Sindhu Vinod Narayan

November 25, 2021

Two must read picture books for kids this November

With kids having vacations during thanksgiving we often look out for a long of options to keep them engaged. Though we do have a lot of options to keep them engaged in terms of activities like craft or painting.

But reading books can be done to keep them involved and transport them to the world of imagination. How many of us read to kids before they sleep? If you haven’t done I’d urge you to start doing it and see the wonderful changes it promotes in children.

Here are two books I’d recommend reading this season.

The boy who breathed under water by Izzy Reez

A young boy lies down on his bed gazing around his room. As we know young minds are curious a thought crawled into his little busy mind.

He wanted to know how would it be if he has super powers. But he wasn’t sure which one he’d wanted. So decided to give a try to check out some and then finalize. A mysterious genie comes out just like making the whole situation magical.

He suggests tryouts of powers so that he can finalise the one the boy chooses after a time of one week. The boy decides to try out as many as he can like being invisible, being able to lift up things, being able to breathe underwater, being able to fly, being able to control with his mind, turning into animals.

Though he had imagined having these powers they came with their own disadvantages. By the end of the week he felt that there wasn’t one he chose to decide upon.

The genie appeared and gave him a valuable life lesson that as a kid him playing and pretending would be lot more fun than to have magical super powers. The boy understood the reality and immediately chose to live the moment cuddling the cat.

The book sends out a lovely message to young readers to enjoy the life at the moment. Also helps understand to be happy with whatever we have, because something that we long for and get could have their disadvantages.Having magical powers can seem fascinating but not more than their playful attitude and curious little minds that finds an idea of play and pretending.

The illustrations wonderfully support the text and makes it much more engaging.

The kind who didn’t like snow by Jocelyn Porter and Michael S Kane

Who doesn’t love snow?? Those tiny white flakes bring in a lot of joy cause it’s the season of celebration. But here is a King who dislikes snow. The book brings out a lovely little story of why the King Mark hated snow and how the wizard Bertram Ebenezer Rufus
Togtangle shortly called Bert made the King love snow.

Bert and his friend Broderick a bookworm had a lot of fun. Bert was friendly and helped children and people in the village. Broderick was living in Berts book of spells. He’d always wanted to read from the book nd one day he did and he turns into a big squish green bookworm.

Bert doesn’t have space to accommodate Broderick so he asks the King and he readily agrees to make Broderick the Royal Librarian and gives him place to stay in the library.

One fine day it starts snowing and King Mark gets really annoyed. Bert uses his magic spell but it makes situation worse what does he do later to make the King love snow? Read the book to know what he does.

A short read but definitely a fun one. The illustrations are bright colourful and definitely promising for young readers to keep them glued.

Loved the conversations especially the ones between Broderick and Bert. The book definitely sounds an awesome plot for pretend play.

What I loved

This story is dedicated to the volunteers of Hospital
Radio Plymouth who broadcast musical messages of love
to patients, families and friends whether it’s snowing or sunny.
Nothing stops HRP broadcasting every day of the year.

November 18, 2021November 18, 2021

Must know benefits of retinol or retinoid

Retinol or retinoid is a derivative of vitamin A. Known for its ability to boost cell turnover, it is one of the widely used ingredients incorporated into daily skincare routine.

Whether you want to maintain a fine glow or shoo away the fine lines and signs of ageing, this is one ingredient that you should be reaching to. Though it is not very tough to source it as its readily availble over the counters in departmental stores, drug stores or over ecommerce websites, it is the ingredient that s often misinterpreted or misused.

One most important factor to take care is to use it during the nights as sunlight decreases the efficacy of the product. And also that using it makes skin more sensitive to UV rays, it is advised to use sunscreen in the day and retinols at night.

HOW TO START?

Thirties are termed to be banner age for retinoids however the mid twenties would be much better to start off with. It has to be incorporated slowly into your routine, say about twice in a week and peas sized amount to start off. In earlier stages make sure to wash it off post two hours.

The side effects are mild with redness, itching, dryness and sensitivityduring the course of time the normal skin gets adjusted to the ingredient. However the sensitive skin reacts triggering acne and rosacea so people with highly sensitive skin can stay away from using this and have many alternatives to choose from to incorporate into their routine.

