Sunscreens

If you are a skin care enthusiast or even little interested in skin care, you would know how important sunscreen is. Sunscreen absorbs or reflects some of sun’s UV radiation thus protects the skin against sunburn and prevent skin cancer. Not only this, a 2013 study concluded that diligent use of sunscreen can also help to slow or temporarily prevent the development of wrinkles , dark spots and sagging skin. If you are not doing anything and just applying sunscreen regularly it can reverse the photoaging of the skin within 12 weeks. I have only started using sunscreen in my 30s. But you can save your skin by starting it early. Here are some of the sunscreens I used in last one year

1. Photostable

This is the first sunscreen I used and is very good. Its hypoallergenic , won’t cause acne and is water and sweat resistant. What I didn’t like about it is its thickness. It makes your skin very sticky and face looks oily

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Rating: 3 out of 5.

You can get it for Rs 675 for 75gms @ amazon

Will I buy it again? Yes but not for outside use

2. Neutrogena Ultra sheer

This sunscreen is quite popular. Its SPF 50+ and is broad spectrum. It’s also very cheap and easily accessible in Indian Market. It isn’t too thick or make your skin look greasy. But I feel it ,not always but, somedays stings.

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

You can get it for Rs 200 for 30ml @ amazon

Will I buy it again? Yes, definitely

3. La shield Fisico

This one is a recent purchase and I did it without researching and hence got a very bad product. First the texture isn’t good , it has soapy feel and second it doesn’t get absorbed making your face white like a ghost.

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Rating: 1.5 out of 5.

I am only giving it one and half star thinking it atleast protects against sun damange.

You can get it on amazon but don’t

Will I buy it again? You really think there is a need to ask that?

4. ISDIN fotoprotector

This sunscreen apart from being very expensive, is very liquid-y. It quickly gets absorbed into the skin. Doesn’t feel thick or make the skin look oily.

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

You can get it for Rs 1663 for 50 ml @ amazon

Will I buy it again? Yes (for days when I go outside cebause expensive af)

5. Re’equil Ultra Matte Dry Touch

This sunscreen has all my heart. It’s budget friendly , it has a creamy texture leaves no white cast. And it doesn’t sting like Neutrogena.

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

You can get it for Rs 556 from Reéquil

Will I buy it again? Yes already did

Have you used any of these? Or any other sunscreen which you liked ? Do let me know !

Face Masks

As you know, there is no dearth of skin care products . From budget to high end to luxury we have plenty of options and well within our reach but it often causes problems. Reason :- we don’t know which one to buy and the internet is full of reviews. Irony right :p I can guarantee this is not a fake review, look at the number of views and followers, who will pay me to spread lies?
Anyway today, I am going to rate all the face masks (sheets or otherwise) that I have used.

1. Shankara Calming Mask

In 2020, I started skin care and thus used a lot of skin care products. My cosmetologist thinking that all these products might upset my skin suggested me to use this mask every week.

It is a cleaning mask. You apply it and wash it off with warm water after 20-30 minutes. This mask has algae aloe and is supposed to have a soothing effect on your skin.

But since my skin didn’t get irritated I don’t know whether this product worked or not. Or maybe it worked and that’s why my skin didn’t get irritated.But I can tell you, it wont cause acne or anything.

Price : Rs 1960 at Nykaa

You can try it if your skin is irritated and has redness. 1/10 won’t buy.

2. CICA Care SLEEPING MASK

I saw an Instagram blogger suggesting this sleeping mask. She suggested few others as well but all of them except this were either out of stock or not available in India. Thus, I bought this one.

It is supposed to be applied long after your PM routine and to be left on your skin. It provide hydration for a soft silky skin in the morning.

This mask is actually very effective in providing hydration. I am in Mussoorie and I don’t need to tell you how dry your skin feels in winters. Now multiply that dryness by 5 because the temperature drops to 0 to -2 degree here . Yet my skin never felt dry. I apply this pack every night without fail. There have been days when I have not done AM routine and yet felt all moisturized only and only because of this.

