What to apply instead of night creams according to your skin type.

Hello girls .. I hope everyone is having a great day and why not .. Its winter and Christmas is coming soon .. I know ya'll must be pretty excited too.
A lot of friends of my age asked me if they should start applying night creams. Well I'm a fan of night creams and I think that only when you start using them is when you will know why they are needed. On the other hand, I highly recommend night creams for women above 30's but for us in 20's you can also make your skin feel great by using these instead :)

For oily or acne prone skin
So if you have a oily and acne prone skin, you need to take out that extra oil and sebum from your skin in the night. For doing this, you need to wash your face first with a neem or tea tree based face wash and follow it with rose water. Rose water acts as a toner that shrinks your pores hereby making your skin tighter and firmer. Other than that, you can also use aloe vera gel, aloe vera will calm your skin and also give it a glow.

For dry skin
Now what I'm going to say next, a lot of beauty experts may kill me for it but I personally have tried it and for people who have dry skin, you can use boroline on your face at night. You might feel a lot of heaviness on your skin when you go to bed but when you are going to wake up, everything will be absorbed and the only thing that will be left will be your really really soft skin. :)
If you don't want to use this, you can also apply almond oil, It will get absorbed into your skin pretty quick and will not leave any residue.

How to tame those dark circles

Hello beautiful girls ! Today's post is going to be all about those unruly darkness underneath your eyes, how to reduce them and how to make them disappear using makeup. So this post is going to be in 2 parts : Natural methods and Makeup tricks

Natural ways to reduce dark circles
In this part I'm going to write about the tips I personally have tried and experienced visible reduction in dark circles.

1. Ice cubes -
Keeping ice cubes on tired and puffy eyes can reduce puffiness and also give them rest hereby reducing and avoiding the darkness.

2. Cucumber -
You can also repeat the same procedure with cucumber slices instead. It freshens up your eyes and reduces pain or strain.

You can also replace ice cubes and cucumber with a cold spoon, tea bag or a gel eye bag.

3 Almond oil -
So someone told me that pure almond oil can reduce dark circles so I decided to give it a try. I didn't feel much at first but 1-2 weeks later I really could see them disappear. All you need to do is apply a little almond oil on your problem area before you sleep and wash it off in the morning.

Other than these, you also need to stay hydrated, eat healthy and get 6-8 hours of your beauty sleep.

Makeup tricks 

There is not much secret to the tricks, just a few simple steps,

1.Apply eye cream first, this wouldn't let your concealer crease underneath your eyes.

2. Before concealing, apply orange colored corrector on problem areas. This will cancel out the blue color of your dark circles and give out a neutral skin color.

3. Apply concealer in a triangular shape rather than just dabbing on affected area.

You can also apply under eye creams. They are super helpful if you need quick results. 

That's all for now, hope it was helpful. Comment and tell me if I missed something. :)

Tips you need to keep in mind while highlighting and contouring your face

Hello girls ! :)

I hope everyone's having a great day. Today, I'm going to give you some tricks and tips you need to keep in mind if you are new to this highlight and contouring thing in makeup. Doing what doesn't suit your face can be disastrous and you can end up looking opposite of you wanted to be. So here it goes

1. Primer is necessary
So if you are new to all this makeup thing, you might ignore primer just like a lot of other girls do out there but trust me when I say that "primer is necessary". It can hide your fine lines and pores, help your foundation spread easily, make your makeup stay longer and give it a good finish. There are a lot of primers in the market and you can also order them online. You can choose from a lot of primers according to your skin type.

2. Apply primer especially to areas where it is much needed.
While applying primer, you need to make sure that you concentrate on the areas of your face where you get most oil, if you have a oily skin or to the areas of more fine lines. Don't forget it.

3. Conceal but don't over do it.
Remember to conceal the areas where you have redness, dark spots etc. But you don't want to apply it wherever you want. Stick to the areas only that need concealing. Also there are different shades that you can use to conceal different areas of your face.

4. Don't apply foundation to the areas you have already concealed.
Though you can actually use foundation on your cheek even after concealing but remember to apply only a thin layer as applying too much can make your face look caky. Avoid applying foundation to the under eye part if you have already concealed it. I do recommend concealing under eye.

5. Highlighting
Highlighting is for the areas on your face that you want to look bigger. So make sure that you choose wisely. If you have a big forhead, avoid highlighting it. Same is with the chin and other parts. You need to understand the need of your face while doing so.

6. Contouring 
Contouring defines the boundaries of your face so you need to be careful with that too. Contouring can make the areas of your face look smaller. So if you have a big forehead, contour it well but if you have a smaller one, minimal contouring is advised or you can also skip it.

7. Setting your makeup
For setting your makeup, you need to use a setting powder for a more matte finish. Just make sure that you use powder only on the highlighted areas and bronzer on the areas you have countered.

