Wednesday Wishlist #5: Lush Treats!

Generally I have horribly bad luck in competitions which require some amount of chance. Lucky dips, lottery tickets, housey/bingo games, wheel of fortune etc etc - nope. No luck. I hardly ever win anything in such games. (I hardly ever win in any other games too, but I digress.) Over the years I gradually stopped participating in such games altogether. Then a couple of weeks back, a newspaper called 7 Days was conducting a contest over at their Facebook page. A very simple contest where they put up pictures of Lush cosmetics and we are supposed to ‘Like’ whichever ones we fancy. Every day they would pick a random winner to giveaway a Lush goodie bag. I almost didn’t click and then thought “Well what the heck? I’m not gonna lose anything!” and clicked. And voila! Not only did I win bit I was also the very first person to win!! (By this time you should have already guessed that, right?? If I had not won, this whole paragraph would have been a completely meaningless ramble!)

So anyway, I was thrilled! I don’t know how many of you have heard of Lush but they are this wonderful fresh and handmade range of personal care products. I came across them first when I was working in England. The entire street where this shop was located used to smell lovely and one just needed to follow one’s nose to find the shop! I confess that I have satisfied my cravings by simply gawking at the display and have never bought any before because as with everything else, great quality comes with a hefty price tag! And I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much money. They are also extremely environment friendly using minimal chemicals and limited plastics. Most of their products come without any packaging and whatever packaging is used is also to a large extent recyclable. So obviously when someone is sending me a free goodie bag of Lush goodies, what’s not to like huh?!

I picked up the bag over this weekend and it had a pretty gift wrapped box called “Hello Gorgeous!”. I couldn’t wait to get home and look inside. I eagerly opened up the box and then sat admiring all the lovely goods inside. This gift pack is kind of Japanese themed, starting right from the cute cherry blossom print packing. Inside packed in colourful packing peanuts (and these are also bio-degradable; how great is that?!) were:

(1) An heavenly smelling Bath Ballistics Bomb named Sakura, scented with mimosa, jasmine and orange blossom.
(2) A creamy Mmm Melting Marshmallow Moment Luxury Bath Melt which is supposed to make you “melt into a pink, fluffy bed of marshmallow and cocoa butter”
(3) A tiny tin of rich Gorgeous Moisturiser to “nourish, protect and rejuvenate”
(4) A bottle of Helping Hands Hand Cream to impart “instant softness for hardworking hands (moi!)
(5) And finally a pot of Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub with “sea salt and tropical flowers”

All this plus a discount coupon! Am I lucky or what!?

I already started using most of the products and am absolutely luvin’ it!
My only small grouse is that since the hand cream has linseed oil in it, my hands kinda smell like I have been oil painting the whole day! But apart from that they are simply superb!

I usually don’t use too many cosmetics simply because I don’t really know how to use all the pastes and powders. Instead of a sultry, smokey-eyed look I would probably end up looking like a cross between a human and a raccoon. Plus I am an extremely clumsy person blessed with butter-fingers and I keep dropping stuff all the time. Once I dropped a box of black, smokey–eye mineral powder all over my white tiled floor and spent a good half-hour, cleaning away stubborn traces of what looked like black soot.

But the concept, the products and the people behind Lush are soooo awesome that I definitely want to try out all their other marvelous stuff too. I am one sucker! But a sucker for some of the best things in life!

So on today’s Wednesday Wishlist, we have Lush goodies! you see, my wishes are not always deep and poignant - sometimes I wish for quite earthy stuff too - just like any other normal girl!
Okay now I am going to soak away all my cares in a warm, sweet smelling and surreal ball of marshmallow melt! Sigh!

Image Courtesy: www.makeuptemple.blogspot.com

TGIF #3: Breaking Dawn

First, a disclaimer to all Twilight fans. No I will NOT be thanking God for the Twilight series.

Second, a disclaimer to my parents, brother, husband and in-laws who might be reading this post. I know that you all would probably roll your eyes heavenwards and burst out laughing if I say that I am going to write about dawn. But please bear with me.

As I have said before I love my beauty sleep and am no early-riser. The warm bed, the cozy blankets, the soft pillow - all hold me in their loving trance and I have to try mighty hard to untangle myself from their comforting embraces. In fact, many times, I have felt relieved that I didn't have a Hindu wedding. As many Tamil Hindu weddings take place really early in the morning, surely I would have fallen asleep while the mangalsutra is being tied ;-) Usually my mood is pretty sour if I am woken up early-which is hardly ever and then too only upon force under dire circumstances. But maybe, it is precisely because of the fact that I experience the breaking of dawn so rarely, that I also appreciate the inherent beauty of it.

