Sebamed Clear Face Cleansing Foam- REVIEW!

Hello Chicas!!
Its been ages since my last post and i feel like i have missed so much from the blogging world. Anyway, I'm back and while i was MIA i have accumulated a whole lot of products to be reviewed.
Today il be reviewing a very popular cleanser, the Sebamed Clear Face Cleansing Foam.
Sebamed Clear Face Cleansing Foam is a mild cleanser that helps in keeping pimples, blackheads and other skin impurities under control. It claims to effectively penetrate the pores to provide deep cleansing. It contains Panthenol that supports the regeneration of the inflamed skin. The cleanser has a pH value of 5.5 which helps in stabilising the acid mantle of the skin to keep it healthy.

While i love this cleanser to bits, if you wear make-up, you cannot use this alone to cleanse your face.  I like to use a stronger cleanser first to take off all that gunk out of my face (like Olay Clarity for combination skin). I pat my skin dry and then apply a squirt of this foam on my damp face and leave it there for around 5 minutes after which i wash it off.
While i was away,   i was having a bad skin moment. Following a bad reaction to one of the facial treatments, my face broke out into clusters on the forehead, temple and chin area.  Sebamed Clear Face Cleansing Foam really helped me calm the skin down and though i would not claim that it totally cleared my acne it did help in combating its growth. Its almost like it retarded the growth of the acne and is now slowly clearing it away. It does not strip your skin off its oils and infact is hydrating.

Will i re-purchase?

Of-course. Anything that helps me with acne will always find a place in my heart.

How have you guys been? Have you all been watching the Football World Cup? Which teams are you supporting? 

Have a great weekend beautiful ladies xoxo

Real Techniques Powder Brush -Review

Hello Chicas!!
          Its been over a month since my last post and i finally found the time to write this long pending review. Its just that so much has been happening lately in my life that i just couldn't find the time to write a post.
           Today il be reviewing another brush from Real Techniques and this time its powder brush. Summer is here and its that time of the year when it becomes imperative for me to set my makeup with a powder brush to keep the slick at bay.

The Brush

For me the bristles of a makeup brush is the most important aspect. The brush can be all fancy and pretty to look at but its the bristles that do the job so it has to be high quality to deliver results. This powder brush does just that. It is a big round brush with fluffy bristles that feels soft and pleasant on the face. Because of the size, two or three strokes covers my entire face and sets my makeup nice and even. Just incase you guys are wondering, i set my makeup with Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder

 Final Verdict

The brush claims to have ultra plush synthetic bristles that are hand cut and 100% cruelty free. Below is the difference in head sizes of then powder brush and my Real Techniques Blush Brush.

I love Real Techniques Brushes and heart this one too. It does its job brilliantly and im more than happy with it. I have washed it a lot many times and the rush hasn't shed even a single hair. At $10 if that is not outstanding quality then tell me what is?! MUST HAVE!

Tomorrow i will be leaving for a two week vacation to Delhi, Manali and Bangalore and im super stoked. I plan to raid Sephora and get my hands on as many things as possible. I also have my eyes on some Bobbi Brown foundations that i have been wanting since forever. I just hope that the Delhi heat doesn't kill me!

How have you guys been? Anyone going on a summer vacay?? Comment!!
xoxo

My Night Time Skin Regime

Hello Chicas!!!
I havent done a post for a long long time but anyone who has worked in the Banking Sector will know what the month of March feels like. Financial year ending is literally a pain in the ass. I started having backaches, headaches, eye irritation.... all the deadlines, last minute assignments, stress didn't help the situation either.
Now that it has all ended well, i want to forget about all about it like a bad dream. Thanks to my night time routine that i have been following religiously, all that stress caused only a few minor breakouts here and there, nothing serious.

