CTM Routine For Beautiful Skin

CTM - short for cleansing, toning, and moisturising sounds so prevalent amongst beauty enthusiasts. Despite knowing how significantly this 10 minute routine may affect your skin's health, many of us do not execute it religiously. Even when they do, the expected results aren't achieved due to wrong selection of products. So in today's post I'll stress upon picking the products that are formulated for specific skin type and do not imbalance your skin's condition. Because the comfort level and elasticity of the skin greatly relies upon the products which we use.

Broadly, we may classify skin types in following categories- Normal, Dry, Oily, Combination, Sensitive. There are barely any skincare products which will go well for all skin types, but yes they may fit your skin regimen during certain time of year.

I fall in the category of dry skin type that is characterized by roughness, itchiness, almost invisible pores and lesser elasticity. So it's a task for me to help my skin maintain moisture using mild products. My current favourite for everyday CTM routine is Oriflame Love Nature Oat range made for Dry Skin. Oats are believed to moisturize the dry skin cells and rejuvenate them due to healthy fats found in it. It has anti-inflammatory properties and also forms a protective layer on the skin to prevent loss of moisture. This range includes three products for essential CTM steps -

Cleansing: 
A cleanser shouldn't be aggressive for the skin that leaves the skin irritated, stretchy or overdry. 'Nourishing' cleansers seem to be great to prevent dry skin and don't interfere with skin's natural. moisture. The frequency of cleansing for dry skin is recommended for once a day preferrably before the bed time so that all traces of dirt, makeup, oilyness can be washed away.  

Love Nature Oat Milky Foam Cleanser is a mild cleanser that is something different from usual soapy facewashes. It resembles a shampoo like milky texture and generates light foam which efficiently clears away grime and impurities with no residue left and without being too stripping. It has light scent that can be felt while washing off your face and then disappears soon. The skin feels no stinging after its use.
Price: Rs. 379 for 150 ml.

Ingredients: (refer image below)

Toning:
I would begin by asserting that toners are real skin refreshers. I truly love to use a toner after cleansing the surface of my skin. A toner is not to be taken carelessly by dry skinned people. Toner reduces enlarged pores and provides a suitable base layer for the skincare products that you may apply afterwards.
Love Nature Oat Face Toner is a gentle liquid that can be applied using a cotton ball or by patting directly on skin with your palms. I feel comfortable using cotton balls personally.

Ingredients: (refer image below)

The toner picks up any makeup or debris that are left behind after cleansing and further soothes my itchy skin so well. It's a well-formulated product that gives my tired skin a nice tightening effect.
Price: Rs. 379 for 150ml

Moisturizing: 

Most people would like a light moisturizer during hot summer days to hydrate their facial skin. But I still choose to massage my parched skin with an easy-to-absorb cream.
Love Nature Nourishing Oat Face Cream is my companion these days. It is really light yet gives intense moisturization instantly. The small tub packaging is so easy to carry around so that I may reapply it as per requirement. It has faint fragrance that neither appeals me much, nor bothers me at all. 

It's has moderately thick consistency that won't feel greasy on application. The cream gives even toned and soft skin by reducing dullness. It's absolutely compatible to my skin type.
Price: Rs. 399 for 50gm.

Have you used any of these products? Which is your preferred product at this moment for an effective CTM? Do let us know in comments.

Oriflame Love Nature 2-in-1 Shampoo (Avocado Oil & Chamomile) Review

Today's post is a review of 2-in-1 shampoo in Avocado Oil & Chamomile from Love nature Range of Oriflame.

What's special about Love Nature range?

With Love Nature range, the brand is showing its respect for nature, and water in particular, by lowering the environmental impact of its rinse-off products. The brand has improvised all new Love Nature rinse-off formulations Biodegradable.

About Avocado Oil & Chamomile Shampoo 

This creamy 2-in-1 shampoo with natural Avocado Oil & Chamomile gently cleanses and conditions hair in one single step. Leaves hair feeling nurtured and looking shinier! 

