Happy Holi from your friends at Luxemi! We hope your spring is full of love, color, and of course some mischief. Check out our Holi-Inspired Playlist on our YouTube channel and get in on all on the fun!
Category Archives: Luxe Holidays
Happy Holi From Luxemi!
Filed under Luxe Holidays
Luxemi’s Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2013
From fashion forward style choices to taking personal leaps (both figuratively and literally) Luxemi is looking forward to a bold 2013. Here are our top 10 New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Wear more color (specifically Pantone’s color of the year, Emerald)
2. Be a little girlier than we were in 2012 by wearing more frills
3. Volunteer more time and resources to worthy organizations (our faves are SAY WE and Saris For Good Karma.
4. Indulge our inner maharanis and wear more beads
5. Do a little more DIY, especially when entertaining
6. Lose a little weight, or not! (Luxemi’s blouses adjust to fit, so we’ve got you covered either way)
7. Take a leap (of faith, of love, or perhaps even from the sky)
8. Stripe it up ala Oscar de la Renta
9. Take a vacation (or two!) to somewhere exotic
10. Learn to braid – this 2012 mega trend doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon
What are some of your New Year’s Resolutions? Let Luxemi help you take the fashion risks you’ve always dreamed of by renting a saree or salwar from our eclectic rental collection!
Filed under Luxe Holidays
Affordable Holiday Gifts from Luxemi – 10 Indian Jewelry Items Under $50
Who says you have to spend a lot to look chic this holiday season? Here are 10 affordable, fabulous fashion finds from Luxemi, guaranteed to bring all the girls on your gift list a lot of joy — for less than $50!
1. Gold Hoops with Pearls, $48 to buy
2. Gold and Pearl Hand Jewelry, $28 to buy
3. Crystal and Gold Bracelet, $38 to buy
4. Classic Gold and Crystal Bracelet Set, $28 to buy
5. Black Stone, Ruby Quartz and Crystal Headpiece, $48 to buy
6. Antique Three Teardrop Earrings, $48 to buy
7. Faux Pearl, Enamel and Crystal Bracelet, $48 to buy
8. Classic Crystal Tikka, $28 to buy
9. Blue Crystal Lattice Cocktail Ring, $48 to buy
10. Blue Sapphire Quartz Flower Earrings, $48 to buy
Want more affordable holiday gift ideas for every fashionable girl on your list? Luxemi’s apparel and accessory collections feature gorgeous borrow and buy items to spice up this holiday season (no matter your gift-giving budget)! And be sure to visit the Luxe Report for your weekly dose of Indian inspiration.
Filed under Indian-Inspired, Killer Accessories, Luxe Holidays
Black Friday Holiday Makeup Deals 2012 + Luxemi Cyber Monday Sale
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the biggest and best shopping day of the year is nearly upon us: Black Friday. A day devoted to nursing your food coma while getting your holiday gifts for a steal, Black Friday is best when you come prepared. That’s why we’ve chosen our favorite holiday makeup deals just for you, our Luxe fans. Better still, we’ve paired these heavily discounted makeup steals with Luxemi looks you’ll look fabulous in this holiday season (which, by the way, are 20% off on Cyber Monday)!
YSL + Luxemi
Yves Saint Laurent, one of our favorite luxury makeup brands, is offering 20% off plus free shipping across its website. We especially love YSL’s Volume Effet Faux Cils waterproof mascara in signature violet. A little violet mascara is the perfect compliment to Luxemi’s wine salwar with shell embroidery.
Sephora, Bare Minerals + Luxemi
Sephora is offering a ton of Black Friday deals, with great makeup being offered for only $10. Our favorite ten-dollar deal is the Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals Let It Glow set, a two piece kit for a perfect touch-of-sun glow (a $42 value!). The deal goes live on Black Friday and is sure to sell out, so make sure to take advantage of it and other killer deals from Sephora. Want the perfect salwar to accent your new glow? Try Luxemi’s Shimmer Georgette Salwar by Nikasha.
Rain + Luxemi
Ready to indulge your inner beauty queen? Rain, the official makeup of the Miss America pageant, is perfect for when you want to make a more dramatic makeup statement. Now through the end of Black Friday, Rain is offering 40% off everything on its website. We particularly love Rain’s Silky Duo Eye Shadow in Samba and Woo, which pairs perfectly with Luxemi’s tonal saree with paisley detail.
MAC + Luxemi
Forget Black Friday, it’s time for Grey Friday! To celebrate the biggest shopping day of the year, MAC Cosmetics is releasing Grey Friday, a special duo of silvery black lipstick and polish available to shoppers only on November 23, both online and in stores. Make sure to pick up this exclusive line before it disappears along with Black Friday deals. Use this glamorously grey duo to amp up Luxemi’s black and white jamdani saree by Neeru Kumar.
And here’s Luxemi’s Black Friday deal for you: we’re offering free shipping all week, and 20% off all items on Cyber Monday (November 26) with the promotion code CYBER20, so make sure to check out our carefully curated collection of Indian apparel and accessories. Happy holidays!
Filed under Luxe Holidays, Luxemi Events, Luxemi Promotions
Indian Inspired Thanksgiving – DIY Projects, Recipes and More!
With Thanksgiving around the corner, Luxemi’s here to help you infuse some ethnic flavor into your Turkey Day celebration. Try these recipes and DIY projects to spice up your Thanksgiving dinner!
