Anchor -Little Big Moments !

The curtain’s closing on 2014 and I often sit down, sipping hot cappuccino with freshly baked short bread, and reflect how this year has been – for myself and the people I love the most. As my mind randomly jogs backwards, I observe a significant recurring milestone that many of my friends have been blessed with motherhood.  How I had pestered them for latest pictures of their munchkins and cutiepies.  Strangely, how they all replied that it’s such a hassle to regularly share pictures and videos of the superbaby with so many admirers.  The hassle would then become a nightmare if by chance they would miss out THAT particular family member or friend, who will haunt you the rest of your life for this slip-up.  How they wished there would be a do-it-all mobile app where they can shoot pictures/videos, caption them and also easily share with everyone. This is where I remember myself helping them out with this. 
A few days ago I had stumbled across Anchor’s Little Big Moments app which serves exactly this purpose, and immediately shared with all those moms, who graciously thanked me with cute instagrammed smiles of their little angels. Awww, I would do anything for those drooly smiles.
It feels good to see that brands really care about their customers to this extent. It’s not just ringing the cash counter. I am sure that Anchor would have carefully researched on the struggles of moms and come up with this wonderful app. This way, Anchor is not only nourishing the growing lil champ with a healthy body and mind, but also strengthening family ties and friendship in today’s chaotic hustle and bustle.

By the way, it’s interesting how Anchor’s communication has kept pace with changing times. I can safely say this because even my strong bones have a bit of Anchor in them.  My mother mostly chose Anchor whenever she needed powdered milk for us. Moreover, I am a combo of a rational and emotional buyer – i.e. I allow emotions to rule in making the careful final purchase decision. And, I proudly claim that ‘nostalgia’ is always the deciding factor for me! I will anytime choose a brand that I had used in my childhood, however, it should serve the purpose of today’s changed times.

My mug needs a refill now. However, I am just imaginingall those captured magical baby moments, shared with their grannies, who live seas away and cuddle their angels in every passing thought. Aha, priceless indeed!


PS – You may download the app’s link from here - link 

Hate ironing clothes - a cool replacement

Mourning over runaway maid is an everyday tale for us, and ironing clothes is the chore that I hate the most which becomes tiresome task when miss maid is not here. Thanks to the labor office most of us are coping with the without maid phase, God give us the strength! 

Most of you can so relate to what I am talking about when maid was there Life didn’t really involve “ironing” for me, everything was ironed and taken care of which made life  soooo much easier.

However, since a few months I have tried my best to cope up with doing chores myself at home, not that I was completely dependent on the maid but ironing was solely her responsibility as I completely loathe it. 

Hence, I recently got a useful gadget vertical steamer from Rowenta which seriously is a life saver!

The one thing that really made me a fan of this steamer was that it makes the task easier, instead of struggling with the iron over clothes on the iron table, we just need to hang the garment on the steamer and just brush the steaming handle on the garment. there are two types of attachments , one for steaming and the other for removing creases .

After I finish ironing, which is by the way very quick it leaves the garment with odourless and refreshed and unlike typical iron does not involve any risk of burning clothes. 

While storing the ironing board is always a task since my laundry room is small hence, I have to always fold and keep it after the tough task of ironing clothes .

However, this chic and stylish steamer is kept as it is since, is extremely compact and does not require a lot of space plus the hanger makes it so convenient to hang my garment so I can quickly grab it when needed.

I can’t extol the virtues of Rowenta garment steamer enough, all i can say is that it is truly a Godsend for ladies who hate ironing Hence, my verdict is - it is a very good buy.

Some facts of Rowenta Garment steamer worth considering

• It is a stronger Garment steamer available in the market with a power of 1500W.

• There is a soft touch, stay cool handle and fabric hose for added comfort when steaming: telescopic pole to adjust height, push down for compact storage.

• Could be bought from Al -Esayi showrooms and Extra stores across KSA.

