Cucumber Honey Mask(home remedy)

This year it was terribly cold in Bhopal & I spend my most of the time at farm house which is far from Bhopal & is far colder than the city. I avoided the mask & all coz of the cold.

But since temperature hasn’t increased  alot yet and my skin is feeling dry ,so I am using this homemade mask from last 15 days and it doing great.

Cucumber & honey mask:

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Take a cucumber & grate it & squeeze it to take out its juice & mix honey half of cucumber’s quantity in to it.My mom says i can store it for 3 hours only but i have stored it for 3 days in refrigerator.
I am using it with cotton ball & let it stay for at least 15 min only coz it's stightly sticky & then wash it with plain water.

With the continuous use you can see a brightened & soft skin.
I had some dryness as well & it reduced my inflammation on cheeks very quickly.

Why honey & cucumber:
I always say honey is my favorite ingredient. Honey is rich in nourishing trace element, natural moisturizer.
Cucumber reduce pigmentation, hydrates & soothes skin resulting in reduced inflammation.

Do you like home made masks? Then please share your experience.

Keep smiling & be beautiful with punam:)

Bath And Body Works "Charmed Life" Body Lotion(product review)

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I hate to be in layers of clothes or woolens .So, I always hated winters & so does my skin.
Well these days my hands are feeling dry & I had some rashes due to some reaction. So I tried every body lotion I could find & this is how I found this tiny bottle of bath & body works lotion charmed life that my hubby brought from his last visit to US.

Price: 3.50$ for 59 ml

Ingredients: It's with vitamin E ,jojoba & shea butter

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My experience: First of all let me let you I am a huge fan of its fragrance. It‘s just like vanilla ice cream & this smell lasts quite long on my skin, but it’s a strong or you can say a warm smell that everyone may not like though it gets lighter after some time.

Well coming to the point. It hydrates well to my skin & with the regular use I could see my rashes are also healing.

It gives light moisturisation for around 6 hours in winter, which is quite good.

This tiny bottle comes with a flip open cap which makes it easy to carry in a bag.

I know availability can be an issue as I could never find this product in Indore or Bhopal but its available online on bathandbodyworks .com & amazon.com

It’s a must try for everyone & the best part is it relieves my skin's dryness even these days so it is absolutely useful for dry skin as well. It also works well on dry feet.

Have you tried this product? Then do share your experience.

Keep smiling & be beautiful with punam.

Rustic Art Organic Bathing Baby Soap(product review)



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After trying earthy goods soaps I was eager to try some organic soap for my baby & this is how I discover rustic art baby soaps and rustic art is a USDA certified company so that makes me more excited to try there products.



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Price: 155 for 100g

Ingredients: Organic Corn Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Castor Oil, Organic Neem Oil, Olive Oil (certified), De-mineralised water, Caustic Lye, certified Shea Butter, herbal oil, oil extract of Calendula, Chamomile, Malva, Green Tea, Vanilla, Citric Acid, Organic Aloe Gel, natural fragrances of Lavender,Orange.(i just loved the ingredients,aren't they amazing)

My experience: The best part about rustic art soaps is its ph level is neutral. So my baby can retain her soft & pure skin always.

It’s a very mild soap with a light fragrance.

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It foams well with little effort.

Compare to earthy goods soaps I could say this one is not as moisturizing as them but still good enough & last longer than earthy goods soaps.

This soap lasts for a month or slightly more than that for my baby, which makes it value for money.

I also tried it & I never felt dry on my skin even in this winter season & I am very lazy, as I always forget to apply moisturizer immediately after bathing.

I loved the cloth packaging.

Overall , I liked the soap as its organic & value for money.

Availability: You can buy rustic art products from www.naturalmantra.com

Your Comments & queries are always welcomed.

Keep smiling & be beautiful with meJ

Related Posts:
Rustic Art Aloe Vera Gel(product review)

Earthy Goods Forest Honey Soap(product review)

Earthstore Pure Saffron Royal Handmade Soap



Earthy Goods Forest Honey Soap(product review)

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I am really in love with natural & handmade soaps now .I have already shared my experience with earthy goods pure saffron soap & this time I tried forest honey from earthy goods which is specially for kids . Though I have also tried it & as earlier my experience was really nice.

Price: 95 INR for 100g

Ingredients:

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This soap is mild & light in fragrance.It is a plain white colored soap.

Left skin super soft rather buttery soft & moisturizing for whole day, just like its pure saffron one. I never felt stretched or any need of moisturizer for me & my baby’s skin even in this winter season.

The only con with earthy goods soaps is they melt very quickly .It would last for 10-12 days.

The best part is it’s handmade & full of natural ingredients.

Conclusion: Its expensive coz it melts down in 10 days for one person but I liked the way it keeps skin soft.

