Keeping skin flawless and beautiful for the festive times {Skin Care}

Everyone is busy in Christmas and New Year preparations. So, how to prepare to look good in the celebrations. Follow the following tips and enjoy the holidays:

• Drink adequate amount of water, no matter what. People tend to drink less water in winters but it affects the skin more adversely. The winter winds dehydrate the skin anyways. You have to hydrate yourself to keep in balance. If you fail to do it, your skin will look leathery with all the make up on and no suppleness.
• Sleep properly and adequately. Finish your beauty sleep for minimum 7 hours. Do not take any drinks two hours prior to sleep. 
• Cleanse your face every night, no matter what. Otherwise, your skin will look aged on next day. 
• Before the celebrations begin, get yourself an appointment at the saloon well in advance. Remember this is a rush hour season and be on time. Get yourself pampered and indulge in expenses. You would love the result. Get a hair cut and highlights if you wish. They will look great. 
• On the day of festivities, give yourself appropriate time to get ready. Do not rush through it.
• Include body scrub, bath oils, bath salts in your bath and soak for 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, you can pour 2-3cups of milk and 2-3 drops of any essential oil of your choice in your tub and soak. Scrub with wash cloth afterward gently.
• While soaking, you can also apply any fruit face mask if you want and tea bags on your eyes to relax them and make them look brighter. Banana, papaya, orange brings an instant glow on the face. Apple makes your skin look clean and bright. Any fruit will do the job because of the natural ingredients present in it. You can also include milk cream or vegetable oils suitable to your skin while mashing the fruits to moisturize. Prepare a fresh batch every time.
• Wash your hair before you go for a soak. Do not condition. While you soak, apply honey on your hair and cover with a shower cap. While you are showering, wash your hair well and use any tea or vinegar as last rinse. It gives instant shine to your hair. Let your hair air dry if not in hurry. 
• When you come out of the shower, apply some perfume on the skin. Dab perfume on warm areas of your body like armpits, cleavages, inner thighs. Moisturize your body. Apply perfume again on the same spots you applied earlier or as per your choice. You can apply talc and then again apply perfume. Last layer can be put on the clothes you wear. Ensure the floral smells and buy a natural perfume which is non-irritating to your skin. Applying perfume in layers and warm areas ensures it to stay longer.
• When your hair is damp, style your hair. You can use shine serums to increase the shine or other hair products of your choice. Use products in moderation so as to not let your hair weigh down. Less is good.
• Before applying make up, do not forget your sunscreen in case your are going out in day time.
• At night, a lip gloss and mascara is enough to give the effect.  
• For people who are not product junkies and like to go natural like me, 2-3 drops of any vegetable oil would be enough to bring shine to your hair. When your hair is damp, take oil into your palms and finger comb through your hair paying special attention to the ends. This will seal the moisturizer into your hair. While finger combing, gently untangle your hair so that you do not need to comb or brush it. Simple finger combing can give great style to your hair. Try it out. Definitely, it depends a lot on the hair texture too. Wavy hair is the best bet. Or, if you still prefer combing, use a wide tooth comb. Do not forget sunscreen in any case. To be ready for a night out, a lip gloss adds a smashing effect. Making up the eyes is no harm but the least you can do is to apply kohl. They give an instant lift to your eyes. Wash your eyes with lot of cold water before that to make them look brighter. Buy good products. Do not worry about expenses. Cheap products are often not good for the skin but, again, do not judge by the brands. Go for products which suit your skin.

Take care of your skin regularly and you do not need any special vanity case to prepare for a party. Proper nutrition is important in skin care. But, indulge during festivities. Do not starve yourself of the enjoyments.

Wish you all a Happy Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

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

Lakme Perfect Radiance Intense Whitening Capsules Treatment {Product Review}

This is my first ever try of Lakme’s skin care range. I have always loved their makeup products but this time I am madly in love with these capsules from their skin care range.

Price: 1250 for 28 capsules (very expensive, I must say!!)

