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

Loving It / Using It Vol. 13 - Vaadi Herbals Instaglow Almond & Honey Face Pack

A while back I was sent out their clay based face pack and now we have this. I prefer this over the other one because this an apt product for winters. As the name suggests, the product is creamy and nourishing and I totally love to use it :)

Loving / Using It : Using It

• Price: Rs 90 for 120 gms  

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

• Packaging. It comes in a tube so easy to squeeze out and hygienic as well. It is travel-friendly too.    

• Type of Skin. It is amazing for dry skin, not so much for combination or oily!
  

• Easy to Apply. If I can say that the above-mentioned face pack was easy to apply, this goes on like a dream. The consistency is that of a mousse. 

• Results. It leaves my face looking soft and glowing. The best part of the product is it can be used everyday. 

• Ingredient List not specified. Like the cuticle oil, the ingredient list is missing.    

Overall Verdict

One of the really good face packs I have used in a long time so definitely, yes!!

Have you tried out the product? Did you like it? 

Other products from Vaadi Herbals:

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

Loving / Using It Vol. 5 - Vaadi Herbals Nails and Cuticle Oil

Vaadi Herbals Amla Thanda (Cool) Tail (Oil)

Some Random Product Reviews - Part II

Dove Go Fresh Face Wash

Price: Rs 150 for 100gms (approx.)

My Experience

The product is pearly white in color and smells really orangey and fresh. It is specifically for oily skin so in the yes, it did give me dry patches when I was in Delhi. But, in Hyderabad, its going on fine. 

Its not making my skin dry or stretched or anything. But, it doesn't do anything for the blackheads. Its specifically for summers, what I felt and anyway my skin is combi-dry so probably not a good product to suit me.

Lass Naturals Rose & Honey Soap Free Face Wash

Price: Rs 135 for 100gms (that's approx!)

My Experience

Ok, so this is an unheard brand for many of you but it has been there on my shelf and in the market for quite a long time.  have in fact used this product long long back in January. But, its a worth mentioning product. 

It smells of roses and the ingredients are all natural or would say skin-friendly and it has Sodium Benzoate for preservative for those who don't like parabens for whatever reason!!

Anyways, getting on to the product, its thick and gelatin-y in texture. It foams decently and cleanses really well. It doesn't dry the skin and leaves it soft enough and didn't stretch my skin in that winter month. 

It lasted me for a month so the price and quantity is decent. The only issue I found with the brand was that the packaging wasn't good at that time. But, I think they would have improved on that by now. I would definitely say that its a good product to try out!!

Auravedic Restructuring Hair Oil with Bitter Orange and Lemon

Price: Rs 250 for 100ml

My Experience

I don't really have much to say about this oil, unfortunately :( It was a very thrilling buy for me but the product turned out to be really flat. Its a thin colourless oil which smells of lemon, more or less.

It is light so should be washed off easily but the problem is that I apply a LOTT of oil so it didn't get washed off completely which was a surprise for me!! As such, I didn't find it do anything special for my hair, either!!!

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.

Biotique Bio Clove Purifying Anti-blemish Face Pack for oily & acne prone skin {Product Review}

I have always voted up for Biotique face packs and this one is no different. I love the color and the texture of the product. Its a bit grainy and goes smoothly over damp skin as all other face packs do. Btw, do you remember the tip that anything gets absorbed better on damp skin - moisturizer, serums or face packs!

---

Pros

leaves the skin smooth and a bit radiant

does help with tan and blemishes but only just so

suits dry skin as well in summers

can not find any con per se

---

The mask takes a good 15-20 minutes to dry off if you have applied a thick layer. Removing the mask is not really easy just like other masks but using a wash cloth made it little better. Also, make sure that the wash cloth is soft enough otherwise you can end up harming your skin.

After removal, one can see a little brightening of the face. Over the course of time if you use it, it helps with blemishes but it does help with tan. Also, the mask can be used daily as well but in such a case, the mask should be kept till it is just dry and washed off so that you do not have to scrub it off the face. Everyday scrubbing is not good!

