Getting a Healthy Skin!

No make up can make you look beautiful naturally unless you have a beautiful and healthy skin. The break outs, uneven skin tone, dark pigmentation and scars just make you look dull and could kill the look of any wonderful outfit you wear! All women try different products, spend thousands of dollars on skin treatment, to get the beautiful skin. Its very easy to take care of your skin using home remedies. Here are our favorite skin remedies which are easy to try , which come from ancient vedic culture! 

Homemade Mask for Oily Skin:

Mix 2 teaspoons of Fuller's earth with 2 teaspoons of chilled rose-water to make a thick paste. Apply on your face with a brush, avoiding the delicate areas around the eyes. Leave it on for about 20 minutes or till completely dry. Rinse with warm water. The result is a clear pinkish youthful skin - all the excess grease and dead cells have been cleared away. The treatment should be used for oily skins once a week but if your skin is really very oily then you can apply it even twice a week.

For Glowing Skin(All Skin Types)

Mix 1 cup of chickpea flour, 3 tablespoon of turmeric powder and almond oil into a bowl to make a paste. Apply all over the face and the body, and then let set for a few minutes. You may leave it on longer if you please. The remove by rubbing off the paste with your hands. The rubbing will help to exfoliate - it actually helps to remove baby (fine) facial hair. Then wash off the rest of the paste.

For Acne Treatment(Oily Skin)

Core 1 apple, leave the skin on and cut it in pieces. Puree the apple parts in a food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of honey and half teaspoon of sage and mix it well until you have a smooth and uniform paste. After keeping it 20 minutes in the fridge, apply on your neck and face, keeping it away from your  eyes. Leave the mask for 30 minutes.

Then wash it off with cold fresh water; pat your skin dry with a clean towel.

Sun Tanning(For Dry Skin)

Peel and cut the 1/4 cucumber into pieces, put it in a blender and puree it. Mash the 1/4 avocado and add the cucumber puree, 1 table spoon of the aloe vera gel and 1 teaspoon of the green tea. Mix it until you have a nice and smooth paste. Apply it on face for 20 minutes then wash it.

PS.

However, to be on the safe side you must always apply the home made face packs on the wrist before using on your face and must always check the expiry date of the ingredients before using them.

Dresses for the Bride: Indian Wedding Style

Photo slideshow, Click to Play

If you are a lucky woman to be proposed for marriage, then there is no doubt that you must be feeling like a princess. Every girl dreams of a fairy tale wedding, let us be your best friend and help you decide the special dress for each occasion in a truly fashionista way! The Indian clothing is beautiful and charming , that there is no way that you ignore the option of a Royal Indian Wedding theme for your D'Day. The best part about these fascinating dresses is that they suit all body types, making your torso look longer and hiding all the flaws of your body. The silk and satin fall beautifully on all body types. Undoubtedly, these dresses are meant for colorful wedding.We have added our favorites from various stores and designers on the slideshow. 




Engagement


For engagement, people mostly prefer something that is fusion of  Victorian style with Indian persona. A lehnga skirt, perfectly embroided, colorful,  choli (blouse) with a modern twist, perfect way to take the first step with your man. Corset style cholis with Victorian silhouettes will make you look different from the crowd and just like a princess.  Slides 1 to 5 show the perfect dresses for engagement.


Wedding


For the Wedding, there are so many trends in Indian fashion Industry. I prefer the ones we have picked on the slides 7 to 10 and our personal favorite 14th.


Reception


For the reception we suggest slides 11 to 13.

PS.  The details of designer, catalogs and prices have been given below according to the slide number. If you have queries feel free to email us.


1 & 3:Shantanu & Nikhil


How to order?


Boutique Locations:
Delhi & Mumbai
http://www.shantanunikhil.com/


2,4 to 7: Ritu Beri


How to order?
Boutique Locations:
New Delhi
http://www.rituberi.com/




8,10 & 14: Seasons India


How to order?
Order Online
http://www.seasonsindia.com/


13 & 11:Utsav Sarees


How to order?
Online
http://www.utsavfashion.com/

Quote by Katherine Hepburn!

"I wear my sort of clothes to save me the trouble of deciding which clothes to wear.”

Katharine Hepburn

Divya's style...and beauty secrets!