 

My Experience

These capsules contain pale yellow serum which is very light in texture. When I apply it on my skin, it feels so soft!! Its absolutely non greasy and gets absorbed instantly into the skin. My skin is oily and I am, generally, afraid of creams and serums but this one rocks for my skin as it provides perfect moisture to my skin without making it oily. And, the best part is it never broke me out!!

Though the product says "twist the capsule to open it", I prefer scissors. The quantity of each capsule is 0.33gms and its enough for the entire face (I am wondering what about neck?? they could have given a bit more for the neck!!). Currently, I am on my second purchase and I am totally loving it. I can see wonderful glow on my face. (Thanks to my sister who forced me to use it and see the magic).

My uneven skin tone is more even and clearer. And the best part is my dark spots and post-pimple marks are lightened to some extent. It also keeps oil at bay for at leats 7-8 hours (when used at night). I don’t know why they called it a whitening treatment. It’s a great brightening treatment. I am absolutely in love with this serum though it’s little expensive for 28 capsules but its worth it.

Now, my friends are asking me what have I done on my face :D Lakme’s claim of freedom from 6 fairness blocks - dark spots, acne marks, uneven skin tone, oiliness, tanning and dullness is true. I think I have 5 of these problems and the product helped me reduce all of them. I am not tanned (you are so lucky!!). For me, it worked really great so I am going to buy it again.

Editor's Note: I was attracted to the product right form the start and now, your review is literally making me run to the shop and get one for myself but damn the expense!!! :(

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Great review, Punam!! Don't forget to check out her blog here.

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Other product I loved/hated from Lakme: 
Lakme Vital Indulgence
Lakme Perfect Radiance Fairness Facewash
Lakme Fruit Blast Berrylicious Fruit Revitalizing Scrub Mask

Chocolate Sugar Body Scrub {DIY}

After a really long time, I resorted to some DIY and I have huge expired Cadbury cocoa powder jar. So, what can be a better way to use it all :) Enjoy the recipe and don't forget to try it out!!

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1 Tbsp Raw Sugar
• 20 drops Body Oil /  Essential Oils

Method

Mix them all in a container. Make sure that you use a steel one if you plan to use essential oils. Plastic can change the composition. Add honey at the end just when you are about to enter the shower otherwise the sugar would melt!! When you mix the ingredients, it becomes a chocolate mousse (a little thick in consistency) and smells all of chocolate. In fact, it was a waste for me to add the body oil as its smell got masked by that of the cocoa powder. But, I guess essential oil should be good. Give it a try!!

Results

Well exfoliated skin which smells delicious and is so soft and hydrated. If possible, after scrubbing, keep the mask on for 5-10 minutes. Definitely recommended for a home pampering session.

Related Posts:

Chocolate Mask for you skin care

Chocolate Anti-Aging Mask

Raw Sugar and Rock Salt {Ingredients}

I have been always raving about sugar and salt scrubs but I have heard so many complaints about sugar being too harsh on skin. So, I wanted to share the sugar and salt which I use for my scrubs.

Fab India Raw Sugar

Raw Sugar is called Khandsari in Hindi. It is a less refined sugar, next to jaggery which is completely unrefined. It melts easily on skin and is not at all harsh and exfoliates really well. You can use it in place of sugar as well. Its less sweet, as well!!

Price: Rs 150 for 100 gms (approx.)

Skin Type: Dry to Matured

Patanjali Sendha Namak

Rock Salt is amazing for skin. I found only Patanjali selling rock salt in Hyderabad so I used it. In fact, rock salt is a little clumpy and not free flowing but this one is as fine as normal sugar so I do have doubts on the quality. If you know of anything better, do feel free to use it.

Price: Rs 10 for 1kg

Skin Type: Combination to Oily 

So, do check out this amazing DIY using the above ingredients which makes your skin glow like anything!! And, do let me know your experience :)

Aloevera for Skin and Banana Hair Pack {Reader's Tips}

"If you have drink aloevera juice everyday in the morning, your skin really glows."

"Banana Hair pack really does wonders to your hair. You can add coconut milk and honey along with banana and mix it in a blender. Keep the pack for about an hour and just wash with warm water without applying shampoo. Your hair will really shine."

