Author: Gurpreet Kaur

Stardust Awards: all about red carpet and the winners

One of the most-awaited award ceremonies, the Sansui COLORS Stardust Awards was held in Mumbai recently and, needless to say, was attended by many members of the Indian Film Industry. The Red Carpet witnessed the presence of many celebs from all walks of life including actors Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Sonam Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Jacqueline Fernandez, Shahid Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra, Nimrat Kaur, the power couple Nita and Mukesh Ambani and many more.

The evening was a grand affair with a storm of superstars who set the stage ablaze with their sizzling performances. While King Khan performed with his Dilwale co-stars Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon; Ranveer Singh took over the stage with his Malhari dance performance. Sonam Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt also entertained the audience with their power-packed acts.

L – R: Kriti Sanon, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Varun Dhwan

L – R: Nimrat Kaur, Salman Khan and Huma Qureshi

L – R: Athiya Shetty, Sooraj Pancholi and Parineeti Chopra

L – R: Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez and Shahid Kapoor

L – R: Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, Richa Chadda, Nita Ambani and Mukesh Ambani

L – R: Sonam Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Alia Bhatt

It was a glitzy award night wherein many celebrities bagged awards for their spectacular on-screen performances. Here’s the list of the winners.

Best Costume Design- Niharika Khan (Bombay Velvet)

Best Screenplay- Varun Grover (Masaan)

Best Story-Sriram Raghavan and Arijit Biswas (Badlapur)

Best Lyricist-Varun Grover (Masaan)

Best Playback Singer – Female- Palak Muchhal (Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo)

Best Playback Singer – Male- Armaan Malik (Hero)

Best Music Director-Amit Trivedi (Shandaar)

Best Music Album-Roy

Best Choreographer- Remo D’Souza (ABCD 2)

Best Actor in Supporting Role – Female- Shefali Shah (Dil Dhadakne Do)

Best Actor in Supporting Role – Male -Anil Kapoor (Dil Dhadakne Do)

Best Actor in Negative Role- Randeep Hooda (Main Aur Charles)

Best Actor in Comic Role- Kartik Aaryan (Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2)

Best Debut – Female- Bhoomi Pednekar (Dum Lagake Haisha)

Best Debut – Male – Sooraj Pancholi (Hero)

Filmmaker of the Year – Meghna Gulzar (Talwar) and Shonali Bose (Margarita With A Straw)

Editors Film of the Year- Dum Lagake Haisha

Best Film of the Year – Bajrangi Bhaijaan

Best Director of the Year – Kabir Khan (Bajrangi Bhaijaan)

Breakthrough Performance by a Child Artist- Harshali Malhotra (Bajrangi Bhaijaan)

Power-packed Performer of the Year- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Stardust Editor’s Choice Performer of the Year – Female -Richa Chaddha (Masaan)

Stardust Editor’s Choice Performer of the Year – Male – Irrfan Khan (Piku)

Best Actor of the Year – Female – Deepika Padukone (Piku)

Best Actor of the Year – Male – Amitabh Bachchan

Style Icon of the Year- Parineeti Chopra

Best Debut Jodi- Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty

Lifetime Achievement Award – Jeetendra

Pride of the Industry – Anu Malik

Timeless Diva – Zeenat Aman

Sansui Entertainer of the Year- Varun Dhawan

Special Recognition to a Casting Director- Mukesh Chhabra

December 22, 2015
DIY: snowman nail art for Christmas

Ladies, the best part of winter is here and we are sure all the Christmas-outfit planning has already started. This year, finish your Christmas outfit with a simple red manicure and take your attire from gorgeous to perfectly gorgeous.

Get a salon-like manicure at home and make your hands feel Christmas’s spirit too. Take a look at this info graphics and try this easy snowman nail art in few simple steps.

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December 18, 2015
Five rules of formal dressing for men

For men, a formal dress code always works if it’s a family get-together, social event or an office meeting. After all… clothes make a man and there’s nothing more attractive than a sharp, well-groomed formal look! A well-tailored suit, a crisp shirt and a classic neck-tie are just some of the elements you need to make the ladies swoon. Add to that a pair of stylish shoes and some understated accessories and you’ll be on top of your game. To get the complete lowdown on mastering the art of formal dressing, check out these five rules that will help you look your dapper best!

