Vitamin C for Iron {Health}

Sorry for the ambiguous heading. Yesterday, I said that iron deficiency can lead to dark to uneven skin tone naturally so increase in iron intake is important. So, today, I wanted to talk about iron absorption in the body. Vitamin C is required for absorbing iron properly so increase your Vitamin C intake too. Drink amla juice or orange juice or prepare lemon water at home without sugar every day. Vitamin C is also helpful in detoxification of the skin and body from the inside so the major side benefits of Vitamin C is collagen production in the skin which helps maintain its elasticity and suppleness so as to reverse the aging of the skin. So, increase your Vitamin C intake and keep your skin young :)

READ MORE - Vitamin C for Iron {Health}

Uneven Skin Tone {Skin Care}

If at any point of time, you find that your skin is getting darker and patchy without any reason it should be so and without any external signs, then the reason can also be due to the deficiency of hemoglobin or iron in the body. So, pump up your iron intake and you can even check out your HB count and visit a doctor to get iron supplements if HB count is less than 10. Iron deficiency can lead to uneven darkening of the skin so take care of your diet which is very crucial step in maintaining healthy skin. And, don't forget to apply sunscreen regularly.

READ MORE - Uneven Skin Tone {Skin Care}

Fab India Seabuckthorn After Bath Oil {Product Review}

This is the first time I have bought anything from Fab India. Unfortunately, the brand doesn't really tempt me but I have heard so good reviews of the Coral face pack from the same brand that I am desperate to get it but it is generally not available in the stores. And, regarding this product, Seabuckthorn is a really nutritious fruit which is extremely healthy for skin and hair so I was very excited to find this product available in the Indian market.

Price: 250 INR for 200ml

Ingredients

Sesame oil, Seabuckthorn oil, Almond oil, Soyabean oil, Coconut oil

My Experience

The oil is golden colored and smells sickly sweet which lingers on even after applying the oil. Otherwise, the oil is light and gets absorbed very quickly and doesn't feel sticky to touch. The skin feels soft and hydrated too after that. The moisturizing capacity is a little less compared to other oils so I will say it might not be suitable for extremely dry skin or in winters. But, otherwise, it is a very good oil for one to give it a try. The only problem I have with the oil is that Seabuckthorn oil is listed second in the list  and there are other oils too where as the product is supposed to be Seabuckthorn oil. I wish it was solely that. 

My Recommendation

Yes, it is a good oil for people who love oils on their body and can be tried once to decide.

READ MORE - Fab India Seabuckthorn After Bath Oil {Product Review}

How much sunscreen do you apply? {Sunscreen}

I have read so many reviews on other blogs and sites especially on sunscreens. And, I have found out one terrible mistake which people make - amount of sunscreen to be applied for proper protection. Many people apply a drop of the product or equivalent. That got me thinking about the amount of sunscreen which should be applied for optimal protection. And, then, I came across a comment in facebook by Renne Rouleau which said that two finger length amount of sunscreen should be applied to every part of the body. 

So, I tried to find more about what is the ideal amount of sunscreen which should be applied. And, the information I came across was correct. If one applies amount of sunscreen which can be traced along the length of their middle finger, they get adequate protection of 45 minutes and if they apply the amount traced across both their index and middle finger, they get optimal protection of 2 hours and 15 minutes. And, this amount of sunscreen has to be applied to every part of the body. The body is divided into 11 parts - face and neck, upper back, lower back, chest, stomach and waist, both upper thighs and lower thighs including feet. So, you need to apply two finger length amount of sunscreen for every part of the body for optimal protection. And, sunscreen has to be applied every half hour according to the article I am referring to.

PS: The information provided in this post has been taken from this article. Kindly refer to it for more details. The link to this article was shared by Tanveer of Addicted to Blush so very thanks to her!!!

So, how much of this advice do I follow? Ok, no, I do not reapply any sunscreen after going into the sun. Not even during my vacation. And, I apply only a finger length amount to my face and neck. May be it is pretty less but frankly the products is so heavy and makes my skin so oily that there is no scope for reapplication unless I wash off my face and do the whole routine again which is again quite an impossible thing. But, how so ever much one might be diligent with sunscreen application and reapplication, it is always best to stay out of sun. I try to follow that rule most of the times :)

PS: This article is relevant for chemical sunscreens. 

