Tag: mygirlypedia

All You Need to Know About Facial Gua Sha Tool

What is a Gua Sha tool?
It’s a traditional Chinese medicine tool used to scrape body skin. Facial gua sha is a modified version of it.

How does it works?
It is targeting a stagnant energy in the body, that is the cause for inflammation. Rubbing the tool against the skin helps in breaking this energy, reduce inflammation and thus promotes healing. It also helps in blood circulation.
It was also believed that it helps in getting rid of body heat and negative energy.

What are they made of?
Authentic Gua sha are made of natural materials like, gem stones, animal bone, animal horn etc. Mostly used Gua sha are made of jade or rose quartz or mineral rich stone and shaped in order to fit the contours of face.

However, unlike Jade roller, Gua sha is not about the contact of the stone with skin. It’s about right scraping techniques.

What do you need to use this technique?
Firstly, a gua sha tool. Your favourite skin care product. Be it mist, serum or cream.
Apply the product before using the tool.

How to use it?
With gentle strokes, massage your face with the tool, while applying light to medium pressure. Use the flat surface more than the edge.

Order of massage would be:
1. Neck
2. Jaw line
3. Under eye are
4. Nose bridge
5. Brow bone
6. Forehead

Can we use it daily?
Professionals recommend three times a week for around 15 minutes.

Benefits:
1. Upward strokes helps in lifting and firming the skin.
2. Increased blood flow.
3. Removes stagnant lymph from tissue. This helps in reducing puffiness.
4. With regular use, reduces fine lines and wrinkles.
5. Reduces tension in face, neck and shoulder.
6. Helps in better absorption of the products.

Special Tips:
1. Always apply a cream or oil before using Gua sha. Using the tool on dry surface causes more friction and thus cause more damage to skin.
2. If you have inflammation or pimples or open wound, do not use the tool on them. Use it round them.
3. If you have sunburn, do not use the tool.
4. If you use retinol or any chemical exfoliation, you should be extra cautious while using the tool.
5. Make sure you apply little pressure. If you apply more pressure than needed, this can result in skin breakage.
6. Be careful with the edges. If the tool has any damage and has sharp edge, please get rid of the tool immediately.

 

Most Common New Year’s Resolutions

Hello,

Well, well, it’s the first day of the new year 2020..!!

When we hear new year, resolutions is the word that usually comes with it. Many of us, every year, without fail make some resolutions. Things which we would like to follow or accomplish in the new year. It’s an open secret that very few end up keeping up those resolutions. I am personally so bad at keeping ‘new year’s resolutions’ that, I have just stopped that custom..!!

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PC: Internet

Just for fun, I thought of listing out very common/ universal resolutions most of us usually make every year.

PS : Thanks to me, my friends and colleagues for the inputs. 😝

Here we go,

  • Lose Weight
  • Eat Clean
  • Exercise Daily
  • Travel
  • Stay Happy/ Mental Peace Over Anything & Everything
  • Living Life To The Fullest
  • Less Time With Phone
  • More Time With Family
  • Shop Less. (This isn’t a secret. This is my own resolution. Well, ‘was’. Because I will never be able to accomplish this one. To my other shopaholic friends out there – let’s keep trying..!)
  • Maintain A Journal/ Dairy
  • Get Organized
  • Me Time
  • Start A New Hobby
  • Save/ make more Money
  • Change Jobs
  • Wake Up Early
  • Quit Smoking
  • Quit Drinking
  • Read More
  • Drink More Water

These are some of the most common resolutions I came across.

Add if you know one.

Wish my lovely reader a very happy new year..!! Irrespective of your resolutions, may you make more memories and may you fall in love with your life all over again in the coming days..!!

Loads of love,

Mygirlypedia (Pallavi)

My Detox Water Recipe

Detox water..!

You might have read about this magical water in Mygirlypedia before. If not give it a read here, to know why I call this magical.

We can mix different ingredients and sip this drink to get most of it. Here is the post where I will be sharing the list of ingredients I use to make detox water and benefits of each of them.

What You Need?

  • Fenugreek Seeds
  • Mint Leaves
  • Cucumber
  • Lemon
  • Glass Bottle
  • Water (Obvio) 😋

 

Fenugreek Seeds:

wooden scoop with fenugreek seeds

5 Fenugreek seeds.

Fenugreek/ Methi seeds have lot of health benefits. To name some:

  • Helps in weight loss
  • Improves digestion
  • Reduces cholesterol level
  • Protects heart health
  • Helps in reducing the body heat
  • Boosts immune system
  • Prevents cancer
  • Helps in dissolving kidney stones
  • Relief from stomach disorder
  • Controls Blood Sugar level

 

Mint Leaves:

1 (1)

5 to 6 should be enough.

Health Benefits:

  • Keeps body cool
  • Improves dental health
  • Improves blood circulation
  • Relieves muscle pain
  • Improves eye health
  • Helps to lose weight
  • Boosts immune system

 

Cucumber:

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I use half cucumber.

Health Benefits:

  • Helps to reduce body heat
  • Rich in Antioxidants
  • Hydrates body
  • Aid in weight loss
  • Lower blood sugar level
  • Regulate bowel movements
  • Protects your brain
  • Reduces the risk of cancer
  • Supports heart health
  • Improves joints health

 

Lemon:

5_lemon

Half slice should be enough.

Benefits:

  • Helps in weight loss
  • Improves digestion
  • Improves heart health
  • Promotes hydration
  • Rich in vitamin C, which is required to slow down ageing
  • Freshens breath
  • Helps to prevent kidney stones
  • It has antibacterial properties as well

 

Water:

Fresh water. A Liter should be more than sufficient.

Glass Bottle:

Why glass bottle? Glass because it is not only good for our planet but also for us. Glass bottles repel food odours and residual flavours. They also significantly extend the flavour and quality of food stored in them. Plus, unlike plastic these glass bottles won’t release any chemicals.

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How to prepare?

It’s pretty simple. Chop and put first four ingredients into the glass bottle. Add water. Place the bottle inside fridge overnight.

Overnight – because time is required for the water to get the flavours/ for the ingredients to work.

Fridge – because drinking cold water helps in improving metabolism and helps in weight loss. Body has to work harder for the cold water to reach the normal body temperature. Thus more calories are burnt.

Consume it on an empty stomach for better results.

I can say the recipe I have is mostly for the weight loss. What’s more better than losing weight by consuming something..!!! #LazyGirlsDream

If you are also on the journey of losing weight, do add this detox water in your routine. This tastes good (thanks to lemon and mint) and you will feel fresh after consuming.

Do you have any detox water recipe that you have tried??? Please share with us in the comments. Love to try something new.

Coconut Water Rubber Mask from Sephora India | Review and Swatch

I have been obsessed with shopping at Sephora lately. I have been in love with their sheet masks for quite a sometime. Will review some soon. Also I have had heard about their rubber mask. Since I am quite new or rather I had never used one, thought of giving it a try.

They have 4 different variants available:

  • Kiwi
  • Goji
  • Charcoal
  • Coconut Water

As my skin is quite dry, I opted for the variant – coconut water. Which claims to add deep moisture. Let’s see how this works.

Price: 580 INR

Packing:

This comes in a recyclable plastic box. The box resembles a small bucket. Different variants have different coloured boxes. All the details about the product including the required quantity of water to be mixed is also been mentioned on the box.

If it is a fresh piece, it is good to be carried around while you travel. But if you open the pack, the lid is not tight enough to carry it around without worrying about spillage.

Oh yes, it also comes with a spatula to mix water and the powder.

Colour:

The mask is light cream colour.

Fragrance:

It has a very very mild fruity smell. It’s a fresh aroma.

Consistency:

The store assistant told me that after mixing water and stirring it will turn into rubber like consistency and then we need to apply on face. But that was a miscommunication/ confusion. Because once you mix water, this turns out to be a paste like consistency. After letting it work for 5 minutes (as mentioned on the packing), it will turn into rubber like consistency. That is when we will be peeling off the mask.

My Experience:

Since this was my first ever encounter with rubber mask, I didn’t know exactly how it works and what quantity I will be needing. So, I blindly followed the instructions by adding the same quantity of water mentioned on the package. Stirred the mask with the spatula that comes with it.

But then I realised how actually the mask works. I.e. from paste to rubber consistency. Also I realised that I could have used the mask multiple times as the quantity was quite more for one time use.!

Even though the water added to the mask was exactly as instructed on the package, the mask was quite thin and dripping all over the place.

Good thing is that, as claimed by the company it works within 5 minutes. After 5 minutes of application, the mask had turned quite thick like a rubber.

Usually peeling masks hurt while peeling them off. But this mask was not. It was quite easy to peel it off.

About hydration – Usually peel off masks dry my skin. Post peeling them off I need a moisturizer. But post using this mask, my skin didn’t feel any dry. So I can easily say that skin was hydrated. But I can not say that the mask has deeply hydrated my skin, like a magic. It has done a very decent job.

Pros:

  • Peeling off the mask was easy.
  • It did not dry my skin like any other peel off mask would do.
  • It added hydration to my skin.
  • Packing is quite reusable.Quantity is more for single use. You can use it multiple times if you take adequate quantity out and mix water to make the mask.
  • Does not contain harmful chemicals.
  • Plastic used for packing is recyclable. So they are doing a bit for the environment.

Cons:

  • Quantity of water mentioned on the pack is misleading. If you go with the quantity mentioned on the package, you are going to end up wasting the product like I did.
  • It didn’t add any extra or deep hydration to my skin. It has done a very decent job.
  • Falls on pricier side for a mask + the job it is doing.
  • Package once opened, can’t be carried around without worrying about spillage. As the lid is not tight enough.

Is this on my repurchase list?

No. It is a descent product. But I had more expectations for the money I paid.

Will I recommend?

It is good enough for normal skin, provided they use it multiple times by the way I have suggested above. But if you have dry skin and searching for deep hydration, go for sheet masks instead of this one.

Mygirlypedia Rating: 2/5.

Check Out This Video of Mine Where I Have Demonstrated My First Ever Rubber Masking Experience. 😄

This is Why I Replaced White Rice With Brown Rice

‘Rice’ is not just a food, it’s a feeling for us, south Indians. I can eat rice all day long…!!! Never ever get tired of rice. If you are also a rice lover like me then, high five…!!!

As you might be aware, there are different types of rice – white, brown, red, wild, black etc. Depending upon the weather, people at different regions prefer different type of rice.

People from my native place consume white rice the most. Recently when I joined the madness of ‘diet conscious’ squad, I was made to think about the food I consume the most – Rice.!!

That’s why I gave a thought about choosing a better rice for me. (Trust me it hurts to leave love of your life – white rice. 😝 It’s not like end of relationship. White rice and I are ‘on a break’ I can say.)

So with heavy heart, I have replaced my white rice with brown rice. Even though the taste and the completeness white rice gives is nothing compared to any other rice for me, I have started liking the taste of brown rice. All thanks to the voice inside my head which reminds me the advantages brown rice has over white one.

PS : I have not even thought about choosing red rice, because it takes a lottt of time to cook. Phew

Let’s see what are the good qualities brown rice has:

Advantages:

  • Brown rice has less calories. Thus keeps check on body weight.

  • Fibre content is more in brown rice. Fibre helps in keeping digestive system clean and healthy. Also make sure there is no stomach issues happening.

  • Brown rice has less carbs. Carbs increase the blood sugar level. Thus brown rice helps to keep your blood sugar level to minimum.

  • Brown rice in not refined. Thus all the nutrients and goodness is in intact. Unlike brown rice, white rice is polished, contains gluten and additives. Even though many manufactures add nutrients to white rice to make it healthier, real nutrients are always better than the additives. Isn’t it?

