Classic Face Pack Remembered {DIY}

Ok, so, I am not sharing anything new today. But, just reminding you all of the classic face pack which costs a zilch and the results are far better than any pricy product and this one has the simplest of the ingredients and is an answer to almost all the skin problems. 

Ingredients

• Multani Mitti
• Curd / Yogurt

Method

Mix them both and apply the pack on the face. Wait for it to dry. It might take long time, though but the wait is worth it. So, try this on a day when you can laze around. In the mean time, keep two chilled tea bags with you and apply them to your eyes and relax. After the mask gets dry, wash it off and rinse your face with green tea (warm or cold, anything). 

Results

A really fresh, hydrated and supple skin is revealed. It brightens the complexion in an instant, controls oil production and removes the dead skin cells. Multani mitti is great for oily skin and curd is great for troubled skin. But, this mask doesn't dry the skin at all. But, if you have dry skin, make sure to include honey as a precaution. But, even dry skin people should use clay masks once in a while coz it detoxifies the skin. So, a face pack which answers all the troubles of your skin and this can be done every alternate day by oily, combination and normal skin people and once in a week by dry skin gals (or guys!!!).

READ MORE - Classic Face Pack Remembered {DIY}

Acne Remedy {Reader's Tip}

This was submitted as a comment by Fozia. 

Take a tablespoon of tomato juice and add equal quantity of milk and lemon juice in it. Massage your face with this mixture and leave on for 20 minutes on your face. Wash off with cold water. 

Fozia says this remedy is really effective and its always given her 100% results. 

READ MORE - Acne Remedy {Reader's Tip}

Himalaya Purifying Neem Scrub and Purifying Neem Face Pack {Product Review}

I used both the products in conjunction to maximize their potential. So, lets get to reviewing them separately.

Purifying Neem Scrub

Price: 65 INR for 50gms

Ingredients

Neem and Apricot: Key Ingredients

My Experience

This scrub is for all skin types. It is a creamy scrub but not so creamy that it will break you out.The granules are gentle and not sharp that they scratch the skin but the density of granules is comparatively less. That is one disadvantage but the exfoliation is gentle and doesn't irritate the skin at all. The scrub would suit all the skin types except the one with acne problems. It will suit sensitive skin too. A drawback is that it doesn't help with the blackheads :( The scrub makes the skin looking brighter and fresh. The scrub also doesn't leave any kind of residue after getting washed off and leaves the skin supple. It doesn't dry the skin out and make it feel stretchy. A good scrub if you want an emergency fixing up of your skin.

My Recommendation

Yes!! It is a good scrub at a very nominal price.

Purifying Neem Face Pack

Price: 65 INR for 50gms

Ingredients

Multani Mitti, Neem and Turmeric: Key Ingredients

My Experience

It is muddy green in color and really smells weird. I can't classify the smell but it is somewhat between herbal and chemical.The face pack is specially for normal to oily skin. I have combination skin and I have used this pack on alternate days after using the Neem face scrub. The result is a supple skin but I did not feel the pack did something really extraordinary to my face. The scrub gives better results. When applied, the face pack does feel cool and soothing on the skin but it doesn't really help with breakouts. 

Applying the face pack is easy enough but the face pack is more granular than clay which makes an uneven application sometimes. The face pack also doesn't dry out consistently. It takes around 20 minutes to dry out completely and really gets hardened while it dries which gives a nice toned result. Removing the face pack is not so difficult but not so easy also and while removing you can feel the granular texture of the face pack. I wish the face pack was more creamy instead of granular. Overall. I found it to be an ok product. The result is again a fresh looking skin. It doesn't leave the skin stretchy or dry instead makes the skin hydrated and supple.

My Recommendation

A good face pack which can be given a try and it is very much affordable. You might like it or might not like it but it will suit you definitely.

PS: Product sent by brand for consideration.

READ MORE - Himalaya Purifying Neem Scrub and Purifying Neem Face Pack {Product Review}

I know my skin type!!!

Ok, so this may sound really weird coz I have been blogging about beauty since more than a year and till now, I was unaware of my skin type which is one of the most basic principles of beauty - identifying your skin type. I always though my skin was dry, then I came to the conclusion that it is normal to dry and then, I thought its just crazy, gets oily when it feels like (under hot sun and I sweat a lot) or dries up in winters sometimes like really crazy. But, lately, I have been really analyzing my skin. Its very simple if you pay attention but we sometimes simply tend to ignore taking everything we know for granted. I have big pores around my nose and my nose is generally shiny so obviously I have a combination skin and everything I apply on my face makes me greasy so I could have concluded this long back!!! Anyways, better late than never :) But, even now, I can say that I do have skin which tends to be more dry. 