READ MORE - How much sunscreen do you apply? {Sunscreen}

7 Disadvantages of Buying Makeup and Skin Care Products Online

Online shopping has now turned into a norm. We all see it as convenient because it requires no driving, hours of cart dragging and fighting with a crowd of people for the clear path. These days, it is possible to buy almost everything online. This includes even makeup and skin care products. Just with the help of a credit card or cashier’s check, they can be easily bought from any online stores. Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks or disadvantages of using such source for buying cosmetics and skin care products. Just see below:

1. The waiting period for receiving the product might be longer than expected: Online shopping cannot let you have the item in your hand right away. Yes, sometimes, if you agree to pay for the expedited shipping it might reach your home early, but some stores simply do not offer this feature. So whatever you buy ends up reaching your home after a couple of weeks.

2. Online picture of the product turns out to be deceiving: This happens. What you see on screen can turn out to be totally different in real life. So a lipstick that you thought was orange in the picture online might end up being ruby red once it is in your hand.

3. Delivery of expired makeup or skin care item: This hassle goes hand in hand with online shopping sometimes. Sometimes it is seen that the cosmetics and skin care products are delivered in their expired condition. It is possible that the sellers know about it, but feel that the buyers will not notice it. So it is important that as soon as you receive your online bought lipstick, lip gloss or lotion in your hand you check its expiration date.

4. Delivery of used/returned makeup or skin care item: This is another blooming case in the field of online shopping. We caught even Amazon sellers doing it. The item delivered turns out to be already returned or used previously. Perhaps, the seller is well aware of it, but thinks he can get away by sending it to another buyer.

5. The item might well be a counterfeit:  There are many producers who like to produce items that imitate products made by the original brands. Their items tend carry certain features of the originals ones. For instance, most often it is not possible to distinguish their packaging style, logo, scent and color from the real products’. But one thing that they lack is the effectiveness. Unfortunately, certain independent stores online do sell such counterfeit products. Being a little careless online shopper can easily make you their victim. By the way, these days, even Amazon and Ebay have become victims of fake products. You will find on those sites lots of listing of Estee Lauder and M.A.C products. It is better to not go for them.

6. The store owner itself might be a scammer: Most independent stores are questionable in nature. In short, they might be just scam sites in disguise.  How would you know it? The answer is quite simple. They will have a check out section where they will take down your credit card number. The money from your card will also be withdrawn, but they will not send your purchased item to your house ever.  This can turn into a big hassle especially if the said store’s owner turns out to be from a distant country. Under such circumstances, there is very little you will be able to do to regain your lost money.

7. Item can get lost on its way to the buyer's destination: It is best not to buy extremely expensive cosmetics and skin care products online, for they might not simply arrive to you at all. The reason behind this is that the postal officials sometimes are irresponsible. So they can easily lose your item. Of course, you can notify the seller about it, but there is very less chance that he will cooperate with you especially if the tracking number is absent in this situation. 

READ MORE - 7 Disadvantages of Buying Makeup and Skin Care Products Online

Natural Henna Manicure {Nail Care}

Ok, this is not a very welcome option for every one. But, still, I would like to put this up. You all know what Henna is what multitude of benefits it offers. So, did you know that henna is anti-bacterial and the smell of henna acts as repellant for mosquitoes and insects. That was one of the chief reasons of applying it on the body and of course, later on, it became famous for body art too. There is one more major usage of henna.

Henna when applied to nails makes nails strong, healthy and shiny. Yes, unfortunately, it stains the nails too so they become orangey in color and the nail has to grow out completely to get rid of that color. But, applying henna prevents the nails from any fungal and bacterial infections too. And, I happen to like henna on my nails though the nails look really bad when the color reaches the middle but it does keep my nails pretty healthy for at least a month or two. So, try applying henna next time to the nails too and you can always use the nail paints to cover the orange color. 