8. Complement it with a blush.
You can complement your whole look by using a good blush. Doing so will highlight your apples of cheek and make them look lifted up.

Budget Bodylotions for winters !

Hey, I hope you are having a great day. Its getting colder day by day and winters does bring dryness in my skin and I think that its very much the same with everyone. But being a student, I can't really spend a lot on expensive body butters and stuff. So, here are some of the body lotions which are budget friendly and that can beat the dryness and bring out moisturized skin this winters.

Garnier skin naturals body cocoon lotion -
This lotion is one of those which I have been using for a lot of time. Its creamy and with amazing smell. It keeps your skin moisturized for a long time and is not heavy on your pocket. Price - 115 INR

Dove essential nourishment body lotion - 

Dove body lotion is also another option to choose from. Its subtle and not at all overpowering yet amazing smell leaves you smelling good and your skin moisturized. Price - 180 INR

Oriflame silk beauty white glow body lotion -
I'm using this particular body lotion right now and I love it. It is light scented, I love how it smells. It is pretty moisturizing and keeps my skin hydrated for about a day long. Price - 499 INR

Himalya cocoa butter intensive body lotion -
This body lotion is not at all heavy on your pocket and your skin will feel moisturized for a long time after using it. It makes skin soft and supple. It is sweetly scented, (the cocoa smell). If you don't mind the cocoa smell, it is a great body lotion. Price - 140 INR

Vaseline total moisture 24hr nourishing lotion -
It is one of the most sold bodylotion in India and rightfully so, owing to its amazing yet light scent, high absorbancy in your skin and light on your pocket, this body lotion is another best pick of Indian females in winter. Price - 185 INR

Lotus almond nourish daily nourishing lotion - It is a decent lotion if you have a normal to combination skin. Loaded with SPF 20, this lightly scented yet amazingly moisturizing lotion is the one you can't resist to buy. Price - 255 INR

Lakme skin gloss winter intense moisturiser - If you love lakme products like me, this is yet another great launch from the brand. This moisturiser is absorbed fast and keeps your skin hydrated for long without a hole in your pocket. Price - 120 INR

Winter special ! Lakme gentle and soft deep pore cleanser

Hello everyone ! I hope everyone's having a great day. :)
So winter is here and I love winters. You get to get cozy in your blanket having your favorite beverage, nights are longer, because its Christmas in winters and what not. But my skin gets really dry in winters so I need to keep it moisturized all the time. For a dry skinned person, winters can bring a really tough time.
Using a good face wash that will hydrate your skin along with cleansing can be the first step towards a good winter skin care regime.
So today I'm going to review Lakme gentle and soft deep pore cleanser.

Price - Rs 170/- INR

Shelf life - 24 months

Skin type - Normal to dry skin

Packaging -

The lakme gentle and soft deep pore cleanser comes in a sturdy plastic bottle similar to lakme peach milk, sunscreen and other lakme products. It has a tangerine blue cap and off white bottle. The bottle opening is good as only desired amount comes out.

Ingredients and claim -

My take - Lakme gentle and soft deep pore cleanser has a creamy consistency. You don't need a large amount of the product to cover your face. It spreads effortlessly on the face and washing off isn't that big issue.

It is lightly scented and the smell goes of pretty quick after washing.
About my experience after washing, I must say that I loved it ! Its not at all drying and my face feels supple and soft after washing. I don't have that very dry skin but in winters, I do need to take some action against all the dryness. I think it is a really great cleanser for people who have dry skin.

How I use it - In winters, I do use it for washing my face sometimes, but on the other days, I have made it a part of my beauty regime. I take a small amount of this product and use it before scrubing or mix it with my scrub. It gives me a better consistency for reaching the whole face and keeps my scrub from drying out fast.

Pros -
- creamy texture. So, spreads easily.
- not too pricey.
- doesn't dry out my skin. So, good for dry skinned people.
- smell is not overpowering.
- cleans up my face pretty well.
- contains vitamin E and avocado extracts which are good for skin.

Cons -
- contains Propylene glycol and Parabens.

Rating - 4/5

Will I buy it ? - Yes, I highly recommend it for dry skinned beauties and esp for winter season but its not like u can't use it in summers.

How to DIY instantly de-tan skin my way

Hey cuties !
Marriage season is on the go and who doesn't wish to shine out in the wedding. Whether you are the bride or her sister or her friend or bridesmaid, everyone wants to look perfect. But sometimes the tanning, dark spots and dullness comes in the way. But worry no more ! Here are the tricks that I use to instantly lighten up my skin for that perfect look.

