Ice Cubes to control Sweat {Tip of the Day}

It's so hot in Delhi and I sweat a lot so I really need something extra for keeping the sweat away. And, I remembered my ice cube tip which I used to use pretty long back. So, I decided to use it again. And, oh, it feels so good in this sultry heat. So, the tip is simple. Take an ice cube and rub it thoroughly on your face and neck till it melts away. And, let it dry or use a wash cloth to drain out the extra water and you are good to go!!! Using an ice cube ensured that I didn't sweat excessively afterwards and also, it kept my skin relatively cool.

Also, another tip is to use the ice cube before applying the makeup to make it last longer. Also, using an ice cube helps the foundation to go evenly on the skin and hide the pores as well as they get constricted. Ok, so sometime back, I also received a comment saying that applying ice cubes makes the skin dry. No, it doesn't. In fact, its just water so it hydrates the skin. Also, yes, you have to moisturize afterwards if you have a dry skin. Since my skin does get sweaty, I avoid moisturizers sometimes but its not a healthy habit. In fact, I didn't avoid moisturizer after applying the ice cube since the moisturizer does get absorbed pretty quickly due to the damp skin. Find a good moisturizer for your skin type and don't skip it ever!!

Related Post:

Ice Cubes for your face

Image Courtesy:ahealthymedium.blogspot.com

How do I use a toner? {Skin Care}

Toner is a product which has been under constant attack by everyone saying it is a useless step and doesn't really do anything for skin. But, you might have checked out my many DIY toners. So, yes, I do use a toner on and off and since face mists have hit the market, they have been favorites with every gal. So, I wanted to share a tip today. Using a toner regular can improve the hydration levels of the skin. And, for that, you need not go any far.

What toner do I use?

A simple rose water is enough to do the job. Or, green tea as well. I had also prepared a toner with essential oils which I had shared here. Frankly, I have used only one commercially available spritzer otherwise all my toners are DIY's. They are inexpensive and also I can play with them as I want. 

How do I use the toner? 

I store my toners in spray bottles and try to use them both morning and night but generally, I miss them in the mornings!!! I collect the toner in my palm by spraying 5-8 pumps and rub the palms and apply the toner on my face and neck. No, generally, I don't spill the product.

Results

Whenever I apply the toner on my face and then, follow immediately with facial oils, I have always noticed that the products get absorbed super fast and also leave a very dewy look. Also, the amount of moisturizer / oil required is less comparatively to when skin is not dewy. And, if you use green tea as a toner, it also helps with breakouts and acne!! 

My skin is more hydrated and supple and if I miss toner 2-3 days continuously in a row, my skin goes dull again :( So, I am working on making 'applying toner' a very religious affair. Do give this tip a try and lemme know how it goes for you :)

Rose Water with EO twist {DIY}

I did a post recently on how I use essential oils. In that, I had mentioned about a DIY toner which I am currently using. So, let's check out the recipe for it. Again, the heart and soul of the toner is use of EO's. 

yes, it went milky when I added the EO's

Ingredients

• 100 ml rose water (I used Patanjali Rose Water)
• 10 drops ylang ylang
• 10 drops lavender
• 5 drops neroli
• 7 drops frankincense
• 7 drops patchouli

Method: Mix all of them store in a spray bottle. Shake before using. 

How to use?

I use 10 sprays at a time and mostly I use it at night. I collect the product in my palm and then apply it to the face. Then, I nicely slap my face :D Ok, pat the face gently so that the toner is absorbed well. And, voila, I am done!! It moisturises my skin so well and my skin looks really dewy. A perfect one for the hot summers when I hate applying moisturiser to my face coz I feel hot and also, my skin gets oily by morning. But, with this, my skin remains just dewy, glowy and plumped in the morning. And, I am so loving this. Btw, it smells really amazing!!! 

What do you think?

