Derma Confidante

I am your personal virtual skin specialist and cosmetologist.

[dermaconfidante]

Finding the right Foundation

YOLO!

Hey! what’s up ladies?! Now that we have enjoyed Halloween enough, lets talk about going to looking human again! ;-) Today’s article is about makeup! Yaaay!! And what is the very first thing you need when it comes to makeup? Yes, you are right! A Foundation!

After making loads of batches of different foundations for clients, I decided to embark upon a journey to find the right foundation for my skin. And what place can give you more options than Sephora?! So here I go… but before my visit to the beauty planet, I am going to tell you what not to do when you are there.

DONT’S - While formulating the foundations, I received a big surprise. Let me share it. All the foundations, be it any brand in any country, usually have the same chemicals. All the liquid foundations are made up of almost the same ingredients with the difference of only a few which are in minimal quantities. There is no product that is good for your skin. There is no makeup that will not harm your skin. So now knowing this, if you are still up for that visit, then read on!

The second eye opener is - water resistant products. A big NO to them! Water resistant products are stubborn and extremely difficult to remove from hard iron or stainless steel. Imagine how strongly it might stick to your skin! Water resistant foundations have to be rubbed off with alcohol. No surfactant works on it and alcohol is not something you want even near your skin. So my request is, apply makeup and reapply if it wipes off. I know it is lot of work but at least it saves your skin from the horrors of alcohol.

WHAT WE WANT is a foundation that is suitable for our skin. If your skin is normal to dry, I would suggest going with a liquid foundation. For very oily skin, mineral pressed powders can be used but they tend to clog pores more so I would suggest liquid foundations any day. I also prefer liquid foundations as they easily blend with the skin and provide natural coverage. Foundations are neither designed for making your skin appear fairer nor for making it appear more tan . They are just a base coat to even out skin tones and reduce visible spots. So you want a shade that exactly matches your skin color. There are a lot of variations of foundations like ones with sunscreen, heavy, light, medium, low or high coverage, sheer or matte, and such. These properties are dependent completely upon your personal liking. Foundations with sunscreen are recommended if your facial moisturizer doesn't have any sun blocking ingredients. Using primers before foundation is also a personal choice, but using a good moisturizer with a little SPF is highly recommended.

DO’S - Finally we are at the heaven’s door, all set to receive our blessings. Our first step now is to decide what brands do you want to invest in. If you do not have a personal favorite, I have a list below which can help. After we narrow down on the brands, pick 3 shades that look nearest to your skin tone and apply them side by side on your chin area. Pick the one that is the closest match to your skin tone and apply it on one half of your face. Blending is the key here. Start with chin and blend upwards and outwards in circular motions. Blend, Blend, Blend! See the difference? If it looks like your natural skin but without the spots and with more evenness, you have hit the jackpot! If not switch shades or brands till you do. Of course the beauty assistants in the stores can be of great help in selecting the shade.

DO YOUR WALLET A FAVOR and don’t get tricked into the big brand names or the organic claiming ones. Prices of foundations vary from 15$ to 50$. Here are some guidelines to help you find the best for you.

LANCOME - very moisturizing, great spreading, matte finish, not very buildable, a little water resistant, does not completely wipe off. Price: 46.5$

BENEFIT - light weight, wipes off, no special features. Price: 36$

NARS - very low coverage, lot of product needed for single application, feels dry on skin, not really buildable. Price: 48$

SEPHORA - no water resistance, wipes off with wet towels, does not feel tacky, lot of natural shades. Price:20$

BOBBI BROWN - break wet technology, feels like a cream more than makeup, medium coverage, has sunscreen ingredients, but stability issues, drys out really fast in packaging itself.

SMASHBOX - really lightweight, not tacky but water resistant Price: 42$

URBAN DECAY - light weight, absorbs quickly, very low coverage. Price: 40$

Looking at all these, I feel Sephora is a great catch with the price and the feel. The color really blends well with skin giving the perfect coverage. It also stays on for a decent amount of time and wipes off quickly and easily with wet wipes. If you are a foundation virgin, definitely try Sephora otherwise indulge into whichever feels the best! Stay healthy stay Gorgeous..

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it. 

[dermaconfidante]

Fresh for Fall!

Hey Guys!

Do you want to get fresh?! Oh sorry, I mean do you want to get “fresh” products? Are you one of those who are lured by the pretty advertisements and witty names, Fresh uses for its products? I am! I am not shy to admit that they have a really good marketing strategy which pulled me right into it. The moment I saw the new tinted lip treatments with spf, I was completely in awe of the product and had to go get one. But the main reason I wanted it was because of the meaningful story they have for each color of the product line. The ingredients gist look heavenly. They have done a very smart job, naming the colors using the names of fruits, honey and such, so a first glance gives you the feeling of an au-natural product! But is it actually true?

Functionality: As far as the feel of the product and the performance is concerned, I am really satisfied. It stands up to its claims to keep the lips moisturized and smooth for a long time (4-5 hours per application) which is very close to the claim. With buildable color, you have the option to apply it more or less according to the hue you prefer. A single coat application gives a beautiful tint of color which I love. Also an SPF of 15 is a plus here as be it summer or not, wearing some SPF always helps delaying skin ageing.

Product Specifics: All the colors in the lip treatment product line have almost the same ingredients. The use of all good oils makes me happy. Castor seed oil, Jojoba seed oil, Olive oil, avocado oil contribute majorly towards keeping your lips smooth and hydrated. Of course there is use of waxes as they are an integral part of any kind of lipstick to hold its shape and give a layering effect. So I am not going to complain about the use of beeswax and carnauba wax. The hero ingredient used here is tocopherol (vitamin E). It is an all rounder having various benefits like antioxidant properties, occlusive, skin conditioning etc. Thumbs up for it! The constituents that worry me are Retinyl Palmitate. It is not a harmful ingredient in itself but when used in presence of sunlight, it can be perilous. It can cause early aging and also skin tumor on chronic exposure. Another disturbing ingredient used is BHT (Butylated Hydroxy Toluene). One of the ingredients from my “Never Use” list. BHT is a very economic preservative which is also a synthetic anti-oxidant. It can cause vomiting, stomach pain , dizziness, damage to liver and is also carcinogenic when ingested orally. So its use in any cosmetics especially lip care is not acceptable outside the range of 0.01-0.1%. I am sorry fresh!! Big turn off!! At the same time the emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners and surfactants used are safe and non debatable. But yet again I see the use of artificial fragrants which can be skin irritants.

Seasons & Skin Types: Clearly there are no limitations for this lip treatment. It can be used in any season by any skin types. The time period it keeps the lips moisturized differs depending on the season, but I am pretty confident that it is never less than 4 hours.

Final Verdict: Well, looking at both the sides of this product line, I would recommend you to use this Fresh Lip Treatment preferably in absence of sun, and if your skin is not hypersensitive.

I am sure that you will get addicted to this tinted lip balm like I did but please promise me you will use it mindfully and you are all set. So now I say, pick the perfect shade for yourself and go rock your Fall Party!!

Stay Healthy, Stay Gorgeous!

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

Less is More

Its more often than you can imagine that I hear people saying that the organic products are expensive. And it is a fact. Be it skincare, haircare, makeup, food or other consumer goods, organic always adds up to the price. Moreover, the number of days a product lasts is also a concern. Saving money is a must in today’s volatile economy and that makes it a very probable reason for people to compromise on our aesthetic needs by switching to a lower quality mass produced products. Use of synthetic constituents and cheaper chemicals in cosmetics has lowered the prices of the most commonly used products to a great level. This surmount difference in price lures us to pick the one that is the cheapest without a second thought about its ingredients. So today, to make our lives a bit simpler, I am going to list out some of the most commonly used products with optimum quantities in which they should be used.  

There you go! Keep these quantities in mind and Save some money honey!! Stay healthy, Stay gorgeous!

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it. 

[dermaconfidante]

Abstruse Alba Botanica

Howdy Folks!

Was that time long enough to digest all the acne facts? Ready for some more?! I know you are! So lets pick up from where we left off last time. We were discussing my SCRUB, CLEANSE and CLOSE method. You already know about scrub and cleanse so you know where we are headed now…yes! Time for closing those clean open pores. Constricting skin pores is very necessary to keep our beauty products from entering them. We don’t want to any kind of moisturizers or creams or makeup entering and clogging the pores. When I say close, I do not mean shut off completely. That can never happen. If we could completely close pores, we would be able to change our skin texture totally and that is years of research away!  While we discuss our third step, we will be looking at a product which is commonly used by estheticians… Alba Botanica’s ACNE DOTE DEEP CLEAN ASTRINGENT.

Whenever I talk about this, the first question I hear is…What is the difference between an astringent and a toner? I know, you had the same question! Astringents and toners both are water based formulations that remove any residue remaining in the skin pores after a wash and constrict the pores. But there are some minor differences between the two…lets compare them:

Both astringents and toners are to be applied in the same way. Use a cotton ball, wet it in the product and gently dab it on your face covering every inch. Both of the products generally tingle a bit. I personally prefer toners over astringents and like me, all my friends who have combination skin have this option to choose what you like the best. As we know what these products are and why they should be used, lets see if our product today stands up to our expectations.