Dress sense:

Life is too short, this is the phrase that suits my life. I am an accessory designer from India and I am constantly busy doing some work, rushing from one place to another, meeting new clients, attending various parties. When I started my job, I used to get so much confused in finding a real balance between my day outfit and the evening style. Being an accessory designer, I totally think its my strength to  make sure to carry a few glittery gold pieces to go with my outfit, which I can later wear to style my day outfit.I am a huge fan of DVF, I just love the structures and smartness in the dresses, simply perfect for a stylish diva. I am also All Saints lover, I have two trench dresses, which I pair with my ivory silk blouse in the summers and cashmere sweaters in winters. I always make sure to belt my outfits. I like to define my waist and shoulder line. Hence, I wear V necks, which really suit my body.I love the shades in red and orange. I am particularly abstract prints fan! 

Beauty Regime:

When I stayed with my parents, I always used shikakai, amla to wash my hairs but when I had to move out of the city, I migrated to Lotus Herbals. Its really good, I use all their products...I am trying the Body Shop products now a days and the result looks great. For my skin, I try to find my facepacks , etc, in my home itself. My skin is oily so I always wash my face with gram flour, I like to apply aloe -vera and glycerin to moisturize my skin. I simply love the Body Shop moisturizers. For facepacks One teaspoon sandal powder mixed with fresh squeeze of lemon and tomato juice, just does wonders on my skin. You can try it as well!

Places I like to Shop: I can shop pretty much at any place....from Janpath to DLF Emporio, my priority is that quality of cloth should be good and comfortable, it should match my style. I simply enjoy the best perk of being in India that is customization by my tailor...anytime....any day!!

-

Divya

Style Of The Day: August

 Camilla Belle strolled Malibu in a macramé sundress, Rebecca Minkoff chain-strap bag and black sandals.

"I am loving the mix of crochet and lace this season, I loved Camilla's look, absolutely perfect for the summer, breezy, smart & girly, it can instantly charm any man in the world."-Alisha John.

10 Best Dressed...!!

Here are our top ten best dressed, very carefully picked after observing them from head to toe. I don't know but mostly celebs have picked white, which we really love(they kept in mind the rising temperature....).  A few celebs disappointed us as well(obviously we will not mention them.) but mostly we were looking for a feminine dress with the perfect shoes....Lets see, whom our stylists have chosen and whats they like the most about their favorites.....Have a look!

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

She wore Alexander McQueen dress, Jimmy Choo shoes and clutch to BAFTA Brits to Watch Event, LA

"Beautiful, we don't have much to say....she is so graceful...how she does that??"-Shanta

Emma Stone

 She wore Giambattista Valli dress, Christian Louboutin shoes, to Friends with Benefits premiere, New York.

""Loved the way she has color co-ordinate her outfit, the best thing is she wore nude shoes without jeopardizing the whole look."-Aditi Kapoor

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie accepted an honorary award at the Sarajevo Film Festival in a coral Elie Saab gown and leather Jimmy Choo peep-toes. 

"Relaxed, charming and glamorous, Angelina's outfit sure lived upto her sexy image...She looks like a Goddess!"-Alisha John




Kim Kardashian

For her L.A. engagement party, Kardashian looked positively bridal in a zip-front white minidress. She finished the look with dangling earrings and towering snakeskin platforms.

"I just don't understand all that fuss about her sexy image, but she looks like a doll here, I generally don't like all her outfits, but this one is truly fashionable and feminine!"-

Aditi Kapoor

Mila Kunis

Kunis sparkled at the Moscow Friends with Benefits premiere in an illusion neckline Elie Saab confection, Neil Lane diamonds and silver-accented stilettos.

"The dress really seems to come from some fairy tale...whimsical in such an adorable way, the head band, the shoes and the lovely up do , all did charm...we were mesmerized!"-Divya

Heidi Klum

Klum stepped out in skinny jeans that she paired with a button-down blouse, black pumps and tortoiseshell shades.

"They say as one ages, one becomes perfect...very true for this gorgeous diva heading towards her 40's in two years....The look is just perfect, not one thing there...not one thing here...just perfect...This is definitely my style, its smart, feminine...no way that we could have ignored this, I want to look like that in my 30's!"- Aditi Kapoor

Miranda Kerr

On the Left:Kerr ran errands in a floral maxidress that she paired with plastic shades, a Miu Miu messenger and T-strap sandals.

On the Right:Kerr exited the Sydney David Jones store in a red lace dress paired with strappy platforms.

