Swathy and Sky

You are here: Home / Archives for body care

body care

Forest Essentials Mashobra Honey & Vanilla Bath & Shower Oil {Product Review}

· · 3 Comments

If you remember my June mega haul, you would have noticed this. This was among my first buys from FE and honestly, the brand is expensive and I always thought it was over-priced. Yes, I am cynical about most things 🙂 Let’s see how I like this.
Price: Rs 340 for 50ml/1.69 Oz

Ingredients

Gokharu – Its an aphrodisiac and used for vata and pitta doshas. Its great for eczema and psoriasis and also relieves itchy skin.
Deodaru – Its extracted from the deodar tree. Its an insect repellant and has anti-fungal properties. Its used mostly in aromatherapy because of its aromatic properties.

Pros
smells absolutely divine
very light oil; doesn’t get greasy on skin OR hair
moisturizes the skin adequately
fragrance lingers on the skin 
elevates the mood instantly
Cons
expensive!!
My Experience
To start with, the entire FE haul didn’t really empty my pockets because I bought them against the gift voucher I received on redeeming my credit card points. But, this body oil was worth it!! So, lets start analyzing the product. I bought the travel-sized version because I wanted to try out many products though its also available in a bigger size for 1000 bucks.
I really don’t know how actual vanilla essential oil smells but this was a bliss. To bathe with this oil soaked in my bath water elevates my mood instantly and really relaxes me on the whole. And, the fragrance of the product smells natural and is strong but doesn’t hurt my nose at all. And, my nose is very particular about what it likes!
The oil is extremely light and disappears into the skin immediately. It keeps the skin well-moisturized and I am sure it would serve well enough in winters. Pouring 20 drops in hand-hot bath water gives off a very peaceful aroma and wraps you in the fragrance. A perfect choice for a luxurious and pampering evening or night.
I did try using it yesterday as a hair leave-in, taking two drops and distributing it evenly on the hair strands concentrating on the ends and after that was done, I rubbed my palms on the scalp. And, surprisingly, my scalp wasn’t feeling dry (which it had been for past few washes) and my hair is not weighed-down even a bit and is soft and added advantage was that curls are more defined.
Yes, I absolutely love it and would recommend it to everyone. The only hitch for me is that its expensive. FE has four bath oils. I have the Tuberose one as well but this product is more strong and I love this more. Somehow, I am not a fan of rose essence!! Seems surprising but actual rose doesn’t smell as awesome. Nor does Jasmine even for that matter. Both are strong and pungent and take a little getting used to.
Related Posts:

Neev Almond Rose, Lemongrass and Patchouli Handmade Soaps {Product Review}

· · 8 Comments

What’s Neev?

Since I am reviewing only handmade soaps, I shall keep it to Pros and Cons. So, lets start. 

Price: Rs 80 for 100gms (for all soaps)

Neev Almond Rose Soap
can you see the almond grits?

Ingredients

Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Lye, Rose Oil, Geranium Oil, Palmarosa Oil, Rosemary Oil, Roasted & Ground Almonds
Pros
feels really luxurious when you use it
moisturizes the skin
has almond grits in the soap which tends to do a bit of superficial exfoliation
feels really soft on skin
Neev Lemongrass Soap
Ingredients
Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Lye, Lemongrass Oil, Lavender Oil, Cedarwood Oil, Citronella Oil
Pros
moisturizes the skin but not as much as the Almond Rose soap
it smells refreshing and feels refreshing on skin!!
Cons
does dry out the skin a bit

Neev Patchouli Soap
Ingredients
Patchouli Oil, Lavender Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Cedarwood Oil, Coconut Oil, Mahua Oil, Palm Oil, Lye
Pros
moisturizes the skin but not as much as the Almond Rose soap
it smells bit like Patchouli essential oils

Cons
does dry out the skin a bit

Cons (for all soaps) 
melts away easily so its better not to use it directly on body
fragrance of the soap is not strong
How to use the handmade Soaps?
Lather the soap between palms and then apply lather on the body. This prevents the soap to melt away soon.

Weird outgrowth on my skin {Skin Care}

· · 6 Comments

I went for waxing some time back like probably in March (not my latest one) and that time, something happened to my skin and I noticed some weird kind of outgrowth on my leg. It seemed to me like an outgrowth of dead cells but I am not exactly sure about it. And, frankly, it was looking too bad on my leg as if I have a disease or something. I asked the girl who attends me regularly and as usual, they are really clueless about anything. I don’t understand why its not compulsory in India that only licensed aestheticians should be employed in big salons where they charge you like a bomb!!! 
Anyways, coming back to the topic, I braved on and thought I would use Apple Cider Vinegar on the outgrowth!! I know I am crazy. But, thank God, it wasn’t my face. So, remember never to get face waxing done!! So, I took a cotton and dipped it in ACV and tied it to the outgrowth with the help of a bandage. It stinged very slightly on the skin but I kept it on till my next bath. It does smell foul though, let me warn you. Anyway, the next day, I noticed a significant reduction in the outgrowth and by next day, the outgrowth kinda peeled off and was gone. 
And, my legs are back in shape 🙂 This whole recital was just an experience sharing and neither am I recommending it to you nor I advise it ever because you never know what you are suffering from. ACV is highly acidic and that is why it was able to get rid of what I believe were dead cells and don’t ever try such things, especially on the face or delicate skin!!