I believe that living in glass enclosed spaces in high-rises cuts one off from the changes that happen ever so subtly during the break of a new day. After all sitting in an air-conditioned room with the curtains closed – who can say what time of day it is without looking at the clock? One can perhaps, hope to catch a glimpse of a new day if you are blessed with a balcony or private terrace or simply lean out of the windows. But if I close my eyes and think about breaking dawn, here are some of the associated things that pop into my mind’s eye.

A sense of the whole earth being slowly nudged awake by a cool, refreshing breeze, not yet warmed up by the Sun and not yet sullied by grimy exhaust fumes. The Sun itself, creeping stealthily above the horizon, sending out testy feeler-rays in advance, to check if indeed all is well. The skies transforming from an inky blue-black to deep oranges and golden yellows, couching the promise of a colourful day in dreamy, wispy clouds. Wise crows, cawing raucously and going about their business intently, bent on proving to everyone that early birds do indeed catch the worms. The mystical and melodious “ko-kooo!” of the koel hidden in the gently rustling leaves of the neighbourhood trees. Squirrels squeaking loudly, friskily jumping about and bounding off helter-skelter with their bushy tails held up disdainfully. The “krrr krrr!” of stick-brooms sweeping away debris at every doorstep, followed by quick, short “chalap chalap!” of water being splashed about accompanied by the intoxicating smell of damp earth.

A pressure cooker whistling merrily in the distance, signaling to a busy mom getting her child frantically ready for school, that the idlis are done for breakfast. The “triiingg triiingg!” of the newspaper delivery boy’s cycle bell as he goes around hurtling newspapers like deadly hand grenades. The gruff “kaaaiii mmmmaaa kaaaiiiii!” of the vegetable vendor who comes visiting with her basket of fresh vegetables balanced precariously on her head and a voice grown coarse over years of such shouting. The "tink tink tinkling" of prayer bells shaking vigorously by a devotee, as if he is trying to awaken God himself, afraid that his prayers might fall on sleeping ears. The aroma of fresh brewed filter coffee. Straining your ears involuntarily to listen to that faint sound of a song playing in someone’s house or in the nearby tea shop, which then proceeds to lodge adamantly in your brain, repeating itself over and over in a never-ending loop.

And then suddenly, in the blink of an eye, everything vanishes. School buses come rudely blowing their horns and stepping on the accelerators, people rush off hurriedly to their respective jobs, the Sun blazes down from a clear blue sky so angrily that even the few gentle clouds have been scared away, the air grows increasingly humid, heavy and hot, squeezing out tiny drops of perspiration on your forehead, the newspapers whose folds where not disturbed even by grenade-throwing actions, now lie sadly in a crumpled and soiled heap, the idlis and coffee are long gone with only dirty tumblers and plates with remnants of tiny, white idli crumbs and chutney smears remaining to prove that they ever existed in the first place.

As if by magic. As if it was all only an illusion created by an evil temptress to trick you into believing that for a moment there you were in Paradise, when in reality you were just another mere mortal, placed on this earth for purposes yet unknown.

But fret not. Because no matter how improbable it may seem, somehow, somewhere, there will always be a fresh start, a new beginning. There will always be a new dawn that reaches out and touches you and simply speaks to your soul, in a language that has no words; filling you with hope, reinforcing your beliefs and reassuring you of the goodness and greatness of God. In Scarlett O'Hara's words, "Tomorrow is another day".

Thank God for every new dawn!

Okay, now let me go and brush my teeth.

Image Courtesy: Dreamstime.

Sniff!

