Luxuriate Your Body & Senses With PureSense

Winter season brings a beautiful climate that most people enjoy. While you love cladding yourselves in layers of cozy warm clothing and look stylish, your skin feels rough due to freezing temperatures and dry air. Though good skincare is recommended every single day for the whole year, it become more important amidst winters. For this reason, your skincare products should be adjusted according to the weather conditions.

This season I've been trying a curation of plants' extract enriched skincare formulations trusted for their high performance and quality from the house of PureSense.

About PureSense

The brand believes in the theory of - Beauty begins with wellness. Hence, they craft products that go deeper and help you savour every day. The intoxicating scents and indulgent textures used in their products are worth an experience for your body. Once you indulge into PureSense care, you'll feel the refreshing glow and charismatic aura that comes from the vibrancy of exotic, organic ingredients.

To make my selfcare journey delightful with their nourishing products, I've got this combo for effective skincare.

Exfoliation is an essential step in skincare that help banish dull skin through the cold months and year-round. When the dead skin cells build up on the skin's surface, it might result in a complexion that looks dry and dull. Pick a formula that contains plant or fruit extract so that it’s soothing and non-drying. I chose PureSense face Scrubs in two variants i.e. Papaya and Pink Guava that are designed to nourish sensitive skin without being harsh. I prefer to exfoliate my face twice a week to shoo away dullness and to reveal brighter and radiant skin. With a usage of few weeks, your skin tone and texture would become smoother.

In the journey of face care, I added PureSense Grapefruit Reviving Day Cream and Anti Ageing Sleeping Mask. 

The Grapefruit Reviving Day Cream is quite lightweight, gets quickly absorbed and deeply nourishes your skin. It also serves as a shield from UV A and UV Bsunrays as it's enriched with SPF 20 PA +++. Your skin feels hydrated and supple with the goodness of Vitamin C and Niacinamide all the day long.

The Anti Ageing Sleeping Mask has been my favourite of all. Formulated with Retinol combined with Rosehip Oil offers miraculous effect for sensitive skin. Along with the anti-aging benefits like wrinkle & fine lines reduction, this night mask helps revitalize skin cells, hydrate & tone skin when you sleep in your cozy bed. This mask has gel-like texture that gets immersed in skin promptly. Its mild fragrance is very pleasing to senses. 

Sheet Masks have been quite a rage in skincare regime these days. So I picked a Hydrating Sheet Mask with Hyaluronic Acid that's suitable for my maturing skin. I like it as it helps restore the radiance and glow of your skin, specially when you're pressed on time. The sheet masks are usually formulated with specialized serums that make your skin feel plump and glowy with a boost of moisture. One can use it twice a month or as demanded by your skin condition. Make sure to rub the serum left on the skin for few minutes after removing the mask for better effect.

One more of my favourite PureSense product is Relaxing Macadamia Deep Moisturising Body Oil. I own quite dry skin all over my body and an oil massage definitely is the best therapy to pamper my skin. This luxurious body oil is rich in minerals, intensely nourishes your skin and relaxes your senses. It is suitable for all skin types. Ideally it should be applied post shower on your damp skin to retain the hydration for longer.

All these PureSense best sellers come with a promise of No Parabens, No Preservatives, No Chemicals, No Animal Cruelty, No Sulphate and No False Claims. Such revitalizing range of beauty products are what you need to include in your self-care journey and pamper your skin with the best of care it deserves.

Men's Skincare Journal ft. NovAge Men by Oriflame

NOVAGE. Powered by Science. Empowering you to be your Best. 

NovAge offers a series of scientifically-advanced skin care ranges designed to correct and slow the signs of ageing. Every range is powered by innovative technologies and plant stem cell extracts, and customised to meet your skin's changing needs through life with clinically proven results. From the very first signs of ageing to those experienced in more mature skin, with NovAge you can enjoy youthful, healthy-looking skin at any age.

The NovAge Men Set is engineered specifically for male skin to fight signs of ageing and tiredness. Skin is left feeling energised, fresher, smoother and younger looking. Designed to use as a simple, but powerful routine that takes less than 2 minutes to perform every morning and evening but gives results. When used as a routine, the range delivers a clinically proven Anti-Fatigue Effect by wrinkle reduction, skin smoothness improvement, improvement in skin hydration, improvement in skin flexibility, improvement in skin tonicity.

