Are you making the same mistakes as I do while exfoliating your face? {Skin Care}

photo credit: FoundryParkInn via photopin cc

So, now that winters are almost in full swing, hopefully you are doing what I am doing these winters! And, then, now my skin is absolutely perfect. But, then, I suddenly noticed my entire face is not so soft! In fact, one of my readers also sent out the same query. Check out!

I use fair n lovely face wash I also apply the same cream after my wash....n when I touch my skin honestly I do not feel anything like cracking and all...I sense it smooth...but at the same time when I touch the corner part of my nose I feel it rough n its like skin coming out! What should I do?

So, now you would have already understood what I mean to say in this post. So, let us see if we really exfoliate our face properly!! And, discuss what are the proper exfoliation methods. Lets start.

What is the best time to Exfoliate?

So, this is the first thing I would like to clear. Now, my favorite time is the night time. Because, a proper exfoliation in the night helps the moisturizer to soak in better. Also, exfoliating in the night avoids the fresh skin to get exposed to the morning sun! 

Where as, the morning time is a better time. Because, the skin rejuvenates in the night and in the morning, your face has a layer of dead skin which is ready for removal. But, then, the fresh skin is exposed to the harsher sun light and might tan unless one is diligent in applying sunscreen. Btw, exfoliating in the morning also helps the makeup go on better. 

So, you can decide which is the best time for you! 

What to use for Exfoliation?

So, what is your favorite ingredient for exfoliating your skin? For me, it is sugar and salt!! Well, is it really correct for my skin type? Ok, so sugar is an all-rounder when it comes to exfoliation and gives a smooth and perfect skin. For dry skin, it is quite hydrating and nourishing.

But, for oily skin, salt is an absolute must. Salt absorbs the oil and provides the minerals which sugar can not. It also detoxifies the skin which is why even people with dry skin should use salt once in a while for exfoliation. Do check out my homemade DIY body polishing scrub!

Never Exfoliate on Dry or even Damp Skin!!

Have you ever done this, anywhere on your body? Like scrubbing the dead skin on your heels or even nails? If yes, DO NOT ever repeat it. It is extremely harmful for your skin and you can end up injuring yourself. Exfoliate only completely clean and dripping wet, preferably soaked with warm water so that the pores are open, skin.

Don't forget these areas during exfoliation!

And, then, we take the scrub and apply it to the face. Start from the forehead and proceed to the cheeks in light circular motions. Be gentle and have a light hand. And, DO NOT forget these areas -  

• crevices around the nose where it generally gets dry and skin peels off - extend your nose as if you are removing blackheads and scrub the crevices thoroughly!
• corners of the lips - extend your mouth like you are applying the lipstick and scrub off the corners.
• inner curve below the lower lip and above the chin - extend the lower lip over the lower jaw to make the curve flat and scrub it
  
• on and behind the ears
• lips - press your lips tightly to avoid tasting the scrub :P, and, finally 
• neck lines - extend your neck like a giraffe and giving it a thorough scrub. Moisturise in the same way!!   

photo credit: FoundryParkInn via photopin cc

Leave the scrub on for sometime to help it soak into the Skin

So, now that you have scrubbed your face, leave it on for sometime while you finish washing or scrubbing yourself. That will make the skin even more softer and helps the active ingredients of the scrub to soak into the skin.

And, finally, wash off with luke warm water and last rinse should be cold water. Do NOT forget to Moisturize. Just because your skin is feeling awesome does not mean you forgo the skin care routine. So, do not forget to tone and moisturize your skin with your favorite oil or serum.  

And, now, we have one more thing!

Type of Skin and Frequency

Now, this has been said time and again that oily skin should not be exfoliated as often as dry skin. For one, oily skin if exfoliated regularly produces more oil causing more oiliness. And, dry skin accumulates more dead skin which needs to be removed regularly for a fresh and glowing look. So, twice a week is enough for oily skin and for dry skin, thrice a week of exfoliation is enough.  

So, what all steps do you follow? Do you have any exfoliation tips!!

Related Posts:
Dry Skin Causes and how to heal it?
Dry or Dehydrated; Moisturized or Hydrated!!
Excess Body Heat and Acne

The Body Shop Polynesian Monoi Oil {Product Review}

Doing product reviews in a small paragraph is awesome because it helps me get rid of products I don't have much to say about but some do deserve a proper mention.

Price: Rs 895 for 150ml

Ingredients (taken from the website)

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Emollient), Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil (Emollient), Cocos Nucifera Oil (Emollient/Hair Conditioner), Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Parfum (Fragrance), Tocopherol (Antioxidant), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Hexyl Cinnamal (Fragrance Ingredient), Gardenia Tahitensis Flower Extract (Skin-Conditioning Agent) 

Pros

gets absorbed in winters when the skin is really dry

moisturizing for all skin types except dry

smells faintly of Jasmine

softens the hair and is a good hair oil

Cons

very expensive

is very greasy on skin if not winters!!

might not be enough for dry skin

My Experience

I have had this product for quite a long time. Its basically coconut oil, I believe!! Or, rather believed before I got this entire ingredient list!! I thought it smells of Jasmine and coconut blended but its actually Gardenia. Apparently, Gardenia smells just like Jasmine. 

