Monday 27 June 2016

 Giveaway -Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette!! Giveaway -Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette!!





Aloha

Yay Yay Yay- Super( Super )Excited about today’s post!! We are psyched to announce this Giveaway! (Totally doing the Happy Dance at the moment) !!

First and foremost a big thank you to all of you, the last few months has been a roller coaster ride for sure! Thank you for all the love and support and your encouragement has been the constant driving force, inspiring us post after post! We’ve had a total party, be it a recipe or the 'Oh-my Goodness –Its so awesome!!' –product finds, we’ve had some good times!

Now (Drum Roll), its no secret how I am a total fan of the BeccaXJaclynHill Champagne Pop Face Palette! Its super divine that we felt its only fair that you get the opportunity to experience the awesomeness!! So here’s your opportunity to get hold of this epic product!





3 Simple Steps and you can enter the giveaway!

·      Join us using Google Friend Connect( Click away the button on the right-hand tab)
·      Leave a comment below the blog post and tell us why you want to win the giveaway :) 
·  Like and share our page on Fb 
      


You can also enter via Instagram Check out the announcements on our insta profiles: @merin.makeupsos and @meeraanntom

The giveaway is open until the 8th of July and one lucky winner will be announced here!


 Hurry hurry!-get all your friends and get the party going!

Until Next Time!


Take care!
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Monday 20 June 2016

 Becca x Jaclyn Hill's New Champagne Glow Face Palette Review Becca x Jaclyn Hill's New Champagne Glow Face Palette Review


Tom and Jerry, Sherlock and Watson, Lenon and McCartney ,Hamburger and Fries- History surely has Taught us that a great partnership produces great results and now we have  Becca and Jaclyn Hill  joining this list-with an epic collaboration, the duo  broke  not just the internet but gave all cosmetic power houses a run for their money! Following the huge success of Champagne POP, Becca collaborated with the YouTube makeup Mogul Jaclyn Hill once again and released the latest Champagne Glow Face Palette on the 26thof May and as expected –the palette was sold out (like hot buns) within a few hours of launch.

Becca is known for their amazing formula and Jaclyn is  a complete genius when it comes to product understanding and colours, and the end result, the palette -is total dynamite.


‘Classy’ is my one-word verdict for this epic product ,right from packaging to the end result once you are dolled up –it’s a total win-win-win! It comes in a gold case with a white ceramic look-alike top! The sizing is just perfect for travel and the design is so awesome that you can place it on your mantelpiece! Once you open the beautiful box, you have the five pots of- blush and highlighter magic on one side and a large mirror on the other side!


The palette does not fall short of expectation. With the Champagne Pop highlighter, along with the brand-new, gold-toned Prosecco Pop Highlighter, two Mineral Blushes, and one Luminous Blush – (like a genie) the palette is your entire makeup prayers answered!   

Rose Spritz (Luminous Blush) is a lovely peachy shade and has a shimmer effect. It’s perfect for the summer scene, and can totally elevate your look!
Amaretto(Mineral Blush) is a Matte Blush and it comes in a  brown-pink shade. Amaretto is probably my recommended shade if you are trying to achieve a darker make-up look. It is the best-pigmented shade I have come across till date.



Pamplemousse(Luminous Blush)-comes in lovely coral hue with pink-peach undertones. Like the rose spritz it uplifts your look with this bright rosy shade that’s perfect for all skin tones!

The Champagne pop (Perfector Pressed)has a peach gold sheen to it and the Prosecco Pop(Perfector Pressed) is more of a bronze-gold affect. These come in a slightly larger pan. The makeup possibilities are quite endless with both of these high lighters! You can mix and match Rose Spritz,Amaretto and Pamplemousse and achieve good contour effect.

All the shades are well pigmented and super easy to apply! It blends easily and it quite literally glides on your face-smooth as silk! You only need a very little of the product as it provides good coverage and it feels very light on your face.

Priced at 52 USD, This is a limited edition range and you can buy the product at Sephora.



If there were a  MakeUp Top 10 chart –JH x Becca Collab would totally bust it for sure! They have won me over and this product is definitely worth the buy.

For all of you, who have been ardently following the jH x Becca champagne story and wasn’t lucky enough to get your hands on this beautiful product-stay tuned for our next post-We have something  exciting planned for you ;) ;) , Trust me- you don’t want to miss out on the post.(Clue: It starts with the word G and ends with Y!)




Until Next Time


Take care!

PS: You do not want to miss our next post*******




















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Friday 17 June 2016

Taco (Tuesdays) Martes!!! Taco (Tuesdays) Martes!!!





