Beauty and Personal Grooming

Here's a review of a soap, supposedly touted as herbal and spiritual; the name being Sanatan Soap or rather Sanatan Panchamrut soap . A spiritually inclined friend of my mine gifted me this Sanantan Panchamrut soap .  And yes, it is the same soap manufactured by the controversial Sanatan Sanstha. Sanatan Soap, claims to be a Indian traditional soap with its promise of pure, chemical-free skincare and with a spiritual significance . But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into what unique about this soap and whether it’s worth adding to your routine. What is Sanatan Panchamrut Soap ? Sanatan Panchamrut Soap is not just another bar of soap; it's an embodiment of the Panchamrut or Panchamrutham and Panchagavya , the 2 sacred blends traditionally used in Hindu rituals. Or rather, this Natural Ayurvedic soap combines the five natural ingredients of Panchamruta along with Panchagavya . These elements are supposed to enrich the skin, making this soap a holistic skincare sol...

Everyuth granular face wash. (For normal to oily skin.) Recently I’ve started using ‘ Everyuth’s Granular face wash ’ and as the name suggests it’s granular and gel-like in consistency. It isn’t too harsh on the skin either and after washing my face with it, it I experience that fresh and clean feeling. I think it’s just wonderful for my oily skin , although I would prefer Garnier’s Deep Pore Exfoliating Face Wash in the hot summer months. As for the ingredients, this particular face wash has the natural goodness of Tea Tree Oil, Neem and Chamomile - all of which are believed to work wonders on an acne-prone skin by preventing the occurrence of blackheads , whiteheads or pimples as also in dealing with excessive sebum (oil) secretion capably.

Amongst the array of facial cleansers that I have purchased and tried, I have found that Garnier Naturals’ Deep pore exfoliating face wash is the best – it was very effective in oil control during the hot summer months when my skin had become increasingly greasy and unmanageable. Now that summer is over, I wanted to try some ‘natural product’ that could not only cleanse but also help with acne and pimples. So I purchased this Himalaya Herbals’ Purifying neem face wash 72g for Rs.45/- (around $1). It’s a soap-free formulation enriched with awesome herbal ingredients like Neem and turmeric ( buy here ) that have anti-bacterial and purifying properties. However this cleanser is not 100% natural as methyl paraben and propyl paraben are being used as preservatives. By the way, I have tried many of Himalayas ’ products as well. Himalaya Herbals’ neem face pack / mud pack for instance has had an amazing effect on my complexion and also helped me deal with excessive oiliness and pimp...

I picked up this tube on an impulse. It had slightly sparkling red gel stuff inside it. Yes, I’m talking about Lakmé Strawberry Silk Splash Face Wash. The cleansing power of strawberries is said to be packed in this small tube and it’s gentle on the skin and suits most skin types. Most certainly, this face wash left my face clean and fresh and the lovely fragrance of strawberries lingered for quite some time. But, I have to admit that it’s a bit too mild for my acne-prone oily skin. I’d prefer Garnier Naturals’ Deep Pore Cleansing face wash any day in summer, especially, when I return home in the evening with a sweaty, grubby face. Otherwise, it’s a great product as I can use it several times during the day without unduly drying my skin. It also helps retain the natural moisture and leaves my skin silky smooth. I would say, it’s just perfect for those with normal-dry and even slightly oily skins.

All types of skins respond well to fruits and fruit juice masks . The enzymes in fruits and fruit juices work to firm tighten and rejuvenate the facial skin. This refreshing fruit pack from Himalaya Herbals is packed with the goodness of papaya, apple, cucumber and fig, along with the wonder clay ‘ Multani mitti (fuller’s earth)’. Apple , a rich source of natural AHAs, nourishes and improves skin glow. Fig and Cucumber provide cooling effect to your skin. P apaya removes blemishes , freckles and other spots and smoothens the skin. Multani mitti (fuller’s earth) soothes the skin and removes blackheads and deeply embedded impurities.

Though I love to concoct my own beauty potions and would rather use fresh natural ingredients on my skin, sometimes when I don’t have the time or inclination to prepare one at home, I use a natural skin care product such as this EverYuth  Orange Peel-Off Skin Vitaliser . Also if I’m in a hurry, a homemade facial scrub/mask is not so viable. During such times, this peel-off version comes in handy. It’s good in the sense that it is a multitasking product – it cleanses the pores and gets rid of the deep-seated dirt, grime and oil; its’ peel-off action gently exfoliates , the orange extracts, AHA and vitamins in it moisturize and nourish the facial skin. I use it whenever my face becomes too oily/greasy and specially in the summer months . Soon after using it my face feels cleansed, rejuvenated and tight.

This winter I used a herbal face wash specially formulated for normal to dry skin . Normally I would have chosen a strong anti-bacterial face wash for my acne-prone, oily skin . But as I had mentioned in my previous post , this year the chilly winter air nearly altered my skin’s texture making it itchy and dry. That’s why, these days, I completely avoided using masks/scrubs having even the slightest drying effect. I wanted something gentle for my skin and so I purchased this Himalaya Herbals’ Gentle Face Wash Cream, meant for normal to dry skin . It has a creamy base and a lovely herbal aroma. And the best part -- it is enriched with the goodness of cool cucumber and moisturizing aloevera . Besides, it is hypoallergenic, does not contain harmful chemicals and is not tested on animals. I just squeezed a little of it on my palm and after moistening my face with water applied it in gentle, circular motions. Then I splashed cold water on my face to rinse it off. It did not ...

Are you the lucky one with normal skin ? Then here are some terrific scrubs to gently exfoliate and whisk off those dead cells from your face and make it appear fresh and glowing. They are neither too harsh, nor too mild. Just the right ones for your skin type . Use them once in a week or twice a month. Oatmeal face scrub Ingredients: Oatmeal 1 tbsp Almond oil 1 tsp Method: Mix these ingredients well and apply it to your face. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Before it dries up, gently start rubbing with your finger tips in gentle circular motions. Then wash off with lukewarm water, followed by a splash of cold water. Orange peel face scrub Ingredients: Dried orange peel powder 2 tbsp Oatmeal 2 tsp Any cold cream 2 tbsp Method: Mix all the ingredients to get a paste and apply it on your face. When it slightly dries up, gently start scrubbing your face without tugging at the skin. Wash off with lukewarm water and ri...

Just because you are blessed with a normal skin doesn’t mean that you can take it for granted. Read all about normal skin care . Here are some more great do-it-yourself face packs, especially for your skin type : Potato face pack Ingredients: Grated raw potato – 4 tsp Multani mitti (fuller’s earth) – 2 tsp Rosewater Method: Mix grated potato and multani mitti with enough rose water. Spread it on your face and lie down for 10-15 minutes. Then wash off with warm water followed by a splash of cold water. Jasmine-yoghurt face pack Ingredients: Handful of Jasmine petals Yoghurt – 4 tsp Method: Squeeze jasmine petals in yoghurt and apply the paste all over your face. Keep it on for 10-15 minutes and wash off with cold water. Cucumber-milk face pack Ingredients: Cucumber juice – 4 tsp Milk – 1 tsp Egg white – ½ tsp Besan (chickpea flour) – 1 tsp Method: Mix cucumber juice, milk with egg white and thicken it by adding besan to it. Spread this thick...