  • Brown rice is richer in vitamin B, magnesium and selenium.

Disadvantages:

  • Brown rice takes lot more time than white rice. For white rice you got to let cooker whistle for 3 to 4 times max. It will be cooked, all soft and ready to consume. But for brown rice, you need to let the cooker whistle for minimum 10 times to cook it to make it softer.

Similarity Between White Rice and Brown Rice:

  • They both have equal portion of fat and protein in them.

So, these were the points that convinced me to replace my white rice with brown one. Hope this post has helped you to start ‘ clean diet ‘. 😝

 

Everything You Need to Know About Piercing

Piercing, my second favourite body art. First being, tattoos..!!

Well, I have always loved accessories. Getting my ears pierced to flaunt some nice pieces of jewellery was in my list and I did get pierced. Let me share my experience and things I learnt through it.

  • Types:

There are two types of procedures to get pierced.
a. With piercing gun
b. With needle

Let me tell you more about them.

a. Piercing gun:
Here, they use this tool to puncture your ears. The earring with sharp end is placed on the gun. Keeping ear in between, the tool is pressed just the way a gun is trrigered.

Pros:

  • It’s very quick.
  • Doesn’t hurt.

Cons:

  • Compared to needle piercing, this method is quick and thus it damages skin cells more.
  • Gun needs to be properly sterilized to maintain good hygiene.

b. Needle:
This is oldmethod. A needle is used to puncture the body part to pierce the ornament.

Pros:

  • It’s slow and thus very less damage to skin cells.

Cons:

  • Compared to gun, it’s a bit time consuming.
  • It’s slightly painful than the gun one. But totally bearable.

My first piercing was done using piercing gun. (Which costed me 400 INR for both the ears.)

Second is done using needle. (Total cost was 1200 INR for both the ears. You will know why it was expensive in next points. )

Now that I have experienced both the types, let me share my experience with you.

  • Hygiene:

Make sure you get your piercing done from a good place. Hygiene being the primary point to take care, make sure the gun or the needle used are thoroughly sterilized.
During the first one, I was so excited that I didn’t do my homework about the piercing and care etc. By the word of mouth I just knew that the gun piercing is quick and painless. When I look back, I remember the person at the studio hadn’t even sterilized the gun..!!!
Second one as I said was done by needle. The needle was a new one, removed from sealed packing in front of me. The one who did my piercing had wore fresh pair of gloves. The earrings which were used post piercing were also sterilized. Once the piercing is done, the fresh piercing was cleaned using sterilizing solution.

  • Jewellery/ Ornament:

Ornament they put post piercing is something they give you. It’s included in the total charges they charge you for the piercing. Because the ornament should have a specific thickness. The choice of ornament will be totally yours. But make sure the studio/ shop has good number of choices to make. For the first piercing, I had been offered studs. For the second, I wore theses half rings. Theses half rings are easier as compared to the studs. Because studs hurt or poke while you sleep on them. But theses rings won’t. Also moving rings is easier as compared to studs. Studs usually have press locks. Which usually tend to become loose. Only con I can think about half rings is that the hair strands tend to stuck in them. If you happen to pull hair up to tie the bun, heavy chances are that you will be pulling your earrings along with them. Thanks to hair that gets tangled in half rings.

Bonus Tip:

The ornament or the earring in my case, should not be removed for a month. Reason being, the piercing ultimately which is a wound, can heal real quick and the hole might gets closed faster while it’s not healed completely. One of my friends had removed the earring in the night while the wound was just a week old. She couldn’t put it back in the morning because the hole or the wound was almost covered.

  • Post Piercing Care:

Post piercing care should be taken seriously. You got to wash the pierced area with warm salt water twice a day. This will make sure there is no bacterial infection.
Bonus point – Please wipe the salt water. If it gets accumulated, it will leave dark mark. If there is moisture, there is good chance you might get minor infection.

  • Healing Process:

You got to move the pierced ornament while the wound is healing. This will make sure the ornament doesn’t get stuck in the wound and helps in healing too. Bonus tip here is – make sure you have applied oil while you move the ornament. While it’s dry and if you try to move it, it is going to hurt more as it gets stuck when it’s dry.

Bonus Tip:

In the process of applying oil and moving the ornament, the earring/ the ornament might get lose. Especially the one with pressed lock. In this case, chances are high that the ornament just fall off. Take care of that..!!! I had experienced this in the middle of a night, while the wound was couple of weeks old. I gathered the courage and put it back even though it was hurting so much. I am so glad I did because if I had thought of putting it back in the morning, the hole might have covered up.! Then I had to get new piercing done at the same place all over again.

  • It hurts:

Every time when the ornament is pulled or gets stuck (in my earrings’ case, they get stuck with hair/ cloth), hurts. Till the time it heals, we will have to bare this inconvenience.
When I had the piercing done with the gun, it had hurt me real bad. Trust me, there were nights when I had though I will just remove it. I had also developed infection during the first piercing/ gun one.
My second one has been a good one. No much pain, no infection as such. #touchwood.

But I must say one thing, no matter what the final look or the vibe theses piercings give, makes it all worth the pain and care we take. It’s not only a symbol of fashion, but also an identity. To shop, wear, mix and match earrings and studs is something I have fallen in love with.

Hope this helps you to choose right method of piercing and all the care you need to take for that one month, while it heals.

Here is a chatty video where I have shared my experiences. Also, flaunted my piercings. Wanna see my piercings I spoke about??? Watch them here.

Every Man Needs A Mother, A Wife, A Sister Then Why Not A Daughter???

This morning, while I was reading the newspaper a small column caught my eyes. It’s news about Uttarakhand state.A part of the state consisting of 312 villages, has the data or stats saying that there are 312 male babies born in last three months. Interesting part here is, there is not even a single girl child born in that duration..!!
Before you go into the loop of thinking about any curse or something, let me tell you it’s one of those incidents where a girl child is treated as a curse.! It is not a coincident that every mother gave birth to a boy in last three months. This seems like many girl children have been murdered while they were inside their mothers’ womb. Which is said to be one of the most safest and most comfortable place for a kid. Unfortunately those girls couldn’t even make it to the world.

Why does Indians pray for a male child??? That to in front of Devi/ goddess, who is a female. During the days of kings, they longed for a male child as they needed a ruler to protect their kingdoms and people. One who could continue the name of their family. This makes a little sense as most of those rulers or dynasties were worth mentioning in the pages of history. What about now??? Do all individuals who are opting to kill their girl child has any dynasty to take care of???In some cases they go to the extra heights to get the male or the husband a ‘new’ wife with the hope (read it as guarantee) that she will give him a male child which his previous wife couldn’t. They seldom know that the gender of the baby is determined by the chromosome shared by the father, not the mother. Changing the wife is not the solution…!! Changing the attitude is.

I don’t have a brother of my own. But I have a sister who loves me more than a brother would have loved me.
She is always emotionally available for me. She understands and takes care of me more than any male creature would ever do. Because the level of understanding and love you share with your sister is no where comparable to that of with a brother. Back in those days, since I don’t have a brother, we were judged, questioned a lot many times. As a child and now as an adult I was, am and will always be glad that I have a sister and not a brother. Sisters are for life. Brothers, ummm they are not really good at maintaining all the relationships at a time. It’s too much for them to juggle between mother and wife. Forget about sisters. (It’s out of my own experience with my cousin brothers. If you have a brother who loves and takes care of you even after his marriage, you should appreciate your brother more. ) But I had this doubt why people insist a couple to have a baby boy, why not a baby girl???

I did asked this question to some ‘elderly’ people who asked such questions to me or to my family. The answers were –

  • You will not be with your parents when they grow old, because you will have to move to your husband’s home and take care of your in laws. But a son will always be there.
  • Son can protect his parents physically and economically.
  • Son will carry on the name of the family, unlike girls who need to adopt her husband’s surname.
  • When parents die, son is the one who’ll lit the sacred fire in order to give his parents eternal peace. The list continued.

Back in those days I didn’t really bother to give answers to those questions. But now I guess I have some.

  • First of all, what is the guarantee that the son will always be there for you? Instead, i guarantee that daughters love and take care of parents way more better than a son would ever try to. Because we girls have this super power called love and care. They are like our ‘default settings’. You don’t have to configure those in us. But in guys, I can’t guarantee that you can even configure that in each boy. While adopting the new family, we still can be ourselves with our own family – parents and siblings.
  • Son can protect you physically. What??? Is a super man or something??? About economic support, hello, we do earn and support family just like any son. sometimes, trust me we earn more than your loved son does.
  • The trend of changing surname to that of husband’s is long gone. A girl has the right to keep her paternal surname with her name forever. If she wants, she can add her husband’s surname as a suffix. Thanks to actress Aishwarya Rai Bachhan who started this trend.
  • About sacred fire to attain peace. Firstly, we girls are high on emotions. WE can’t even and don’t want to discuss such emotional stuffs. But one query – Is there any proof that only if a son does this ritual, God will grant peace??? As far as I remember Gods are not gender biased. Are they???

Evil in me is glad today that some of the ladies who used to ask questions about ‘ONLY’ girl children to my parents, are tasting their own karma. Some of their sons have left them, some are not earning, some are not married because girls think that they are not a good candidates to get married…!!! Ahem ahem. I am not claiming that all the sons are careless or all daughters are responsible. I know few boys who are great sons. But if you compare, the emotional support a parent gets from daughter is way more than a son. The number of responsible daughters is higher than responsible sons.Girls are talkative, so free entertainment in the house. haha. Caring enough to switch roles yet times when parents behave like a child. We are good listeners. We know to love beyond limit and care without giving up. We are good at academics (I am not saying this, every year the exam result stats say this), we aim to earn and be independent plus aim to support parents when they are in need. No matter where we go, we will always feel loved to be called as our parents’ daughters. Girls are no more restricted to kitchen or home making, we are in every field now. Right from agriculture to space science, from dance to athletics, we are reaching new heights every single day.I just want to tell one thing to those who pray and wish to have male child – No matter how good your son gets, you will NEED a girl to get married to him to ‘carry on’ your family name…!!!Even though female feticide or abortion is illegal, it’s horrifying that people still opt to do it. It is dishartening to see so many girl children losing their lives before opening their eyes, for no fault of theirs. Even though concerned officials have started the investigation in the Uttarakhand case, unless and until we, as a citizen don’t wake up, such incidents are not going to end. Because improving a nation or society is not just the responsibility of government or one individual.Let’s not let a girl child who can become a loving daughter, caring sister, charming wife, adorable daughter in law, amazing mother, close her eyes permanently before even opening them…!!

Causes and Remedies to Treat Dark Underarms

When the skin covering our underarm area is few shades darker than our skin tone, that is what we call dark underarms. Yet times, dark underarms can lower the fun and confidence while we are in sleeveless outfits. We tend to hesitate to throw our hands in the air and be free, if we have darker underarms. This post is going to help you with that.

What Causes Dark Underarms:

They say prevention is better than cure. In order to prevent further darkening, let’s see what are the things that are causing dark underarms.

