Swathy and Sky

pH level and Citrus Fruits {Skin Care}

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Citrus Fruits are one of the most loved fruits for DIY because they lend freshness and cleanse the skin really well. But, they are also very harsh on the skin because of their acidity so one should use them in moderation and also, they make the skin photosensitive. 
So, why should we really bother ourselves with these fruits? Well, because not all citrus fruits have the same level of acidity. Some are gentler on skin and can be used by sensitive skins as well. pH level is the measure of acidity of the fruit. Any chemical is either acidic or alkaline in nature and generally, fruits are acidic.

Some are alkaline as well. But, right now, we are talking about citrus fruits and they are acidic so let us look at the pH values of some widely available fruits to know which can be used safely on skin and which should be avoided. Though, lemon is the most loved citrus fruit. 
Most Acidic Fruits
Tangerine – 3.90, Grapefruit – 3.38, Lime – 2.40, Lemon – 2.30
Least Acidic Fruits
Mandarin – 11.50, Orange – 4.35, Kumquat – 3.95
Also, remember that as the fruit ages, its acidity decreases.(Source)
Now, the pH level of the skin around 5.4 so if you use orange instead of lemon, its more gentle on skin. Even I was surprised to know that mandarin is alkaline and not acidic. When I was writing this post, I was reminded that I prefer tomatoes to lemon so checked its pH value as well. 
pH value of fresh tomato ranges between 4.3 and 4.9 (source). In fact, potato is also considered to be great for skin. Its pH value lies between 5 and 6.5 which is relatively very less acidic and more gentle on skin. So, you can now customize your home remedies according to the pH levels of the ingredients 🙂

Shahnaz Husain Beauty Tips

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I was too lazy to write a new post today and found this ASK SHAHNAZ column in Metro Plus, The Hindu. So, I am sharing those tips here and the credit for this entire article goes to the newspaper. For those who are not aware, Shahnaz Husain is the propagator for beauty industry in India. 
Pimple Marks
  • Mix rice powder with curd and scrub with this paste once or twice a week. Do not use this if you have active acne or pimples, though!! This is only for marks.
  • This is a regular tip. Mix honey and lemon juice and apply on face everyday for 15 minutes. But, I would suggest the sensitive skin people to stay away from lemon and instead go for tomato or cucumber juice.
  • Apply face mask of multani mitti (Indian clay), rose water and lemon juice which is again a regular tip for half hour. 
Dandruff and Greasy Scalp
  • Use lemon water for last rinse. Mix juice of one lemon in half glass of water (around 200ml). And, let the hair air dry.
  • Massage two table spoons of vinegar on scalp half hour before shampooing. [My Tip: Rosemary Essential Oil is amazing for dandruff!]
  • Egg white helps control oily scalp so massage it twenty minutes before washing your hair. 
  • Include fresh fruits, raw salads, sprouts and yogurt in your daily diet. Drink lot of water daily. Having lemon water first thing in the morning also helps. 
Blister developed due to Mosquito bite
  • Never ever scratch the bump or blister. 
  • Dip a tea bag in cold water and apply it on the blister to calm it down and soothe the swelling.
  • Honey, aloevera gel or apple cider vinegar can also be applied as a spot treatment. [My Tip: Light hand massage of Aloevera gel really helps!!]
Excess Sweat and Body Odor 
  • Wear fresh clothes and bathe twice a day, if possible. [My tip: Make sure your clothes dry in good sun even if not direct sunlight!]
  • Add one tea spoon of alum and crushed mint leaves to your bath water. 
  • Tea Tree essential oil also helps with body odor and controlling sweat. Mix two drops with rose water or normal water and apply on the sweaty areas of the body using cotton ball.

My Haul and other products!!

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French Cypress Essential Oil and Vetiver Water

So, let me try to get over the home sickness and blogging work by putting up pics of some of the products I got from there, used there and hauled there. On a second note, the Diwali pics were not that great so I am skipping putting those pics 🙁 My arms are looking like a wrestlers 😀 Yup, I do have really fat arms!! Anyways, check out the pics.

Yummy smell!!

vanilla body butter duo I got for dad

this is the German version of classic nivea creme which is said to be really good which took care of dry patches I developed there

my cousin got this sample for me when he went to Germany and it smells really good

cup cakes from Spice and Sugar at Khan Market – liked this and their wraps as well..do check the bakery there!!

somebody gifted us Kaju Barfi (we don’t buy sweets generally) and my mouth is watering right now!!

that’s the rangoli I made…ok, don’t laugh!! That’s the second ever I made in my entire existence 😐

And, I also got Palmolive Thermal Spa Coconut and Jojoba butter body wash or something which also smells like cocoa butter and really yummy!!! I didn’t get it to Hyderabad but would definitely buy it when I find it here. Also, it probably doesn’t have SLS so double fayda 😀
Btw, let me tell you my experience at Kama shop. They have wide enough range and their soaps are yummy smelling but damn expensive (around 400 for 100gms). They have vetiver, mogra (jasmine) and rose distilled waters. They are worth a try, especially the vetiver and jasmine.
I have yet to figure out how to use it. It does say its a face and body mist but I don’t know if it lingers on. Will wait till my nose gets ok. Anyways, back to the shop, their EO’s are all 800 bucks but they look smell really nice and pure. They have around 14 EO’s, will definitely buy them. 
One more thing which attracted me was the shampoo which is like 1000 bucks and they don’t have samples so I didn’t want to take a risk. With SLS free shampoos, my experiences are really not going that great. Honestly, they don’t remove oil. 
Oh btw, did I mention they also have extra virgin coconut and sesame and even almond oil. So, that’s the nutshell of the products which I liked. Of course, there are many others. One more product which I wanted to try, but had done my shopping by then, was their body oil which had lily and something!!

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