Ingredient List

Also, whether it helps with acne or oily skin is something I can not comment on but yes it does suit dry skin unless you are using in winters which I did not do so I have no idea how it fares in dry weather. But, overall, I would say it is worth a try and easily available.

Price: Rs 199 for 85 gms

Have you tried the product?

Related Posts:

Biotique Bio Wheatgerm Firming Face & Body Cream
Biotique Bio Flame of the Forest Fresh Shine Expertise Oil
Products which helped my hair

Get from flipkart:

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?

Biotique Bio Wheatgerm Firming Face & Body Cream {Product Review}

Price: Rs 199 for 55gms

Ingredients

Pros

keeps the skin moisturized

amazing as hand and feet cream

can be used for cuticles and nails as well

removes tanning to an extent and lightens skin tone

Cons

can be greasy for not so dry skins
ingredients list is a mystery still!!

My Experience

Its been an year since I have used it but when I thought of putting up its review, it was already summers so it wouldn't have been of any use to anyone. So, I thought of deferring the review for these winters :) And, do I need to say more that I waited for winters to put up the review?

Biotique as a brand I love but their ingredients list is always an issue. But, their products almost always work for me so I do think of going back to them. This is also one of the good ones. The texture of the product as you can see is pretty thick.

Yes, it is absolutely amazing for dry skin. In winters, it absolutely solves the dry patches problem. One needs to use a wee bit amount of the product and you are good to go. It does lighten the tan and pigmentation you might have. But, the best way to use it is as a hand cream.

It is thick so it keeps the hands soft and moisturized all winters. And, as I said, it also lightened the color of my hands. And, it kept my cuticles also in check. Yes, I have used it on my face also and totally liked it but yes, it can get a bit greasy so unless you have very dry skin, you can skip it.

Its also great for arms and legs and feet as well. Just as it keeps the hands soft, it keeps the feet moisturized and prevents cracking of the heels unless you torture them :D So, yup, go for it this winters, if you haven't used it and I am sure you will love it as well :) And, if you have used it, so share your views!

Other products reviewed from Biotique:

Biotique Bio Musk Root Hair Mask 

Biotique Bio Pistachio Ageless Nourishing and Revitalizing Face Pack 

Biotique Mountain Ebony Fresh Growth Stimulating Serum 

Biotique Bio Henna fresh Powder Hair Color 

Biotique Bio Flame of the Forest Fresh Shine Expertise Oil

Vivel Active Essentials 3-in-1 Face Wash + Scrub {Product Review}

Price: Rs 105 for 100ml

Pros

cleanses the face really well

jojoba beads provide mild exfoliation

Cons

not meant for all skin types even if it says all kind types

leaves my skin a bit dry sometimes

jojoba beads don't get washed off properly

has SLS!!

My Experience

The product is a beautiful pearly blue in color with blue jojoba beads for exfoliation. The beads are not harsh on the skin but for me, the exfoliation wasn't enough. It doesn't help with the blackheads. The product last quite long, little being enough for every time. It lathers quite well and cleanses really well.

The face does look a bit brighter after using it. But, I do feel my skin is getting dry so probably it will suit only oily skin people and not dry. As I said earlier, my skin gets dry as the climate gets cooler, a drying face wash doesn't exactly help!! I love the color of the product, the pale blue.

So, did you use it? Do share what you think about it!

PS: Product sent by brand.

You might like:

Garnier Light Fairness Face wash 

Dove Deep Pure Face Wash 

Auravedic Botanical Actives Pulpy Facewash Honey Almond

Are you a specy bride? {Bridal Files}

So, yup, I wanted to do this post for like ages! I am a specy bride so I wanted to list down certain things which you should take care of!

Contacts!

Well, I have never been one for LASIK so I would say run for the store and grab a pair of contact lenses as soon as possible. Pretty obvious, you would think? Yah, that is true.