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  • Dead skin:
    Like facial skin, skin covering our body also needs exfoliation. Reason being the accumulation of dark skin cells. As the dead skin accumulate, they make skin look dull and dark.
  • Shaving:
    Shaving cuts the hair, it doesn’t remove the hair from roots. Once we shave, the hair follicles are still there. They make the skin look slightly darker.
  • Deodorant:
    I agree that a deodorant is a must to smell good, but I always prefer and suggest to use perfume over a deodorant. Using perfume over the outfit is much better than using it straight on skin. Chemicals in the deodorants can cause skin darkening, if used for longer period of time.
  • Hyper-pigmentation:
    It is a skin condition where the production of melanin (responsible for skin tone) is slightly higher at certain part as compared to the other parts of the body. In this case the extra amount of melanin produced, makes skin look darker. Which we usually call dark patches.
  • Tight Clothes:
    This might come as a surprise. But skin covering under arm area is slightly thin. The friction caused by the tight clothes can irritate the are underarms and result in discoloration.
  • Bacterial Infection:
    Due to lack of hygiene, there might be infection caused by bacteria.
  • Smoker’s Melanosis:
    Smoking kills. It also ruins the skin condition. Smoker’s Melanosis is a condition caused by tobacco where the underarms gets darker.
  • Sun exposure:
    Not only the underarms, if we get exposed to direct sunlight for longer period, we might end up with sun burns or tanning on the exposed area.
  • Hormonal Issues:
    If you are under any medications or there is fluctuation in hormones, there is a chance that the skin gets these dark patches.
  • Skin Disorders:
    There are certain skin disorders which result in dark patches.

How to Cure Dark Underarms:

Now that you know most of the causes for nasty patches, you are half way there. You now know what not to do and what to do to get brighter, healthy underarm skin.!

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  • Waxing Over Shaving. When we wax, the hair strands are removed from their roots. So the skin won’t look dark.
  • As mentioned above, use perfumes on your outfits rather than using it on your skin. But please make sure the perfume won’t leave any stains on your outfit. You need to consider this point especially when it is oil based one.
  • Try to avoid wearing tight clothes. Not just because of the dark patches, but also sometimes it causes irritation to small blood veins. Which might also end up causing further more skin issues. Choose free, loose clothes. Let your skin breath.
  • Maintaining a good hygiene is the key. Shave the hair on the underarm area frequently. Use talcum powder to keep the area dry and free from bacteria.
  • Apply sunscreen on to your underarms if you are going out in sun wearing sleeveless outfits, where the area is going to be exposed directly to sun.
  • Scrubbing away the dead cells can make the skin look fresh and bright, it includes the skin covering underarms too. Regular scrubbing the underarm area can give you good results.
  • Try some homemade masks using brightening agents like curd or lemon. Apply curd on to the area in need and wash with water after 10 minutes. Lemon juice is slightly acidic and if you have dry or any wounds on the area, lemon juice might cause slight burning sensation. But with regular use, you can get rid of dark patches.
  • If the condition didn’t improve despite of following these remedies, please see a good dermatologist. Because if the issue is inside the body (like hormones or skin disorder), a good doctor’s help would surely help.

Hope you find this post useful.

L’Oreal Paris Superliner Black Lacquer : Review and Video

Hello Darlings,

I am feeling fresh and happy as I had been to a much needed vacation to Himachal Pradesh. The snow covered mountains, cool breeze, the great company cleansed my soul.

In this post, I am going to review a product which I used during my holiday. That’s one of the products I can’t just live without – eyeliner.

This eyeliner is a free gift with a magazine I had subscribed for. Let’s see how this eyeliner worked/not worked for me.

Brand :
L’Oreal Paris

Product name :
L’Oreal Paris Superliner Black Lacquer

Price :
600 INR for 6 ml

Shopping Link

Shelf life :
2 years. 6 months, once opened

Colour :

Black

What Company has to Say About the Product:

L’Oreal Super Liner Black Lacquer Liquid Eye Liner has a special sponge tipped pen for the creation of fine lines or thick, sultry flicks. Colour is applied with precision and ease and dries without smudging. Ophthalmologically tested.
Benefits:
Precision Waterproof Eyeliner route.
Suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.
Pen accuracy: Net and fast track ultra.

Packing:
It comes in a sturdy plastic tube packing. Golden fonts on a jet black tube makes it slightly attractive. Tube is quite thin so makes it perfect to carry it around. Also the cap is quite tight that makes not to worry about any spillage.

Applicator:
As the company says, it is a sponge tipped pen applicator. It is thin enough to draw fine lines.

Colour:
It is a deep black colour.

Fragrance:
Yep this liquid eyeliner has a pungent smell. But it fades away very quickly.

Finish:
It gives a glossy finish when applied. But once settles, t’s more of matte finish.

Drying Time:
Unlike many other liquid eyeliner I have used, this one dries off really quick when applied.

How Does it Feel On Eyelids?
One thing that made upset about this liner is that it is too sticky. Once it settles, it becomes so sticky and makes eyelids stiff. I had hard time opening my eyes completely. It was like something was pulling my eyelids.

Does this smudge?
Yes it did..!! Usually the liquid eyeliners don’t smudge, they get flaky and fall off. But somehow this one smudged. Trust me I had hard time to fix it.

PS : I had applied this eyeliner on a hot day where I was in hot sun for most of the time. So I am assuming that it melted and created unwanted panda look..!!!

Waterproof?
No..! It can be easily removed with just water.

Things I Liked:

  • Travel friendly packing.
  • Applicator is nice and good to draw fine lines.
  • Deep black colour looks nice.
  • Dries really quick.

Things I Didn’t Like:

  • It feels very sticky on lids. This makes it very uncomfortable to wear.
  • Not waterproof
  • It smudged.
  • Ingredient list is not mentioned.
  • Some might find it pricey.

Is This On My Repurchase List?
No.

Will I recommend?
I have tried and loved different eyeliners from L’Oreal Paris. But for the fact that I was not comfortable wearing this particular eyeliner, I don’t think I will recommend this to anyone.

Mygirlypedia Rating: 1/5

Here is the demo 😁 Where I have tested the product for smudge proof and waterproof claims.

Beauty Benefits of Mango

Summer has a special place in my heart. I’m sure it does in most of your hearts too. Even though the heat might make us go crazy sometimes, it brings so much joy of its own. One major thing I remember is, the summer holidays. I as a kid used to look forward to enjoy summer breaks. Where my mom used to get us ice creams, Rasna (a famous drinks among kids those days) on her own. We didn’t even had to beg much. haha. Also, talking about summer, how can we forget that it’s the season of yummy mangoes.

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Who doesn’t like mangoes??? We all do..!!! So many dishes we can prepare, be it sweets, spicy pickle what not…!!! Every dish made out of mangoes will win our hearts.

We all have heard that eating more mangoes is not good. It will increase body weight and body heat. But let me tell you, too much of anything is bad. Isn’t it? In fact, nutritionist recommend seasonal fruits. With weather, our body changes internally. Eating seasonal fruits would help our body for sure.

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Apart from helping our body, mangoes also help us in improving our skin and hair. How? Let’s see the list of benefits we can get from mangoes to get beautiful skin.

  • Vitamin A and C are more important when it comes to maintain good skin and hair. Mangoes have both these vitamins in them. Applying mango pulp to hair adds moisture and shine.

How to prepare mango hair mask:

All you need to do is take the pulp and squeeze. Apply the juice and pulp to your hair. Keep it for 15-20 minutes before washing it.

  • Similarly, if you are worried about dry skin, apply mashed mango pulp to your face to add moisture.
  • Vitamin C is required to maintain collagen level. Collagen is responsible for skin elasticity and avoiding wrinkles. By consuming a cup of mango everyday helps in improving skin’s texture.
  • Maintain health of facial pores is what is important to maintain good facial skin. Clogged pores are the biggest culprit to cause breakouts. Applying mango pulp to face helps in unclogging pores and thus keeping pimples at bay.
  • Not just the pulp, even the seed can be helpful in order to improve the health of our hair. Mango seed oil can help with reducing hair fall and greying of hair.

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How to prepare mango seed oil at home:

Remove the pulp and dip the mango seed in any oil of your choice, like for example coconut/ sesame oil. Place this container under sunlight for some days. Using this concoction regularly, can help you get healthy hair.

  • Vitamin A in the mango helps in adding shine to hair, plus it helps in reducing dandruff when applied.
  • Mango also has vitamin E in it. When we apply mango pulp on to our scalp, this vitamin helps in the scalp circulation thus boosting hair growth.
  • If you have blemishes or dark spots on your face, all you need to do is to apply mango pulp on the effected area. With regular use, it is proved that mango can reduce the appearance of dark spots or blemishes.

These are some of the quick tips to make the most of this season’s fruit – Mango. 😉 So the next time while you enjoy eating one, don’t forget to apply on your skin and hair to get glowing skin and hair.  (In short, be like Katrina Kaif in ads of a soft drinks you see in the television. haha. You know what I mean, If not, check the glimpse below..!!! )

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PC: Internet

 

Vidya Balan’s Teary Video On Body-Shaming is Going Viral for The Right Reason

While scrolling through the infinite Instagram feed, I came across this video featuring one of the best performers of our time – Vidya Balan.

Vidya has given us some amazing movies. Apart from being well known for her great performances, she has been in news for her weight. Yep, weight. I have even seen some of the clips where some reporters ask her about her ‘extra’ weight. Even though all most all the actresses are body shamed at some point, Vidya has been body shamed a lot more than any of the actresses. She has confessed in one of her interviews that she had been constantly reminded about her body type by people, even before she joined Bollywood.

Vidya has once again made us feel proud by the way she expressed her views and experience, about most talked topic – Body-shaming.

In this short video Vidya is seen singing some of iconic Hindi songs with new lyrics. Lyrics which describe the pain of a woman who is judged for her appearance. The pain of not respecting her identity is evident.

Lyrics is something like this:

Sometimes you call me fat,
sometimes you call me short,
Sometimes you call me dark.
By these words of yours,
My heart aches.
You knowingly/ unknowingly becomes this ignorant.

You forget my name,
instead, calls me by different ‘nick names’.
I have my own identity too.

Man is trapped between black and white.
How silly of him to judge each and everyone around.

The message she gives is so true:
Making fun of someone by their weight, body part, colour is something you should be ashamed of. By such things you are hampering self-confidence of someone. It hurts them real bad. Every individual is different and that’s what makes him/ her special…!!!

We easily judge people. Pass comments. Healthy teasing between friends is something different. But sometimes, when we cross a limit and that one comment can cause lot of damage. You never know the woman whom you said fat might be having health issues which is making her gain weight. She might have had sleepless nights crying about it, she might be starving herself to lose those weight you are worried about (read it as making her worry about). By calling someone by their skin colour, you are adding up to their self-doubts.

If you think only people with more curves are body shamed, you are wrong. People who are under weight or have no curves, have their set of painful stories to share. If you think people with white skin are blessed and are safe from such bullies, na you are not right. We also have some creepy names given by some creeps.

For every body type, there are bunch of people who can come up with creative names. Moti/ fatty, patli/ flat, chotu/ shorty, gori/ fairness cream ki dukhaan, kaali blah blah blah. They fail to see a person beyond weight, height, skin colour…!!! If you judge a book by its cover, you might miss a lot of good things the book might add to your value.

Lord Ganesha is the first one we pray to when we start any ritual. Lord Krishna is the one who has though us the gem – Bhagavad Gita, whom we love and worship. When we worship all Gods irrespective of their body type or skin colour, why can’t we celebrate goodness of a human irrespective of their body or skin type?

So the next time before commenting or laughing at someone, let’s spend a little more time and give work to our brains to see the person beyond the size/ colour. It is definitely not acceptable to harm someone’s self confidence.

If you are body shamed and if it is bothering you, I just want to ask you one question – whose views matter to you the most, some bunch of unwanted people or someone who knows and loves you?? No matter how perfect you try to be, people will always have their ‘free comments’ to offer.If we keep giving importance to those comments, which are doing harm and absolutely no good to you, you are wasting this precious life. Instead of letting your energy flow into that direction, utilise it to love yourself. To be happy and comfortable in your own skin. Life is too short to waste it on people who doesn’t matter. Isn’t it???