Ingredients:

AQUA, SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE, GLYCERIN, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, COCO-GLUCOSIDE, LAURETH-3, GLYCOL DISTEARATE, CITRIC ACID, PARFUM, SODIUM BENZOATE, GUAR HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, SODIUM LAUROYL SARCOSINATE, BENZYL BENZOATE, BENZYL ALCOHOL, BENZYL SALICYLATE, LINALOOL, 2-BROMO-2-NITROPROPANE-1,3-DIOL, HEXYL CINNAMAL, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, SODIUM CITRATE, PERSEA GRATISSIMA OIL, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA FLOWER EXTRACT, PHENOXYETHANOL, LACTIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE, CI 19140, CI 16035, CI 42090

Price: Rs. 429. Currently at Rs. 399 for 250ml. 

The shampoo comes in an attractive packaging. It's a sturdy plastic bottle that has a sealed flip cap. You would need to break the seal to open the cap. The bottle is biodegradable which means that it will break down naturally and will not impact the aquatic environment negatively. I loved the print of key ingredients on the bottle :)

The shampoo is lemony yellow in color and has moderate thick consistency. The creamy shampoo lathers really well and a coin-sized quantity is enough to cleanse your hair off all the pollutants and oil from scalp in one wash. 

My hair feels nice moisturization after the hair is washed. It's soothing to scalp as well. The shampoo has mild, fruity smell and is not long lasting. As the shampoo brings together two wonderful active ingredients i.e. avocado oil and chamomile, the product comes loaded with many nutrients to repair damaged strands. 

Since it's a 2-in-1 product, you save time and effort to apply a conditioner separately. The shampoo doesn't leave a greasy film on your scalp, rather tames your frizzy hair effectively.

The best thing I admire about the shampoo is that it's silicone-free. While silicone can add smoothness to our hair, they are synthetic and hard for the environment to break down. Additionally, silicones can build up in concentration over time, potentially ending up in the human food chain. Therefore, the brand has crafted all the Love Nature hair care products Silicone-free. 

Avocado Oil & Chamomile shampoo is a great formula that would suit all hair types. It's easily available through oriflame agents. 

Oriflame Love Nature Energising Mint & Raspberry Products Review

Love Nature range from Oriflame celebrates ingredients from nature that smell and feel fantastic. Every pleasurable product has been created to benefit your body and respect the planet. The Mint & Raspeberry range from this collection tantalized me and I felt like adding these products to my Bath & Body selection for ongoing cold winter days.

Love Nature Energising Mint & Raspberry range includes three products i.e. soap bar, shower gel and body lotion. All three products visibly follow bright red and green colored themed packaging that is so apt to give us Christmasy feel today ;) 

Love Nature Soap Bar Energising Mint & Raspberry
Feel vibrant and fresh with this soap bar containing mint and raspberry. The invigorating scent will make you smile as it cleanses. Biodegradable, so you know that nature is smiling too!

Ingredients:

Sodium Palmate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Aqua, Talc, Glycerin, Parfum, Palm Acid, Sodium Chloride, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Palm Kernel Acid, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Tetrasodium Edta, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Mentha Aquatica Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Methylparaben, Sorbic Acid, CI 77891, CI 17200, CI 47005

It's a cute shaped pink coloured soap bar that resembles paisley pattern. Infused with anti-oxidant powers of raspberry and refreshing mint, the soap does replenishes your body skin. It lathers rich and doesn't strippes your skin off it's natural oils. My dry body skin didn't feel scratchy or stretchy after a bath with this soap which generally happens with me on using any random commercial bathing bars, rather I felt properly cleansed all over. I like the fact that the soap bar doesn't melt excessively and retains its shape after many uses.  
Price: Rs. 99 for 75 gms

Love Nature Energising Mint & Raspberry Exfoliating Shower Gel 

Wake up and reinvigorate. Our exfoliating shower gel with mint and raspberry makes cleansing time a treat with its fresh, energising scent and natural-origin scrub beads. Fully biodegradable formulation

Ingredients:
Aqua, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Benzyl Salicylate, Mentha Aquatica Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Phenoxyethanol, Agar, Potassium Sorbate, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Glucose, Potassium Chloride, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Methylparaben, Ammonium Polyacrylate, CI 16035, CI 77288, CI 17200, CI 77492, CI 42090 

Like always, there will be debate about soaps being hygienic or not. So people who avoid using bathing bars, but would love to try Mint & Raspberry bathing products should pick this shower gel for a relaxing shower.

