Things That Make Me Happy #9 My Mother's Rice Pudding

Its been a (long) while since I have done a 'Things That Make Me Happy' post.

 

I guess I place all my excuses into being busy, stressed, tired, busy and busy. However, I am trying to get back to the happy place in my life that I was a year ago from now. It has been a strange and unexpected period that almost made me forget what I love the most in life.

 

But, no doubts here.

 

I do love a little (or a little bit too much) rice pudding. Now, the Muller Rice Pudding Pots you can grab from Asda simply do not classify as 'REAL' rice pudding. For you to have tasted 'REAL' rice pudding you must have tried my dear mother's or grandmother's one.

 

Honestly, it seems that generations of women from the Indian culture have been taught to cook rice pudding in several varieties from a young age and now behold many years of skill, practice and a specific taste to the puddings that they make.

 

My favourite type of rice pudding is a version make with long rice, date juice (which has been boiled to harden into a solid and melts in heat - I'm not quite sure of the name!) and milk. The rice is usually cooked slowly in the hot milk and then sweetened.

 

Oh my world, does this taste incredible.

 

Maybe its the fact I don't get a chance to eat it often or that it is simply damn incredible to me....sometimes even adding Rice Crisps / Puffed Rice adds a special dazzle.

 

Have you ever tried Indian style rice pudding? Which type is your favourite?

 

Priyanka xx

Mac Pro Longwear Concealer

Dark spots? Scars? Acne? 

Trust me, been there done that.

 

I had been searching for a good, high coverage concealer in Boots for a long time and finally gave up hunting for something that clearly doesn't exist. A good concealer in my eyes is difficult to find, especially when you're using it for coverage purposes.

 

Mac seems to be a popular and trust worthy brand in many people's eyes, so I opted to buy Mac's Pro Longwear Concealer and I am glad I made that decision. I put 1 pump of the concealer in a small circular container (which was originally a Mac tester pot) and use my No.7 Concealer Brush dab it onto any places I want to cover up, which is mainly darker scars on my forehead. I have found that layering the product over the area is key to making it look natural, even though this takes a little extra time to do.

 

The concealer is light weight, has brilliant coverage and lasts all day so no touch ups are necessary. A little product goes a long way and I think it is perfect for camouflaging. I haven't used this under my eyes because this shade would be too dark for that purpose and I prefer slightly lighter, natural coverage for the under eye area.

 

Have you tried any other products that cover up pigmentation effectively?

 

Priyanka xx

Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Facial Serum

What else do I need to add to my facial routine?

A Serum? Ha, who needs a serum?

Wait, what is a serum again?

 

I don't know about you but that was what was going through my head....

 

However, now you can see that I found out that a facial serum is an essential part of any girl's skin care ritual as its aids long term skin issues that is not targeted by simple moisturisers and cleansers.  

 

For a long time, I felt that my skin was really dry on the surface and tough underneath and therefore it had also lost all of its plumpness and general glow. I purchased Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Booster Serum and I know for a fact that now my skin it a million times more plum and hydrated!

 

I would never lie about my opinion on a product but I do believe that over several months, much more moisture has been locked deeper into my skin so that I do not experience much surface dryness as before (as I used to have red patches that turned dark over time).

 

If you are going through the same problem I would definitely give this serum a try because it is much more affordable than other serums out there. The price is £16.66 from boots and you only need to use a pea sized amount under your moisturiser in the mornings and evenings.

 

If you are looking for a little more plumpness in your skin I would also recommend Superfacialist Rose Miracle Makeover Facial Oil which I wrote a blog post you can check out here .

 

Let me know if you have tested out other serums and which ones you have found have worked best on your skin.

 

Priyanka xx

Rimmel Lasting Finish Mono Blush Vs Max Factor Creme Puff Blush

Over summer, my favourite blush hit base.

 

And when my makeup hit base, man, I can get teary eyed.

 

I have been loving the Rimmel Lasting Finish Mono Blush in Santa Rose for a very long time. It is the perfect natural blush colour which also does the job of contouring my face quickly due to the way it compliments my, slightly tanned, skin.

 

The blush is incredibly easy to blend into the skin and has a smooth and flawless finish, even when you aren't trying hard. The product is very buildable, can be removed off the skin easily with a tissue (if you feel you have applied too much) and lasts all day. Even during the summer, when my face has been sweaty, this blush has not budged even the slightest off my face. I would say this colour would look great on pretty much any skin tone.

 

After my favourite Rimmel blush had run out, I felt adventurous and wanted to try something new. On another trip over to boots, I picked up Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Seductive Pink but was a little disappointed with the product.

 

When I headed out, I wanted something that would do the job of a higher end product but for a drugstore price. I heard that these blushes where similar to the Hourglass Ambient Blush but I found that it looked overly bright and powdery on my skin. I found that I was taking a ridiculously long time to blend the blush into my face and even after all the time put in, I usually had to wipe some of the product off my skin again because it didn't look quite right.

 

Overall, I would heavily recommend the Rimmel Lasting Finish Blush to everyone out there! It really is a perfect blush for giving you a  luminous healthy and natural glow all year round.

 

Would you recommend any blushes that you have found give a healthy boost to your face?  

 

Priyanka xx

Skin Care Routine

Let's skip to the truth.

 

My skin isn't great.

 

Its okay most of the time but it does scar easily which means that I usually don't completely ditch the makeup if I'm going out - but as they say there is more to a girl's beauty than makeup *does an advert style cheesy thumbs up and wink*

 

1) First thing's first in the morning with Neutrogena 2-in-1 Wash and Mask - this is the first face wash I have ever bought and have loved it ever since my best friend recommended it to me. I  tried different cleansers in between but my heart has taken me back to this one.