Cleansers

I use a couple of cleansers depending upon how my skin is feeling. When im having a major break-out moment going on, i tend to use the Saslic face wash which is basically a medicated facewash with 1% Salicylic Acid. Its a great cleanser which comes as a liquid in the bottle but is dispensed as a Foam (magic eh!) It does not dry your skin out and is great at preventing future breakouts.

Cetaphil cleansing lotion is my other go to cleanser. I know beauties all over the world are fans of this performer in a bottle due to its gentle nature. I love how mild it is and how it leaves the skin soft and moisturised.

Next in line is Olay Clarity fresh cleanser for oily/combination skin. This is a super foamy cleanser that i use when i have to take off a lot of make-up. 

I would also like to mention here that my other favourite cleanser is the Loreal Go 360 • Clean Anti-Breakout Cleanser (NOT SHOWN HERE). I love the  scrublet that comes with it.

Toner

I dont use a toner at night and instead of it, after cleansing my face, i use Avene Eau Thermal Spring Water. It feels like French luxury on your face...lol. Read the full review here .

Serum

Remember the iherb haul that i had done here and how was i ranting because of the crazy customs i had to pay. Well i have been using these two serum daily at night before going to bed and i have mixed feeling about them.

Mad Hippie Vitamin C serum - As the name suggests, it is a Vitamin C serum. We all know the benefits of Vit C to the skin right. This serum is super light in texture and smells citrusy. It disappears in the skin within seconds and leaves skin super matte.. almost too matte. It provides no hydration what so ever... i wish it did though. Its a little too drying for my liking and im oily skinned mind you. I havent seen it brighten or lighten my blemishes so im not sure i would repurchase this one. 

Earth Science Active Age Defense - Well what can i say... we just cannot escape old age can we? I wanted to take precautionary measures and therefore use an anti ageing products to keep fine lines well at bay. This is an anti ageing+anti break out (yes, im killing 2 birds with one stone here ) product. I hate using physical exfoliants on my skin and therefore i opted for a chemical exfoliant instead. This has both alpha as well as beta hydroxy acids in it so i thought it would be a win-win situation for me. No kidding that this contains acids. It stings during the first few days of application. It broke me out initially but i guess i was just purging. Yes it peels your skin off and you can actually see it. Every few weeks i give my skin a break from this serum just so that it doesnt get used to it. Please remeber that using alpha or beta hydroxy acids on your skin makes it extremely sensitive to the sun so a good sunscreen is your best friend when you use this serum.

Bio Oil

I slather Bio Oil on my stretch marks before i go to bed. But since summer is already here where i live, i don't think i can use this anymore for very long. Read my full review on Bio Oil here

Supplements

I used to take Biotin supplements till a few weeks ago until it cause me to break out. I gave up on the biotin supplemets because i didnt see much of a difference on my hair and nails and was instead causing breakouts, it went straight to the dustbin. I have been taking Cod Liver Oil for the past god knows how many years now. Some doctor suggested it to me for healthy eyesight and bones... and it is also good for the hair and skin so why not?!!

So this is my night time skin routine. While i do love some of the products, i dont know for sure wether i will repurchase a few. However, following this routine has definitely improved my skin and i do not break out as much as i used to. I will update any changes in my routine.

what is your night time skin regime? Comment!!

xoxo

Avene Thermal Spring Water - REVIEW

Hello Chicas!
I watched "12 Year's A Slave" yesterday and how awesome is that movie... totally deserved all the Oscar's it received. Also its amazing how Lupita  Nyong is just a movie old but was totally killing it on the Red Carpet this award season. I feel in love with her powder blue Prada Gown.. she totally owned that gown.
Anyway, getting back to business, today I'm reviewing the "Avene Thermal Spring Water". For those of you who don't know, Avène is a unique French dermo-cosmetic brand dedicated to each level of skin sensitivity; from sensitive, intolerant to allergic.

