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

Price: Rs

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

My August Haul

SOS Organics Handmade Soaps

I had talked about my haul sometime back. Since, I was running short of ideas and since some of you had requested for the haul and reviews, I am putting up the snaps. Do check them out :)

Puro Room Freshener and Episoft face wash

Soul Tree Shampoo, Auravedic Skin Lightening Oil, Rustic Art Algae Soap, Rustic Art Aloevera Gel and Neutrogena Sunscreen

Tea light Candles and Diffuser...should have ordered a match box as well :D

Oh, I did receive following products from PR.

  

Soul Tree travel size samples - both shampoos and one shower gel

Clean & Clear Fairness Cream and Face Wash (had been drooling on the product when I saw the ads!!)

Related Posts:
Episoft Cleanser
Rustic Art Aloevera Gel
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock

Cellnique Paramedicals Derma Whitening Daytime Protection {Product Review}

Price: 57$ (Rs 3000 around) for 30ml

Ingredients

Pros

- its a mineral sunscreen as well

- spreads easily and is not too creamy

Cons

- it leaves a lot of white cast!!!

- pretty expensive!! 

- the pump didn't work for me :( 

My Experience

I am always on the look out for Zinc Oxide based sunscreens. So, this one caught my eye. I liked the packaging with the pump for the squeeze tube but, unfortunately, the pump didn't work for me. I had to screw open the pump and squeeze out the sunscreen. 

The sunscreen is white in color and light in texture but enough creamy but again, not too creamy. And, depending on various days, I needed extra moisturizing sometimes and sometimes not. The light texture of the product allows it to spread easily and evenly on the skin.

But, there is a huge hitch in this. Since it has both Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide (I don't know the ratios), the product leaves a lot of white cast on the skin which is very annoying. I have tried using the product on my arms as well and same issue there. 

And, it is definitely expensive for 30 ml of a product which would probably last two months!!! It needs to be reapplied because its a combination of mineral and chemical sunscreen. I wish they do something regarding the white cast. Also, I didn't see any whitening or lightening of my skin tone.

PS: Product sent by brand.

Ponds White Beauty Daily Spot-less Lightening Cream SPF 20 PA++ {Product Review}

Before starting the review, I want to reiterate that I do not support fairness products. I have reviewed this solely out of my curiosity and I wanted to see how much of the hi-flying claims it supports.

Price: Rs 249 for 50gms

Ingredients

Ok, so, it has a long one and I did click it but it wasn't very clear so I am gonna skip this. And, yes, it has lots of chemicals. Btw, it has Niacinamide which is Vitamin B3 and it also has parabens in case you are interested.

Pros

- cute packaging

- evens out the skin tone

Cons

- makes me sweat a lot sometimes

- sticks to one place on my skin and refuses to spread smoothly

- doesn't fulfil any claims of fairness (it claims to make your skin fair genetically)

- can't use it as a sunscreen (this is not exactly a con)

- less on moisturizing

My Experience

So, this is my second fairness product. I remember long time back, I had tried out the Fair n Lovely sachet which used to come with magazines. I had tried it just once but I remember the texture of the cream which was a little powdery and felt dry. This Ponds one has the same texture. 

I like the packaging, though. But, taking enough amount of the product is a challenge when it is a tub packaging. I really wish they come with pump packing so that one pump or two are enough for one use. Take too much and the product clumps on the skin. The cream is a little thick and creamy and doesn't spread easily at all. 

In fact, blending was a huge headache for me in the starting but then, I used my regular method of applying moisturizer and it worked really well. But, even then, I have to make sure that I have just enough of the product to cover my face otherwise it does end up giving a white cast and a patchy look. And, after applying the product, you can see some of the product clumped up in the lines of your palms which is extremely annoying. 

Ok, to speak good of the product, it evens out my skin beautifully and gives a very pinkish look to my face. The skin looks brightened and a little glowy. However, I did not see any fairness or any skin lightening in the long run. I don't think it works on removing the tanning but I am not really sure of that.  It is suited for skin prone to more oiliness as it gives a mattifying look.

