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Homemade Oil Regulating Skin Toner {DIY}

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Hey Everyone!!!
This is a continuing post about Apple Cider Vinegar. In the last post, you read about its health benefits and also the beauty benefits so today I am sharing with you a DIY recipe which include Apple Cider Vinegar.
Ingredients
  • Green Tea
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Essential Oils (Lavender / Tea Tree / Your favorites except Lemon and Citrus family) (optional)
Method
Prepare fresh green tea. In a container, pour 9 tablespoons of the green tea and one tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar. Pour it in the spray bottle. You can put 5 drops of your preferred essential oil too. I prefer making small batches as the green tea is likely to get spoiled if kept for too long though Apple Cider Vinegar will help keep the toner fresh for a little while. Now, your toner is ready for use. It should last around three days to a week depending on the frequency of your usage. Now, store the toner in the fridge.
We use only 1:9 ratio because the Apple Cider Vinegar is highly acidic and higher concentrations of ACV can irritate the skin. At this concentration, ACV is best for the skin and is effective enough to fight the infections and inflammations.
Coming to the usage, this toner is very stinky (let me warn you!!). So, you probably can’t use it outside your house (unless you are using essential oils and its masking the vinegar smell). So, the best time to use this is at night after cleansing your face. Follow cleansing with toning using this toner and follow with a moisturizer when your face is still damp with the toner, if required. Just to reiterate from the last post, ACV tightens the pores, helps with breakouts, controls oil production and keeps the skin soft. It even helps with the problem of blackheads. And, using ACV externally has no health risks associated with it. So, you can be free of that doubt. This toner can easily be used by people with oily, combination and normal skin types but I am not so sure with dry skin but I think even dry skin people can use it in summers.
I am using this toner since quite some days. Sometimes, I don’t apply moisturizer after toning my skin as its very hot (I know thats stupid so don’t do that ever; find a light moisturizer if not anything else) and my skin didn’t feel tight or strechy but in the morning, my skin was soft and supple.
Tips
  • You can use rose water or tea tree water or even your favorite toner in place of green tea.
  • Essential Oils are helpful in warding of the vinegar smell.
  • Wipe off your face with this toner in the morning instead of washing your face. It will take off all the dirt (if any). The smell will disappear in 15 minutes. And, while showering, you can simply splash water on the face.
P.S. Actually, regarding the smell, I noticed today that the toner smells really horrible but there is no smell on the skin after you apply it so it can be applied at anytime of the day. Its actually a good toner when you need to control the oiliness on your face or clean your face in the absence of any cleanser. Vinegar cleanses the dirt from the skin so using the toner will help you get rid of all the dirt accumulated on the face. Ok, may be not a very good option for people who wear makeup. But, it didn’t remove the Biotique Kajal I use from my eyes. Oh, btw, keep the toner away from your open eyes. Obviously, it will sting badly. Wipe the toner on your eyes keeping them closed firmly.

Chocolate Anti-Aging Mask {DIY}

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Its been too many days since I have put up any beauty tip. So, today, just to pamper myself I made a chocolate mask.
Ingredients –
  • Cocoa powder
  • Fresh Sugarcane Juice
Yup!! Only two things and it is very simple to get sugarcane juice as summers are approaching and you would have many hawkers putting up sugarcane juice stalls.
Cocoa Powder is an amazingly moisturizing ingredient as you all are very well aware of. It also has anti-aging and anti-oxidant properties.
And, fresh sugarcane juice has glycolic acid which is one of the most important Alpha Hydroxy Acids which are very important for skin. It firms up your skin, removes the dead skin cells, makes the skin glow like anything, reduces pigmentation on regular usage and has amazing anti-aging properties.
Result: A very soft skin which glows instantly. You might not require a moisturizer if you have normal skin otherwise if you have dry skin then follow up with a little of moisturizer or your favorite oil. Even combination skin and oily skin can benefit from this mask as glycolic acid is extremely good for controlling oil production of the skin so you need not worry about the mask being heavy.
One thing about this mask is that it does dry up unlike mixing chocolate with honey. And, when you are removing it, it comes off very easily so do try it out and post your views 🙂
Update: The best results are seen on the next morning after applying the mask. So, apply this mask at night and take your regular deep beauty sleep. And, voila!! Next morning your face would be glowing 🙂

Double Cleansing to get rid of Makeup {Skin Care}

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As you all would already be aware, makeup is terribly drying for skin. But, not to worry since there are lot of cleansers and other products available to wash off the makeup from your face. But, with make up, it is always better to cleanse your face twice. This is called Double Cleansing. First round of cleansing would be to get rid of the makeup and all the dirt in your face and second round would be to clean your face properly to free it of all traces of the product.
Why should everyone do double cleansing?
Double cleansing can be done even if you do not wear make up. It is especially useful for people who spend a lot of time in sun or dusty areas. Everyone uses sunscreen now a days. Sunscreen has the same chemical structure as does the other makeup products because of which a simple cleanser will not be able to get rid of the sunscreen completely from your skin. This applies even if you prefer either chemical or physical sunscreens. Thus, a need for double cleansing.
Ways to remove make up from face:
How to Double Cleanse your face?
  • Use a makeup removing cleanser to wash your face first. You can instead use any makeup removing gels or cleansing milk or cleansing oil which ever suits you best. Generally, oil + water is the best way to go for double cleansing. You can also start with removing makeup with wiping tissues first.
  • Cleansing should be done in circular motions with upward strokes just like a facial massage. Do not forget the delicate eye area, the area around the lips and the ears, your neck and the upper part of your chest. Cleansing should be done wherever you have applied sunscreen or any body part that has remain exposed even if it is feet. And, an area which tends to go ignored most is along the hairline.
  • Wash off the cleanser thoroughly with cold water splashes. Let your skin relax a bit and let it dry. Now, check for the dirt and grime in your skin. If your skin is completely clean, you can proceed with a minimal amount of cleanser for the next wash. If not, a little more with a little of massage would be necessary. So, it is always advised to devote time and clean your face first time diligently removing all the makeup from everywhere otherwise you might need to wash your face 3-4 times which is never advisable.
  • Follow with washing your face next time and you are done.
Some precautions to take care of:
  • Never try to scrub off your makeup. This will instead cause your makeup to get into the pores. So, if you are planning to scrub, remove the makeup first and then follow with the cleansing and then use the scrub.
  • Do not be too harsh on your skin. Use gentle products which are not drying. Cleansing oils are very much available these days. Making use of them would be much more sensible for any skin type even oily and sensitive.
  • Do not over wash your skin and body. And, moisturize well after removing the makeup. And, no double cleansing would not be too drying for your skin unless you are over doing it.
Homemade Cleanser
In a bowl, pour adequate amount of milk and add 5-6 drops of almond oil. Almond oil is best at removing make-up and lactic acid in milk aids cleaning of the skin moisturizing it simultaneously. Mix them. Refrain from adding anything else because you want to clean your face. At max, I would suggest you to add only lemon juice in case of oily skin as it controls the oil production. Take a wash cloth or sponge, dip it in the mixture and apply it to your face in circular motions as advised above. Follow with your favorite cleanser or with milk again and you would get a glowing skin.