Anyways, I used this a couple of months back when I found it too greasy to apply. But, in fact, it does get absorbed pretty quickly into the skin in winters and moisturize well. But, there is one issue. I don't think it will be enough for too dry skin. One has to follow with a mositurizer.

Otherwise, its a perfect companion for winters. Now, I also used it as a hair oil. It makes the hair really soft but I don't think I really saw any better shine. But, yes, it is expensive enough to discourage you to use it as a regular hair oil :D But, yup, one of the good buys from TBS. 

Have you used the product? How do you like it?

Other products from The Body Shop:

The Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Body Scrub

The Body Shop Wooden Shaving Brush

The Body Shop Detangling Comb

The Body Shop Bath Gloves

The Body Shop Olive Body Scrub

The Body Shop Aqua Lily Body Mist

The Body Shop Cactus Brush

The Body Shop Vanilla Body Butter Duo

Omved Anirveda Body / Bath Oil {Product Review}

Price: Rs 590 for 80ml

Availability

Online - Naturalmantra

Ingredients

Almond, Olive, Jojoba, Orange, Lemon, Lavender and Mogra (Jasmine) oils

Pros

it gets absorbed super quick!!

keeps skin moisturized for decent time
 will suit all skin types, even oily

Cons

damn the expense!! 

might not be enough for extremely dry skin!

hate the packaging!

My Experience

Ok, I got the 30ml bottle from the website as part of their promotional campaign. Well, as you all already know that I do splurge heavily on the website so what else should I say?

Ok, I won't say its the perfect website to shop from coz there have been hitches but Nishant and Tina (the owner couple) are very helpful and generally handle the grievances soon enough and very efficiently.

And, coming back to the product, it gets absorbed into the skin like a dream!! Seriously, it beats Forest Essentials as well in that depo if you don't count the fragrance. 

This smells more herbal and Earthy which is also not repulsive but I donno why it smells like that considering the essential oils in the product. But, the problem is that it might not be enough for extremely dry skin in winters. 

It comes in a aluminium or tin bottle (donno which) and has a round opening with a stopper. I wish it came in a classier looking packaging looking at the price! Donno if the packaging differs for the 80ml pack.

But, one thing which I really want to mention is the price!! Its damn expensive. Also, I wanted to remind you guys that last few days are left to avail the special 10% reader discount at the website so don't forget to use it :)

PS: Product sent by website for self-promotion.

Other products from Omved:

Omved Intense Moisturizing Cream
Omved All Skin Types Ubtan

Some Random Product Reviews - Part I

Vaseline Total Moisture Cocoa Glow

My Experience

Ok, my experience is not much so I am not officially reviewing it but its definitely a product to look forward to!!! I have used for, what, 3-4 days. And, my skin was soft, moisturized and not dry for a decently long time, till my next bath which is like in the evening or night!!

A habit which my mom really detests and she says I caught cold coz I have bath at really weird time :D Moms and their complaints!! Anyways, the only problem with the product is it gets sticky if your over-apply. Otherwise, it smells yummy!! Almost like the Vanilla Body Butter by TBS which I got for dad.

The Body Shop Vanilla Body Butter Duo

My Experience

Again very less experience with the product so not a review exactly. But, it smells yummy!!! And, as the name says it has two compartments - one is creamy and not very thick which gets absorbed really quickly and the other is a little heavy but it also gets absorbed quickly enough.

I used the product by mixing both the compartments which gave me a good moisturizing. And, its not greasy either. And, the smell is what lasts with you. My dad has stored it for special occasions looking at the price tag :D And, yes, he loved it as well.

Nivea Creme

My Experience

Totally love this. I mean if you get a chance to go to Germany, don't forget to get the Nivea products from there. Nivea is a German brand and Europe has a quite strict policies of skin care products so their products are really amazing. Its not greasy at all and helps with dry patches.

Shahnaz Husain Beauty Tips

I was too lazy to write a new post today and found this ASK SHAHNAZ column in Metro Plus, The Hindu. So, I am sharing those tips here and the credit for this entire article goes to the newspaper. For those who are not aware, Shahnaz Husain is the propagator for beauty industry in India. 

Pimple Marks

• Mix rice powder with curd and scrub with this paste once or twice a week. Do not use this if you have active acne or pimples, though!! This is only for marks.
• This is a regular tip. Mix honey and lemon juice and apply on face everyday for 15 minutes. But, I would suggest the sensitive skin people to stay away from lemon and instead go for tomato or cucumber juice.
• Apply face mask of multani mitti (Indian clay), rose water and lemon juice which is again a regular tip for half hour. 