Madhur Jaffrey’s Bengali-Style Tomato Chutney (makes 2 ½ cups)
This Thanksgiving, ditch the canned cranberry sauce and opt for this delicious tomato chutney! It’s an easy way to add flavor to that roasted turkey, and will be just as tasty on Black Friday when you’re eating all those leftovers.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive, canola, or peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
2 cups tomato puree, canned or homemade
1 1/2 teaspoons very finely grated peeled fresh ginger
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons golden raisins (optional)
Directions
1. Pour the oil into a medium-size pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cumin and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop (it should only take a few seconds), add the fennel seeds.
2. A few seconds later, add the tomato puree, ginger, vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes and salt. Stir and bring to a simmer. Once bubbling, turn heat down to low and cook, uncovered, stirring now and then, for about 50 minutes.
3. Add the raisins and cook another 10 minutes. The chutney should be thick and have a glazed appearance. Put the chutney into a jar, allow to cool, and refrigerate.
Madhur Jaffrey’s Sweet and Sour Pumpkin (makes 4-5 servings)
We love the idea of swapping mashed potatoes for this flavorful, soulful sweet and sour pumpkin dish. It’s got all the essential Indian spices, plus that comfort food feel that we associate with Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons mustard oil or olive oil
A generous pinch of ground asafetida
1/2 teaspoon whole brown or yellow mustard seeds
4 cups (1 1/4 pounds) peeled and seeded pumpkin, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces (can also substitute butternut squash)
3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Directions
1. Pour the oil into a frying pan and set over medium heat. When hot, add the asafetida and mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds start to pop (it should only take a few sconds), add the squash. Continue to cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, or until the squash pieces just start to brown.
2. Add 1/4 cup of water, cover, turn heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
3. Add the salt, sugar, cayenne and yogurt. Stir and cook, uncovered, over medium heat until the yogurt is absorbed and no longer visible. Sprinkle in the cilantro and stir a few times.
DIY Lotus Origami Placeholders
Remember making origami fortune tellers when you were a kid? This simple origami project is a lot like that, except you’ll end up with super cute lotus flowers. Use these as table decorations, or write your guest’s name on one of the leaves to make personalized place cards.
Check out the entire tutorial, courtesy of Paint Me Plaid. It’s really easy — we promise!
DIY Saree Table Runner
Have a saree you’ve worn a few too many times but can’t bear to part ways with? Try making it into a festive table runner to give your Thanksgiving table the Indian treatment. Just make sure the table runner is a few feet more narrow and a few feet longer than your table dimensions.
Luxemi is so thankful for all our Luxe fans. And just to show our love and gratitude, we’re offering free shipping the entire week of Thanksgiving!
Filed under DIY Projects, Luxe Holidays
5 Ways To Spice Up Your Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, there’s no better time than now to show your loved ones you care. But at Luxemi, we’re not satisfied with typical gifts like chocolates and a bouquet of roses. Nor do we want to spend Valentine’s Day having an overpriced prix fixe dinner at a restaurant surrounded by other couples. So we’ve come up with some alternatives for you this V-Day.
These five alternative Valentine’s Day ideas from Luxemi are sure to spice things up for you and your loves this year.
Make Your Own Card
Remember how fun it was to make DIY Valentine’s Day cards as a child? This year, ditch Hallmark in favor of a super-personalized, handmade card. It’s a simple, heartfelt gift that’s easy to create and guaranteed to make your loved one smile. So go ahead: Grab some card stock, scissors, ribbon, glue and markers, and let your creativity shine!
Remember Your Friends
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for lovers; it’s the perfect day to show your single girlfriends some love by throwing a killer party. So why not combine the two by holding a get-together with all of your single friends? Amy Poehler’s character on Parks and Recreation has the right idea: Her hilarious Galentine’s Day tradition combines Valentine’s Day festivity with quality gal-pal time. When you throw your own “Galentine’s Day” party, you’ll not only get to spend time with the people who make you happy; you’ll also be showing your friends some much-deserved gratitude.
Give The Gift Of Blood
There’s no better, more immediate way to show you care this Valentine’s Day than donating blood. Someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds, and in India, blood shortages are so severe that hospitals often have to postpone lifesaving surgeries until supplies increase. Doing your part is easy. Visit The Red Cross website for a list of donation sites in your neck of the woods.
Treat Yourself To Spicy Sweets
Yes, we all love Godiva, but this year, let’s spice things up a bit, shall we? Luxemi’s Spicy Chocolate Truffles will certainly do the trick. The subtle spices in these decadent treats will transport your taste buds to India and leave you wondering why you’ve never made your own truffles before.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup heavy cream
12 ounces best-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped or grated
Zest from one orange
One cinnamon stick
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Preparation:
1. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Place the orange rind, cinnamon stick and cream in a medium-sized saucepan, simmering just until the cream starts to boil. Remove from heat.
3. Strain the zest and cinnamon from the cream. Pour the cream over the chocolate.
4. Let the hot cream and chocolate stand for a minute, then whisk the mixture steadily — you want to do so just vigorously enough that the mixture is well-combined and without air bubbles. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. This is your ganache.
5. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap. Allow the ganache to set at room temperature for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The ganache should not be refrigerated.
6. When your ganache is firm enough to shape, scoop teaspoonfuls of ganache and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place the truffles in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
7. Combine the cocoa powder and the cayenne in a bowl. Once the truffles are firm, roll them in the cocoa-cayenne mixture. Place the truffles on a baking sheet.
8. The truffles can be stored in a single layer in an airtight container for up to a week. They are best served at room temperature, but be careful not to let them get warm enough to start melting.
From a Galentine’s Day party to homemade spicy chocolates, we hope our tips will help you have the most love-filled Valentine’s Day ever!
Filed under DIY Projects, Luxe Holidays