Read more of your favourite reader's tips here and you can submit one too (here).

Image Courtesy:alibaba.com,thechalkboardmag.com

Facials from the fridge {Reader's Tips}

It always seems difficult to find time to make all these recipes to maintain yourself regularly. I found a shortcut to maintain my face - I usually create a base by grinding 1/2 cup oats and 1/2 cup milk powder and store it. Then depending on what I have in the fridge - I mix it in this powder base.

To tighten - mix egg whites and honey into 1 tsp powder base and apply on face, wash off after dry.

To moisturize - add avocado and almond oil into 1tsp powder base and apply - wash off after dry.

To absorb oil - mix egg whites and lemon juice into 1tsp powder base - apply, wash off after dry.

To tone and cleanse - mix yogurt and cucumber juice ( when you grate and press, juice can be extracted, no need to grind) in 1 tsp powder base and apply , rinse after dry.

If the paste is too tight I mix rose water or water to it. And the list goes on - anything you find like fresh fruits - I usually go to the ones that need no grinding or preparation. This really works - try it! As we don't find a lot of time as working moms with kids...anything easy works!!

Its an awesome tip, Padmaja. Thanks so much :)

Related Posts:

Pep up your home facial sessions
How to do a parlor facial at home?

Read more of your favourite reader's tips here and you can submit one too (here). And, don't forget to enter the giveaway (last 3 days).

Image Courtesy:health.howstuffworks.com

My mini-giveaway winner!!

So, finally, I stopped being lazy and here is the winner - Monisha Thampi :) Congratulations, Monisha and your name reminds me of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai :D I hope you received my mail and in case you didn't, feel free to contact me.  Do contact me by Friday night otherwise I will have to pick another winner!!

And, here is her beauty tip (or rather "are her beauty tips"):

1. To reduce Pimples: Apply fresh ginger juice on pimples for not more than 10 minutes and wash it off. Do it for 7 days and pimples will vanish. Don't apply near eyebrows. 

2. This one is a little interesting. I have a wider forehead. So I combed my hair sidewise so as to reduce its distance b/n eyebrows and head. And now I have those tiny weeny hair started growing from there and now i have a less wider forehead.

3. Fairness: Grind 3 almonds without skin like a paste and mix it with curd. Apply this mixture every night and wash it off just before going to bed. Use Besan or Gram flour instead of soap while you use this face pack. It gives an instant glow to your face and will lighten the skin if continuously done for a week.

4. Anti-Blemish: Take a thin slice of potato and rub on your face continuously. Do it for 5-10 minutes. Do it twice a day. You will see quick results.

5. Any natural treatments that are acidic in nature (eg: lemon, ginger, vinegar, orange, tomato, papaya) should be mixed with some besan, gram flour or honey to avoid over reaction.

6. Its a mail I got one day and try it out because it is amazing.Take a bunch of parsley leaves and wash it clean. Then cut it in small pieces and put it in a pot and pour clean water and boil it for ten minutes and let it cool down and then filter it and Drink one glass once a week. You will notice the difference which you never felt before. It cleanses your body like anything.

And, this is what she likes and hates about my blog:

"It is really a genuine blog. When I had the first look, I was really surprised as it had a lot of DIYs and natural beauty tips.The blog was very, very simple and had nothing which would suit for a beauty blog. Then I knew that this blog was solely concentrating on the matter it had and not on its looks. But now, the blog is far ahead of what i saw at first. I have been through most of your blog changes. But I think the new look is apt. The font is very simple. Now there are not so many natural tips like before. I would say the posts are now on advanced topics like Reviews, treatments, Perfumes :), Oils etc. I think your blog covers almost everything related to beauty. 
Do give more product reviews, Your take on different myths (which is my favorite), and more on hair growth recipes, Add more polls, Answers to reader's queries. I appreciate one fact of yours that you find time to respond to all your follower's queries. You browse and search a lot and give a complete note on any subject so that I did not have to search on the same topic more. I wanted to write down point by point, but it went on like that. All the wishes for your blog, Swati."