"We all loved her look in the left, reminds me of 50's , a gorgeous girl in the west coast...going to spend all the fortune in  Beverly hills, simply beautiful, that's the word!....For the dress in right we would have definitely put her on the pedestal and worshiped her for eternity, only if and if" those sandals were to be replaced by some gorgeous booties or elegant python YSL or some pumps!! Otherwise the look was a great one, she nearly got it."- Divya.

Freida Pinto

On the Left:Pinto taped The Tonight Show in a rust Marios Schwab wrap dress and python sandals.

On the Right:At the Rise of the Planet of the Apes premiere, Pinto paired a kelly green Juan Carlos Obando dress with nude Brian Atwood peep-toes.

"The whole debate is about which look is the best, me and Aditi tried real hard, but we could not reach any conclusion, she looks pretty in both, but the left one definitely suits her skin tone... She looks amazingly attractive..."- Shanta

Rachel Weisz

Rachel Weisz screened The Whistleblower in a scarlet Valentino mini dress, Bulgari jewels, a beaded Judith Leiber miniaudiere and blush heels.

"We saw her  multiple times spotted in hot couture this month, but we really fell for this smart and feminine style....I love those ultra cute bows on her sleeves and the color is just my favorite, red!"-Aditi Kapoor

Carey Mulligan

For the Film District party at the San Diego Comic Con, Mulligan accented her Roksanda Ilincic dress with a Bakelite bangle from House of Lavande and cherry-red suede pumps.

"I wish she would have got her dress pressed...otherwise the dress is perfect, she looks very cute, I love her acting, when I saw an Education, I loved her instantly, she is beautiful, I wish she gets her long hairs back....But the look is cute!"- Alisha John

Alexander McQueen :Autumn/Fall 2011 Campiagn

A supernatural art for super natural designs, the ad campaign of McQueen 2011 is simply amazing. No doubts that why I loved it more than the Fendi ad campaign. It is photographed by David Sims, featuring one of my absolute favorites Raquel Zimmerman, the beautiful 28 year old Brazilian model. The campaign is stunning and breath taking, its so pure and sublime.....absolutely brilliant!


Here are my favorites, have a look.

Sarah Burton said, "I was thinking about an ice queen. Someone strong and noble and romantically powerful,” when she presented her collection, which belongs to the most high level of workmanship.

I love the softness and comfort of these clothing,  the seed-pearls dropped into a honeycomb flounce on a short dance dress. Sarah Burton told that all the cloth was made by them as she wanted each piece to be precious. Here is the video...

Editor's Note For July

Living Each Day & Not Regretting 

         

        The only thing I hear the most people miss about their childhood is the guilt free innocent and adolescent nature they had. Why is it that as we grow old, we keep loosing the innocence? What happens between the two eras?Many of us loose faith in good, many of us are hurt in the process.I have been too. I also lost the faith in good but I revived my faiths and beliefs. Life has different phases which come and go. We try to learn lessons from them, the thought changing phenomenon is not easy. We often find ourselves stuck in the moral issues. Why is it the conditions are so strong that we get so weak to retain the real us through them . Why do we question our own basics and principles when all our lives, we have been living believing in them. What is the right way to be? How to re-purify the soul.....how to loose the grudge?

         Most of us believe in indestructible soul which is eternal....As quoted in the Bhagvad Geeta, the sacred book of Karma,

                                                  "avinasi tu tad viddhi 

                                                   yena sarvam idam tatam
                                                   vinasam avyayasyasya 

                                                   na kascit kartum arhati"

Which means"Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul. When the soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of material (air,water,earth,fire,sky), its spiritual influence is exhibited."

             Now the question is if the soul is eternal,if the soul is indestructible, how can our soul or original purity can be lost? No, Its never lost. I find the same kid inside me hidden somewhere. I still love the rain, I still go happy when I see the cute puppies and I feel like playing with them. What has changed is our ideas and beliefs which evolve with time. These ideas and beliefs can always be reverted back, if you are strong enough, no one can take away your goodness, be it any condition. Its good to learn from the mistakes. But if you were wronged just forgive and move ahead. The purity of mind and heart not only plays a vital role in our health but also in beauty.A good soul has a beautiful aura.....which will make it shine in all odds. So, all I want to say is, Be good, Be forgiving...Be yourself! Don't hate someone to the extent that you may forget the true yourself. There is so much beauty in the world, the only effort we need to make is open our eyes to see it!So , Wake UP Girl!