When you’re getting started you can wash face, wait for sometime for the natural facial oils to set in and then apply retinols. Or in other ways you can incorporate the sandwich technique wherein you can dab the moisturizer, apply retinol and then seal it with moisturizer again.

Start with a lower strength like 0.75% and then proceed to 1%. While the retinols that are available over the counter are for fighting the signs of ageing, The ones that are given in prescription are for treating acne.

When you are using retinold it is best prefered to use cream base under the eyes and for the face use a serum followed by moisturizer.

CONDITIONS BEST TREATED BY RETINOLS

acne
fine lines
wrinkles
age (sun) spots, freckles, and other signs of sun damage, sometimes called photoaging
uneven skin texture
melasma and other types of hyperpigmentation
large pores caused by acne, oily skin, or collagen loss

WHY IS IT BENEFICIAL?

Unlike other anti-ageing products , this ingredient does not just stop with removing dead skin cells, they also penetrate deep into the epidermis.

They help in neutralising the free radicals and help in boosting production collagen and elastin. This creates a plumping effect and helps in reducing fine lines, dark spots and wrinkles. Since it also helps in exfoliating the skin the texture is improved to a greater extent.

It is very helpful in clearing out acne, it unclogs pore by forming comedolytic agents to prevent forming blemishes and comedones. If acne is very severe the retinol is prescribed along with antibitoics. It doesn not show results instantaneously, it takes upto six weeks minimum to show visible results.

PRODUCTS IN INDIA

Olay Night Cream: Regenerist Retinol 24 Moisturiser

The cream promises 24 hour potency and hydration on skin. Suited for dry, normal and combination skin. Proven to penetrate 10 layers deep. The formulation works in combination with niacinamide.

The same formulation is available as a serum as well. But it is best to use either one of them and not together since they are of high potency.

The reason the formulation includes niacinamide is to reduce the redness upon using the product.

Price: 379 Quantity: 8gms
Click here to buy :

Dot & Key Glow Night Reset Retinol + Ceramide Cream

The formulation includes provitamin B5 and vitamin E along with hyaluronic acid to improve hydration. The other ingredients include hibiscus because of presence of AHAs, seabuck thorn oil, evening primrose oil which help in acne prevention and keeping skin moisturized.

Price: 531 Quantity: 25ml
Click here to buy:

The Derma Co. 0.3% Retinol Face Serum For Spotless Skin

The formulation works in combination with vitamin C to fight signs of ageing and alter the aged cells. Also contains glycerine to act as a humectant. Advised to do a patch test before application , especially people with sensitive skin.

Price: 719 quantity: 30ml
Click here to buy:

Nykaa SKINRX 2% Advanced Retinol Anti-Aging Face Serum for Wrinkles & Fine Lines

The formulation consists of 2% retinol , along with 2% lactic acid that stimulates collagen renewal and 1% Australian caviar lime extract for it being a rich source of AHA and gentle exfoliant.

Suited for normal, dry , combination and oily skin but no mention about sensitive skin.

Price: 899 quantity: 30ml
Click here to buy:

November 18, 2021November 18, 2021

Must know benefits of Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid, I know its difficult to pronounce but even more difficult to get the right spelling. A skincare ingredient that has recently found its place in almost all serums, sheet mask and moisturizer. And the reason why is that it can be your mandatory addition to daily skincare routine. It is a naturally occurring molecule in your skin that gives you the dewy look.

It helps to bind the water to skin giving it all the more a glowing look. More than retaining moisture it also has various other benefits.

What is hyaluronic acid?

It is a naturally occurring sugar molecule on skin that helps in binding of collagen and water and making the skin look plump and dewy. It helps boost hydration in skin to make it look glowing. The acid molecule binds collagen to one end and water to the other thereby adding to the plump factor of the skin.

What is the need to include hyaluronic acid?

As humans we age so does our skin and in the process there is a decrease in collagen and hyaluronic acid, this makes the skin look dehydrated. Harsh weather conditions like winter, existing skincare problems may cause tiny breaks through which water could leak. So there is a need to include a humectant in skincare regimen to attract the water molecules. Some of which are hyaluronic acid, glycerine and oatmeal.

Hyaluronic acid gets easily absorbed to skin and thereby attracts a lot of water keeping the skin hydrated. This is the reason it finds itself as one of the major ingredients in skincare products.

Skin types

Hyaluronic acid is an ingredient that suits all skin types. It does not cause acne, eczema or rosacea.