This Acne dote astringent by Alba Botanica, like all other astringents has 2% salicylic acid - The hero ingredients fighting against acne as we know and the willow bark extract - the loyal sidekick! The formulation is loaded with good anti-oxidants like green tea leaf extract, chamomile Recutita extract, Calendula Officinalis flower extract and such. All these are plant extracts. It also contains some great humectants like aloe juice, glycerin and sorbitol, which ensure the skin moisture. Two special ingredients in this astringent are Bergamot fruit oil which reduces scars and evens out the melanin distribution, and Orange peel oil which is a natural fragrant and a very good stabilizer. No wait! Don’t jump to conclusions just yet! This product has some major flaws!

It contains Arnica Montana flower extract and Lavander extract. These substances are major skin irritants and are notorious for stripping off the naturally present anti-oxidants from the skin. They are sun sensitive and sometime cause the death of skin cells in presence of sun. Moreover, it is also not free of the tangy flavors and fragrances which are irritants too. The physical appearance is to the point. It is a water based solution so has less viscosity as expected and the right density. But when you apply it on your skin, it not just tingles but literally burns. I personally cannot handle it. This experience is the same for people with any skin type. The product claims to be 100% vegetarian which we can see it is. It is also free of parabens, phthalates and is not tested on animals. But I don’t think beauty should be painful so I would not recommend using it unless you are a die hard fan of Alba Botanica.

MYTHS: I am going to add this one little section as I promised you last time. So are you ready to be shocked? Here goes…

Clogged Pores = Acne                                                                               Most of the people think that clogged pores cause acne which is not necessarily true.     Sometimes it can cause a lot of other skin problems.

Regular scrubbing = No Acne                                                                   So not true guys! Scrubbing removes the dirt and opens the pores to welcome more dirt!

Steam opens up the pores and cold water closes them                           This is one of the most believed myths! The skin follicles do not have muscles which can open and close due to temperature changes. So scrub to open and tone to close.

You can shrink your skin pores with some products                                   FALSE! There is no product that can decrease the size of your pores unless you are taking the laser treatment (not recommended). These products unclog the pores. And as skin is elastic, with no grit inside, it goes back to maintain its shape so the pores look smaller.

That is it for today friends! I hope you Understand the entire process and acne-skincare well. Stay away from the alluring myths and come know the truth from me. Until next time now.…Stay Healthy, Stay Gorgeous!

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

Accursed Acne

Hey guys!!

How are y’all?! Enjoying the last days of amazing weather? Well, I surely am! But majorly, I am so relieved that I have finally overcome the curse of number 13! Phew…! This post tricked me into a lot of research and a lot of testing so I promise it will be worth the while! Today’s post is equally about a problem as it is about the product. YES! you guessed it right! The most commonly occurring skin problem, a disorder faced by more than 80% of people in the world and the biggest blemish on beauty - ACNE! I know, I know we all have dreaded acne some or the other time in our lives. So to make us the zit fighting superhero comes our loyal sidekick - “PURIFYING GEL CLEANSER” by BURT’S BEES. Yet again one of those companies which made a classic organic entry in the market and is doing great! Before we focus on the product, I think for dealing with these eruptions in the correct manner it is important to understand the types, causes and cures in detail. Lets break it down:

TYPES: You might not have thought of this but it is not just a pimple! It can be a blackhead, whitehead, pimple, papules, pustules, nodule or a cyst.

CAUSES : Acne occurs due to varied reasons being hormonal changes (puberty), medication, clogged pores, allergic reaction, hormonal changes, inflammation, sun exposure, ageing and so on. Believe it or not, the actual exact cause for acne is unknown!! Knowing the probable reason for your acne is the key here. (Yes, I am here to help with that.)

PREVENTION: Lets see the bullet points here. The first and foremost is to keep your skin clean. And by clean I DO NOT mean dry. Secondly, do not use bar soaps. They form a film on skin and clog the pores not letting the anti-acne ingredients work. Check your cosmetics, one of them night be causing a sensitizing reaction on your skin. Never forget Sun Care. Exposure to Sun causes pore enlargement ultimately leading to breakouts.

Now lets see how this products helps us. Burt’s Bees is the first company that started the use of beeswax, a completely natural wax in the formulation of its products. And now has expanded to various kinds of products, this cleanser being one of them. The reason I picked a cleanser for acne instead of a gel or a cream is because for treating this condition, it is inevitable to use some chemicals and I would prefer them not to stay on my skin but wash off. This gentle cleanser by Burt’s Bees does a great job as far as the cleansing action is concerned. The use of mild surfactants like Coco Betaine, Decyl Glucoside and Coco Glucoside rinse the skin well giving you a very clean and refreshing feel. The formulation is power packed with skin conditioning agents like Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sucrose Laurate, Beet root Extract, Lactoperoxidase and so many others to keep skin moisturized. These ingredients ensure that the skin is not stripped off its natural oils and keep it moist avoiding the extra dryness that usual acne medications cause. The best part of this product is that inspite of having many chemical derivatives in it, there are no irritants! And the preservative used is the least irritating possible - Phenoxyethanol. The ingredient in lime-light here, is of course Salicylic Acid which is a major acne fighter. Another natural ingredient Willow Bark Extract aids salicylic acid in the fight. Good choice of humectants, moisturizers and emulsifiers as well. Overall I am happy with the constituents. All positives here!

Moving on to the physical characteristics of the product. The description says “purifying gel cleanser” which is not exactly true. I would not call it a gel, it is clearly a liquid. The density and viscosity are a bit on the lower side. I would like to have a proper gel with good structure and feel to it. The low viscosity of the liquid spoils the extrudability and it makes it impossible to control the amount flowing out. Clearly the thickening agents haven't worked well and it would not hurt to replace some skin conditioners with good thickeners. I am not satisfied with the spreadability too. Disappointing negatives here…

As far as the working is concerned, the cleanser does a good job for most types of acne. It does not dry or irritate the skin as claimed. It is safe for sensitive skin too except for specific ingredient allergies. It is claimed to be 99.4% natural which is high for this family of products, Not tested on animals and not very expensive for a part organic product. So all in all, I would use it ignoring the physical flaws!

Generally, solving any acne condition consists of three major steps: SCRUB, CLEANSE and CLOSE. I call it the ultimate SCC method. The first step is to scrub open those pores to let out all the junk stored in there. The pores, if not taken care can become a breeding nest for dust, oils, dead skin cells and what not! So SCRUB all this out using a gentle organic scrub. (Ask me if not sure which ;-) Maybe I’ll write about it!) Next is CLEANSE. These open pores need to be cleaned in and out with a mild anti-acne cleanser like our product here to prevent future breakouts. This gentle cleanser does an excellent job in cleaning the pores removing that excess oil. A big Thumbs up! And the last step is CLOSE. But for that you will have to wait till my next post…We will continue the last step in the next post with some shocking truths and revelations about the most common myths about acne that you have fallen for!! So stay tuned…Stay Healthy, stay Gorgeous!

PS: The causes and types of acne are not explained in depth in this article due to word crunch but you can definitely shoot me an email to know more and personalize your acne treatment.

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

Yes! to “Yes to”

Hey there!

Hi again! How is the heat treating you? Ready for it to get a bit cooler? I know….thats always a tricky one! Alright so are you pumped up to see whats new in market and making its way up this time? It is a facial cream by a company I absolutely adore….Yes to Inc. And the product for today is “YES TO TOMATOES - daily balancing moisturizer” Now let me tell you a wonderful thing about this company. It is a completely organic company and all its product lines are named after a fruit or vegetable which is its main ingredient.This moisturizer has tomatoes as its punch point. Tomato extract and its derivatives are the heroes of this product.

Organic it is - Yes it has a lot of different products with carrots, cucumbers, grapefruit, blueberries, coconut and more as main ingredients. I love this innovative idea which they are using as a marketing strategy. A smart strategy indeed! And as if that wasn't enough, they have different facial creams for different skin types! That is absolutely fantastic. Lets dig into this tomato creation a bit deeper. This is a moisturizing facial cream which controls the amount of oil secreted by your skin. It is crafted to balance the blotchiness and reduce blemishes on your face. Ingredient wise, the formulators of this facial cream have done a fantastic job by adding a lot of natural extracts. And I seriously mean A LOT! It contains Shea Butter, Aloe Vera juice, Tomato extract, Pumpkin fruit extract, Ginko Bilboa fruit extract, Watermelon fruit extract, Red Pepper extract, African Red Bush Tea extract, Chamomile flower extract, Jojoba seed oil, Dead Sea Salt and olive oil! WOAH!! That is a long list, isn’t it?! All these ingredients have their own benefits. Many of them help power pack this formulation with anti-oxidants. Tomato and Watermelon extraction gives a by-product called Lycopene which plays a very important role in banishing the blotchiness from skin. The natural butters and oils used help skin keep moisturized and avoid dryness. Tomato and Watermelon also have a sidekick in this pretty picture. They are Pumpkin fruit extract and Dead Sea Salt. Pumpkin besides being an anti-oxidant, contains Vitamins A &C and a number of Alpha Hydroxy Acids. It plays a pivotal role in oil control and also contains Zinc to keep those acne away! While Dead Sea salt is rammed with high number of minerals, it acts as a skin curing ingredient. It contains Magnesium which helps slowing down skin ageing and Potassium which promotes blood circulation. There are also some great emollients, humectants and emulsifiers like Capric Triglyceride and Cetyl Alcohol. The constituents like Red Pepper, Phenoxy Ethanol and Potassium Sorbate are the active preservatives. The product does have some fragrances but as they are claiming that the product is 98% natural, I hope they would be natural too.