Btw, here, I am not talking of the commercially available henna cones. I am referring to the fresh henna leaves ground and then applied on the hands and nails. The henna available in the market have a load of chemicals mixed in them so I don't really like applying from henna cones. Instead, plucking tender leaves of the plant and drying them is a better option to keep an unlimited supply of natural henna at home for whatever purpose you want whether it is coloring your hair or for body art.

READ MORE - Natural Henna Manicure {Nail Care}

Rhoto Mentholatum Acnes Creamy Wash {Product Review}

This is not exactly a review but just sharing the experience. I got a sample of this when I went to the Inorbit Mall and I was able to use the sample three times so I just want to share how it was. Rhoto is a brand from Japan which is launching its skin care line in India. This is specially meant for people suffering from acne.

Ingredients

No SLS /SLES...yay!!!

My Experience

its very thin in consistency and not very creamy also

It foams very less if you take the above shown quantity and is enough for both face and neck. And, if you keep on massaging it to get more foam, a point comes when all the product disappears into the skin. Weird!!! But, I like that point. I don't like too much foaming cleansers. But, it foams well if you take a lot of quantity. This face wash is recommended for people suffering from acne hence the name. Since I am not having any breakout problem, I can't comment on how well it will handle that but I can definitely say that my face looked brighter and radiant after using this face wash and in a completely natural way. And, my skin felt softer to look at and supple. The face wash wasn't drying on my skin too. I was too lazy to apply any moisturizer afterward so I slept without having anything on my face and my face was glowing next morning and no oil on my face too. Very little oil on the nose but otherwise my face was super clear. Too many good things from a small experience so definitely a face wash to look out for.

They have also released men's face wash range and one with activated charcoal which I am very much interested in trying out. 

READ MORE - Rhoto Mentholatum Acnes Creamy Wash {Product Review}

Moisturizer Application Techniques {Skin Care}

Applying moisturizer properly is a very important part of the skin care ritual. The application technique affects the skin in the long run because of the regular movement of the skin which happens during the application. So, there are certain correct and wrong methods of application which we shall discuss for every part of the face and neck. 

• Circular Movements should be made with very light pressure applied on the skin


• Patting movement is also recommended but not very easy to get used to

For Eyes

Rubbing of the eyes is not recommend at all so only patting motion should be used to apply under-eye creams or any oil of choice. Circular Movement will cause movement of the thin skin around the eyes leading to early development of wrinkles. 

For Face

Short upward and outward strokes are recommended as very widely known. 

For Neck

Look at the ceiling while applying moisturizer on the neck and massage the neck in an upward stroke to prevent and smoothing of the neck lines. This does a double job - applies moisturizer evenly on the neck and stretches the skin of the neck as in the face exercise motion.

For Chest

Upward strokes and circular motion both are recommended for the chest and shoulder areas.

READ MORE - Moisturizer Application Techniques {Skin Care}

Salicylic Acid {Ingredient}

Yesterday, I talked about Salicylic Acid and its uses for people suffering from Acne and other skin disorders. But, I also mentioned its biggest disadvantage - hyper pigmentation. I am not sure if you have noticed but salicylic acid is always used int he concentration of 1-2% in the products available in the medical stores. The reason is that it acts best on the skin in those concentrations and any excess of usage of the acid causes many skin problems like sensitivity, irritation, peeling of the skin and likes of it. So, getting tempted to use it every day is really not a good idea unless a product has been recommended by a dermatologist.

Now, you might have read about the aspirin mask recipes and would have been tempted to try it. Many of you might have tried it too. But, these masks are concentrated and hence, harm the skin instead of helping. So, kindly refrain from that. Since 1-2% is the best concentration so we shall make the homemade Salicylic Acid solution for home remedies. Now, Salicylic Acid is not available commercially so we will make do with Acetyl Salicylic Acid which is a milder form of Salicylic Acid. As Aspirin was not available, I am using Disprin Tablets and they both are actually same,though, Disprin also has Calcium Carbonate and Citric Acid to enable to it to dissolve in water.