People with dry and mature skin and those with ageing symptoms might need more of hyaluronic acid. This is because as we age we lose the ability to produce more collagen and hyaluronic acid and it is necessary to be supplemented.

On the other hand, since the name contains the term ‘acid’ people with sensitive skin might fear to incorporate products with this ingredient. That is not the case because it is a naturally occurring molecule in skin that is produced by our very own bodies and can be safely used on sensitive skin.

BENEFITS

A molecule of HA can bind about 100 molecules of water of its own size , come to think of the goodness that it has to offer the skin.

TEWL or trans epidermal water loss is a very commonly known term in the skincare industry that describes water loss on the skin. It is a term that denotes the amount of water evaporated from skin.

A product that prevents TEWL actually helps in keeping your skin hydrated. HA does this by slowing down the rate of evaporation of water from the skin.

HA also apart from being a humectant helps in faster healing of wounds.

The other benefits that HA offers are

Anti-ageing
Reducing redness
Moisturizing
Treat acne
Treat eczema
Increasing the elasticity of skin

It also helps in treatinf dry eye and reduced tear production conditions since it is known for its hydration properties.

It has been proven that the naturally produced hyaluronic acid in body helps in lubricating the bone joints.

PRODUCTS WITH HYALURONIC ACID DOING WELL IN INDIAN MARKETS

Loreal paris revitalift 1.5% hyaluronic acid serum

The serum is non-sticky and promises 21% increased plumpness, 42% skin radiance and intense hydration.

Can be used in both AM and PM routine.

Price: 474 Quantity: 15 ml

Click here to buy :

Ponds Super Light Gel Oil Free Moisturiser With Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin E

This is probably the cheapest and one of the effective options to incorporating hyaluronic acid to skincare routine. I’ve personally used this, its non-sticky and does help in retaining moisture , doesn’t give an oily appearance. I loved the fragrance and the gel consistency. Although I felt the packaging can be much more improved.

Price : 149 Quantity: 73gm

Click here to buy:

Nykaa SKINRX 2% Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum For Intense Hydration, Plump Skin with 1% Vitamin B5

The formulation has 2% hyaluronic acid, 1% vitamin B5 and 1% marine algae extract.

Can be incorporated in both AM and PM routine. Suits all skin types.

Price: 799 Quantity: 25ml

Click here to buy:

Clinique Moisture Surge 100h Auto-replenishing Hydrator(15ml)

The product promises hydration that penetrates 10 layers deep and that lasts for 100 hours. He formulation has hyaluronic acid, activated aloe water and aloe bio ferment.

By far the costliest range I’ve seen in products containing hyaluronic acid.

Price: 950 quantity: 15ml

Click here to buy:

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel – Mini(15gm)

The formulation incorporates a patented technology that includes prebiotics to boost hydration in combination with hyaluronic acid.

The incorporation of prebiotics helps in 50% boost in HA production.

Price: 370 quantity: 15gm

Click here to buy :

October 28, 2021October 28, 2021

Must know Benefits of Kojic acid

You have a mountain of beauty brands to choose from. These are days where we not only want to choose the brand but also make a choice of ingredients that will work on your skin. The term active ingredient has been making rounds recently and you see a line up of products getting released be it whatever brand there is an active ingredient addressing a skin concern.

When you decide to incorporate products into skincare routine the most important step is to understand your skin and to choose products which are made of ingredients that would suit your skin. Just because there is an ‘XYZ ‘ brand advertising their vitamin C range promises clear skin in 10 days, it doesn’t mean the result is guaranteed, the range of products will work for you, they will not give you side effects. So take time in learning about the ingredients, the problems they can address or the benefits they have for your skin and then choose a brand.

Or if you have complicated skin conditions it is best suggested to consult a dermatologist and proceed with what they describe. Whatever you see on social media is not going to work for every person who purchases the product.

As a skincare blogger here and an influencer on Instagram, when I promote products I leave an honest review after 2-3 weeks of usage of products. However I also leave a disclaimer that what works for me might not work for everyone else as every skin is unique.

The second ingredient that I want to talk about is kojic acid. The first time I hear the term I was like , “Kojic what?”. Using acid on skin sounded to make me terrified.Though I have been someone who has been using lemon peels on skin for the vitamin C absorption, I do it with water sprinkled and patted on skin to not make the acid act directly on skin.