The set comes in a decent brown cardboard box consisting of 4 products -  

Purifying & Exfoliating Cleanser: Male skin produces more sebum and oil and has larger pores than women’s skin, so it attracts and traps more daily grime. That's the reason why gentlemen also need to rejuvenate their facial skin by exfoliation to diminish dirt and dead skin cells. Apply this lovely-looking grey coloured NovAge cleanser to the face and neck, gently massaging with fingertips to wash away sebum and excess oil with its invigorating grains consisting of natural Japanese Charcoal particles. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and get that instant skin boost and refreshing aromatic feel. The smoother exfoliated skin makes it easy to absorb anything you put on it afterwards like serums, moisturizers etc. more deeply. I personally feel that a good exfoliator like NovAge also leads to lessen ingrown facial hair thereby preparing the skin for a comfortable shave. So my mantra is to cleanse and exfoliate my face before shaving. It's priced at INR 1000 for 125 ml tube.

Eye Rescue Gel: Most men have stressful work schedule due to which their eyes are prone to get puffy and have eyebags. Eye skin is fragile, so often it is the first area to reveal signs of ageing and tiredness. The eyebags might be caused by fluid retention, lack of sleep, any allergies or heredity. The trick is to find an easy-to-use eye roll-on. NovAge Eye Rescue Gel has to be gently rolled on cleansed skin below each eye every morning and evening. The texture of this product makes it easy to absorb. One of the most effective ingredients for eye care products i.e. Caffeine helps to enhance blood micro-circulation to de-puff under-eye bags and helps to reduce the appearance of dark circles to leave eyes looking well rested. Gingko helps to soothe skin, increases moisturising efficacy and stimulates collagen synthesis. The massaging effect of the roller ball make tired eyes look and feel energised, revitalised and hydrated. Priced at INR 1200 for 15ml tube.

Energising & Hydrating Booster:  It's a gel-like translucent fluid that optimises skin's water balance immediately. Massage it into cleansed skin morning and evening avoiding the eye area. Quick in absorption and nicely fragrant. Skin is left revived with improved tone, better flexibility and reduced tiredness, once the product is religiously applied on daily basis. To prevent loss of radiance from men's skin and to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, Coffea Bengalensis plant stem cell extract has been included in NovAge Men which encourages healthier functioning skin cells and a boosted antioxidant capacity that can help to protect the skin. Available at INR 2100 for 50 ml bottle.

Intense Anti-ageing Face Gel Lotion: Being in my early 40s, I've resorted to high-quality anti-ageing products which can be used without visiting the professional salons. The NovAge anti-ageing lotion is a lightly consistent, white-coloured lotion that repairs skin of critical ageing issues. Simply massage it into cleansed skin twice a day avoiding the eye area. The Baobab Anti-ageing technology used in the range is specifically developed to work on men’s skin and targets issues directly. Though one can feel the suppleness of skin instantly, but needs patience to notice improvement in skin's texture in a span of few months. Priced at INR 1700 for 50ml bottle.

The NovAge Men Set is clinically evaluated on male skin and a big lot of people have agreed to it's results. The complete set is priced at Rs. 6000 but is available at Rs. 4500 on Oriflame website. Ladies! It makes a perfect gift for the men in your family. And Gentlemen! don't shy away ordering this wonderful grooming kit for yourself. 

Reviewed by: Amit

Oriflame Essentials Coconut Water Face Scrub and Multipurpose Cream Review

Coconut water is incredibly hydrating when consumed and when applied topically on skin. Apart from the health benefits, it is also packed with many beauty benefits for our skin. While raw coconut water can offer beauty benefits like deep cleansing, reducing skin tanning, minimising blemished etc; its not always possible for everyone to get access to whole coconut fruit all the times. And I personally love using coconut in different forms right from eating its meat, drinking coconut water or using coconut oil for cooking.

My love for Coconut insisted me to try Oriflame Essentials Coconut Water range that includes a Face Scrub and a Multipurpose Cream each.

Oriflame Essentials Coconut Water Face Scrub 

Give your skin a refreshing burst of nutritious skin-quenching moisture. Exfoliating scrub and moisturiser with replenishing natural coconut water leaves skin feeling soft, smooth, supple and refreshed. So simple and so essential. 

