Omved Intense Moisturizing Cream {Product Review}

Price: Rs 440 for 40 gms

Ingredients

DM water, extract of harida, baheda, glycerin, aloe vera juice, carbopol ultrez 21, phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate, green tea extract, oils of lavender, chamomile, vertiver, sodium hydroxide.

Pros
- gets absorbed into the skin very quickly

- moisturises instantly

- moisturising stays for long time 

- doesn't really get washed off with water
- keeps the nails and cuticles moisturised too

- awesome ingredients

Cons

- very expensive

- doesn't help extremely dry skin

My Experience
Let me start by saying it smells really weird. But, once you get used to it, you will actually like it and sniff your hands for it. I used this small sample only to moisturise my hands. When I had received this in February, my hands were extra dry and I was hoping to improve their state with this.

The sample is not as big that I can actually review it but I can give a decent verdict on the product because of its concentrated use on one part. It is a thick cream which I used to apply after washing my hands and it moisturised my hands pretty well and instantly. It spreads easily and gets absorbed quickly without leaving any greasiness behind.

But, I also noticed that it didn't really help my extremely dry skin which was a con but gradually, my hands came back to the normal state so I am hoping that a continuous use of the product does show effects. This is an all-purpose cream which can be used on any part of the body. And, I definitely like the smell now :)

Availability
Online - NaturalMantra.com (10% discount valid till 31st March)

PS: Product sent by brand. 

PS 2: I have taken the images from Corallista.com owned by Ankita and I am really thankful to her for allowing me to use the images. Do check out her review on the same too.

How To Take Care Of Long Nails? {Guest Post}

[Source: widehelp123.com]

So you have ordered the best party supplies and are all set with your favorite dress and makeup but ever thought about your nails? Yeah, they are often neglected but long, healthy nails can go a long way in attracting him to you.

Everyone likes having nicely manicured nails and keeping them long is something of a style statement. However, maintaining long nails and keeping them strong is no ordinary feat and should never be judged as an easy task. Before you start reading about nail care, you must know about the things that form your nails. Nails are nothing but dead cells and compose of two parts – the nail plate and the cuticle. Both need to be taken care of and the following tips will help you maintain long and strong nails.

Yellowing Nails - To remove the yellow and pale color off your nails, get some baking powder and put it on the brush tip, then rub your nails with it. You can also brush your nails to whiten them by using strawberries and lemons as substitutes for toothpaste. But because these things will lead to dryness, moisturize properly after you are finished. 

Never cut your cuticles – The cuticle area is made up of two layers – the dead skin layer and the live skin layer. When you go to a professional, you can get your dead skin layer clipped down but trying it yourself can be really risky. It can also result in infections.

Oil Treatment – Many people are seen complaining about their nails being brittle and the skin cracking around the edges. You can simply massage your nails with Olive Oil every day. It will keep your skin moisturized and make your nails stronger. Jojoba Oil is great for cuticles and can be used to. In fact, you can use your choice of oil and dip your nails in it for some time regularly.

No Nail Paint – Remove your nail paint, at least twice a month because it helps your nails breathe. Also, for people who complain of having yellowing nails, this could be one of the problems. It also promotes fungal infections.

Filing Nails – Try to switch onto filing instead of clipping your nails if you have time. Also, filing should always be done in one direction. Doing it in both the directions give jagged edges and make the nails look ugly. It makes them brittle too.

Post Manicure – Usually after a manicure, hands are pat dried and them moisturizer is applied. You must never forget to moisturize your nails.

Diet – Nails are similar to your hair and they need you to give your body proper nutrition. Nails grow faster and become stronger if you increase your intake of proteins and vitamins. It is also good for your hair.

Milk – Keeping your nails dipped in milk can be very beneficial for your nails and will act as the perfect manicure. This is because it will moisturize them and help prevent chipping.

Don’t revert to artificial nails. You can always follow these simple tips for having great natural nails.