Summer Skin Care Essentials {Skin Care}

[Source:skinbeautyreview.com]

So, summers have started burning my skin here :( And, yes, I hate summers, a lot. I feel so hot and I don't really like AC's. I am more of a cooler gal!! Anyways, let us go through some summer skin care tips. And, I had meant to put up this post long long back but somehow laziness wore me down :S

• Sunscreen: Must, Must and Very Essential!!!
• Hats/Scarves/Umbrella (a light colored one): Accessories to protect yourself from direct sun rays. 
• Don't go out after 10 and before 5. Rays are very strong. 
• Tanning happens very easily in summers so protect your skin. 
• Drink, Drink and Drink a lot and by drink, I mean water and herbal teas and fruit juices. 
• Shades/Goggles: Get trendy with wrap-around shades which match your face. They not only add a style statement but also protect your delicate eye area from the sun rays and prevent fine lines and wrinkles.

Day - time Routine

• Cleansing: Don't over-cleanse your face in the heat. I know sometimes the face feels a lot itchy and prickly and the immediate impulse is to wash it off which you should when you have just come back from prolonged exposure to the sun. But, not if your skin just feels the heat. Cleansing the face twice to at most thrice a day is enough. And, get a cleanser which helps control oil.

• Toning: Very very important in summers as skin goes less on the hydration. Make sure you use face mists at regular intervals and apply it just before putting on the moisturiser to trap in the hydration.   

• Moisturiser: Heat is building up so you really don't want a moisturiser which makes you look like an oil pan. Go light and easy on your body lotions and face moisturiser. Go for the oily moisturisers unless your skin too dry. They help control oil and keep the face shine-free.

• Sunscreen: An absolute must and should not be ignored at any cost. Get a stand-alone sunscreen instead of moisturiser with spf claims. And, apply a good amount of sunscreen for adequate protection.

Check out some of my other posts under the heading of Summer Skin Care.

Vedic Line Apple Green Toner {Product Review}

Price: Rs 190 for 200ml

Ingredients

Pros

- gets absorbed very very quickly

- if used after a face wash with a cotton pad, it removes the residual dirt entirely

- lovely packaging

My Experience

I love the brilliant blue color of the toner. It comes in a spray bottle and thankfully, the quality of the spray pump is really good. The toner gets absorbed very quickly and it improves hydration to a limit. It does feel a little sticky when applied but that gets solved as soon as it gets absorbed. 

I used the toner after washing my face and I could still see the dirt when I wiped it off with the toner. So, it is extremely effective in that. And, it has no alcohol too so that's a plus. I does smell a little strong for me but the smell doesn't linger around so that's fine. Overall, its a good toner.

Have you tried anything from this brand?

PS: Product sent by the brand.

Other reviews from Vedic Line:

Vedic Line Papaya Scrub and Papaya Face Pack

Vedic Line Fig & Honey Moisturizer

Vedic Line Neem & Brahmi Disinfecting Face Wash

Pomegranate Saffron Skin Toner {DIY}

So, did you have fun in the guessing game held a day back? The two ingredients were: Saffron and dried Pomegranate peels. As you all know, Pomegranate has emerged as a potent anti-aging ingredient in the recent days. And, as orange peels are extremely rich in juices, similarly pomegranate peels are also valued for pomegranate extracts. So, we shall make the toner which will have anti-aging properties. 

Ingredients:

• Pomegranate peels (fresh or dried) (I had one Pomegranate peel)
• Water
• Saffron (optional) (The Saffron I used was also not of good quality)

Method: 

• Take half liter water and put the pomegranate peels in the water. 
• Let the water boil and then simmer till 1/4of the original quantity of water is left. 
• The liquid would be dark golden color by this time. Let the liquid cool.
• The liquid would be red color by the time it cools off. Add a tea spoon of saffron strands to the liquid now and dissolve it nicely.
• Strain the liquid and store in a spray bottle. Store in the refrigerator for longer shelf life.

How to use? 

• Use it as a toner after washing your face.
• Mix with face packs and scrubs. 
• Mix a spray of the liquid with your mositurizer and apply it on your face.
• This is something I haven't tried but you can: Make ice cubes of this liquid and apply it after a long and tiring day. This is something I would do in summers.