Rule1: Your shoes must match your tie.

Rule2: The tie’s length should reach the belt.

Rule3: Always tuck the shirt’s collar into the lapel of the blazer.

Rule4: An inch of your shirt’s cuff should be visible from below your coat’s sleeves.

Rule5: Keep the top most button of the blazer buttoned while standing so it’s easier to unbutton when you sit.

December 17, 2015
DIY: beauty masks at home

Winter can be extremely hard on your hair, skin and body. Thrashing wind, dry air and freezing temperature can leave your skin feeling dry and rough. If you do not want to invest a lot of money in buying expensive moisturisers, body butters, lip balms or hair masks then here are easy home hacks for you. All you needs are some ingredients from your kitchen cabinet to make these easy DIY beauty masks at home and kick away the dryness and roughness away from you.

For your hair

You need:

1 ripe banana

1 tbsp. olive oil

3 tbsp. mayonnaise.

Method:

Mix the ingredients well in a bowl until smooth and apply generously to dry hair, concentrating mostly on the roots. Tie your hair in a top bun and use a shower cap to cover your hair. Let it sit for 30-40 minutes (depending on your hair length) and rinse well. Shampoo & condition your hair as you normally do.

Tip: Do not use blow dryer to dry your hair as it makes the frizz more prominent. Instead, let your locks fly free and air dry.

Use this hair mask once in a week to cut down the frizz. It also ensures hair growth because it has banana, which is rich in proteins, and mayonnaise that keeps your hair healthy and nourished.

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For your hands

You need:

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 1/2 tbsp. raw honey

3 tsp. sea salt

Method:

Stir coconut oil and honey together in a bowl till it forms a thick creamy mixture. Add sea salt to this mixture and beat it up until smooth. Give your hands a gentle massage with a small amount of this mixture for about 5 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry.

Try this beauty treatment twice a week for best results. You may also prepare a fair amount of this DIY cream and store it in refrigerator for longer use. The cream might harden in the refrigerator but all you need to do is take some amount of it on your palm and rub it so your body’s heat melts it. This will keep your hands moisturised and help in repairing dry and cracked skin. This homemade scrub works best during winters, leaving your hands feeling smooth and soft and also, it smells GREAT!

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For your body

You need:

1 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup rose petals

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup almond oil

Method:

Pour coconut oil into the jar, then set the rose petals on top of the coconut oil and add in sugar. Top it off with almond oil, leave it for 24 hours and let the oils soak into the petals. Stir the mixture well before using. After exfoliating with the mixture, take a hot shower and moisturise your skin with a thick creamy body lotion.

Rose petals contain everything necessary for a good cleanser as well as a toner. It keeps your skin fresh and also fights acne. Mixing it with coconut and almond oil will help your skin will look radiant and smell amazing too.

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For your lips

You need:

1 tsp. honey

1 tsp. edible oil such as olive oil or sweet almond oil

2 tsp. powdered sugar

Method:

Mix honey and oil in a bowl and heat it up for five seconds in the microwave. Pour granulated white sugar to the mixture and stir well (you may add a few drops of lemon juice, if you like).

This DIY scrub works best at night and you can use it on a daily basis. Honey has healing and hydrating properties that keeps your lips moisturised and the sugar helps to remove dead skin. Gently exfoliating your lips with this lip scrub will keep them healthy and smooth and also, it smells DELICIOUS!

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So what you are waiting for?…. Head to the kitchen and get scrubbing.

December 16, 2015
Get some style inspiration from Sonam Kapoor

The B-town fashionista Sonam Kapoor attended the Agenda Aaj Tak event on Saturday in the capital in a fabulous off white ensemble by Ashi Studio. She teamed the balloon dress with a crop jacket by Chloé and golden pumps.

Sonam accessorized her outfit with a beige belt and a sling clutch in gold. She looked breathtakingly gorgeous in this attire with minimal makeup and hair kept in loose curls.