In all this, I have realized one thing - skin type has to be deduced almost very periodically. Our skin texture changes in every season (even on a day-to-day basis during seasonal changes or any other health conditions) and also due to the products we use. Seems pretty obvious, I know but when it comes to applying we fail. So, we are having summers now. Will our skin go drier or oilier??? You never know!!! So, keep it light in the morning and heavy at night. Ok, if you don't have a cooler or an AC (which I am completely against, it makes you lazy!!!), applying anything on skin can make you feel suffocated and hot. Oils are a big no-no in the summer time, though, I am still using my facial oils. Go for serums and hydration lotions and do suggest me some, please!!! Both face moisturizers and body lotions. I am out of both and have no idea what to go for coz every thing seems so heavy and thick. And, invest in blotting papers (do tell me where you got yours :D). 

Btw, if you are looking out for sunscreens or sunblocks, do consider Neutrogena coz they have really great sunscreens - ageshield if available in India is good otherwise the other one with spf 50 is amazing. Review would be coming in the month of May. It is costly but worth it. Do try out the sample before buying but it suits oily and combination well. Not sure about dry skin so do give it a shot!!! And, grab your sunglasses and full sleeves cotton clothes or elbow-reaching gloves and scarves and umbrellas and bottle of water whenever you step out of your house and enjoy!!!!! Btw, don't forget to analyze your skin and identify your skin type correctly.

READ MORE - I know my skin type!!!

Do you feel too oily after applying sunscreen?

Well, I hate applying sunscreen because it makes my skin feel like a frying pan even though I have normal to dry skin. None of the sunscreens suit me and I am always in search of new ones. These days I have shifted to Biotique sunscreens and lets see what I have to tell you about them. Now, every day after my bath, I apply a moisturizer (no particular brand) then follow up with sunscreen after 5-10 minutes. So, the fresh feeling which comes to my skin after having my bath vanishes the moment I slather on anything on it and my skin turns dark on its own accord. Ok, I want to say that this does not mean that I apply loads of product. I use very little product but still it happens. So, today, similar kind of thing happened and I was not in a hurry so I took time out to try out a simple trick to curb the oiliness. 

I used tissue paper to blot out the oiliness. Spread the whole tissue paper on your face and press gently but firmly. If the skin is too greasy, tissue paper would stick to it. So, keep on blotting till the stickiness in your skin disappears. Do not forget to blot your neck and chest areas too. And, the result was a soft skin with a glow on the face. My face was no more sticky and greasy. If you also suffer from the peculiar problem of skin darkening after applying anything on skin, that would disappear after this step.While choosing tissue papers, go for paper ones instead of mixed ones or cloth ones. Probably a toilet paper would be even better for this job but I have no idea. The best would definitely be blotting papers if you find them. And, finally, if you want, you can do a little touch up with a compact and face spray or mist. 

One more thing I want to add is that do the blotting of your skin every time you find your face becomes greasy. It will also help you remove the dirt and extra product from your face which would otherwise be blocking your pores. And, it also helps you look fresh and dewy all the time. So, make tissue papers a part of your essentials-on-the-go. You might even be wondering why I did not opt for refreshing wipes. Frankly, I do not like them. They leave a film on my face which I absolutely loathe and then it becomes drying for my skin. If it suits your skin, you might want to go ahead with them but then contain a lot of alcohol (most of the times) and preservatives which I prefer to avoid. Hope this helps you as well as it did help me :)

READ MORE - Do you feel too oily after applying sunscreen?

Pomegranate Juice can reduce Belly Fat

So, apart from the beauty and anti-aging benefits of pomegranate, you have another reason to gulp its juice down. A fresh juice would be the best choice or eating the fruit is the only second choice. Pomegranate helps reducing high blood pressure and cuts the fat deposited around the stomach. So, it is also helpful for men with beer bellies. The fat around the bellies is held responsible for heart conditions including all cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol levels and diabetes. Thus, pomegranate juice can avoid all these conditions and its high anti-oxidant content can also reduce the risk of cancer. But, surely, do not make the mistake of only relying on pomegranate juice and cut out the exercise.