This scrub comes in a travel-friendly, tube packaging which is definitely a preferred one for me for the ease of usage and assurance of hygiene when other family members share the same pack. This scrub is not oil based. Just take out sufficient quantity to massage it gently in circular motion onto your damp skin avoiding the eye areas. You may even massage it on dry skin, just make sure to wet your hands before rubbing. The fine granules do the job of exfoliation excellently. I'm seriously fallen in love for the invigorating scent of fresh coconut coming from the scrub that appeals my senses so well. The mild formula and smooth texture make the scrub usable every alternate day. I feel it will suit all skin types. Priced at Rs. 299

Oriflame Essentials Multi-Purpose Cream Coconut Water
A light, non-greasy all-purpose moisturising cream with replenishing natural coconut water and a blend of humectants and emollients. Can be used on the face, hands and body. Absorbs quickly to help leave skin feeling soft, smooth, supple and delightfully refreshed with a delicate summery coconut fragrance. Suitable for all skin types. Dermatologically tested.

It's probably the first time that I used a cream that's main ingredient is coconut water. It comes in a wide-mouthed plastic jar. There is no inner lid, so can be messy carrying it along during travel. The cream is of moderate consistency and silky texture. Quite easy to absorb offering intense moisturization with exotic scent. Since it's a multi-purpose cream, sometimes I use it as a makeup remover that lets tough waterproof makeup dissolve easily without drying up my skin. It doesn't leave greasy feel behind. It's a good choice to revitalize dry cuticles, cracked heels or rough elbows too. For those who love dewy finish to their makeup, apply this cream on your face, wash off and pat dry before applying makeup on a smooth canvas. I would recommend it as a perfect daily skincare essential. Priced at Rs. 479

Oriflame Essentials Coconut Water product combo is easy on pocket with expected result. Highly recommended!

Natural Skincare Indulgence From Ecotique - Review

Hi everyone

I take pleasure introducing a new name on my blog that has given me an opportunity to explore their selection of natural bath and body products...

Brand Preamble: 

Ecotique is a personal care brand that combines the ancient Indian tradition of Ayurveda with its holistic approach to daily life and Aromatherapy with its mood enhancing benefits derived from the use of essential oils. The brand has brought together the best natural actives to make truly effective products and take great care to maximize the “naturalness” of the product such that the entire formulation is largely made of Ecocert certified ingredients. Ecotique aims to demystify the healing philosophies to create products that simplify personal care for today’s modern world. Our products are easy to use and are efficacious, and show desired results in a minimal amount of time.

I didn't choose the products myself, but was sent a few of the products by the brand on the basis of my skin type as I trusted they have best of knowledge to decide what ingredients would be beneficial for different skin types. And here is what I got -

Ylang Ylang & Patchouli Indulgence Soap

People have been talking these days on preferring body washes over bathing bars. I may be an exception, but I still love using traditional soaps for a satisfying shower experience. I'm a sucker of natural soaps and have used various handmade soaps from numerous brands. Every time I come across a new one, my love for these soaps only gets inflated.
So the first product that I'm raving about in this post is Ecotique Ylang Ylang & Patchouli Indulgence Soap.

This dual-coloured soap is a mild formula to cleanse dry/sensitive skin without aggravating skin issues. The soap lathers moderately, but assures your body to be actually 'clean' off dirt, and every type of residue with its soft, creamy lather.

My normally dry skin doesn't feel stretchy or stripped after bath. The exotic Patchouli fragrance of the soap has amazing calming effect on mind and offers a wholesome bathing experience, while Ylang Ylang promotes mental well being.
Price: Rs 349 for 100 gm.

Coconut and Green Tea Scrub is the most gentle scrub I've ever used. The scrub aims at rejuvenating and energizing the tired, dull skin. Coconut is said to have youth enhancing and glow encouraging properties for skin which is mixed with Green Tea that helps fight free radicals. Jaggery and Honey help to increase collagen so that your skin replenish its lost moisture in no time!

The scrub is packed in a tiny glass tub which is housed in a cardboard box with detailed information printed on it. The scrub itself has green colored granules that do not completely dissolve on rubbing over skin. As you continue massaging the scrub, it releases oil to render intense hydration to skin and gives relieve from itchy dryness instantly.

The texture of the scrub is similar to that of shredded coconut which is velvety soft during massage and devoid of any harsh feeling. I feel, it would be suitable for sensitive skin as well, but might not be a good choice for Oily skin type. Generally, I need to moisturize my skin generously after using any scrub because the skin feels stretchy; but the rich coconut oil in this scrub not only makes the product smell delicious but also serves the dual purpose of an exfoliator plus moisturizer for me.