Ok, I do not really rely on my moisturizers to give me sun protection (I do not advise it either) so the product having spf is redundant for me. However, I have seen that the glow does stay till the evening on some days. But, this moisturizer is not enough if you have dry skin. It tends to make my skin dry even in summers (my skin is combination towards dry). 

But, I did sweat more with this product at times which was a shame. So, if you are looking for fairness, I would not recommend this. But, if you are looking for a product which evens out your skin temporarily, yes, you should definitely go for this. 

Fun Fact: I asked my dad to use this and his face was also a little brighter and even after applying this product. But, even he faced issues while blending it :D 

PS: Product sent by brand. 

More from Ponds:
Ponds Pure White Deep Cleansing Facial Foam
Ponds Face Washes

Aloeveda Moisturising Bathing Bar Indian Khus with Kewda Extracts {Product Review}

Price: Rs 65 for 100gms

Ingredients

Soap noodles transparent (80%), Merquat Plus 3330, Sodium PCA (3%), Sorbitol (2%), Aloevera Gel (2%), Vitamin E, Green Paste, Indian Khus with Kewda extracts.

Pros

- it smells really good!! I don't know if its Kewda smell or what but if that's what Kewda smells like, I would love to get an attar of Kewda (I don't know what Kewda is but I do know that its one of the most famous perfume fragrances of India).

Cons

- it doesn't do well on the moisturizing front but then it doesn't really leave the skin scaly dry either so its good for summers. 

- I personally don't like transparent soaps (so this is not exactly a con).

PS: Product sent by brand.

Just Herbs Cascade Moisturising Day Care Lotion Aloevera & Wheatgerm {Product Review}

Price: Rs 345 for 100ml

Ingredients

Key Ingredients -Aloevera 5% **,Wheatgerm oil 0.5%, Jojoba oil 0.2%, Apricot kernel oil 0.2 %, Vetiver extract 0.1% ,

Other Ingredients -Aqua ( Purified/Mineral water) , Sunflower seed oil**, caprylic Capric Triglycerrides ( Fractionated Coconut Oil) Glyceryl stearate citrate/cetearyl alcohol/glyceryl caprylate*, Glycerine** Shea butter** Soy Lecithin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate*, Parfum, CI 14720 (colouring agent), Octyldodecanol*,  Disodium EDTA, Herbs-Essential oil Complex( Natural Preservative) Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate.

** Certified Organic Ingredients

*  Natural Ingredients certified by ECOCERT

98.2% NATURAL RAW MATERIALS from renewable resources (Total amount of ingredients whose usage in cosmetic formulations follows sustainable standards)

Pros

- gets absorbed very quickly

- leaves the skin dewy and radiant

Cons

- not moisturizing for dry skin

- can make you sweat more

My Experience

the left is the Cascade Lotion

The product is very thin and gets absorbed into the skin pretty easily. And, I really like that it makes my skin look hydrated and moisturized without getting heavy. But, the main issue with this product is that it makes me sweat a lot if I am not in AC or in front of the cooler. I have used the product on my entire body and liked the way it kept my skin moisturized for 6 hours straight. 

The packaging is also very handy and travel-friendly. It comes with a pump. Only two pumps are required to cover my face and neck. Ok, this is a good product for normal to oily and combi skin but not suitable for dry skin. So, even if you have a combi dry skin, its not the product for you. I did face dryness sometimes.  Overall, its a good product to try out and see if it suits you. 

Also, I would like to point out that last time when I had reviewed the Silksplash face wash, I had complained about the secretive cleansing base, the PR guys from Just Herbs had reverted back immediately and furnished me with the entire ingredient list for this product. They also said that their packaging and ingredient listing policies are going to change soon in the near future. So, I am looking forward to the revelations :)

PS: Product sent by brand. 