How does it feel - The cream has a great light feel to it. The stabilizers and emulsifiers do a great job holding the awesomeness together. The density of the cream is a bit on the higher end but the viscosity is on the mark. I am impressed by the use of Xanthum Gum for empowering the viscosity. The product has amazing spreadability so the amount needed for a single application is way less than you normally use. I would advise to spread a bead sized portion of the product on face and neck. YES thats it! So the 50 ml bottle lasts longer than you can imagine which justifies the high price range. The resistance to temperature is also high. It does not become runny at high temperatures nor does it freeze up. It has a great extrudability with pretty and convenient packaging. Just a couple of uses would make your skin feel softer and smoother. But it takes atleast a couple of weeks to show any type of difference in the patchiness.

Does it suit your skin? - This facial cream ideally is for dry to normal skin types. People with combination skin types would feel a bit oily using it in summers. But it is a boon for dry skin. These people can use it all round the year. I would not recommend people with very oily skin to use this cream. They can use one of the other products by Yes to. And I can help you pick that. If you have combination skin, you have options. You can use this cream in winters without any concern but you might not want to use it in summers. If you still want to use it on warmer days, I would recommend reducing the quantity you use for single application. If not, I can help you pick too! Dry skinned people might want to use a tad bit more of the cream to make a thicker layer of the cream to ensure moisture.

On the whole, hats off to YES TO! Great products and great idea! Completely Parabens, Petroleum and SLS free! I would definitely say go out and try out and feel the magic! Your pores are totally going to love it! Alright guys, thats it for now, catch y’all later! Stay Healthy, Stay Gorgeous!

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

Co-Wash Clan Cotillion

Salut!!

Comment vas tu? I hope you guys had a great weekend! I know you might be wondering what the post is about today?! And what is this no-poo cult?! And why am I so excited to write this post? And why in god’s name did I create this anxiousness in you guys about this post?! Alright slow down….I promise I will not disappoint you and make this read worth the while! So this post, unlike the others is not just about a single company’s single product but it is about a technique that is revolutionizing generic hair washing! Lets start…

No-Poo Cult, What is it? - No Poo (No Shampoo) is an anti-shampooing movement. Yes, thats right! No using shampoo. As more and more people are becoming aware about the harmful effects that a shampoo has on your hair, they are joining this movement. The die hard followers of this movement use just water to wash hair or a mixture of baking soda and vinegar (If you want to know how baking soda works you can personally contact me and maybe try it out :-) ). A lot of people like me are not comfortable to completely quit shampooing and washing hair as it feels dirty and unsatisfactory. How can you not wash your hair! So different people join the No Poo movement in different capacities. And with the help of this incredible product almost everyone can join this cult.

Shampoo Out, Co-Wash in - Co-Wash is a term coined from “Conditioner Only Washing”. As the phrase indicates, this is a technique where you do not use any shampoo or shampoo+conditioner for cleaning your hair, but instead cleanse with a conditioner! Now you know! This method lets you skip exposing your hair to all the parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrants, paraffins, mineral oil etc. that are present in a shampoo and are perilous. Sulfates are a major problem with shampoos as they strip off all the natural oils from the scalp, so came out the sulfate-free shampoos which still did the same. So then were invented, the dry shampoos. These are a powdery spray in products which absorb the excess oil on the scalp and make you feel clean but in reality they cause a lot of build-up on the scalp. Thus to ditch all kinds of shampoos, the Co-Wash broke grounds which is conditioning and non foaming. And looking at the present scenario, I feel, that shampoo - a product that has been around for a century now and has a market of approx. $17.7 billion, is on its way out!

How does Co-Wash help? - Conditioners have trace amounts of cationic surfactants which help in cleaning your hair and scalp. They allow your tresses to retain its own natural oils rather than replacing it with artificial moisturizers. It makes your hair softer, smoother and easier to manage. It also helps make your hair color stay longer and reduces damage. With the help of all my valued volunteers with a varied skin and hair types, I am very confident in saying that switching to this method definitely makes your hair softer, more manageable and a lot less dry and frizzy than before.

Who can use? - Co-washing is beneficial to most of the hair and scalp types. But people with extremely dry and frizzy hair can benefit the most by switching. It is good for other scalp or skin types too except extremely oily ones. I would not recommend you to use Co-wash products if your scalp is very oily or if you have dermatitis as you don’t need to retain any more oil or moisture but you should definitely start using sulfate-free shampoos if you are not already. Rest everyone can safely switch. It works well for all hair types curly, wavy, lightly wavy, straight, thick or thin. So all good there. Switching is also very easy for guys with shorter hair and who are used to washing hair every other day. This technique allows you to wash hair often without damaging them.

Co-Wash Regime - I feel the way you wash hair has a lot of effects in case of Co-Washing. So it is important to follow this regime. Firstly, soak your hair completely. They should be dripping water before application of the product. This helps loosen the debris and dirt build up on your scalp and ensures even application of the product. Secondly, take up a generous amount of the product and massage it on the scalp and roots for 3-5 minutes and work your way towards the ends. Forget the dime sized and quarter sized portions, here you will need more. Also the time you massage and keep the product in hair affects the amount of oil retained. Voila! Follow this and enjoy those gorgeous tresses!

Problems - There are no long term problems as such but when you start using this product you undergo a grease hump till your scalp recalibrates its oil secretion. So you might need to wash your hair often. It usually takes on an average 3-4 washes for this transition period. Another drawback is that Co-washing initially does not feel satisfactory as we are used to foaming up while washing and here no foam is formed. But slowly you get used to it. One more thing is Co-washing increases build-up of oil so it is advisable to use a clarifying or cleansing shampoo once every 2 weeks, more or less according to how much oil your scalp secrets, amount of sweat, frequency of styling products and equipments you use. Again, it takes a couple of routines to get into the habit and balancing Co-Washing and shampooing. Also lot of product is required for Co-Washing so it seems a bit expensive but trust me it is worth every dime you spend!

Options in Market - Now a days there are a lot of companies who have Co-wash products unlike before when the movement started. I have 3 favorite ones that I have tested and analyzed. They are CAROL’S DAUGHTER, L’OREAL and SHEA MOISTURE. These are some of the best in market but the Shea Moisture with coconut and Hibiscus is my personal favorite. It does not contain Sulfates, Phthalates, Parabens, Paraffins, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, Synthetic Fragrance, Synthetic Color, DEA! It has 3 power ingredients - Coconut oil which hydrates and protects hair, Vegetable protein which softens and hydrates hair reducing split ends and build-up and Neem oil which is a great anti-bacterial and also adds shine to the hair. This product has a great collection of organic and semi-synthetic conditioning agents like mango seed butter, shea butter, grape seed oil, Behentrimonium CelluloseTocopherol (Vitamin E), Rosemary extract and Caprylyl Glycol which helps this product work well for different hair types. Besides these agents, a bunch of natural emollients and thickeners are used. The formulators of this product have taken extra care in choosing the stabilizers for the emulsion which are completely docile. One of the great things in this conditioner is the use of Kaolin clay which is an absorbent and helps reduce build-up from the styling products. The use of great natural emollients also impresses me a lot. By far, I have never witnessed use of these many natural ingredients in a hair care product.

Physical nature and feel - Physically the formulation seems quite raw and just stabilized and I am all for it because it confirms their claims of using a natural ingredient for achieving that stability. The viscosity is perfect, exactly what an ideal conditioner should have. The use of Mango seed butter, Grape seed oil and Hydroxyethyl Cellulose succeed in working their magic! The spreadability is my concern here as it is very less about 1 square cm per a bead size of the product which takes a lot of time and quantity to cover long hair. This is the case with any Co-Wash product so I hope in future there will be a way out. The tube extrudability is just awesome! Very convenient to use due to its soft and fluffy nature. Density is also perfect, does not weigh your hair down at all on application and even after. The pH of this product is low - it is slightly acidic. Don’t worry this is good. The acidity in the conditioner raises the hair from its root to ensure a thorough cleanse. Thumbs up for the one who had this witty idea!

Me and Co-Wash - I have dry hair which tend to get frizzy after wash. This frizziness reduced after switching to Co-Wash but it still did not completely vanish. So I prefer using a hair serum after wash. Serum creates an extra protective layer on the hair to save it from pollution and damage. And here’s a great tip- I love to wash, apply serum on wet hair and then cover my hair with a towel turban till they are 80% dry. This helps the serum cover every inch of the hair without being exposed to any dust or pollen in the air. It will surely reduce dryness and make hair more manageable. It took about 2 weeks or 4 washes for my scalp to revamp the oil secretion. I also use a straightener at times to style my bangs but due to dry hair, grease secretion is less for me so I use cleansing shampoo once every 2 weeks. Isn't that great?! I have cut down shampoo from twice a week to once in 2 weeks according to my hair care routine and I feel amazing! Switching to Co-wash has had so many positives for me and all my volunteers. I know you want to switch too! But mind you co-washing and shampooing balance is different for everyone. So just shoot me an email at [email protected] to find how you can do it too!