This is a Non- Paid review

Say bye bye to bad hair days -7 days of Pretty Hair Ideas

I am always the types who would never step out of the house without having my hair look fine and  if given a an option to choose from makeup and hair I would obviously make sure my hair is the best .So, Today I though of gathering up some quickie styling tips, that will give a week full of great hair days.


Lend a Tahitian vibe to a low pony or a bun with a floral baratte, pin it to the elastic or using a bobby secure it on a bun and just see how it instantly changes a regular everyday hair  into something extraordinary.

Fancy up a Messy bun in seconds by adding a simple starchy headband and it enhances the entire look.

Headbads always add a colourful and new look to the same ol’ same ol hair do’s .

Shift a regular braid to the side like Nicole Kidman did here- it gives this simple ‘do a more come hitter feel.

place fancy bobby pins to secure side swept hair 

Healthy Eating Dilemma? Try the Golden Rules...

Want to health up your menu this year, and you are confused whether to count calories or eat clean, be a vegan or restrict carbs? heaps of chaos?  recently, I spoke to my friend who is a clinical nutritionist while she visited me yesterday and gave me some tips on how to embrace healthy eating.What and how much we eat determines our health to a great extend. Ofcourse, exercise is important and we must try to workout at least 3 days a week but this does not give us the license to eat waterer and how muchever we want, we would still need to keep a tab on our plate.

• Be food wise , Train your palate by eating healthy and up your intake of raw veggies.

•  Avoid eating grains/cereals/maincourse directly at the beginning of the meal. make a thumb rule to always start with salads if you don’t, chances are you will end up eating too large a quantity. 

• Choose healthy options for sweet tooth cravings like dark chocolate (refer to my post http://www.randomerscloud.com/2013/11/sinfully-healthy-right-eating-guide.html on how to select dark chocolate).If you are craving sweets at night try fruit teas. 

• Water is the most essential nutrient, and I cannot stress enough on the importance of increasing your water intake. when you experience hunger pangs, immediately drink a glass of water and then proceed towards your snack or meal.

• Do no skip carbs please! yeah, I agree white carbs like white rice, sugar, flour should be eliminated but have complex carbs like multigrain breads, oats, quinoa and whole wheat pastas as fiber is necessary for your body to function properly. 

• Clean your pantry and fridge, try replacing unhealthy snacks to healthy ones. 

• Invest in a good non stick T-fal pan so you do not need to use oil at all and sometimes only a drop. 

• Switch to Olive Oil only! 

• Do meal prep and plan your meals in advance so you do not end up eating junk just because there is no time to fix a healthy meal. 

• Read food labels before buying, pay attention to sodium and sugar content. try to choose organic whenever possible. 

• Make sure you finish your dinner maximum by 8:00 PM. 

• Do not skip meals, try eating every 2- 3 hours instead of eating 3 big meals distribute them into 5- 6 meals throughout the day. 

• Eat slowly, chew your food and enjoy rather then gulping it down. 

• Use smaller plates and bowls, this trick really helps. 

• Try to postpone that extra helping by 20mins, as it takes extra time for stomach to send signals to brain indicating that it is full. 

• Do not fall for “don’t waste food dictum’ because extra food goes either to waste or waist- so you decide. 

Celeb Style & Fashion Talk

I have been quite busy lately and this is the reason why there were very few posts , I feel sad honestly. But pretties I was so tied up sorting out pieces of my surroundings, renovations at home, trying to live a healthy lifestyle and so many other boring tasks , yawn yawn ! the good news is I have gathered a lot of thoughts and have scheduled many good posts for you all, so stay tuned. 

Well, to begin with since you all loved my celeb style diaries so I thought of giving you all a weekly dose of it and have crated a s epcial section for it . Yeay!! Alos, let me clear I am not a fashionista by any means and in this section I only discuss and analyse celebrities’ sartorial choices, fashion faux-pas and the general happenings in the fashion industry . feedback is welcome :-)


For BAFTA 2014 Oprah Winfrey made an appearance in a burgundy custom made Stella McCartney long sleeved gown. she completed her look with a cocktail ring and small earings, she looked good but wish she had opted for a different hairstyle perhaps a messy side updo. 