The shower gel is of moderately thick consistency and has tiny green coloured granules in it. I thought of getting exfoliation feel on skin due to these granules. But as you rub the shower gel on your body skin, you will notice these to be melting but there is mild grainy feel on skin that is above and beyond these granules. I am totally loving the way it gently exfoliates my skin for deeper and more thorough cleansing results. And yes! only a coin-sized quantity is enough for full body cleansing.

Price: Rs. 418 for 250 ml

Love Natue Body Lotion with Energising Mint & Raspberry
Soften and moisturise your skin with the uplifting and inspiring scent of mint and raspberry. The perfect partner after your shower, this skin softening body lotion will help to energise and delight!

Ingredients:

Aqua, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceteareth-20, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Methylparaben, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Parfum, Limonene, Propylparaben, Xanthan Gum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Mentha Aquatica Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, CI 16035 

It's a pale pink coloured (looks white though), creamy, smooth lotion that has sweet fragrance to it. It takes no time to get absorbed into the skin and is so lightly-textued. It leaves skin soft, hydrated and prevents getting it flaky. You won't get to see any greasy shine on skin once it's spread onto the skin. It can be used all round the year for normal to dry skin types. For the excessively dry skin type like mine, you may need to reapply the lotion during winter season to enjoy supple, moisturized skin all day long. 

Price: Rs. 465 for 200ml

All the products smell predominantly of raspberries that is a plus for fruity fragrance lovers. The smell is not overpowering and lingers on for quite some time. I personally would have loved it more with more minty scent into it, but my family is using the products lavishly these days enjoying the goodness.

Facial Skin Care Swaps for Cold Weather

When you see your skin looking dull and dry during winters, it's time to swap your usual beauty regimen with the one that should be treating your flaking, chapped skin more lovingly. Here in Chandigarh, the nights have become really cold and I get up to see foggy streets in my locality that is in the outskirts of the city. Not just the surroundings, my skin is showing changes too. So I've added Oriflame's Love Nature products in my cosmetic kitty whose key ingredient is Wild Rose. I chose this because this product range is suited for Dry skin type.

Facial skin gets most affected due to colder winds and lowering temperature. So a rich formula is needed to save your from havoc being created.

The first task is to use a basic, everyday cleanser that sweeps makeup, oil, and grime from your face without causing irritation. Love Nature 2-in-1 Cleanser Wild Rose (priced at INR 349 for 150 ml) is a 2-in-1 facial cleanser formulated with nourishing Wild Rose Oil extract to effectively cleanse skin and remove make-up without over drying. It leaving skin nourished, supple and soft due to its super gentle emollients. It's recommended to apply it in the morning and evening with cotton pad, gently wipe over face removing any excess product. The best part is that the light and smooth formula doesn't leave an oily film on my skin and quickly melts when introduced to skin.

I quenched the dryness of my winter skin with Love Nature Crème Mask Wild Rose (priced at INR 399 for 50gm). This moisturising creme mask formulated with wild rose oil extracts softens and soothes my dry skin with its intense hydration for dehydrated skin. I use it twice a week on cleansed skin. It's a rinse off formula so just needs a few plashes of water to wash off when dried. The skin looks noticeably healthy but not stripped.

Despite being dry skinned, I hate greasy formulas that add an undesirable sheen to my skin. Love Nature Day Cream Wild Rose (INR 379 for 50 ml) prevents that oily film on my skin when applied. It is easy to absorb yet rich in nutrition. It contains natural Wild Rose extract to bring suppleness and protection to the skin, leaves it velvety soft and hydrated. It is super light and an expert in adding in-depth moisturization and natural rosy glow. I need to apply it twice a day but it reduces flaking and peeling on my skin due to winter dryness.

If you managed to earn that glow, it's advised to maintain it using a quality night cream. Before hitting the bed, I apply Love Nature Night Cream Wild Rose (INR 399 for 50 ml) that deeply penetrates within the skin and the rich extracts of exotic ingredients.replenish the dead skin cells during the night time. The natural nutrients offer youthful appeal to my skin as I get up next morning to find my skin happy.

All the products in this line have mild n sweet fragrance that pleases you instantly. The colour, texture, consistency of the products have been kept almost alike. The packaging size is also travel-friendly.
Needless to say, usage of Oriflame's Love Nature Wild Rose products has shown significant changes to my skin and I suggest everyone to grace your skin with a hydration booster dose like this.