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 :)

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Himalaya Herbals Revitalizing Night Cream {Product Review}

Night Creams are supposed to be contain rich and revitalizing nutrients for the skin so as to repair the damage done to the skin in the morning. So, let us see how this one fares.

Price: 90 INR for 25gms

Ingredients

xMy Experience

This small sample of 25gms was sent to me for review but you need so less to cover the face and neck that this tub would last me around two months if I use it regularly. The cream is light in consistency and not very thick and gets absorbed into the skin very easily. Now, it is very important to apply the right amount of the cream otherwise it will create a layer and sit on the skin and do nothing for the skin. One thing which is pretty noticeable after applying the cream is that the skin feels toned up. In the morning, you wake up with a very smooth and soft skin. I wouldn't say that it has any effect on the fine lines though coz I haven't seen any changes in them. 

My Recommendation

A good and inexpensive night cream for skin which just needs preventive measures not curative ones.     

PS: Product sent by brand for consideration.

READ MORE - Himalaya Herbals Revitalizing Night Cream {Product Review}

Homemade Body Polish {DIY}

I have used this once till today and the results have been better than any scrub I have ever used. And, at a pinch of a price. 

Ingredients

• Salt (preferably any Dead Sea Salt, Rock Salt or Epsom Salt)


• Sugar (preferably Cane Sugar or Jaggery)


• Honey

Method 

Mix salt and sugar in equal quantities enough for the entire body and mix them in honey to make a gooey paste. After your shower, scrub or polish your skin with this mixture until the salt and sugar dissolve which will take some time. If you still have time and mood on hands, leave it ont he skin for 15-30 minutes in a hot bathroom. Wash off and follow with moisturizer. 

Results

Amazingly soft skin and the difference is very much visible in one time. When I tried it out, my friend couldn't stop raving about my skin and asked me what did I do. I used this on the face too. And, my skin was glowing literally. And, as I am writing this, I feel like going and doing this again. 

Skin Type

Not for sensitive skin (might irritate) and for people suffering from breakouts. Also, make sure you don't have any wounds or cuts anywhere on your body coz you are using salt.Otherwise, all skin types can use this polish from dry to oily.

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Steam and Skin {Skin Care}

Of course, you must have heard that steaming is amazing for your skin. Well, yes, it is. Why? It deep cleanses the skin by removing the dirt from the pores. One can make the steaming process exciting by adding herbs to it like tea tree oil for acne prone skin, eucalyptus oil for people prone to headaches and cold or even tea leaves for a simple refreshing feeling or you can give yourself an aromatherapy session by adding essential oils to the water. Apart from just simply hydrating the skin, the essential oils would also work on your skin and provide various benefits depending on the ones you have used. But, there is a time limit for the steaming process too. 

Dry Skin: 1-2 minutes (at max 3)

Normal / Combination Skin: 5 minutes

Oily Skin: 10-15 minutes (depending on the dirt clogged in your pores)

Now, one more thing to remember is that steaming your face is not a routine work. It is a therapy and like all therapies, it should be done regularly for maximum results but not daily. 

Dry Skin: once in 2 weeks

Normal / Combination Skin: once in a week

Oily Skin: at max. twice in a week

The reason why I have combined normal and combination skin is because of the fact that combination skin has both dry and oily areas. So, if taken for less time, the dirt and oil in the clogged pores wouldn't clean well and if taken for more time, it will lead to patchy areas. 

Beware of taking steam more often than necessary. Why? Excess of everything is bad and excess of steaming will cause your skin to become dry and dry skin is more prone to aging. Regular steaming is advisable for clearer skin. So, stick to the time lines and be regular to reap the benefits. 

One more word of caution for people under 25 who think they have not yet reached the age of aging. Aging is a process and not an age. It can begin at any time depending on various factors like your hormonal balances, your diet, your skin care routines, medicines and supplements taken by you and finally on the environmental factors like sun, rain, wind, pollution, dirt, time spent in air conditioned environments and dependency on technology and gadgets. So, if you think that since your skin is not aging right now, a little deviation form the skin routine is possible. Think again. Everything you do with your skin will show once you reach the age of 35. So, it is best to start taking care of it at whatever age you are.

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Grape Juice Face Pack {DIY}

So, I had used this amazing face pack and the results were as good as it tastes :) Ok, so first let me share with you all how I like my fruit juices. First thing is a thumb of rule which I follow and have been regularly advising you all on. Reduce your sugar intake. I do not like sugar in my fruit juices and I abhor ice cubes too because they dilute the juice and you get less of the quantity for your money :D So, I can easily use these fruit juices as face packs too. 

Now, grapes are amazing for skin because they are rich in tartaric acid. Tartaric Acid is one of the Alpha-Hydroxy Acids which are natural exfoliators and provide antioxidants to the skin in abundance. Thus, grapes are amazing for wrinkles and skin softening.

Ingredients

• Grape Juice
• Multani Mitti

Method: Mix both the ingredients and apply on the face avoiding the eyes and lips. Now, apply only grape juice on the eye area and the lips. Relax and let the face pack dry. It will take around 20-30 minutes. Wash off with warm water flowed by a cold water splash. 