Dandruff and Greasy Scalp

• Use lemon water for last rinse. Mix juice of one lemon in half glass of water (around 200ml). And, let the hair air dry.
• Massage two table spoons of vinegar on scalp half hour before shampooing. [My Tip: Rosemary Essential Oil is amazing for dandruff!]
• Egg white helps control oily scalp so massage it twenty minutes before washing your hair. 
• Include fresh fruits, raw salads, sprouts and yogurt in your daily diet. Drink lot of water daily. Having lemon water first thing in the morning also helps. 

Blister developed due to Mosquito bite

• Never ever scratch the bump or blister. 
• Dip a tea bag in cold water and apply it on the blister to calm it down and soothe the swelling.
• Honey, aloevera gel or apple cider vinegar can also be applied as a spot treatment. [My Tip: Light hand massage of Aloevera gel really helps!!]

Excess Sweat and Body Odor 

• Wear fresh clothes and bathe twice a day, if possible. [My tip: Make sure your clothes dry in good sun even if not direct sunlight!]
• Add one tea spoon of alum and crushed mint leaves to your bath water. 
• Tea Tree essential oil also helps with body odor and controlling sweat. Mix two drops with rose water or normal water and apply on the sweaty areas of the body using cotton ball.

Kama Ayurveda Rose Jasmine Bath & Body Oil {Product Review}

So, this was on my last loving it list! And, I am really missing this product. It has been over for a month now and I just realized that I have not yet reviewed it. So, here I am gonna review about the product. Please bear.

---

Pros

gets absorbed very easily

keeps the skin nourished and moisturized for 8 hours

smells delicately of roses

Cons

very expensive

can get oily if applied in excess

packaging not friendly

bottle is brittle so beware of its handling

---

Now, have you ever come across any product which has jasmine but does not stink of it? Well, this is one. It smells of a garden of fresh roses instead of jasmine. I have come to hate the strong scent of jasmine. The problem with jasmine's fragrance is its over-bearing nature which kills all the delicate smells.

So, I absolutely love that Kama has come up with such a product. Well, we can as well say that they need not mention jasmine! Anyways, the product gets absorbed easily into the skin and you do smell of rose for quite sometime but the fragrance comes as a part of you than overwhelming the entire room.

The only issue I faced with this product is that the bottle does not come with a stopper so you have to be careful of the amount of oil you take. If you take excess oil, obviously, it gets oily and shines on the skin though it disappears in a good 15-30 minutes. And, you need very little of the product to finish the job of moisturization.

No doubt the product is very expensive but once in a while indulgence is fine. Also, since you need only a bit of it, the product does last quite a decent time. For a regular usage of twice a day, it lasted me a month or more and that too when I used the product a bit more than required. So, do give it a try :)

Price: Rs 795 for 100ml

Availability

Kama stores across India

Have you tried this or any other Kama Ayurveda product?

Related Posts:

Kama Brigandi Intense Hair Treatment

Vaadi Herbals Amla Thanda (Cool) Tail (Oil)

Nivea pure effect Total Face Cleanup

Get from flipkart:

What I am doing for my Skin and Hair this Winter? {Skin Care}

Btw, did I share with you guys that I am in Delhi and the weather is decidedly chilly and dry and my skin is really not doing that well without a moisturiser. Not that Hyderabad is not equally dry, though. So, how are you thinking of taking care of your skin from the onset of winters. Have you prepared it for the change in weather?

So, once upon a time when I had written about winter skin care, I had mentioned that our skin care regime starts with having a bath in a day but now I would like to change it a bit. Our skin care regime starts with how we start the day and what we eat. As it is, we take less water in winters and if the body lacks good fats, skin does tend to get dry. 

Tip #1 - Water does not hydrate your skin!!

Okay, so a very common misconception is that if we drink 10-12 glasses of water, it should be enough to hydrate the skin from inside out. Well, that is not so! Water is necessary to maintain hydration levels but not enough. So, what out body needs is good fat and omega 3 and vitamin E for keeping soft and supple. 

Solution : Load on the nut even before the winters set. If you do take any smoothies or oats or other cereals, put a spoonful of nuts in it. Otherwise, powder the nuts together and eat them with your meals once or twice a day. Another good option is flax seeds or alsi beej (in hindi). Roast them and powder them. Consume within 10 days. 

Tip #2 - Moisturize inside the shower!!

I have always recommended layering, specially in winters. But, an even better option which is helping me get through these days is moisturising inside the shower. Take your lotion with you and once you wipe yourself off, moisturize immediately. Forget the 3-minute moisturization rule. And, remember this instead. 

The skin is plump and extremely absorbent in the shower due to the heat and immediate cleansing so it drinks up the moisturiser or body oil you apply and prevents the water from escaping keeping your skin hydrated for an entire day. 