To Summarize - Infinite stars to this new method, chuck shampooing, pick a co-wash, follow the regime, email me to personalize according to your needs, Ditch those Sulfates! Co-Wash has more benefits than you can imagine! So jump right into it, and don’t forget to flaunt those beautiful tresses! Stay Healthy…stay Gorgeous!! Salut till next time…

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

Safeguard Seven Generations...

Buona sera amici!!

How is everyone?! Long time huh?? Yeah I know….and I guess you know the reason for the long break. Yes you are right! Derma Confidante Limited is a registered LLC (company) now!! Yay for both of us! This means I can help you all get the personalized advise you need to stay away from those toxins and live a safe happy life! For more details, please visit my website http:/dermaconfidante.bitballoon.com. Moving on, my post for today is not just about what is good for our skin but also the environment we live in. Looking at the sustainability projects going on around the world, I feel I can play a part by spreading awareness about a company that truly cares about nature and shows that concern while manufacturing their products. And their product we are going to talk about is “ NATURAL HANDWASH - MANDARIN, ORANGE AND GRAPEFRUIT flavor and the FREE AND CLEAN UNSCENTED flavor” by Seventh Generation. The main motive of this company is to produce products in a way that next seven generations would be able to enjoy and experience earth’s valuable resources. So lets see how they are doing that…

These products from Seventh Generation are very basic hand washes. Yes I know The first thing that comes to our mind when I say Hand wash is Dettol! And of course it should. Dettol had dominated the market for hand washes for ages. And I have no complaints against it. I have been using the product since I can remember. But surprisingly a couple of people experienced some problems with it. Not Dettol’s fault but they were allergic to one of the ingredients used in it. So while I was trying to find alternative hand wash for these clients, I came across these hand washes by Seventh Generation. The first use itself makes you notice the difference between this product and its competitors. The use of mild surfactant Sodium Coco Sulfate and Decyl Glucoside as gentle detergent makes the liquid great for cleaning and conditioning the skin. Usage of natural thickeners like Sodium Chloride (table salt) and Magnesium Chloride makes this commodity less toxic to the environment as compared to others. Adding to the same cause is the inclusion of Aloe Vera as anti-irritant and Glycerin as humectant. A common but great preservative, Sodium Benzoate helps Potassium Sorbate to keep away mold, yeast or bacteria. The hand wash with Mandarin, Orange and Grapefruit flavor has some fragrants which are potential irritants but the use of Aloe cancels the effect. Still, I am not happy with the use of Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit seed oil) and D-Limonene. But there is nothing to worry about as these do not cause any problems on usage. The second flavor Free and Clean Unscented totally wins my heart! This formulation has all the benefits of the great ingredients I described above, without the use of any fragrants or irritants!! Isn't that awesome!

These hand washes are hypo-allergic as they claim to be. They are completely cruelty free and vegan. The USDA has certified it to be 97% bio-based product. Also the bottles it comes in is 25% post consumer recycled material. The viscosity of the liquid is perfect. It does not feel heavy in hand. Just a bead sized drop is sufficient for proper spreading over hands and cleansing. After wash fees is also great! It does not strip off your skin of the essential moisture making them dry but gives a soft feel instead. The resistance to temperature is commendable. The emulsion is quite stabilized allowing the formulation to keep intact in extreme conditions. So it is perfect for using all year round. It can be used by all skin types. As the product is hypo-allergic, it works great for sensitive skin. And thus it obviously works wonders with oily, dry or combination skin. For the Mandarin scented one, the smell is very mild and makes you realize the gentle effects it produces. Despite this feeling, for me Five starts are for the free and clean unscented one! It actually provides the “Free and Clean” inkling.  

Another reason I wanted to write a post about hand wash is because when we talk about beauty, our main concern is always our face and our hands that do all the work are mostly ignored. So by this post I want to urge you to care about your hands equally. Do not expose them to harsh cleaning materials, use good hand washes and moisturize enough and often!

I hope you enjoyed this come back post! Reach out to me for any questions or concerns. Again do take a look at the website to make all this general advice customized and individualized according to what your skin needs!! Ciao till next time! Stay Healthy…stay beautiful!  

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

KEEPER KIEHL’S????

Hello everyone!

How have you been? Enjoying the sweet summer warmth? I know you are. And I also know that you are trying to spend as much time outdoors as possible. So I hope you are using the right sun protection for your skin to rejoice in this beautiful nature without any hesitation. I am guessing your skin would be well protected, but what about lips? Is the skin on lips different from facial or body skin?

The answer is yes. The skin on our lips is different from any other skin in many ways. Firstly, the stratum corneum (protective outer layer of skin) on lips is very thin. It is so thin that the visible blood vessels impart pink/red color to lips. Secondly, lips do not have any sebaceous glands (sweat glands) so there is no internal moisture available. The only source of moisture is the saliva. So lips need some moisturizer to avoid drying and cracking. Thirdly, the skin on lips do not have any melanin content. Melanin is a pigment that protects your skin from the ultraviolet rays. Thus, using a lip balm with proper SPF content is essential. These points apply to both men and women. Now you know why using a lip balm is a must!

The product that we are going to look at today is Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1. Kiehl’s was founded as a single pharmacy involved with production of semi-organic cosmetic products including lip balms amongst its other high end products. Before 15 years, in 2000 L’Oreal acquired the company and has been successfully continuing its reputation as a luxury line of cosmetics. And there you go! Yes you guessed it right. This lip balm is more expensive than the usual ones in the market. So now lets see if the product is worth the price.

Kiehl’s has tried to provide us with a very basic formulation and an “organic looking” lip balm by the means of this product. The ingredients used are both good and bad. The use of Squalene and Tocopherol as anti-oxidants pleases me. Tocopherol is a super source of Vitamin E which makes it the star ingredient here. The combination of preservatives used are effective and globally accepted. Also operating with Allantoin as an anti-irritant is a good choice. The major part of the formulation is Petrolatum which is responsible for reducing the damage on lips and healing the skin and Aloe extract which does the work of a humectant. Both these constituents used could be organic or synthetically produced but here they are claimed to be organic to justify the raw look given to the product. One of the most common strategy lip balm makers use to increase the sales is excessive use of Salicylic Acid. It provides moisture for as long as the product stays in place and then drys out the skin when it is completely absorbed. This makes the consumers use more and buy more. The absence of Salicylic acid in this formulation makes me very happy. Apart from the good ingredients, it also contains a bunch of fragrants like Amyl Cinnamate, limonene, linalool and Anise alcohol which are on my NOT TO BE USED list. All of the above are skin irritants and I do not believe that a single anti-irritant can cancel out the effect of all of them.

The physical properties are not impressive too. The viscosity of the balm is very low. Resistance to increase in temperature is very poor. At high temperatures the product turns into watery colloidal substance which seems to lose its stability and precipitate out on application. whereas the skin coverage is more, satisfactory coverage is very less. The density of the formulation is perfect which helps in achieving good extrudability. The colloidal stability is well maintained in winter due to good resistance to lower temperatures. It does not become hard or increase viscosity. The balm has great pseudo-plastic rheology. But here due to low viscosity the rheology plays a part in unstabilizing the colloid. Nor does the product have any aesthetic appeals. In order to give it an organic feel, the fragrants used are stinky. The lip balm has a weird smell which is not acceptable in a product that has to be applied right under the nose. After some time the smell becomes unbearable. I would any day prefer a product without fragrance but this smell, even after addition of those harmful fragrants is objectionable. The look of the formulation is very raw. It seems as if all the ingredients are just hand mixed and put into the tube- another failed attempt at providing an organic touch. A lot of care has to be taken during application. If the quantity is a bit more than needed it easily spreads around the lips. This is a major problem if the balm is applied under a lipstick. The best way to apply it is at night before you sleep and wash off in the morning.

This lip balm after use gives all the benefits that it claims to be providing. It reduces inflammation, cracks, dryness and repairs the damage on lips. It gives a good moisturized feel for a long time after application. One thing that is lacking here is the presence of any sun protection. There is no mention of SPF or any kind of ingredient that imparts protection from sun which as we saw before is necessary. The packaging is pretty traditional-no creativity no color. This stands low before some of the very innovative packaging available in the market these days.

Summarizing the specifics, Kiehl’s has failed to furnish this lip balm as organic. Though it stands by all the claims it makes, the effects are not extra-ordinary when compared to other lip balms. No SPF and no ease in usage are negatives here. Absence of Salicylic acid is a plus. Overall, I wouldn't pay so much for an unattractive product that does the work that all other products do at half the price! Kiehl’s lip balm #1 is not actually the#1! It is way expensive for the benefits it has!

That is it guys! I hope you liked this short piece. Any feedback is welcome as always!! And now there is one more way you can reach me. (email: [email protected]) See you next time! Stay Healthy. Stay gorgeous!