Uma Thurman walked the red carpet for BAFTA 2014 in a a navy-blue Atelier Versace silk cady gown with a slit in the back. the curve hugging silhouette has my vote for sure. Uma kept it simple with light make up, diamond necklace and a messy undo. there is a minor gripe wish she had opted for red or fuchsia lips however, she looked lovely .

Sonam Kapoor, the stylish Bollywood actress was in London promoting her upcoming movie and she picked a pink dior dress with black satin panel , she paired it with black stockings (which is a bit off for me) and a black hermes kelly. the one thing I love about this diva is her styling sense , specially how she makes it interesting by opting for different hair do’s.

Ditch the Gym and Hit Home workout!

Girls let’s face it we always tend to make unrealistic weight loss resolutions and to accomplish that we usually stick to FAD diets and that results into pale face, cravings, mood swing and before the end of the diet we end up binging on carbs and sugar.

While, the best way and the only way i should rather say to lose weight and maintain is by following a healthy lifestyle and working out- believe me girls there is no short cut- I am saying this based on my personal experience, I have been there and done that- seriously.

I consider myself an extremely lazy person and working out is a huge issue for me specially if i have to go deal with diver problems and get stuck in traffic for almost an hour to reach the gym where I would workout for 45 mins well, I would rather ditch the gym altogether and have enrolled at all the great Gym’s at Jeddah but ended up going there only for a week while paying the entire 3 months fee. What a wastage.

I am a strong believer of working out from home, specially residing in saudi arabia - I do not wan tot stress and bother about how I am going to reach the gym, driver problems, traffic etc so I found a couple of nice workout plans which can be easily done from home and most of them have beginner levels as well.

So here is my list

1-) Chalene johnson Turbo Fire

The program is for 90 days and 6 days a week however, the workouts are not too long ranging between HIIT (Hi intensity) to body sculpt and stretches. following the plan exactly for 90 days will give wonderful results but, I just picked up few workouts like the HIIT 15 and 30 min workout which i would do on every alternate day, it made me quite strong and helped me shape up. the fact that the workout is only for 15 mins and 30 mins tops, i was motivated to religiously do it everyday.



2-) P90X

 The P90X has got quite butt kicking workouts as well, I love the cardio X , Kenpo and yoga X, they are awesome, as they are so much fun and easy to  follow plus you know you are making exceptional effort to lose that stern fat. I  stick to these three from the P90X however, they have a complete range of workouts designed for each day. 

3-) Jillian Michaels - 30 day shred

This is a brilliant workout if you want to get in shape without a lot of effort, I agree P90X and Chalene Johnson is a bit too extreme for beginners who have never hit the GYM.


So choose your workout accordingly, it is definitely not one size fits all but find the right workout for you that can easily slide in your lifestyle and suit your body  

Well, as far as my workout routine is concerned i try to keep my sessions fun and stay away from boring routine so i combine all the above and each day is a different workout. 

Some tips- 

Ofcourse working out without eating healthy will give absolutely NO results hence, clean your kitchen and refrigerator from all the crap and, stop eating junk, sugar and carbs- keep it simple with veggies, fruits, lean protein and multigrain breads only.

do not go on FAD diets please!

Try to finish dinner before 8 PM, maximum before 9 PM. 

Go easy on the workouts, do not over do it and do not starve yourself. 

Self sufficient at Selfie

We all have been taking selfies and talking about it but- from duck face to your belfie- sometimes we overdo it so, Today I thought of giving some tips to you pretties on how to frame a perfect selfie. 

To begin with, a perfect selfie does not happen with one click you need to take a couple of shots to make it an ideal selfie. 

1- To work on your selfie you need to angle your chin slightly up, towards the light, to mix shadows and create a gorgeous glow. doing so will highlight your cheekbones, chin, and jaw line. And do let your arm be visible on the camera which is holding the phone. 