Sometimes, if your skin is extremely dry, you might need to apply the body lotion again in the later half of the day. At that time, you can use your toner and dampen your skin and then follow with the moisturiser; unless you take bath twice in a day!

Tip #3 - Sugar is your best friend right now!

Still feeling dry? Moisturising is not enough? Your skin needs regular exfoliation in the winters. And, you really do not want to use anything else right now. Sugar is hydrating as well as exfoliating so it is your best bet. I would recommend the homemade body polish which makes my skin absolutely amazing twice a week! Unless you have acne-prone skin in which case you need gentler exfoliation.

Another tip I would love to include here is that dry brushing should be a regular in your daily routine. It helps increase the skin cell turnover everyday and helps the body lotions and oils to get absorbed better in the skin. Also, it prevents the dry skin itch almost all day long.

Tip #4 - Not only hair but scalp also dries out!!

So, when you are busy taking care of your skin, do not forget that taking good care of scalp will keep the blood flowing to the follicles and promote hair growth which is generally less in the winter months. Also, scalp can get dry and tighten so I moisturise my scalp with 2-3 drops of pomegranate oil. You could also try out grapeseed oil for the oily skin or hair. 

Tip #5 - And, get going!! 

Do not ditch the early morning exercises in favor of warm blankets because it will make you lazier and prone to junk food cravings. And, in turn, cause you to accumulate more fat and make your skin dull. A fresh morning exercise can rev up your blood circulation as well making your skin well-accustomed to the weather changes. 

And, the bonus tip - Do not forget the sunscreen. Winter sun is just as strong as the summer one because UVA rays are still aging your skin.

These were my secret tips for skin and hair this winter. Now, its your turn. What are your special and secret tips for skin and hair care in winters?

Related Posts:

5 Tips for Autumn and Winter Skin Care
Suryamudra to produce heat inside your body
Tips to wake up during colder mornings

Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion {Product Review}

Price: Rs 179 for 250ml

Pros

gets absorbed really quickly

hydrates really well

lasts long

My Experience

As you all know, Nivea is my favourite brand. Ok, I know I am sounding like a broken record...repeating the same thing time and again. Anyways, I got this body lotion when I had run out of everything but later on, I did find a body butter left over and parachute body lotion as well. 

Back to the review, the product is white in color and comes in a typical Nivea packaging. The texture of the product is really thin so it gets absorbed really fast but, amazingly, it stays on skin for long. As far as I have seen, it stays all night long.   

It keeps the skin moisturized and hydrated and stays true to its claims of express hydration. It boasts of hydra IQ formula (which is really good) and blue lotus scent (which I didn't really find amazing). The product makes the skin look glowing and supple and has no cons for me.

Anyways, I do know that nivea has amazing creams which have been launched outside...wish they come to India real soon. This product is an absolute try and the best part is it relieves my skin's dryness even these days so it is absolutely useful for dry skin as well. It also works well on dry feet.

Have you tried this? What did you think?

Other products from Nivea:
Nivea Fruity Shine Dragon Fruit vs Pomegranate
Nivea Refreshing Cleansing Milk
Nivea Nourishing Body Milk

Neev Rose Olive Body Wash {Product Review}

Price: Rs 160 for 200ml

Pros

cleanses really well

natural ingredients

smells awesome!!

Cons

does nothing for dry skin

My Experience

After a very long time, I have used a body wash. I bought this on recommendation from Shikha herself, one of the founders of Neev. She said that it is one of their bestsellers and I can imagine why. Its simply amazing in one word.

The ingredients list is on the top of my list in the praises for the product. It uses lye (potassium hydroxide for liquid soaps) which is equivalent to lye (sodium hydroxide in solid soaps) in handmade soaps. It also has rose petals in the bottle.

It comes in a flip top bottle and the texture of the product is quite weird. The top of the layer generally crystallizes which I guess is due to the reaction with air but otherwise the soap is liquid. When I say crystallizes, it just becomes a little jelly kinds.

Whether in crystalline form or liquid form, it lathers really well and is very gentle on the skin. The only problem is that you HAVE to follow it up with a moisturizer otherwise the skin does feel a bit dry. No, there is no stretchy feeling.

I think this may be due to the dryness in the weather. But, it will suit the skin in summers. It smells really good of roses. And, it also leaves the skin really soft. I would definitely recommend you to try this once. They also have shampoo with the same formula.

Other products from Neev:

Neev Almond Rose, Lemongrass and Patchouli Handmade Soaps

My sojourn at Four Fountain Spa, South Ex

this is the entrance view of the spa and the reception is on the side from where the snap was taken

Hola Ladies! So, I am back to Hyderabad and being at my office desk and reading the bridal skin care posts has filled me with energy for blogging again. I tell you there is something in Vastu and Feng Shui. Places do provide energies. Anyways, let me go to last Saturday and share a spa experience for which I was invited.