I decided to read through what kojic acid is and what benefits of kojic acid would my skin agree to and who can use it. I tried some and there you also have my reviews on them later on this post.

What is Kojic acid?

Mushrooms are the basic sources of kojic acid or simply put it is a natural by-product derived from various fungi and fermentation of foods like soy sauce and rice wine. Benefits of Kojic acid is it’s mainly used to lighten the skin pigment and helps treat discolouration and reduce dark spots.

How does it work?

Melanin is responsible for providing colour to eyes , hair and skin. An amino acid called tyrosine helps in melanin production. Kojic acid works to block tyrosine production which in turn stops melanin production leaving the skin light.

BENEFITS OF USING KOJIC ACID

ANTI -AGEING

Kojic acid lessens dark spots and helps lighten the skin which in turn gives anti-ageing benefits when used on skin.

TREATS MELASMA

Pregnancy can induce melasma which is pigmentation that causes your complexion to be uneven. Kojic acid works to neutralize the pigmentation there by giving you lighter skin.

SCAR DISAPPEARANCE

Usage of kojic acid can lessen the presence of scar by making it appear light. Though the thick tissue might be there, it’s presence can be greatly reduced by lessening it.

ANTI-FUNGAL BENEFIT

Being derived from various fungi, kojic acid provides anti-fungal protection from diseases like athlete’s foot and yeast infection.

SIDE EFFECTS:

When used over a long period of time kojic acid can make your skin susceptible to sun. Rashes, itches and irritation are commonly observed side effects. So always make sure to incorporate a sunscreen when using kojic acid in skincare routine.

PRODUCTS IN INDIA

The derma . co kojic acid cream for pigmentation

This cream works with a formulation that incorporates 2% of kojic acid in combination of vitamin C in reducing dark spots and improving pigmentation. I really liked the pump method to get the cream out which is light on application. I do it post cleansing in both AM and PM routine.

Price : 449 quantity: 30 gm

Click here to buy

Kozicare skin lightening serum

This is a serum that is formulated with kojic acid along with aloe vera, arbutin, glutathione,glycerine. Compared to a cream base this is lighter because of its serum consistency and requires application through a dropper.

The serum does not leave a oily residue post application.

Price : 399 quantity : 30 ml

Click here to buy

Make sure to do a patch test before trying out any new product on your skin.

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with VoxBox and Journery Matters.

October 21, 2021

Review of the secret keeper of Jaipur

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alka Joshi is the New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist. Born in India and raised in the United States since the age of nine, she has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of the Arts. She lives in Pacific Grove, California, with her husband. This is her second novel.

BLURB:

Will the secret-keeper of Jaipur reveal what has remained buried for so long?
It is the spring of 1969. Lakshmi, now married to Dr Jay Kumar, is working at the Shimla community clinic. Malik has finished his private school education. At twenty, he has just met a young tribal woman, Nimmi, when he leaves to begin an apprenticeship at the Jaipur Palace. The royals’ latest project: a state-of-the-art cinema.
Malik soon finds that not much has changed as he navigates the Pink City of his childhood. Power and money still move seamlessly among the wealthy, and favors flow from Jaipur’s royal palace, but only if certain secrets remain buried. When the cinema’s balcony tragically collapses on opening night, blame is placed where it is convenient. Malik suspects something far darker and sets out to uncover the truth. As a young street urchin, he always knew to keep his own counsel; it’s a lesson that still serves him well. But it is only when Lakshmi, the real keeper of Jaipur’s secrets, intervenes, that things can truly right themselves

Review

A delicious engaging and a book that can get you glued is how I’d like to describe ‘ The secret keeper of jaipur’. First things first when I got my hands on this book in exchange for an honest review I was drowning in guilt because I knew this was a sequel and I hadn’t read the first book though it had great reviews. But I’d totally love to let out that the author had set the book as a standalone so it doesn’t matter if you didn’t read the first book she’s given all that you need to know who’s who. How cool is that?

Mmmm..Yes finally I had to give in to my guilt which is why it took me a long time to come up with this review. I took the plunge to read ‘The Henna artist’ and then get back to this book.

A fine transition to the second book and the perfect sequel I’d call it , I was happy that we encounter Lakshmi again here. Whoa boy, I did love how her character was sketched then and now here.

