We were thrilled to check out a subscription box designed for women of color by women of color. Although our journey as humans has many similarities, life has a way of testing us in different ways. The women behind the Sanaya Set all have a story and a common interest that brought them together. They have used their work with API Chaya, a community for women who have been marginalized by domestic violence and sexual assault, to channel their energies to create a product that delivers awareness for a variety of good causes that speak to the experiences of women.
The Box
The Sayana set is a subscription box that is full of hand picked products that each tell a story and support a cause. What could be better than a seasonal box that comes to your door with a message? These products help women feel educated, engaged, and empowered to make the world a better place.
We felt strongly about the quality of the products (all 8 of them!) and the design of the box. A lot of thought and effort has been put into the selection of each and every product. The items each come with an information card and beautiful packaging.
If you are looking for a way to reach out to those who are working each and every day to make life better for themselves and their communities, look no further, the team at Sanaya Set has done the work for you! For $99 per box, per season, you can do good in a way that feels good and looks good.
Check out our unboxing video here:
Thanks for checking out our unboxing and be sure to check out Sanaya Set for you or as a gift!
The world of shopping has completely changed! People are shopping online and looking for a more personal experience when it comes to custom clothing. As South Asian women we spend a great deal of money on Indian clothing. Most pieces are handmade with some of the finest quality fabrics and with gorgeous embroidery! With wedding season upon us, I can’t wait to share with you a fun boutique we discovered in right here in Chicago!
Boutique Owners Vrati Doshi (Right) and her Mother, Nita Bagia (Left)
The Owners
Ziva boutique is situated on the north side of Chicago in West Town/ Ukrainian village at 1604 W. Augusta Street. It’s owned by Nita Bagia and Vrati Doshi, a knowledgeable and sweet mother daughter duo! Without the distraction of Devon Street (India Town in Chicago), it was nice to walk into a minimalist store front with absolutely gorgeous clothing lining the walls! Nita and Vrati greeted me with a smile and immediately made me feel welcome. After perusing the store I sat down with the Nita and Vrati who took the time to get to know me and my wants. They were hardly there to sell me anything (which is was a nice change from other aggressive Indian stores I’ve been to in the past), but more to figure out what I was looking for and how to make me feel gorgeous in my own style!
After selecting a few ready-made pieces I tried on some outfits in their gorgeous dressing room. They gave me some fun ideas on how to mix and match. What I loved was that I wasn’t bound to buying an outfit just the way I saw it! They informed me that they offer custom options which was nice to know. They said if I had a designer style in mind, they had multiple contacts throughout India who could help create my masterpiece. Of course, the timeline would be anywhere from 3 to 4 months for anything custom…so that would be important to keep in mind for planning!
Nita, Vrati’s mother, has lots of experience in fashion having previously owned a boutique and also having run a business out of her home. Nita was then able to loop in her daughter, Vrati to create a stress-free way to shop for any occasion! They specialize in Indian bridal clothing, but also have outfits that you can dress up or dress down! The chicks of ChicksAndSalsa love mom-preneurs and supporting other women working hard in their businesses!
The Clothing
In the attached photos I played around with some of their ready-made pieces. These outfits can be mixed and matched! I paired one of their bottoms with a fun crop top I had in my closet! Also, their boutique offers fun accessories, take a peek at this gorgeous necklace!
Statement Pieces
Bollywood Perfection
Mix and Match Pieces
My Two Favorite Colors in One Outfit
Ziva Vest
The Way this skirt moves is perfection!
This Emerald Color!
Elegance and Comfort!
I can tell you firsthand, you won’t be disappointed with your experience at Ziva! They are offering 25% off to anyone that mentions Chicks And Salsa on their next visit.
Ever since hair serums hit the market a decade ago, I have seen friends multipurpose them: for weight, for styling, for texture, on dry hair, and on wet hair. Hair serums were designed to assist with hair movement and to protect against the elements of everyday styling — this means that using them arbitrarily doesn’t optimize their use. But us chicks have found the ultimate hair tool. L’oreal Paris recently released the Elvive Extraordinary Serum in the United States to set the record straight on what a hair serum is supposed to do.