Other Soaps available;Pure saffron, Cinnamon Spice, Lemongrass scrub Soap, Lavender Scrub Soap 

You can buy the products here: www.earthygoods.co.in

(this foundation is doing great work by joining hands with rural entreprenuers,artisians & small producers)

Keep smiling & be beautiful with me :)

5 Best Moisturizers For Oily Skin In Winters

Wintertime can be hard on the skin. Cold weather, wind, and dry indoor air can suck moisture from your skin. Add in the use of drying acne fighting products and medications, and you have a recipe for uncomfortable dryness, flaking, and peeling.

I had a reader’s query about this issue .So here I am doing a post as per my experience coz I also have oily skin & I have to change my skin care regime during winters.

1. Change Your Cleanser

While it may have been a great choice during the summer months, your cleanser may not be working for you now that the cold weather has set in. If you feel tight and dry after cleansing, you probably need to switch to a milder cleanser.

Cleansers containing salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide can be particularly drying, especially if you are using them in conjunction with other acne treatment products. Instead, try using a gentle foaming cleanser or bar, such as Dove or Neutrogena. You can always go back to an acne-fighting cleanser once the weather warms and your skin doesn't feel as dry.

2. Don't Be Afraid to Moisturize

Regular use of a moisturizer is important, even for those with acne. Remember, nearly all acne treatment products dry the skin to some extent. To avoid flaking and peeling skin, moisturizer is a must even if you have oily skin like me.

Here I am suggesting 5 moisturizers for oily skin that I have tried & they never broke me out & reviewed by me (click on the link to read review)

My recent love Rustic Art Aloe Vera Gel

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The Body shop Tea Tree Blemish Fade lotion (it’s a night lotion & very helpful for oily skin)

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Almond oil(this oil is a all-rounder ,I have used it as a moisturizer when I ended up with my conventional moisturizer & it helped me without breaking me out, right now I am using it as my under eye cream)

Neutrogena Fine Fairness Lotion & Neutrogena Fine Fairness Cream(I have tried both of them, but I always prefer to use the products specifically made for my skin type .So I think Neutrogena fine fairness lotion is great for oily to combination skin in all seasons)

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Olay white radiance protective lotion (I have not used it for long but in one week it never broke me out & moisturized my skin very well)

be beautiful with punam

 For moisturizing your skin you don't have to slather on a thick, greasy product. Instead, choose a moisturizing gel or lotion. They are lighter than products labeled moisturizing cream.

Earthstore Pure Saffron Royal Handmade Soap

Babies have very gentle & soft skin. Every time I hold my baby I just love her soft & smooth skin & I always want it to be like that. For my baby’s skin I always prefer to use natural ingredients or products made by natural ingredients. So, that she can always have this soft & natural skin. And then I found this hand made soap, which is full of natural ingredients.

Ingredients:

Price: 90 INR for 100 g

My experience :I am just loving this soap, I ordered it for my baby but when I smell it I couldn’t resist my self to try this.

It’s really moisturizing & gentle for skin. I generally massage my baby after & before bath, but while using this I don’t need to massage her after bath coz it kept her skin soft for a whole day & it does the same with my skin J.Its great for using in all seasons & for all skin & age group.

It smells amazing & that last for quite a long time.

As you can see in the image it have tiny granules, which helps in exfoliation, I love such soaps which have granules coz it’s rare in soaps.

The only con with this soap is that it melts very soon, it doesn’t last more than 10 days for me & for my baby it will last for 15-20 days.

Conclusion: Its expensive coz it melts down in 10 days for one person but I liked the way it keeps skin soft.

Other Soaps available;Forest Honey, Cinnamon Spice, Lemongrass scrub Soap, Lavender Scrub Soap 

You can buy the products here: www.earthygoods.co.in

(this foundation is doing great work by joining hands with rural entreprenuers,artisians & small producers)

Oatmeal For Dry Skin (tip of the day)

Image Source : Google images

I don’t have dry skin but one of my reader have dry & flaky skin & she asked me for some home remedy. I tried this remedy in winters & it worked well for me.

Make a mixture of cooked oatmeal & honey.

Apply this evenly on face & wash after 15-20 minutes.

This helps in cleansing & moisturizing dry skin.

Keep smiling & be beautiful with me :)

Have you tried this ? Then please share your experience.

Neutrogena Fine Fairness Cream (product review)

I never preferred to use moisturizer for my oily skin as I am afraid of break out with creams, but I was wrong oily skin also needs moisturizer.And coz of this i keep trying some new moisturizers.

Price: Rs. 99 for 20g and Rs. 299 for 50g pack.

Ingredients :

Its a huge list of ingredients...

My experience: I am a huge fan of Neutrogena. I am using its products from years. Earlier I was using there fine fairness lotion for oily to combination skin. That suited me very well as I have oily skin. But I shifted to this cream because I was feeling slight dryness on my skin so I just picked it from my sister shelf who have dry skin. Things I liked about this cream are:

It’s a light cream which absorbs easily in to skin.

