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

Have you started with a new skin care routine, men?? {Five Series}

So, two weeks back sometime I had mentioned that Garnier has come up with a new campaign #SayNoToBars specifically targeted at men for their lack of skills or interest at personal grooming. Today, I would like to talk about why is it really important to use a face wash instead of a soap. 

Now, I have done a post on how is a soap different from a bar and how a man's skin is different from a woman's. So, assuming that you have read both of those posts, I would say I am extremely thankful that Garnier and other brands now a days are coming up with men-specific ranges. So, let me just go through five specific reasons why a face wash trumps the soaps. 

Hygiene

Soaps are handled by all family members unless you have one specifically for yourself (which in every case I would recommend) and imagine the number of germs accumulating by being handled by so many people!! Face wash is a squeeze and go. And, you do not have a soap case to clean and cover every time you use it. 

Travel-friendly

So, damn easy to pop and go. You can have on in your laptop case and use it at the office after a polluting ride on your bike (unless you are a car freak)! And, of course, it doubles up as body wash when you are out of station. 

Made specifically for your face

The face skin is different from the body and much more sensitive and needs to be handled with care. Thus, a face wash which has been specifically designed for your face instead of a bar has all the actives which will provide a deep cleansing and moisturizing wash. The ingredients will keep your skin soft and young, as well.

Soap is alkaline and skin is acidic

So, coming to a little more technical ground, our skin has a pH level of 5.5 where as all the soaps are alkaline which is why if you use a non-regulated pH product on the face, it will damage and dry out your skin and make you age faster. 

Your Acne might be due to soaps!!

The difference in the pH levels of your soap and skin can cause the sebum of your skin to get washed off thereby allowing bacteria to breed on your skin and causing breakouts. Face wash helps prevent such breakouts. 

These are just the starting reasons why you might want to shift to face washes. so, what are you waiting for?

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Areev Natural Handmade Soap Wild Orchid {Product Review}

So, let me introduce you to another brand - Areev. You can check out the site here. Now, how I came across the brand is through Good Seeds market. Good Seeds is an organization which holds a monthly market in Hyderabad and promotes natural, handmade and organic products through fair trade. Check out their site here. 

Price: Rs 60

Pros

gentle on skin

smells nice

lasts long enough!

Cons

does not really moisturize

Ingredients List - olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, jasmine and ylang ylang EO

My Experience
Since I have started on the handmade soaps a couple of years back, I have been hooked on them and I love trying out every XYZ brand I come across. And, fortunately each one of them has been better than previous! And, then I came across the Goodseeds and I got many more brands to try out! (Oh yes, there are many other products coming up!)

Like all the handmade soaps, this one also is gentle on skin and feels nice. It says wild orchid but it actually has the essential oils of jasmine and ylang ylang which try to replicate the elusive orchid smell!!

The soaps lathers decently in water but still does not melt away! It has lasted me almost 20 days with two uses each day and still there is some more of the soap left!

The best part of the soap is it is pretty inexpensive when it comes to handmade soaps at 60 bucks as opposed to the others being in the range of 90-100 and above and they do not last as long!

Ok, you do need to moisturize after having a bath with the soap. But then the weather is getting dry in Hyderabad so can not rely on the soap alone. 

There are a few variants of the soaps available from the brand and the next I am trying is cucumber mint. Will let you know about that soon enough but for now see if you can try this one :)

Availability

As far as I know you can only order it through Good Seeds. Unfortunately, Good Seeds delivers only locally :(

Have you tried out Good Seeds or Areev soaps?

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Kiya Bath n Body Oats Milk n Lavender Soap {Product Review}

Pros

gentle on skin

does not dry out the skin

Ingredients

My Experience

Writing a review on soaps is difficult when it comes to the handmade soaps. Handmade soaps are all good when made in the right way and this one falls in the same category.

It lathers very less but cleanses well. It is gentle on skin and at least now I do not feel any need for moisturizer. I can make do with out it but that might not apply for winter months.

And, I felt as if one side of the soap has some granules like a scrubbing part or something but I can't be sure coz they are too small. Anyways, about the lasting period, the product worked for me for 15 days with twice a day of usage so it is like all other handmade soaps in my experience.

Availability

Location - Plot No.74, Road No.5, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad

Also, if you are interested to get the products, you can contact Bindu via facebook.

PS: Product sent by brand for consideration.

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Homemade Castile Soap

Guest Post by Waseema

This is the first time that I am writing a review and I am excited and nervous at the same time. Today I would like to review a pure olive oil soap also called Castile Soap handmade by me at home.

Why I got into soap making is because my daughters aged 5 yrs and 1 yr have very sensitive skin and any soap I use caused dry flaky skin or dry patches with redness and itching on them. 

The soaps I make are cold process soaps which have a high percentage of glycerin in it as a result of the saponification process. Hence, these soaps are very conditioning and do not dry out skin unlike commercial soaps.

Ingredients

Saponified oils of olive, castor, lye and distilled water.  Unscented, Uncolored.

My Experience

This soap does not lather like the commercial soaps as it contains 90% olive oil, but the addition of castor oil helps with bubbles as seen in the picture above. If you use a pouf/nylon mesh scrubber you can get decent lather. Though this soap does not lather much but it cleanses very well and does not dry the skin. 

Ever since my daughters have been using this soap their skin is behaving well and does not break out in itchy rashes or flaky patches.  I would recommend this soap for babies and those with sensitive and dry mature skin. Overall this works as a great soap for all skin types.

Editor's Note: This is so true. Read what I wrote about the difference between soaps and bathing bars.

Due to high glycerine content these soaps melt very easily and to keep it around longer you have to avoid holding it in the shower stream, and make sure that you store it on a well-draining soap dish, or else it can end up in a gloppy mess. 

I make these soaps at home. Currently I have a batch that’s cured and ready to be used. You can check more pictures here. If you would like to buy them, let me know. 

Price: Rs 99 for 80gms 

Thank you so much for reading my review!
Luv,
Waseema.

Editor's Note: Thanks a lot Waseema for letting us know about the castile soaps. They are indeed really awesome!

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Some Random Product Reviews - Part III

Nyah Honey! I Love Strawberries & Jasmine Natural Handmade Bar

Price: Rs 200

My Experience
This was a brand which Roshni introduced to me and I got this soap from flipkart. Well, it did sound really exotic but unfortunately it fell flat during usage :( No, its not that bad but its expensive. 

Anyways, as you can see in the pic, it has a glycerin top part and is like a natural bar below it. And, one of its edges has a hard scrubbing side. And, it really is very harsh. I got scratches on my body after using it :(

Overall, the soap was fine. It did not moisturize my skin but it did not leave it dry either. But, overall, I did not fancy the soap much!

Olive Tree Virgin Olive Oil Soap

Price:  Rs 99 (I guess!!)

My Experience

I didn't know it could be used on hair as well, read it just now :)

This product, I picked up from Ratandeep, a well-known supermarket in Hyderabad! It looks tempting, isn't it?? Ok, its a solid white colored soap which doesn't lather AT ALL. But, cleanses really well.

My guess is that it is probably the famed castile soap which is made of pure olive oil which lathers minimal and cleanses really well. Also, it lasts reallyyy long so the price justifies the product.

Yes, being used to lather, it was frustrating to use it in the beginning but now I like it a lot. I would definitely suggest you to pick up some if you stay in Hyderabad.

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