Swathy and Sky

Beauty Formulas Heat & Cleanse Clay Mask {Product Review}

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Price: Rs 175 for one package which includes 3 treatments
Ingredients
Pros
– is deep cleansing mask
– cleans the pores well
– relaxing for the skin because of its self-heating properties
Cons
– definitely expensive!!! 
– I wish self-heating stays for longer
My Experience
I found this at one of the New U shelves and it intrigued me so much that I picked it up. There were other packs also from Beauty Formulas which are worth a try, I suppose!! One of things which attracted me was the ingredient Zeolite which is the second on the list. Zeolite is a mineral and a type of clay like multani mitti. It occurs in many types and most used for water purification. It is also used in body detoxification. 
The product has 3 separate pouches. It is white in color with small blue beads which I am supposing are jojoba beads. The product has to be applied on wet face as water activates the heat in the mask. It goes like a completely transparent gel on to the skin and heats up immediately. The heat is like a really warm towel placed on your face and feels very relaxing.
Its supposed to be kept for 60 seconds but I generally keep it for 10 minutes. The product in a single packet is actually more than you can use at one time but its not storage-friendly so you have to use it at one go. So, I use it on my neck too but it can cover still more than that!!! Results? My skin feels cleansed and my pores look smaller afterwards. It didn’t remove all my blackheads though!!! But, overall, I really liked the mask and its worth a try. 
Have you tried this product?

Sunscreen and Myths {Skin Care}

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One of the reasons why I am doing many posts on sunscreen again is to raise the awareness that it is an important part of skin care routine. Today, I shall be talking about some of the myths concerning sunscreens. Hope this helps clear some of your doubts.

Myth: Sunblocks are better than Sunscreens
There is no such thing as sunblock and I have mentioned this in one of earlier posts too. Earlier, physical sunscreens (which include Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide) were called sunblocks as they scatter or reflect the sun’s rays when they fall int he skin as opposed to being absorbed and converted into heat energy which happens in case of using chemical sunscreens. 
But, now, FDA (Food and Drug Administration), US has passed out certain rules regarding the labelling of sunscreens in which it has banned the use of certain terms “sweat-proof, water-proof, sunblock, dermatologist tested” as they are misleading. I know these rules are not applicable on Indian products but it at least shows that these terms do not really mean anything. 
Even the labels of spf 70, spf 90, spf 100 have been banned. If a sunscreen provides higher protection, it should be labelled as spf 50+. You can see Neutrogena following these labelling standards to get an idea.  
““Waterproof,” “sweatproof” or “sunblock” claims. Manufacturers cannot label sunscreens as “waterproof” or “sweatproof,” or identify their products as “sunblocks,” because these claims overstate their effectiveness. Sunscreens also cannot claim to provide sun protection for more than 2 hours without reapplication or to provide protection immediately after application (for example– “instant protection”) without submitting data to support these claims and obtaining FDA approval. (Source)“
Myth: SPF 100 gives me better protection than SPF 50
Spf 15 filters out 93% sun’s rays, spf 30 filters out 96.4% sun’s rays and spf 50 filters out 97.6% (near abouts). And, any spf higher than 50 gives only a marginal increase but there is no sunscreen which can filter out 100% sun’s rays. For Indian climate, spf 30 is enough but if you are over-inclined, spf 50 is good. Anything higher is a false claim.
Myth: Layering of products with sunscreen will give me enough protection
I have talked of this issue earlier that spf’s of various products do not add up!!! They all act as a single layer of sunscreen and provide the protection of the highest spf factor.

Myth: I don’t need a sunscreen when indoors
UVA rays can penetrate through windows and glass. Read this post for more information about them. So, you need at least an spf 15 when staying indoors.

Myth: A drop of my new sunscreen keeps my face protected.
As a rule, you should apply one teaspoon or two fingers length of sunscreen to your face and neck. And, I know that’s a lot. But, if you do not apply the said amount, the efficacy of your sunscreen is reduced according to the amount applied. So, even if you are using a spf 50 sunscreen, improper application might be giving you benefits of only spf 10 or 20. So, apply proper amount of sunscreen to protect yourself well.

These are some of the myths I have come across in my course of blogging, the top most being the confusion between sunscreen and sunblock. I hope this post helps to debunk those myths.

Do layers of sunscreens help? {Skin Care}

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The first rule of applying sunscreen – The spf’s of various products don’t add up!!! If you are applying a moisturiser with spf, say x, then a sunscreen / foundation / BB cream with spf, say y, and then finish off with a mineral compact which again provides some spf, say z, factor, you can’t say that the sum total of your sun protection factor is spf x+y+z.
But, something else bothers me in this rule!!! Well, when we have layers of product with spf factors, x, y or z, which spf does apply on the skin – x, y or z? Or, does it work like a filtering mechanism? Meaning, if supposing the top layer has spf of z, those many rays are allowed to pass (remember even 50 spf allows 2% sun rays to pass through, it provides around 98% protection!!). And, then, the next product spf, which is y, again filters out the rays according to its strength and so on!!
Does that happen at all? Well. logically speaking, it does seem quite probable but I don’t know how much of that really applies in practice. Would be great if some sunscreen expert can answer such questions!!! What are your thoughts on it?