Now, let us come down to some pertinent points. I do not know how your doc or your optician prescribes contacts for you but they actually have a cheat sheet which has a list of spectacle power and the corresponding contact lens power. Check that cheat sheet and then get your contacts.

Actually, since your contacts are right on your eyes without any distance as opposed to the distance between eyes and lens while using specs, the power decreases by almost 1 point minimum so you should not use the same power for both lens and spectacles.

If you are thinking of LASIK, get it done at least three months before the wedding and make sure your eyes get a lot of rest. Strain is not good for the health of the eyes.

Shape of the Eyes

Ok, some people have naturally very deep sitting eyes and some people get that with constant use of specs. For those who have deep seated eyes due to the specs usage, the situation can be remedied if you use the contacts. So, try using the contacts for quite a good amount of time before the D-day or may be start using them now!!

Shape of the skin around the nose

If you have noticed, the skin around the nose and the cheekbones start drooping if you are a regular user of spectacles. Skin is used to taking the shape just like water so following the shape of the spectacles, it readjusts itself. The drooping shape of the spectacles and the deep-seated eyes gives away the fact that you are used to wearing specs. To get rid of that, start using contacts as regularly as you can.

What contacts to buy?

Well, we have daily disposables and fortnight disposables apart from the monthly ones and I donno if the yearly ones are still in production or not. Anyways, my advice would be to go for the fortnight ones. The reason being they are more reasonable than the daily disposable ones and you replace them regularly enough that your eyes can avoid infection.

And, once you get the fortnight trial lenses, you can actually understand how well-adapted your eyes would be to the contacts in the long run. And, accordingly, you can use the contacts and the spectacles. Daily disposables are only preferable when you do not want the lens maintenance headaches.

Bausch and Lomb and Johnson's Acuvue both are pretty good with 14-15 hours usage for both daily and fortnightly disposable lenses. And, I would also like to state that keep the usage of laptops, desktops and any communication devices while using contacts to a minimum as they dry out the eyes pretty quickly.

Use eye drops for sure while using lenses. Dry eyes can catch infections pretty quickly so you have to be really careful when using the lenses. I would suggest to use lenses in fact when you are going out and yes do avoid them if you are driving bikes. They can fly away in the wind :D Ok, the keyword being CAN.

Dark Circles

Yes, spectacles can actually cause dark circles so treat them! Use almond oil or vit. E oil at night as under-eye treatment and keep the area moist and get good sleep. It is very important when you are shifting to contact lenses.

I know all these points above are pretty much common sense and they are very much prevalent but the thing is most people tend to ignore them and hence the infections due to contact lenses. Be aware of how to treat your eyes and they are good to go :) And, enjoy your D-day in contacts.

So, specy brides, do you have a point to add here? Ok, there is a small part two to this post which I would come back with sometime later!

Related Posts:

Week 2 Updates

Week 1 Updates

How to start planning the wedding?

Do you think it is safe to use a bleach? {Your Opinion}

Hey Everyone! So, I wanted to tell you I have been a lot busy for the past two weeks, I have not been checking my mails or reading any comments except for few posts!! I am really sorry for that but trust me today was a really longgg day and even yesterday and guess tomorrow as well!!

And, mom is gonna come day after after which we have to literally run for everything! Also, mom got a new red sari so I guess I am shifting my engagement sari to red now :D And, then I thought that a mix of golden and subtle red hint eye shadows would look gorgeous for the day with red lipstick...what do you say? Ok, I am really bad at it so don't judge please!

Anyways, I will be bugging you with all this for next two weeks so let me come back to the topic I was supposed to write about. In fact, its not me writing but asking you all - Have you tried any bleach on your face or arms? Is it really safe? Till date I have never used bleach and I am really scared of it!

In fact why this topic came into my mind was that few days back I was just browsing around and then I hit on the fem gold bleach review which had phenomenal before and after snaps! I was like shocked and so tempted to use it off. But, then, I controlled myself and thought I would first know the opinions of you all.

So, do you really think bleaching is a good option? Or, should I stay away from it in the nick of time?

