stay tuned!

Although I have been MIA for a while, I intend to put up a new post within the week! Stay tuned! :)

what's in my bag

My profuse apologies, not only for the long absence, but also for the poor quality of the above photo. I've been traveling since the 10th and have spent only a few nights in a proper bed. As for the photo, I only had about 5 minutes to take in and no proper background, and so had to resort to using my blanket as a backdrop, which as you can see, did not turn out so well.

As for what's in my bag...

1. My purse is from ASOS (Link!) and I purchased it a while ago for an event and it has since become my go-to bag. It actually only has one pocket and in terms of security it's not that great but it goes with so many outfits that I simply try to be careful whilst using it.

2. iPhone, wallet, and ribbon are all kept in the back pocket for maximum security as these are the items I need to protect most from pickpockets. The iPhone and wallet serve their obvious purposes and the ribbon is often used in my hair to dress up a basic ponytail.

3. a list of items that I've currently sent for alterations is kept in my purse so I don't lose it in my backpack (which is currently a mess thanks to my recent travels)

4. nail file because you never know what might happen and I hate having raggedy nails 

5. a little box for saffron that's now empty but I keep just in case I need a place to store small items that I might lose (like an earring or some such item)

6. chapstick, hand sanitizing wipe, and comb because all of these items are necessities, especially whilst traveling, but also while at home

7. my dad's old watch which I wear now and need to get repaired

8. pens and USB drive because I always need pens and the USB is important especially for students

9. pack of playing cards because sometimes you need something to do and the internet isn't always an option

10. pack of claw clips because I use these all the time and keep them everywhere, just in case, plus, they're much better than bobby pins

11. two hand sanitizers because one is running low so I need a backup

12. carabiner for my keys because I don't like using a lanyard for my keys or having loose keys floating around

13. pack of Kleenex because you never know when you might need a tissue, especially useful in developing countries where bathrooms might not have toilet paper, or even in bathrooms that are not fully stocked

XOXO

Anagha C.

a small haul

  So, this weekend I got a chance to stop by the "big" mall in my state which doesn't even have a Nordstrom or Macy's. In spite of this fact, I picked a few items which might be of interest. 

1. Maybeline Lash Blast ($6)- The ubiquitous Lash Blast is consistently cited as girls favorite mascara, even in comparison to high-end brands. For me, I have tried DiorShow and I did not like it at all because it was such a pain to take off. In fact, every time I went to take off my mascara, I ended up pulling out a few eyelashes every time! I ended up using Vaseline on my eyelashes every night and they came back in way thicker and longer than they had been before. I've also tried Lancome Definicils which I actually did quite like because the wand was nice and skinny (in deference to the "Definicils" part of the name) which made it easy to coat the inner and lower lashes, however the wand would always clump really badly on the very tip so there was a giant gob of mascara just hanging down there which was annoying. So, I've simply purchased the Lash Blast as a back up to the one I'm using now since I will be going to India this week and not coming back for a year, and mascara there is more expensive.  

2. ELF Brushes ($1 each)- I also bought the ELF foundation and concealer brushes because I've heard they're quite good and after trying them out today, I plan on going back and picking up a new blush brush and some of their makeup.

3. Bobbi Brown Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer in Medium to Dark ($42)- I tried this on a week ago and left it on so I could see how my skin reacted and how it looked after a few hours, and I thought it looked quite natural and not too oily even after a few hours of wear so I went back this weekend to buy it. I might do I review, but since this is the first foundation I've ever bought I wouldn't really have anything to compare it to so that might be an issue.

4. Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil in KGB ($19)- I also tried this a week ago and even though the foundation I tried it with was not so great, I still liked how light this concealer was so I went back this time and bought it. I did think it was weird that it came in pencil form, but when I went to try it today, I found that I could just use my brush because the concealer pencil is so creamy (sorry the photo is so bad, the packaging is shiny and very reflective).

I also received my Beauty Insiders birthday gift which is a mini Benefit mascara and highlighter, along with my 100-point perk which was a mini Origins coffee eye cream, but I gave that to my mom because she wanted to try it.

5. Floral Pants from Ann Taylor ($12)- These I bought because I like the printed pant trend that's been going on for a while and plus they were on final sale for $20 with another 40% off. Hopefully they don't look like pajamas when I wear them, but I'll definitely do an outfit post when I do I wear them!

25 random q's tag

1. Where were you 3 hours ago?

in bed, asleep with my stuffed monkey

2. Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?

yes! my pink snuggie

3. What are you wearing right now?

my pajamas :)

4. What are the colors of your bedroom walls?

all of them are baby blue, except for the one right behind my headboard which is a bright coral

5. Who was the last person you sent a text message/ BBM to?

I actually dropped my phone in the toilet last month (KLUTZ) and I'm only just getting a replacement at the end of this week, so I have no idea!

6. What does your last text message say?

again, no idea (KLUTZ)

7. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke?

indeed I can! and I prefer coke because of the extra sugar, but I don't really drink it that often because it's quite unhealthy

8. Is your hair curly or straight?

it's more wavy as well as frizzy in its natural state

9. What is the hardest thing you've ever had to do?

that's actually quite difficult, but I'd have to say just getting through high school with good grades

10. Favorite two colors?

navy blue and purple

11. What is your favorite accessory?

probably my Leather Satchel Co. bag

12. Which current celebrity's style do you admire most?

that's quite a long list: Deepika Padukone, Kerry Washington, Alexa Chung, and Bee of Atlantic-Pacific fame (I like to think that even bloggers can be celebrities)

13. What is your favorite fashion store/shop?

Francesca's Boutique, ASOS, Nordstrom (best customer service and they're based in my hometown!)

14. When was the last time you drove out of town?

last weekend when I went to the mall and Costco (also from my hometown!)

15. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

my dad talking on the phone and my cat licking herself

16. What was the last thing you bought?

do my glasses count?

17. What is the first thing you think of in the morning?

usually I think about what I want to eat for breakfast

18. Favorite food?

Indo-Chinese or cheesecake

19. Biggest turn offs?

people who are unhygienic and people who are rude and have no manners

20. What do you always have on/wear?

Burt's Bee's Replenishing Lip Balm w/Pomegranate Oil

21. What does your screen name mean/how did you come up with it?

I just needed a blog name and I love to wear ribbons and bows!

22. Favorite style of top/blouse?

either a basic white button up or a loose floaty blouse in a pastel shade

23. Favorite tv show?

either Friends or Seinfeld

24. What is a favorite tv show from your childhood?

Sagwa, the one about the Chinese aristocratic cats

25. What does your dream bedroom look like?

it probably has two floors, with a loft style upper area where I could put all my clothes and a makeup station