Sonam Kapoor is known for her effortless style and her love for experimenting with her looks. So take a page from her style book and take inspiration from this gorgeous actor.

December 14, 2015
DIY: easy gift wrapping idea for Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner and we are sure that you have already started thinking about choosing gifts for your friends and family. Make your gifts even special for them by ensuring that the gifts are packed well. Watch this DIY tutorial and try this easy gift wrapping idea for Christmas.

Steps

Take plain white paper and scrunch it to give it texture. Carefully unfold the chart paper and wrap your gift.

Now, take red and green colour and paint dots randomly covering the entire surface area of the paper (you may use any round brush but I am using chopsticks here) and let it dry for 10 minutes.

Tie the red ribbon around the gift and add some Christmas balls or any decorations to give it a festive touch and voila!

Merry Christmas

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December 11, 2015
Champagne is great, not just for your mood but skin and hair too! Let’s stock some more.

Every celebration remains incomplete without popping a sizzling bottle of champagne. But did you know that champagne can improve your skin and hair and you can get beauty benefits from that bottle of bubbly?

We recently learned that champagne can help in weight loss (yes, you read that right) and improves your memory which gives all champagne-lovers another reason to have it but there are few other benefits of champagne that include gorgeous skin and shiny hair. Take a look at these beauty benefits of champagne.

1. Use champagne for smooth and silky hair

Mix one part champagne with equal amount of warm water in a bottle and spray the mixture evenly on your hair after shampooing and conditioning. Leave it for some time to soak in while you get ready and then style your hair as you normally do. This hair treatment is an excellent way to keep your hair healthy and will make it look and smell good. Champagne is an amazing hair rinse and also acts as a volume booster for your hair.

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2. Get glowing skin with champagne

Another one of many beauty benefits of champagne is that it helps you get glowing skin. Champagne makes for a great skin toner because it contains grapes which are a good source of antioxidants and also carries Vitamin C and E. It brightens up your skin and is smoother than store-boughtproducts. Dilute one part of champagne with one part water, soak a cotton pad into the mixture and wipe across freshly washed face and neck. Make sure to do this once or twice a week because alcohol tends to dry skin out. Don’t forget to moisturise your face afterwards for great results. You can also create a purifying facial mask by adding champagne to a bit of clay. This can make life easier for people with oily skin.

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3. Make a bubble bath from your bubbly while you sip it

Champagne can make a wonderful exfoliating bubble bath because the carbon dioxide bubbles help in slopping off all your dead skin and exfoliate dry winter skin. Mix it with a little bit of bath gel and you have a perfect spa at home. Now it’s time to hop into your bath tub, relax in your bubble bath and see your dry dull skin getting exfoliated while you sip on to a glass of bubbly.

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Now that you’ve discovered so many beauty benefits of champagne, you will need to save more money to stock up more champagne not just for drinking. Cheers!

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Featured images sourced from Source1 and Source2

December 9, 2015
Pictures: Manish Malhotra turns a year older

Bollywood’s favourite fashion designer, Manish Malhotra, turned a year older and celebrated his 50th birthday on 5th December with his all time beloved ladies. The highly acclaimed designer has designed outfits for many leading actresses in Bollywood and they all came together to be a part of his special day.

Veteran actresses Sridevi, Raveena Tandon, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Urmila Mantondkar and Karisma Kapoor, along with Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt and Sophie Choudry dropped in at his residence to celebrate his birthday. The actresses chose Instagram to give him birthday wishes and posted pictures from the party where all of them seemed to be having a ball.

The birthday boy looked handsome in an all black ensemble but what made this party more special was the cake with his own picture on it. Take a look at this star-studded birthday bash’s pictures.

Alia Bhatt kept her outfit simple and looked chic in black dress.

Raveena Tandon looked gorgeous in basic white tee and a pair of distressed denims.

Kapoor sisters were seen in black and blue colour scheme. While Kareena Kapoor wore a simple dress, Karisma Kapoor opted for separates.

Shilpa Shetty looked stunning in this achromatic outfit.

Sophie Choudry perfectly expressed her “love” for the birthday boy in this black dress.

Sridevi looked hot in a black top and floral pants.