READ MORE - Pomegranate Juice can reduce Belly Fat

Acne due to Zinc deficiency

Yes, deficiency of zinc has been related to acne. So, next time you have acne, you know where to turn to. Taking Zinc rich foods. And, there is no dearth of them. Some of the most easily available zinc rich vegetarian sources are almonds, bananas, cashews, cauliflower, chickpeas (white chana), cucumber, kidney beans, kiwi fruit, milk, olives, onion, peaches, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, radish, soya beans and soy products, spinach, strawberries, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, walnuts. Non-veg sources include eggs, chicken, fishes including shell fish, turkey, pork, oysters, liver, crab and beef.

Good news is that zinc also controls the oil production in the body so for all people with oily skin, it is definitely time to munch on some salads and nuts. 

READ MORE - Acne due to Zinc deficiency

Should you use a body cream or a body lotion?

There is a lot of confusion between which product is better for skin: a cream or a lotion. So, I would start by giving you a definition of both the terms and then you can yourself decide which is the best for you. 

Lotion: It is a mixture of few drops of oil in water held together by a chemical substance because oil and water do not mix. 

Cream: A mixture of few drops of water in oil. The density of the product can vary according to various formulations.

When compared, body lotions are easier to apply as compared to creams. But, when your skin is damp, creams are also easy to apply as they spread well in contact with water. 

Which one is better?

I can not answer this question. It is a personal choice but I can answer a different question: why cream than a lotion? Have you ever felt that your skin has become drier after applying a lotion? I have. This problem is common in people with dry to normal skin and in extreme weathers. Why so? Because, when you apply the lotion on your body, it spreads easily creating a large surface area for water in the cream to evaporate quickly. Thus, it ends up drying your skin after a little while instead of keeping your skin moisturized. The rate at which evaporation takes place is dependent on the environment and the viscosity (thickness) of the lotion. More thick the lotion is, better it will keep your body moisturized.

My Recommendations

Thus, I would just recommend that recognize your skin type correctly and choose products mentioned for your skin type only. Using wrong products can affect your skin and make it look aged.

Dry Skin: Oily creams or thick lotions

Normal Skin: Your choice and preference

Oily Skin: Oil-free moisturizers and light watery lotions

Now, a latest skin type is aging skin. How do you categorize it? Well, according to me, it should go under dry skin because as you age, your skin loses its tendency to keep moisture intact and becomes dry. Also due to the loss of collagen, it is no longer firm.

Whatever my thoughts be, I would definitely love your opinions on this topic. Do not forget to write down your comments.

READ MORE - Should you use a body cream or a body lotion?

Carrot Face Mask

As I have pointed out earlier that not only fruits but vegetables also make great face masks and are extensively endowed with nutrients required for our skin. Spinach serves as a great hydrating face mask and beetroot can be used to give color to a pale complexion.

Today, I would like to discuss carrots with you. Carrots are, as you all are well aware, rich in vitamin A and helps improve our vision. But, actually, carrot is also very helpful for oily skin. It clears the extra oil from the skin and also takes care of pimples, acne and dark spots. Boil a carrot for 15 minutes. It would turn very soft and easy to mash. Mash it or blend it with lemon juice, orange juice or even the water in which it was boiled. Apply it on your face for 30 minutes and wash off with cold water. Your skin would be glowing. You can open your pores before you apply this mask as it helps carrot to act better on the skin. 

For people with dry skin or normal skin, you can blend carrot with honey or milk cream or even any nourishing and moisturizing fruit.

READ MORE - Carrot Face Mask

Milk Turmeric Solution for glowing skin

A very simple remedy which works for all skin types and not only protects skin from all kinds of outbreaks but also improves the skin tone and makes your skin flawless and radiant. This remedy can also be stored for some days in the fridge so you need not make it everyday. 

Buy turmeric root from the market. Make sure they are long and thin and rich in color. If they are more brownish than yellow, they are old roots. Try to buy new or better if you can plant them in your garden. Turmeric is really good for health apart from its beauty uses. Take a cup of raw milk (better if it is cow or goat milk) and boil in a single root of turmeric in it for an hour or so till the root loses its color. Let the milk cool. Discard the root and refrigerate the milk. Dip a cotton in the milk and apply it on your face. Wash your face with this solution as much as possible or at least make a habit to use it once a day or once in a week. This would control the oil production in the body and also improve your skin tone making your skin flawless. Turmeric also helps in preventing skin breakouts. Thus, this solution is great for all skin types. You can also use this milk to mix your face packs and scrubs.