And, boy, doesn't she have patience?? She has answered both the questions so perseveringly, thank you so much for all your kind words :) Oh btw, in case any of you thinks, I have chosen her on the basis of the length of her answers, NO. Her entry popped up in random.org and I forgot to take the screen shot so please don't accuse me of being under-handed. I do think she deserves winning. I mean look at the tips, one could say she keeps a separate diary at her home :D Oh btw, absolutely agree with the wider forehead thing, Monisha. I too have a huge forehead plus less density at the crown really made me look a little weird but I got side bangs and now, it just looks awesome.  Btw, do we get parsley in India??? Will have to search for it. [Btw, guys, don't think I am boasting about my blog by putting up what she has so kindly mentioned above, its just too flattering to not share **giggles**]

PS: Anyways, I am so happy I am leaving for Delhi tomorrow. Btw, it's my mom's birthday so do fire up suggestions for the gift. I am hopeless at selecting gifts. Budget is 10k. 

Image Courtesy:mindingspot.blogspot.in, graminakitchen.blogspot.com, foodcourt.wordpress.com, victorias-alphabet-soup.blogspot.com, nah.wikipedia.org

Do you feel confident in your own skin? {Your Opinion}

So, after eons of ages, I went out for an outing at night (for a dessert party) today with some of my colleagues and enjoyed it so much. I did get dressed up as well with my really cute top and my Oasap flip flops. Me and my friend had brownies with ice cream but since it was CCD and not Barista, they were not as tasty :( Anyway, so, my question for today is just the one which you get asked in the Dove ad. Can you go out without makeup?

To answer the question myself, yes. I am absolutely comfortable in my own skin and in fact, I feel better without having even a moisturizer. My skin looks natural and in fact, I love going out at nights because I don't have an obligation to apply anything on my skin :D No sunscreen or any BB cream t prevent the white cast, yay!! And, that was one of the reason why I loved the outing :)In case you are thinking that my skin is flawless, no, its not!!! I have hell lot of pigmentation issues and my skin is sensitive to hyper pigmentation which makes it super important to apply the sunscreen regularly and my skin has great amount of yellow tones as compared to pink tones and my forehead is darker than my face and my neck is really pigmented and more than my neck, the joint of the neck and the shoulders have lot of pigmentation. So, you see I am not really flawless as some people really are. But, I love my skin as it is. Oh I forgot to mention the amount of facial hair on my chin, sideburns and neck which is probably the worst.

So, what about you? 

Image Courtesy:flawlessskin.net

Natural Homemade Bleach {Reader's Tip}

This was submitted by a reader as a part of my currently going on giveaway. Don't forget to check it out!!! Also, I received a reader's query regarding bleach being harmful or useful to skin. So, hope this tip helps you.

"Take 1 carrot, 1/2 tomato pulp, some coriander, 1/2 lemon juice. puree whole stuff. apply on face, neck even arms for 15 mints. wash off with water."

And, read more Reader's Tips here.

Image Courtesy:colleenanderson.wordpress.com

Lemon for acne scars {Reader's Tips}

This was submitted by Amee. She says:

Use lemon juice about 20 min twice or thrice in the week. It helped me a lot to remove the scars which probably cause due to acne and also helps me to even out my complexion.

Do join my giveaway here. And, a note to all those who have entered the giveaway, do not forget to answer the question about what you like and dislike about the blog. Its a mandatory entry and those who do not answer it would be disqualified from the giveaway. If you have by mistake entered no answer and want to edit your answer, you can simply click on the 'edit' option adjacent to the 'DONE' in the rafflecopter form. If you are not able to find it, drop me a note and I shall get back to you.

And, read more Reader's Tips here. 

PS: Hey All, I guess I am going to take a break from blogging for like a week or so coz I am really not able to concentrate. So, I shall leave you with Reader's Tips everyday. Hopefully, I should be back by Sunday, if not before. Take Care till then :) 

PS 1: I was indulging in some creativity so do you like the changes to the template? Do share the feedback? Ok, yes, I love cartoons a lot :D

Image Courtesy:recipestonourish.blogspot.com

Open Pores? {Reader's Query}

"I am having normal to skin, I don't have acne problems but I have some tiny pores around my cheeks and in the forehead. Please do suggest me a solution for this. I don't know how I got this pores , I use to scrub my face once in three days. I thought this should be a problem so I have started to use scrub once in one week."