2- Do not pose straight up into the phone as it will make your face look big.

3- Think happy thoughts which reflect on the face. A real smile is way hotter than a fak-y. 

4-Make the picture about you- and not the background.

5-) Sorry pretties, but no duck face ever, it just ended with 2013!! 

What's inside ? - dissection of my party clutch

I would be a super happy girl if i could carry my day totes stuffed with everything I possibly need, but the real truth is we can't!! so here's what my party purse  always has . 

Do share your party purse essentials... 

Tasteful Tuesday with ActiFry

Best Kitchen Gadget Ever!

As you all know by now that I am a relatively healthy eater, well at least I try to be one .But, honestly  fried chicken and fries really are a huge obstruction on my way.  So, one fine day I found a healthy appraoch to satisfy my craving for fries  without sacrificing on taste. Yes, I found my magical appliance pretties- "Tefal ActiFry". If you're an avid fries lover and the thought of  greasy fries starts to turn your stomach, then Tefal Actifry could be the answer...

So, what makes it healthy? 

It is that the fryer uses 1 tablespoon oil to fry about 1.5 kgs - seriously! isn't that amazing. the fat content is far less definitely. Here is my recipe of how I prepared yummy guilt free fries in ActiFry. also, oil is not required at all if you use frozen items, but as I am a clean eater hence, I stay away from frozen stuff. 

Ingredients 

• 4 large Potatoes 
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Peel potatoes with a peeler and cut them in equal size of thickness.

• Rinse thoroughly in water and drain well.

• Try to dry them completely by wiping with kitchen towels.

• Place fries in Actifry, measure out oil using the green measuring spoon drizzle over fries.  

• close the ActiFry and set the time for about 25- 30 mins.

• It is best to keep an eye on the cooking every 5 mins initially once, you get the hang of it, you will know the exact time taken.( cooking time varies, depending on the thickness and the amount of the fries)

• Cook it until its golden brown, unless you like your fries a little soggy. 

• Once done, serve with salt  and yes your guilt free fries are ready! Bon Appetite 

If your new year resolution is to start a healthy lifestyle then Tefal Actifry will be your BFF...

Disclaimer - This is a non paid review.

No Checkouts, No Overindulgence with unnecessary Items - To Online shop or not?

I was always very apprehensive about shopping online as I am that impulsive shopper who would just want to buy the desired item immediately without having to wait for it like forever (that's an exaggeration, I mean 5- 7 days). But my perception changed when one fine day I had decided to buy a wallet and went to  buy it but did not the find an additional one as the display piece had one kind of prominent mark on it. So, to cheer myself up I landed home with a bag which was not at all planned by the way. I started looking at designs of my chosen brand wallets online and accidentally I noticed the same wallet was available at their US store. I wanted to get my hands on it so I went ahead and orderd it. But, you guys must be wondering how I got that here since, it was from the US store, hold your horses ladies - will let you know all details.

I immediately opened an account on shop and ship which is powered by Aramex.

Online shopping basics- What to order and what not to order ?

It could be tricky to decide what could be bought online and whats never to even think buying online. so, here are some tips to keep in mind while ordering online.

Never order something you are not sure about, like shoes but in case, you are getting a good deal then go and check the same piece at the local shop and order the same piece. 

I always prefer to order bags and wallets online as you can get some good reductions in price specially if you are opting for designer brands. 

Clothes are an absolute no no for me, but if you are confident then give it a try but be very sure of what you are ordering.

I recently ordered a whole set of amazing cosmetics online while ordering Naked 2 palette and I am completely satisfied with them. okay, here is the catch now be sure of what colour of lipstick, bluish, eyeshadow you want, my advice is to first go and checkout the colours at local stores so you can not go wrong. 

Check the prices at local stores, if the difference isn't a lot then it is always better to get it from local shop or else the complete order with shipping charges will come unto same or sometimes a little more.