READ MORE - Milk Turmeric Solution for glowing skin

Natural Moisturizers for Oily Skin

Oily Skin mostly feels like a bane to everyone who has it. And, most likely, it is. Because, the skin is prone to the onslaught of acne and pimples and regular outbreaks. A slight imbalance of food habits can also tip the scales and result in more oil production. And, there seems to be nothing one can do about them. But, the boon part of having oily skin is that you are not prone to wrinkles and fine lines as much as people with dry or normal skin are. But, this seems like a small compensation when you have to invest so much amount of care to tend to oily skin. 

Cleansing is not that big a concern. There are a number of natural ingredients which can clean the oily skin. Milk, citrus fruit juices, tomato, besan or any other flour, baking soda, clay masks are all great cleansers when it comes to oily skin and they also tend to control the oil (sebum) production in the body. Green / Black Tea can act as a toner. But, my concern today is how to moisturize oily skin? I have been asked by many of my readers how to take care of oily skin. But, I am, honestly, clueless when it comes to moisturizing the oily skin. You can not use any ingredient like milk cream or oils like you can for normal or dry skin.

I would say that there are two ingredients in my mind which can be used to moisturize an oily skin. And, yes, oily skin also needs to be moisturized. Otherwise, it gets dull and greasy. 

First ingredient I would vouch for is aloevera. Aloevera gel, fresh from the plant, can be used to moisturize any skin type. But, aloevera is actually a little drying. So, I think it will suit oily skin well. And, it is great for acne and pimple prone skin.

Second is a product - any calamine lotion. More commonly, one we get in India, is called Lactocalamine. The blue bottle is suitable for normal to oily skin. The main ingredient of any calamine lotion is Kaolin clay which is very good for oily skin. 

But, I am confused as to is there any other natural ingredient which can be used to moisturize oily skin. I would not vouch for honey as a moisturizer because commercial honey has lot of preservatives. 

Another thing I was wondering was how does application of oil affect the oily skin? I know many of you would be horrified on the mention of such a thing and cast it directly as outrageous. The obvious answer would be that it would lead to more inflammation and acne and other kinds of outbreaks. But, is it really true. 

Update: I recently visited Marie Veronique Organics site and found this which I am directly copy-pasting from their site:

Most people get a bit nervous when they hear the words oil and skin in the same sentence. But there’s no reason to get nervous. In fact, waxes, not oils, are the major cause of skin congestion. Applying oils to the skin, without the interference of a wax barricade, gives your skin the essential fatty acids it needs. These fatty acids, called lipids, form an environmental protection barrier that prevents the elements from assaulting our skin, keeping all skin types healthy. Research indicates that a compromised lipid barrier may be at the root of skin problems such as eczema, acne and wrinkles.
MVO oils maintain the integrity of the lipid barrier, preventing moisture loss and dehydration. At the same time they inhibit peroxidative and oxidative damage. The reason you should care about that is, in a word, wrinkles. Upon contact with light, lipids will undergo what is known as peroxidation. These peroxidized lipids lose their barrier ability and gaps occur in the lipid matrix, resulting in a loss of skin resilience and the formation of wrinkles.
A word (or two) about acne. Treating oily skin with oils may seem even more counter-intuitive. But think about this:

• Scrubs, harsh soaps and other drastic treatments that strip off your topmost lipid barrier do a number of things that may actually aggravate the problem.
• Oil-stripping actually prompts your skin to produce more oil, but it may be more of the oil that you’re trying to control.

Topical applications of fatty acids alleviate breakouts by re-stabilizing the lipid barrier, thus restoring anti-microbial activity on the skin’s surface. What’s more, because lipids dissolve lipids, MVO oils actually break up congestion at the source.

Marie Veronique is a former chemistry school teacher who got into making her own products because she could not find any good sunscreen. And, now she is one of the biggest names of the industry. The best thing is that her products are all organic. And, she is one to advocate oils for all kinds of skin. So, I hope I have convinced you to try applying oil and see the results.


[Do share with me how you control your oily skin]

READ MORE - Natural Moisturizers for Oily Skin

Pep up your home facial sessions

Well, now that you know how to go about doing a home facial, you can pep up your home facial sessions with some live ingredients and fresh juices which will do your skin a lot good. Let us discuss what all you have at hand.