  

I knew Delhi would be hectic so I thought it would be best if I could start with a Swedish massage. And, I landed in the Four Fountain Spa in South ex just above Rabhya near Costa Coffee/Meena Bazar in Part - II. I have to say I was a little disappointed with the office space. I have only one spa experience earlier and I have not had a full body massage ever before this so I really have a clean slate but I always imagined spas to be huge sprawling complexes. 

But, I do understand the logistics and being in the prime location of South Delhi, getting that much space itself is pretty expensive. So, let me move on. I was greeted at the reception by a friendly lady (I am sorry I have become bad with names) who explained me all the various services they would offer. I finally chose the Swedish massage with wintergreen oil, it said. 

this is the room where I was pampered

I think the oil had ylang ylang and Eucalyptus or peppermint essential oils. I smelt a whiff of them. But, I am running ahead. So, once I chose the service, I was taken to a small room with a table to lie down. The disposables were there and I was told to change. There is a locker where you can keep the belongings.

Since I took the body massage, they said they do not cover face. I was a bit adamant on getting something done for the face and since I could not go for a facial, Ruthi (one who attended me) suggested a face mask so yes you can also mix and match and ask them whatever you want. I am pretty sure they would cater to the demands of the customers.

And, then, the rigor of massage began. It was really good but I have an issue personally. I am extremely ticklish and since I have never had such services, I can really never relax. If you are like me, its better you never go to such services. Seriously, coz you can not enjoy them and its not their fault!! 

The massage started with head and lasted for an hour and half and in between I did doze off lightly :D Well, that is what massages are for, right? Once the massage was done, I asked for steam room. They took me into the attached washroom. 

I have to say the washroom was extremely disappointing. Its smaller than a cupboard and you barely have place to turn. Added to that, you do not have a place to keep your utilities like face wash and such. They have body wash and hair wash but I prefer using mine. But, since there was no place, I used theirs. Having a shower over there was not something I will ever look forward to so that is a snag. I mentioned this to them during the feedback.

Otherwise, everything else was fine. They do provide hair dryer on request. And, they gave me some coupons and discounts on subsequent visit. Too bad I can not pass it on to someone else since I won't be in Delhi or anywhere else they have their branches till the voucher expires. And, they gave me a sleep balm as well which I am planning to use once I head to vizag for the final phase of my bachelor life next week :D All in all, definitely check it out!!

Have you tried the Four Fountain Spa yet?

Loving It / Using It Vol. 10 - Vaadi Herbals Face & Body Scrub with Walnut and Apricot

After a long time, I have used a body scrub. I like that they are easy to use and less time consuming but then most of the body scrubs fail to show any results for me. So, lets see how did this one fare for me. 

Loving It / Using It : Using It 

• Price - Rs 68 for 90 gms

• Availability - generally available on online stores like flipkart, nykaa. Vaadiherbals.com is the existing brand website as well. 

• Packaging - Product comes in a plastic tub and will not leak. The tub is small enough to be carried around. 

• Texture - The scrub is grainy and creamy. The grains are less in density and not very harsh so they do not tear on the skin but generally, it is advised to skip on the grainy scrubs as they can cause micro-tears in the skin and harm the skin in the long run.  

• Usage - The product is a little more creamy so a bit of product diluted with water applies smoothly on the skin. Since it is a body scrub, it can be applied on both the face and body. I would say that it is gentle enough but still I would prefer to avoid it on face. 

• Results - Even though the product is creamy, it does not feel as if it leaves a residue after washing off. And, it does leave the skin shinier than before and the moisturiser gets absorbed real quick after a scrub session. And, it does not leave the skin dry as well. But, yes, it would not do anything like removing the dark spots and all which it does not claim to do either. Yes, one thing, I did not notice if they really made a difference to the blackheads, though!

• Ingredient List - Vaadi Herbals is notorious for not specifying the ingredient list which puts me off the brand a bit. 

My Verdict

Well, it definitely is a product to try out. I did like it.

Have you tried the product? Have you tried any other product from Vaadi? How did you find it?  

Other products from Vaadi Herbals:

Vaadi Herbals Chandan Kesar Haldi Face Pack
Vaadi Herbals Amla Thanda (Cool) Tail (Oil)
Vaadi Herbals Aromatherapy Body Oil Pure Lemongrass and Lily Oil

My Skin Care Routine {Skin Care}

Being a beauty blogger, many of you would be thinking that I have a very elaborate routine and am very diligent about it. Nothing could be farther than truth. I am the most lazy person you will ever come across and I can ignore my skin or hair for a long time. 

The maximum I have ignored my hair is a week, after that I have to at least wash it. I do many times skip conditioning or oiling as well. And, skin, I can ignore for months together except for basic cleansing and moisturizing. Right now, I am passing through that kind of lazy phase. 

