As winter transcends to spring, the month of February is already upon us (wow! almost a fortnight done). Needless to say, the month is synonymous with the feeling of being love! With blooming flowers, tropical vibes and a tinge of red all around; one can't miss the whiff of love in the air. Promises, roses and moments of mushy-ness. The endless list of date night ideas. Updates and posts that follow. Nothing can match upto the feeling of being in love. Sigh! It's wonderful, isn't it?

But, have you looked at yourself in the mirror, and showered some words of compliments? A subtle, "You look wonderful today," from a special someone creates a flutter in our stomach, doesn't it? How about we tweak things a bit and say this to ourselves, just once in a while? Learning to love yourself and being comfortable in one's skin is the most liberating and beautiful feeling. When no one stands by, you have yourself. When all else fails, you can motivate yourself. No one can love you better, if you fail to love yourself first. So, stop being harsh and learn to love! This valentine's day, give yourself some much needed love. Compliment yourself, and smile. Don't wait for someone else to make a difference! Love thy self fiercely, folks. So much, that when others see you, they know exactly how it should be done. 

The S/R 2017 edition of Lakmè Fashion Week kicked off in style yesterday. From the busy lanes of South Mumbai, LFW has now made it's way into the heart of BKC, with Jio Garden as the new venue. After an exciting opening showcase feat Monisha Jaising and showstopper Sonakshi Sinha on a luxury cruise ship, Day 1 at LFW was packed with interesting showcases, an exciting product launch and of course, the good ol' Bollywood glam. It was also took a step towards LFW's special focus on breaking stereotypes, diversity and inclusivity through their shows, designers and models, among others. Here's a round up of all the action that took place on Day 1 at the ongoing Lakmè Fashion Week.

Sustainable Style with 11.11 Eleven Eleven's 'The Khadi Way'

Gypsy Magic with Urvashi Kaur's 'Vasa'

Vintage dreams with'Ka-Sha'

Redefining Fashion with Amit Aggarwal's 'Seamless'

Cars, Bollywood and Action with Kunal Rawal's 'Race of Separates'

For all the action from the ongoing Lakmè Fashion Week S/R 2017, follow us on Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat | Instagram 

But when it comes to skincare, I don't like taking shortcuts. I follow my CTM routine religiously, but I won't deny the fact that I always feel the need of that one versatile moisturizer or cream, that can cut down the time required for lathering on multiple products (read: tinted cream, concealer, foundation and compact powders). I don't like using make up everyday, as I more of a simple eyeliner and lipstick person. Plus, I don't get the time to patiently go through the make up process everyday. Thankfully, the market is filled with some really good BB and CC creams today (which I think is a boon, considering there is something good for every skin type and these tinted creams are perfect for the humid climate in Mumbai) and during my search for something that suits my complexion and skin type, Pond's India invited me to try out the Pond's BB Cream. Instead of just testing the product overtime and reviewing it the way we usually do, I decided to give you a sneak peek into one of the many busy days in my life, where I took up the challenge of testing the Pond's BB cream in order to find out if it stays true to everything that the product promises. Read on the witness a chapter from my diary called life and to see if the Pond's BB Cream passed our test.

Its a Thursday - the day when most folks are busy thinking about mid-week crisis. For me, its a mix of different worlds, as I juggle meetings, film screenings and finalize projects in between events. Thankfully, I have scheduled all my commitments for today at venues that are nearby one another. After the regular CTM routine and some sunscreen, I used the Pond's BB Cream. The product promises to provide natural cover with SPF 30 PA++ (but since I had a long day out, I decided to use my sunscreen anyway). The texture of this product is quite smooth and just a little bit of it is good to go. Those with oily skin type may want to skip the moisturizer and apply this directly, as the texture of this cream is very light and soft. After this step, I just used some compact powder on my T-zone, followed it up an eyeliner and lipstick. I was all set to settle down with my iPad. Time to revert to emails and jot down notes for a meeting, that was scheduled to start at 10:30 am.

Post a two-hour long meeting (which I thought will never stop), it was time to meet some friends over a quick lunch and discuss some new plans. I kept it light, with just a few snacks and refreshing drinks, since I had a heavy breakfast that day and didn't want to feel too full. Seeing your pals after  two - three months is like going through a nostalgic trip. I would usually prefer a more laid back outfit for a meet up like this, and a lighter lip colour. Since I couldn't make too many changes, I swapped my heels for a pair of tan flats (I always carry an extra pair of footwear). Oh, and my face continued to look fresh and radiant. No touch up, yet!