---

About the Author: Salina Gomes is a beauty expert and an aspiring hairstylist. She loves makig different types of wigs for kids in her free time.

---

Natural Henna Manicure {Nail Care}

[Source:rinaz.net]

Ok, this is not a very welcome option for every one. But, still, I would like to put this up. You all know what Henna is what multitude of benefits it offers. So, did you know that henna is anti-bacterial and the smell of henna acts as repellant for mosquitoes and insects. That was one of the chief reasons of applying it on the body and of course, later on, it became famous for body art too. There is one more major usage of henna.

Henna when applied to nails makes nails strong, healthy and shiny. Yes, unfortunately, it stains the nails too so they become orangey in color and the nail has to grow out completely to get rid of that color. But, applying henna prevents the nails from any fungal and bacterial infections too. And, I happen to like henna on my nails though the nails look really bad when the color reaches the middle but it does keep my nails pretty healthy for at least a month or two. So, try applying henna next time to the nails too and you can always use the nail paints to cover the orange color. 

Btw, here, I am not talking of the commercially available henna cones. I am referring to the fresh henna leaves ground and then applied on the hands and nails. The henna available in the market have a load of chemicals mixed in them so I don't really like applying from henna cones. Instead, plucking tender leaves of the plant and drying them is a better option to keep an unlimited supply of natural henna at home for whatever purpose you want whether it is coloring your hair or for body art.

Have you ever tried this? Pin It

Baviphat Paprika Whitening Hand Cream {Product Review}

Baviphat is a very popular brand in Malaysia and Singapore and Korea too. Its a Korean company. So, this was one of the goodies I won in a giveaway I mentioned sometime back. I have no idea about the price or ingredients list coz my pack didn't mention any.

My Experience

I love the small yellow capsicum tub and the smell of this cream is even more awesome though I can't really describe it. I have never used a hand cream before so I am not gonna give a comparison account but I'll say that it is very non-sticky and gets easily absorbed into the skin. I hate the creams which make my hand sticky and almost all do that so I avoid applying any cream and I am used to often washing my hands. Its a phobia with me but since I have started using this cream, my hands are comparatively softer and don't get dried up as they used to. And, this cream also moisturizes my nails and cuticles. So, yup, this one is a great product but unfortunately not available in India. But, they do have a website but its in Korean!!! Check it out here.

My Recommendation
Oh!! yes, definitely!!! And, I guess its a drug store brand so its not outrageously expensive or something.

Do not pick on your skin!!

Ohk, so yes, I have been MIA for a very long time now and you have been seeing quite a few sporadic posts from me. The reason is I'm just being plain lazy. Give me a laptop and I will read all 24 hours but when it comes to writing for my own blog, it takes lot of diligence and patience. I do like to particular about my posts and make it as easy to read as possible so if I am not in mood, it kinda becomes difficult. So, yeah, life is not so good at the moment but then there is always a beacon of light shining at the end of the tunnel. I am just waiting to reach the end. And, before I run away with my philosophical perspicacity on my circumstances, I shall come to the topic of the day. If you remember, I had started a series of bad habits which we are not aware of consciously but are extremely harmful for our skin in December. So, continuing in that vein, today's bad habit to be eradicated is - Picking or Poking or unnecessarily irritating your skin.

Yes, I suffer from this very very bad habit and I have my college to blame for it. In my college, I has 1 or 2 stray hairs on my chin which my friends made fun of :( and I got into the habit of plucking them out with my nails. Very very Harmful habit as I have come to realize. It has many implications which I'll discuss with you in a short while. I have also seen a few other people who are addicted to this habit. 

Effects on Skin

So, what happens to skin if you pick or pluck on it?? Well, for one, your skin sags at those areas. Yes, it will make you look old. Secondly, blemishes and dark spots are a direct consequence because of the blood clots under your skin and it really takes a long while to heal. Thirdly, when you pick at your skin using your nails, you are harming the nails in the process. They get brittle, drier and unattractive. So, another incentive to stay away from this  habit.