This scrub has most amazing list of natural ingredients that won't cause you any allergic reaction and cleanse your skin off all kind of dirt, dust and dead skin cells on the skin's top surface. This scrub is so mild to be used on alternate day, though the best practice that I follow is to use it once a week.
Price: ₹ 599 for 30 gm

Saffron Body Oil

I'm fondly devoted to oils, be it for body massage or head massage. The body oils are extremely important for good health of my dry skin. I received one of the best-seller oil from Ecotique i.e. Saffron Oil.

This oil is not a heavy concoction that may be hard to sink in the skin. It absorbs quickly and hydrates my dry, flaky skin instantly without staining my clothes or leaving my skin greasy. I loved its soft and fresh scent that doesn't bother my sensitive nose and is very pleasant to senses. The oil does more than moisturizing the skin, it tones the skin and imparts a desired glow with prolong use.
The oil enriched with pure Himalayan Saffron has active antioxidants to fight signs of ageing and reduce blemish. The oil is a blissful remedy to cure skin issues arising due to weather change. The aroma of the oil is so relaxing that I apply few drops of oil on my temples when I need to loosen up myself in tranquility after a tiring day.

Overall, I totally like to enjoy that feeling of suppleness on skin all the day long after a gentle body massage of Saffron oil post shower.
Price: ₹ 349 for 30 gm

Pros:
Made of richest ingredients obtained from nature.

Vegan and cruelty free products.

Mood uplifting products. 

Perfect blend of Aromatherapy essential oils.
No use of sulfates, parabens, artificial fragrances, phthalates, silicone, glycol and harmful preservatives. 

Cons:

Bit expensive.

All the products that I used from the house of Ecotique left me infatuated with the brand, specially the Coconut & Green Tea Scrub ;) I'm incredibly satisfied with the quality of products and would recommend you all to give these products a try for sure. 

Which of these Ecotique products you are excited to try? Do let us know.

Skin18 Website Review & Haul

Almost an year ago, I was introduced to Korean skincare products by Skin18 for the first time when I received a parcel containing wonderful sheet masks. These sheet masks are really a great way to pamper your skin at home. I was so impressed to obtain dewy skin after using the pre-soaked masks sheets that I also did a giveaway in collaboration with the brand to give my readers a chance to be benefitted by the luxurious products.

In past one year, its my third order with Skin18.com and I always look forward to try something new because the brand offers a large variety of products including toners, serums, creams, masks, mists, cleansers, face washes and much more. You may choose the products either depending on your skin type or according to the areas of concern like skin brightening, smoothing, hydrating, de-stressing or just rejuvenating.

In my order this time, I received some really high-quality products including nose strip, eye patch, mask sheets and face packs etc.

Cracare Anti-Aging Snail Repairing 3-steps Mask: 

All the mask sheets which I have tried till now from Skin18 have been a one-step mask. The Cracare mask sheet comes with Anti-Aging Active Ampule followed by usual essence masking and then to finish with Anti-aging Night Cream. Isn't that really innovative to have a complete solution in one pack. This product is meant for Skin Lightening and Firming. It smells floral when placed on face as it has many flower extracts used as main ingredients. 

Inoface Modeling Cup Pack (Blackfood):

This is a powdered face pack in light silver gray color. One has to mix the powder in double the amount of water and apply a generous layer on skin spreading evenly. It gives mild cooling sensation when applied on skin and starts drying up quickly. I had expected to wash it off just like usual packs but after it dried on my skin, I found that it can be easily peeled off. It brightens up the otherwise dull face and contributes towards enhancing elasticity. This product is available in many variants. 

Luke Lemon Tea Tree Nose Cleansing Strip 
This nose cleansing strip is used to tighten pores and remove blackheads or whiteheads. There are three variants of this product and I'd received it in my last order as well and its already reviewed in my previous post along with Charcoal variant few months ago. Its quite easy to  use and does a decent job to clean the dirt etc from around the nose area.

Luke Hydrogel Eye Patch for Wrinkles 

The brand Luke has similar kind of eye-patches also that comfort your eyes and tackles issues like puffiness, wrinkles, dryness, dullness etc. This is the first time I'm using an eye patch from Skin18 collection. Out of all available options, I received Hydrogel patch for wrinkle. I wondered how lovely they smell ;) These are dry from top, but the inner side is quite moisturizing which touches your delicate eye area. It'll be unfair to expect instant effect from these eye patches, but I would love to have some more in my next order so that I may regularly use these and improve appearance of skin around my eyes. 

