DIY

Homemade Cleanser for Eyes {DIY}

Swathy · October 4, 2011 · 2 Comments

Ok, so it is a very common complaint with cleansers that they do not remove the eye makeup very effectively. Yeah, it really happens. So, I’ll share what I do for that. Not that I apply eye makeup but removing sunscreen around the eyes or kajal also requires the same effort.

I use a mixture of almond oil and castor oil. Remember the Oil Cleansing Method in which castor oil is the main ingredient. Castor Oil has cleansing properties apart from its many beneficial effects so it is one of the major oils used for removing residue from the skin. But, using castor oil alone is not recommended for the skin as it is quiet thick and concentrated. So, it is better to mix it with a carrier oil. The reason we choose almond is that it is also effective for removing makeup and aids the growth of eyelashes. So, mix almond oil and castor oil in 3:1 ratio and store it in a glass bottle.

To remove makeup, take a generous amount of the oil and massage the entire area around the eyes. Make sure you have enough oil that your skin glides along the skin coz you don’t want to pull and tug at the skin around the eyes which is very thin and can lead to wrinkles and fine lines if disturbed too much. Massage for 5 minutes and remove the oil with cotton very gently without pulling on the skin. You can use face wipes too. And, then, wash off with a cleanser.

Caution: Do not use Coconut Oil as it makes the eyes sting badly. Almond oil or castor oil do not have any such reactions to the eyes.

My Skin Care Routine by Ansh {Guest Post}

Swathy · October 1, 2011 · 25 Comments

Hello everyone, I’m Ansh from Vanity No Apologies and Swati has taken a back seat today 😛 I was quite confused when she asked to guest blog at her place since there were a gazillion topics in my mind but then I picked this one up since I’m a curious cat and like to know about other girls’ skin care routine. So I thought of letting you peep into my treasure of secrets.

For the record, I’ve combination/oily, acne prone and super sensitive skin. Yeah the worst kind imaginable! So, basically very few products suit me and I try not to mess up with my skin care because my skin rules me rather than other way round. Here I’ll share the very basic and natural things I use for my face and body.

Cleansing

I use honey and mix a few drops of lemon (2-3 max since I’ve sensitive skin) and use it to wash my face every morning. Honey is a great cleanser. I sometimes use raw milk and apply all over my face with a cotton wool and wash off after 15mins, regular usage has lightened my dark spots. As for the body, I use the masoor dal and turmeric pack whenever I’ve time. It has helped me with the tanning and reduced the elbow pigmentation.

Toning

We have all heard that rose water is a natural toner, so I tried using the Gulabari spray freshener and it was just HORRIBLE! It made my face red, blotchy and itchy. For a long time, I didn’t use any toner, simply because none of them would suit me and infact would give me allergic reactions. From lakme to aroma magic, I didn’t leave a single toner untried. So, now I resort to natural methods of toning my face. Most of the times I end up using over-the-counter products but keep in my mind to use a natural toner at-least before sleeping. I now use a home made green tea toner. For it, mix green tea leaves in hot water and add a few drops of tea tree oil and lemon. I agree its time consuming but worth the effort.

Moisturizing

I use aloe vera gel all over my face to moisturize. I’ve an aloe vera plant at home and get it direst from the leaf everyday and store the remaining in the fridge. If you don’t have it at your home, there are a lot of brands with aloe vera tubs to offer at great prices. I sometimes use the vitamin e capsules in the over-the-counter moisturizers. Other than that I use Liz Earle and Fab India. Instead of using a body lotion, I use olive oil + coconut oil on my body straight after a hot shower. It takes care of the dryness to a very great extent. Must for the coming winters.

Exfoliating

Take 2-3 tbsp of raw oats and mix it with honey and a few drops of tea tree oil. Regular usage of this scrub has shown a great improvement in my skin texture. I used the lemon and sugar scrub once and it was a disaster! So, this shows no matter how much natural and home made the tip might be, use your brains and go ahead only if it is meant for your skin type. I use St. Ives scrub too, so if don’t have much time then it is a good option as well. And I started using that clean & clear scrub but it’s of no use, save some bucks.

Face Packs

Earlier I would apply face packs like a maniac..2 per day and then go on for months without even touching them once. No prizes for guessing that it never helped me. You need to keep your patience with the homemade things, don’t expect miracles overnight. Apply face packs atleast thrice a week according to your skin type. Applying a banana or curd pack to a very oily skin would only worsen the situation. So, keep your skin type in mind.

Papaya…yes that not-so-tasty (or the most yuck fruit if I’ve the liberty to say so!), yes that healthy papaya. I don’t even like the smell of it, so ripe and gross. But it does work wonders to your skin. Mash a ripe papaya and apply on your face. If you can’t bear the smell…then breath from your mouth silly and shut up your nose for those difficult 15 minutes!

You see how these mixtures use the ingredients which are very easily available. I agree they take a lot of time but you can do all of this while watching TV or something like that…time management! 😉 Hope it helped you and I’m here to answer your queries, if any.About the Author: Ansh is a Fashion and Beauty Blogger based in Delhi. Check out her blog at ‘Vanity – No Apologies’. You will find everything from her dress hauls to her reflections on the products she has used on her blog. Her particular specialty, if I may say so, is in how to deal with sensitive problem-prone skin which is, of course, very useful for all of us as the experience is first-hand. And, don’t forget to check out her blog. I am sure you will enjoy her blog.

Papaya for skin complexion {Reader’s Tip}

Swathy · September 25, 2011 · 1 Comment

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.