2 Quick Home Remedies to Lighten Your Skin Complexion

Guest Post by Vandana
Weekend Fun Giveaway July Week 2 Giveaway Entry #11
 
Here are some very easy tips to improve your complexion and to reduce dark spots on your face. Check them out, try at your home and do let me know how it works.

Remedy 1:

Cucumber Overnight Fairness Pack

If you think that no face pack can make your your skin fair then you are wrong. I have tried a home made paste which really worked. Just follow these simple steps and your skin will look more fairer and spot free.

Things required to make a paste are:

• Cucumber
• Rosewater 
• Glycerine

Firstly take out the cucumber juice by using mixer. Now add rosewater and glycerine in equal quantities to the cucumber juice. Make sure that the paste should neither be thin nor too thick. Now apply it over your face at night time before going to sleep.
       In the morning, wash your face with clean water and pat dry. After some days you will see amazing change in the complexion of your skin and even the dark spots will lighten.

Tip: If you feel lazy making this everyday then you can make this paste for 3 days and you can keep it fridge and use it everyday.


Remedy 2:
Banana Glow Face Pack

To give instant glow to your face before going to a party or something, you can try a banana face pack. To make this pack you don't have to make any effort. You just have to peel banana and take out its pulp and crush it to make a smooth paste. You can make this paste using mixer as well. Now apply this banana paste on your face and leave it for 10-15 minutes. Later, remove it with clean water and pat dry.

Results? You will see that yourself. You will notice that your skin is glowing and you will feel a new softness and smoothness on your skin!

                      Hope you liked these fairness home remedies! Share your comments below
                                    And do you have any special skin lightening DIY recipe girls?

 Image source: 1, 2

Related articles

• Home Remedies for Red Skin
• Homemade Remedies To White Skin

Essence Look at Me Lipstick 40 Review & Swatches

Essence 40 Look at Me  Lipstick Review

Guest Post by Christina
This is a product that I got as a gift from my sister in law who lives in Belgium.  I am not familiar with their products but after using the lipstick and reading others reviews I found it to be a good product. It is produced in Germany and is mostly sold in the E.U. and in the U.S.  The one reason I decided to review this lipstick was because of their devotion to the 'cruelty against animals' cause.  For those of your who do not know me I am an animal activist and I have stopped using animal tested products.  Essence is strictly against any kind of animal testing whatsoever.  It is absolutely awful to torture animals for the sake of beauty products

Their products stand for trendy and high quality cosmetics at a sensational low prices because they do not use costly advertisements using models or celebrities, expensive tv spots or print ads in magazines.


Product Description:
# 40 Look at Me is part of the 2012 spring/summer collection.   I used an Essence  product for the first time.  I liked how it felt and if given a chance I would like to try out other colours and a different finish, because frosty lipsticks are for a younger lot than me.  I would not even feel guilty about over spending because essence products are a  fantastic buy for makeup fanatics looking to stock up on a budget. 
  
They have added two more shades to their spring/summer collection and so all of the 16 colors have been bumped up to the fall/winter season 2012.  

 
Price & Quantity: $ 2.49, $4 AUD  for 4 gms
 

Key Ingredients: Not mentioned on the tube but it is mentioned in a PDF file on the site.  Few key ingredients would be castor seed oil, lanolin, paraffin,carnauba wax and avocado oil. The rest are chemical names.

 

My Experience with Essence 40 Look at Me Lipstick :

Packaging: These lipsticks come in color-coded packaging.  That means the lipstick tube is the exact same color as the lipstick making it easy to reach for your favourite shade. When you open the tube, the top half of the inner tube is plastic and it is not a problem really.  You can see how much product is left at all times.  My only problem is that these lipsticks do not come with any kind of seal!

 
Colour, Consistency & Texture: It is a sizzling sheer beige-brown that lights up your lips with a soft gleam.  It is a frosty lipstick with some shimmer but it is not over the top at all.  If you are looking for a creamy nude color that doesn't lean too pink or too beige this is definitely it.  Almost close to MAC blankety lipstick excluding the frost and the cheap price.  I hardly got any smell when I used it.   In the pictures I have also lined my lips with a bit of a rose coloured liner and that totally changed how the colour looked on my lips.  I was quite happy to use it like that.
 