Last but not the least, Urmila Matondkar definitely looked beautiful in this casual yet very elegant look.

December 7, 2015
Pictures: Jacqueline Fernandez at the launch of Motorola Moto 360 smartwatch

Recently at the launch of Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Generation) smartwatch in Delhi, we spotted Jacqueline Fernandez in an all black ensemble. The beautiful Jacqueline loves to surprise us with her stunning appearances and she did it yet again with her simple and classy look.

Jacqueline was sporting a leather pencil skirt in black teamed with a solid black top and completing the look with beige pumps. We love how she accessorized her subtle outfit with the elegant earrings and of course the Moto 360 Smart watch.

She looked fabulous posing with the Moto 360 smartwatch and flaunting it.

December 2, 2015
Outfit of the week: Get inspired by Ayushmann Khurrana’s look at the Filmfare Glamour & Style Awards

When making a public appearance, it is crucial that one has all elements of their look in sync with each other because let’s face it, the overall impact is what really counts. At Absolut Elyx Filmfare Glamour & Style Awards, we spotted many known personalities from Indian film frat putting their best looks forward. Held on 30^th November, the star-studded event was held at Taj Lands’ End in Mumbai and was hosted by actor Neha Dhupia.

Among the many B-town celebs the one man who really caught our eye was Ayushmann Khurrana in his grey plaid suit paired with white sneakers. A plain white shirt made the look sleek while the simple accessories, a black and white pocket square and a flower, personalised it perfectly. Take a look at his pictures to get your outfit of the week inspiration and rock your dapper look.

December 1, 2015
Top 5 tips to get the perfect blowout for your hair

If you want a salon-like blowout without spending a lot of money to have it done, all you need is to use the right technique. Prep your hair correctly and blow it out carefully and we guarantee your hair will stay on point for several days.

Here’s everything that’ll help you in getting the perfect blowout for your hair

You may carefully select your shampoo and conditioner and splurge on hair elixirs or oils to attain your dream locks, but did you know that the way you dry your hair can make a huge difference too?

There are different methods for blow-drying your hair and it all depends on its style, texture and length.

From simple hacks such as taking the nozzle off the drier for straight hair, to the type of brush you should be using to tame curls, we have rounded up the top 5 tips to get perfect hair every time. Take a look at this infographic to learn more.

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Featured image sourced from here

November 30, 2015
Tips and tricks to avoid split ends

Having split ends doesn’t necessarily mean that your world has ended. Yes, they are less than desirable and can be a little bit annoying but there are ways to delay their occurrence. When your ends are frayed, your hairstyle starts looking a bit dull and it becomes nearly impossible to grow your hair.

While there is no other way of getting rid of your split ends except for chopping them off, there are a plenty of ways of keeping them under control. Yes, you all can deal with your fried and jagged ends with these easy and simple tips and turn them into soft, smooth and healthy hair. Take a look at these tips and tricks to avoid split ends.

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1. Do not wash your hair daily

Washing hair every day makes them dry which results in detangled and frizzy hair. Daily wash takes away the natural oils from your hair which makes your scalp itchy and also causes dandruff. Therefore, it is advisable to wash your hair only twice or thrice a week.

2. Shampoo only your scalp

Always use shampoo to wash your scalp but not the hair length because it’s the scalp that gets greasy. So simply lather shampoo onto your scalp and massage it for one minute allowing it to absorb the excess oil and then rinse with cold water.

Tip: Get your hair some oil massage at night and wash it the next morning.

3. Condition your ends

ALWAYS use conditioner after the shampoo! Apply conditioner from the mid length to the ends of your hair, and then give it a couple of minutes to soak in and then rinse off with cold water.

4. Towel drying

Do not rub your hair with a towel, instead wrap a towel (or a cotton t-shirt) around your hair and squeeze dripping wet hair to remove excess water. Once the excess water is removed, let it air dry.

5. Grab a gentle comb or brush

The brush or comb should aid you in detangling your hair, not pulling it out. Invest in a wide tooth comb or a round paddle brush to lightly glide through hair and loosely manage your locks without causing much breakage.