This is Why We Should Appreciate This Mom Who Appreciated Her Son, For Scoring 60% In Board Exams

We live in a society where most of the things have some standards already set. Nobody knows who did it, but most of us blindly just follow. As simple as a birth of a baby. “Raja beta hona chahiye” (It should be a darling prince). Be it beauty – where skin colour is the primary factor to be judged by, education – of course the marks decide whether you are ‘smart’ or dumb etc etc. This never ending list goes on. People who live for the society (read it as live to impress the society) try their best to fit in to these standards. May be because of this, these standards still exists. I am glad it is slowly getting changed. But we are a long way to go, to completely set new generation free from these standards.

Society never spares anyone. Even for parents they have some set of standards to meet when it comes to their kids. Kids should be well behaved, should score good marks since from preschool to graduation. Get a good job blah and blah. Parents struggle a lot to make these happen. They make sure their kids get good education and provide everything s/he needs. But unfortunately not all the parents see the world through their kids’ eyes.

‘Studies’ – definitely not a cake walk for everyone. Most of the kids struggle and put in their efforts to learn and score good marks to make their parents proud. Some are blessed with good intellect and some are not. Some love mathematics, some get fever before maths exam. Every kid is different. A kid might not be good at everything but every kid is good at something. Instead of recognising and supporting the skills he is good at, most of the parents end up making him fit in to the puzzle where he doesn’t belong.

At the end of the day, all parents want their child to live a secure life when s/he grows up. A secure job will definitely bring financial security but can’t assure the mental peace, satisfaction and happiness which one needs along the journey of life.

Every year during exam result announcements, especially for 10th and 12th boards, we always read or hear the sad news of students committing suicides for not getting good marks. Why do you think so??? What might have made the kid to feel ending life is more easier than continuing the life.

Like every year, this year as well I saw tweets, Facebook posts about people boasting about the percentages their kids scored (which are mostly 90 and above), I came across this post on Instagram which warmed my heart.

This post is by a mom who appreciated her son on social media (with both heart and brain), for scoring well in 10 CBSE. Nowadays children score 100/100 in most of the subjects. When I say children, there are literally bunch of students who score so well. Before I set your expectation high, let me tell you the mom I am talking about, her son for whom she is so proud of didn’t actually meet ‘good score’ as per the ‘education standards’. Yes, he has scored 60%.

Here is her post:

I can somehow listen to the judgemental aunties yelling “Is this a thing to appreciate your kid for?”.

Well Yes. Definitely Yes.

The thing I loved about this post or the thing made me happy for that kid is the fact that he has his supper supportive mom by his side. She saw him struggle. She saw him not giving up. Most importantly she appreciated him for that. She appreciated the efforts he put in. She understood that her kid is indeed like a fish who is meant to swim in the ocean. Asking him to climb a tree is not something fair for him. Isn’t it a beautiful feeling for getting appreciated for your efforts. Especially by your mom and dad???

A parent should support the hard work the child puts in. Look at the efforts more than the results. Because once you are out in the real world and you look back, you wonder where you are going to apply the algebra formulas, for which you had almost broke your head…!!!

This post by Vandana Sufia Katoch has went viral for all the right reasons. People like her are indeed pillars of progressive India. Let’s appreciate her for setting such a nice example of good parenting. We want more parents like this lady who loves her children more than society. Who is more keen to support her kid to pave his own path rather than making him to take part in the rat race. We want more parents like her who appreciate the good virtues in kid rather than the numbers they score on their score cards.

Instead of making kids run in the race, let them fly freely. Be the wind beneath their wings.

All You Need to Know About BB Creams

If you have been following me on Instagram, you already know which cream I use for daily purpose.

Some of you had few queries regarding BB creams. So this short yet informative post will help you with those queries.

Let’s start with a very basic question.

What does BB stands for?

BB stands for Blemish Balm or Beauty Balm.

What is a BB cream?

BB cream is a tinted cream which covers skin imperfections like a foundation, adds moisture like a moisturizer and protects skin from harmful sunrays like a sunscreen.

What Does a BB Cream Do?

It’s all in cream. It adds moisture, soothe skin, hide scars, protects from sunrays, brightens and adds glow, even out skin tone.

Some BB creams also have the ingredients to fight against aging.

Origin:

It was introduced by a German doctor 50 years ago. The prime purpose was to heal skin, cover the scars.

Isn’t a BB cream a kind of Foundation?

Foundation is slightly heavier as compared to BB cream. The coverage that a foundation provides is more than a BB cream. As BB cream is lighter, it gives light to medium coverage.

Difference between tinted moisturizer and BB cream:

Tinted moisturizer adds moisture to skin while adding glow or covering the skin issues slightly. BB cream is thicker than tinted moisturizer. It adds some moisture while covering skin imperfections and adding glow to skin.

What sort of finish does a BB cream gives?

Some BB creams give you dewy finish and some give you matte one.

How to apply BB cream?

Like any other cream, you can use your clean finger tips or beauty applicators to apply it on your face.

BB cream for daily usage:

Well the good news is, the BB cream can help you skip couple of products. BB cream sooth the skin. Hence you can skip Primer, if you use one. As mentioned earlier, it adds moisture so you can skip applying moisturiser. BB cream with full coverage can let you say bye to your concealer as well.

Apply BB cream on cleansed face if you have oily or normal skin. If you have dry skin and feel more moisture is needed, you can apply a moisturizer and then apply BB cream.

Even though BB cream does protects our skin from harmful sun rays, it might or might not do the work as efficient as a sunscreen. If you are going to spend whole day out in sun, I would suggest you to wear your favourite sunscreen over the BB cream for more protection.

How will I find a right BB cream for my skin?

BB cream comes in different shades. Do check the shades by applying the testers available in any shops. Because if the shade goes wrong, it might make you look a shade dark or pale.

For skin type, got to check the description of the BB creams about the benefits it is offering. In order to find the right one, you might have to just try few to find out the right one. Because dry skin needs more moisture and oily skin needs matte finished one.

Hope this helps. If you have any more queries, do ask in the comment section. Happy to help 😊

6 Different Uses of Lip Balm; No, Applying on Chapped Lips is Not One Of Them..!!

Irrespective of the amount of love you have for makeup, lip balm is something almost every girl is familiar with. Today I am going to tell and show you how to use the lip balm other than to heal your chapped lips.

  • Eyebrow gel:

Eyebrow gel is a transparent gel applied on to eyebrows to keep the eyebrow in place for a long time. This gives the well groomed and neat look to your eyebrow. You can replace the eyebrow gel with a non tinted lip balm. Apply the lip balm on eyebrows and it will make sure to keep the eyebrow hair in place all day long.

  • Transparent Mascara

Mascara is used to define the eyelash and give fuller eyelash look. Transparent mascara is going to do the same trick. Instead of buying a new mascara, you can use a lip balm with no tint do the same trick.

  • Cuticle Cream

Our cuticle need moisture too. Added moisture prevents cuticle from becoming dry and brittle. Apply a layer of lip balm on cuticles before going to bed. Let it add same moisture which a cuticle cream would add.

  • Eye Cream

Skin under the eye area is very thin and needs more hydration. By adding more hydration and moisture we can prevent dark circles, slow down the signs of aging too. If you do not have eye cream handy, you can apply lip balm under your eye to add the moisture. I prefer non tinted lip balm for the obvious reason. I mean I don’t want to scare anyone by applying a tinted lip balm under my eyes, do you??? 😀

  • Eye shadow

Yet time it so happens that you are out and you don’t have much makeup handy. But you got to glam up for a last minute plan, all you need is a tinted lip balm.

Swipe couple of layer on your eyelids and dab. There you go, a pretty eye shadow.

  • Blush

Just like you applied the tinted lip balm on your eyelids, apply it as blush to get that flushed glow.

  • Highlighter

Firstly, if you want to know why and how to apply highlighter, do watch this quick easy video of mine.

If you want to try a very pocket friendly highlighter, try using a lip balm with no tint. This will add that glow and highlight the facial area on which you have applied the lip balm.

Here is the video where I have demonstrated all the points which have been mentioned above.

I hope you find the tips useful. 🙂

 

 

 

 

The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Deep Toner : Review and Swatch

The brand The Face Shop has become quite popular these days, especially with their sheet masks. Most of the vloggers have been promoting this brand. By the influence of one of my favorite vloggers, I happened to try their sheet mask and it turned out to be pretty good for my skin.

While hiding my face with my palms, I am confessing this – I fall under the category of those people, who fall for the advertisements. I mean I don’t believe all the advertisements I come across, but yes most of them. So, needless to say, not all of them work for me. This in turn has helped me to get rid of this obsession of buying everything I see. Let’s see whether this buy of mine has worked for me or not.

Before I start, two points to share with you:

Firstly, it is NOT a sponsored post. It’s an honest review.

Secondly, if you want to know more about toner in general, check this post of mine.

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This toner is from their recently launched Mango Seed range. They have many variants in this range, starting from Eye cream to night cream. I opted for trying out toner from the range first. So here it is my take on The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Deep Toner.

Price: 1890 for 165 ml.  (I bought it while there is a sale on Nykaa. Got it for half the original price. )

Shopping Link

Shelf Life: 3 years.

Ingredients:

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What Does Company Claims:

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Packing:

The outer cartoon is of deep grey shade, with the details of the product printed on it.

The product comes in sturdy, semi transparent plastic bottle. This is how the color combination of the bottle is.

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mygirlypedia.com

The pump nozzle is just perfect to take out the required product. Plus, maintaining hygiene. The nozzle has a sturdy plastic removable cap over it. This makes it easier to carry while you travel. The cap fits tight enough thus making sure that there are no worries of spillage.

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The semi transparency of bottle makes it easy for you to keep check on the remaining quantity left inside the bottle.

Fragrance:

If you are imagining the fragrance anything related to mangoes, hold your horses. Because, it no where smells like mangoes.

But it has very refreshing and soothing fragrance. It is neither empowering nor faint.  It fades away once you apply.

Consistency:

It is quite runny but not so watery.  Consistency is between watery and a lotion I can say.

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mygirlypedia.com

But it is neither oily nor greasy. Once you apply, it adds moisture without making skin looking shiny.

Moisturizing?

Hell yes. I mean I have used toners from different brands. But it does its job of cleansing your face and adds lot of moisture. Even though I have combination skin, I don’t feel the need of moisturizer after using it. So this is a perfect fit for the ladies with dry skin. This adds extra moisture that your skin will be thankful for.

You can see the difference in the pictures itself. My hand looks quite dry in the first picture. Post spreading the toner over it, it looks better.

Things I Liked:

  • Leaves skin clean and moisturized.
  • Did not cause any irritation or breakouts.
  • I like the fragrance.
  • Travel friendly packing.

Cons:

  • Bit pricey for a toner. But little quantity goes long way.
  • Product contains no additives.
  • Company claims the radiance, but I didn’t find any radiance as such on my skin.

Will I Repurchase?

I guess yes. This is moisturizing and does its primary job quite well. But only when there is a sale going on. Haha.

Will I suggest this to my beautiful reader?

Yes if you have dry or combination skin. This adds so much moisture that you will thank me for the suggestion. Look for the offers. Nykaa or even Amazon usually has some or the other offers going on, on The Face Shop products.

Mygirlypedia Rating:  4/5

Double Cleansing for Healthy Skin

Keeping skin clean is the key factor for a clear and health skin. To keep the skin in good
condition the step ‘C’ in the CTM technique plays an important role.

Cleansing, as you guys know, is the way to clean your skin. Making sure it is free from all the makeup/ impurities.

If you are a beauty junkie, you must already know this skin care technique called – Double cleansing. If your answer is no, I will tell you what it is all about.

