Swathy and Sky

How do I control my temptation to splurge?

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We are all humans and we get tempted. As the saying goes “Temptation is the curse” and it happens to the best of us. So, I just wanted to share how do I control mine?
  • I have my priorities listed regarding the products I try. For example, I am not even an amateur in makeup so that saves a lot of my money!!!
  • I have only a few categories of products which attract me. For example, I like to dabble in face masks a lot but not all face scrubs snatch my attention. I like to try out hair masks which are supposed to be applied before shampooing as I feel its a better value for your money and gives better nutrition to your hair and saves me a lot of time too in the bathroom!!! I do not generally get attracted by face washes and least by face moisturizers but then, I do like to switch body and facial oils. I hope you get the general idea.
  • Not all brands attract me!!! For example, I have never bought a VLCC or a Jovees or even Shahnaz Hussain (I bought one but it was so horrible that I returned it at once, it was a sunscreen, sorry for the strong words but I can’t be gentle about that product) coz they don’t simply seem effective enough for me. Then, there is Fab India which initially attracted me but whenever I go to their stores, I come out empty-handed. And, then, there is Biotique which is pretty much a debatable brand but still I like its products simply coz they attract me and also, they work for me. I wouldn’t talk about Lush, TBS and other high-end brands coz I don’t have that much of pocket size. A few splurges during my birthday and spirit uplifts is different though 😀
  • So, list out the brands which really attract you and you feel will work on you. No point spending on brands which do not attract you but you have read good things about unless it addresses some specific skin issue you might have.
  • Another priority is the ingredients or natural products. I tend to go for herbal products more so you would find more of Biotique and none of Neutrogena unless you are talking about sunscreens. So, decide if you are comfortable with having certain ingredients in your products!!! For example, I am fine with parabens but not with SLS/SLES in my face wash or shampoo and I am still searching for a good shampoo.
  • Ok, here is another thing about ingredients. If a product claims to have sandalwood and saffron at a mere pennies cost then you can be sure its hardly there. After all, saffron is the costliest spice in the world!!! And, then the gold scrubs or diamond facial kits at a cost of Rs 500 – 1000 doesn’t make sense to me. I do not find those products genuine so I tend to skip such products.
  • Spending money has become even more easier with the online shops available which deliver goods to our doorstep and you can order at one click so you should be extra careful there with the credit cards and other forms of smart money you have!!!
  • I am a patient shopper most of the times. As I said, not many brands attract me but when something catches my eye, I try to spend sometime mulling over the product and deciding if its worth or not unless its something very much affordable. I try not to spend even 50 bucks unnecessarily. No, its not caution or miserly tendency but its about not accumulating unwanted products and then forced to use them!!!
  • I don’t know if this works for you or not but I have noticed that when I do not do impulse shopping, generally, the products, more or less, work for me. That is one of the other reason why I try to avoid impulse shopping.
  • And, there is one more thing. There are some products in the market which are worth their prices so splurging on them makes sense because they really do wonders to your hair and bodies. One of such brands is Kerastese which I desperately want to try but the price ranges are too huge so I am saving up for it 🙂
These are somethings which I consider when I spend money. But, when it comes to reviewing of the products, I am generally more open to options but I still have my own priorities listed in that too. Reviewing well-known brands is safe but I do tend to take my time when I am considering new brands and a lot depends on how much they attract me too. Temptation does play a part, after all 😉
How do you spend and splurge?

Almond Oil for Eye Makeup {Reader’s Tip}

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This tip is submitted by Bharti of I Love Korean Drama. Check out her blog too. In the meanwhile, she says:

“Try using Almond oil as eye makeup remover. Will help to condition the lashes and help them to grow ^__^.”

And, don’t forget to read other Reader’s Tips:

What hydrates our skin?

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Hydration is one of the most important issues of skin. And, we use toners, serums and moisturizers to help our skin look supple and hydrated. But, our skin has its own method of keeping itself hydrated. So, the question is what actually keeps the skin hydrated?

Skin Constituents
Skin is mainly made up of water, lipids and proteins. Water is, of course, what keeps it supple and hydrated but there is more to skin than just that.
Yes, our skin also has proteins in form of amino acids, collagen, keratin and many other chemical groups. And, the skin also has lipids which are molecules which create a protective barrier over the skin and guard the skin pores against intrusions from pathogens (bacteria, virus, etc.). Another thing which our skin has as lubrication is ‘sebum’ produced by sebaceous glands on the surface of the skin.They are also one of the kinds of epidermal lipids.
So, we have various things on the skin which provide hydration to the skin – sebum and the other kinds of epidermal lipids (lipids present on the skin surface). Let me also make a point here that there are various kinds of lipids in our body used for numerous function in the tissues and blood. So,we are talking only about the skin lipids.
Now, these lipids have to be replenished continuously. And, as we age, the replenishment of the lipids doesn’t happen as well as in the younger ages. These lipids are mainly made up of fats. That is why it is advised to eat lots of fatty acids for a beautiful supple skin. Vitamin E is one of the most important vitamins found in the lipids. And, Vitamin C which is responsible for collagen production of the skin also takes care of the lipids production on the skin.
So, next time you think about hydrating your skin, hydrate it from the inside as well. All group Vitamins are extremely important for a healthy skin.