Did you try anything with Pomegranate? Pin It

How many products do you layer on your face? {Your Opinion}

[Source: Google Images]

So, how many products do you apply on your face every morning and night and I am not talking about makeup here. Just skin care products.

Morning Routine

• Toner 
• Serum (optional)
• Moisturizer (with spf optional)
• Sunscreen
• Eye Cream 
• Compact / Foundation to give a matte effect or dewy look

Night Routine

• Toner
• Serum / Facial Oil (optional)
• Night Cream
• Eye Cream

When one applies so many products on their skin, it is pretty much a possibility that the products may break you out or the products might not be compatible with each other. And, there is another possibility - the products may clog the pores big time!!! So, it is always better to keep the routines simple and use minimal products so as to let the skin not be suffocated.

So, how many products do you prefer to use? 

Also share your opinions on:
How long do you leave the conditioner?
Is Vanity Silly?
Hair Mask first or Conditioner?
Budgeting on Shopping
Face Mask Sheets or Face Masks?

Tap the Toner {Tip of the Day}

Ok, so using toners is a very prevalent custom and there are various methods of using a toner. You might use a cotton to apply it on your skin or spray it on your face directly so as to avoid wastage of the product. But, I found the best method to be cupping the palm and pouring the toner onto the palm and then tapping it into the skin. Pat the skin hard like you are slapping the face. This improves blood circulation and allows the toner to get absorbed quickly. I have been using the pouring method since I had been sent the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic in the small bottle and as usual I found that the cotton was drinking up most of the product so I started pouring it onto my palm and then applying it on my face. And, I picked up the patting of the toner from Sesame's blog. She did a post on how to apply the skin care products which is extremely awesome.

Update on Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic {Product Review}

I was sent a small sample of this tonic some time back and I had reviewed it here. At that time, I had mentioned that the toner was heavy for my skin and probably a spray bottle would be helpful in controlling the amount of the product applied. So, consequently, Louise sent me the spritzer to try out. I have been using the spritzer since almost a month and I would like to update my experience accordingly. Before I write the review, I would like to mention this review is not for the benefit of the brand. Instead, I had missed out on certain salient points of the product in my earlier review so including them and sharing my experience with the spritzer. Check out the toner at the website.  

Ingredients

My Experience

Ok, so I have never used a toner before except for rose water. So, using this toner was very new for me and since I used it from the bottle directly, it always resulted in usage of more product and consequently it became very heavy for my skin. Using the spritzer was also a challenge for me in the starting coz I always used to spray it more thinking this little amount wouldn't be enough for the skin. But, controlling my urge, I gradually found out that only 3 sprays are more than enough for my face. And, after letting it dry for 2-3 minutes and following with Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturizer, my skin was extremely soft and looked radiant. I then used the toner with other products like Himalaya Revitalizing Night Cream and Varnya and the result was equally good.

Now, coming to other aspects of the toner. The toner is alcohol free and is full of natural ingredients like aloevera and natural Vitamin E. The consistency of this toner is almost like water and gets absorbed into the skin very quickly and keeps the skin supple. So, if I compare the ingredients of this toner with others available in the market, I would definitely go for this one even though the price is a bit on the higher side. Also, the toner would last quite a long while coz you need just 3-5 sprays at a time. One can use the spritzer during hot summer months to keep the face fresh and radiant or during air travel where moisture is sucked out due to the air conditioning. I had found other reviews about this toner and found them to be quite favorable and one lady had recommended this one for air travels specially. The toner fulfills the need for hydration of the skin without making it sticky if used int he right quantity. 

My Recommendation

Yes, absolutely!!! I know its costly but it is worth it and lasts quite a long time. 

PS: Product sent by brand for consideration. 

How to make green tea? {DIY}

I had once upon a time done a post on the beauty benefits of green tea. But, making green tea properly is a little tricky. Properly made green tea provides plethora of benefits but if not made properly, not only does it not give the benefits but also tastes horrible. If it tastes bitter or too bland, then you are not making it correctly.