The natural healer , Lakshmi as how she is known gets married to Dr.Jay. Her helperMalik the one we all would definitely adore is all grown up and completes his education all set to step on foot to embark his journey into career. The mother and son encounter an acquaintance who is Nimmi a tribal woman, a widow and a mother of two children. She gathers flowers from Himalayan foothills and sells them . He falls in love with Nimmi, , Lakshmi is initially unhappy about the choice made by her son ,

He is sent as an apprentice to the facilities firm in Rajasthan. The cinema hall of, th the Royals is all set to open for the launch wherein a tragedy strikes on the D day, the balcony collapses and kills two people. Malik finds that the incident is due to poor quality materials used in construction and also uncovers political connections.

His mother Lakshmi on the other hand uncovers gold smuggling and knowing the dangers that would surround her close members she decides to deal it herself. Malik being in the center of the scandal becomes the keeper of secrets.

How do they get out of all this ?

The author known for her descriptive writing does not fail to create the visual imageries be it the foothills of himalayas or the sandy deserts. But what stands out to me in both books is how she portrayed Lakshmi.

That teeny tiny bit of romance between Malik and Nimmi which makes you think is it there or no..But yes can sense that but its sweet.

I’m really awaiting the release of the sequel that I surely know is going to supercede the two books.

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with VoxBox and Journey Matters.

October 21, 2021December 4, 2021

Review of Faith and the beloved

BLURB:

Naithy Cherozil is a rich and successful business woman from Mumbai who marries the young and handsome model Tony D’Souza after the death of her spouse. Little does she know that the ideal sex slave of her husband is the sleeper cell of a terror outfit. Events in her life take unforeseen turns as the male Mata Hari is activated.Prem Rollands is a ‘Kalari’ exponent and a brilliant student whose world revolves around his brother Arun. Things go awry when the police kill Arun under mysterious circumstances. Prem kills the inspector in retribution and is on the run. He is on the lookout to find the dark secrets leading to Arun’s death. Prem must avenge those who have plotted to kill his brother.Eighteen year old Alice Cherozil knows more about computers and mystery games than a girl of her age. Her life falls apart when her mother is hospitalised and in a coma. She is playing the ultimate mystery game of her life as the web of secrets surrounding two precious diamonds and her stepfather threaten to destroy her family. She overcomes the moral dilemma to kill her stepfather. Alice must outwit the underworld and stay ahead of all to save her mother’s life or the guilt of her failure will haunt her forever.As the lives of Naithy, Prem and Alice cross each other they must retain their faith and protect their beloved ones, even at the cost of their own lives.

A master piece from the Best-selling and Award -winning author of Men and Dreams int he Dhauladhar .A riveting saga of love, lust, betrayal, intrigue and revenge.

Review

Set in a contemporary mood style the novel is a fast paced thriller. The second from the author of Men and Dreams in The Dhauladhar . Based on the idea of keeping faith and notion of being one’s loved person, the novel has all elements like love, suspense, thriller, violence encompassed within it.

The opening where Alice Cherozil holds a knife remembering a passage from the bible is where it all starts. A gory and a deep intensive description about how she first contemplates and then proceeds with a firm determination wherein she ends up murdering her step-father Tony Dsouza.

How Tony becomes her step-father is altogether a different story wherein her mother Naithy who loses her husband as one of the victim’s of the Mumbai terror attack. She marries Tony, a model and ended up becoming him sex slave. Thereafter she slips into coma post an accident.

There is yet another story plot simultaneous wherein two brothers(Arun and Prem) who fled with money raping Naithy. Arun on the other hand is killed by the police for which Prem seeks revenge and is waiting upon a chance to avenge his brother’s death.

An action packed sequence follows as Alice does not foresee a lot things when she charted the plan to murder , Tony. But she finally managed to kill him and runs away. Prem looks to kill both Alice and Naithy and God it makes you wonder for a second why on earth all this is happening.

The plot narrows down to some underworld connections which seemingly makes it appear like a British political drama which will all the more leave you gaping and roll the eye balls on multiple occasions. Trust me I don’t remember the number of times I did that.

Even though I found the novel gripping and the plot to be intriguing I needed a break at times, just because everything was going overboard for me. Too many storylines which seem to run parallel and lot of motives which underlie bringing into picture more characters seeking revenge for one another.