2) For when I'm going out, I use Fade Out Day Cream which is supposedly meant to fade out dark pigmentation and lighten the skin. Truthfully, I'm not sure how much I can back the statement because I have been using it for a pretty long time but what's the harm still carrying on, right?

3) Twice a week I use Superdrug's Aloe Vera De-Stressing Mud Mask which I talked about another blog post here.

4) I've practically stolen all my mum's things from clothes, perfume and obviously face things including Boot's Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Exfoliating Face Scrub which does beautiful things to your skin and smells so damn refreshing!

5) E45 - Its a must bedtime because it puts back all the moisture from your skin that you've probably been missing during the day... and it makes a fantastic hand cream for those grubby little hands.

6) Red spot? *Instantly picks up Neutrogena's Rapid Clear Treatment* It cools down the red thing on your face and lets your breath again. Aaaahhhh. If that doesn't help, putting some tooth paste on one actually does!

7) I just recently purchased Bio-Oil in attempt to fade out some scarring but I am yet to know if it really does help. Have you tried it? Please let me know if it does help because my hopes are set high.

8) Finally a product most of you haven't heard of because my family usually buys it (in bulk!) when we go abroad because it is a massive life saver! No. Literally when you hurt your knee as a child and have to deal with tormenting pain and blood Boroline dries and clears everything up in a few days. I started to use it on my face where there may be a raw scar or its a little dry at night and it has helped so much to heal things up.

What is your swear-by skin care product? Do you have any recommendations?

Priyanka xx

Winter Glow Makeup Routine

 

It's nearly Christmas!

 

And 2015 (what!?)

 

And

 

I have a cold.

 

Great.

 

 

 

I have made some little changes to my everyday makeup look because I want to look fresh and good on camera as I am going to Spain for Christmas!

 

- Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation £9.99 - I recently bought this because I was convinced by all the good reviews out there, it has a medium coverage and a slightly dewy (and glowy) finish which is the perfect texture for me.

 

- Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19 - Do you know how much I love this? It had a great coverage for dark spots and works well under the eyes. Personally, I find it can be a little drying under the eyes but if you mix it in with your foundation it is fine. Also, I get through a tube of this stuff really quickly so I'm always making trips to Boots to get more which is a little annoying.

 

- Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer £5.99 - For the extra glow in the inner corners of my eyes   

 

- Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder £3.99 - To set my concealer and minimize shine

 

- Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder £7.99 - I have had the same one for 3 years (not an exaggeration) and have used it everyday and it has not run out yet. Now that's what you call a miracle.

 

- Rimmel Lasting Finish Mono Blush in Santa Rose £3.99 - I have used this forever and I can't get enough of the natural flushed look 

 

- Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara £7.99 - I would say this is Maybelline's best mascara (I think its the brush that really makes me like it)

 

- Rimmel London Scandaleyes Thick & Thin Eyeliner £5.49 - Perfectly natural but I find it is a little fidgety to apply

 

 

I hope my experience had  helped anyone looking for new products to add to their routine. I personally get excited to apply my makeup now especially with my new foundation.

 

What is your favourite drugstore product that you would recommend?

 

Priyanka xx

 

 

 

 

 

 

Superdrug Aloe Vera and Witch Hazel Mud Masks

I search of a new face mask, I stumbled across Superdrug's Purifying Witch Hazel Face Mask and I wholly and totally fell in love with it. I have found that my skin reacts well to clay and mud based face cleansers rather than gel bases from brands such as Clearasil.

Beware (sensitive skin types).  Both these masks dry tight on your skin so at first it can feel a little uncomfortable but to me it feels like then it is actually working on my skin.

Knowing me, I dragged my friend on a very exciting secret mission to get to a Superdrug store and buy another one - the best thing about these masks is that they are pretty cheap, effective and the little bottle might not look like much but it does last a good amount of time.

These babies have become a part of my skin care routine and I feel that my skin is left fresh and renewed. I use it twice a week (after washing my hair which is wrapped in a towel and out of the way) and this way just when I think my skin is looking a little tired out...my face mask comes to the rescue.

Have you tried these masks? If I was to buy another mask which one would you recommend?

Priyanka xx

Favorite Blowdry Products

Some people have difficulty dealing with their hair in humidity, but I struggle with my hair in the rain and wind.

Urgg.

It annoys me so much that after I spend my precious time washing and drying my hair to fall how I want it, all ready for a new week- it just turns into shambles on the short walk to school (even if I try to keep my hood up, see where I am going whilst also attempting to look decent and awake).

Then I get to school and I feel all my efforts have gone to waste.

Anyway, when my blow drying efforts are kind enough stay I find that these 3 products are the best:

- Charles Worthington Volume and Bounce Body Booster Moose

I recently bought this product because my old moose ran out. It does exactly what it says - if you use a round brush (this is the new one that has been saving my life recently), it gives you a TON of volume...its scares me a little sometimes but we don't have to mention that to anyone else.

- John Frieda Straight Fixation Styling Crème

 

I bought this product a long time ago; I only use it for my fringe/bang area by putting a little product brushing it through and then blow drying it upwards.

- Heat Protectant  

Okayy. Im guilty.

I always forget to use protectant but I am realising that heat can actually damage your hair after repetitive use.

Guys. Use it!

I would appreciate so much if you could let me know how to dry your hair or the products you use to keep you hair looking... sane.

Priyanka xx