Worst of all the consequences is bad breakouts. Oh Yes, it has happened with me and I am currently dealing with the situation :( It is not pretty at all, trust me. When you pick at your skin for whatever reason, the cells under the skin get irritated and if you are really insensitive with your skin, it can trigger and inflammation. This can easily happen when you are dealing with facial hairs or eyebrows and popping pimples. This inflammation can result in the worst form of acne - the bubbles filled with pus which you can't treat using anything (trust me, I have been there and done that !!). So, stop this habit right now. Your skin will thank you. Either learn to live with your skin as it is or do something else but do not pick at your skin. Just stop touching your skin with your fingers coz its equally bad as we know that bacteria from the fingers get settled on the face.

Now, I would not discuss in detail how to get rid of this habit coz I have been trying since quite a long time but have not yet been able to. But, strict self-control seems to be the light of the day. Habits die hard but it is said that if you can carry a habit for 21 days to be precise, it becomes a habit. So, control yourself for 21 days and you will live!!  

Your hands tell your age

You might have noticed that your hands would seem to need more care than your face. Though, we often forget to do that. If you do not take proper care of your hands, they can make you look older than you actually are. This is because our hands are the most exposed and abused parts of the body. So, taking a regular and proper care should assure youthful hands. Have you ever seen beautiful hands? They look beautiful because they do not have varicose veins showing. Instead, they are as fleshy as any other part of the body and no wrinkles at all. Perform this activity after a long day just before sleep.

How to do a manicure?

• Wash your hands properly. Remove any rings or bangles or bracelets you wear.
• Dip your hands for 5 minutes in hot water (as hot as you can bear) to soften the skin and open the pores.
• Use a body scrub to cleanse the hands gently.
• Wash thoroughly by dipping in hot water again. 
• Make a hand pack from raw honey and ripe banana. Blend them into a smooth mixture. Banana moisturizes your hand in the best way. Hands tend to be drier than other parts of the body. Apply a thick layer of this pack on the back of your hands. You may cover it with any plastic gloves you have or leave them as it is for 15-20 minutes.
• After the stipulated time, dip your hands in a bowl of milk or oats water on a table. 
• Remove the mask in the bowl only by gentle rubbing. Let your hand be dipped for 10 more minutes for extra smoothness. 
• Wash your hands in cold water finally. 
• Now, apply your favorite oil on your hands. Almond oil is the best choice as it is high in vitamin E. Massage your hands and wear gloves if you can sleep with them on. In the morning, your hands would be soft like never before. 
• You might want to take care of your nails too during this process.

Regular care would ensure your hands will never give away your age.

How to keep your nails long and strong?

Today, I would like to share with you some facts about nail care. Nails are dead cells growing out of our fingers. So, there are no nerves in the nails and that is why, we do not have any sensation in the nails. But, while clipping your nails, you should be careful enough not to dig into your skin. Nails have two parts to be cared for. One is the nail plate and the other is the cuticle area which provides a covering to the nail. The cuticle area has two types of skin. One skin is the dead skin which extends on to the nail and the other is live skin which folds around the dead skin. So, while pushing back the cuticles or clipping them during manicure, one should be very cautious not to hurt the live skin. This live skin protects our nails from the nail infections. This was the overview of the nail structure. Now, I would like to share some tips to keep your nails long and strong and more importantly, the nails clean.