Luke Aloe Essence Mask 

Luke masks are made for addressing different skin issues and contain excellent ingredients. I've got Aloe version this time which is one of the best moisturizing agent. It feels so hydrating on skin, fights inflammation and soothes itching skin. Keeping the mask on the face for some time physically seals in the active serum underneath and brings out youthful glow on the plump skin afterwards. Who doesn't love that feel ;)

Mirum Fresh Fruit Green Tea Real Natural Mask Pack

I had got one of the Mirum mask sheet in my first order in Lemon version (reviewed here) and this time I received Green Tea. I'm yet to use this one, but based on my experience in the past, I know it gives ultimate rejuvenation to tired skin. I'm soon going to bring it to use and will share my further opinion with you all.

PureDerm Tomato Yogurt Pack 

Purederm offers great choices for wash-off face packs. The combination of ingredients used in each of them is so tempting. I'm really excited to try Tomato Yogurt pack which I have received. Its in lotion form, so more convenient than the powdered one and you can quickly open the sachet and get ready to feed your skin with desired nutrients.

I've happily added these products in my beauty routine and would recommend these to you for a wide spectrum of benefits.

Have you used any of these products? Do share here how has been your experience.

Fuschia Camellia Handmade Soap Review

No wonder if I'm posting one more soap review... coz my inclination towards natural soaps is increasing day by day... Its not that my fondness is newly developed, but the point is that I was aware of very few brands (like Soulflower India) selling handmade soaps since many months and have been ordering those for my family till now. Actually I din't even try to find some other brands to experiment with more handmade bath n body essentials. But now I feel myself much knowledgeable about the quality, ingredients, formulation process of natural soaps & so I love reviewing them fairly :)

The Fuschia team from VKare Bio Sciences Ltd. had been really humble to send me a pack of three of their handmade soaps from their Natural Cosmetic Collection few days ago and I've been testing them since then. 

Todays review is on Camellia Handmade Soap.

 

Camellia is also designated as 'tea flower'  and interestingly this soap is also infused with Green Tea extract, glycerin along with camellia oil and other essential aroma oils. The soap bar is neatly sealed in thin transparent plastic sheet and an outer cardboard packing in lovely green recycled paper. Each bar weighs approximately 100 gms and comes with a price tag of Rs 225. I am happy with the reasonable soap size coz those BIGGG bars are difficult to handle (or need to cut into pieces) and I feel bored somehow to use one soap bar for many days :)

Don't get confused to know the soap bar is in shiny green color and not in pinkish red as the camellia flower is. Coz the final color of the soap bar is an outcome of mixing various oils as well as green tea extract.

 My take on Fuschia Camellia Handmade Soap:
Before my first use, the Camellia soap on my palm smelt very dull (almost negligible) and lathered slightly when I rubbed it on my hands with water. But rubbing it only twice or thrice on a loofah generated enough creamy lather to cleanse the body. The light sweet fragrance though doesn't linger on for many hours. It vanishes very soon.

The soap is a bit softer than usual chemical based soaps due to the use of natural oils and its handmade nature. So I took special care to place it in a soap dish with holes or a wired rack in the washroom between uses to allow the soap to dry properly ( I want the soap to last longer).

 The skin feels actually fresh and well moisturized after the usage and clears up excessive oil from skin. Camellia's light herbal scent and vitamin E automatically blocks UV rays and helps skin maintain a healthy pH level. So I would suggest it to be used by those suffering from skin tanning. I'm firmly believing that the anti-oxidant & anti-fungal properties of green tea really work coz I noticed reduction in my body odor too.

Pros:

• Natural Ingredients including green tea n camellia flower extracts.
• Looks as shiny as Green Traffic Light ;)
• No harmful chemicals and artificial scents used.
• Causes no tight feeling or itching on skin.
• Can treat minor insect bites n sun burns etc.
• Decent Size.

Cons:
No reason to dislike the soap (provided the packaging is improvised with detailed list of ingredients on it)

Final Words:
The extremely moisturizing Fuschia Camellia Handmade Soap is the easiest way to enjoy the skin beautifying n skin nourishing properties of Green Tea and Camellia in routine bath rituals. The soap is advisable to people of all skin types, but it will provide calming effect especially for dry and irritated skin.