Aditi Kapoor

Vintage,That's What my Soul Is!

A thing of beauty is indeed joy forever, a thing of beauty never gets old, it instead becomes more beautiful and alive! I love treasuring things I have which have come from my Mom, Aunts and Grand Mother. The late 40's and 50's clothing are very close to my heart. I really love mixing some of my vintage stuff with my current wardrobe to give a classic look which is simply hard to trace and one of a kind.

A classic 1930's gown, $1400 frrom Dorothy's

I still love the royal touch of art and elegance in these evergreen pieces, it never fades away....instant the grace  just spawns over the time. I have an hourglass figure, I love the figure hugging modest silhouettes of these classic times. I love the silk, georgette and chiffon, they just fall so beautifully on my body and look so beautiful. The hand work which is almost impossible to find now a days, is the main reason,vintage clothing takes my breathe away.

I loved Penelope's Vintage Balmain 1950's Gown!

Mostly people really can't think about wearing second hand garments of someone they don't know, which is quite obvious but you can still adapt the vintage style. In many shops like Mod Cloth, Zara, etc, you get newly made vintage style dresses. Here are my few favorites...

From Zara, $30

The High Waist pants From VS

TopShop

Freida Pinto's Photoshoot for Interview!

Try Neon Eye Shadow Trend!

I guess, after seeing the best dressed celebs around in the Neons, you must be excited to take over these trending colors.....If you feel you can't wear any neon clothes, but you are really into it, why not try the neon eye
shadow make up.

Taking clues from a brighter color palette, the runways of the season were filled with the shades of fuchsia, aquamarine, orange, and lime green.

Must Remember:

When going neon, the trick is to emphasize one feature while keeping the rest of the face relatively simple. If you chose to go all out on the eye makeup, keep lips and cheeks soft in shades of peach, pink or nude. While contrasting shades on lips, cheeks, or eyes can be both fun and dramatic. If you choose to go with a bright eye, work with three to four shades in the same color family, beginning with the lightest shade on the inner corner of the eye, and working your way outward with each successive, darker shade. Keep lips, eyes, and cheeks in the same color family to avoid color overload, or clashing.

For neon eyes, the texture of the shadows used will always determine the impact that the look has overall. For the lightest of applications, opt for mineral shades, which will not only sparkle and shine, but also provide the lightest of washes. For more of a pronounced neon effect, reach for matte shades, which will apply true to color, and appear bright.

As with the eyes, neon lips can be worn either understated, or bold. For a softer neon wash, opt for the season’s neon, jelly-like glosses, in high-shine shades of coral, orange, and hot pink. If bold statement is what you seek, opt for satin or matte lip shades, which will not only stay bright, but also remain flat and matte all day.

So get set and try these cool colors now....

Desi Diva Rocks!

Trousers, from Adolfo Dominguez; top, from St Tropez; grey shoes, from Ed Hardy; neckpiece and diamond bangle. All from Pushpanjali’s personal collection.

“I always wear clothes that make me feel good,” says Pushpanjali R Chawla, who heads her own company, Luxury Works, which facilitates brands to strategise in India. Hailing from the affluent Baidyanath family, well known for their array of Ayurvedic products, the glamorous corporate diva is the toast of Delhi’s smart set and one of India’s best dressed women.
Her personal attire which epitomises understated luxe, is all about clean lines and no-fuss designs, where she loves combining monochromatic, tailored silhouettes with fun shoes. A firm believer in power dressing, she admits that in the corporate world “one has to look professional and exude authority to be taken seriously but without sacrificing your femininity”. 

source: Verve

Jewelry Girl Is Back...

Here, we all are such a accessories lover, that we just can't stop ourselves from telling you what all of us bought in recent days and what we liked around...I still remember sneaking into my Mom's wardrobe and wear her necklaces and earrings....making faces in front of the mirror when I was a little girl...I think that love for jewelry still remains with me, I still treasure jewelry of my Grand Ma and my mother...the pieces are so close to my heart whenever I wear them I feel special. I know all you fashionistas out there, love the gems as much as we at Style Hymn do. So, here are favorites of our whole team, me, Aditi, Alisha, Samiksha, Divya and Shanta....


