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Papaya for skin complexion {Reader’s Tip}

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So, this tip was posted by Manoj. So, this is what he says:

Hi, I’m Manoj. I’m dark skinned. I have been trying some natural skin exfoliating things. From my experience, papaya is the best skin exfoliant. Here is what I did:
1) Take a papaya fruit and make its pulp.
2) Apply its directly on the skin about 1 cm thickness.
3) Leave it until it starts getting dry, which would take 20 to 30 minutes.
4) The result is instant.
Your skin will get more lighter .I have tried lemon juice, curd, etc. and they are effective but they give results in 3 to 7 days where as papaya gives instant results.

Thanks a lot for the tip, Manoj. Papayas are really beneficial in skin care and the reason it works best is that it has high levels of Alpha Hydroxy Acids and so caution should be used in using Papaya – do not use it more than once a week because AHA’s can cause photo-sensitivity and irritate the skin of applied in high concentrations.

Marie Veronique Organics Everyday Sheer Coverage {Product Review}

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I mentioned a while back that I had won the MVO giveaway and this product came as one of the samples. So, I finished the sample and wanted to share my experience. So, kindly don’t take this as a proper review.
Price: 50$ (Rs 2500 approx) for 60 ml (yeah, really expensive!!!)
What does MVO say about the product? 
  • Provides essential every day UVA/UVB protection and defends against premature aging with a unique combination of natural humectants, emollients and anti-oxidants.
  • Evens skin tones and absorbs into the skin leaving a lovely matte finish
  • Provides anti aging support with beta glucans, glucosamine, and powerful anti-oxidants such as coffee fruit extract.
  • Prevents moisture loss from exposure to the elements with red raspberry seed oil and broccoli seed oils
  • Made with non-micronized zinc oxide, a physical sun block that reflects UV rays without releasing wrinkle and cancer-causing free radicals
  • For use every day, rain or shine.
Available in Extra light, Light, Medium and Dark Tint. For Indian skin, light and medium tint would suit well.
Shake well before use and keep in a cool place. Apply liberally and evenly before sun exposure. Reapply every 2 hours and after swimming, sweating or towel drying. Safe for all ages. If irritation develops discontinue use and consult a physician.
Ingredients

No harmful chemicals, nanoparticles, parabens, fillers, waxes, or fragrances.
Active ingredient: 16.6% non-nano zinc oxide
Ingredients: Camellia sinensis (green & white tea), non-nano zinc oxide, vegetable glycerin, Brassica oleracea italica (broccoli seed oil), Prunus avium (cherry kernel seed oil), emu oil, Punica granatum (pomegranate seed oil), Rubus idaeus (red raspberry seed oil), Tocopherol (vitamin E), Calodendrum capense (yangu oil), Cosmocil CQ*, xanthan gum, n-acetyl glucosamine, lecithin, potassium sorbate, pearl powder, Rosemarinus officinalis (rosemary oleoresin), beta glucan, Coffea arabica (coffee fruit extract), Hydrolyzed silk (silk powder), Rosa centifolia (rose) essential oil, Citrus aurantium bigaradia (neroli) essential oil, Helichrysum italicum (helichrysum essential oil), Cistus incanus (cistus) essential oil, iron oxides

Amazing Ingredients!!! I can’t get enough of them 🙂 Btw, MVO is an organic brand.
My Experience
this is the medium tint
One thing which I regret about this product is that it is just spf 20 and not enough for a tropical climate of India. I ordered the medium tint of the Moisturizing Face Screen so this also came in the same tint. The product is lighter in consistency and gets absorbed really quickly into the skin. Well, if I actually say, it gets absorbed too quickly so it is better to apply it as dots on the face and blend in as compared to rubbing on the hands and then applying. And, I think its anti-aging ingredients do work. I felt my face was a little firmer when I was using this. And, its Zinc Oxide is great at protecting from the sun. The only wish is if it had been spf 30.
little shinier than the other but gets absorbed quickly
Another thing to note is that as I said in my previous post, physical sunscreen ingredients do leave a white cast on the skin. So, the tinted ones are available in the product. But, since Zinc Oxide is so high in concentration (24% is the maximum allowed concentration of Zinc Oxide by FDA rules and the product has 16% around), there is a little powdery texture to the product and it doesn’t feel silky smooth as other sunscreens do. This makes the blending a little harder. But, when you get used to it, its not much of a concern. I have applied it directly on the skin without moisturizing and using various moisturizers and face oils too and I didn’t face any problem of blending even once. And, since it has a tint, it also provides a decent coverage and evens out the complexion. But, of course, you can’t use it as makeup as far as I understand (a doubtful point, don’t believe me coz I know nothing about it!!!). It gives a matte finish but might also become semi-matte depending on your skin type.
For dry skin, it gets absorbed well and provides moisturization too. For oily and combination skins, it might be a little dewy and you might need a bit of powder to set it after some time depending on the oil on your face. But, its a score of times better than chemical sunscreens which make your skin look like having been dipped in oil. And, I have been there so I am thankful. It might give a shiny appearance for sometime but give it 2-3 minutes and it settles comfortably into the skin. One squirt of the product is enough for face and another squirt for neck and exposed chest. I would advise to apply it just like a foundation coz you want the sunscreen to sit evenly on your skin and protect your skin from sun’s rays. Touching and tugging at the skin wouldn’t help coz it might bring off the Zinc Oxide from the skin.
Regarding application, when you are staying indoors and during cloudy days when there is no sun and during winters when sun is again obscure, one application in the morning and another in the afternoon is probably enough. I surely didn’t apply it every two hours as it is advised coz I was indoors most of the time. But, if you are outside in hot sun or sweating profusely or swimming, it is advisable to reapply the sunscreen in regular intervals (two hours is the general idea). Btw, did I mention that it prevents tanning of the skin which is a huge bonus!!! I didn’t tan since I have been using it. And, of course, you need to double cleanse to remove the sunscreen whether its physical or chemical so don’t forget that.
Instead of making my recommendation because it was just a sample and I used it for very less time, I would conclude by saying that if I am to try it again, my preference would be a higher spf sun screen and I would love to use the Anti-aging oil instead at night to revive my skin. And, if this product would ever be changed to spf 30, then I might definitely prefer this over the Moisturizing Face Screen because I found it gives a better finish than that.
PS: The comparison in this post is with MVO Moisturizing Face Screen.

Fairness face packs with Pomegranate {Reader’s Tip}

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So, this is sent by Lancy of Makeup and Beauty Tips. Please feel free to visit her blog for more such articles.

FOR OILY SKIN
1. Wash your face with lukewarm water.
2. Mix the peel powder with lime juice and rose water.
3. Apply this paste over your face and neck. Allow it to dry for 15 minutes.
4. Wash it off with clean cold water and pat dry your skin.FOR DRY SKIN
1. Gently wash your face with an hydrating face wash and warm water
2. Mix pomegranate peel powder with honey and milk. Blend it well to form a paste.
3. Apply this smooth cream evenly on your face and neck avoiding eye areas. Leave it for 20 minutes.
4. Wash it off with clean water and apply a moisturizer.

FOR NORMAL SKIN
Follow the same procedures listed above as per your convenience. You can mix little fuller’s earth and rose water with the pack for a relaxing and cooling effect.