Green Tea is the least processed tea leaves after white tea so the leaves are very delicate and can burn at higher temperatures. The optimal temperature of water for green tea is 75 degrees. Even a little bit more would spoil the leaves, burn them and cause the taste to turn bitter at which point you are not receiving any benefits from drinking the tea. So, how to make it properly?

Here's what I do. I don't take more than a tea spoon of tea leaves. I always use loose powder because the instant tea bags need to go more processing than the loose powder.I boil my water in electric kettle coz it happens faster. So, after it boils, I leave the kettle open for 15 minutes for the water to cool down. Then, after 15 minutes are over, pour the water over the tea leaves in a cup and stir it with a spoon for two minutes exactly (a minute more would make the tea taste bitter). Strain the tea and drink it. You can add honey as a sweetener but it tastes better without that or you can also add 4-5 drops of lemon for extra flavor. 

Instead of throwing the used leaves, I pour boiling water over the leaves and leave it over night. In the morning, I strain the leaves and use the liquid either as a toner, pour it in my bath water, wash my face or use it as a hair rinse.

I like the Tetley brand of green tea particularly. Heard that Twining is good but I have not used the Fab India one. But, I had used their Tulsi something tea which I didn't particularly like. And, there are a lot of flavors in the market in various brands. So, you can use any!!

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic {Product Review}

So, this is the second step of the skin care routine to be followed after using the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. This tonic is just a toner for the skin. Kindly refer to the Liz Earle website for product information and the prices.

Ingredients

Since I received a 50ml sample size of the product, the ingredients are not listed on it. So, I'll just mention the key ingredients here: Organic Aloe Vera, Calendula, Rose-scented Geranium, Cucumber and Natural Vitamin E.

My Experience

Well, I have never used any commercial toners from the market except rose water So, I have no idea how they actually work. But, I really prefer them to be watery and hydrating instead of sticky. So, when I was going to use this, I was pretty excited. But, when I started using it, I found out that it was too heavy for my skin. I tried using the moisturizer right away, I let it dry completely before using it, but whatever I do, it made my skin really sticky so I didn't understand what to do. Then, I decided it wasn't for me. Then, finally one day, I used a lesser amount of toner than I usually used and the product got easily absorbed into my skin without any stickiness. But, still, I felt as if there was something on my skin. And, it made the moisturizer also sticky, unfortunately :( And, I also noticed that my skin was getting oilier much sooner after using this toner. 

On the good side, it smells awesome and I guess it will suit dry skin very well. But, I wish it had been more watery and light on the skin. But, (its my personal opinion) a product shouldn't become too heavy for the skin just coz you have applied a little more quantity. And, there was a little problem with the fact that the bottle has a very small mouth so if I have to soak a cotton, every time excess amount of toner used to come so it was just impossible to use a less amount. A spray would be a better way to market this product. And, Liz Earle does have it in the spray form also. So, I think that the spray packaging would make sure only enough quantity is distributed on the face and not more making it easy to use.

My Recommendation

I give this product a benefit of doubt. But, make sure you read other reviews which are quite positive about the product here and here. It might just be the case that the product didn't suit my skin. 

PS: Product send by brand for consideration.

Rosemary - Black Pepper Toner {DIY}

A simple but effective toner for skin which is prone to acne and pimples as black pepper is great agent to fight pimples and acne. Rosemary tones the skin and removes blemishes. 

Ingredients:

• Rosemary Herb (1 table spoon)
• Black Pepper seeds (1 table spoon)
• Apple Cider Vinegar (2 table spoons)

Method: Take 200ml of water in a pan. Put rosemary and black pepper and boil till half of the quantity (100ml roughly) is left. Let it cool. Pour in a bottle. Add Apple Cider Vinegar and your toner is ready :) This stays for a week or two. Mine always gets finished within a week without refrigeration. 

Warnings:

• Not for dry skin people as it might be drying for the skin. Only for oily and combination skin.
• Do not use a spray bottle to spray this toner on the face. Always apply with a cotton pad. The reason is that there is black pepper in it which stings badly if it gets in the eye (yeah, learnt the hard way!!).