The sleeping mask is very thick and doesn’t clog pore or cause acne. You don’t need a whole lot of it to apply it on your face and neck. And that is one of its short-coming too. It is so thick it doesn’t get absorbed quickly. So you can’t sleep after applying it. You will have to wait for it to get absorbed a little. Otherwise, it will just get smudged on your pillow and the pillow will have the skin you want and you would be Rs 2500 poorer with just the same skin.

Price : Rs 2549 at Nykaa

150/10 would recommend

3. Eclat Hydra Nourish Weekend Booster Facial Sheet Mask

Price : Rs 840 for 4 at Eclat Official

I had already been buying their moisturizer and under eye cream so I thought of trying their facial sheet mask too. And I must say I was pleasantly surprised. My skin looked very plump and hydrated. The serum last on your skin for longer than 30 minutes. Plus it isn’t very expensive. And it’s made in India

100/10 would recommend 😀

Eclat Insta Party Glowing Booster Facial Sheet Mask

Price : Rs 290 for 1 at Eclat Official

Just like other normal people, I also fell into their trap. I thought if Hydra Nourish works so well this must be good too. But it isn’t . You wouldn’t see any significant difference. It’s the same thing for 80 rupees extra

-5/10 would recommend

I’M from Honey Mask

This is one of the most difficult face mask to procure. Would you believe I had to enlist myself in it’s subscriber list to get a notification when the product becomes available. And after like 6 months of getting into the list, I was able to lay my hands on it. But then after 3-4 days I received a call saying the jar got out of stock can I make do with four tube of 30grams each . I did the mask and reached to the conclusion I was making a profit of 10grams so I agreed.

It is also a cleaning mask. You wash it off after like 20-30 minutes. It doesn’t dry off on your skin but you will feel that its getting absorbed. I would like to think that it works. But I haven’t seen any significant change. I am still using this one , so will update if I see any changes!

Price : Rs 2250 at Beauty Barn

Cant say yet!

Hope, my experience benefits you. And if you have used any face mask that you think works please let me benefit from your experience as well 😀

Best of E’clat Superior

Eclat is one brand that I liked the very instant I used it. And when I learnt that it is an Indian brand based in Ahmedabad, I was shocked. They are one of the few dermatologist-led Indian brands, offering serums, face washes, masks, peels, and toners. They launched their Superior Vitamin C serum when facial serums were not an integral part of skincare routine in India, but it became an instant hit. I have used three of their products in the last 10 months and I believe if its Eclat, it can’t be wrong.

Now, many of their products are quite famous (especially Retinol, Vitamin C, Fade Out) but I am going to list the ones I have tried.

Regenta Youth Complex

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

It looks like 5 on 5 but it’s actually 10 on 5. This product is so good, your skin will love you for buying this. The texture is good, it absorbs quickly and keeps the skin hydrated for a long time.

The product claims to reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, increases skin thickness and density and restores your skin’s youthful radiance.

I cannot comment on increasing skin thickness or density but I can say that the results are undeniable. If you are looking for an anti-aging product, this is the one

Ingredients : EGF ( Epidermal Growth Factor) and Niacinamide.

Price : 3500 + ( micellar water and glow tonic free with every purchase) for 50ml (will last like 3 months)

Am I going to buy it again? I am using it past 10 months and will continue to use it

Eye Serum

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

The product claims to reduce the appearance of under eye circles , puffiness , wrinkles and fine line and restore the elasticity to the skin

Honestly speaking, I have under eye circles as dark as the night sky with the moon light and depressions under the eye as big as the craters on the moon. And I don’t think it has done much to reduce the under eye circles. It could be because I spent 22hours on my phone sometimes even with lights switched off. But I have noticed reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.