Related Posts:

Suggestions Please - Serum or night moisturizer for radiant skin!

Why are people biased against makeup?

Does your night moisturizer have spf?

Suggestions Please - Serum or night moisturizer for radiant skin!

So, I am trying to improve my skin condition and I have been thinking that some pampering is due so I was hoping you could all gimme suggestion for some night moisturizer or serum or any product which does not have sunscreen or makeup base and which can be applied anytime. 

I want something which can make the skin radiant and glowing and keep it that way for long! I did think of Vitamin C capsules from TBS but I am not really sure if I this is a good time to try them out the word on that product is quite mixed. Any high-brand product which is easily available in India would also be appreciated.

Do you think Ponds Gold Radiance would be good? I do not know if it is still in the market. I guess they have discontinued the range. I also had Forest Essentials gold youth serum or something in my mind. Anyways, since I have already given a lot of options, I am waiting for your inputs :)

Face Cleanup at Home {DIY}

Ok, this is just a DIY and is not supposed to mimic the parlor cleanups. I just randomly followed this routine one day and totally loved it so sharing it with you. You can do this when you think you can do with a little bit of pampering. I have already shared all the DIY's in this post on the blog.

Ingredients

• Face Wash
• Homemade Body Polish
• Deep Cleansing Mask
• Nourishing Mask
• Face Towel

Method

• Wash your face and neck thoroughly to remove all grime and dirt. If makeup is already there, remove it properly using the double cleansing method. 
• Take this body polish and scrub your face and neck till all the granules melt off. This will take about 5-10 minutes at max.
• Now, the next step is to use a deep cleansing mask or any mud mask which absorbs the toxins from the skin and leaves your skin glowing. Let the mask dry and wash off. 
• Now, to nourish the skin, you can take a nourishing face mask and apply a thick layer. Let it dry. Relax in the meantime. Wash off. 
• Follow with a toner or in my case aloevera gel. And, apply your favorite moisturizer or in my case a facial oil. 

Body Polish

I have already shared the DIY on the blog here. I would strongly recommend you to use this. But, you are more than welcome to use a good face scrub if you own one. Also, after scrubbing, you can take the face towel and dip it in hot water and wash off your face with it (instead of steaming the face). This is just to open the pores.  

Deep Cleansing Mask

Any clay mask is a deep cleansing mask. If you have one, that is more than enough. Otherwise, you can make one using multani mitti (fuller's earth) and water itself. You need a mask which will only remove the toxins from the skin. The nourishment is the next step so don't worry about it.

Recommended Masks:

Beauty Formulas Heat & Cleanse Clay Mask

Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask

Nourishing Mask

If you have a nourishing mask or a creamy or hydrating mask, that is good. Otherwise, you can make one using cocoa powder and honey. You can also add milk cream or fruit juices or banana.

Recommended Masks:

Biotique Bio Pistachio Ageless Nourishing and Revitalizing Face Pack 

I would suggest any Biotique mask like milk cream or clove mask as well. They are all pretty nourishing. 

So, that was my home DIY for face cleanup. Do you have any alternate ideas? Do Share! 

Related Posts: 

Turmeric infused Almond Oil

Mom's Oil

Ginger infused Vinegar for Dandruff and Clarifying Hair

Clean and Clear Fairness Cream {Product Review}

Price: Rs 120 for 40gms

Pros

controls oil admirably for entire day

leaves skin brighter and matte

gets absorbed really easily

Cons

doesn't suit dry skin at all so stay away!! 

My Experience

The product is light pink in color and very thin in consistency and not at all heavy!! I would say this is a perfect cream for oily skin. Why? Because, it doesn't let my skin get oily and yes, my skin feels a little stretched coz its actually dry combination and these days, my skin is not that oily. Had it been summers, it would have suited me perfectly.

No, its not suitable for dry skin at all. Or, even if you spend a lot of time on AC, I would not suggest this for you. Regarding the fairness claims, I didn't really find it do anything to my skin. But, yes, it probably did make my skin glow but I can't be really sure. But, I did notice that my skin turns a little ashy when I apply more than two pea-size drops of products for my face and neck, one for each.