Win Aloe Veda Gift Hampers!! [Giveaway Closed]

So, here comes another giveaway your way and the surprise is that there will be two winners. Two people would win Aloeveda gift hamper which consists of Bathing Bar / Butter Bar, Shower Gel, Face Cleanser, Shampoo, Conditioner, Lip Balm. Yay!! So, as you all already know the rules, get on with entering in the rafflecopter form :) And, now, over to the Rafflecopter form. If you are reading the post in your mail box, kindly login to the blog to enter the giveaway. Give the Rafflecopter form a few seconds to load.

[Oh, btw, last time, many of you had entered the giveaway without giving proper answers so please a kind request that read the questions properly and then, enter the answers. If you enter wrong answers or your entries are not verified properly, you will be disqualified. And, do not forget to subscribe to the mailing list and confirm it. Its a mandatory entry. Also, the person who wins my mini-giveaway will not win in this giving everyone a fair chance :) For those who will be doing a blogpost on the giveaway, please use the image in the post on the top and link the image back to this post.]

a Rafflecopter giveaway
PS: I am using Aloe Veda lip balm currently and loving it. I also got a hair oil for review but since my hair treatment is going on, I shall use it next month!!! But, seriously, I am dying to use it coz the ingredients sound so awesome. And, their bathing bar smells just awesome. 

Just Herbs Silksplash Neem-Orange Rehydrant Face Wash {Product Review}

Price: Rs 245 for 100ml

Ingredients

Neem extract 0.5%, orange peel 0.5%, aloevera 2%, honey 1%, calendule extract 0.5%, cucumber extract 0.2%, chandan (sandalwood) extract 0.1%, cleansing base.

Pros

- Doesn't dry out the face unless used in too much quantity

- Brightens the face

Cons

- Packaging is not very friendly

- Stings the eyes and nasal tract

- Doesn't cleanse well if you have done an oil massage

- Cleansing Base is a mysterious ingredient

My Experience

To start with, it smells nice but I hate the packaging. It comes with a open wide-mouthed bottle which always dispenses more than enough of the face wash and when in hurry, you can see that the product gets easily wasted. The bottle is not easy to handle in the shower either as it is slippery. A stopper or a flip-top cap would have been better.

Also, the product is very runny so use it with care. Very little product is enough for once. The bottle can easily last a month if used properly. Ok, the biggest problem with the product is that it stings my eyes and nasal tract badly. Ok, I cleanse my skin extra-properly because of which the face wash always gets into my eyes and this one gets into my nose as well coz its so runny :(

I have also noticed that it doesn't cleanse my skin well when I apply oil to remove the sunscreen in the evenings. But, otherwise, it really cleanses the face well and shows an immediate brightening of the skin. It also doesn't leave the skin stretched or dry. But, if the product is used in huge quantity, it does dry out the face.

Also, I feel Just Herbs is almost like Biotique because this also uses a mysterious thing called cleansing base in which other extracts have been added. I would love to know the details of this cleansing base. I want to try out their face masks as they seem really impressive and there is apparently no mysterious ingredient in them either. 

PS: Product sent by brand for consideration.
PS 1: Thanks a lot for the amazing response to my giveaway. Its over now and give me sometime to check up on all the entries and announce the winner.

Home Remedies for skin dryness {DIY}

I received a comment from Khushboo asking me how to deal with skin dryness and bring a glow to the face and how to make the skin look fresh. Its a huge complicated thing and probably I can write many many posts on that. So, I thought I would start with home remedies for skin dryness.

Banana
Rub a slice of banana on your face and neck. It helps with anti-aging, tightening the skin and also moisturises your skin simultaneously.

More DIY's with Banana
Get a glow you deserve
A recipe for faster hair growth and beautiful looking skin
Your hands tell your age 
Keep your skin moisturized this winter with Banana
Get rid of the blemishes and dark spots on your body

Honey
Apply a thin or thick mask of honey on your face and let it stay for 15-3 minutes or more if you can manage. Wash off. Amazing for dry skin and not messy at all.