As the name suggests, the cleansing of skin is done twice. But with different kind of products in each step.

How is This Done?

First step involves removing the layer of makeup or dirt with the help of non-foaming or micellar water.

Image: Cleansing waters for washing your face

Second step involves washing your face with foaming cleanser. It can be as simple as a regular face wash you use. This step makes sure the residue left after the first step is washed away and leaves the pores super clean.

My Recommendations:
For non-foaming, I can recommend some cleanser which are oil based or cream based. I have tried this cleansing lotion from the brand The Face Shop. But I generally like using this micellar water. This is light weight and very easy to use. Removes makeup quite easily thus making the first step of double cleansing easy.

Who Should Double Cleanse Their Skin???

1
Ideally, everyone of us. Especially if you wear makeup or if you living in huge cities where pollution level is quite high.

Makeup we wear can clog pores, if left overnight. Which in turn cause breakouts. Needless to say, the pollution harms our skin way more than we know. It also increases the aging process. Thus making it necessary to cleanse skin as much as possible at the end of the day.

What is The Use Of Double Cleansing???

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As I mentioned earlier, keeping facial pores as clean as possible helps in maintaining good skin. Also, if we do double cleansing before the T and M steps of skin care routine, makes sure that the product we are using for moisturization gets absorbed by skin easily. Thus making the most of the product.

This is what I had for double cleansing technique. I know at the end of the day, when you are dead tired, it is super hard to cleanse your face once. I am asking twice the struggle you guys face. But keeping skin clean and healthy will get you compliments for sure. 🙂

Hope you find this quick post useful. Do leave your take on this or queries on this in the comment section below. Happy to help. 🙂

 

PC: Internet

All You Need to Know About Orange Oil

I have been hearing a lot about vitamin C and essentials oils etc. Which help in taking care of skin not only by improving it’s texture but also aid the anti-aging process. So, just thought of gathering more information about them, so that I can include in my daily skin care regime and of course to share with you beautiful people.

For today, I am starting with one of the essential oils – Orange oil.

Let’s see how it’s going to help our skin and hair. Ready??? Hop in…!

How to Prepare Orange Oil at Home???

First thing first. How to prepare orange oil.

  • Peel off the orange peel and remove the white part by scratching. This will make sure the oil is more concentrated.
  • Place these peels in a glass jar.
  • Add vodka to the jar and shake well. Vodka helps to marinate.
  • Keep the jar in cold and dark place for a week.
  • After a week, filter out the liquid from the jar.
  • Place this liquid in ventilated space so that the alcohol in the liquid gets evaporated.
  • Post 2 to 3 days, the liquid free of alcohol smell is what we need – orange oil.

I know it takes a lot of time and patience to prepare one at home. But it is purest one you can get. No matter how good it can be, some are too lazy to wait for long. So, people like me, just go and buy one from online. hehe

How does it smell???

It smells like orange (obviously) but a very strong one.

Why You Should Use Orange Oil???

Mental health:

You must be thinking I started with the beauty benefits and first point says mental health. Well, well, if you are happy inside, your skin looks happy outside. Orange oil has this amazing fragrance which has proven to reduce depression or anxiety. It calms down the pulses and helps you relax. Now when you are calm and content from within, it definitely shows on your skin as well.

Treating Acne and Skin Infection:

Orange oil has anti-bacterial and inflammatory properties. Using diluted orange oil on acne, swelling or redness helps in soothing it.

Moisturizing:

Orange oil has been proved to add needed moisture to your skin when applied. Dry skin beauties, I hope you are listening.

Deep Cleanser:

Orange oil helps in cleaning the facial pores and thus avoids clogging.

Improves Blood Flow:

If you apply orange oil it gives slight tingling effect. Orange oil helps in improving blood flow thus helps you get glowing skin.

Anti-Aging:

You already know that the oil has anti-bacterial property. What you might not know is that orange oil also has antioxidants in it. Which are important to slow down the process of aging. This oil helps in stopping the appearance of lines and wrinkles on skin.

Reducing Dark Spots:

Orange oil has bleaching property. Which helps in lightening the skin tone. Regular usage of diluted orange oil on dark spots should fade them away.

Reducing Large Pores:

While keeping the pores super clean, it also helps in shrinking them. How??? Orange oil has tightening property, which helps in shrinking the facial pores.

Reduces Cellulite:

Many of us suffer from appearance of cellulite. Orange oil can be a handy if you also suffer from the same. Massaging the affected area with diluted orange oil helps in blood flow, softens the epidermis and thus helping in reducing the cellulite.

Reduces extra oil secretion:

I hope this point will bring a smile on oily skinned beauties. Using diluted orange oil on skin that secrets more oil helps in reducing that extra oil secretion. Orange oil has this charm to control the oil secretion. So bye bye shiny face.

Special Note:

  • Always remember that the essential oils should not be used directly on skin. You need to dilute the oil by mixing with some carrier oil like coconut oil/ almond oil and then use it on skin.
  • It is not recommended to use orange oil while you are out in sun. Orange oil when comes in contact with direct sun, reacts and it might harm your skin.

Nivea Coloron Crayon : Review and Swatch

You might have seen the Nivea lip balm in the local drug stores. Might have tried them too. Recently in my rndom haul, I came across this new launch from Nivea that is coloron crayon. Being super enthusiast for lip products, needless to say, I did by this product. Let’s see more about this product.

They have three shades in this range:

Click on the images below, to buy the shade you like.

1 Pop red

2 Coral crush

3 Hot pink.

Only first two shades were available in the store I visited and I went with the shade Pop red.

What does company claims:

Ingredients:

Price:

299 INR post discount 249 INR for 3 gram or 3.3 ml

Shelf life:

29 months. Once opened, 12 months.

Packing:

The outer cartoon has this all the details about the product including the mode of use, ingredients etc.

The product comes in crayon packing. it’s beautiful red stick with the name of the company printed on it. The cap covering the product is transparent which makes it easier to recognise the colour of the product using. The bottom is the white twister you can twist it, in order to take out the product. The red and black color combo makes it look pretty.

The crayon packing is a good travel companion.

Shade:

It’s a pretty red shade, which is ideal for a day out or party.

 

Is it moisturizing:

Yes. It does keep your lips moisturized. My lips felt moisturized for about four hours, while I was in air conditioned environment. Mentioning this because you know air conditioning makes skin dry.

But I must say, if you have dry lips, it does highlight the cracks. Even though your lips feel moisturized, the cracks are still visible. Strange… 😪

Texture:

It has creamy texture. Has shimmery particles. But it doesn’t look tacky, but I’m not a fan of this kind of finishing either.

Does it transfer:

Yes it did.

How long did it last:

Company itself has mentioned on the product to reapply to keep lips moisturized and tinted, so can’t expect a long lasting formula.
The shimmery texting fades away pretty soon, with water and food. But it leaves the tint on your lips. This lasted for about three to four hours on my lips.

Once Applied

My take:

This is a pretty good for the amount we are paying. It moisturizes lips and gives good color payoff.

Even though I know some lipsticks which are good at keeping lips moisturized and cost you less, this product wins when it comes to moisturization. My lips didn’t feel the need for a lip balm.

But I didn’t like the fact that it highlighted the lines or cracks on lips.

Pros:

  • Availability.
  • Travel friendly packing.
  • Keeps lips moisturized.
  • Good color payoff.
  • Decent deal for the money paid.

Cons:

  • I’m not a fan of shimmery finish.
  • Highlights the cracks, if you have dry lips.

Mygirlypedia rating: 3/5.

Useful Sheet Mask Tips To Make The Most Of It

It doesn’t really matter whether you are a beauty and skin care freak or not; I am sure if you live in the world of Instagram, you have seen these sheet masks while scrolling down the infinite Instagram feed. Haven’t you???

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You might know the basic about these sheet masks, let me share some of the tips and tricks to follow while using one. I am sure you will find it useful for your next pampering session with the sheet masks.

What is a sheet mask?

It’s a serum infused paper mask.

 

Why sheet mask???

Primary purpose of using a sheet mask is to add hydration to your skin.

 

Sheet mask or a moisturiser???

A good moisturiser adds moisture to your skin (which you all know). But sheet mask on the other hand has serum in it. Which in comparison with moisturiser, easily gets absorbed by skin. Thus, adding maximum moisture your skin needs.

 

Packing of sheet mask

Sheet mask comes in a pouch packing. A sheet mask which is dipped in serum.

 

Sheet masks before CTM or after CTM?

Ideally, it’s the M in the CTM where you moisturise. So, it’s always preferred to cleanse your face thoroughly and then use sheet mask. I personally skip toner.

Never use the sheet mask while the makeup is on or there is dirt on your face. Because adding moisture on makeup or dirt is going to clog pores which will end up in breakouts.

 

How to use a sheet mask?

Unfold the sheet mask and place it on your face. It ha these gaps for your eyes, mouth and nostrils.

 

For how long should I keep the sheet mask on?

Sheet mask should not be used more than 15 minutes. Reason being, 15 minutes is good enough for your skin to absorb the serum. If the sheet mask left more than that, the drying/ dried sheet masks can start absorbing moisture from your skin. So, doing no good to your skin.

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How to make use of the excess serum in the pouch?

I love layering the serum on my face once I am done using the sheet mask. I also apply serum on my hands and feet sometimes. Ultimately, it’s a serum which adds moisture. Our hands and feet also need moisture, right?

 

Should I wash my face after using a sheet mask?

A big no. Because if you do so, it’s absolutely a waste of time and of course the money spent on masking. The serum which is absorbed by the skin should be left to see it’s magic. If we wash face, the serum will be gone, skin won’tbe benefited much.

 

Should I use moisturiser post sheet masking?

Umm it depends on your skin type. If you really feel the necessity for more moisture, you can. But usually serum in the sheet mask is quite heavy and most of us might not feel the need for moisture.

 

Should I use the sheet mask daily?

Even if you have dry skin, I don’t really suggest you use sheet mask every day. Because sheet mask is a huge source of moisture. Everything should be in moderation. So, I don’t personally prefer to add so much moisture every day to my skin.

 

How frequently should I use sheet mask?

If you have dry skin, 3 times a week should be good enough. If you have normal to oily skin, twice should be ok.

 

How long the results going to last?

Honestly, a day or max two.

 

Special Tip:

If you have oily, choose the sheet mask wisely. As your skin is already oily, you don’t need more moisture. Sheet masks like shea butter, avocado is something which you better avoid.

If your skin is prone to acne, sheet masks which is meant for skin type like green tea should be helpful. They add moisture also takes care of skin.

 

If you want to make your own sheet mask, check this out. Where I have mentioned how to make one at home.

 

I hope you find the post useful. Have any more query or tip??? Feel free to comment below.

 

How Do I Use Nivea Creme In Different Ways

Hello beautiful,

Let’s talk about a very basic skin care product today. Which can be used in different ways. Umm it’s kind of a budget friendly post, where you spend money on a cheaper product and use it for different purposes.

As the heading of the post says, I am talking about this cute little blue tin of Nivea, which I am sure you are familiar with. Pretty more chances that most of you had or have bought this tin somewhere during your local drug store haul. Haven’t you??? If I heard a No, well, you will buy once you finish reading this.

Let me share some of the ways I make use of this little box of magic.

  • Moisturizing:

The prime factor of Nivea is the super moisture it provides. I personally prefer to apply this heavy cream on my elbows and knees. This provides heavy moisture that my elbows and knees need.

  • Under eye cream:

If you have dark under eye area or puffy eyes, all you need is that extra moisture to pamper it. As you might already know, skin covering the under eye area is very delicate. It requires more hydration. Instead of spending more amount on an eye cream, spend only INR 39 to take care of under eye area. 😃 Sounds super budget friendly right… ? 😉

Applying a thin layer of Nivea before hitting the bed at night, should be helpful.

