Beauty and Personal Grooming

I’ve been using Dove Beauty Bar Pink/Rosa to protect my skin from the perils of winter. I chose to buy this beauty bar after my friend raved about its virtues and since I had already used their Dove Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash before and loved the way it left my skin feeling exfoliated, soft and smooth, I decided that I should also try this particular Dove product. Further it was also mentioned on the cover that it contains a good amount (one fourths) of moisturizing lotion and doesn’t dry the skin like any ordinary soap , also Dove soaps are known to be pH neutral and non-alkaline; so without much ado I purchased it. Besides as I love the color ‘pink’, pink/rosa seemed a better choice compared to the other white Dove beauty bar . Dove Beauty Bar, Pink-Rosa Eight 4.25 oz. Bars (Pack of 2)

A few months back, one of my friends gave me a mask called Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque . And I must admit that it is simply fabulous and is extremely effective on my oily, acne-prone skin. Designed to dry up acne /pimples, scrub off blackheads and shrink enlarged pores , it certainly lives up to its claims. It has a strong mint smell, which you may find rather pleasing, if you love minty fragrances. And when you apply it to your clean face and neck , at first you experience a cooling sensation and then a slight stinging feeling which disappears as the masque firms and hardens to draw impurities from your pores. Even if your oily / combination skin does not break out and is otherwise problem-free, this masque is still great for you as it also acts as a refreshing ‘ facial ’, making your face feel very tight, thus relaxing your tired muscles and easing tension lines on the face and neck . You can then wash it off using a warm wash cloth and your skin is left feeling fresh and cl...

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.

My hair tends become dull and limp in a couple of days of shampooing . So I’m always on the lookout for a good shampoo. So when my friend raved about the goodness of this shampoo called ‘Pantene Pro-V Smooth and Sleek Shampoo with conditioner ’, I decided to give it a try. Though my hair is a bit oily , I went in for this particular shampoo meant for normal to dry hair as I didn’t want to strip my hair of all its sebum by using other strong shampoos. And I must admit that it didn’t let me down; all I can say is Smooth and Sleek Shampoo & Conditioner really helped make my hair smooth and manageable and it stayed that way for nearly a week. I could feel the softness from the very first wash. It even did something to the texture of my hair; now it’s highly manageable with no unruly flyaway hairs and simply looking great. The shampoo itself has a pleasant and light fragrance and I am planning to use it for a long time.

Everyuth’s lemon face wash is also a good buy. Suitable for all skin types , it is enriched with the goodness of Lemon , Green Apple and Honey . The lemon refreshes your skin, green apple acts as a natural, gentle scrub, cleansing your skin of the dirt and grime while honey softens and nourishes your skin. When you squeeze a little of it in your palm you can see that it’s of a pale yellow colour and doesn’t have an overpowering fragrance either. As stated, it is 100% oil-free and does not dry or stretch the facial skin; the result after washing is a visibly smooth, soft and glowing skin. Applying it too frequently may however, make the skin somewhat dry , especially if your skin is not too oily , so just apply it just once or twice a day, preferably.

Recently I tried Vivel Di Wills Sheer Radiance, a soap that promises to enliven the skin and make it radiant. It’s pretty cheap, costs Rs.42/- for a pack of 3. The fact that it is enriched with olive oil goaded me to buy this particular soap. I have been using it for a week and my skin seems to like it. Plus it has a lovely aroma. Another variant of the Vivel Di Willis range, Vivel Di Wills Sheer Crème is enriched with Shea Butter and claims to moisturize the skin to make it soft and supple.

I love body washes. I had tried Lux Silk Nourishment Body Wash sometime ago and was pleased with the results. Recently I purchased Dove Exfoliating Moisturizing Body Wash and I must admit that it’s quite good. With a creamy consistency and blue flecks, it has a wonderful, fresh scent that isn’t too overpowering. I poured a little of it on my loofah and worked up a lather. As I applied the loofah to my body, I could feel the blue things exfoliating my skin. It rinses off easily and it leaves my skin feeling soft, moisturized and smelling great. For a greater exfoliating experience, however, you should pour it onto your palm and apply it to your skin directly with your fingers. You’ll notice a few of those blue flecks scattered everywhere in the bathroom after you are done with the shower and cleaning that up may take some time. But, overall it’s a wonderful product for gentle, everyday exfoliation.