More DIY's with Honey
Honey as face cleanser
Sugar Body Scrub with a twist
A simple tip for a glowing face
Get rid of those Large Pores
Orange Sugar Body Scrub

Aloevera Gel
Natural aloevera gel is extremely beneficial for dry skin as it improves the hydration power of the skin from inside. Yes, it is drying for the skin so apply it first and follow with a moisturiser if you feel your skin has become stretched. It also is a great after-sun treatment and acts best when used as a night moisturiser.

More DIY's with Aloevera Gel
Aloevera: A Miracle Plant 
Natural Moisturizers for Oily Skin
Skin dryness and burning?
Aloevera for soft skin
How to treat Sunburns?

Products Recommended
Rustic Art Aloevera Gel
24 Letter Mantra Honey
Image Courtesy:iblue.hubpages.com,strangehistory.net,hansaaloevera.com

Are you a difficult customer? {Your Opinion}

This thought came into my mind when I went for my leg waxing last month. I am a very difficult customer. During my waxing session, I do complain a lot about the heat of the wax or cry out when it hurts :( My skin is extremely sensitive to heat and that too at different points, my skin's tolerance to heat is different so I always shout variably at different times :D Its hilarious when narrated as an incident but not as humorous in real life!!

Again, when I go to buy clothes, I am damn choosy and I hardly end up liking anything. My mom gets irritated with me!!! Similarly, I am very choosy when it comes to skin and hair products. I don't use any product which catches my fancy (most of the times). I do try to find out as much as possible about the product beforehand. Most of my purchases are instincts instead of impulses. 

So, what kind of customer are you?

Image Courtesy:cavsi.com

Do you wash your hands after applying skin products and before doing your hair? {Your Opinion}

I like to keep my hands clean all the time. And, whenever I apply any moisturiser or sunscreen, I like to wash my hands afterwards. That's also a reason why I don't like hand creams because they tend to make my palms sticky. And, also, before doing my hair, I like to wash my hands so that the skin products don't get transferred to my hair and make it greasy or create a product build-up.

How do you manage your skin and hair care routine? Do you do your hair before your skin???

Image Courtesy:lovingyou.com

Lotus Herbals SAFE SUN COLLAGENSHIELD SUNBLOCK SPF 90 PA+++ {Product Review}

Price: Rs 595 for 50gms

Ingredients

Pros

- blends easily with my skin

- goes well on the bare skin too

- gives a nice base layer for makeup

- can be finished off with a loose powder dusting and a lipstick

Cons

- expensive!!!

- too high claims from my point of view

- can't apply the required dosage of sunscreen because of the tint

My Experience

I have been using this sunscreen since almost a month. Frankly, doing a review of a sunscreen is a very difficult task for me :( Either I know too much about it or I have an obsessive compulsive disorder. So, let me try to give an impartial review.First of all, I was actually frightened by the claims and the spf. I mean 90 is way too high and actually there is only a marginal protection increase between 30 and 50 and 90.

Anyway, talking about the product, if you need a proper protection, you need to apply proper amount of sunscreen. So, nearly 1/4th to 1/3rd of a tea spoon of sunscreen should be applied daily. Now, since this sunscreen is tinted, that proves to be a huge problem as the tint tends to get patchy and sits on the skin which looks really bad, obviously!!!

And, one more thing I noticed is that my skin gets heated up sometimes to an uncomfortable degree when I am applying the product. That's kinda weird, actually!!! Another con for me was that the sunscreen used to flake off my skin!!! Yes, I tested the sunscreen on bare skin and on skin with moisturiser and there was no pattern to flaking off. And, that was actually very inconvenient.

Yes, lots of cons so let me talk a little about the pros. It really gives a nice tint and is more or less sheer on the skin. But, it does give an even look to the skin. Finishing off this product with a loose powder and a lipstick is a really good idea. The sunscreen does give good protection and I am not the kind who reapplies. I did go out in the sun in the afternoons with this on but no, I didn't tan out considerably.

