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Worthless Anti-Aging Products {Beauty Products}

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Buying an expensive product which you find is completely worthless really hurts. So, check out the list of some really worthless products. I have included only the brands available in India and probably some are not available but I am familiar with them. If you are interested in the complete list, please go to Total Beauty. The products go worse as the list reaches the end.
  • L’Oreal Paris RevitaLift Complete Lotion SPF 15
  • Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Sun Damage Daily Moisturizer SPF 28
  • Avon Ageless Results Intensive Line Filler SPF 15
  • L’Oreal Paris Ideal Skin Genesis Eye Serum
  • Chanel Precision Sublimage Essential Regenerating Cream
  • Clinique Advanced Stop Signs Eye SPF 15
  • Clinique Zero Gravity Repairwear Lift Firming Cream
  • Philosophy Hope in a Jar SPF 20
  • L’Occitane Immortelle Eye Balm

Do not pick on your skin!!

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Ohk, so yes, I have been MIA for a very long time now and you have been seeing quite a few sporadic posts from me. The reason is I’m just being plain lazy. Give me a laptop and I will read all 24 hours but when it comes to writing for my own blog, it takes lot of diligence and patience. I do like to particular about my posts and make it as easy to read as possible so if I am not in mood, it kinda becomes difficult. So, yeah, life is not so good at the moment but then there is always a beacon of light shining at the end of the tunnel. I am just waiting to reach the end. And, before I run away with my philosophical perspicacity on my circumstances, I shall come to the topic of the day. If you remember, I had started a series of bad habits which we are not aware of consciously but are extremely harmful for our skin in December. So, continuing in that vein, today’s bad habit to be eradicated is – Picking or Poking or unnecessarily irritating your skin.
Yes, I suffer from this very very bad habit and I have my college to blame for it. In my college, I has 1 or 2 stray hairs on my chin which my friends made fun of 🙁 and I got into the habit of plucking them out with my nails. Very very Harmful habit as I have come to realize. It has many implications which I’ll discuss with you in a short while. I have also seen a few other people who are addicted to this habit. 
Effects on Skin
So, what happens to skin if you pick or pluck on it?? Well, for one, your skin sags at those areas. Yes, it will make you look old. Secondly, blemishes and dark spots are a direct consequence because of the blood clots under your skin and it really takes a long while to heal. Thirdly, when you pick at your skin using your nails, you are harming the nails in the process. They get brittle, drier and unattractive. So, another incentive to stay away from this  habit.
Worst of all the consequences is bad breakouts. Oh Yes, it has happened with me and I am currently dealing with the situation 🙁 It is not pretty at all, trust me. When you pick at your skin for whatever reason, the cells under the skin get irritated and if you are really insensitive with your skin, it can trigger and inflammation. This can easily happen when you are dealing with facial hairs or eyebrows and popping pimples. This inflammation can result in the worst form of acne – the bubbles filled with pus which you can’t treat using anything (trust me, I have been there and done that !!). So, stop this habit right now. Your skin will thank you. Either learn to live with your skin as it is or do something else but do not pick at your skin. Just stop touching your skin with your fingers coz its equally bad as we know that bacteria from the fingers get settled on the face.
Now, I would not discuss in detail how to get rid of this habit coz I have been trying since quite a long time but have not yet been able to. But, strict self-control seems to be the light of the day. Habits die hard but it is said that if you can carry a habit for 21 days to be precise, it becomes a habit. So, control yourself for 21 days and you will live!!  