Open Pores and Causes

Open pores are one of the worst problems of a smooth and flawless look. I do have huge pores on my cheeks, upper lip area and even forehead and sometimes, when my face is too oily, these pores look even bigger which is such a buster for me. Open pores are not exactly a problem but can occur to anyone at any age. 

In fact, the size of the pores is dependent on two factors, neither of which are under your control - heredity and age. Yes, if either of your parents have large pores, your tend to get large pores and sometimes, the size of these pores tend to increase with age or rather the prominence of the pores increases with age. 

How to control the Open Pores

Reducing the size of the pores is impossible. So, any product which promises to do that is lying. Ok, yes, it is possible to get a flawless look with the help of foundations or tinted creams but if you use mineral makeup, sometimes, the pores can get enhanced instead of getting covered up depending on the quality of the product. This can happen with cream foundations too at times if its not blended well. Thus, to get a flawless look, it is essential to have a good brush for application as well as a good product. 

Also, since the size of the pores is more, the dirt can get entrapped more easily and likely, there is more dirt inside so cleansing of the pores becomes essential. Generally, oily skin has larger pore size and consequently, more secretion of sebum. Thus, the pores have to cleansed on a regular basis. Three times a week is a good routine.

Home Remedies to reduce the pore size

These are temporary solutions and can be done as a quick fix.

• Egg White mask: makes the face firmed up, lifted up and pores size also gets decreased. 
• Ice cubes: Cold constricts the pores size and gives a flawless blending of the foundation. 
• Cucumber: Similar to ice cubes effect. 
• Honey: helps in making the skin smooth. 

What do you do for open pores? 

Image Courtesy: ourvanity.com

Do you ever get conscious? {Your Opinion}

[Source:totalbeauty.com]

Today I had applied Neutrogena sunscreen instead of the regular MVO Moisturising face screen or Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint, both of which have zinc oxide and are physical sunscreens which I personally prefer. But, both of them are tinted and go on the skin like a foundation. Whenever I apply any tinted moisturiser, I always feel conscious of it. I don't know why but it happens with me even when I use a tinted lip balm. So, basically, you can say color makes me conscious which I didn't feel when I applied the Neutrogena sunscreen today. 

Do you feel conscious if you make a slight change in your everyday look, it might be a different hair style or a tinted moisturiser. I have tried out side braids this past week and loved them. On the first day, I did feel weird but then, I got used to it and carried it off. I do want to do simple hair style tutorials. But, what can I say, call me camera shy :D But, I am working on it and hopefully, something should materialise.

Do you get conscious of any change? 

Foundation / Tinted Mositurizer - Blending Basics {Skin Care}

[Source:theknot.ninemsn.com.au]

I have been using tinted moisturisers (TM's) since last September and as a result, I have gone through various stages of difficulties in blending them into the skin. So, I thought I would put down certain things important to take care while blending. This is from an amateur perspective and I use just fingers to blend in. 

Smooth Skin

Smooth skin is very essential to begin with before doing the blending. Flaky skin is the worst thing which can happen to you so always make sure you exfoliate your face, neck and decolletege regularly to make sure that your tinted cream goes on smoothly and blends in your skin without leaving any patches and the whole of the exposed skin is in same shade. 

Amount of product

This point is very important. You should know how much is enough for your skin otherwise you can end up looking like a ghost. To make sure you don't overuse, dot your face with the tinted moisturiser and blend in. Add the moisturiser as and when needed. This way you don't generally end up over-using. 

Uneven Complexion

My forehead is almost a shade darker than my face and it always gets darker if I don't eat properly so whenever I apply TM's, I have to make sure, it has blended well with the darker shade of my skin otherwise it looks ghostly on that area. And, getting different shades for different parts of your skin is not exactly a viable option. So, take care to use less of the TM on the darker area and blend well.