Ingredients

• 3-6 Disprin Tablets (3 is for 1% and 6 is for 2% concentration)


• 100ml Water (go for mineral water or distilled water)

Method 

Mix the tablets in the water and store the solution. Use the solution to make face masks or mix your cleanser with the bit of a solution and wash your face with it. Mixing your makeup remover with the solution and then applying on the face for a few minutes would be most beneficial in cleaning the skin.Or, the simplest way to use the solution is to apply the solution on your face with cotton and keep it on for 5-10 minutes and then wash off the face with cleanser or face wash. 

People suffering from acne and breakouts should do it daily till they see some difference. And, oily skin people should use it twice or thrice a week. Rest with normal to dry skin and sensitive skin can use the solution not more than once a week for proper exfoliation. 

Caution (Very Very Important)

Ok, so this is something everyone needs to pay attention to. When I say anything not to be done on the blog, please take it very very seriously coz its very easy to get carried away and trust me, I am saying this from my personal experience. For example, I have used concentrated disprin mask twice on my face (as if once wasn't enough) and trust me, my complexion became dark instantly!!! So dark that the person who said I had become fair a day before had commented about my complexion the very next day and this has happened both the times I used the mask. And, even my parents complained about it. So, it causes hyper pigmentation very easily and it takes some days to get back to your original complexion so please, please do not overdo these treatments. They are supposed to be done only under strict control. And, please take my cautions about anything very seriously in my past or future posts also coz maximum of the times, I speak from personal experiences or otherwise from proper research.

How I have calculated the ratio?

10mg/1ml = 1%

thus, 350mg/x(ml) = 1%

thus, 10mg /1ml= 350mg/x

thus, x = 350/10 = 35ml

thus, 1 Disprin tablet is 1% of 35ml water so calculating in the same proportion, 3 disprin tablets would make up 1% of 100ml water (approx. coz 35*3 = 105ml).

Thus, if you want to make the concentration 2%, use 6 Disprin tablets.

I hope the calculation is clear :)

READ MORE - Salicylic Acid {Ingredient}

Beta Hydroxy Acid {Ingredient}

You might have already been aware of Alpha Hydroxy Acid so I decided to do a small post on Beta Hydroxy Acid first. In any case, I will be doing a post on Alpha Hydroxy Acids too for the benefit of people who are unaware of them. Now, a little overview of both these acids - these are two acid compounds which have become really famous in the skin care ranges in the recent decade. Both of them are used in all skin care products from cleansers to moisturizers but the main usage comes in the various peels which are performed by estheticians. These acids are helpful in exfoliation and keeping the skin healthy in a nutshell.  

So, now starting with Beta Hydroxy Acid, the only one form of this acid is used for cosmetic purposes which is called Salicylic Acid. Yes, I am pretty sure you have heard of it and many you must be even using the products which contain this acid. Now, Salicylic Acid is also very commonly known as Aspirin. You might have read quite a few DIY recipes using Aspirin. The main usage of Salicylic Acid is for people who suffer from Acne but it also useful for other skin disorders like warts, corns, calluses, etc. The acid has quite a lot of uses - it weakens the bonds of the dead skin cells, cleans the clogged pores, kills the bacteria in the pores and also reduces the size of the pores and helps in the growth of new cells. Sounds awesome, right??? But, there is a very big disadvantage of Salicylic Acid - it causes hyper pigmentation and makes your skin photo-sensitive (sensitive to sunlight). 

PS: In the next post, I shall be discussing how to overcome the problem of hyper pigmentation due to the acid.

READ MORE - Beta Hydroxy Acid {Ingredient}

Marie Veronique Goodies

Sunscreen

samples

Hey All!! I just wanted to share with you that I had won the Vivawoman MVO giveaway and recently received their goodies which came with 3 samples of course. Marie Veronique Organics is one of the rare organic brands which makes physical sunscreen and I had since long wanted to try it so I am extremely happy to have got these products and their reviews will be coming in time.

READ MORE - Marie Veronique Goodies

Mineral Makeup Brands in India {Readers Query}

This is a question to all those who know about makeup. I would be really grateful if anyone can tell me which mineral makeup brands are available in India? I need to buy a compact but I don't want to go for normal brands available. Suggestions would be highly appreciated.