My face usually becomes an oil-slick towards the end of the day. That’s why I prefer to cleanse it first with a deep pore cleansing milk before cleaning/washing it thoroughly with water. Recently I have been using Lakme Deep Pore Cleanser and I’m quite happy with it. It comes in a 60ml (Rs.45/-) and 120 ml (Rs. 75/-) bottle. With a mild fragrance and a creamy texture, it’s an awesome product and excellent for makeup-removal . Formulated with natural avocado extracts and anti-oxidants like vitamin E, it gently deep cleans the skin of all the surface impurities while its light moisture based formula conditions and nourishes the skin leaving it smooth and silky. I apply it all over my face and neck and then with a damp cotton wool gently scrub off the dirt and grime from my face. And indeed my face feels clean and silky with no greasiness afterwards.

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...

My extremely greasy skin with a tendency for blackheads on the nose needs thorough scrubbing at least twice a week. Homemade facial scrubs are my first choice and they are the best for my skin – no doubts about it. Nonetheless once in a while I do purchase and try some ‘natural scrubs’ also. Amongst the several ones that I’ve tried, I’ve found that Himalaya Herbal Gentle Exfoliating Walnut Scrub is quite good. It has the goodness of walnut shell granules, wheat-germ oil and apple in it. Walnut shell granules gently exfoliate the skin to remove dead skin cells and blackheads while wheat germ oil , rich in natural vitamin E, moisturizes the skin and maintains its natural moisture balance and apple provides nourishment for a healthy, glowing skin.

Hana Ceramic Flat irons are by far the best flat irons around. Made of 100% pure ceramic, they are available at an affordable price even for non-celebrities. Most ceramic flat irons plates are usually made of aluminium and coated with ceramic which doesn’t make them the real “ceramic flat irons.” The Hana straightening plates, however are made of 100% reinforced tourmaline ceramic with no external coating, are smoother, more durable, and superior at heat distribution and retention. Furthermore they don’t peel and are scratch-resistant too. Even heat distribution of the ceramic plates ensures that it’s gentle on your hair with no exposure to damaging hot metal, whatsoever. And the black ceramic plates never discolor, no matter what hair product you use or how often you iron. The damp to dry styling feature of this flat iron is also great. Tourmaline generates intense negative ions to condition damaged hair follicles for healthy frizz-free shine that lasts. There’s no sizzle w...

My love for the wonder-herb aloe is such that any product with aloe in it catches my attention. This summer I tried Vaseline Aloe Fresh Hydrating body lotion . As you can see in the picture, it comes in a pale green bottle, with a nozzle and flip lid. The lotion itself is, like the bottle, pale green in colour, and contains aloe and cucumber extracts. The smell is quite fresh and pleasant and not too overpowering. This lotion can also be used to relieve sunburn or as an after- shave lotion or as an after- shower moisturizer . You have to just squeeze a small blob of it into your palms and slather it on your body. It quickly soaks in and soothes the skin, without that sticky feeling. It’s not an amazing or out-of-the-world product, but does live up to its promise of keeping the skin refreshed, rehydrated, fresh and soft. Vaseline Aloe Fresh Hydrating Body Lotion with Aloe and Cucumber 24.5oz (Pack of 3) See also: Gels to soothe sunburn

Summer times are horrible on oily skins but that’s no reason to skip using a moisturizer . The fine moisture and oil balance that is often disrupted by constant exposure to environmental factors is best restored by using a lightweight, water-based 'mattifier' like ‘Lakme Matteffect Icy Fresh Gel’. It’s oil free, cool and instantly hydrates the skin. This gel restores the skin’s suppleness leaving the user’s skin feeling soft, moisturized and fresh. Gently massage it on your face and neck avoiding the undereye area and the eyes. Just perfect for oily skins and in summers . Similar Reading : Homemade moisturizer for oily skin

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.