                                                                Earrrings

Guinevere Large Crystal Drop Earrings,$48, My Choice!!
There are times when I go totally neutral,I want to add something to it, then I go for these,all purpose and beautiful!!

From Aditi's Wardrobe....by Eddera, $310
Aditi says"I really love the tear drop pattern and anything with snake figurine , these are green Onyx, 18K gold.  I wear them with my dress. I have got a green gown style saree, for which I bought these but then I always end up wearing these cute pieces. They are my husband's  choice, I don't know, he just knows me and always picks the best one"

From Alisha's Closet, by Charlotte Ruse, $4
Alisha says:"If something is awesome, I pick it, I love it. These tiger print feather earring just work well with denims, be it a mini or a jeans. These always rock. The best part is I got 3 earring for the price of one...that means these are lesser than $2.  These earrings are kind of neutral so they go pretty well with all colors....Me and Aditi we always tell each other about such super cool deals and always end up shopping a lot!"

From  Divya's closet, from Kendra Scott, $ 60,Divya says "These are pink agate, 14 k earrings, I like to have small cute pieces in my closet, for times when I go to office or shopping, I like stones a lot, like Aditi, I think stones may affect your life, these just make my life awesome and make me feel cute... "

From Shanta's closet,$128,Shanta says" These cool headphone jewelry pieces are from Deoslive, Aditi happened to find these online, we both loved it and bought it. These look quite cool and make me feel really girly ..."

From Aditi's closet, $35, DeosLive, Aditi says"I am a jewelry lover, I even want my earphones to get some of it. These were featured in Vogue as well, very cute and stylish... "

Necklace

From Divya's closet,from Nordstrom, $168, Divya says "I love the way this necklace gives tribal feeling, Its beautiful, very creative. I loved it in first sight.....I wear it with my  Indian ethnic clothes as well I wear it with denim, It looks really cool...."

My choice, I got it from a sample sale New York, by noir, $170, I bought these to wear with a White Silk Maxi for my beach house event... It looks beautiful with the outfit...I will post some pictures soon""

From Aditi's Closet,Forever21, $5,Live Love Pray necklace, Aditi says"One of my friend had to buy a gift for her friend, so she took me to the mall, we  came upon these necklace and I loved it.I don't know but I find it real cute, I can wear it anywhere, which is the best part..."

Shanta's closet, Oscar De La Renta, $445, Shanta says"I hope its evident how much I love their collection, I got them from neiman marcus,  I like to wear these to office or any party...It s really versatile as you can see. I simply wear it with a silk blouse and flare pants to make it simple yet hot!"

Aditi's closet, Kenneth Jay Lane, $275,"I love its color, I wear it to our beach house parties when I wear silk maxi's, It looks awesome. I wear it with my denims as well..."

Bracelets

$31, from Nordstrom, I own the bronze cuff, Its very retro, yet posh. Just wear it anywhere anytime kind of piece which is the best part about it....

From Samiksha's closet,$185, Samiksha says"I was told by Aditi that that this collection by Eddera is simply stunning, when I saw it myself, I found she was right...I never part with this..."

From Aditi's closet, the pieces below.....Aditi says"I loved the collection by Eddera, I love bracelets a lot as they play a vital role in your style and they are just sufficient to wear with any outfit, as such mostly I have to rush to places quickly because of my work, so, I just wear a bracelet and feel complete...so, bought these 4 pieces for everyday purpose, these vary from $ 180 to $350"

gold bird cuff

gold key hole cuff

gold plated brass swan

gold epi branch

From Alisha's closet.,$350.."Dragon fly bracelet by Eddera, Aditi chose it for me, I liked it very much, It has become my permanent accessory.."

My Choice again,Gold Medusa bracelet by Eddera, I treasure this piece it has a Victorian look, when ever I wear it, people love it a lot and I get lots of  compliments which is really flattering, thanks to Aditi for telling us about the collection.

Alisha's Closet, $6, Forever21, Alisha says"I like the color combination of this,it gives a vintage look, Very trendy in its own way!!"

Rings

Cara Accessories 'Critters' Hummingbird Crystal Stretch Ring,$42, From Aditi's Closet,

Aditi says"I got it from nordstrom, its so cute, always remind me that
I am free as a bird  and I can do whatever I want...."

From Aditi's Closet, noir, $250, Aditi says"Very cute, I wear it quite often....I love the pearl in the trunk of the elephant..."

From Aditi's closet,$110, noir