I have always suspected that, in my previous birth (if such a thing exists), I was born a dog.Not because I am forever loyal, welcome you home with a wuff and a wag, fetch your newspaper, look at you with adorable melting eyes or drop hair all over the couch (though I must say that this does tend to happen a lot!).
Rather, the reason for me saying so is that, ever since I remember, I have had a strong sense of smell.
I was always able to sniff out what is cooking in the kitchen -or even in the neighboring house sometimes-much before everyone else. And I can always sense the smell of close people. I do not mean their perfumes or soaps or talcs or deos. Neither do I mean perspiration. I am not talking about times when they step freshly out of the shower or after they return from a tiring afternoon cricket match. Here I am specifically talking about each person’s unique body scent. For instance, I love my dad’s smell. I do like my mom’s smell too but my bro’s is a definite no. I think Ajay smells nice too-kinda sweet.But of course, this makes life difficult for him, coz I can easily sniff out and detect any traces of cigarette or alcohol ;-)

Also I feel that each place has a different smell associated with it. I could never figure out how my home smells exactly because I suspect that I have grown immune to it-much like we do not smell our own perfumes sprayed on us as intently as others near us do. But my grandma’s house has a specific, comfy smell to it. My office has a very familiar one. More than the 5* bakeries which smell too clean, the small bakeries around my neighborhood tempts me as the smell of freshly baked bread wafts out.
And one of my most favorite smells in the world – the smell of books, bookshops and those old dusty libraries at the street corner. This is what half my childhood was made up of (Yes I do sound like a nerd!) I always take a deep breath when I cross those libraries and I often close my eyes and bury my nose into the middle pages of a well-read book. Mmmmm! Actually I think a used book smells better than a brand new one :-)
A close second favourite , would be the smell of freshly crushed/mowed grass – it sooo reminds me of walking barefoot on dew drenched grass at the Marina Beach back home, when I was a kid.
And how can I miss mentioning the divine smell of the earth as the first few drops of rain splatter onto the parched sands. Obviously, I do also enjoy the smells of good food or pretty flowers as much as the next person.

I guess for each smell around me, I have a related memory stored somewhere in my sub-conscious mind. That is why smells of rich, ripe and luscious mangoes invokes memories of hot and humid Indian summers, crushed flowers and burning incense together always remind me morbidly of death, even if it is at some other auspicious occasion,
the ‘new clothes smell’ serves as ‘Ghosts of Christmas’ Past’ – as Scrooge would have put it, the pure, pleasant smell of babies reminds me of soft, cuddly balls of cotton-wool, the aroma of burning candles and melting wax takes me to cool, semi-dark and peaceful Churches whereas burning oil and wicks remind me of Temples,
the heavy, acrid smell of crackers serve as a reminder that the much awaited Diwali day is over and it is the morning after,
Petrol reminds me of the days that I used to go with my dad on his scooter to petrol bunks and dip my small hand into the funnel to feel the cool liquid rushing around my little fingers as the attendant pours it out-BTW I luurvvee petrol smell too-almost makes me want to drink it!! Though I hate diesel smells-that makes me sick - and it always reminds me of bumpy rides on loud and over-crowded city buses.
Freshly washed bed sheets remind me of lazy, cozy times spent lolling around in bed.
Oh and I really love the smell of a newly cleaned and scrubbed house–when I sit back tired from all the cleaning, it’s so much worth the effort!
In the US, I used to live in a building predominantly occupied by Indians. So whenever I used to step out of my apartment, my olfactory senses were assailed by an onslaught of powerful Indian cooking-curries and spices and masalas and what not!! Gave a sense of home!

Of course, I do not like all the zillion smells that abound on this Earth-for example, people in Chennai, have you ever tried lifting an Aavin milk packet in your hands-afterwards your hands stink to heaven!! After the first few times, I made it a point to pick them up just by my fingertips.
Incidentally, this was one of the major reasons I didn’t want to get married to a doctor, however noble the profession of saving lives may be. I always feel that there is a slight trace of something antiseptic –smelling, like the Hospital that clings to them –reminds me of sickness, long white corridors and even longer queues with worried faces in the waiting rooms.
Nor would I delight in a Smelly Cat as much as I like Phoebe and her song! And for all my love of water and beaches, I do not particularly like the salty and fishy smell of the sea. Or the Cooum (the Buckingham Canal, if you prefer that!), the Railway Stations or the trains themselves, the dirty Public Toilets that those state transport buses stop at in the middle of the night-all fall into the ‘Yuck!’ category.
In fact, I remember, when I used to travel by my company bus to my office, the bus always used to cross a long stretch of a dumping yard in the city outskirts. In an instant, all windows used to slide shut with a snap, all dupattas and hand kerchiefs used to reach for their owners’ noses and all faces would twist into grimaces. Someone even used to spray some room freshener inside the bus!!
I have heard many foreigners, comment that the moment you step out into India, you smell a whole lot of things all at once! I suppose that is indeed true! Growing up in India has been such a colorful, interesting, vivid and smelly (both good and bad!) experience!