Swathy and Sky

The Body Shop Aqua Lily Body Mist {Product Review}

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I bought this one at 20% discount recently in May.
Price: 545 INR for 100ml
My Experience
Since this is a body mist, it has 75% Denat Alcohol. I have applied it both on bare skin and on the clothes and even though it has so much concentration of alcohol, I didn’t find it drying my skin. Before I review this, I would say that I can’t take strong smells. They give me instant headaches. So, when I first used it, I hated the smell coz I found it was too strong for my taste and instantly regretted wasting all that money. But, gradually, I started using it just to finish it and I found that though it is an artificial smell, it does relieve you when you are tired. It has a refreshing smell and one gradually tends to like it. But, a very big con with this one is that it doesn’t stay for more than 3-4 hours. One has to either spritz it again or spritz it so strong in one go only that it becomes difficult to handle the smell. But, otherwise, it is worth a try!!!
My Recommendation
Do spritz it in the shop and decide whether you like it or not before buying it. I was in a hurry and chose this just on the basis of its name but I am not regretting it, though. But, yup, it is definitely costly coz I wouldn’t say that bottle will last more than a month for one who uses it regularly.

The Body Shop Olive Body Scrub {Product Review}

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You can love it or hate it!!!
Price: 300 INR for smaller tub (approx.) (I got it at 50% sale)
Ingredients
I have the smaller tub and I guess ingredients are not listed on it.
My Experience
The first thing you notice is its smell. Its bad 🙁 The scrub is a gross green in color and is not runny at all which is good. It has apparently apricot granules and they are not scratchy or harsh like in their Spiced Vanilla Scrub. Except for its smell, its actually a really nice scrub though it might feel a little mild for some people on the body especially on the areas of thighs and hips where there is more of fat. It makes the skin really soft and supple. It does not dry the skin out but you should always follow scrubbing with a moisturizer. And, it keeps your skin soft for 2-3 days easily.
A big disappointment I faced with TBS scrubs are that they get over really soon and when you are paying such high prices for a product you do expect 10 washes out of it at least. So, that’s a con. A very big problem also arises due to the fact that the product gets stuck on the lid and the screw area of the lid. Its sold in the tubs (big and small) so a little of water does enter every time you use the scrub which is pretty unhygienic if a lot of people put their hands in the tub.
My Recommendation
Yes. It will suit the normal to dry skin and even sensitive skin. It is gentle enough for that but kindly keep away from the face. A bit harsh for it.

How to make green tea? {DIY}

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I had once upon a time done a post on the beauty benefits of green tea. But, making green tea properly is a little tricky. Properly made green tea provides plethora of benefits but if not made properly, not only does it not give the benefits but also tastes horrible. If it tastes bitter or too bland, then you are not making it correctly.
Green Tea is the least processed tea leaves after white tea so the leaves are very delicate and can burn at higher temperatures. The optimal temperature of water for green tea is 75 degrees. Even a little bit more would spoil the leaves, burn them and cause the taste to turn bitter at which point you are not receiving any benefits from drinking the tea. So, how to make it properly?
Here’s what I do. I don’t take more than a tea spoon of tea leaves. I always use loose powder because the instant tea bags need to go more processing than the loose powder.I boil my water in electric kettle coz it happens faster. So, after it boils, I leave the kettle open for 15 minutes for the water to cool down. Then, after 15 minutes are over, pour the water over the tea leaves in a cup and stir it with a spoon for two minutes exactly (a minute more would make the tea taste bitter). Strain the tea and drink it. You can add honey as a sweetener but it tastes better without that or you can also add 4-5 drops of lemon for extra flavor.
Instead of throwing the used leaves, I pour boiling water over the leaves and leave it over night. In the morning, I strain the leaves and use the liquid either as a toner, pour it in my bath water, wash my face or use it as a hair rinse.
I like the Tetley brand of green tea particularly. Heard that Twining is good but I have not used the Fab India one. But, I had used their Tulsi something tea which I didn’t particularly like. And, there are a lot of flavors in the market in various brands. So, you can use any!!