Tip: Always start detangling the ends first working your way up till the roots

6. Blow drying

Avoid placing direct heat to your hair until absolutely necessary. Use a blow dryer on low or medium setting and hold it a few inches away from your hair to minimise damage

7. Heat styling

Heat denatures the keratin of hair making it prone to split ends. Heat treatments are a major cause of damage and split ends which includes blow drying, straightening and curling your hair.

Tip: Use a heat protector on your hair before styling them with heat

8. Get your hair trimmed regularly

The best way to avoid split ends in the first place is to get your hair trimmed on a regular basis (after every eight weeks). If you notice a random split end along the way, grab a pair of scissors and chop it out, right then!

9. Hair mask

Treating your tresses with a hair mask every once in a while is a great way to lock in moisture and banish those wicked split ends. Use it every couple of weeks and you should see an improvement in your hair’s strength, softness and overall shine. If you want to go for home-made hair mask then make a mixture of one egg, one tablespoon olive oil/coconut oil and one teaspoon honey, apply it to your hair and wash it after 40-45 minutes.

Featured images sourced from here

November 27, 2015
5 beauty tools every woman needs in her bag

It’s really amazing to have a lot of makeup tools in your bag. They are a treat to the eyes and they also help us achieve that perfect look in the least time possible. However, it’s not always possible to carry an elaborate makeup kit with you due to many reasons, mostly when you’re planning to travel light. For those days, we have the right mix of tools for you right here.

Take a look at these 5 beauty tools that are an absolute must for anyone’s makeup bag.

1. Tweezers

The right shaped eyebrows can change the way you look. They make your eyes appear more open and bright, without the influence of makeup. This is why tweezers should have a little space in your makeup bag. They are great for taking care of any unwanted hair and enhancing your natural beauty.

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2. Q-Tips

These little buds are not just for your ears but you can use them to perfect your makeup too. They are actual life savers and help you avoid those embarrassing moments when your eyeliner messed up and you feel you look like a zombie. Use these Q-tips to fix your makeup and make them your BFF.

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3. Nail File

You all know what this tool does to your nails but this guy is helpful in those times when your nail is pealing and it irritates you so much that you start thinking of killing people (for instance your ex). You can trim your nails on the go and shape the edges of your nails when something like this happens.

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4. Hand Mirror

Out of all the beauty tools, hand mirror is probably one of the most important ones. These compact mirrors also work great when you need to touch up your makeup on the go.

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5. Eyelash Curler

Last but certainly not the least is the eyelash curler. This tool is great to make your eyelashes appear longer and healthier. An eyelash curler is an essential beauty tool that is perfect for a natural look. It brightens up your eyes and makes them appear bigger and brighter.

Tip: You can either use an eyelash curler before you apply mascara or use it naturally (without the mascara).

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November 24, 2015
“Before becoming a Sikh, a Muslim, a Hindu or a Christian, let’s become a human first” Happy Birthday Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Gurupurab is one of the most important festivals of the Sikhs and is also popularly known as Guru Nanak Jayanti or Prakash Utsav of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It is the birth ceremony of Guru Nanak Dev Ji who was the first guru of the Sikhs. It is celebrated the world over, and Gurdwaras (the sikh temples) are decorated and lit up with diyas to add to the festivities.

But that is not all about how this special festival is celebrated. There’s much more to it than just lighting up Gurudwaras. Take a look at this infographic to find out all about it.

Inpost image sourced from here

Featured image sourced from here

November 24, 2015
Have you been using the wrong hair straightener all this while?

When it comes to hair tools, one of the best investments a woman can make is buying a hair straightener simply because it is a very versatile tool. Hair straightener is the one essential tool for every girl to get the clean look that straight hair gives. Though beachy waves, fancy hairdos and braids make for the current trend but we hold a special place in our hearts for straight hair. Ideal for both casual and formal events, straight hair instantly amps up any girl’s chic factor.

However, buying the right straightener is the most important factor to get the no-frills look. There are certain factors that one must keep in mind while purchasing a straightener to suit their respective hair type. Take a look at these infographics and make a well-informed decision.

Images sourced from Source1, Source2

November 23, 2015