It does stand true to the claims of oil free so yes, when combined with its counter part face wash, its a perfect recipe to combat oily skin. It would have been great if the products had been launched during summers - quite a respite for oily skin types :) Regarding its sunscreen and UV filter claims, I prefer to use a separate sunscreen. 

PS: Product sent by brand.

Other products from Clean and Clear:

Clean & Clear Skin-Balancing Moisturizer

Clean & Clear Fairness Face Wash

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]

Clean & Clear Fairness Face Wash {Product Review}

Price: Rs 99 for 80gms

Pros

leaves the skin little brighter after wash

doesn't stretch the skin or make it dry, very rare occurrences even if it happens!!

is little gritty in texture so provides extremely mild exfoliation

doesn't have SLS

Cons

no skin type is mentioned on the product but this is especially for only combination and oily skin!!

My Experience
The product is a pearly pink in color and a little thick in consistency. A little of the product goes a long way. It also cleanses the skin really well. In fact, I found this face wash to similar to that of Ponds and Dove face washes in every way. The ingredient list is also almost same having myristic acid as one of the top ingredients.

I do not like the fairness claims but it leaves a skin little brighter and a bit pinkish after the wash. It doesn't dry the skin overtly but I do think it might not be suitable for dry skin. Regarding the oil control claims, I can't make any observations because the climate has considerably cooled down and my skin gets oily only in high temperatures. 

Though, I should probably mention that even though its really sunny these days sometimes, my skin doesn't get much oily, only sweaty. Oh, one thing is that the gritty texture of the product helps exfoliating. Its not a high-powered one but for daily use, its fine. So, yup, give a chance and then decide whether to stick to it or not.

PS: Product sent by brand. 

Other Clean & Clear product reviewed on the blog:

Clean & Clear Skin-Balancing Moisturizere

What happens when you do not use Sunscreen? {Sunscreen}

This post is specially for people who have not yet adapted this routine thinking it to be just a frivolous stuff. Well, may be it was and that was the doubt which made me do this little experiment. I forgo-ed sunscreen for almost two weeks and now I am putting up these findings.

I have been using sunscreen more or less regularly since a year. And, I apply sunscreen only once in a day. But, I do apply a good amount of it for proper protection. And, yes, I do go out in the peak time of 10 AM - 4 PM as well. So, lets get on the with my findings.

My arms are back to whatever state they were tanned prior to my use of sunscreen. Interestingly, I observed the tanning only after a couple of days without sunscreen. The first day I didn't apply sunscreen, my skin was looking more or less the same. 

Talking about the face and neck, yes, they are also tanned. Not as much as my arms coz I did use sunscreen on and off. And, I am using a lightening oil as well at night to combat this tanning but still I know that my complexion has grown darker. 

So, now that I know that sunscreen is extremely important to preserve my skin complexion, I would try not to skip it. And, this is my first advise to everyone who love their skin. Oh! Btw, please remember that the benefits of using sunscreen are apparent only if you use the proper amount and after around a month of use. That's when you will see changed in your skin, be it color or texture. 

So, what do you think? Do you find yourself getting tanned whenever you skip sunscreen? 

Related Posts:

How to remove tanning on arms?
5 Steps to get fairer skin?

5 Steps to get fairer skin? {Five Series}

PS: This post is for all those people who have asked me to give tips on fairer skin. I am sorry that I couldn't reply to you all personally but hope this post is helpful to you :)

Since quite long, I have been seeing a trend of questions on this topic from people who are either getting married or who have darker skin tones. So, first of all, I would like to say that you can't really lighten the skin complexion. The skin color is determined by the amount of melanin your skin has and you can't do anything to reduce the amount of this pigment inside your skin. Ok, after that bit of science, I would like to say that you can do somethings to preserve your original complexion.