PS : I sometimes use it during the day as well. On under eye area, before applying any makeup.

  • As a lip mask:

Sitting in air conditioned environment??? Huuh… no matter how the weather is outside, our skin and especially lips get dry. I have a quick tried tested tip for dry lips and skin around mouth.

Apply a layer of Nivea on lips and around mouth. Let it absorb for around ten minutes. Take a wet cloth or wet wipe, wipe the cream. This will make sure the lips are hydrated and skin becomes soft.

I don’t prefer using it as a lip balm because it is too heavy and makes lips look visibly white (you know what I mean.)

  • As a foot cream:

Skin covering our feet is thick and needs heavy moisture. Apply Nivea to your feet and cracked heels. Cover it with socks and enjoy your beauty sleep. Wake up with much softer and happier feet.

  • Shaving Cream:

Applying Nivea before using razor will avoid cuts and also leaves skin smooth post hair removal.

  • As a Hand Cream:

I carry this tiny Nivea tin with me while I travel or I’m out. This will easily fit in small clutch or even inside jeans pocket. I have dry hands and that annoys me a bit sometimes. A quick layer of Nivea is what is enough for me to make my hands baby soft.

Special Note:

As much as I love using Nivea in above mentioned ways, I personally don’t prefer using it on my facial skin. It’s heavy and might clog pores which results in breakouts.

Hope you find it useful to replace some of the expensive skin care products with a super budget friendly Nivea tin.

PS : This is NOT a sponsored post and tips written are out of my own ‘tried and tested’ list.

Black Dress And Bold Lips : OOTD

We all have two moods when it comes to dressing up – either we dress up like a homeless or we dress up like we are going to meet our worst enemy. Well I had a latter one kind of a day.

Thought that initiated this look is ‘bold lips’. You guys know how much I love lipsticks or any lip product in general. Seemed like my whole collection was wandering between different shades of either red, pink or some shades of n*de. Umm light, cool shades in general. Recently I came across some pictures of one of my favourite influencer @avantii2 on Instagram. She had carried these bold lips so elegantly that I had to, had to try my hands on them.

Lipstick alone is a great accessory you can carry. I did exactly that with this look. Tried these bold lips for the first time. I kind of like it. I used two shades of lipsticks from Elle 18.

About choosing this outfit. For the zillion time – Black is my happy colour. It’s classy, always. Winter is my favourite season of all. I love layering up. This black body hugging outfit is from the brand ‘Forever 21’. The turtle neck and the fabric is just perfect for a dinner night during chilly winter nights. The cold shoulder sleeves add some fun to the outfit.

It is still quite cold here in Pune. So just to increase the points in layering game, chose to wear these stockings.

Footwear – These black heels from the brand catwalk, bought online from Myntra.

Leave your comments about your take on this look.

The Body Shop Mango Body Yogurt : Review

Hello,

Body lotion is something which is a must for us, whose has dry skin. As I had promised in my last product review post, I am reviewing body lotions from my collection, one by one.

While picking up the lotion for review, I noticed that I have many products from the brand ‘The Body Shop’. From their skin care range to hair care, I have most of them. #Shopaholic.

So, today the product I picked up is this body yogurt from the brand The Body Shop. These body yogurts were introduced somewhere last year. They have consistency of yogurt and as usual I was very excited to try something from this new launch. tada… I did. They have claimed that it is best suited for dry skin. Let’s see how it worked for my dry skin.

Brand : The Body Shop.

Range : Body Yogurt

What Does The Company Claims:

1) No time to moisturise? Now you do. Our Body Yogurts can be applied straight onto damp skin, so you can shower, moisturise and dress straight away.

2) They’re 100% vegan (we love cruelty-free beauty!).

3) Each Body Yogurt is enriched with Community Trade organic almond milk from Spain.

4) They have a fast-absorbing, non-sticky, non-greasy, gel-cream formula that leaves the skin feeling moisturised for up to 48 hours.

Flavours: Yes, they are available in five different flavours. Trust me, they all smell delicious. Even a friend of mine smelled the body yogurt and she was like, “get me a spoon, I will eat this”. haha.

The 5 flavours available in Indian market are:

  • Mango (Which I loved the most.)

     

  • British Rose

  • Strawberry

  • Almond Milk

  • Moringa

  • Banana

PS: You can click on each image above to buy the flavour you like. 

Price: Rs 845 for 200 ml

Shelf Life: 32 months. Once opened, 12 months.

Best part : It’s cruelty free. The Body Shop has special place in my heart because of their cruelty free products and the campaign they started to stop poor animals getting harmed while making cosmetics. 🐰

Packing:

It comes in this cute, little, sturdy plastic tub pack with all details printed on it. The colour of the tub is in match with the flavour of the product inside. So it makes it easier to recognise the product without having to opening it up. The plastic cap covering the tub is quite sturdy and tight. Thus you can carry it while you travel.

Only drawback I can see in this kind of packing is the hygiene. Because with tube packing you can squeeze out the required quantity of product out and use. Whereas in tub packing, you got to dip your fingers to take out the product. So in terms of hygiene, tube packing over tub packing, always.

Fragrance:

It smells delicious. Are you a lover of mango??? You are going to love this. As soon as you open the pack a very sweet fragrance lingers in air. I must say this fragrance is quite strong. As I love this fragrance, I don’t find it as a con.But girls with sensitive nose might find it little over empowering. Good thing about this fragrance is, it fades away soon, post applying on skin.

Colour:

This is definitely a yummy colour.

Consistency:

This is a gel + cream like consistency. Very light. It is non greasy, non-oily. Once applied, gets absorbed really quick.

My Experience:

I did apply this post bath when skin requires moisture the most. As I mentioned earlier, it got absorbed quite fast and made my skin feel smooth. Which most of the lotions do.

Real test for a body lotion/ body care product comes during evening. Where skin becomes dry again. But for a surprise, my skin was feeling normal. It wasn’t dry as it always does by evening. As company has claimed 48 hours moisture and my skin wasn’t too dry, I skipped re applying it in evening to test the claim. But by morning my skin had become dry again. So, out of my experience, 48 hours might not hold true for dry skin. But I must say it did a good job by keeping skin moisturised all throughout the day.

Pros:

  • Kept my skin moisturised all throughout the day.

  • Light formula.

  • Non greasy, non-oily.

  • Little quantity is enough as compared to body creams.

  • Yummy fragrance.

  • 5 different flavours to choose from.

  • Travel friendly and cute packing.

Cons:

  • Tub packing is quite problematic when it comes to hygiene.

  • Some might find it pricey.

  • Fragrance fades away quite soon.

Will I recommend this to you???

Yes if you have dry skin and no time to re-apply lotion, this one is for you.

Will I repurchase?

Yes. I prefer these kind of body care products while I travel, where I don’t get time to sit and apply lotion frequently. Apply once a day and you are good to go kind. But next time, would like to try out different flavour.

Mygirlypedia Rating : 3.5/5

Why You Should Add Rice and Banana Powder To Your Makeup Bag

Hey Beautiful,

Makeup or the beauty industry is huge and interesting. There is always one or the other new trend, new product that enters every single day. Some make the world go crazy, some might not. Some become the trend of the year some become disasters. Today I am going to talk about couple of products I found interesting when I heard about them.

Rice Powder:

The first product I am talking about is rice powder. Ummm as the name suggests it is inspired by the rice powder or flour. Rice flour is a good oil absorbent thus a boon for oily skinned girls. It absorbs the extra oil and thus saying bye to the shiny/ greasy face.

When I say it is ‘inspired’, obviously I am not talking about using rice powder as a cosmetic because if we do so, we will end up looking like a ghost.

There are multiple brands who have introduced this product called rice powder to the market. They come in different colour shades to match different skin tones.

Rice powder is basically lose powder, applied on face for a flawless look. You can say they work like compact powder. Applied post applying foundation. To absorb extra oil and for a flawless, matte finish. So, if you have oily T-Zone, do try rice powder.

Banana Powder:

Even a famous celebrity like Kim Kardashian has this in her ‘makeup must’ list. So, what is banana powder???

Banana powder is again a lose powder but of yellow under tone. This is usually used as a corrector to correct or to hide unevenness of skin. Typically used above the concealer. You can use banana powder as a highlighter as well. This also suitable to be used all over the face post applying the foundation. Banana powder gives you a flawless, highlighted finished look.

So, this was one of the quickest post on my blog. Hope you find it interesting.

The Body Shop Almond Milk and Honey Body Lotion : Review, Swatch

Hello Beautiful,

Body lotion is something which is really essential for my dry skin, especially in winters. Usually I do get tired of same lotion so I happen to try many varieties of body lotions/ creams. I will review one by one of those which I have not reviewed on my blog yet. Meanwhile if you want to know what are on my top of the best body lotion list, check here.

So, today I am reviewing this white beauty from the brand “The Body Shop”. 😊

I still remember the day I had bought this beauty. The moment I entered the store, I could smell this fragrance. I immediately asked the sales assistant their, about this product. She showed me this range of products and rest is history haha.

Let’s see how this product is.

Brand: The Body Shop

Range : Almond Milk and Honey

Price : 950 for 200 ml

Click the below image to shop.

Shelf Life : 3 years. Once opened 12 Months.

What does the company claims?

48 Hours light weight moisture, absorbs instantly. Instantly relives the feeling of tightness and itchiness for sensitive, dry skin. Comforts, protects and restores moisture for sensitive dry skin.

Best part : It’s cruelty free. The Body Shop has special place in my heart because of their cruelty free products and the campaign they started to stop poor animals getting harmed while making cosmetics. 🐰

Packing : It comes in a tube packing, with all the details of the product printed on it. The design of milk, almond and honey looks beautiful. The white tube (sorry I had bought this tube last year and if the tube doesn’t look pretty white,don’t blame me. 😋) packing is quite hygienic as compared to tub packing. You don’t have to dip fingers to take the product out. The flip open cap is tight enough to carry this lotion without the fear of spillage. The tube contains 200 ml of the product. I can’t say that you can carry this easily in your handbag as it might take a pretty more space than any other travel sized lotions. But, it can be a good travel companion if you carry it in a travel bag.

Fragrance : It’s a very sweet and refreshing fragrance. If you love light note scents, this fragrance will win your hearts for sure.

Consistency : It’s a lotion hence it’s neither runny nor thick. Doesn’t feel oily or greasy once applied. Gets absorbed quickly.

My Take: I have normal to dry skin. Turns out really dry during winters. For which, I need a good moisturiser. This lotion claims to instantly relives the feeling of tightness and itchiness for sensitive, dry skin. Which it did. Post bath our skin screams for moisture. I did apply this lotion and as claimed it did relive the dry or itchiness.

But, I don’t really support the 48 hours of moisture thing. Because for dry skin, at the end of the day at least, you do need one more round of application of moisturiser. Even though I didn’t feel itchiness all throughout the day, but by evening my skin was dry again. So I can say 48 hours promise didn’t worked for me.

What I liked:

  • I bought this because of this lovely fragrance.Non greasy, non-runny formula.

Non greasy, non-runny formula.

    • Kept skin moisturized for good amount of time. Tube packing is hygienic.Travel friendly packing.

Tube packing is hygienic.Travel friendly packing.

Cons:

  • It claims that this is formulated for sensitive dry skin. But worked moderately on my dry skin.

  • 48 Hours moisture claim is not true for dry skinned beauties.

  • Falls slightly on the pricier side for the work it’s doing.

Will I buy it again???

Umm no. It did a moderate job on my skin. I have known some other body lotions which worked well on my dry skin with cost lesser than this.