Where to online shop?

regional and local online shopping stores are a great and quicker options, also some of the stores accept cash on delivery.

http://en-sa.namshi.com
http://www.sukar.com/sa
http://markavip.com/sa/ 
http://www.net-a-porter.com 

Instagram 

If you want to get Naked palettes or dos lip balms without having to wait then just order from these instagram accounts who sell beauty products that are not available in KSA, usually a delivery charge is there which is not too much but you get the products delivered at your door step the very next day. (depending on the availability of course) 

themakeupboutique - this is based in Jeddah
bellejeddahonlineshop - they ship everywhere within KSA
thetrunkriyadh 


So whatever you decide to shop online, just be smart and do to get carried away or else you will end up ordering a whole lots useless stuff. I know a friend who is addicted to shopping online, everyday she receives an aramaex package and believe me most of it goes into her not wearable or not-usable items and eventually into the trash. 

Top five New Years Getaways

So, finally soon we will be welcoming 2014 and if you wish to celebrate your new years out of the country, I have gathered for you top five destinations that you can look forward to for celebrating New Years. 

London 

If you wish to celebrate Newyears with a dash of sophistication then London is your destination. welcome 2014 created with beautiful scenario with fireworks and lights on Thames river. 

How to get there? 

Take advantage of the Saudi Airlines winter offer with SAR 1805 per person round trip.

http://www.saudiairlines.com  

 Istanbul 

If still haven't been to Istanbul while living in Jeddah then this is the time, it is surely easy on pocket at this time of the year . celebrate New years eve  marveling at the fireworks lit Taksim square , or dinner at Bosphurus cruise. 

How to get there? 

Istabul is easy on the pocket with these steal of a deal offer from saudi airlines, SAR 884 round trip!

www.saudiairlines.com 

Paris 

If you want to celebrate new years eve like never before with your soul mate then Paris it is. there are plenty of things to do in Paris at this time of the year. witness the 12 o lock light show at Eiffel tower which is truly a mesmerizing experience. 

How to get there?

perfect holiday prices from Saudi airlines for Paris go as low as SAR 1853 round trip, so book your flight and bon voyage. 

www.saudiairlines.com 

Dubai 

It would be a sin to say that living in Jeddah you have never experienced the new years eve in Dubai. if you decide on 30th December that you wish to celebrate new years eve out of the country then Dubai is the place.  

How to get there?

If you book early, you can get great price from Flynas.com 

New York 

There's no more electrifying place on the planet than Times Square on New Year's Eve, or party till you drop. buck up party and events info from www.balldrop.com

how to get there?

Rely on saudiairlines and avail their winter offer www.saudiairlines.com 

Hope you all have a lovely NewYears Eve, as for me I haven't decided yet where to spend my 31st - yeah we are the spontaneous, last moment kind of travelers.

Celeb Style Diaries

I am by no means a qualified fashionista but I can easily proclaim that I have basic styling sense thanks to my endlessly hours of watching Fashion TV and reading fashion magazines. So, every time I see celebs all decked up for the red carpet, I itch to talk to someone about my views on their attire hence, thought why not get vocal about it and share with you girls! 

Blake Lively in Marchesa

Blake Lively attended an event wearing a Marchesa black bias slip dress with pale pastel floral threadwork embroidery and Chantilly lace cut-outs from their Spring 2014 collection. This busy dress is difficult to carry but Blake being Blake makes it work so well. She finished her look with Gucci ankle strap black pumps, rouge lips and nails, I love the look.

Tackle Chapped lips - DIY Lip Care Routine

Pretties, we have reached that time of the year when weather changes are evident and even our beloved Jeddah starts getting a bit cooler or I should rather say pleasant and this is often welcomed by flu and dry lips. For cold and flu you can go to the doctor but I got a solution for your dry lips, all you need to do is raid your pantry! seriously.   

So begin by scrubbing your lips, using this miraculous DIY lip scrub recipe. 