Very low mineralised, rich in silica and trace elements, the Avène Thermal Spring Water has been clinically proven to be naturally soothing, anti-irritating and anti-free radical.
Get instant relief just by spraying a fine mist of the Avène Thermal Spring Water whenever your skin feels tight and uncomfortable.
In order to preserve its purity, the Avène Thermal Spring Water is bottled at source and manufactured in a sterile unit at the Avène Dermotological Hydrotherapy Centre.

The Product

I purchased the small 50ml version for Rs.540/- because i wanted to test it out first before splurging on a full sized bottle. It comes in an elegant white spray pump bottle that works in the same mechanism as a deodorant/anti-perspiration spray.

While some people may think that spending 500 bucks ($9) on a tiny bottle of water is crazy but it has end number of uses which makes this water precious. Some of its uses listed are as follows:

• after shaving
• rash
• after make-up removal
• post surgery
• during travel (especially in flights)
• after sports activities
• damaged skin
• redness of the face
• after hair removal
• sunburn

Interestingly, i recently had a mishap with my epilator and my skin was inflamed and raw and was burning like crazy. I sprayed this over the affected area and it instantly calmed the skin and reduced the redness and inflammation. 

It is said that Avene Thermal Spring water is no ordinary water. It is bacteriologically  pure, has low mineral content, and has a large variety of anions and cations and trace elements. The 2 to 1 Calcium/Magnesium ratio makes it exceptional among dermatological thermal spring waters and may explain its skin healing promoting action. 

I love how the spray works. Now, i have use facial mists in the past and all they do is splatter/ squirt water on your face. This one however, works wonderfully. It sprays a super fine mist of the thermal water on your face evenly without splattering unevenly. To increase the skin cooling properties, i pop this in my refrigerator and the effects are blissful.

While i wouldn't say that my skin has improved or make any tall claims, i simply love how the mist feels on my skin. It also seems to hydrate my skin.
This is not an absolute must have in your make-up kitty but one that will come handy especially during the fast approaching hot, humid, summers (cringe).

Will i repurchase?

Absolutely. I will buy the full sized one once im done with this one. My skin does deserve some tender love and care.

Have you used the Avene Thermal Spring Water? What are your thoughts?? COMMENT!!

xoxo

Real Techniques Stippling Brush- REVIEW

Hello Chicas!!
Sorry for Missing in action for a long time. A sudden surge of laziness took over me and even though i had tons of reviews pending, i just kept procrastinating. Anyway, diving right into business, im reviewing the Real Technique Stippling Brush today. Now my love for the Real Techniques Brushes is known by all. They are all of fantastic quality and are really really affordable and im so glad that this brush does not disappoint.

The Brush ($10)

The stippling brush is similar to the other Real Technique brushes and comes with a pink aluminium body with a rubberised bottom that can stand up on your dressing table. It feels well made and doesn't reflect its meagre price at all.

The Bristles

It is a dual fibre, ultra plush, synthetic brush that boasts of creating air-brushed, high definition results with all types of make-up. 

As you can see from the pictures that the brush is made up of two kinds of bristles. First there is the longer white bristles and the shorter black bristles. The longer thin (white) bristles are thinly arranged while the shorter, black bristles are densely packed. This is what makes the stippling brush perfect for applying sheer coverage foundation, blush, highlighter or powder.
I love using it for applying Highlighter though. The reason being, the white bristles pick up the perfect amount of product (coz we all know what happens when we go overboard with highlighters..Shiny Disco Ball) while the shorter, denser bristles nicely buff the product into my skin giving me the perfect glow.
The bristles are stiffer than other brushes which makes the buffing action easier. However, when i first used the brush, i was over enthusiastic with it and ended up scrapping way too much product. After that day, I'm more gentle while using this baby.

Final Verdict

Another gem by Samantha Chapman. What can i say, she truly understands the woes of a girl on a budget who refuses to compromise on quality.

I HEART THIS BRUSH!!

My Highlighter's new Best Friend or rather new BFF!!

Do you own the Real Techniques Stippling brush?? Love it or Loathe it?? Comment!!

xoxo