Cleansing
Obviously, can't ignore it. Ok, there have been days I have done that. But, these days, I do follow that coz I am having my bath twice a day. Having a geyser at my disposal is actually harming my skin more. Why? I used to stay in a hostel earlier which had just one common geyser for the entire floor. 

I used to use a heating rod to heat the water [was too lazy to carry buckets of water from the bathroom to my room!] But, now, the geyser is right there in my bathroom. I like hot baths and, now, I am trying to control the temperature of the water I use so that it doesn't dry my skin too much.

Moisturizing
I am using the Lotus White Glow Emulsion for day time and for night, I generally use Rustic Art Aloevera Gel and follow with a drop or two of any facial oil. Sometimes, I prepare my own. Yup, I know I haven't done any DIY in a long while but I lack inspiration and patience both!!!

Sunscreen
If I actually see the pattern of last month, there have been many many days when I have blatantly skipped the sun protection. Ok, let me confess, I don't really like applying it and it takes too much of time and effort and it increases my getting-ready time exponentially. 

But, let me also add that when I skipped the sunscreen, my skin has perceptibly darkened and since I have started it again, I have seen my skin come back to its original color gradually. So, yup, its an unavoidable nuisance. I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer.

 
Lips
I have been using Nivea Pomegranate for lips in the morning and at night, I have been using Aloe Veda lip balm. But, my lips are really getting dry coz I miss out using lip balms generally and in the office, its really difficult for me to remember. AC is also taking a toll.

Body Care
I do tend to skip the morning miniaturization coz of the scarcity of time. Currently, I am using the Nivea Express Hydration lotion. And, at night also, many times, I skip but do not do that!!! Otherwise, I am using The Body Shop Polynesian Monoi Oil. And, if need be, follow with the nivea lotion again.

That's it!! Yup, there are a lot of things missing. Exfoliation or Dry Brush which I totally love. I haven't exfoliated my face since like ages and dry brush, trust me, I am missing it desperately but I misplaced it while shifting and I am afraid I lost it!!!

Anyways, so you have seen my routine, you would want to ask how is my skin feeling? Its become dry since August and I can't really do without moisturizing. I have to be a regular at it. Otherwise, my skin is soft and good enough. So, what's your skin care routine?

Rustic Art Algae Organic Bathing Soap {Product Review}

Price: Rs 155 for 100gms

Ingredients

Pros

just like all handmade soaps, gentle on skin and doesn't leave skin stretched

can be used easily on a baby as well 

doesn't melt so easily and does last around a month with two usages per day

Cons

not as moisturizing as it says

expensive!!

My Experience

I totally love natural handmade soaps and love to try out various different ones so this one was on my radar since I got Rustic Art products for review. The usage of Algae made me curious to check it out. But, the soap is nothing in fancy in looks. In fact, its a dull dark brown in color and no fragrance at all. 

As it says "an ultimate moisturizer", I thought it would leave my skin really soft and not very dry. It didn't leave my skin dry at all nor did my skin feel stretched even if I forgo the moisturizer but I do feel one needs to moisturize immediately afterwards. I felt as if the Algae did nothing extra!!

Ok, it will be unfair to say any product should be doing a double duty and moisturizing is a routine one must not forgo in any case. Surprisingly, the product didn't melt as soon as I feared it would. It did last me around a month of good usage. The best part of the product is it is organic but I do feel its expensive as well. 

Other products from Rustic Art:

Rustic Art Spa and Lotus Organic Bathing Soaps
Rustic Art Aloevera Gel

My Skin Diary - September 2013

Ok, so, I can see my entire life changing in front of me now. And, now is the main time to take care of my skin :D So, what all did I do in September? I was pretty serious about using sunscreen this month. And, now I have run out of my favorite one so I need to replenish it in my shelf.

Guess what, MVO has started charging shipping for India. It has become so damn expensive so I have to wait till my friend comes from US and I have asked her to get me a few bottles. Till that time, I have to survive on lesser spf. Well, hopefully, I should not get too tanned. 

Face

Day Routine

• Face wash - Olay Total Face Cleanup
• Moisturizer - Rustic Art aloevera gel
• Base before Sunscreen - Garnier Eye Roll On + Maybelline Insta Age Eraser
• Sunscreen - MVO Face Moisturizing Screen + MVO Everyday Sheer Coverage
  
• Kajal - Maybelline Colossal
• Lip Balm - Maybelline Berry Crush

Night Routine

• Cleansing Milk - Mustard Oil + Coconut Oil
• Face wash - Olay Total Face Cleanup
• Toner - Liz Earle + Kama Ayurveda Vetiver Water
• Moisturizer - Rustic Art aloevera gel
• Facial Oil - Turmeric infused Almond Oil + Primrose Oil

Body

Day Routine

• Moisturizer - Vaadi Herbals Body Oil
• Sunscreen (arms) - Neutrogena 

Night Routine

• Moisturizer - Vaadi Herbals Body Oil + Vaseline Aloe Fresh + Kama Ayurveda Rose Jasmine Bath & Body Oil

So, I did not really do anything much to my skin. Yes, one experiment I did was removing makeup everyday using Oil Cleansing Method. It worked out really well for a few days in the starting but then I thought my skin was not really accepting such a heavy treatment everyday so I left it at that!! So, I would suggest OCM only once a week at max. Do not do it everyday. Ciao with another post tomorrow. Its a bridal update post :D

How did your skin do in September?