Ok, another con is that this can't be used as a body sunscreen. One more thing is that I think the tint is too dark and may make the fairer ones look a shade darker than they are. It blends nicely with the skin, though. And, to be frank, I did try to apply the required amount of sunscreen which is an impossibility when it comes to tinted products but yes, I have to use a tissue paper to remove the excess product almost always.

And, it does make my skin look shiny immediately on application. Though, the skin sort of settles down after an hour or so. And, yes, it does make the skin look a little brighter and that stays till the evening. And, this photographs well also. So, can be used as a foundation as well. So, as a sunscreen, my answer is no because its a chemical one and my personal preference is a physical sunscreen but if I have to say something, its a decent enough sunscreen though my preference would still be Neutrogena because of the stability factor.

PS: Product sent by the brand.

Other product reviews from Lotus Herbals:

Lotus Herbals WHITEGLOW Oatmeal and Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub

Lotus Herbals VanilaSmooth Body Lotion

48craft.com coupon redeemed and other things

I won a giveaway at Ansh's blog and that included a 750 rupees gift coupon to 48craft.com website. So, I got these things. Do let me know if you like them :)

I love the colors in the bag

Also, check out the items which arrived in the mail this week.

I am so excited to use the BB cream and love the colors!!

So, that's all for today. See ya tomorrow :) Have fun on Sunday!!

Lactocalamine Deep Cleansing Face Wash {Product Review}

I know this product has been there in the market since quite long and it wasn't a buy either. I got it free with the lactocalamine bottle. Initially, to be frank, I wasn't interested in using it and was wondering "will I get one with every lactocalamine, yikes!!!" Anyway, let's get on with the review and let's see if I really would mind getting it even for free :)

Price: Rs 65 for 70ml

Ingredients

Pros

- it feels really cool when you wash your face, the best part

Cons

- it has SLES
- doesn't really control oil for long time

My Experience

The gel is light purple in color and smells awfully like a bubblegum!!! I don't really like the smell but its not exactly offending. Whenever I apply the face wash, there is an immediate cooling effect like you have applied menthol or something on the face. That's what made me write this review :) Definitely a very useful thing in hot summers :D Right??? It has menthol and raspberry extract too which is pretty interesting. 

It does make my skin feel a little dry after the wash but then, it is meant for oily skin and mine is a little quirky kind which oscillates between dry and oily. So, wouldn't really blame the face wash and even then, it doesn't leave my skin stretched or anything. I can easily grab a light moisturiser and I am good to go. But, the biggest thing is that it doesn't help me with the oil on my nose and chin :( They get oily in an hour or two after washing my face.

Have you used this face wash? What do you like or hate about it?

Other products from Lactocalamine:

Always have a bottle of calamine lotion

Products which helped my hair {Hair Care}

I wanted to do this post long back after the one on home remedies for hair growth but somehow forgot. I would definitely recommend all the products I list down under here:

• Biotique Musk Root: helped combat my hair fall last year in January and really nourished my hair. You can read the entire review here. 

• Lush Caca Noir: Well, technically, this is just a hair coloring agent and nothing else. But, it improved my hair texture and made it so soft and shiny. I love it and I wanna lay my hands asap on Caca Maroon. It wasn't a first love and my first review was almost that all money spent on it went into drain. But, the second review which I did after using the noir again after a spell of 3 months almost was what made me a fan of this product. Read about the Caca Noir here.

• Biotique Mountain Ebony: This is one of the really un-talked product of Biotique but I love it to bits and it wasn't an instant love either. I took my own sweet time to analyze it and use it and decide on it. I bought it in December 2010 and used it sometimes and left it. Later, again started using it after a spell of almost 6 months and used it daily in fact. Read about it here. 

Update

• Rogan Badam Shirin: I really forgot to put about it. Padmaja asked me about hair oils and this is my one go to hair oil and the best ever which has actually shown me results on a long term basis. Read about it here. 

