the difference in my skin in the picture above. The waxed part looks super clean and de-tanned. Tanning is a major issue for all of us girls and wearing cut sleeved clothes with tanned and patchy skin makes it difficult to put our best side forward, because we tend to feel not-so-confident. Waxing helps reduce tan and you can experience that yourself in no time!

 

Step 5 : Application of After Lotion

Picture taken after the waxing session

Waxing body hair can be done at home too, but it definitely won't satisfy you like the way you're treated by a professional at the salon. Well, waxing pulls hair out by the root, leaving skin hairless and smooth for two to six weeks. For me, its been two and a half weeks already and I haven't seen any re-growth of hair on my skin yet!

The entire set of RICA professional products were used during the entire waxing process, and true to their claim, the superior grip on the hair allowed removal in just one pull. No more re-applying and pulling and tugging. Both arms were done in a matter of minutes and didn't pain at all. I think that was the best part because I hate experiencing pain of any kind, and with that, I just have to mention that both my arms felt so smooth, pretty and light that I couldn't control touching myself from shoulders to my finger tips. Its was purely magical! ----------- Cost for full arms and under-arms waxing is Rs. 600 in total.

PS : I haven't attached any pictures from the process of getting my under-ams waxed for the sole reason that it looked explicit. But, I'd like to share that beauty is not the only reason people remove hair from their underarms; waxing also helps address body odour and other hygiene problems. However, the delicate skin in the underarm area can make waxing more painful than some other areas of the body, but may be lessened if the procedure is done properly. Well, it was definitely a less painful experience for me and my skin there felt soft and brighter like never before, so it was a total win! #MustTry

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Photographed by : Saumya Kumar

~xoxo~