Will I suggest this one???

It might not be a blessing for dry skin but it will work for those who doesn’t have one. If you have extremely dry skin and needs lot of moisture, you can skip this. Others can give it a try, especially the ones who love sweet fragrances and need less moisture to skin.

Mygirlypedia Rating : 2.5 /5

Makeup Products for Beginners, Under Budget

Recently, one of my friends asked me to suggest some cosmetics which are best and within the budget.

With the collection of stuffs I have, the ones I have personally tried and tested, making a list for you.

So, let’s do this…!!!

Lipstick –

If you are very new to the world of lipsticks, it usually happens that you are not sure which colour suits you. It makes total sense that you don’t want to waste money on some expensive lipstick, which looked good on you while you tried in shops but didn’t suit you in day light. So, for beginners, I would suggest this brand of lipsticks – Elle 18.

Why I am suggesting Elle 18:

  • They are totally totally pocket friendly. Price range is between Rs 80 to Rs 150.
  • They have wide range of colours to choose from. From bright shades to n*de ones, they have it.
  • If you want to try out different textured lipsticks like glossy, matte etc, have no worries because Elle 18 got them all.
  • Best thing I love about Elle 18 is that they do not dry the lips.

If you want suggestions with shades, watch this video of mine where I have shown swatches of lipsticks suitable for beginners.

Lip-gloss –

Needless to say, the lipstick lover in me has typed these two sections first.

Lip-gloss, as the name suggests, is more glossier and adds shine to lips. If you are not sure whether you will be able to carry shiny lips, then try these gloss from Lakme.

Why???

  • Price is Rs 200.
  • They are glossy and moisturising. Thus no fear of dried lips
  • The shade rage is very limited to 3. But, you can apply a lipstick and on top, add this gloss. Voila, you created your own shade…!!!

Compact Powder –

If you are an oily skinned beauty, compact is a must to avoid shiny face. If you have combination skin, it is advised to pat some compact on your T- Zone and forehead to skip the greasiness. For more details about compact powder – here you go.

For beginners, I would suggest compact from Lakme.

Why???

  • The compact will costs you Rs 145.
  • Even though they have shades limited to 4, you can mix two different shades to match your skin tone if needed.
  • Travel friendly packing comes with mirror. So, touch ups made easy.
  • Plus you don’t have to spend more money on applicator. It comes with applicator sponge as well.

Foundation –

In case you want to know what and why we use foundation, check this post of mine. Where I have explained all minute details about foundation.

So, to talk about budget friendly foundation, the less priced ones I have tried are from Lakme. They are –

  1. Lakme Perfecting Liquid Foundation – Available shades are 4
  2. Lakme Face Magic Skin Tints Soufflé – Available shades 3.

Why???

  • They do decent job of covering skin imperfections.

Issue with Lakme Perfecting Liquid Foundation is there are no shade options for dusky skinned beauties. The issue I faced with Lakme Face Magic Skin Tints Soufflé is that it doesn’t moisturise the skin. You might feel skin is way more dry at the end of the day.

If you like to spend more and get good foundation, go with Fit Me range from the brand Maybelline. You might have seen that foundation in most of my YouTube videos. The price of it is Rs 525 and they have shades for most of the skin tones. I am pretty sure you will find right shade for yourself in that range.

Concealer –

Assuming you are new to makeup,I would suggest you to read this post about concealer before buying one.

Also, I have already reviewed the concealers I have tried, in this post.

They may or may not be within the budget, but they work well.

Kajal –

You know how much I love eye makeup. Kajal is something I am never satisfied with. Often buy and try different Kajal from different brands. Even though my interest lies in different coloured Kajal or eyeliner, I am restricting myself to basic stuffs here.

For basic black Kajal, I would suggest the one from the brand Himalaya Herbals.

Why???

  • Pocket friendly price of Rs 45. I mean, we can’t ask for lesser than this.
  • I don’t say it’s a total smudge proof formula. Because, honestly there is no smudge proof as such. But with the amount of money we are paying for this Kajal, it’s totally worth it.
  • It’s a deep black shade. Looks lovely on eyes.Find the detailed review of Himalaya Herbals Kajal here.

Eyeliner –

Stepping out without eyeliner seems like stepping out n*ked. Check this post of mine to know the feeling of an eye makeup lover.

For black eyeliner, I have always loved gel liner from Maybelline. Maybelline New York Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner – Black.

Why???

  • Price is Rs 525. But this little pot of eyeliner gel goes long way. Little amount is enough to draw lines on both eyelids.
  • Nice pigmentation.
  • Comes with applicator brush.
  • Lasting power is good too.

For beginners who are not well versed with drawing eyeliners, go with gel ones. Because gel eyeliners are not as runny as liquid ones. If you try drawing eyeliners using liquid eyeliner in the beginning, you tend to face these two issues:

  • You going to end up making lot of mess and become a panda eyed human.
  • There is high chance that you lose confidence and stop trying eye makeup.

If you know basics of drawing eyeliners and want a really good budget friendly eyeliner, go with this liquid eyeliner from the brand Lakme – Insta Liner Eye Liner. (Detailed Review Here).

Why???

  • Price is Rs 110.
  • The pointed brush is just perfect to draw sharp lines.
  • It’s intense black eyeliner.
  • Lasting power is decent but for the price we are paying it is a good deal.

Blush –

Without going overbroad, try some of the blushes available out there. My suggestion for a budget friendly blush would be one from the brand Miss Claire, Single Big Blusher. I have tried the shade 31 which is a beautiful peach shade.

Why???

  • Price is Rs 225.
  • They have 17 shades of blushes to choose from…!!!
  • Pigmentation is quite good.

Eyeshadow –

You must have seen me creating this glossy eye makeup look in this video.

Where I have used glitter shadow from M.A.C. If you want to try eyeshadows and spend less money on it, then go for the ones from the brand Wet and Wild i.e. Wet n Wild Colour Icon Eyeshadow Glitter Single.

Why???

  • Price is Rs 135.
  • They have single coloured eyeshadow pack. You can buy shades you like instead of buying entire pallet, which you might not use much, it’s a good idea to buy single/ separate shades you liked the most.
  • Pigmentation is good.
  • They have both glitter and matte finished eyeshadows.
  • They also have good range of colours to choose from.

So, these are some of the products I had bought in the past and worked for me. Hope you find this post useful for an economic shopping.

Droopy Eyelashes??? Eyelash Lifting to The Rescue

As you know, eyelashes play a very prominent role in enhancing beauty of your eyes. No matter whether the eyelashes are thin, small, thick, long we all have our own set of problems. If you ask me, even though my eyelashes are long, they are flat and they fall on my eyes. Hence eyelash curler is a must for me.

Recently one of my favourite bloggers Corallista had posted about eyelash lifting. Me, being a curious soul, had to search about it. Let me share with you what I found about eyelash lifting.

So first of all, what is eyelash lifting. As the name suggests it is lifting your eyelashes to give you a nice dramatic eyelashes. So if you have stubborn eyelashes like mine which doesn’t stay curled for long, opting for eye lash lifting would be a great idea.

The best part about eyelash lifting according to me was, before conducting the procedure, the specialist asks you about your requirement. If you are thinking what might be requirements when it comes to eyelashes are, one – you can opt for eyelashes facing your eyebrows to get that open eyed fresh look. Two – if you opt for fanned out eyelashes to get that dramatic look. So what would be your pick? Mine would be the second one. I love drama haha.

So once you choose the style of the eyelashes you want to get, the specialist will decide the length of the curls based on it and of course the shape of your eyes.

The big question is how is this done. You can say this works as the smoothening of your hair. Just like in smoothening, a solution is used to curl your eyelashes. So to start with your eyelashes are combed thoroughly so that every strand is separated. A silicone sheet is stick on your skin under your eyes and upper eyelid. Your eyelashes are glued to the silicon sheet. Once they are glued a perming solution is applied over the eyelashes. This solution breaks the bond and smoothens it. Once your eyelashes are smooth the curling becomes easier.

This solution is left on your eyelashes over 6 to 12 minutes. It depends on the thickness of your eyelash hair how much time this solution is left on them.

Once the eyelashes are curled, a setting solution and oil are applied. This setting solution will restructure the bond and strengthens it. Thus locking up the new shape. The applied oil will add hydration and smoothens the eyelashes.

Depending on the hair type, this procedure will lasts. Usually this result will last for 6 to 8 weeks.

Just like post smoothening your hair, you need to take care of your eyelashes post lifting them. For 24 hours you are not supposed to touch or wet your eyelashes. After which, you can apply mascara if you want or even you are good to go without a layer of mascara. Because those lifted eyelashes are more than enough to get you lots of compliments.

As compared to any other procedures for eyelashes, eyelash lifting has been said to be a very low maintenance procedure. The expense involved is comparatively less and you don’t have to maintain a lot post the procedure.

Like always I have couple of important points to share.

  • Eye lash lifting just lifts the eyelashes. It doesn’t add volume. If you want to add volume, either you should go with the procedure called eyelash extension or go with false lashes.
  • There are multiple hair lifting kit available online. I haven’t tried and would never try one. I would suggest my beautiful reader, not to take risk. If you want to get this procedure done, get it done by an expert.

After knowing about the simpler procedure and looking at the end results I really want to get the my eyelashes lifted up. Because this will keep them on place without having me to use eyelash curler and lots of layers of mascara.

If you are really really tired of droopy eyelashes, you have this option to opt for this procedure. Else eyelash curler and mascara should be enough to sort it out. In case you have already done eyelash lifting or know any expert who does, please let me know.

Hope you find this post helpful. 😊

Fun Socks To Keep You Warm and Happy This Winter

Winter is here…!!!

All the blankets are out to keep ourselves warm and cozy. One piece of fabric we usually use more during winters being the socks.

Feet get dry and heels get cracked due to the cold weather. In order to protect them from the winter, we do end up using socks. With gloomy weather, you don’t really have to wear those boring socks anymore. Instead, try adding colors and fun with socks.

Back in those days we used to get colorful socks only for the infants. But now, irrespective of age, you get so many funky options in socks. Not just the size or the fabric, there are so many designs to choose from.

Formal/ plane ones:

Some like to color co ordinate their outfit and their socks. They fall into the category of ‘descent’ ones. Especially if you are wearing socks to your work place or to a formal event, don’t even think of funky socks. It might make you miss those brownie points in fashion meter.

Simple patterns:

If you don’t like too loud yet you want some fun in your socks, choose socks with minimal prints. Like polka dots or floral designs with tiny flowers, be it simple colorful lines etc.

Cartoon Ones:

There are bunch of people who believe that we are never too old for Disney. I belong to this category too. Do you??? If yes, there are plenty of websites over their who offer some amazing Disney characters printed on socks. Checkout my latest buy from one of such websites. Needless to say, I love power puff girls hence the choice.

Super Heroes:

Even though they are cartoon characters, super heroes have been super special. If you love super heroes, here you go. Superman at your rescue.

Pet Lovers:

If you love furry kids and their cute little paws, I have a sweet option for you. You can buy socks with prints of animal paws. As you wear them, your feet is going to look exactly like their mom’s. Haha.

Aloe Vera infused:

Health being the top priority of the most unhealthy generation of ours, there has been some socks made out of healthier content. There are socks with aloe Vera content in it. Which is going to improve the health or texture of your feet by keeping it moisturised and protected. Cool huun???

Bamboo Socks:

Na they are not as hard as the bamboos. But they have the fibers made of bamboo which makes these socks healthy. They are best suited for people with diabetes. The fact bamboo fibers have thermos regulating qualities, it helps in keeping your feet warm in the winters and cool in the hot season.