All the products mentioned above are tried and tested on a long term. I shall keep on adding if I find something equally good in the subsequent future :)

Sunscreen Regulations in India {Sunscreen}

Oh, I know you are bored by my posts on sunscreen. But, yes, I am obsessed. Did you know applying sunscreen can even help you with the pores problem? Yes!!! So, next time check out a good sunscreen :) And, now, a little about Indian regulations on sunscreen.

In India, sunscreen is considered a cosmetic and there is no maximum SPF rating. India has different registration lead times for sunscreens depending on if the product is made locally (3 months), or for import (9 months). India requires the manufacturer to release the full product formulation, including the quantitative formula with declaration and disclosure of functions of ingredients. All label text must be disclosed during the registration process along with the product specs, manufacturing process, chemical and microbiological testing methods and any data supporting product claims. India requires the manufacture to run a minimum of 2 pilot batches before registering a sunscreen. India requires specific stability testing requirements to show shelf life of the sunscreen. Testing may be done using accelerated methods of exposure to extreme heat. However, any data that is accelerated also needs to be confirmed by real time testing, so the process takes longer than the 3 or 9 months since the real time data (for up to a 3 year shelf life) needs to be available to register. (Source)

I have always wanted to know how sunscreens are regulated in India. This bit of information has definitely calmed down some of my apprehensions in the sunscreen products. But, of course, there should be a maximum spf rating otherwise who knows, tomorrow, products will come with sfp 150. Just Imagine!!! (just like Bebo says in Jab We Met).

Read more posts on sunscreen:

Do layers of sunscreens help? 

Sunscreen and Myths 

Dark and Dull Skin in summers 

Zinc Oxide vs Titanium Dioxide

Is my sunscreen working?

Surfaces and Radiations

What are UV Radiations?

What Sunscreen should I buy?

Sunscreen Ingredients

Use sunscreen 365 days a year

How much sunscreen do you apply?

Sunscreen: Role in anti-aging Skin Care

Patanjali Divya Kantilep {Product Review}

Guest Review by Ankur

Price: Rs 30 

Ingredients

Lawsonia inermis (mehndi beej), Curcuma amada (aamahaldi), Rubia cordifolia (manjeeth), Myristica fragrance (jayfal), Santalum album (chandan shwet), Acacia catechu (katha), Valeriana wallichii (sugandh bala), Cinnamomum camphora (kapur), Aleo vera, Amomum subulatum (badi ilaychi), Moti Pishti, Sphatik Bhasma

My Experience

Divya kanti lep works like magic on skin. It's not gonna make you fair or something like it, but it will give you a clear skin without any acne ,pimples, red bumps, blemishes or other skin-disorders. That's my experience with the product. There's no harm in trying it, as it costs only Rs 30 for 50 gms. I brought one two months ago and still have much left. It is advised to use with fresh unboiled milk or rose water and then keep it  on face for 3-4 hours. I use it every night. After applying it I just go to bed and remove it next morning. Just after applying, it gives a cooling effect which is really good. This product is very useful for people who want clear skin without any skin disorder. It has helped me a lot. I personally recommend it to everybody to use this at least for once because its an amazing product. A must have according to me.

Read about other products from Patanjali:
Patanjali Ojas Multani Mitti Soap

Patanjali Divya Dant Manjan

Patanjali Tejus Tailum Body and Hair Oil

Patanjali Aloevera Gel

Patanjali Kesh Kanti

My Haul and Other Things

So, I am back to Hyderabad and wallowing in sadness :D And, as you all would be probably aware that my camera had not been functioning properly so I got my other camera this time from home. And, now that I can again take many snaps, I wanted to share some of the hauls in the past months and some other things. Do check out till the end :)

Kara Wipes and Neutrogena new sunscreen from New U and got a nail buffer free :)

Neev soaps from naturalmantra, Parachute body lotion dry skin and body shop haul :)

A word about the above products - Neutrogena new sunscreen is pretty light and oil free but extremely expensive (400 for 30 ml), Kara wipes good as always, Parachute body lotion is good but not for summers obviously ;), ginger body butter is not at all worth the cost (I am regretting it) and I love, love and love the Polynesian Monoi oil.