It's thick in consistency.

It provides good moisturization that lasts for at least 5 hours.

It doesn’t clog pores, so doesn’t cause break out.

Its fragrance is light.

Things not so good about this cream are:

It will be easy for me to talk about its dislike by comparing it with the company’s claim, which you can read in the image below :

As far as I can see I dint help me to reduce any uneven skin tone or pigmentation (I have on the corners of my lips)

It says it protects from UVA & UVB but I think SPF 20 can work if you’re at home not when your going out. When you are stepping out of home a good sunscreen is essential.

Third claim is about long lasting moisturization , this is true to some extent , as its proving good for sister who have dry skin , in my case I could see some greasiness & shine after some time so probably it was my wrong decision to try thisJ.

It contains paraben , which is not so good.

Conclusion:

If I talk about moisturization then this cream is really good for dry skin, but I think other skin type can feel greasiness & shine after applying this cream.

Have You Tried This ? Then Please share your experience.

Keep smiling & be beautiful with me :)

Lotus Tea Tree Face Wash (product review)

I generally use Neutrogena acne wash for my acne prone oily skin but last winters I gave a try to this face wash coz earlier one was making my skin little dry.

Price: 125 INR

Quantity: 80g

Ingredients:

(sorry for the image )

Its main ingredients are tea tree & cinnamon. And both these ingredients are potent anti fungal & anti bacterial ingredient that helps in reducing acne & lighten spots. wowww:)

My experience:

It cleanses my skin very well by removing dirt & excess oil thoroughly.  

It’s a transparent gel kind face wash with tiny & soft granules in it which also helps in exfoliation.

It doesn’t makes my skin too dry because it doesn’t form lather I think it’s soap free (greatJ)   but I do feel little sticky on the corners of my lips & at times I felt it leaves a film behind if I wash my face in hurry or with cold water. (I normally wash my face with Luke warm water as I read some where it helps in controlling oil)

Its smell is very light & natural.

Conclusion: Overall I liked it as it controls my oil & I rarely had breakout using it. The only thing I didn’t like is a sticky feel on some parts of my face but that is not an issue if I wash my face with Luke warm water. I think it’s good for oily & combination skin.

Have you tried this ? then please share your experience...

Keep smiling& be beautiful ..:)

Almond Oil As A Moisturizer (Tip of the day)

These days I am using almond oil as a moisturizer with little vitamin-e tablet gel in it & it's really doing very well on my acne prone oily skin. It never breaks me out, making my skin soft after every use & above all no chemicals in it. I can wear my makeup on it .  It is light weight, not leaving a greasy feeling.

Almond oil as a moisturizer is very good because almond oil is rich in vitamins & minerals like fatty acid, glycosides etc. & being an emollient it help skin balance its loss of moisture with its absorption of moisture.The work of almond oil is by producing right amount of moisture that is considered as the safest anti aging solution as well.

Vitamin -e is an excellent anti oxidant and also helps in dimnishing dark spots. 

Dove Indulgent Nourishment Body Lotion(product review)

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Price: 140 INR for 250 ml

These days dove is my favorite brand when I am worried of dryness, whether its for hair or for my skin .That’s why I can’t resist myself trying dove‘s new body lotion. 

Ingredients:

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Its main ingredient is "shea butter (butyrspermum parkii butter)" which is rich in many vitamins like A, E, F & its known for giving hydrated skin & repair damaged dry skin as well.

It also contains ingredients like" Stearic acid" that helps skin to retain moisture and to stay flexible & it contain "Helianthus annus hybrid oil" that is soothing & calming for dry skin& it’s derived from sunflower.

My experience:

My palms were feeling very dry not only coz of winters but I wash them number of times & use sanitizer very often which also leads to dryness in skin & when I apply this lotion before going to bed immediately I could feel softness in my skin & it leaves my hands with a glow.

Its texture is quite thick like creams, it never gives stain on my cloth & neither it's sticky nor greasy rather it spreads easily & absorbs in to skin quickly leaving behind a coconut chocolate like smell.

It does relieve my skin from dryness & gives a very soothing, smooth effect that last till morning. Though it doesn’t give supple soft skin but I am satisfied coz it gives me smooth & soft skin with quite a good staying power of 8-10 hours even in this cooling winters with temprature of 11-14 degrees.  

I rate 9on 10 to this body lotion as it’s really helping to relieve my dry skin.

Have you tried this? Then please share your experience.

Keep Smiling & Be Beautiful With Me J

Home Made Moisturizers

 As we all know moisturizers are must in winter because it not only relieve your dry skin but prevent further dryness as well.

So, Why not make a moisturizer at home this winter..???