Apply moisturiser

It moisturises your skin and provides a base for the foundation / TM to go on smoothly. So, it is always a good idea to apply a moisturiser and wait for 5-10 minutes before applying a TM to allow the moisturiser to dry up.  And, it also gives a dewy finish leaving your skin looking hydrated and radiant.

Use fingers deftly

If you use fingers to blend in, make sure they are clean first. Use your middle finger to do the blending. It always helps to dot the face with the TM. And, instead of rubbing the product, patting it works better. Doing the patting motion quickly helps in giving a smooth finish and avoids the pulling of the skin which happens when you tend to rub in the product.

Make sure you have time

I have always noticed that when I am pressed for time, I am never able to blend well. Either I over-use the product or don't use the fingers quickly enough to give a smooth finish. And, patting always takes more time than rubbing in.

So, hope this is helpful to you all. Do drop in your comments :)

Top 5 DIY Ingredients for Brides {Bridal Files}

[Source: Google Images]

So, as I said that I would be doing some posts on bridal series, the first and foremost request is always how to brighten the complexion.I am listing down 5 of the ingredients which can help a bride achieve the most wanted glow.

• Tomato: Rub a slice of tomato on your face and neck. Let the juice dry on the skin and wash off with cold water. Tomato is great for removing the skin tan and also suits all skin types a sit is comparatively less acidic than lemon. And, it also makes hair shiny.

• Honey: A thick honey mask helps to keep the skin supple and moisturized always. It can be used every day too and helps with all skin types. Honey is also a great cleanser.

• Almond Oil: As Punam commented on earlier post, dark circles and puffy eyes are a common occurrence when one spends their nights talking to the fiancées, almond oil comes to rescue. Apply almond oil on the eye area while going to bed. It helps with the dark circles and also with wrinkles which might be developing there.

• Sugar: Sugar is the most amazing and cheapest scrub you can ever find and this is my most favorite DIY till date. Sugar has glycolic acid in some measure (depending on how much it has been been processed) and thus cleanses and exfoliates the skin thoroughly and makes it glow. And, you can add your favorite ingredients to it.

• Spices: A mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves did wonders to my skin. It clears the skin and also helps deal with acne and pimples in the long run. It should be used on alternate days for best results.

These are some of my favorite DIY's with outstanding results so hope you will enjoy them :) And, do remember to treat your neck as part of your face otherwise it can betray your age!!

Garnier Light Fairness Face wash {Product Review}

Price: Rs 70 (I guess!!!)

Ingredients

My Experience

Ok, so my first experience with the face wash wasn't very good coz it always used to dry my face. As far as I remember, this is my second purchase of the product and I wasn't very keen on using it either. Anyways, so when I first used it, the result was same - it used to dry my face horribly. My skin used to feel stretched and tight. So, obviously, I stopped using it. But, then, I had to take this one along with me on one of my short tour. And, since I went to Bangalore at that time, the results were completely different.My face wasn't dry at all. Instead, it looked soft and visibly brightened and I needed to follow with the moisturizer but it wasn't that necessary either. And, then, again I went back to colder climate and the result was a bit of dryness. So, the conclusion is that this face wash works only in tropical and coastal climates. So, if you have dry, mature skin or live in colder climate then this is not a product for you. Otherwise, it might be a good buy.

But, let me warn you about the fairness claims that its not so great!!! Just a little brightening. If you want a fairness face wash, Lakme Perfect Radiance gives better results. And, this doesn't remove tanning, either!!!

PS: Ok, so why is the packaging torn from the middle. Check out in the last pic, you will find how much of the product is wasted!!! And, since I like to get the maximum out of my money, I always make sure to cut the packaging from the middle (if possible) and use up the remaining product. Imagine every product of yours gets wasted in almost similar amounts so whether it is a face wash or a face pack or a scrub or even moisturizer, try to cut the packaging and use the product which you can't squeeze out!!! And, this left over product served me around 5-6 face washes :O

Also read reviews from the same brand:

Garnier Wrinkle Lift Anti-ageing Cream

How to make Rose Milk {DIY}

I did a very interesting DIY lately so sharing the recipe with you. 