READ MORE - Mineral Makeup Brands in India {Readers Query}

More about me and my skin care regime

About Me

• Name : Swati Murti


• Age : 25


• Hobbies : Reading


• Skin Type : Combination Skin tending towards dry


• Skin Color : Wheat Brown

What made me start "Perfect Skin Care for you"?

I have very thin hair and in consequence, I started searching for hair care remedies online. That was back in July - August 2009 and it had become an obsession. That was when I came across the concept of beauty blogs and websites. The obsession continued till November of the same year to a very high measure. And, then, in December, it struck me that it would be helpful if I could share all the extensive knowledge I had gained in the past couple of months and "Perfect Skin Care for you" was born.

When did I start "Perfect Skin Care for you" and what it is about?

I started blogging on 14th December, 2009. I had started with the intention of writing about natural skin and hair care topics and health was a subject closely related. And, very recently in January 2011, I have started doing product reviews.

What do I think is most important step in skin care regime?

Hydration. Keeping skin hydrated and supple makes it look young and healthy. So, hydrating the skin at every step is very important. 

My Skin Care Regime in a Nutshell

I don't have a very elaborated routine. I stick to the basics most of the time because of my laziness. Cleansing out the sunscreen is what I believe most essential. Then, I hydrate my skin with the toner. I take the toner in my palm and pat it onto my skin instead of using cotton pads or squirting it on my face. This helps in increasing the blood circulation.And, follow it with oil. Any facial oil or almond or coconut oil would do for me because my skin loves oils.

What are the 5 most important things in my bag?

I don't use makeup so you will find only skin care products in my bag. First will always be a lip balm, of course. Others include an all-purpose moisturizer, sunscreen, a face wash and a face spray.  

My favorite DIY 

Since I am a big fan of DIY remedies, I would like to end this post with my favorite DIY recipe. Its a homemade scrub which improves the hydration levels of the skin - sugar + salt + honey in equal quantities.

PS: This post is a part of the "Dove Diaries" section on 2threads.com which is sponsored by Dove.

READ MORE - More about me and my skin care regime

Water for Lips {Lip Care}

Ok, so summers are gone and monsoons are already raging down on us. And, places which are cooler and highly humid come with another disadvantage. You forget to drink water because the thirst is not felt so much as much as in scorching heat. So, it is very important that you keep on sipping water little by little every one hour so that you don't go dry because it will affect your health first and then the skin, hair and lips show the signs of dryness. Lip becomes dry very easily when you don't drink enough water so make sure before applying your favorite lip balms or lip treatments, you are drinking enough water.

READ MORE - Water for Lips {Lip Care}

Almond Oil for Neck Wrinkles {DIY}

I have always felt that neck lines can't be got rid of except for doing face exercises daily and keeping the neck straight so that there is no crease. But, sometime back, I used almond oil for moisturizing my face and neck and observed that my neck lines were gone in probably 3-4 days. So, if you have the same problem you could give the almond oil a try!!! If you are afraid that the oil might break you out, then you could try using the oil only on the neck. I had been using the Rogan Badam oil which I had talked about quite a long back.

READ MORE - Almond Oil for Neck Wrinkles {DIY}

Dry Skin around Lips {Lip Care}

Today only I noticed white spots on the skin around my lips. The skin around my lips has becomes extremely dry and is starting to flake off. I suddenly remembered that this is a sign of deficiency of Vitamin B complex in the body. So, in case you have dry skin around your lips, increase your intake of Vitamin B - either get supplements ny consulting a doctor or eat Vitamin B rich foods like bananas, pulses and lentils, all unprocessed foods including vegetables and fruits, potatoes and beans. This biotin drink also helps in fulfilling the vitamin B deficiency so check it out. Also, increase your consumption of yogurt in general.

READ MORE - Dry Skin around Lips {Lip Care}

Masks on wet skin {Tip of the Day}

Hey All!!! 