I still couldn’t decipher myself as to who I should be putting forth as the protagonist because there were a lot many characters that seemed important at the spur of the moment and then vanished.

The book does have some loose ends but that does not stop you from finishing it. I found the language a bit difficult and it being in the second person narrative , took me time to comprehend what was happening. But applaud to the descriptive nature of writing style.

The book cover is well designed with a blood drop dripping from heart shaped diamond kind of giving you a hint of what can be expected.

Click here to buy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kochery C. Shibu is a retired naval officer. A graduate from the National Defence Academy he has held several important posts in the Indian Navy. Post his retirement he has executed hydroelectric projects in the Cauvery river basin in Karnataka, Beas river basin in Himachal and lately Teesta river basin in Sikkim. He holds a postgraduate degree in Defence Studies from Chennai University, and MA in English Literature from Pune University. Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar is his debut novel. The technical content of the novel, namely the setting up of a hydro-project is drawn from his experience in these projects since 2005, as are many of the characters inspired from those whom he encountered at the project site. Kochery C. Shibu was born in Kochi and now lives in Bangalore with his wife and daughter.

This review is part of blogchatter’s bookchatter.

October 21, 2021October 21, 2021

Review of the dance of the snow tractors

Children always have their own way of retelling events. Their ways of explaining or telling you about an event will have the magic of imagination play a major part.

Their way of looking and interpreting things is actually a lot more different than what we adults do. The innocence combined with the imagery really makes it an interesting experience listening to them.

This book is one such by Siena who describes winter in her city and the events that take place up there.

Named after a beautiful city in Italy, Siena is the author and the teller of the wonderful tale. She lives in the city of Ottawa, Canada.

Winters according to her can be fun making snow man, figurines and sipping a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows. But it cannot be the same for her neighbors.

The piling up of snow makes it difficult for them to lead life so they make efforts to clear them up. Siena also watches the drive ways being cleared up for easy commuting. All this from the comfort of her porch and the lovely cup of hot chocolate made by her mother.

The city graders and snow blowers work to clear off the drive ways and this is being imagined by Siena as a dance by the snow tractors. Their motion of zooming in and out to pull out the piles of snow from her point of view appears as a dance sequence. So doesn’t this do justice to what I just told you.

Children have their own way of retelling what they see. Let’s enjoy the wonderful tales they have for us to hear.

The illustrations are lovely and match up to the imagination of what Siena tries to tell us. Kudos to Shannon Wilvers.

I also would like to appreciate the thought of dedicating the book to the front line workers of the covid-19 era.

October 21, 2021October 21, 2021

Review of written in the stars

Blurb

When all her efforts at political maneuvering, sucking up and even doing her job fail to land her that elusive promotion, Sitara decides it’s time to use the new marketing head Abhimanyu’s obsession with his horoscope to her advantage.Soon, she’s rescheduling meetings, pitching ideas and picking launch dates based on his horoscope. Except, Sitara is so focused on manipulating Abhimanyu with the career section of his horoscope that she doesn’t pay attention to the personal section. Hilarity ensues when these star-crossed signals result in Abhimanyu pursuing Sitara romantically, without realizing that the ‘signs’ are engineered coincidences in her quest to get promoted.

Soon, Sitara is faced with choosing what she really wants-a career progression or true love. She must chart her own course even if what she has in mind may not be what the stars ordained. Written in the Stars is a romantic comedy about life, love and whether the biggest things in life are the choices you make or what destiny has in store for you.

My review

Romcom is usually a genre that doesn’t interest me when it comes to reading books. I love watching movies in that genre but not books. The reason being I find them to be too cliched and kind of like too good to be true instances.

But I’ve read Divya’s other two books and when I came to know that her recent release was a romcom I wanted to give a try. Trust me that maybe if she writes more in the same genre I might also think of changing my opinions about reading that genre.

The book according to me was the kind I could finish in one go. One because the plot was intriguing, loved the characterisation and three was the mixture of elements that Divya added to keep the reader engaged.

The dialogues are penned quirky and definitely would leave you with a stomach hurts feel when you actually imagine the scene visually. I would attribute this specifically to the one’s that belong to Abhimanyu.

He is one character who will make you fall head over heels in love. Sitara the heroine is a go better. Her character portrayal is as such she is someone who will see that she gets what she wants.