From Mole to Tamale! Lush guacamole to Elote- Mexican food is quite the party in itself! I’ve always loved the big-cheesy-burrito at the local takeaway, it must be an obvious indicator of my addiction when the burly waiter on seeing me would shout out ‘The usual today senorita?’(eh,hm) With a sheepishly big smile, I nod a silly nod and tuck into 10 minutes of heaven!



I must say, I had quite conveniently succumbed to the notion of Mexican cooking being ‘over the top complicated’.  I felt certain ,with my amateur (read super basic) cooking skills,  that I wouldn’t turn out to be the Mexican cooking gaucho- even in my wildest of dreams –until I had a telly moment on  a Saturday morning , As I watch  Anna Jones whip up some Black Bean delicacy only to kindle a Mexican inferno in me!





Anna’s recipe is refreshingly easy and with tons of vegetables, it really qualifies to be a super-meal!Black Beans is a power house of proteins and has amazing nutritional value-it’s even said to boost weight loss!
This meal mainly comprises of 4 elements- glazy black beans,   rich spicy gravy, guacamole  and salsa.




Serves 2
Cooking time:20-30 mins approx

Ingredients
For the beans
garlic cloves, finely chopped
olive oil, for frying
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chipotle paste or 1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 x 400g tins black beans
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ white Onion
½ cup water




For the salsa
20 cherry tomatoes
½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
few sprigs fresh coriander, leaves picked
½ lime, juice only
extra virgin olive oil, to taste





For the guacamole
1 ripe avocado, stone removed and peeled
½ lime, juice only


For the sweet chilli sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ carrot, finely chopped
250ml/9fl oz good-quality vegetable stock
1 tbsp ground cumin
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp chipotle paste, or to taste
½ lemon, juice only


To serve
8 wheat or corn tortillas
4 free-range eggs, fried
handful of grated cheese, such as manchego or queso fresco
bunch breakfast radishes, cleaned and chopped
Chopped Red Cabbage
Cherry tomatoes
Grilled Corn
natural, sheep or coconut milk yoghurt (optional)
a few coriander sprigs




Method

Heat the oil in a pan and add thinly sliced onion and garlic once the oil is warm. Add the cinnamon, cumin, and cook for a few minutes and then in goes the Canned Beans. I drained the juices in the can and just added the beans alone to the pan. Add some fresh water to cook the beans, this would take approx. 5 mins –once the beans are soft   and tender  add salt to taste and set aside.

The Sweet Chilli Sauce will last you more than a meal and you can easily store in a glass jar and put it in the fridge. In a pan, heat the oil, add the finely chopped onion and carrot, Sauté till the vegetables are soft.Add the stock and other ingredients apart from the lemon and allow it to boil.Once the gravy thickens take it from the flame and allow it cool(***super important***) and then use a blender to blend the gravy to a smooth sauce. 


Check for seasoning and finally a good squeeze of lemon to give the gravy a good punch! If chipotle sauce isn’t available in your local super market you can use red chilli and had tiny bit of tamarind as it would give the tangy sour flavour.

For the Salsa finely chop up the tomatoes, the red chilli. Once this is done add the coriander and squeeze some lemon- Tadah that’s job done!

Guacamole is super easy –roughly chop up the avocado, add some salt, pepper, and big squeeze of lemon. I avoided chilli in my guacamole, as there was loads of heat in all the other elements.


Chop up the radishes, red cabbage, cherry tomato and any vegetable you are in the mood for  and keep it ready for serving.



Heat some corn tortilla on a griddle pan or alternatively you can use tacos as well. Machengo and Queso Fresco are the most popular Cheeses used in Mexican cuisine. 





If you do not find these, you can perhaps substitute with Mozzarella or even some nice crumbly feta.



You can pan fry some chicken breast if there is an ardent meat lover in the household  or fry up some sunny side eggs instead!





So there you go, a 'Mucho easy' Super-Mex comfort food perfect for your weekday supper!


Until Next Time


Adios! Cuídate !






















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Monday 13 June 2016

A Tryst with History! A Tryst with History!



In the (pretty)vale of Aylesbury, stands tall- one of the most beautiful chateau Southern England has seen !



With Plentiful fountains, sprawling green acres  and not to mention majestic art work and exquisite ceramic galleria that adorn the mansion- hours go by so easily as you are marveled by  the ornate walls at the Waddesdon Manor.













The manor bursts into life during summer and it is an ideal getaway if your heart is yearning for some  tranquility in a picturesque setting!





There’s about a 'million and one' things to do at the manor- From impromptu picnics to exploring the many gardens,Put on your fine hat and join for some posh English tea and finest scones or hum along with birds at the magnificent aviary or you can just break away into your book bubble under the shade of a mighty oak-now that’s quite Romantic!


Call it opulent or even a flamboyant- but there is no denying that Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild was a man of style and had a keen eye for detail!