Turmeric face pack -

You'll need -

• 1 part turmeric powder
• 3 parts gram flour (besan)
• Milk cream and milk (for mixing)
• Almond oil (optional)

Take turmeric powder and gram flour in a bowl. Mix them with the help of milk to attain desired consistency, Add milk cream for moisturizing effect. Adding almond oil is optional but you'll have a lot more added benefits if you add almond oil.

Apply this mixture on your face and neck. Once dried, wash it with cold water and pat dry.

This face pack nourishes dull skin, gives it a golden glow and is also very effective in reducing dark spots and tanning. Repeat it twice a week to get good results.

Multani mitti (Fuller's earth) face pack -

You'll need -

• Multani mitti/Fuller's earth
• Rose water
• Chandan/Sandalwood powder (optional)

Mix multani mitti with rose water. You can easily get rose water in  market or you can DIY it by taking rose petals and boiling them in water. Once the petals go transparent, you'll know that your DIY rose water is done. You can also add chandan for added benefits. Mix them all to attain desired consistency. Apply on face and neck, let it dry and then wash off with cold water. Pat dry. Repeat it twice a week to get good results.

This face pack shrinks your skin pores thus reducing pimples. It also reduces wrinkles and is very effective in removing tanning. win-win :D

Lemon -

You can also use lemon juice to attain glowing skin. All you need to do is take lemon juice and apply on desired areas, let it get dried. Now, take a towel and dip it in lukewarm water, remove the lemon juice off your skin by wiping it off with this towel. Result, instantly lightened skin.

Potato -

Mash potatoes and apply the juice to desired areas, let it dry and then wash off with cold water. Potatoes are really good for skin lightening and enhancing its texture. But you'll need to repeat this procedure daily to attain desired results. 

Bleach -

Now if you don't have much time and you want to lighten up your skin tone instantly, bleaching is always a good and fast method. I do not recommend it much, but if you want really fast skin lightening, you can try it out. I basically use it for reducing tan instantly on my arms and legs if I need to go to a party or any occasion. 

Oriflame essentials 5 in 1 fairness face cream review

Hey cuties ! I hope everyone's having a great day. Today, I'm back with yet another review. I hope ya'll will like it. Don't forget to comment and tell me if you guys liked this review.

So today, we have the oriflame 5 in 1 fairness cream under the review torch. I personally love the brand as mostly all the products from it are good with my skin.

Price - Rs 329/- INR

Quantity - 75g

Shelf life - 3 years

Skin type - All skin types

Packaging - The oriflame essentials comes in a sturdy tub packaging with pink colored cap and white colored tub.

Ingredients - AQUA, ETHYLHEXYL STEARATE, GLYCERIN, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, CETYL ALCOHOL, GLYCERYL STEARATE SE, STEARYL ALCOHOL, DIMETHICONE, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, CETEARETH-20, CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE, CERA MICROCRISTALLINA, PARFUM, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, CARBOMER, STEARIC ACID, METHYLPARABEN, PALMITIC ACID, PROPYLPARABEN, BHT, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, ISOPROPYL MYRISTATE, NIACINAMIDE, MORUS ALBA EXTRACT, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, SODIUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, MALTODEXTRIN, SODIUM ASCORBYL PHOSPHATE, ARACHIDIC ACID, LAURIC ACID, MYRISTIC ACID, PYRIDOXINE HCL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, SILICA

Claims - The oriflame essentials 5 in 1 fairness face cream claims to moisturize, nourish, protect, lighten and smooth skin.

My take on the product -
The oriflame essentials fairness 5 in 1 fairness cream is yet another budget friendly face cream from the essentials range from the house of oriflame. I was attracted towards this cream as it claimed to give my skin all the 5 benefits at once.
Firstly, taking about the texture of the product, it is white and creamy as you can see in the picture. It has a really good smell, its close to rose like smell which I think most of the oriflame products have but it didn't stay for long .

Once it spreads, it is absorbed into the skin instantly and doesn't give you any oily feel. Though, I would recommend this cream for dry skinned people more because it does moisturize your skin really well. Oily skinned ones may find it a little too moisturizing. I have a normal skin so I plan to use it in winters. 

Talking about the fairness part, I personally didn't feel any lightening effect on my skin but it didn't darken my skin either. I'm not sure about how it will protect my skin because there is nothing given about the SPF content. It did smooth and nourish my skin because my skin felt fresh and moisturized after using it.

Pros -
- Not too heavy on your pocket.
- Nice smell.
- Good at moisturizing, nourishing and smoothing part of the claim.

Cons -
- Tub packaging is not hygienic.
- Didn't notice any lightening of skin.
- Not sure how it will protect my skin.

Rating - 3/5

Will I buy it ?
Though it did moisturize my skin really well and I loved the smell, yet, I think that looking at the price, this cream didn't do much. So maybe I'll just use it as my daily winter moisturizer and never look back again.