Here are few that i have tried & you can make them from all the ingredients easily available in your kitchen-

I-Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon rosewater  
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• Few drops of jojoba oil

The small molecular structure of coconut oil allows for easy absorption through the skin, giving it a soft, smooth texture.
Jojoba oil is non comedogenic oil that gives you a moisturized skin for a long time.
Rose water is known for its cooling effect to dry skin & its natural oils trap moisture in the skin, helping it feel and look smoother.
This moisturizer hydrates your skin with a pleasant, lingering fragrance.

II-This one is from my mom, she uses it whole winter . This moisturizer will even bring glow on your face.

Ingredients:

• 1 fresh Lime (juice)
• 1/4 cup milk cream
• 2 tablespoons  Olive oil

When used on normal skin, the milk has a gentle, soothing effect without the irritation of other natural remedies.

Olive oil again a very good moisturizer & lemon juice mixed with olive oil can provide a more bracing and refreshing feeling.

NOTE – You can keep all the above moisturizers in your fridge for few days.

So, when you feel dry or itchy this winter ,try this out & get soft & smooth skin from your kitchen.

Keep Smiling :) & Be Beautiful

Winter Skin Care

Winter is just not about warm clothes, snuggling close to the pillows wrapped from head to toe in a comfy quilt.It is time to battle the cold winds that hampers your skin .Because your skin is the first one to feel the sign of winter. By little care let’s get prepared this winter to keep wintry troubles at bay…..

 So here are 10 things you must do this winter -

1. Drink water …

 Generally water intake reduces during winter but a good amount of water helps in retaining the moisture of your skin as well keeping skin disorders at bay. Hydrate your skin within. Herbal tea is also great when it’s really cold. .

2. Exfoliate …

Exfoliate your body to remove dead skin cells. Add this to your cleansing routine at least once a week. Not only you’ll feel fresh but your skin will be free from all that old dry cells. Now you’re ready to moisturize your skin!

3. Don’t forget to moisturize …

Moisturizers and cold creams are a must in the winters. If you have dry skin moisten your skin with a good creamy hand and body lotion or a oil based moisturizer.

"You have to put on moisturizer when your skin is still damp," That way, the moisturizer is trapping the moisture still on your skin." Your skin shouldn't be sopping wet -- just pat yourself dry with a towel and put it on. 

One myth that I want to clear is that oily skin doesn’t need to be moisturized. Oily skins also need to be moisturized. Regular use of a moisturizer is important, even for those with acne. Remember, nearly all acne treatment products dry the skin to some extent. To avoid flaking and peeling skin, moisturizer is a must.

But don't slather on a greasy product. Instead, choose a moisturizing gel or lotion. They are lighter than products labeled moisturizing cream. Whatever moisturizer you choose, be sure it is specific for oily skin & marked Non-comedogenic. Non-comedogenic products are less likely to cause pore blockages.

4. Sunscreen …

It's cold in winter, so you don't need sunscreen, right?  Wrong. Actually, you need it more. In the winter, the sun is closer to the earth and its rays are even stronger. Although it's true that you're outside for less time and are more bundled up when you are, but your face and hands are still exposed to harmful rays. Alternatively, choose a product that combines a sunscreen with a moisturizer.

5. Gloves …

It’s simple but it works! Why expose your hands to the cold. Choose a good quality pair that does not irritate the skin. If you’re allergic to wool, wear a cotton mitten underneath. It will help keep your hands dry and warm.

6. Oil bath …

Now how does jojoba oil or sweet almond bath sound to you? Relaxing isn’t it! Nourish you skin by adding a few drops of these oils into your every day bath. It will do wonders for your skin or pamper you skin with a little coconut oil massage before bath to heal dryness and chaps.

7. No blow dry …

Yes, sadly so. The blow drier is not your friend in winter. Try the tousled look or the wavy style this winter. Hot air dries out your scalp and can irritate your skin as well. So give the blow drier a miss this cold season.

8. Don’t lick …

… your lips. If you do, you’ll only chap your lips even more. Keep a lip balm in your purse and apply it when you’re tempted! Butter is effective in curing chapped lips and renders an extra softness.

9. Food that nourishes

Your skin texture depends not only on external treatments, but also on the intake. A poor diet lacking in essential vitamins and minerals will show signs, such as flaky skin. Few fruits & veggies can help you -

Add Essential fatty acids such omega 3 like oily fish, If fish isn’t your thing, look for flaxseed, avocado, and walnuts.

 Taking a supplement, such as evening primrose oil - and fish oils won't hurt either and could possibly help the skin's barrier.

Beyond drinking water, eat fruits and veggies that have high-water content like apples, oranges, pineapple, celery, and don’t forget to add cucumbers, carrots, yogurt, and almonds.

AND 10
Be happy & keep smiling … that’s the biggest secret to be beautiful……. J