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

Docile Dove

Hey Guys! Namaste!

Yes you guessed it right! I am in India! Home! And yes, that is the reason I am writing after a long break.  A little vacation ain’t hurt no one. So what have you all been up to? I want to specially thank all the men who read the last post about hair styling creme. I know how hard it is for you to give time to such reads! ;-) Continuing our hair care segment from last time, I have decided to write this post about a product that is extremely popular across continents. This celebrated product entered with a bang in the market a few years ago and since then has been highly sought after. And this product is DOVE HAIR THERAPY DAILY SHINE SHAMPOO by Unilever. This is a shampoo that has been used or at least tried by almost everyone. It is one of the few products that has appealed to both the genders. Before we focus on the daily shine shampoo I am going to clear some doubts you have always had about good hair care practices.

Common Myths: A very popular practice about hair care more commonly amongst men is washing hair daily. Though the name is “daily shine”, let me tell you that it is not advisable to shampoo your hair daily, how much ever mild the shampoo is. Washing daily removes much needed oils from your scalp making it dry. Another false notion is about oiling your hair. It is not essential to oil your hair before every wash. Shampooing is to remove excess oils produced by scalp. Scalp itself usually produces enough oil eliminating the need for oiling. One of the most common fallacy that people fall prey to is that hair fall or hair loss can be controlled with the use of some products - FALSE! There are two causes for hair fall- either you are deficient of certain Vitamins or your hair fall is genetic or hereditary. And in a huge amount of cases it is genetic. So no products can help, but you make your hair worse by excessively drying them out. I have so many myriad more but those are for when you consult me personally!

Product Specifics: This dove shampoo is milder than most other shampoos in market as it claims. It uses the mild surfactants like Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Cocamidopropyl betaine that I talked about in a previous post. It does not show any use of SDS or SLS which makes me very happy. The binders and emulsifiers used are average which I do not mind until they are harmful. The star ingredient here is sunflower seed oil. I wonder why this ingredient has not been selected by the Unilever team for marketing the product. This oil is excellent for dry skin or scalp due to the rich content of fatty acids. It also helps in better binding and formulation of the product. The ingredient that makes this shampoo different from others is Guar Hydropropyldiammonium Chloride. This is a conditioning agent for skin and hair. It acts as a perfect carrier for active ingredients and is also anti-static.This constituent helps in keeping the hair soft after a wash. Most of the preservatives used are moderate. But there are a couple of alarming ingredients used for preservation purposes. These are Methylchloroisothiazoline and Methylisozoline. These are usually used in conjunction for better effects. They form strong activity against micro-organisms. The downside is that both of these are allergens and can cause severe skin problems if used in leave-on products. So I am not declaring these harmful here as long as you don't plan to leave on your shampoo for more than a couple of minutes. But these additives are a complete NO for products like conditioners, hair creams, gels or any styling products.

Physically the formulation is pleasing with just the right amount of fragrant. The label does not mention the type of fragrant used so I cannot comment upon that but by the smell of it, it seems that the ones used would be mild too. The shiny effect added by Mica makes the shampoo more striking. The viscosity is perfect and the thickening agents do a pretty good job spreading the small amount of shampoo in your entire hair. The use of some film-forming agents is what I love as it gives you the satisfaction of being sure that each and every bit of your hair and scalp have been attended to. The surfactants work pristinely to remove excess oils and not strip off the skin of its essential oils. The formulation produces good lather and is not hard to wash off. So for all physical properties Dove is awesome!

Seasons and Skin Type: This shampoo being very mild is recommended to be used by any skin type and I support it. Any hair product like skin products should be selected according to your skin type. But this Daily Shine shampoo is good for any skin type- just remember that using a conditioner after wash is a must especially for people with dry skin. I would also say that unlike most of the cosmetic products, this one can be used anytime in any season. Usually people tend to use shampoos with mint and menthol during summer as it provides that cool and tingling feeling but beware my friends these are the ingredients that harm your skin and scalp. In case you are suffering from dandruff, you can use the anti-dandruff shampoos for a few days and then switch back to your normal shampoo. (I will later be publishing a post just to talk about dandruff treatments…keep an eye out! ;-) ) I would suggest using the same shampoo in summer as in winters because it does not matter too much. So Dove - for all skin types and all seasons - thumbs up!

Fictitious Avows: Here is something you might be surprised to hear- It is very difficult to find a bad hair styling product. Yes, usually all the hair styling products contain same base ingredients in varied quantities to impart diverse physical states and different results. But the major problematic products are generally the common ones like shampoos, conditioners, some hair oils etc as these are the ones which have active ingredients whose use might go wrong on you at times. Dove is totally safe when these agents are considered. It does not show the use of any harmful elements. The major problem with hair products is the misleading claims made in the label to attract crowds. It is a mere marketing strategy. Most of the time the products are not able to stand up to these claims. Here, for Dove, Unilever advertises it as a conditioning shampoo which is true, it has some conditioning agents but they also say that the formulation is quarter part moisturizing element which is not the case. The constituents listed indicate no use of any major moisturizing component and it also fails to indicate the quantity of it, if any as they might want to do to support their vigorous campaign. Similarly other dove shampoos like for hair fall, for strengthening hair, for improving hair texture etc are all just fictitious avows.

Encapsulating the content, Dove is totally worth using and it deserves the popularity it has maintained over years! So if you have never given Dove a try, go right out and get a bottle to see for yourself! Alright guys, this is it for now. I know I have made a lot of promises for new posts today and I will definitely get to them. Comments? Questions? Requests? Shoot an email or send a message and I will get back to you. Bye for now…

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

Meticulous Men

Its me again! What’s up man?! Oh I’m sorry - What’s up “men”?! C’mon…get it already. This is not me being weird but its me giving you a hint about today’s product. Now, can you guess? Thats right! Today’s product is the one very commonly used by men. A lot of my male friends have requested I write something for them so I am dedicating this post to all the wonderful men in my life. By far the only type of product that men are picky about is a hair cream or gel so today’s product is a moulding creme, “FIBER” by American Crew. Hair products are the most celebrated cosmetics amongst men and it all started with a simple hair gel, which today has evolved to cream, wax, putty, clay, pomade, mousse, foam and innumerable others. Today we are going to talk about hair cream which has acclaimed many different names such as moulding creme, holding cream, shaping cream, forming cream, styling cream and what not. But what is the difference between all those products?

The major difference between gel, cream, clay, foam, pomade and mousse is the viscosity, thickness, formulation and ingredients as per application. You can fairly say they are very different. But the only difference between a hair cream (any type mentioned above) and a pomade is its application. A very basic hair cream is to hold your hair in a place. Hair creams are generally for maintaining the hair style for a longer time. While a pomade is used to change the look of your hair and texture in addition to holding it in place. Pomade is formulated with some of the well known layering/film forming agents to coat your hair and make it as shiny or as matte or smooth or rugged finished as you want them to be. Wait! Don’t be so happy listening about these applications, not all dreams come true! These are the effects, these products ideally should have. Before we go into the specifics of this particular cream, I have some key points I want to address first.

The Cliches : All the men’s products available, market themselves saying “men’s skin is different from women’s” and all men, proud of their uniqueness, fall for these products. But in reality, is this true? NO its not! At least when using cosmetic products are concerned. Men’s skin is different from women’s only because men have a thicker dermis (under layer of skin) which controls the hair growth and the sweat glands. The epidermis (upper layer of skin) is the same for both the genders. So naturally the need for moisturizing is also the same. So guys please don't fall prey to this statement anymore. You can use any normal cream that women use. The second main reason why men fall for the “men’s” products is the fragrances. Most of the guys rule out the unisex products available as products for women due to the flowery or fruity fragrances they have and prefer fragrances like mint, eucalyptus, musk or such strong fragrances thinking of them as manly scents. But my friends let me tell you that it is always these scent imparting ingredients that are irritants and cause maximum problems. Now tell me would you still opt for these products?!

Product Specifics : Coming back to our product for the day. This is one of the best seller products by American Crew. (Again they say they are “official supplier to men”!) The creme is a perfect formulation with good emollients, humectants and emulsifiers. As the cream needs it has great film forming agents like Poly Vinyl Pyrrolidone, PEG-40 Castor Oil, and holding agents like some Acrylates. The combination works well to hold hair in place and allow you to style as you like. The constituent whose use impresses me here is Denatured Alcohol. It has various benefits like anti-foaming properties, astringent and decreasing viscosity of the product as needed after the use of wax in the formulation. The cream also contains tribehenin which is an amazing skin conditioning agent which helps keep your scalp healthy and the propylene glycol helps keeping it moist. Wow! doesn't this cream look like an ideal one! But here is the cardinal drawback of this moulding creme. To appeal to men and increase the presentability, it uses 4-5 fragrants  like Citronellol, Geraniol and others which are all irritants! They can make your scalp itchy and dry leading to hairfall and can cause more serious problems for sensitive skin. Moreover the formulation also constitutes of Parabens as preservatives which are not my favorite option. They can be as perilous as causing hormonal disorders! Looking at the selection of ingredients makes me wonder how sad it is that just for marketing strategies a perfectly safe formulation has to be polluted with scent imparting ingredients.