Ingredients: 

• Rose petals
• Milk / Water

Method: You can soak the rose petals overnight in milk or make the rose milk from fresh flowers. If you are soaking petals overnight, then pour enough milk to cover the rose petals and no more otherwise it might spill while blending. Blend the petals in milk. The texture would be scrubby instead of being plain milky. You can use this milk in any beauty routine. 

I have used pink, maroon and red roses so the result was a pretty purple. I haven't yet figured how to use the milk so will post on it later. This will probably stay for two weeks in the fridge but I made it in not a very huge quantity so it will get finished before two weeks. 

Important:

• Oily skin people should stay away from milk and dairy products so you can soak the petals in water.
• You can also use essential oils in the milk. 

Take a refreshing Orange Bath

Remember the Orange Sugar Body Scrub recipe I shared a few days back. So, what to do with the orange peels. Throw them!! No way. You can air dry and powder them, right. But, if you don't want to go through all that trouble then you can simply boil the peels in a big bowl of water and wait till the water level drops down to half. You can let it sit overnight if you wish too. Mash the orange peels nicely in the water after the water cools down. The peels breakdown very easily and release the tangy citrus scent. After you mash the peels properly, strain the water and squeeze to extract all the remaining water in the peels. You can dump the peels in your recycling dust bin or compost it in your garden. And, mix this orange water with your bath water. Take a refreshing bath. You will feel alive and your skin will glow after the bath, specially useful in summers for the refreshing citrus flavor which will hang on to your skin for sometime.

Improve skin complexion with almonds

Almonds are extremely good for skin inside as well as outside. So, I have a simple recipe which can be used daily to enhance your skin complexion and make your skin look soft and supple.

Soak 5 (or as many as you want) almonds in the milk overnight. In the morning, make a paste of the almonds with milk. Do not remove the peel of the almonds as they make for a great scrub. Apply this paste on your face including the eye area. You can extend this to the neck and chest too. It helps in removing the tanning also. Keep for 15-20 minutes till it dries and then wash off. You can use this scrub after washing your face thoroughly with the cleanser for a moisturizing effect too.

Variations: For dry skin, you can also put some coconut oil. Or, using homemade coconut milk instead of simple milk is again a great idea. For oily skin and combination skin, using milk can cause breakouts so you can substitute milk with water and make the paste in aloevera or orange juice.

Hamdard Rogan Badam Shirin {Product Review}

Okay, so I love this product. I came to know about this product through my friend. She advised me to use this oil for my hair when I was going through one of the worst phases of hair fall. My hair had thinned to an extent of alarm. Still it is not as thick as I want to be but, definitely, my hair quality is better. And, since I have started using this oil, it has stayed on my 'must buy' list. I am sure many of you would already be aware of this oil and its benefits. I do have certain complaints like I am not sure if the oil is cold pressed or organic. But, still, I can not get rid of it. I thought of writing about this product after reading about its review somewhere else. This has become so part of my life that I forgot about this completely. 

The product does claim to do wonders to your brain and intellect along with relieving the muscle cramps and other pains in the body if taken internally. Well, I did take it internally (just two drops in milk every night). But, I was not very diligent in it so did not see the results. I shall try it again this Diwali and report back if I really see any difference. But, let me tell you, it tastes real bad. That was one of the main reasons I discontinued it. Anyways, regular application (twice a week) on hair made my hair soft and long. I also use it as body moisturizer too sometimes. It does feel raw in your hands (the oil is not soft to touch like the refined oils are soft to touch, if you know what I mean) so my guess is that it can be cold pressed or not completely refined. I am not even sure if they do have preservatives in the oil because it has a long shelf life (I forgot how exact and if it is just a year, I'll edit this line). It is a great makeup remover. I am not a makeup user but I do use almond oil to remove the sunscreen (if you remember I had mentioned that you need to use a makeup remover for removing sunscreen too). It does not sting much if it gets into your eyes accidentally. You can also use it to smooth out your wrinkles or to make your own lip balm at home.

Cost: 25ml of bottle costs 75 INR which makes it pretty costly but it is the best almond oil I have come across and a small bottle does last long enough.