• Dip your nails in olive oil (or your choice of oil) once a week. This is irrespective of the fact that you are doing manicure or not. Oil keeps your nails strong and the skin around the nails moisturized. It prevents the skin from cracking and peeling around the nail edges (which is very prominent in some people). If you can't dip it in oil, take a generous quantity of oil and massage your nails and cuticles with it. You can even do this daily with a drop of oil. This is a great tip for brittle nails. You can use jojoba oil in place of olive oil. It works great.
• Once a week, you can take some baking powder on a brush tip and start brushing your nails. That will turn your nails white and remove any odd colors on your nail.
• Instead of clipping your nails, file them. But, file them in only one direction. If you do it in both direction, your nails get ragged and do not look good.
• Do not use false nails. Better try growing your own nails.
• Leave your nails free of any nail paint at least twice in a month.
• While doing manicure to your hands, do not forget to take care of your nails. Do not let your nails dry. Moisturize them every time you apply moisturizer to your hands.
• Your nails show your health just like your hair. So, good nutrition will keep them pink. Improve your diet to include more proteins and vitamins which are important for both hair and nails. Generally, the growth of nails and hair are a lot interdependent. 
• Since, the nails are just dead cells. So, there is no nail mask which you can apply. But, yes, you can whiten them in the same way you whiten your teeth. Rub lemon juice or strawberries. But, do not forget to apply oil afterward as they are very drying for nails. 
• You can place your nails in a bowl of milk. This would improve the look of your nails. This would serve as a proper manicure. 

How to protect your skin and hair during Holi? {Skin Care}

[Source:forum.santabanta.com]

Yes, finally, Holi is just a few days away and all are gearing up for the celebrations and festive cheers. But, the season of Holi brings with it the added risk of chemically synthesized colors which are extremely harmful for our skin and hair. So, you must take certain precautions before staring off with playing with colors. Not only should you take care of your face and hair, but do not forget your arms and your nails. 

Before playing:

• Wear a high factor water proof sunscreen on every part of your body which is exposed. Apply it in thick layers. You should ideally go for 2-3 layers applied at an interval of half or an hour each. This will protect you from prolonged sun exposure and do not forget that the colors might react with your skin and make it photo sensitive. Try to use a chemical sunscreen instead of a physical one as they are more effective and make sure sunscreen is the first thing you apply on your skin.
• After applying sunscreen, apply a thick layer of any oil like almond, olive, coconut or sesame oil (preferably castor oil as it is thick in texture) as they make a film on your skin and protect direct contact from colors. Sesame Oil also provides an added sun protection as it is a natural sun blocker.
• Do not forget to apply the sunscreen and oil to your arms and other parts of your body exposed. All the precautions apply to your feet as well. It will be beat if you are wearing socks. If not, apply oil and then, put a very thick coat of glycerin or honey to avoid slipping.
• You should take care of your nails too. So, apply a thick coat of any nail paint in the morning. And, do not forget to oil your cuticles. They get the worse effects.
• Oil your hair nicely concentrating on the roots and ends. And, after an hour, apply a thick coat of your hair conditioner to your hair. Prefer a leave-in instead of the regular after-shampoo hair conditioners.
• Apply a moisturizing lip paint coating it with a lip gloss.

After playing:

• First of all, wash all your skin with cold water. Do not use hot or lukewarm water. It takes more time to wash.
• Brush your teeth. I know you would have done it in the morning, but, nothing wrong in doing it again.
• Do not use a soap or cleanser to wash your skin. Use a homemade scrub mixed with milk and milk cream to wash your body.
• Now, use a herbal shampoo to wash your hair. After washing your hair, use an intensive conditioner or a deep conditioning treatment or you can apply honey on your hair and wash off after 30 minutes. 
• During your bath, clip your nails. The nail beds would have been ruined because of the color so make them grow nice and strong again. 
• Do a hand soak and a foot soak to relax your hands and feet during your bath. 
• Remove the lipstick and scrub your lips nicely.

And, now, you are back to being beautiful and gorgeous without ruining your skin and enjoying the festival of colors. Some precautions to be observed:

• Do not let the color go into your eyes. If you wear contacts, I would advise you to wear specs as they give a barrier between your eyes and color. If any color enters your eyes, wash them with cold water repeatedly.
• Do not let the color enter your mouth. Yes, it happened to me once. Someone attacked me from the back and it was liquid color. It went into my mouth. If it does, rinse your mouth thoroughly and brush your teeth then and there. 
• I would suggest you all to go for herbal colors available in the market instead of the synthetic colors.
  
  Wish you all a very Happy Holi. Pin It