Ingredients : Caffeine, hyaluronic acid , Vitamin C, Retinol , Green Tree and Carrot Extract

Price : Rs 1700 for 30ml (will last like 6 months)

Am I going to buy it? Yes ( although the first bottle is still going strong)

Hydra Nourish weekend booster facial sheet mask

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Now, this is the star product. If you feel your face looks dull and tired, put this on this weekend and experience the glow. The product promised to rejuvenate your face and bring radiance to it. And I expected it to work (you know with Eclat and all ) but it superseded my expectation. I was like it can’t be my face. This is a sheet gold

Ingredients : Magic 😀

Price : Rs 840 for 4 ( Just buy it already)

Am I going to buy it? Hell yeah and you should too

I hope my review helped. I am not paid to write about them. I am just trying to help my gals out there. Do let me know your experience too. Also a festive sale is going on right now, so you will get everything on discounted rate. Hurry!!

The secret to a wrinkle free skin : Silk Pillow Case

Only if this worked!

Who doesn’t want a wrinkle free skin? And what if I say that you can get it overnight. You probably will believe me, right? NO.. Even if you are not a dermatologist, studying high-school science (even if under parental pressure) must have taught you that this is impossible. So the first thing to keep in mind is that no change happens overnight.

Disclaimer 1 : Don’t believe what people tell you on internet without researching in depths about it.

Disclaimer 2 : I have no brand-endorsements, though I would love some. So, if you are just beauty-conscious, read ahead. If you are a brand representative, wink wink 😉

The Pillow Effect

I am not going to recommend creams today. Instead, what I am actually going to tell you is that, you add a few extra lines and wrinkles by sleeping on that cotton pillow, that you have since you were a little kid. Yes, that happens. The friction from the cotton against you skin can add to your lines and wrinkles, and make you age faster. So what is the cure?

*drumroll*

The solution : Invest in a good quality silk pillow cover. I know it will be expensive and it does not give any dramatic results, like within a week or so. But it’s still a worthy investment. Why? Two major reasons :- Super smooth Texture & Less Absorbent. Read about it here

Long story short, Silk pillow cover can not only prevent the wrinkles you will get from tossing and turning on a cotton one, it will also prevent frizzy hair. The reason behind this is that silk has a super smooth texture. Hair glides over it, just like your skin will. And this absence (or reduction) of friction means less wrinkles and no morning-frizziness.

In addition to this, silk is not super absorbent. Thus it will not absorb any of your night routine product from your face, and will keep it hydrated all night long. The same rule applies to your hair. It won’t take away the natural oil in your hair keeping them healthy .

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It’s all proven by scientists all over the world and I am just stating the obvious. Just keep in mind to buy a good silk pillow case with momme 22 above (it shows that silk is of good quality just like 24 karat gold) Also Mulberry silk is the best silk available in the market now. I have bought The Minimal Co. Mulberry Silk Pillow Case and have no complaints, so you can buy this one too.

Honest Reviews : Lip Balms

Winters remind us of many things, one of them being lip balms. Lip balms are essential but some lip balms are not worth our money. Here I am going to list the ones I used and which of them worked for me and which of them didn’t. So, that you buy better!!

Lip Sense Lip Cream :

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Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

The cream promises to protect the lips from dry air, moisturizes them, to make them plum and pink

It moisturizes the lips very well, but even Vaseline does that. My lips didn’t become plum or pink

Ingredients : Natural actives, skin essential vitamins, nourishing oils and hyaluronic acid

Price : Rs 329 for 50g

Am I going to buy it again? No

You can buy it here

Namyaa LipSerum:

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

I read about it on Nykaa and bought. And I think this is the best purchase I made reading reviews. It is soft and creamy on the lips. It repaired my chapped lips overnight and I feel my lips are also becoming pinker. It doesn’t have fragrance and has a sweet taste which can even be felt hours after applying it.

Ingredients : Aloe Vera, VitaminE , Liquorice Extracts

Price : Rs 180 for 30g

Am I going to buy it again? Yes!! But that won’t be needed as of now because a single tube will last a year

You can buy it here

The Body Shop Vitamin E Lip Serum :

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Rating: 0.5 out of 5.

*only if I could give zero

This is another product I bought reading reviews and since it was sold out online, I walked down to their Store to buy it and boy, I was wrong. It does nothing. It puts a sticky layer on your lips , so that lips look glossy for a while.