Related Posts:
My Skin Diary - August 2013
My Skin Diary - July 2013
The Green Beauty Skin Care Tag [Part - I]

Loving It / Using It Vol. 9 - Le Beurre Shea Butter Body Cream Vanilla

Since I have come to know about shea butter, I have always wanted to get the raw material and make body creams with it. But, since that never really happened, I was happy to experience this product and see if shea butter really does what all its touted to do!

And, honestly, I am loving shea butter. So, check out what I think about the product.

• Price: 22$ for 8oz. Expensive!

• Availability - Le Beurre Website 

• Smells subtly of vanilla but nothing overwhelming. 

• Packaging. Comes in a wide-mouthed plastic container with a lid. The product has to be scooped from the container. The irritating part is that the product gets under the nails!

• Moisturises well. It really takes care of the dry skin. In fact, the cream is also in part responsible in healing my cracked heels. It is perfect for heel care.   

• Ingredient list not mentioned. 

• Does not travel well. The cream can melt in tropical temperatures and leak! 

• A small quantity is enough. And, it is definitely a winter or dry season product. 

• Absorbs immediately into the skin

Loving It / Using It : Loving It

Overall Verdict

Definitely recommended!

Have you used the product? Would you like to try out the products after reading the review?

Related Posts:

Loving / Using It Vol. 1 - Garnier Pure Active pore unclogging wash
Loving / Using It Vol. 3 - Kama Ayurveda Rose Jasmine Bath & Body Oil
Loving / Using It Vol. 4 - Dabur Vatika Enriched Olive Hair Oil

All about Facial Oils? [Part - II] {Skin Care}

Continuing from yesterday's sermon on how to use facial oils, we will talk about different methods to use facial oil and how oil helps the skin. Read on...

Extra Rich Treatments using Facial Oils

Now, there are two kinds of options available to you. You can try either of them. Leave the massaged facial oil as a moisturizer just as it is for a nightly treatment.

Or, you can keep on massaging for 5 minutes to ensure that most of the oil gets absorbed into the skin. In this method, you can take a bit more of oil, like 10 drops, if you feel like. Keep the oil for 5 more minutes if you want or take a tissue and blot off the excess oil on the skin. And, follow with your favorite night cream or serum.

Another simple method is the Oil Cleansing Method itself. One can use heavy or the lighter oils, as the preference lies. Take a generous quantity and massage for 15 minutes. If done on clean skin, skin does absorb quite a good amount of oil.

And, use a face wash cloth to remove the rest of the oil just as in the OCM treatment. Do not wash the face. Follow with your favorite product or leave it just as it is. Also, let me tell you that this method with the oil which suits your skin is absolutely amazing to remove blemishes and scars and dark spots!!

My Skin is Oily. How can I use oil???

This is the most common question when it comes facial oils. Yes, you CAN and you SHOULD use oils. The trick is to find the correct oil which suits your skin. My recommendation would be to start with grapeseed oil. And, you can probably use 1-2 drops instead.

Why facial oil helps any kind of skin?

Well, for one, oil is the only thing which can actually break down the dead skin cells binds and wash them off so oil acts as an exfoliant for all kinds of skin. Also, the molecular formula of oils is similar to the lipids present in our skin. [Remember the lipids?]

So, these oils go and form bonds with the lipids ensuring that skin remains at its best. Now, these lipids are mainly fats which is why we are advised to intake as much of Vitamin E and omega 3 as possible.

This is why oil is recommended even for oily skin. Also, oil and lipids on the skin only control the excess secretion of sebum as well so if skin is properly hydrated, skin generally does not produce more of oil.

So, you think you are up to use oils now? 

Related Posts:
Tips to Quick Skin Care Routine
The Green Beauty Skin Care Tag [Part - II]
How to make the skin clear and get rid of scars and blemishes and dark spots?

Loving / Using It Vol. 3 - Kama Ayurveda Rose Jasmine Bath & Body Oil

Loving / Using It : Loving It

I absolutely am loving this oil. And, fortunately it is one of the few products which has jasmine but still smells like rose. Jasmine is so over-bearing that Kama has managed to put rose as the dominating scent in the oil. And, using it is absolute luxury :)

Have your used this oil? Share your thoughts!

