DocDivaTraveller: September 2020

We all have our hair concerns. Whether it's fighting hairfall or dandruff, growing our tresses longer to combatting frizz, the list is endless. But what should be our main concern is keeping our locks healthy. Firstly you need to understand whether the hairfall is physiological or pathological. Falling of 50 to 100 strands per day is normal. But if your scalp is becoming visible, then you need to take matter into your own hands.

Hair care routine changes: Try changing your hair care products. If you suffer from dandruff, treat it. Dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis is a major reason for hairfall as it weakens the strands from the roots. If your tap water is hard, switch to using RO water for washing your hair.

Recently I have come across CIC Beauty 2x Neo Powder shampoo: A water activated cleanser. What attracted me to this product was that it has 100% effective ingredients while all the other traditional shampoos contain 70-80% water.

What does it contain and what are their functions?

It contains

Corn Starch
Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose
Cocamide MEA
Maltodextrin
Pea Protein
Rice Protein
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Activated Charcoal
Caffeine and Niacinamide: stimulate the scalp and promote hair growth
l-Leucine
l-Isoleucine
l-Valine (branched-chain essential amino acids)
Sodium Hyaluronate (multi-molecular weight) and B5: for a fuller, thicker hair
Melanin
Apple Cider Vinegar: balances PH and closes hair cuticles to reduce frizz
Rosa Centifolia (rose petal powder)
D-Panthenol
Tocopherol Acetate
Natural Fragrance oil
Contain Proprietary Adept™ Complex

How to use this product: It can be used both on dry and wet hair.

On dry hair – Shake the powder onto your dry scalp and slowly massage. This allows the powder to absorb excess oil in your hair. Add water and massage scalp to lather, then rinse clean.
On wet hair – Shake the shampoo powder onto your hands. Add water to lather, then massage into the hair. Rinse clean.

What I felt after application: Beautiful hair with relaxing fragrance. Soft and shiny hair.

Now I have a great news for you all, my readers! You can get 40% off on this CIC Beauty 2x Neo powder shampoo. Use code DOCDIVATRAVELLER1 here.

This product is very light and hence travel friendly. Also how cute is the packaging!

Apart from the right products, it's important to follow healthy lifestyle habits too.

Dietary changes: Include as much as vegetables and fruits in your diet. More the colours, the better. Try having soups and salads as one of your meals. Avoid deep fried stuff. Drink plenty of water. Avoid aerated drinks and alcohol. You can take supplements like Biotin, Folic acid and Vitamin E.

Lifestyle changes: Drinking and smoking are a strict no no. Avoid late night partying. A minimum of 7 hours of deep sleep is required. Exercise is mandatory. Avoid taking unnecessary stress. Try meditation.

Medical treatment: If you are suffering from any medical condition, get that treated. For Iron deficiency anaemia, take iron supplements. For hypothyroidism, take altroxin as advised by the physician and so on.

Have you tried any revolutionary product for your tresses yet? Are you excited about trying out this Neo powder shampoo? Let me know!

9/28/2020 12 comments

I have been a sucker for home decor as long as I can remember. My very prime reason to choose B n Bs over any established hotel is the decor. Every individual 'home' is reminiscent of the owner's personal choice, taste and culture. And hence it's an open door for me to experience everything new first hand. So the very first criteria when we choose a home to book is its decor. The cosier, quirkier or the more different it is, it's a win win! Of course the basics have to be fulfilled: kitchen (our main concern), parking (if we are driving) and location; since cute B n Bs seem to be off the normal route. However we booked this cozy home in a tiny village in Austria, whose location was quite vague (the map in Air B n B can be quite frustrating) just because we fell in love with the beautiful host family by looking at the pictures of the trinkets in their home.

This home was our stay in Gmunden, a place near Hallstat, Austria. Austria is the land of lakes (See in German lingo) and Gmunden had the Traunsee, a wide lake. Our homestay was at a walking distance from Traunsee but it was an uphill task asking the GPS of our rented Audi A4 to take us to our destination. With a long drive beforehand and sightseeing on the way and me being 5 months pregnant, all I wanted was to slip into the warm, cozy bed. However I think we must have made around 10 rounds through that hilly town before we could land at the correct lane. Frustrated, my husband parked the car near the lake and went to locate the address on foot. It was already dark by then and pregnant me, a bit scared. Thankfully Austria is one of the safest places in Europe and we need not worry; apart from wild animals.

The houses in Gmunden have a open door policy. Our host left us a note outside the door and we made ourselves comfortable within no time. It was a beautifully done up home and I loved soaking up the small town life for two days.

We made a quick dinner and coffee in the kitchen and then left to explore the town and walk by the lake in the dark. Everyone had fallen asleep. The only thing that we were scared of were wild animals and their howling which could be heard from a distance.

Takeaways from this home:

1. Don't shy away from painting your walls in bold colours. Keep the rest of the things non printed/ monochrome/neutral.
2. You can put several small photographs in one long frame.
3. DVD's can be stacked into making a flat surface and used as tables.

4. I should start kitchen gardening in pots.

5. Thank you notes from guests could be beautifully used as trinkets.

Do you like staying in homes while travelling? Which stay has been your most remarkable experience?

9/14/2020 17 comments

Since we still cannot travel freely, (I haven't stepped out yet) let me continue to satiate the wanderlust genes through our previous travels.

Firstly the title does not fascinate me at all. I am not at all a big fan of comparison and comparing a tiny hill station with the entire Switzerland is simply not justified. Maybe it's the Indian obsession with Switzerland. I know you are reminiscing Yash Raj film locales. Swiss is definitely on my bucket list but not for the cliched reasons; and that vacation can wait :D

Anyways Khajjiar is a must visit on a trip to Dalhousie. We had a nice breakfast and then left for Khajjiar in our car. The way was mesmerising. The snow capped mountains on one side and innocent flora on the other. We crossed an idyllic boarding school on the way. Hubs suggested that we would admit our daughter in this school if she turns out to be naughty later. My mind raced back.

It was the year 1999 when I visited Nainital with my parents. On the way to Ranikhet we spotted many gorgeous boarding schools. The hills are known to have famous boarding schools from where eminent personalities have emerged. My mother had said that I was becoming too much of a nuisance and I needed to step out of my comfort zone. She said the best way to develop my personality was to get me into a boarding school./ I was scared as hell. I did not want to move out! I was too comfortable in my cocoon back home. So the day we reached back I bought all my school books and said that since I am ready to continue with my regular school, I could not be thrown away from my home!

Coming back to Khajjiar, I never intend to send my daughter away; though she is tremendously naughty at this age and I take care of her for only few hours! Phew we will see that later.

The moment our car parked in front of the Khajjiar plateau, I felt that I was in a shooting location of a sci fi movie! The plateau looked like as if a large meteor had fallen and as a result water accumulated in the dent and became a lake! Later on we learnt that our assumption was actually true! A meteor was responsible for this formation.

The grass was green and the plateau was surrounded by tall pine trees. The small lake had tall grasses in it and it was the perfect shooting location. We ran on the grass, ate snacks and relaxed. My daughter was having the time of her life. She ran everywhere with my Dad running behind her. She chased away the pigeons and rabbits or whichever animal that came her way.

There were beautiful wooden houses amidst the pine trees. I wished that I could own one. We loved the sun on our back and we were in no mood to leave. But we had our train (back to Delhi) to catch from Pathankot. Hence we bade goodbye to the place reluctantly.