Price : Rs 345 for 42g

Ingredients : Coconut oil is the only ingredient I know from the list

Am I going to buy it again? No.

You can buy it here. But you shouldn’t

Himalaya Lip Balm:

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Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Price : Rs 34 for 10gms

Ingredients : Wheatgerm oil, Carrotseed Oil

It moisturizes the lips well but nothing else.

You can buy it here

Nivea Lip Balm :

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Rating: 1.5 out of 5.

Moisturizes well but nothing else and it won’t protect your lips from sun damage because SPF is too low. It comes in different colours too. But not worth 112 rupees

Price : Rs 112 for 4.8gm

Ingredients : Glycerin and water and some seed oil and some butter

You can buy it here

Sebamed Lip Defense :

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Price : Rs 425 for 4.8gm

Ingredients : VitaminE

Since it has a SPF 30, it protects your lips from Sun damage. So if you are going out in the Sun, you should use it. However it doesn’t do much for chapped lips

You can buy it here

Juicy Chemistry Blood Orange and Rosehip

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Price : Rs 350 for 5g

Ingredients : Vitamin C

This is a miracle for chapped lips. It has a very mild fresh orangish fragrance.

Am I going to buy it again? Yes!! and again and again

Get it here

Loreal Paris Night Cream

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

My mother has been telling me to plan a kid months before I turned 29. Because according to her it’s impossible to have kids after you turn 30. But I couldn’t do that given the situation I am in. But it made me realize I will actually be turning 30 next year and I should start using some night cream so that the kids don’t start calling me aunty.

Anyways I researched and researched and researched some more as I always do because I get acnes very quickly . I won’t say I have a sensitive skin, I have normal skin which is prone to acnes . I remember I once used Olay and developed small red spots all over my face. So after lot of research I gave Loreal Paris Night Cream a try. So here is my review of the cream

What does the cream offer?

Whitening + Even Tone + Melanin Vanish + Tourmaline ( I don’t know what that is)

How to use?

The same way you use all other creams. Before going to bed, wash your face well, apply the cream evenly on you face and neck

Packaging , Amount and Price

The cream comes in a 50ml tub for Rs 550 ( Nykaa)

Does the Cream work?

It certainly does. For the first few days I felt the cream made my skin sweat a lot. I took that as a bad sign and thought will stop as soon as a pimple appears but none did. And after about two weeks I started noticing that my skin looks more radiant in the morning. Even mister has started noticing that 😀

Note : It’s not a paid review. You can buy it here

St. Botanica Under Eye Cream

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Every other girl I notice on the internet has some kind of skin care routine and I feel I skipped that part of growing up where one develops one .
It didn’t bother me much before lockdown happened and my whole sleep schedule took a big hit. After six months the signs were visible on my face too, especially the under eye. I was in dire need of an Under Eye Cream but didn’t know what to buy.

I researched on the internet like everyone does; Best under eye cream in India. Every page has different and confusing results. So I listed down all the creams mentioned and then researched about them going through customer reviews, ratings on Nykaa, Amazon and Quora Answer and found ST. Botanica Under Eye Cream

I had never even heard of the name of the brand but I still went with it and that was the best decision I have taken. I decided to write a review so that other people don’t have to waste a day on researching which cream to buy. Here is my review , more like feedback of the cream.

What the cream offers :

It promises to work on Dark Circles, Puffiness , Wrinkles and Bags

How to use ?

Take the little-est amount of the cream on the finger and move them around your eyes in circular motion.

Packaging, Amount and Price

50gm of creams costed me Rs 549 (Amazon) and come in a mini tub

Does the cream work?

Hell Yeah!! First two days after applying the cream I used to feel a mild cooling effect and felt like not using it anymore. But I thought I will stop when I see some white heads or something. So I didn’t and continued using it. The cooling effect was not there from 3rd day onwards and the results were visible from the second week itself

Note : It’s not a paid review. You can buy it here.