Today I want to share a tip which I have been trying out since quite some time. As you are already aware that moisturizer should be applied on damp skin for better results, I tried applying masks on damp skin too. Damp skin is more absorbent and this way, I suppose, skin is able to retain more moisture than otherwise. So, next time you apply a mask, try it out on wet skin and don't forget to remove the mask before it dries up completely. As I have already mentioned this point in one of my previous posts, face masks (clay ones and ones which completely dry out) should be removed befre they completely dry out. The reason is that they suck moisture due to the reverse osmosis if they lose their moisture. So, try applying masks on a damp skin and remove them before they completely dry out and do share your experiences :)

READ MORE - Masks on wet skin {Tip of the Day}

Dried Rose Petals {Ingredient}

We all know the beauty uses of rose. I had even published a post on how to make Rose Milk at home which was a failed experiment but the result was great. Shall post the one which I was trying actually when I succeed. So, I just wanted to share this little thing. 

My mother has a very old habit of collecting the withered roses from the plant and dry them so I have a huge amount of dried rose petals. You could also try that out next time your garden is full of roses. My mom collects only red and maroon roses, btw, and sometimes pink. Well, you might be aware that only red roses are used for extracting rose oil or preparing its essential oil or even while making fragrances. So, collecting and storing dried rose petals are really beneficial coz you can use them in any DIY's and since these are dehydrated, you can also make oils and your own fragrances with rose infusions. Roses are among the very few flowers you can store otherwise most of them just rot if you try to dry them :( And, I love pressing roses in between the books. That seems romantic though it might be cruel for the flowers but the flowers look best in the garden and no where else.So, next time you see a withered rose, you might think of using it for your beauty routines.

READ MORE - Dried Rose Petals {Ingredient}

Why Besan works? {DIY}

Have you ever wondered how besan is able to clean the skin? The answer is very simple. It has high content of saponins - the same thing present in reetha or soapnuts. The very reason makes the mung dal or green gram dal which is a major ingredient of sunnipindi equally or even more effective than besan in cleaning the skin. So, washing skin with besan or sunnipindi regularly ensures your skin is receiving no harmful or harsh chemicals and the skin is cleansed effectively too. Mixing it with milk which has lactic acid makes the cleansing process even more effective ensuring your skin is on the same time getting AHA (very famously known as Alpha-Hydroxy Acids) which is mild enough to be used on the skin everyday and protects the skin from free radicals and other skin-damaging agents. 

READ MORE - Why Besan works? {DIY}

3 Makeup Brands Designed for Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is incompatible with majority of the makeup products found in the market. It really needs something that is not harsh. Unfortunately, most cosmetics do the opposite. Couple of months ago, we took a look at three mineral makeup foundations which are safe to use because they do not contain some of the worst lab made chemicals. The only problem is that the ingredients found in them might not be suitable for the sensitive skin. In short, they are mild, yet can cause negative reactions. Most experts actually believe that cosmetics with the lowest number of ingredients are best for such a skin. In addition, they must be completely natural. But can you really find cosmetics like that anywhere? Fortunately, yes and today we will have a preview of the brands that produce them. Good news is that their cosmetics are extremely skin friendly and can be used by teenagers also.  So here we go now:

LaurEss Cosmetics

The mission of LaurEss is to provide cosmetics for sensitive skin. That is why, it specializes in using only fewer ingredients in their products and they are actually derived from the nature. Here is a sneak preview of what they offer.An interesting point to note is that LaurEss foundations give a completely natural look. So those who are fond of going for less makeup must try it out.  It is still important to note that this brand does not offer lipsticks.

Brush2Go

When researching on this brand you definitely need to spell its name as Brush2Go instead of brush two go. Otherwise, you are not going to find anything. Now this brand’s makeup products are more technologically advanced. Of course, they contain all natural ingredients, but they are utilized in such a way so that they control oil in the skin and give better coverage.  So far Brush2Go has come up with mineral foundation, blush, bronzer, lip balms of different colors and moisturizer which can also be used as primer.

Larenim Mineral

Lady Kirsten, the owner of Larenim struggled a lot with her own acne and makeup. So in a way, she is just another you and me. Her Larim cosmetics are also designed for sensitive skin and just like LaurEss they contain fewer ingredients extracted right from the earth.  Good news is that the brand also offers mascara and eyeliner and many different skin care products.

READ MORE - 3 Makeup Brands Designed for Sensitive Skin