Using products according to the directions and knowing what is in the products you use is easier than ever. The Elvive serum is a versatile serum but because it is not a very heavy oil, it doesn’t work that well for weight, I found that it works best on damp and freshly shampooed hair. It is designed to provide moisture and protection therefore applying it to clean hair will make all the difference. Without adding more than a few drops, you can avoid too much weight and enjoy full, vibrant hair texture.
Before And After
Before And After – The picture on the left is my hair without product and looks heavier and less voluminous, whereas the photo on the right is after using the Elvive serum. The photos only tell part of the story since you cannot feel the difference. The hair on the right is softer and lighter to the touch.
Having used a variety of serums myself, the blended botanical extracts and oils combined with the overall feel and smell is the perfect storm for my hair. I might have a lot of hair but it quickly turns dry and dull if I don’t protect it. But don’t take my word for it, check out the amazing reviews on Amazon.
**A sample of the product was given complimentary via Inflenster to Chicks And Salsa in exchange for this review, however the opinions held herein are all our own.**
The other day I went into the kids playroom while they were at school and it dawned on me that the way I spend time with my kids has drastically changed over the last two years. Two years ago, both started their journey in full day school which meant them spending more time out of the house than in it. Gone were the days where every waking moment was spent trying to “pass the time” with the kids. As I rummaged through the jumble of toys, I began to reminisce when the kids were babies. In those days, I remember looking at the clock and wondering how it was only 9 AM when it felt like I had already been up for 12 hours. The toys and trinkets were my saving grace, and just what the kids needed to keep busy. While those days were amazing, it didn’t require much more from me other than supervised self-play.
As I filled bags with toys that the kids no longer play with, I couldn’t fight the bittersweet feeling of having both kids gone all day. On one end I was thrilled to have a little bit more time for myself, but on the other end, I was sad that our time together was reduced to just a few hours before bedtime. With after school clubs and sports I’m finding that the time I spend with the kids is engrossed in “the grind.” It has become so much more important to make those short windows of time together meaningful in some way.
Teal Firefly DIY Card Kit
My daughter, who is seven years old, loves to craft and do projects. What I learned was that she not only has a genuine interest in doing it, but relishes in the face to face time she gets with just me when working on a project. Juggling time between making meals, picking up, going to activities, doing homework and dropping off….things get busy! I try not to be hard on myself, but I too crave those moments… alone with each child, one-on-one.
My husband and I are big travelers and especially love to travel with the kids. It’s an opportunity to break from the grind and make time to do things together as a family. We’ve had travel plans scheduled for the Thanksgiving holiday for some time. Knowing we would have some down time, I wanted to do some fun crafty projects with my daughter, so I poked around the internet for some meaningful projects for us to do together.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
I stumbled across Teal FireFly, whose DIY crafting kits have everything you need to make creative, embellished cards from start to finish. And they are not overwhelming or messy. The kit contained cards/envelopes, direction cards for 4 designs, tags, glue dots, embellishments (rhinestones, glitter confetti) and a glitter glue pen. These kits come in a small box, so are easy pack and do while at the airport. Like most parents with little ones, we always give ourselves some extra time in case the kids walk at a snail’s pace or Chicago traffic does what it does best….take forever!
While sitting in the lounge I pulled out one of the cupcake card set and my daughter’s eyes lit up! She was excited to have a box of goodies with instructions toward a useful finished product! I loved the simplified, full color direction cards, as the illustrations made it easy enough for Carina to follow on her own. We made fun cupcake cards from the Celebration kit that we plan to distribute with gifts during the holiday season. She, and I, loved the one-on-one and even shared the goodies for some quality father-son time for my husband and son. It was such a great alternative to screen time as we had a chance to chat and be creative together! These cards will make a thoughtful touch to holiday gifts that can seem so impersonal sometimes. I know that family members and friends will appreciate the extra effort!
DIY Flower Card Kit
Spring Bird Kit
Founder, Laxmi Shah, breaks it down best, “When you make a card by hand, you pour your heart into it!! I have found that there’s immeasurable pleasure in that for both kids and adults alike.”
So even though one chapter of endless hours in a day are over, I am grateful for companies like Teal Firefly for making products that we can do ourselves while spending quality time together. Bye Bye supervised self-play….Hello creative togetherness!
Right now Teal Firefly is offering 10% off the entire store in honor of the shopping season!! Check them out here: www.tealfirefly.com
The Owners