Anti-Aging Serum Varnya {Product Review}

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I know you people have not heard of this and it is not a brand. Now, of course, I have said this time and again that I love facial oils and do not mind trying some. So, do you remember my review of LashMantra? This product, Varnya, has been developed by the same lady, Leon. Before getting into discussing my experience with the product, this is the link to the website. Let me give you a brief introduction to the product.
About Varnya
The name of the product itself is so wonderful that it makes you try it. Varnya is a Sanskrit word which means glowing complexion. This anti-aging serum provides 9 benefits to your skin – reduces fine lines and wrinkles, evens out skin tone, repairs damage caused by UV rays, repairs Acne, tightens sagging skin, fades age spots and blemishes, moisturizes and makes your skin soft and supple, tightens pores and brightens up a dull and sallow complexion. I know it sounds too good to be true but wait till you hear my experience. You can read about the ingredients here. It is a completely organic and natural preparation using botanical and cold-pressed oils.
Now, an interesting thing about this product is that you can get it custom made too. Well, Leon will send you a questionnaire in which you can discuss the type of your skin, allergies you might have, any skin diseases or disorders, your pregnancy conditions or nursing issues and make the product for you based on your answers. Now, why are such questions important. The serum contains some essential oils which are not preferred when you are pregnant or might interact in a negative way if you suffer from hormonal imbalances or have some allergies. So, I would say this is the best service any customer can get directly from the creator. Also, Leon has been testing this product on herself since a year so this is not a just-made product for earning money.
My Experience with Varnya
Now, I would love to discuss my experience with the product. I received Varnya a month ago around the same dates.So, I have been using this product without fail since a month except 2-3 days in between. So, let us start with how much does it fulfill its claims.
  • Claim 1: Reduces fine lines and wrinkles: I would not vouch for its reducing fine lines under my eyes but I would definitely say that my neck line is visibly less prominent and the change is marked not just-so-subtle. Regarding the fine lines under the eyes, I would say that I have not been sleeping properly so can’t blame the serum for not doing the job.
  • Claim 2: Evens out skin tone: Yes, it evens out skin tone really well. My forehead was much more darker in shade than my cheeks and chin which was always a problem for me. I did try a lot of things but nothing worked. Now, my forehead and cheeks are more or less of the same shade.
  • Claim 3: Repairs damage caused by UV rays: I have a skin which is very much vulnerable to sun exposure. The minute I step out int he sun, my skin literally changes color. I have had sun allergy since I was a kid. My face was horribly tanned and even more so my neck. When seen as a unit attached to my shoulders, my neck looked horribly dark. Well, as you guessed, my skin has turned its own color. And, of course, I have been told that I have become fair which means my tan is all gone.
  • Claim 4: Repairs Acne: A very funny thing happened when I was writing this review. My skin is not acne-prone or break-out prone but yes, sometimes, even I do get pimples and stuff. So, lately after November Acne attack (an experience which I have yet to share with you all), I did not get breakouts. So, I could not test this serum for how well it deals on that claim. But, by the end of the evening, I find a very angry red full of pus breakout on my neck. So, I decided to let this review rest for two-three days and test out Varnya on the breakout. I apply Varnya on my face and neck at night and go to sleep. And, voila!! In the morning, I found that the breakout had reduced to almost an extent of 60% and appears to be healing. So, another plus for Varnya !! Another credit I would give to Varnya was that it healed the acne scar on my forehead to a large extent.

Update about the breakout: It is completely gone without leaving a scar or anything by the end of the day.

  • Claim 5: Tightens sagging skin: My skin is not sagging or loose. It is still in its prime and looks great. But, still, I could see a difference Varnya made to the elasticity of my skin. After applying Varnya, you can notice that the skin is noticeably tighter and firmer.
  • Claim 6: Fades age spots and blemishes: Yes, it does fade blemishes. I do not have age spots but I have some patches of dark skin (kind of blemishes) on my neck which have reduced to a great extent.
  • Claim 7: Moisturizes and makes your skin soft and supple: Yes, it does moisturize my skin. In the winters (I am talking about Hyderabad winters), the moisturizing was not up to the level in December but now that the weather has turned warm, the moisturizing is good enough and next morning, your skin feels supple as if it is hydrated from within. This look lasts all day long.
  • Claim 8: Tightens pores: I am kind of double-minded on this claim. In the starting days I was using it, I felt that it did really tighten my pores but now I am feeling it is not. So, I am not able to decide on this one. My blackheads have reduced to a certain extent though after I have started using Varnya.
  • Claim 9: Brightens up a dull and sallow complexion: Absolutely true. It brings an undeniable glow to the face and keeps it like that for the whole day even if you go into sun and pollution and dust.
 Now, after I have analyzed the claims, I want to summarize my own experience in a few words.
  • Since I have started using Varnya, I have noticed that whatever product I use on my face in the morning gets absorbed effectively without making my skin oily and dull which used to happen earlier. Even my sunscreen settled on my skin well which never happened with me till date. I do not apply makeup so can’t say how it blends under makeup.
  • My skin is extremely vulnerable to sun so the moment I step out into sun, it used to turn dark and dull and tired. Since I have been using Varnya, that has stopped.
  • In simple words, Varnya protects the skin from external harms and repairs the skin well.
  • A single bottle of Varnya would last long if you use it in conjunction with some other facial oil or serum as I did. In a month, I ended up using only 1/5th of the bottle.
  • Now, comes the biggest downside of Varnya. It costs 72$ for 6 month supply. That’s really costly. But, there is an upside. An offer of Buy1, Get 1 free is going on the site so if you are interested, go and order one right now before the offer closes.
  • Before, I wrap up, I would include this that do not think this serum is only for dry and mature skin. Leon can whip up a serum for you depending on your skin type and condition so if you have an oily or combination skin, do not be afraid of trying this for your skin.
How did I use Varnya?
I did not use only Varnya because it was less on moisturizing in December and early January as I mentioned above. So, I used to mix 3 drops of Varnya with Rogan Badam. But, for treating the breakout, I used only Varnya – 10 drops.
Packaging of Varnya
The bottle comes with a dropper to ensure you do not apply more than necessary. It has a very subtle smell. To smell it, you have to peek into the bottle otherwise it does not linger around. I would say it smells funky but I do not mind the smells, especially, if a product delivers.
My Recommendation
You hardly need to ask it, right? It is an amazing product. Finally, a product which does what it says. So, I would definitely say that you should give it a try. It does not matter what your age is because it is not an anti-aging specific product but it is a skin repair and protection product which should be used everyday to get problem-free skin.
Disclaimers: I received the product from Leon for reviewing purposes. I have not been paid or influenced to write this review and I am not an affiliate of this product. This is my personal experience with the product.