Results : The cream claims to high hold and low shine and totally stands by it. It also asserts that it provides added texture and thickness to the hair and gives a matte finish. Well I am not in complete agreement with all the claims here. The cream does hold well and is not shiny but it does not change the texture of hair at all nor does it provide thickness. Again the finish it provides to your hair style can be called matte but it could have been better. The formulation has a smooth and rich feel to it. Some people might find it too thick to apply. It has to be applied in small amounts and spread very well to avoid accumulated patches. The central issue for the use of this product is that it makes hair hard to hold it in place. And I know most of you want to maintain your style and also not let your hair turn hard and get that natural look. But believe me guys there is no such formulation invented which could do that. The only thing you could do here is use a mousse instead of wax or cream. Mousse has a lower viscosity, easy applicability and imparts more softness. Then again it depends on personal choices- do you prefer low hold and smoothness or high hold and hardness.

Hair and Skin Type : Remember the selection of any hair product also depends on the type of hair and skin. I will keep the details for later. This hair cream is suitable for all lengths of hair. It shows best results for thick and wavy hair. People with thin and sleek hair are also welcome to use it but be careful to check that the cream cannot be seen after application. I have seen people with thin hair using thick creams often face this problem. Now you would ask what has it to do with your skin type? Let me break it to you guys that the skin on your head or scalp is very similar to your facial or body skin. It can also be categorized into oily skin, dry skin and combination skin. You can find this out your type by the frequency of hair washes in a week. I would suggest using this product if you have combination to slightly oily skin. Please do not use if you have excessively oily scalp as it might cause infections leading to dandruff. For dry skin, the product is safe to use but I feel it does not have enough humectants to keep your scalp moist. So if you have dry skin and want to use this cream make sure you moisturize your scalp once a week. And as I said before, it is a complete NO for hyper sensitive skin.

When to Apply : A hair cream, wax, fiber is to be applied when your freshly washed wet hair are about to dry. Do not apply on extremely wet hair, this will make your hair harder. I would not recommend its application on sweaty hair. It would form minute salt crystals in your hair which might look like dandruff. The cleaner the hair the better this product works!

So now lets recapitulate the main points here. I personally like the formulation except the fragrants added. The properties and effects it has is a matter of personal choice. So if you are into the good hair holding with a bit of hardness in the hair, you can opt for this moulding creme. Thumbs Up! If you do decide to go with it, take extremely good care that the cream does not touch your scalp during application. The irritants and allergens used in the formulation cause a problem if they touch your skin. So whatever be the length of your hair, be sure that it does not touch your scalp.

I still have so many tips and points and suggestions for you guys but I have to stay in limit here. So contact me if you want to know more. I know this is a lot of information for a single post especially because not all men like to read such articles. So yeah, contact me for any advice or special requests or if you don’t want to read the general things and move right on to your skin type and what suits you the best! Till then…Peace out! Stay Healthy, Stay Handsome! ;-)

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

can u please suggest a good shampoo for dry hair

Hi Kanika,

I think you should try Treseme. works for me. Make sure you use a conditioner. Usually hair gets dry and frizzy if not protected after wash. So try using a hair serum with argan oil in it. And do not use L’Oreal shampoos ever! :-)

[dermaconfidante]

Breathtaking Body Shop!

Hiya mates!

Happppppy Friday!!!! Happy Easter to my friends who are celebrating Easter on Sunday. So, do you have any special plans for the weekend?! No? Then I guess you too believe in impromptu adventures like me! ;-) Yeah, I know what you are thinking. What is the product for today? I have not dropped any hints this time! Don’t you worry…the product we are going to look at today, is by one of the most loved companies worldwide! One of the pioneers of organic products I would say. They have a huge fan following spread over all the continents. And this product is…***DRUMROLL*** “VINEYARD PEACH BODY BUTTER” by THE BODY SHOP! Ahh..I can almost see the grin on your faces!

The Body Shop is one of the perennial brands with this long-standing product- Body Butter. This body butter appears in many different flavors, but my favorite is the “Vineyard Peach”. Lets see why. But first, what is the difference between a normal cream and a body butter? Isn't it just another pretty name? No. Body butter is very different from a cream or a lotion. The major difference is the viscosity or consistency of the product. They can be oil in water or water in oil emulsions but have a high percentage of waxes present. Also they have a very quick rheological response. They show immediate elastic response followed by acute shear-thinning response. This indicates the ease in application of the product, in spite its thicker density but the amount of spreadability is lesser than a cream or a lotion. The structure of body butter is very similar to food butter but with relatively lower rigidity. This body butter by Body Shop, is almost an ideal one in all the attributes listed above. The product has a very rich and creamy feel to it owing to the good thickeners like Beeswax and Cetearyl Alcohol. Application is a bit tedious but it shows huge benefits if used regularly. The texture is exactly what you expect. This particular flavor is very mild and the butter is very slightly colored, not showing any residue on skin after application. For this product, the good and the bad sides run extremely closely in the race. It has both- some ingredients I love and also some I would not prefer. But the one fact that weighs quite heavily is that this formulation has various organic elements from around the world! And as you all might know by now that I am a fan of organic ingredients, the small flaws this butter has are easily forgiven by me.

Constituents I absolutely love - Cacao seed Butter, Shea Butter, Sesame seed Oil, Peach Kernel Oil, Peach extract and Bertholletia Exelca/ Brazil Nut Oil. Each of these elements have different advantages. The butters are great anti-oxidants and help maintain the elasticity of skin while the oils are a major source of Vitamins A and E which are very essential for skin. The Peach Kernel Oil is the star ingredient here. This oil is usually used during massages. It has amazing anti-oxidants and vitamins and it eliminates the harmful free radicals produced during metabolism.

Elements I am not a fan of - Linalool and Limonene. These are big time skin irritants and I do not see any use of anti-irritants in the formulation to prevent its effect. Moreover, Linalool is also an allergen so it might cause problems for people who have hyper allergic skin. Another ingredient which might fall in between these two categories is Glycerin. Now you will wonder why? Isn't Glycerin a good ingredient? Yes, but only if used in correct ratio. Glycerin is a humectant. Its job is to keep the epidermis hydrated. It gathers water from outer atmosphere and the inner layer of skin to store at the upper layer of skin. If the ratio of Glycerin is too high in a product, it might keep your skin wet rather than moist and make you feel sweaty. And the weather plays a very important part in this glycerin balance. So I would suggest not to use the butter during peak summer days as it will make you feel more sweaty and humid. The rest of the formulation is very basic including the mainstream emulsifiers, thickeners chelating agents etc.

Best season for use -  Body Butters are skin enriching. So they can be used generously during winters when your skin tends to dry out faster. But personally I find using body butters most essential during transitional seasons like right now. Between the harshness of Winter and advent of Summer, there comes days of spring when the weather fluctuates more than the stockmarket. This body butter is perfect for this season. The goodness of varied butters keeps the skin soft and the goodness of the summer peach makes you feel active. And if this does not suffice, try using it on your patchy skin after a swim in the chlorine pool and see how it transforms your skin into super smooth in just a couple of days! The only issue I had with this product in winter is that it solidified so much that I had to literally scrape it out of the container. This is undoubtedly not a product for summer as I mentioned before, during summer glycerin balances will go wild and make you feel more fatigued. So lets stick to the sunscreen lotions for summer. This formulation does not have a great resistance to temperature-lower or higher. At high temperature it loses density very rapidly but it does not cause a problem as we would not use body butter in summer except if your skin feels too dry due to special reasons.

Right Skin Type - Dry Skin WOOH HOOH!! For all of you who have dry skin, this body butter is a definite go to product, in any season except peak summer days. Combination skin people are welcome to use it too but you should be sure to stop as soon as the days get warmer or you might fall prey to the acne outbreaks. Yes, I know its is never that simple for our skin type! I would not recommend this for people with oily skin. It is better for you all to consort with your preferred lotion and not use any kind of Body Butter.

The product does good justice to its claim of keeping the skin hydrated for 24 hours! I have no complains! Another thing I admire about The Body Shop is that its products are cruelty free and are not tested on animals. The products are usually a tad bit expensive but trust me its worth a try. One last thing- the label on the package clearly asserts this but I still want to repeat it. This product or any Body Butters are not to be applied on face. Sometimes unlike the name some products can be called body lotions or body creams and can be used on face, but this one is a complete NO for your face. To summarize, I adore this product and I would definitely put it on my “try at least once” list! ;-) So go out there, get one for yourself and be enchanted by its powers!! Alrighty then, Cheerio ol’ chaps! Stay Healthy! Stay Gorgeous!

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

Nefarious Neutrogena!

Hello Folks!