The way astrology has been brought into this plot and how it’s handled sure is commendable. No sentiments hurt but it sure plays a crucial role in making Sitara manipulate by choosing dates favourable for Abhimanyu. I mean how cool is that huh!..

So does she get what she wants in her career? That definitely needs one to read the book to see where she lands.

The language as in her previous books is pretty simple and easier to comprehend. And totally no blah blah romantic dialogues that are unbelievable, Thank god.

Also love the cover design that equally portrays what should you be expecting when you read the book.

Author bio

Divya, often called ‘ baal ki dukaan’, struggled with unruly, thick, curly hair for over two decades before she realized her hair looks best when it’s left uncombed! She loves using her curls to hold the numerous pens, pencils and paintbrushes she needs while she’s writing, doodling or working. She gets her best creative ides when she’s hanging upside down, doing anti-gravity yoga. If you’re in Bangalore, you might spot her (and her distinctive curls!) with her husband Vivek. Their quest to eat bizarre foods from around the world features in her first book, Dare Eat That. Follow her at: http://www.divyaanand.in

COPYRIGHT NOTICE –

@Sindhu Vinod Narayan. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sindhu Vinod Narayan (Thatmadrasmom) with the right and specific direction to the original content.

October 8, 2021October 11, 2021

Here’s what my doctor told me about flu vaccines

Parenting always comes with a major responsibility of keeping children safe. As a parent we are not only responsible for bringing them up as good human beings but also responsible for raising a healthy child. This cannot be seen as duty, rather it comes out of parental love and impulse to keep the kids safe from physical harm and diseases.

In the growing years, it is necessary to keep an eye on the child’s growth. Also important is strong immunity. That’s why doctors ask about any kind of symptoms and other health conditions during regular visits.

Immunity in children is another area of concern. Children easily contract infections from elders and can pass on the infection to senior citizens. Since we are already battling a pandemic for which we have the vaccination drive ongoing, here’s what my doctor told me about flu vaccines.

Influenza can lead to dangerous complications and children in the age group of 6 months to 8 years are especially vulnerable. The elderly too are at a risk. Keeping them all safe is a priority and the best way to be protected is to get the flu shot.

The flu has symptoms similar to common cold. Battling flu along with covid-19 is a disastrous situation, which is why the doctors, on flu vaccines in India stress that the flu shot should be taken during the monsoons as India falls in the SH region.

When the pandemic hit us, it took some time before a vaccine was available. However, that is not the case with flu since we already have the vaccine handy. It is just that people need to be made aware of the importance of administering the shots, as well as educated about the right vaccine and the time when they should take it. The flu shot is crucial for 360° protection.

Best time to get your flu shot

The WHO has recommended that the Southern Hemisphere (SH) vaccine is the ideal vaccine for India. Influenza vaccination is most effective when local circulating viruses are well-matched with vaccine antigens for SH. Since the peak season of flu in the larger part of the country starts between mid-summer to monsoons, now is the right time to vaccinate against flu for effective protection.

Flu vaccine should be taken annually. However, getting vaccinated early for subsequent seasons is likely to be associated with reduced protection against flu infection later in the flu season, particularly among older adults says CDC. Protection fades over time, so not getting vaccinated with the vaccine containing the right seasonal strains may leave one more vulnerable. Vaccination can be done throughout the SH flu season, into September or later.

We did see a lot of pediatric cases during the second wave of covid-19, so it is much needed for us as parents to keep ourselves updated on the vaccine schedules for the kids. For diseases like influenza, it is very much a necessity that the entire family is vaccinated. The responsibility lies with us parents to make all the members of the family aware of the consequences and therefore as a proactive measure it is a must to take the flu shot.

Do remember if the adults in the family have recently taken the covid vaccine, there can be a gap of 14 days before they take the flu shot.

Though maintaining good hygiene is a great way to keep away from flu, getting vaccinated gives you an upper hand to prevent getting infected.

CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine, which will help in reducing the additional burden to the healthcare services who strive to keep our population safe.

AS per CDC, below are the benefits of the flu vaccine:

Flu vaccination helps you to keep away from becoming sick due to flu.
Flu-associated hospitalization is greatly reduced for kids and adults when the flu vaccine is administered.
The flu vaccination could be an important preventive tool for adults with chronic illnesses.
Women during and after pregnancy are protected if the flu vaccine is taken.
Reduction in severity of illnesses is proved by various studies wherein people who got infected in spite of taking the flu vaccine.
When you get vaccinated you are not only protecting yourself but also people around you.