Seasonal Socks:

There are socks with festive designs. As the Christmas is nearing, there are so many verities of socks available with Christmas designs to give you that festive vibes.

Let your socks do the talking:

There are socks with some witty, funny quotes. Choose them as per your ‘need’ 😜

These are some of the fun socks I could quickly think of. Have you come across any fun or may be unusual socks??? Leave your comments in the comment section below.

Happy Winter….!!!!!

Salt Rooms – A Salt Based Therapy for A Healthier You

In my last post about skin care, I had mentioned how sea water can help you improve beauty and health. Today let me introduce you to a therapy based on salt – Salt therapy.

What is salt therapy???
It’s not a new bee in the world of therapies. Salt therapy is been used by people since more than 100 years. This old and natural therapy is for curing health issues and improving skin. Voila087316ae87de90471ac6d8b9d7852851--natural-salt-himalayan-pink-salt

 

Where is this therapy conducted???
Salt therapy involves room made of dry salt particles, hence those rooms are commonly called salt rooms or salt caves. The ceilings, floor and walls are made of dry salt blocks. A specialised Halo generator is used to grind Pharmaceutical Grade salt into minute breathable particles. These minute particles are dispersed into the salt room. The logic here is, as and when you inhale this salty air, it is going to benefit you, your skin as well as your overall health.

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How is it done???
Those who wants to undergo this therapy got to sit in one of these salt rooms. (Sounds like an easiest therapy we have heard of…!!!)

While some choose to read inside the room, some like to enjoy a good massage session. Some might love doing nothing but relaxing.

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Why salt therapy???
Salt is very powerful thing not just to make any dish perfect, but also to make our body work perfectly. As the pure form of salt from Himalaya or the famous dead sea has lot of elements, which are also found in human body. As the dry salt air is more powerful than the moist one, salt therapy makes use of dry air to heal the body.

How long is this therapy conducted?
As the salt concentration is high inside the room, the session lasts for 15-20 minutes. You can stay inside the room for 15-20 minutes and breath deeply just like the way you breath while doing Yoga.

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Is it good for kids???
Yes. There are salt rooms designed specially for kids. Where they get to enjoy toys and games while inhaling healthy salt air.

Benefits :

  • Salt level in the body defines lot many things. It affects our cell activities, blood sugar level as well as energy level.
  • The dry salt air has been proved to improve our mood thus making sure its improving both mental and physical health. Bye bye stress…!!!
  • Inhaling the salt air inside the salt caves helps in healing respiratory diseases like allergies, asthma, bronchitis, sinus congestion etc.
  • Salt therapy is been proved to be a boon for people with asthma issues. Salt rooms have been proved to heal them by helping them breath easily.
  • Immune, nervous and lymphatic systems get benefits by the salt therapy.
  • Needless to say, salt helps in detoxification. Antibacterial property helps in curing skin conditions.

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Cost:
Depends on the salt caves and region.

USA has lot of options for salt caves. Good news is, India has some options too. Most of the metro cities like Bengaluru, Delhi have salt caves for such treatments.

So the next time you want a quite weekend or want to spend some time with your loved ones, you have this healthier place.

Facial Cleansing Brush : New Entrant in The World of Skin Care

I had a gooooood shopping marathon this weekend. Ahhh happiest girl on earth while I pick my shopping bags up.

Skin care being the important factor, picked up some skin care products. Face cleansing brush being one among them.

If you live in Instagram for most of the time of your day, I am pretty sure you must have come across some of the people using this cute little round/oval brush on their face. These brushes are called facial cleansing brushes. As the name suggests, they are used to clean the face.

These brushes are originated from Sweden. Used as a part of skin care routine to get super clean skin.

Let me just quickly walk you through more details like how to use, where to buy from etc. etc. Shall we???

Why???

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Let me start with the basic question – why facial brush??? So, the brush acts like tiny fingers which cleanse each and every tiny pores on your face. Thus leaving skin super clean while unclogging pores. Which in turn helps in preventing clogged pores and breakouts. Result??? Blemish free skin….!!!

How to use???

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You need a good cleanser to start with. Apply cleanser on your face or take few drop of it on cleansing brush. Brush against your face gently in circular motion. Don’t forget to cover entire face(Of course skip the eyes and mouth area. haha.) Once you are done, wash your face. Ohhh hello clean face.

Types of Facial Brushes:

There are different types of facial brushes available as per the skin needs and the material used to prepare one. Here are some of the well known types,

Bristle:

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These are the very basic ones when it comes to facial or body brush. As the bristles fall on harder side, they are well suited for dry skin. They help in scrubbing off dead skin cells while cleansing the facial pores. I use one from The Body Shop. The bristle is quite soft and does good job.

You can buy one from here.
Silicon Brush:

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If skin care is your top priority, I'm sure you might have heard or even might have added this tiny brush into your skin care routine. 😊 Yes, the new entrant in the world of skin care is – facial cleansing brush. 😃 . . If you are living under the rock and wanna know EVERYTHING about these brushes, do check the latest post on my blog. 😋 . . Link in bio too…!!! 😊 . . https://mygirlypedia.com/2018/11/27/facial-cleansing-brush-new-entrant-in-the-world-of-skin-care/ . . #mygirlypedia #facialcleanser #facialcleansingbrush #skincare #blemishfreeskin #siliconbrush #bristlebrush #electronicbrush #newpost #newpostalert #skincaretips #healhyskin #beautytips

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These are squeaky smooth brushes with tiny silicon touch points which are responsible for cleansing your skin. These silicon brushes come in different sizes and shapes. Some have handles some may not. The one I recently bought is a silicon brush from the brand Forever 21.

Buy one here.

Electronic:

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These brushes are considered to be an ‘investment’. As they fall on slightly pricier side and does a good job. The facial brushes which are in trend are mostly electronic one. They run either on battery or with electric power. The electronic ones have both types that is silicon brush as well as bristle head. Best part about these is they are automatic, you don’t have to put in that extra effort to massage your face. Turn on the machine and the vibration that’s generated does all the magic. They will come handy especially when you are super tired at the end of the day. A good massage is all we need to relax ourselves. Don’t we???

Thinking of buying one??? Here you go.

Let’s see what are the advantages of using the facial brush:

  • They leave skin super cleansed
  • Skin gets softer
  • With regular use, skin texture gets improved
  • Bristle brushes help in removing dead skin cells thus helping dry skinned beauties
  • They improve blood circulation
  • As they unclog the pores, blemishes or breakouts will be reduced.

 

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Disadvantages:

  • Bristle brush with hard bristles are not suitable for girls with sensitive skin or with breakouts.
  • If the proper hygiene is not maintained, you might end up doing bad than good to your skin.
  • A type of facial brush might not work on all types of skin. Choosing brush as per skin type is important.

Things to keep in mind:

  • Make sure you dip the bristle brush in water for a while before using. This will make sure that the bristles are wet and soft. Thus making sure they won’t hurt your facial skin.
  • If your skin is dry you can use the facial brush 2-3 times a week(if you choose bristle one.)or daily(if you choose silicon one).
  • Choose the number of times you want to use the facial brush as per your skin needs. Do not overdo.
  • Clean your brush after every use to avoid bacteria growth and causing harm to your skin.
  • Do not share the facial brush with anyone.
  • If you are using electronic brush with changeable bristle head, make sure you change them once in a month or so. Because no matter how much you maintain hygiene, there is a good chance that bacteria grow in between the bristles. Hence it is advised to change the bristle head.

Do you use facial brush for cleansing??? If the answer is yes, which one do you use??? If not, I hope this post tempts you to buy one.

PC : Internet

Pocket Friendly Eyebrow Pencil for Killer Brows

Eyebrows are something which can make or break your looks. You guys already know, different shapes of eyebrows suits different face shapes. If not, I have this post for you where I have mentioned which shape suits the best based on your face’s shape.

Every girl loves those killer eyebrows. But not everybody has those perfect eyebrows. Some might have thin hair, some have less hair growth and the list continues. Even though there are multiple home remedies available for growing the eyebrows naturally, we also have some amazing products in the market which can give you a quick help.

Eyebrow pencil. Even if you are not a makeup enthusiast, I am pretty sure, you are well aware of this one tiny pencil. In India I guess kajal/ eyebrow pencil/ kohl is the first ever beauty product that’s used on a baby. In order to protect little ones from evil eyes, Indians do apply a dot on baby’s face with kajal or eyebrow pencils. Some over enthusiast moms even draw these huge eyebrows (Oh come on, on a baby’s face even a thin line looks huge) and apply kohl on their tiny little eyes. Baby has no idea what’s been done to her cute face. But no matter what, all babies look cute. Isn’t it? But that’s not the same case with us, adults.

So, lets talk about how we can use these eyebrow pencils effectively.

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If you have less hair growth or thin hair, you happened to have gaps in your eyebrows. Even with changes in our hormones and aging, the eyebrows get thin. In order to fill in the gaps, we use the eyebrow pencils.

Occasionally even I use eyebrow pencils. But I used to be apprehensive about this product. I used to think if it didn’t suit it might result in thinning of eyebrows. Phew, we girls and our nightmares. But I am happy I have found a good eyebrow pencil which gives a quick help with my eyebrows whenever I need one.

Let me quickly review the one I picked up during one of my random shopping and which worked fine.

Brand:

L.A. Colors

Name of the Product:

Browie Wowie Brow Pencil.

Price:

INR 395

Click On Below Image to Shop

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Shelf Life:

24 Months

Shades:

There are 8 dark shades available in this range. I picked the black one.

What Company Claims:

Add definition to brows with the slanted retractable Browie Wowie Brow Pencil. The Slant-tip brow pencil easily fills in brows for a natural looking finish. The product comes complete with a spoolie.

  • Add definition to brows with the slanted retractable brow pencils.
  • Fills in brows for a natural looking finish
  • 8 different shades to pick from.

Additional Information: L.A. Colours have been making superior cosmetics since 1985 offering the highest quality of innovative and trendy makeup products that target the diverse beauty needs of today’s women across the world.

Packing:

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This pencil is two sided. One is brush to comb the eyebrow and the other end has this angled pencil.

Brush helps in combing and keeping the eyebrow in place. The angled pencil makes the application super easy. The retractable pencil is the plus point. Because you don’t have to worry about the product wastage while sharpening it every time.

The cap closing the brush is transparent. Making it easier to distinguish the side you want to use.

Color payoff:

These are the swatches with multiple and single strokes.

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Honestly, I think this is good for a pencil used to fill in eyebrows. Especially for those who doesn’t like extra dark eyebrows. Single swatch gives you lighter color and in case you want darker color, you can swatch it multiple times. I prefer lighter shade on eyebrows. With those darker black shade, I am afraid I might look like one of those babies(read it as clown for an adult).

Staying Power:

It didn’t melt or spread even when I was out in the hot sun. Plus it didn’t come off easily when I washed my face.

What I liked:

  • Travel friendly packing
  • Comes with the eyebrow brush
  • Angled pencil makes application easier
  • Retractable pencil avoids wastage of product while sharpening
  • Stays for a very good time
  • Doesn’t smudge/bleed
  • Single pencil lasts for a good amount of time
  • Pocket friendly

What can be improved:

  • I am sure some might feel that color payoff can be improved. But like I said, for me, lighter tone works.
  • The caps closing either ends, especially the one closing the brush is bit brittle. You might end up breaking it just like I did.

Repurchase and recommendation:

For repurchase, yes a big yes.

Well I would love to recommend this budget friendly pencil to you, if you need those touch ups for your eyebrows. Based on the color of your eyebrow hair, choose the color of the shade, thanks to their good range of shades.

Mygirlypedia Rating: 4.5/5