How is everyone doing? I know I know, you are enjoying the experience of coppertone sunscreen and have become a fan as I assured you! Thats great! Unlike every time, today I am not going to load the post with praises for a product and give you something new to try, but I am going to “warn” you about not using a product! And this product is…(some of you might be extremely surprised!!) “ NEUTROGENA FACIAL CLEANSERS”. Yes my friends, the “NEUTROGENA DEEP CLEAN FACIAL CLEANSER” and the “NEUTROGENA OIL-FREE ACNE WASH FACIAL CLEANSER”. You might think I am crazy for saying this! How can it be possible?! So many people love Neutrogena! It is dermatologically tested! Calm down…and keep reading…

This independent company is a part of Johnson and Johnson conglomerate. Before a few years they launched the Neutrogena deep clean facial cleanser. The look of the liquid, the packaging and not the least the advertising as it is a product by some dermatologist, attracted a lot of crowd and appealed to use the product. I am not saying everyone who uses it, hates it or it is not properly tested. There are considerably large amount of people who are still using this product regularly and love it and haven't seen any bad effects on their skin. But this does not mean it cannot happen. Do these people, do you, really know what goes in this formulation? I am not going to lie and say I did not buy this cleanser and use it when it was first launched! Who could resist! Kudos for marketing skills Neutrogena and J&J!! Moreover the efficacy of the formulation is perfect. The viscosity, the film forming  capacity, the spreading coefficient, the texture, everything is upto the mark. But what disappoints me is the ingredients! This cleanser contains one of the biggest NO from my ingredient list which is Sodium C14 16 Olefin Sulfonate. This chemical is majorly responsible for drying of skin. It makes your skin irritable. It is an important detergent cleaning agent. It cleans the skin very well, but why use this one when there are millions of other mild surfactants available? Though the formulation does contain Cocamidopropyl Betamine which is a gentle cleanser, they have used this deadly ingredient. I think just because the cleanser is called “Deep Clean” it has to clean so much that your face is stripped off of its essential natural oils. Yet I do not have any complains against the thickeners, emollients, anti-static and film-forming agents used. Another thing I do not appreciate in this product is the use of some extra ingredients like a couple of dyes - Yellow 5 and Red 40. I generally prefer the natural coloring of the formulation. Adding artificial color dyes is not something I would ever do.

Neutrogena just recently launched the Oil-free Acne wash with pink grapefruit flavor. Again, as they are experts on advertising, the product went viral. The micro clear technology they say they use in conjunction with the salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide looks like the perfect combination to get rid of that acne and avoid outbreak! And I can assure you it does work very well for acne. But what about the same harmful ingredients used here too?! Apartment from the Acne part, these two cleansers are very much identical. I did love the grapefruit flavor but I only wish they had not polluted the formulation with the same old perilous ingredients.

Now these products claim they are for normal to oily skin. This may be partially true. People with oily skin might like it and not feel extremely dry after use. But my friends, I have normal skin, combination skin and my skin is prone to acne but still I know THESE ARE NOT FOR ME. In fact, I would recommend not to use it even if you have oily skin. There are a myriad of other ways to get rid of that extra oil besides using this product and putting your skin at risk. The face wash also states that it improves complexion. I just cannot deal with this statement. Even the ones who have been using this product for a long time have not seen any change in their complexion. This is just promoting a fallacy! Further in the description they assert, that it improves the look and the feel of the skin. **sarcasm** Yes sure it does if by the look you mean the white patches it creates on my face due to dryness and by feel if you mean the coarse rough feel of my skin after using these products! Clearly, these products from Neutrogena have failed to impress me. Although I had high exception from the pink grapefruit wash because of the active ingredients in it, but the basic formulation used for cleaning the skin failed me big time. It makes me sad how wonderful this face wash could have been…

So guys, be it any season, be it any skin type I recommend not using these Neutrogena products, however tempting they might seem…This is it for now…I will see you all next week! Please do let me know if you want me to analyze any other Neutrogena products for you and your skin type or if you have any other products you want to verify the veracity of! Thank you for following my posts…keep reading…Stay Healthy, Stay Gorgeous!

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it. 

[dermaconfidante]

Sun-sational Shield!

Hola!

Como estas? How is everyone today?! Please don't mind me guys, I have just returned after spending my Spring Break in Florida!! And that is the reason I did not publish a post last Friday. I decided of doing some more practical in-situ research for you. ;-) I hope you are enjoying the benefits of the cleansers we talked about last time. I know everyone is completely in “relax mode” right now and eagerly awaiting Spring and Summer. But while we anticipate those brighter and warmer days, let us get equipped with the very basic cosmetic necessity for the season. Yes, it is what you are thinking- Sunscreen Lotion! So tell me how do you select the sunscreen lotion best suited for your skin from the myriad of different options available out there? It puts you into a true dilemma! To help you out of this confusion, I am going to talk about a sunscreen lotion which is my absolute favorite! It is the COPPERTONE WATER BABIES SUNSCREEN LOTION. As the name suggests this lotion is pronounced safe for babies and can be used for children more than 6 months old without hesitation.

Now this time along with talking about the product, I am also going to give you some very interesting and useful tips for maintaining the health of your skin throughout the hot season. Let us start with the basics. This sunscreen lotion is a water in oil emulsion with a bunch of great emulsifiers. This type of emulsion in conjunction with the VP/Eicosene Copolymer gives the lotion a water resistant property, better adhesion to skin and lasts longer. After application, this lotion is very evidently impervious to water for quite some time, which makes this product perfect for taking a dip in the ocean on a sunny day. Constant contact with water or sweat definitely decreases the duration after which it needs to be reapplied. The mild but effective active ingredients like Avobenzone and Oxybenzone used in this formulation are the best ones available for an unmitigated protection against sun. It is also safe for sensitive skin as it contains some potent anti-irritants.

SPF for you: The first question you ask yourself when you think about buying a sunscreen is that what SPF do you want? But do you really know what SPF is? SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. The SPF number indicates the fraction of the sunburn causing UV (ultra violet) rays that are blocked by the sunscreen lotion. For example, SPF 50 means that 50% of the harmful UV rays are blocked and only 50% reach your skin. Your can measure the effectiveness of a sunscreen on your skin by multiplying the time it takes for your skin to develop a sunburn by the SPF number. Say, my skin develops a burn after 60 minutes of direct exposure from sun without sunscreen, the SPF 50 sunscreen will avoid my skin from burning for 3000 minutes! (This is just an example!) People having darker skin might want to opt for a lower SPF sunscreen than the ones with a lighter skin. We should also keep in mind that SPF measurement is just an approximation and not an absolute calculation. This lotion has an SPF 50, and I can confidently say that it does stand upto this number. It allows you to stay out in the sun 1.5 times longer without damaging your skin.

Some Common Myths: Sometimes people complain about the sunscreen lotions they use, saying that in spite of using the product regularly, their skin got tanned or burnt. Has the same thing happened to you? If yes, you are being duped by the same old myths about applying a sunscreen. The first myth is that applying sunscreen lotion at the start of your day is enough for you to enjoy the sun throughout the day, continuously or by parts. This is totally wrong! Any sunscreen lotion, works well for a maximum time of 3 hours, this is maximum! Ideally to avoid tanning and skin burns, the lotion should be applied 15 minutes before sun exposure. It should be wiped or washed off after 2 hours and reapplied.  The second very common notion is that a sunblock lotion is to be applied like any other cream or lotion. Again, NO! Sunscreen lotion should be applied very generously to form a thick layer on your skin unlike other moisturizing lotions. Do not miss a spot. The third fallacy usually people fall prey to is that people who do not mind getting tanned do not need sunscreens. This is not at all true my friends. Sun exposure does not only cause tanning but is a lot more harmful which is explained in the next paragraph. The Coppertone sunscreen lotion works very well if reapplied after about 3 hours depending on the harshness of the sun. As it claims it is resistant to water for 80 minutes and should be reapplied after this time. Though this lotion is very effective, the benefits are largely subject to a good bountiful application. The Aluminum Starch Octenyl Succinate facilitates easy spreading and skin coverage. This is the main reason I am not a fan of the sunscreens available in spray forms. There is no way to ensure that you haven't missed a spot while spraying it.

Why Use Sunscreens?: The prompt answer to this question is to avoid tanning. As I said before, exposure to sun causes many other problems. Let me break it down for you. The UV rays emitted by the Sun are of different wavelengths. There are 2 major ranges named as UVA (320 to 400 nm wavelength) and UVB (290 to 320 nm wavelength). The rays falling under the UVB causes just tanning but the UVA rays are perilous. These rays cause inflammation of skin, abnormal cell production, thickening of stratum corneum (uppermost layer of skin), reduction in immunity, loss of elastin causing early skin aging and Melanoma Carcinoma (Skin Cancer). Now you might be able to see why using proper sun protection is essential. For a complete protection against UVA and UVB rays, you should look for a product that has “Broad Spectrum” or “multi-spectrum” protection. This lotion by Coppertone has the broad spectrum protection and successfully defends the claims it makes for overall skin protection.