Sunscreen

Yup, that's the first step to any kind of skin care. And, I totally stress on the importance of this routine. I would suggest Neutrogena Ultra Sheer but my favourite is MVO Moisturizing Face Screen. I have often heard complains that the sunscreen does nothing but the secret lies in using the proper amount of sunscreen to provide full protection.

Double Cleansing

To remove makeup or sunscreen after an entire day of work, use oil or a good makeup remover before washing your face. Its one of the most important routines of the night. 

Face Wash and Tone

Use your face wash as you would and don't forget to use the toner if your face is oily. I would suggest using homemade toners for your skin type. Green tea for oily and combination skin and rose water for dry skin. You can do other experiments with them as well.

Moisturize and Nourish

One of the most important routines even if your skin is oily. Get a good moisturizer. Or, use aloevera gel if your skin is oily. Its the best bet. For dry skin, I would suggest using a facial oil or serum instead of moisturizer at night. 

Face Scrub and Mask

The above steps were regular routine. But, some extra love is needed to keep skin in perfect condition so exfoliate on every alternate day for oily skin or if you layer too many products on your skin at day time. And, if you have dry skin, exfoliate twice a week. 

For dry skin, use sugar to exfoliate. For combination and oily skin, mix salt and sugar to exfoliate. They have alpha-hydroxy acids which help with removing the blemishes and dark spots on regular usage. Also, they keep the skin supple and improve the skin tone by making the skin look brighter.

After scrubbing, always follow with a mask. You can use any commercially-available products. I would not suggest you to use fruit masks after scrubbing with sugar because fruits also have active enzymes and sugar also have active enzymes so that can too much for your skin at a single time. 

If you plan to use fruits, remember that they have active enzymes which do both the jobs - exfoliation and acting as a mask so keep the fruit juices on your skin for 15 minutes and wash off. Using sugar to exfoliate and using fruit juices as mask afterwards can make the skin sensitive. Honey is a good mask in such cases.

These are the steps I follow regularly to keep my complexion glowing. Please remember that whatever you do to your face, do the same to your neck and decolletage. You don't want your neck and lower body to look older and uncared for. But, also remember NOT to overdo things EVER. Keep things regular and you will notice difference in a month. 

What's your secret to preserving your skin complexion? Are you already following a particular routine or going to follow this routine? Do share your results :)

Related Posts: 

Homemade Body Polish

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 It / Using It Vol. 8 - Le Beurre Shea Butter Face Cream and Lip Balm

Long time back, I had ordered cocoa butter because I wanted to create my own face cream and body creams minus all the other useless ingredients. That cocoa butter is still lying in my fridge but I was contacted by this company to review the products and jumped at the offer. What could be better than using the natural products, right? So, let us see how did they fare in my review!

Shea Butter Face Cream

• Price: 12$ for 2oz

• No smell at all. 

• Packaging not really great. In fact the labels also get dissolved if the shea butter melts on it. 

• Moisturizes well. Shea Butter is awesome. In fact, it made my skin look glowing and hydrated even if no exfoliation was done!

• Ingredients not mentioned. 

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

• A small quantity is enough. Otherwise, it will make the face look oily. And, it is definitely a winter or dry season product. 

• Not suited for oily skin. 

Loving It / Using It : Using It

Shea Butter Lip Butter

• Price: 3$ for 0.5oz

• No smell at all. 

• Packaging good. The tin can can be reused for homemade lip balms or solid perfumes. 

• Moisturises well. Shea Butter is awesome. Lips look pink and beautiful.

• Ingredients not mentioned. 

• Absolutely travel-friendly

Loving It / Using It : Loving It

Availability

Website - Le Beurre

Overall Verdict

Totally love the lip butter. Definitely recommended! For face cream, I had only a sample size so can not really comment more.

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

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Loving It / Using It Vol. 7 - Madara Colour and Shine Shampoo for Colored / Treated Hair
Loving / Using It Vol. 6 - Vaadi Herbals Chandan Kesar Haldi Face Pack
Loving / Using It Vol. 5 - Vaadi Herbals Nails and Cuticle Oil