If you wish to style your hair from the comforts of your home and without the hassles of visiting a saloon, then you should consider buying a hair straightner. UNIL InfraShine Ceramic Flat Iron which is available at the online stores Missiko is a good choice. The reason it is better to choose a ceramic flat iron over a metal one is that its heating time is shorter where only a few seconds are required to heat the hair straightener while knowing that your hair gets the required hair straightening. The ceramic plates on the hair straightener emit ions that help neutralize the positive ionic charges in frizzy and dry hair. With this neutralization of the charges, you soon get smooth and shiny hair. As always, you have to remember certain things and follow all the basic precautions while handling. The most important point to remember is to never use ceramic flat irons on wet hair as you might get an electrical shock. Never jerk the flat iron through your hair, run it along your ha...

I just can’t do without this Multani mitti (fuller’s earth) face pack in summer, it’s a must for my extremely oily and acne-prone skin. Another natural ingredient which I can’t live without in summer is sandalwood (chandan) . I dust sandalwood powder all over my skin to get relief from prickly heat and rashes. Sometimes I pummel a small piece of sandalwood on a flat stone to extract its paste. Then I add a drop of honey to it and smear it all over my face to rejuvenate my greasy skin. Recently I purchased this sandalwood face pack. It costs less than $3 and besides sandalwood it contains several other natural ingredients like mineral clay and sandalwood oil.

If you have been following this blog religiously, then you must be aware that I have an oily, acne-prone skin and am constantly on the lookout for products that can control excess sebum-secretion. Himalaya Gentle Face Wash Gel for oily skin . helped me to some extent. But I needed something stronger this summer. So I purchased Garnier Naturals Deep pore face wash and am quite happy with it. It contains salicyclic acid, alcohol among many other ingredients. As anyone with oily or spot prone skin will know, the ingredient Salicylic Acid should be a must in any product designed for oily, zit-prone skin. Salicylic Acid works by sloughing off the dead cells from the face, prevents pore clogging and the formation of zits. It’s a great product and I have been using it twice a day, everyday. Firstly, I wet my face and then squeeze a bit of it on my palm. It’s gel-like and transparent with blue granules. I then gently massage it with my finger tips all over my face concentrating ...

If you have an oily and acne-prone skin, clay based face packs will work wonders for you. Himalaya Neem Face pack is one such face pack that is highly recommended for pimple-prone skin and in summers . It contains ingredients like neem , turmeric (Haldi) and Multani mitti (fuller’s earth) – all of which are exceedingly beneficial for the skin. While anti-bacterial Neem and Turmeric effectively help to eliminate acne-causing bacteria and prevent recurrence of pimples, Multani mitti (fuller’s earth) has the ability to draw out the impurities and excess sebum from the pores and soothe the skin. 

I have never had to deal with ‘super dry skin woes’ at any point of time in my life as my skin is extremely oily . It’s only in winters that I really pamper my skin with a luxurious pre-bath oil massage , heavy moisturizers and lotions. This winter , I used Skin MD Natural Shielding lotion and it has worked for me. Recently I got an opportunity to try another shielding lotion ‘ Gloves in a bottle ’. Now I do moisturize my skin minimally during other seasons as well; usually after a shower to lock in the moisture and prevent ‘after- bath dryness.’ So instead of using any other moisturizer, I applied this shielding lotion all over my skin specially concentrating on my neck , elbows, ankles, knees and heels . And a week’s usage has left my skin smooth, soft and glowing . The lotion itself isn’t too thick and gets absorbed into the skin within a matter of seconds. so, you don’t have to use too much of it – just a little goes a long way. Besides this, it is almost odorless, hypoal...

I have oily hair that becomes very sticky and highly unmanageable in summer . Nevertheless, I always oil my hair at least once in a week and leave it overnight to shampoo it off the next day. Coconut oil is my first choice for a scalp massage . But in summers I would rather use herbal oils such as amla oil, curry leaves oil, Aloe-oil or hibiscus oil which I prepare at home– all these oils, however, have coconut oil as the base. These oils are very cooling and applying these before going to bed gives me an undisturbed and peaceful slumber at night. I haven’t tried using too many commercially available herbal hair oils partly because I don’t want to end up losing hair by experimenting with unknown products. But when my friend who has thick, luxurious hair told me how after using Dabur Vatika hair oil , her hair got a visible shine and helped her to deal with long term hair-fall and dandruff, I decided to give it a try. I’ve never had any dandruff problems but excessiv...