Moving on to the skin types on which this product is triumphant on. I have tested this lotion on different skin types with the help of my valuable volunteers and have observed that the sunscreen works well on all skin types but the only thing that is different is the time for reapplication. For dry skin, I would suggest applying a moisturizer first and then applying the sun block. The exposure time for this skin is about 3 hours. The lotion safely works till then and after 3 hours it should be reapplied following proper cleaning. For combination skin, moisturizing layer underneath is optional. You can do whatever feels the best. If you are not feeling greasy due to a couple of layers on your skin, go ahead and apply your favorite skin moisturizer and then make a thick layer of this sunscreen lotion. Be sure to wipe it off and reapply after 2 to 2.5 hours. Any delay could cause acne even if your skin is not prone to breakouts. Oily skin is the trickiest. This type of skin is already prone to acne which is again aggravated due to the sun. Very strict routine is to be followed in this case. The lotion should be applied directly on skin without the other layers beneath it and should be cleaned and reapplied every 80 minutes. If possible clean the lotion off with water instead of just wiping it off. This will lose the extra oil in your skin pores before the reapplication. If you want to apply makeup, the sunscreen can be applied under it. The product has great efficacy which keeps your skin moist, not making it too sticky. This also allows you to apply any other product you might want to use over it. Ofcourse, I have tried this product on Male skin and it works amazingly well! The same bifurcation of skin types is applicable to male skin too. I have personally loved this sunscreen lotion and have been its loyal consumer since last two seasons! And after my experiment with it with the help of my guy friends, I am sure they are going to keep using this sun block forever too. Application of this product reduces the tanning on male as well as female skin by 70% which is the best bet according to me and is worth the money! So do not forget to include this wonder potion in your beach bag this summer!

Thank you guys for being patient and reading this post. Thank you to all of you who are following me on Facebook and tumblr. I am glad I could help improve your skin routine. Please keep pouring your comments, feedback and questions. Do let me know if you have any particular product requests! Adios until next time… Stay healthy, stay gorgeous!!

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it. 

[dermaconfidante]

Stimulating Synergy

Hello Amigos!

How have you been?! Still enjoying the February cold or are you ready for summer?! I know I most definitely am!! So tell me, how was your experience with Nivea cell repair lotion? I was so happy to receive tons of comments, questions and feedback from all of you. The huge list of requests I have from all you wonderful people is becoming never ending! But I assure you, I am going to touch upon everyone’s request…its just a matter of time. (yaay!!) So, today’s post is for all my friends out there who have oily skin. This is in fact a request from one of my friends. I know how hard it is to manage oily skin. You might have experienced problems with every face wash or cream or makeup you have tried! Cleaning your face properly and feeling that lasting freshness without making your skin stretch out of dryness, becomes a thing you long for. And that it why, in this post I am going to reveal not one but two different face washes which could make your life easier. These amazing products are AVEENO POSITIVELY RADIANT BRIGHTENING CLEANSER by Johnson and Johnson, and BASIS CLEANER CLEAN FACE WASH by Beiersdorf. This doesn’t mean people with other skin types cannot use it. Just go on reading…and you will know. I also don't want all the men reading this to feel left out, as this post is equally for them too!

I am completely in awe of both these face washes. Of course they serve different purposes. Both the cleansers have a well formulated gel emulsion system which maintains its state for varied temperatures because of the good quality of stabilizers used. So use them at any temperature and they will work well! These wonderful creations are both oil-free and soap-free. I usually prefer soap-free products for face because we all know that the facial skin is more sensitive and I think that SDS (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate) and SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) are too harsh! These products have a good gentler substitute which acts as the main surfactant and does that essential cleansing action for your skin. This substitute- Sodium Laureth Sulfate cleans the pores of your skin without stripping it off of its essential oils and that is why I trust both these gels for giving you a prefect clean and fresh feeling after use. These cleansers also have some skin conditioning and film-forming agents that protect your skin for some time after washing it. So don’t worry if you forget to moisturize right away, you will have enough time for it, till your skin is exposed! The pair has Citric Acid and _Butylene Glycol _as pH balancer and slip agent (for perfect spreading and humectant properties) respectively, a good choice I’d say. Also they have a satisfactorily good selection of preservatives. Now you would ask, how are these two different if they have same combination of ingredients? So lets get to that…

The properties that differentiate these products are the collection of natural active ingredients used in them, their targeted applications, the efficacy, and some of the special ingredients they have for particular properties. Keep in mind that both of the formulations are good for all skin types in all seasons. This duo has been tried on male skin with the help of some valued volunteers and it shows exactly the same results as on female skin. So all my guy friends, please do not get carried away by the girly terms (like you might feel so) these products use to advertise, they are totally unisex.

The combined use of the pair can bring radiance to your skin providing it the nourishment it needs. So feel free to use any or both of them whenever you want a great refreshing, rejuvenating experience!

Once again, thanks folks for reading this review and now, like the post, follow me, ask questions, send your requests and enjoy! For regular updates on my posts you can follow me here on tumblr or my Facebook page “Derma Confidante”. I will see you again next week…Bye till then and Stay Healthy, Stay Gorgeous!!

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.

[dermaconfidante]

Nourishing Nivea!

Bonjour belles personnes!!

(Hello beautiful people!!)

How are y’all today?! I know you have been waiting for my first product review and so very anxious, in anticipation to see what is the product and what do I have to say about it. Well, at least I hope that is the case. :-D So lets start. The product for today is a very well known lotion by Beiersdorf **DRUMROLL** the “Nivea whitening and cell repair body lotion”. This is a very stable product in the market. It was launched before about 3 years and just recently the same lotion with some extra ingredients has been launched. I have been using this product since its launch. This lotion mainly targets the asian skin tones but I would say that it is a very basic moisturizer and it does work wonders on all skin tones.

The lotion has the perfect consistency- very well blended oil in water emulsion. The emulsifiers like Sodium Carbomer, oleic acid and benzyl alcohol stabilize the emulsion pretty well to extend the life of the lotion. A very intelligently crafted formulation I’d say, including 4-5 natural oils and natural fruit juices along with the selection of thickeners and emollients used. All the ingredients are pronounced very safe by FDA regulations. The type of preservatives used are also very appropriate. This right combination of preservatives and emulsifiers elongate the life of the lotion even more than the period mentioned (which is 30 months). So do not hesitate to finish up that last drop you have left after the expiry date. The excellent blend of ingredients imparts the product a perfect shear thinning rheology. (This means that it is very easy to spread on skin.) It has just enough viscosity to create a fair layer on the skin to keep it soft and humid and at the same time not make it too greasy.

SKIN TYPES: The lotion works on almost all skin types like it claims. But I would suggest that if your skin is extremely dry, the viscosity it has might not suffice your moisturizing needs. If your skin is extremely oily you can still use it but be sure to apply the lotion after bath on partially wet skin. This will avoid aggravating any acne problems your skin might have. And if you have combination skin like I do, for once you can be happy with your skin type because this lotion is made for you!

SEASONS: This lotion from Nivea unlike its traditional cream, has a better resistance to lowering temperatures. So for using it in freezing temperatures of winter is a thumbs up! While for high temperatures it has the same property as all other Nivea products do. They decrease viscosity rapidly, but you need not worry about that unless you are located somewhere in the dessert regions where the temperature is often above 110 F. If you do, don't lose heart at all… thanks to the good surfactants and electrolytes used for the emulsion, you can shake the lotion bottle really well and use the flawless liquid! It has tremendous capability in comparison to other brands against getting washed out by water. So even spring or fall or mid monsoon are a yay!

The perfect way to select a moisturizer is not looking at the seasonal needs or your skin type needs alone, but both in conjunction. So if your skin is not extremely dry or oily, this lotion is perfect for you for all seasons. For dry skin in winter I would suggest using an ultra hydrating cream (coming up shortly ;-) ) rather than this lotion. If you use the lotion for summer and you really want to stick with it, you can apply a coat of this lotion first and then use another moisturizing cream on your skin. This will give you the familiar feel good sentiment you have developed with the lotion and also not leave your skin to dry out in the cold.

So this was all about the pretty snow season we all love. But what about summer?! As I said before, this lotion is a boon for moisturizing for all the skin types except the excessively oily one. Although the lotion does not claim to have any Sun Protection Factor, it does have some ingredients like ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and mineral oils which will scatter the UV rays and protect the skin from mild sun like it asserts. The lotion does not work as anti-tanning agent particularly. It claims to be whitening the skin and repairing the cells, which is not very precise. The formulation does contain active agents like camu camu berry and acerola cherry extracts which are full of vitamin C and help in reducing “minor” skin pigmentation (reducing dark spots) making the skin even toned. And to solve the tanning problem, the same lotion has been recently launched with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor), not very high though-it has SPF 15 which works pretty well!

Putting it in a nutshell, the lotion is awesome (C’est tout)! It is worth the price you are paying. So go right ahead, get one for yourself and witness its marvels yourself!

Thanks guys for reading this review. I heartily welcome your comments, suggestions, remarks….I can also take requests and review the product you want me to. So open that mailbox and shoot me an email! ( I am waiting to hear from you :-D ) Alright people! Bye for now! See you all soon…Stay healthy!! Stay Gorgeous!!

Disclaimer: I, the author of the content of this post want to assure you, the reader that the opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine only. They are based on personal experience and experiments. The information is my intellectual property and does not belong to any other organization. I would also like to expressly convey to you that the content is not intended to defame, purge, humiliate or hurt any individual or any organization. If it does, know that it is completely unintentional. Should you find any information malicious, harmful, sensitive or unnecessary, I request you to inform me via email so that I could rectify it.