Essential Oils - rosemary, lavender, neroli, frankincense, bergamot, patchouli, cedarwood, ginger, cinnamon bark

 and, cocoa butter from moksha lifestyle

Loving the essential oils but undecided on the cocoa butter. And, now, a very very very special thanks to Taps for this sweet gift :) Well, remember the huge Glossy Box debacle??? Yes, Taps of Beauty Through my Eyes (she has her first giveaway on so don't forget to participate) sent me this wonderful gift as a substitute for the giveaway win even though I told her not to many times. Thank you sooooooooo much, Taps :)

 

I have been hearing such good things about the chocolate mask that I was very much tempted to get this but I restrained myself as I have so many products to finish. Now, I'm gonna use it ASAP, yippeeee :) And, that's another Neev soap to the collection. And, the third is the fresh line Blue Chamomile mask which was also one of the products I wanted to try. So, this weekend is gonna be a pamper session for me :D

Moisturizer for dry skin? {Reader's Query}

Since I hardly stick to any moisturiser in the long run and till date, I have liked only three moisturisers long enough to consider re-buying, I would definitely need all the help from you. So, the lady asks me:

"I am 28years and I discovered some few wrinkles coming up. I take care of my skin and body as much as I can. I always do home remedies and I also use chemical brands. I have recently used bodyshop vitamin E moisturisers, cleanser, undereye cream but I didn't notice any good improvement. So Now it has been a week that I am looking for a anti wrinkles cream...I still dont want to apply anti aging stuff but I am really confused which brand to use and which is good for skin. You know how many brands are there in the markets but hardly you can find something that suits the skin. I am writing to ask you if you know any brank that will serve this purpose. and also any good moisturizer, sunscreen and cleanser."

Regarding the moisturisers, I advised her for Aloevera Gel from Rustic Art and Biotique Wheatgerm Cream which I had used in these winters and I would be posting the review in these winters but just for the record, its really good and I would recommend it to anyone. In fact, I am also considering other creams from Biotique but they are heavy and best used in winters unless you have dry skin. Also, I did like Liz Earle moisturiser but its pretty expensive when you include the shipping costs. I also advised the lady for cleansers from Lush. She is already using one from Lush. So, hoping to get more suggestions from you all :)

Also, the lady needs reviews and thoughts on the following 3 products:

• Kiehls - Ultra Moisturizing Eye Stick SPF 30
• MAC - Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Eye Cream
• Prevage Eye Eye Ultra Protection Anti-aging Moisturizer SPF 15

So, what are your suggestions, ladies :)

Image Courtesy: truegirlonline.com

Beauty Formulas Heat & Cleanse Clay Mask {Product Review}

Price: Rs 175 for one package which includes 3 treatments

Ingredients

Pros

- is deep cleansing mask

- cleans the pores well

- relaxing for the skin because of its self-heating properties

Cons

- definitely expensive!!! 

- I wish self-heating stays for longer

My Experience

I found this at one of the New U shelves and it intrigued me so much that I picked it up. There were other packs also from Beauty Formulas which are worth a try, I suppose!! One of things which attracted me was the ingredient Zeolite which is the second on the list. Zeolite is a mineral and a type of clay like multani mitti. It occurs in many types and most used for water purification. It is also used in body detoxification. 

The product has 3 separate pouches. It is white in color with small blue beads which I am supposing are jojoba beads. The product has to be applied on wet face as water activates the heat in the mask. It goes like a completely transparent gel on to the skin and heats up immediately. The heat is like a really warm towel placed on your face and feels very relaxing.

Its supposed to be kept for 60 seconds but I generally keep it for 10 minutes. The product in a single packet is actually more than you can use at one time but its not storage-friendly so you have to use it at one go. So, I use it on my neck too but it can cover still more than that!!! Results? My skin feels cleansed and my pores look smaller afterwards. It didn't remove all my blackheads though!!! But, overall, I really liked the mask and its worth a try. 

Have you tried this product?