- 3 tablespoons of olive oil 
- 3 tablespoon of sugar (white fine sugar)
- 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder 

Mix sugar and olive oil, once it is completely mashed gradually add the cinnamon powder and voila - your lip scrub is ready. yes, it is that simple, I usually store it in a glass container which lasts for few days or weeks if you refrigerate it. 

After scrubbing, moisturize your lips and make them ready for a perfect smile. I am sharing my secret  organic moisturizer that my mum once told me to use when I had chapped lips and I still use it till date every day before going to bed. So the magical moisturizer is  chocolate butter - yes you heard it right! I make it by adding chocolate and butter, so sweet lovers- alert, this is for you.

- 2 tablespoon butter ( I use lurpark unsalted)

- 1 tablespoon dark chocolate. 

mix both the ingredients on a double boiler or microwave for 20 - 30 seconds and then mix well using a spatula. once cooled down, store it in small containers and refrigerate it so you use it for months. I found a creative way to store mine, empty the used floating candle container and pour the chocolate butter mixture in it. 

Gold Glitter Face Glow

As you know Saturday's for me is the time when I try to pamper my skin for the week long glow. I had been thinking to try out something new so, this Saturday I found the perfect opportunity to unpack the VLCC package that I had received consisting of a gold face bleach and other face wash, scrubs and masks. The first product among the package to come under the Randomers Cloud scanner  was the Insta glow gold bleach.

Just for your info girlies, VlCC is the most recognized beauty and wellness brand from the Indian sub continent and has a very prominent presence in UAE, Bahrain and Omar . Recently, it  entered the Saudi market. VLCC is widely recognized for its scientific weight loss solutions and its therapeutic approach to beauty treatments.  

So coming back to my Saturday skin pampering session, I got myself ready to try the VLCC Gold instant glow bleach. the gold bleach comes with a pre bleach creme, a bleach formula and a post bleach mask, which is applied in three steps. 

I found that quite intriguing and now I will tell you why. 

I always stayed away from those bleaching cremes since, I have a super sensitive skin and thanks to my first time horrifying bleaching experience that led me to believe that my skin and bleach are like chalk and cheese hence, they should never go on a date, not even for a second!

Firstly, I prepared my face for bleach by washing my face with cold water and then applied the pre bleach creme to make my skin ready for the bleaching process, this is an extremely essential step specially if you got skin like mine  sensitive then do not skip this. 

I applied the creme and massaged it until it was completely absorbed  as per the instructions on the manual. 

Step 2 

Mix the bleaching ingredients, the activator and the creme in the ratio of 10:1. The simple technique here is to take one part of activator powder and ten parts of  the creme, mix it really well . Though the creme is bit sticky and coarse, the paste does not turn out very smooth . Leave it on for 15 minutes maximum, depending on your skin type. (read the instruction manual) wash off with cold water. I felt a bit of irritation while the bleach was working on my face but that's quite a normal bleaching effect. Once I washed my face I could see an instant glow and girls, it is really helpful if you have budding facial hair and you do not want to ruin the smoothness of your skin by waxing it. 

Now, wohoo comes my favorite part, the post bleach face pack. I applied the post bleach on my face and left it for about 5 or maybe 7 mins followed by massaging it gently so it can be absorbed. 

I am not a huge fan of bleach but this package just made me believe it is good for my skin due to the fact that it had pre and post bleach cremes that kept my panic nerves in control since, I had the damage control ammunition in hand just incase it was needed. 

So my verdict is that I am quite satisfied with VLCC Insta glow gold bleach, works well if you have a party to attend and you want an instant glow. But girls, as you know bleach contains a lot of chemicals so you should not use it frequently. In case, you are motivated to try the  insta glow gold bleach you can easily find it at almost all supermarkets and selected pharmacies across Saudi Arabia. 

After, this super glowy gold bleach the next day I enhanced my pretty face by doing a facial cleanse using VLCC products. stay tuned for my next review on face cleanse- coming soon. Until then stay pretty ...xoxo