Ingredients for oily and combination skin

• Red Wine Facial

Red Wine is the latest craze at the upper crust salons and which one obviously can not afford on a mediocre income on a regular basis. But, need not worry for anything. Well, I think that most of really do not own a good wine too. So, what we will do is use the basic ingredients of wine. Yes, you guessed it right. Grapes. The only thing you would need for this facial is a bunch of high quality grapes. You can go for American

Grapes or the black ones available in the market. Pick the ones which do not have seeds. Now, extract glass of grape juice using a juicer or just crushing the grapes in a blender. Either way is fine. Make a fresh batch for every facial session. Add a few drops of the juice to the cold cream while massaging your face. Mix the cream and the juice for proper consistency and use the rest for mixing the clay mask. Remember, not to store the juice. As you know, grapes are rich in anti-oxidants, it is great for anti-aging skin care.

One more thing is that if you have red wine at your home, you can mix a few drops of red wine with your cream for proper consistency and continue with your facial. Red Wine too is rich in anti-oxidants and great for anti-aging skin care. It also gives a pinkish tinge to your skin.

• Pomegranate Facial

Extract the juice of pomegranates and add it to the cream. Pomegranates are the latest fad in anti-aging skin care.

• Berry Facials

You can use strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or any other kind of berry, if exists. Extract the juice and mix your cream with it and enjoy a glowing complexion.

• Citrus Fruit Facials

Again use orange or red orange or mandarin orange juice, grapefruit juice, tangerine juice, lemon juice or sweet lime juice to get a flawless complexion.

• Black Plum and cherry facial

Add black plum juice and cherry juice to the cream.

• Pineapple facial

Add pineapple juice to the cream and blend nicely. But, remember, not to add too much. Just 5-10 drops of juice is enough for a facial session.It is great for acne prone skin and rejuvenates the skin because of its high concentration of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids.

Ingredients for Dry Skin

• Mango Facial

Make mango puree out of a ripe mango and blend it with your cream for a smooth consistency and use it for facial.

• Honey Facial

Keep honey pot in warm water for sometime. The consistency of honey will turn thin. Then, pour a little of honey in a cup and blend it with your facial cream.

• Peach Facial

Mash a ripe peach and blend in with your facial cream. Peach is supposed to be the best for dry skin.

• Papaya Facial

Mash a ripe papaya and mix it with your facial cream.

• Avocado Facial

Mash a ripe avocado and mix it with your facial cream. It is extremely moisturizing and keeps skin soft and flawless.

Ingredients for All Skin Types

• Essential oil Facials

You can mix 5-6 drops of your favorite essential oils in the cream. Use essential oils good for oily skin like sandalwood, lavender, rosemary, rose, orange, lemon, or any other.

• Cocktail Facial

Mix the fruits good for your skin type with the cream, blend for proper consistency and you get a fruit cocktail facial.

•  Milk Cream Facial

Add raw milk to your cream and blend properly. You can also use milk cream or white butter for a more moisturizing effect.

• Beetroot Facial

Beetroot is again good for bringing a pinkish tinge in your face. It will be more visible on a fair skin. Extract beetroot juice and mix it with your cold cream. 

• Refreshing Facial
  

The most favorite ingredients are watermelon juice and mint juice. You can use them individually or combine them to get a thoroughly refreshed skin. The cooling nature of both ingredients will be relaxing for your skin and particularly useful for reliving from sunburns or soothing the untimely breakouts. Use freshly cut mint if you have one at home.

• Floral Facial

Grind the fresh rose petals and add them to your cream. You can even indulge in other flowers like jasmine, marigold, chamomile, rosemary and lavender. You can also go for herbs like sage leaves which are extremely good for skin care. Always be sure to pick the fresh flowers just after the morning dew.

• Green Tea Facial

You can add green tea or any other tea also to your cream and blend in nicely.

• Aloevera Facial 

Aloevera gel is the best for skin care again. So, pick a fresh leaf from the aloevera plant in the afternoon (at that time the gel is full of the minerals) and remove the gel from it. Mix the gel with your cream and perform your facial with it. And, aloevera is great at curing all the skin infections so it suits all skin types.

• Chocolate Facial 

Here comes our favorite. How can we ever forget talking about chocolate in skin care. Add cocoa powder to your cream and make a smooth paste. The facial will give your skin a chocolaty fragrance and a clean moisturized skin.

Other Tips:

• Use shea butter or cocoa butter with your cream or use them as a base for your facials if you have access to pure butters.
• You can also use almond peels or orange peels in your cream. They provide gentle scrubbing while improving your skin type. 
• You can even mix and match all kinds of ingredients specified above or ones you can think of in your facial. You can use all the things which you can think of in facials so get crazy. Use spinach or lettuce or cottage cheese or potato juice or turmeric or sandalwood paste. The options are endless. Be innovative and do share your recipes.

READ MORE - Pep up your home facial sessions