Results: Immediate brightened, soft, supple and well-hydrated fresh skin is revealed. Grape juice also controls the oil production in the skin so it is an amazing mask for oily and combination skin. If you have dry skin, use cocoa powder or besan or some other flour instead of using multani mitti coz grape juice and multani mitti combined can be drying for the skin. This mask is amazing to get rid of problem or troubled skin. But, if you have sensitive skin, do a patch test to check if it suits you or not. It might be irritating for sensitive skin because of the tartaric acid in it. Firms and tones the skin. Regular usage would help with wrinkles.

READ MORE - Grape Juice Face Pack {DIY}

Auravedic Facial Skin Repair Moisturizing Lotion {Product Review}

Though I am very happy with the Auravedic cleanser and scrub but I am not sure whether I like the moisturizer or not. No idea about its price and it is available only in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Goa. 

Ingredients

Kokum Butter, Mango Butter, Beeswax, Sunflower Oil, Olive Oil, Almond Oil, Grapeseed Extract, Olivem 1000, Oilwax, Neroli Oil, Purified Water, Phenoxyethanol

Amazing ingredients and almost same as the scrub except the granules.

My Experience

Ok, so it is full of butters and oils. So, yes, it seems to be the best bet for dry skin. Oily skin people will run away from it and I can't vouch for that. But, I can say that it does suit combination skin. Ok, it was not love at first use but I gradually learned how to use it properly. When I used it for the first two-three times, it made me sweat horribly so I decided it wasn't suiting my skin. Later on, I had a stroke of luck when I used my toner to hydrate the skin properly and then apply this moisturizer and massage the face and neck. It takes 2 minutes to get absorbed properly into the skin and it keeps the skin well-hydrated and supple for a long time. It does stand up to its claims of toning and firming the skin but I did not really see any difference in the fine lines so can't comment on that. May be it will take more time to show that effect. But, otherwise, it did not break me out at all even though it has so many oils just like the scrub. I used it after using the scrub and my skin feels soft and toned. So, overall, my experience was good with the moisturizer but still I think it is more suited for dry skin people.

My Recommendation

Dry Skin beauties would love it. Oil skin people would not like it but normal skin and combination skin people can give it a try!!! It is definitely a good product but not for all skin types.

READ MORE - Auravedic Facial Skin Repair Moisturizing Lotion {Product Review}

Milk Powder Face Pack {DIY}

An amazingly hydrating face pack for all types of skin except acne prone skin.

Ingredients

• Milk Powder (2 small pouches or 2-3 table spoons)
• Rose Water

Method: Mix the ingredients in a small bowl. Pour very little of rose water and make a smooth paste. The consistency would be very watery and thin. Apply a thick layer on the face and leave it on til it dries. After 15-20 minutes, the mask starts to harden gradually (it takes a little time) into a white layer on the face. After the complete mask hardens, remove the mask by taking a little water and gently scrubbing it off. Wash off and moisturize. 

The result is a supple and brighter skin which feels extremely soft. The mask is so gentle that it can be applied daily. 

Tips:

• You can use any liquid in place of rose water. I used my Rosemary - Black Pepper toner. 

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Skin Firming Mask {DIY}

Again a recipe including the rose milk I made couple of days back.

Ingredients:

• Besan / Gram flour
• Rose Milk

Method: Mix the requisite amount of besan and rose milk and form a nice scrubby mixture. Apply a thick layer on the face and neck and let it dry. It will take around 15-20 minutes to dry completely so relax in the meantime. The mixture dries into a very hard mask and makes the skin feel extremely tight. Now, remove the besan by wetting it a little and gently scrubbing it on the skin. You would see an instant difference in the firmness of the skin. And, it might leave a pinkish glow on the face too :)    

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Cleanse your face with Rose Milk {DIY}

I had posted about the DIY rose milk I made couple of days back. I used it to cleanse my face at night with it without using any cleanser. Since the texture of the milk is scrubby but not spiky so it is perfect for a 2-in-1 cleansing at night. The cleansing action of the rose milk is due to the lactic acid present in milk so I am not sure how well the rose milk made from water would cleanse the skin. 

Take a little of the rose milk in your hand and rub it on your face just like a cleanser. Massage the face very gently. The soft rose petals do not exfoliate the skin as such such but they feel nice against the skin and make the skin super soft. It can be drying for some too so following with a moisturizer is very important. But, it cleanses the face really well. 

I do not wear makeup and I wasn't even wearing kajal so I am not sure how well it will remove the makeup though it can be used in conjunction with the makeup remover. 

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How to make Rose Milk {DIY}

I did a very interesting DIY lately so sharing the recipe with you. 

Ingredients: 

• Rose petals
• Milk / Water

Method: You can soak the rose petals overnight in milk or make the rose milk from fresh flowers. If you are soaking petals overnight, then pour enough milk to cover the rose petals and no more otherwise it might spill while blending. Blend the petals in milk. The texture would be scrubby instead of being plain milky. You can use this milk in any beauty routine. 


I have used pink, maroon and red roses so the result was a pretty purple. I haven't yet figured how to use the milk so will post on it later. This will probably stay for two weeks in the fridge but I made it in not a very huge quantity so it will get finished before two weeks. 


Important:

• Oily skin people should stay away from milk and dairy products so you can soak the petals in water.
• You can also use essential oils in the milk. 

READ MORE - How to make Rose Milk {DIY}