Related Posts:

Loving It Vol. 2 - Nivea Pure Effect Total Face Cleanup
Loving It Vol. 1 - Garnier Pure Active pore unclogging wash

SOS Organics Wild Mint and Herb Garden Handmade Soaps {Product Review}

Wild Mint

Price: Rs 80 for 100gms

Ingredients

I know the print is totally illegible so I shall put it down here - coconut oil, vegetable oil, lye, peppermint, rosemary essential oil, nettle leaf powder

the swirls had nettle leaf powder on them so the soap was little scrubby as well but not harsh or even enough!!

Pros

this one feels really really cool, perfect for hot summers!!! In fact, whenever I used this soap, my skin was cold :D you would understand what I am saying if you know the peppermint coolness like you get when you eat Polo or any other mint!

wasn't very moisturizing but not drying either!

Cons 

expensive coz it does melt away in 20 days for one person!!  
would love to know what exactly is the vegetable oil they use!

Herb Garden

Price: Rs 80 for 100gms

Ingredients

Pros

after using the Wild Mint, this one didn't really make a mark!

decent soap with moisturizing properties!!

Cons

again expensive coz it melts super fast but there is a way to use handmade soaps and that should be followed stringently. Check the tip here (at the end of the post). 

Availability

Natural Mantra (recently hiked their prices because of shipping costs but I do hope they bring them down soon!)

SOS Organics (you can order from their site directly but minimum order is 500 and no COD)

Interesting Fact: I would also love to bring to your attention the fact that the soaps sold by Earthy Goods are manufactured by SOS Organics only. Check out my reviews on their soaps as well :)

Related Posts:
Earthy Goods Forest Honey Nourishing Handmade Soap
Earth Store Cinnamon Spice, Jasmine Lavender and Mountain Rose
Earthy Goods Vanilla Patchouli Indulging Handmade Soap

Soul Tree Travel Size Samples Preview

Before starting the post, I would like to state that this is just a preview post as I know many of you are waiting to hear my views on the Soul Tree shampoo. Also, these are only sample sizes which I have tried out so I am not doing a full review. So, let's start :)

Soul Tree Indian Rose with Cooling Vetiver Shower Gel

I totally liked it. It smells really nice in sort of a natural way. I don't think I really felt any cooling but it didn't leave my skin stretched or dry. The sample was small so I could get only 4-5 uses out of it. My dad also tried it once and said it was ok. Worth trying out!!

Soul Tree Triphala with Conditioning Henna Hair Repair Shampoo

I have a full size product of this so a detailed review will come sometime in first or second week of October. But, for now, I would say that it does leave the hair soft and shiny and doesn't let it frizz much. But, I think this shampoo is for oily or normal hair and not for dry. 

Soul Tree Licorice, Shikakai & Bhringraj with nourishing Coconut oil Shampoo

This I thought would be more suitable for dry hair. But, otherwise, pretty much the same. 

Now, a small point on both shampoos which I am not yet clear of - the triphala one didn't remove oil at all when I used it for the first time but the trick I found out eventually is that leave the shampoo on for 2 minutes and it cleanses really well. Since they do not have SLS/SLES, the product probably takes a little time to cleanse the oil (totally my theory!!). So, if you are a beauty who loves to oil her hair regularly, make sure you keep the shampoo on the hair for 2-3 minutes before washing off. And, don't worry, that doesn't dry out the hair at all :) 

Rest of the details, you can ask in the comments section and I shall definitely try to put more detail and experience in my detailed review. This post has been put up only because I have finished up all the samples.

Forest Essentials Bath & Shower Oil Indian Rose Absolute {Product Review}

Price: Rs 340 for 50ml

Ingredients

Pros

smells blissful

very light oil just like the other one

fragrance lingers on the skin 

Cons

expensive!!

My Experience

This is the other body oil I got from them. I am not a fan of Rose or Jasmine because they are not at all like the synthetic rose or jasmine smells which are too sweet and floral. The real rose and Jasmine smell Earthy and strong!! So, yes, it wasn't my fav at first.

But, like I said, it takes a little getting used to and now, I absolutely love the smell. I wasn't sure if these oils are worth their price. But, these few days dad was with me and I asked him to try it out and asked if it was worth it. He totally loved both of the oils and said they are amazing :)

Like the other body oil, this is also light and disappears easily into the skin but the fragrance stays with you almost all day long! And, it really is aromatic. I do have one doubt that whether this body oil is enough for moisturizing in winters or for extremely dry skin. But, yes, you can always layer it. 

Absolutely recommended though I do know that it is expensive!! So, I would say save up and get one of this and I am sure you will become a fan :) So, have you used any Forest Essential body oil yet? Oh btw, do check out my post on how to use body oils in various ways too!!

Other products I love from Forest Essentials:

Forest Essentials Mashobra Honey & Vanilla Bath & Shower Oil