Archives for May 2012

Just Herbs Silksplash Neem-Orange Rehydrant Face Wash {Product Review}

May 31, 2012 Swati 40 Comments

Price: Rs 245 for 100ml

Ingredients

Neem extract 0.5%, orange peel 0.5%, aloevera 2%, honey 1%, calendule extract 0.5%, cucumber extract 0.2%, chandan (sandalwood) extract 0.1%, cleansing base.

Pros

– Doesn’t dry out the face unless used in too much quantity

– Brightens the face

Cons

– Packaging is not very friendly

– Stings the eyes and nasal tract

– Doesn’t cleanse well if you have done an oil massage

– Cleansing Base is a mysterious ingredient

My Experience

To start with, it smells nice but I hate the packaging. It comes with a open wide-mouthed bottle which always dispenses more than enough of the face wash and when in hurry, you can see that the product gets easily wasted. The bottle is not easy to handle in the shower either as it is slippery. A stopper or a flip-top cap would have been better.

Also, the product is very runny so use it with care. Very little product is enough for once. The bottle can easily last a month if used properly. Ok, the biggest problem with the product is that it stings my eyes and nasal tract badly. Ok, I cleanse my skin extra-properly because of which the face wash always gets into my eyes and this one gets into my nose as well coz its so runny 🙁

I have also noticed that it doesn’t cleanse my skin well when I apply oil to remove the sunscreen in the evenings. But, otherwise, it really cleanses the face well and shows an immediate brightening of the skin. It also doesn’t leave the skin stretched or dry. But, if the product is used in huge quantity, it does dry out the face.

Also, I feel Just Herbs is almost like Biotique because this also uses a mysterious thing called cleansing base in which other extracts have been added. I would love to know the details of this cleansing base. I want to try out their face masks as they seem really impressive and there is apparently no mysterious ingredient in them either.

PS: Product sent by brand for consideration.
PS 1: Thanks a lot for the amazing response to my giveaway. Its over now and give me sometime to check up on all the entries and announce the winner.

My Latest Haul

May 30, 2012 Swati 30 Comments

My new specs and I love the blue-black combo

This is my most expensive haul of the whole life with my own money and I am really excited to share it with you all 🙂 So, do let me know what you think??? And, let the pics do the talking!!!

those were my geeky purple specs but with not that wide arms!!

saw a Dolce & Gabbana but was too expensive to go for!!!

so I got my very own vogue 🙂

love the classy specs box

and, some side orders 🙂

So, what do you think about the haul??? And, btw, today is the last day to enter the giveaway so hurry 🙂

Flipflops from Oasap.com

May 29, 2012 Swati 25 Comments

Flipflops with a bow @ Perfect Skin Care for you

the bow for the other flipflop came off 🙁

Hey guys, I wanted to share what I got from Oasap.com recently. So, check out the snaps. Btw, a word about the website, I love the things they have. They have amazing bags, belts, footwear, scarfs, everything!! And, I am not even speaking about the clothes which are just simply gorgeous except some of the things which you can’t wear easily in India 🙂

are they looking asymmetrical or are they looking good even with the missing bow?

Pros

– worldwide shipping is free

– awesome stuff

Cons

– the bow on one of my flipflops came off!!! I would have liked it stitched instead of pasted with some quickfix or something.

– the flipflops are not exactly soft. I like soft footwear.

– they are not flat even though they are mentioned under flats. They have an inch of heel, platform style. I like entirely flat footwear.

What do you think? And, don’t forget to check out their site here.

PS: I was provided a coupon from the website.

Hand Sanitizers and their Effectiveness {Skin Care}

May 28, 2012 Swati 17 Comments

A day back I talked about whether you wash your hands after your skin care routine or not? That time, Simran asked me my opinion on hand sanitizers. So, I thought I would rather do a post on it. I am not a fan of hand sanitizers. I like the feel I get from washing my hands instead.

Hand Wash vs Sanitizers

Sanitizers have hit the market with a vengeance and became popular within a very short time. The reason is because one doesn’t need to wash the hands and simply rubbing the sanitizer on the hands ensures no germs and clean hands. This seems pretty convenient and saves the hands from the harsh chemicals when they are repeatedly washed with water. So, why don’t I like the sanitizers?

The main ingredient of a sanitizer is ethyl alcohol. I remember that in Dettol hand sanitizer, it has around 65-75% of alcohol and its the first ingredient as well. And, as you all know, ethyl alcohol is drying for skin. No sanitizer can be made without alcohol coz alcohol is the ingredient which kills the germs so its an unavoidable ingredient. I did check out lifebuoy sanitizer as well which had around 30% of alcohol or something and that didn’t convince me. ~~May be I am wrong here.~~ Ok, while writing the post, I googled for the images and I went through one of the articles which says:

“I used to work in a virology lab,” Dr. Aiello said, “and we knew — it has been known for decades — that an alcohol concentration under 60 percent won’t kill the microbes. It’s really frightening to think that there are products out there that contain levels lower than that.” (Source)

So, beware and when you buy your sanitizer, always check for the concentration of alcohol in it. Second reason is that I am a person who likes my hands completely clean and with no stickiness. And, the few times I have used sanitizers, my hands have become sticky even though alcohol does evaporate pretty quickly. Well, it can be psychological as well. And, another is that sanitizers are not as effective as they are touted to be. I had read somewhere (forgot the source) that sanitizers are effective for all of 2 minutes at max and then, again germs start building up on the skin. And, nothing can actually beat the effectiveness of soap and water.

Do I ever keep sanitizers?

So, those were my reasons for not relying on sanitizers. Now, comes the second question that if I keep the sanitizers with me. I haven’t till today but my mom does carry it during travel and yes, it does come as a saver when there is no water nearby or if you are having “meals on wheels” 😀 So, yes, I think a GOOD sanitizer is important when you have no access to water. Also, don’t forget to take a hand cream so that you can counteract the dryness.

Do you like sanitizers?

Image Courtesy:nytimes.com

PS: Last two days to enter my giveaway so hurry up!!

Home Remedies for skin dryness {DIY}

May 27, 2012 Swati 5 Comments

I received a comment from Khushboo asking me how to deal with skin dryness and bring a glow to the face and how to make the skin look fresh. Its a huge complicated thing and probably I can write many many posts on that. So, I thought I would start with home remedies for skin dryness.

Banana
Rub a slice of banana on your face and neck. It helps with anti-aging, tightening the skin and also moisturises your skin simultaneously.

More DIY’s with Banana
Get a glow you deserve
A recipe for faster hair growth and beautiful looking skin
Your hands tell your age
Keep your skin moisturized this winter with Banana
Get rid of the blemishes and dark spots on your body

Honey
Apply a thin or thick mask of honey on your face and let it stay for 15-3 minutes or more if you can manage. Wash off. Amazing for dry skin and not messy at all.

More DIY’s with Honey
Honey as face cleanser
Sugar Body Scrub with a twist
A simple tip for a glowing face
Get rid of those Large Pores
Orange Sugar Body Scrub

Aloevera Gel
Natural aloevera gel is extremely beneficial for dry skin as it improves the hydration power of the skin from inside. Yes, it is drying for the skin so apply it first and follow with a moisturiser if you feel your skin has become stretched. It also is a great after-sun treatment and acts best when used as a night moisturiser.

More DIY’s with Aloevera Gel
Aloevera: A Miracle Plant
Natural Moisturizers for Oily Skin
Skin dryness and burning?
Aloevera for soft skin
How to treat Sunburns?

Products Recommended
Rustic Art Aloevera Gel
24 Letter Mantra Honey