Let us not skip or postpone vaccinations just because we are all grounded in our homes. Talk to your doctor, get the flu shot and stay healthy!

We must #PreventWhatCanBePrevented because flu is preventable with vaccination.

References

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccine-benefits.htm
https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/influenza-are-we-ready/5-myths-about-the-flu-vaccine
https://www.hindustantimes.com/brand-stories/three-steps-to-fight-flu-this-monsoon-101631877277522.html
https://www.hindustantimes.com/brand-stories/have-you-got-your-flu-shot-find-out-the-right-time-for-india-101632831201860.html
https://www.hindustantimes.com/brand-post/how-to-safeguard-your-family-from-seasonal-infections-in-the-pandemic-101626856896522.html

September 15, 2021September 15, 2021

Beginners guide to niacinamide #MyFriendAlexa

Lately, you could see the whole skincare world talking a lot about active ingredients. The most commonly talked about is Niacinamide.

Niacinamide also known as nicotinamide is a form of vitamin B3. An essential nutrient whose deficiency could lead to disorders of skin,kidney and brain. Taking niacinamide can prevent the deficiency.

The ingredient has much more to offer when it is used in the general skin department. Applying niacinamide topically is proven to help in treating skin conditions like eczema and acne.

Benefits of niacinamide

Niacinamide is mainly recommended for people who have puffy skin and rosacea. The anti-inflammatory properties aid in reducing the redness.
Skin immunity can be boosted as niacinamide helps in building keratin, the protein that keeps skin firm and healthy.

The lipid barrier that niacinamide helps in building aids in retaining moisture of the skin. This is much beneficial for people who have eczema or mature skin.

When you skin is smooth and moisturized due to topical application of niacinamide it helps in minimizing the pores.

Retention of moisture isn’t beneficial only when the skin is dry. Regulation of the amount of oil that the sebaceous glands produce is one of the most important benefits of using niacinamide.

Concurrent rebuilding of healthy skin cells and also protecting skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation is a benefit of niacinamide as well.

5% concentration of niacinamide in application can help in treating pigmentation and also fight against signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles. The application also helped in fading dark spots. The results cannot be visible instantaneously but over a period of four weeks.

Niacinamide helps in treating aggressive acne conditions like pustules. The application over a period of time helps in improving skin texture and lesser number of lesions on the skin.

Niacinamide helps protect skin against environmental stresses like dust, pollution and sun damage. It also offers protection to regenerate the healthy skin cells.

FOOD over supplements

Instead of directly taking a supplement to lessen the deficiency it is always best to try improving intake of vitamins through food. Some sources of vitamin B3 are eggs,fish , milk and green vegetables. So next time don’t reject when your offered an extra portion of any of these over the table.

Ingredients that you can include in skincare routine along with niacinamide

Vitamin C, Kojic acid and hyaluronic acid are ingredients that can be paired with niacinamide in your skincare routine for clear skin.

How to use ?

Niacinamide can work wonders on your skin post cleansing, cause that is when your skin is free of impurities and oil.

Post that you can apply moisturizer and sunscreen before heading out.

The ingredient niacinamide can be included in your AM and PM skincare routine.

Here are some of my tried and tested niacinamide products

NYKAA SKINRX 10% niacinamide

This is mainly used for spot correction. The serum is composed of 10% niacinamide, 1% zinc and 1% alpha arbutin for spot correction of dark spots, blemishes and pigmentation.

The serum can be used in AM and PM routine.

Price: 799 quantity: 30 ml

Click here to buy

Minimalist 10% NIACINAMIDE serum

The serum is oil free and also has aloe vera juice as one of its ingredients for additional benefits. This serum is comparatively light weight and does not leave an oily residue post application.

Price: 599 quantity: 30 ml

Click here to buy :

Dot and key 10 % niacinamide spot corrector skin clearing serum

This formulation has 10% niacinamide, 1 % zinc and 1% hyaluronic acid. The serum also has sunflower seed extracts, pomegranate extracts and wheatgerm oil for additional benefits.

Price: 565 quantity : 15 ml

Click here to buy:

Few other popular niacinamide serums are listed below. I haven’t personally tried them out.