A summer dress felt like an obvious option to keep up with vitornianesqueness of the mansion and to pay due respect to  the summery sun-The weather has surely kept us all on our toes this season!


I picked up this twirl-worthy dress from Banana Republic! If you have a smaller figure, I would recommend the Petite size! If you style it wisely, the dress is quite versatile! Pair it with some killer earrings and its transformed to an occasion wear and play it simple for a smart-work look!







Banana Republic has surely embraced the summer spirit and there are some  great pieces to pick from this season,  I absolutely loved this Ombre green One  and this strappy floral piece is currently on sale(go go go )



This Back Floral Midi is low on stock but super classy


And in love with this one ( retro and summery) and this one is a Maxi lover’s dream come true its total sasssssss!


I paired my dress with a wide nude belt  from BR. Loving this suede one !!



Mules and slide on’s……….


One minute pause!

That was me falling head over heels over these shoes- the wardrobe possibilities are quite endless  it can amp up even the most boring blue jean white shirt look to like electrifying!
Trust me –its worth the buy !



Aldo has come out with some ‘slam and dunk’ shoe styles !


These mules from Zara  will surely haunt you in your dreams( in the best way of course lol)



Are you twirling away in summer sun already? If there was a shoe-off between  Mules and gladiators which side would you pick! Tell us all about the summer  pieces you are loving this season!



Until Next time!

Take care

















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Thursday 9 June 2016

  A Gem called Palomar!! A Gem called Palomar!!




In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of theatre centre in London, Soho plays host to one of the well-kept secrets amongst ardent food lovers! It is a production of the finest kind- With chessy 80’s music and cheery bar stuff- you are promised to have a night to remember!


If the quality of food travels via the medium of word of mouth (and across borders in this case), it surely is proof to the excellent work the crew’s been doing and Palomar is your ‘Exhibit A’ to this theory!




In a cosy little corner on Rupert Street, W1D 6DN is a magical world of Israeli cuisine! Be warned, there is a 2-month wait to get a reservation, but if you are willing to use your charm and steely determination you might be in luck and  you can sneak your way to the later hours in the evening ! Beg, Borrow or Steal no matter what you do – it surely is going to be worth it!

We got settled in the Kitchen Bar area and I would totally recommend the same, with ever so charming staff one must not miss the opportunity to witness the spectacle unfold as the chef’s put up a total performance whilst cooking up the meal of a life time!

With sharing-platter style menu, we ordered a few from each of the Section, and if you are feeling  a bit unsure get hold of the lovely bartender for some top notch menu-advise!




Starting with some freshly baked Kubaneh served with tahini and grated tomatoes, its proper comfort food with class! It was almost like  breaking into baked clouds, amazingly soft and delectably buttery.


We then tucked into Beetroot Carpaccio with burnt goat's cheese, hazelnut brittle, lentil tuile & pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. YUM ! YUM and YUM! We quite literally wiped the plate clean and did not leave even a speck  for the dishwasher!




Their drinks menu is as exciting as their food menu- from Drunken Botanist to Hibiscus Cooler there is plenty to choose from.




 Or even better ,you can ask the fancy bar man to shake up a custom concoction.




Ta-dah!







Culinary world is seeing a massive ‘deconstruction’ revolution and Shakshukit is a fresh savoury deconstructed version of the classic Kebab- Now that’s quite a ballsy move! With Minced Meat, yoghurt, tahini served with some rustic Yaeli’s Pita, it is both comforting and quite upper class on the gastronomic scale! It takes some serious talent to pull that off!




If the many-legged Octo doesn’t intimidate you, I would absolutely recommend the Octo-hummous served in a bed of chickpea msabacha & cherry tomato confit!





Finally, it was the  beautifully plated Palomar Special -Fish of the day in gorgeous moroccon gravy and some bread!








We decided it was desert time and settled for the Jerusalem Mess – with much raving reviews it was an easy decision made! It was a live version of the numerous ‘out –of- the- world amazing looking’ desserts you see on the telly!





 Labneh mousse. 
Almond crumble. 
Strawberries.
Lemon cream. 
Elderflower & apple jelly & fresh sorrel!

I rest my case!
(Lol) I mean it is the kind of desert you would see on A MasterChef finale-it was heaven on a plate!

And for dessert number 2 , we went for Chocolate Crémeux earl grey infused crémeux, blood orange, milk streusel, cardamom marshmallow & coco-hazelnut tuile ! Once again, it was all magical!



And we had El Diablo Loco for the road( or more aptly the tube :D )!


So head to Palomar for some mind blowing Israeli cuisine, amazing company of the charming crew and some spectacular tacky tunes to sing along all night- you are guaranteed to have an epic experience!










Until Next Time

Take care

The Palomar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato






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