Enough talks and memory trips for one day. Its Thursday - the day almost every Film writer and critic dedicates to watching a new release at the press screening. This week, we had Hamari Adhuri Kahani, an emotional roller coaster ride of a film, that stars Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Rajkummar Rao in the lead. From the humid climate outside to the cold, air-conditioned theatre, lets see how the Pond's BB Cream fares this test. A quick touch up of lipstick and we were ready for the cinemas. Thank god I always carry an extra pair of footwear. It started drizzling and we all know that running around in heels on Mumbai roads is a big no-no.

Woah! That was one heavily emotional film. Though the performances strike out and a few moments do make you feel all teary eyed, the film misses out on the magic that Mohit Suri usually creates with his films. Plus, the songs failed to impress (except the title track, which is decent). This was one film that I was quite kicked about, especially since I had met Mahesh (Bhatt) sir last year and spoken to him at length about the film's conceptualisation. Watch it once, since it is not that bad an attempt. Don't expect teenage love. This is a mature romance with some special, memorable moments that will leave an impact on you (not too big, though). Nevertheless, it was way past 5 pm and I have an event scheduled to start at 7 pm. Just as I walked past Le 15 patisserie, I couldn't stop myself from eyeing an egg-less chocolate cupcake. Somehow, I gave my facial mist a miss, as I noticed that my skin continued to look radiant, just as it was in the morning.

In between relishing a cupcake and attending an event, I had some time to work on a post, revert to some more emails and finalise an important voice over project. I decided to land up at the venue an hour in advance (and get my pair of heels on too). While initially, the idea was to settle down with a cup of hot chocolate in the coffee shop and continue working, the weather and beautiful sunset outset demanded that I head out to the patio area and work from there (and get a few pictures captured as well). The breeze and stunning view made for the perfect out-of-office space. And guess what? Its wonderful how despite the change of venues, humidity and pollution, the Pond's BB Cream continues to do its job well.

And guess what? I am finalized for the VO project *does a happy jig* I couldn't have had a better Thursday. Email reverts for the day were done, meetings for this week were finalised, important calls were taken care of and a few updates on social media platforms were also sorted. Guess my smile says it all! Nothing better than making sure that you complete all your work in time. But working hours are not yet over. 20 minutes to go for an event to begin, and I decided to spend this time by re-scheduling my plan for the next fortnight, making notes about hiring new team mates (Yes! We are hiring) and jotting down new feature ideas.

Its almost 7 pm. A quick visit to the restroom for a touch up left me stunned, as my face looked perfect with a natural finish, even after 7 - 8 hours. A swipe of mascara and lipstick and I was ready for the event (the Pond's BB Cream took good care of maintaining the natural glow on my face. Trust me, this is a real feat. My skin tends to behave weird, especially during climate change). While the product promotes fairness (which is the least of my concerns and something that I do not encourage), what really stood out for me was the way it perfectly evens out your skin tone. Plus, the non-oily texture keeps your skin feeling both hydrated and extremely light, all day long. Its almost as if I haven't applied anything on my face.

For those with light spots, the product works to hide them well (in case of darker spots, please opt for a concealer) and does not make your skin look patchy or supremely white (like a ghost, which some creams tend to do). While I didn't feel the need to re-apply this product, those with oily skin might want to get a touch-up after 4 -5 hours. I like how the product is available in multiple sizes and is packaged in a cute, travel friendly tube. Easy to carry, light on the pocket, super light on your face - the Pond's BB cream is all that you need in your bag (and must have kits) this season.
Now that I was done, it was time to head towards the ballroom area and settle down for an event. The day ended at around 10 pm and of course, I was exhausted. But I was glad that another eventful day came to an end, where I got lots of work done, without wasting time on anything else (touch-ups being one of them).

Outfit Details
T - shirt, Shoes | Zara
Blazer | Marks & Spencer
Jeans | Vero Moda
Watch | Swatch
Bag | H&M

On My Face
Pond's BB Cream - Natural Cover
Compact Powder - MAC Studio Fix Powder (gentle puffs on the T-zone only)
Eyeliner - Chanel Liquid Eyeliner Intensity Definition (10 - Noir Noir)
Lipstick - MAC Ruby Woo
Mascara (evening) - Clinique High Lengths Mascara
Nails - Maybelline Bright Sparks (Firewood Brown)

Note: This post is a collaboration with Pond's India. However, the product was tested for a fortnight before the day long challenge was accepted and shot. All the opinions and thoughts in this feature are honest and written only after testing the product according to the website's policy.

Love,
The Dancebee