How it works: This lipstick is soft and velvety to apply.  It does contain shimmer along with being frosty.  It does not settle in lip lines but one must exfoliate the lips before using this.  Frosty colours do tend to draw an audience and you wouldn't want dry flaky bits of skin peeking out from beneath it would you?
 

Pros of Essence 40 Look at Me Lipstick:

• Inexpensive - Budget brand
• Easy to use
• Does not test its products on animals
• Does not settle in lip lines
• Pretty nude colour
• Goes on smoothly
• The shimmer is not gaudy
• Colour co-ordinated container
• Even Application
• Long Lasting
• Moisturizing
• Pleasant Tasting
• True colour swatch
• As good as a high-end brand

 

Cons of Essence 40 Look at Me Lipstick :

• Limited selection of colors
• Not available in India
• Frosty shade that most Indian skin tones cannot carry off
• Availability is limited
• Not available online yet
• Not suitable for work because it's frosty
• Does not come packed or sealed.  It can be tested at the store

Makeup and Beauty Home Rating: 3.55


Would I Repurchase Essence 40 Look at Me Lipstick ? Yes and no.  No, not that colour but yes different shades and other products by the brand. 


A note of warning: Frosty and shimmery high gloss lipsticks look best on the young because these draw a great deal of attention to lips so becareful when you select lipstick.  It is not just about color but also about the finish. As you age you cannot ignore the fact that certain colours become a total no no. Matte lipstick is best on certain age groups and so are glossy, high sheen lipstick styles.
                     It's only a while before you will start seeing this brand on our online cosmetics shopping sites, something like ELF that has flooded the market.  You can visit the website for more information. It is a very, very pretty and fresh site and I am sure all of you are going to go bonkers looking at it.

Did you like Christina's review on  Essence Look at Me Lipstick?

Soulflower Store Review: The Picture Therapy for Your Senses!

Guest Post by Christina

Hi ladies,
Here are some lovely pictures of the recently opened Soulflower shop in the Inorbit mall in Mumbai. It is a real treat for the senses and that is why I titled the post as 'the picture therapy'. :)  I did not buy anything but I thought the store looked so pretty and smelled so nice that I could not resist clicking pictures.  For those of you who are not familiar with the products below is little information of the same.

• Read: 4 New Soulflower Soaps and A Preview

‘SOULFLOWER’ aims to pamper your body and soul or rather senses.  Their products are 100% vegetarian.  Be it their soaps, massage oils, bath salts, essential oils or carrier oils

The enormous wealth of natural eco-systems makes Asia a botanical treasure trove. The medicinal qualities of much of its abundant plant-life have, for centuries, formed the backbone of health & beauty therapy throughout this exotic continent

• Read: Soulflower My Sweet Skin Soap Review  

Their Aroma Candles are made with the finest natural wax & essential oils available in tantalizing aromas like:

• Rose
• Lemongrass
• Orange
• Peppermint
• Lavender
• Chocolate
• Vanilla
• Strawberry
• Jasmine
• Sandalwood

You can also find hand-made ceramics like:

• Oil diffusers
• Candle holders
• Tea light holders
• Potpourri holders
• Incense stick holders
• Incense cone holders
• Aroma oil dispensing flower containers
• Aroma diffuser gift sets

For more information you can visit their website HERE

Have you tried Soulflower products? Which one do you like the most? 

Chandra Body Care Detox Bath Salt Review

Guest Post by Christina

Chandra Body Care Detox Bath Salt Review

I came upon it by chance in a beauty store.  Since we do not have bath tubs in India one does not often use bath salts and bubble baths but I thought why not use it to soak my feet for a home style foot spa.  It turned out to be a great buy and something that I use regularly.

• Read: 20 Awesome Beauty DIY Recipes

• Read: DIY Milk Foot Spa at Home

  
Product Description:

• Helps removing dead skin cells
• Gets rid of toxins from the body
• Leaves the body stress free and relaxed

Price & Quantity: 500 gms for 300 INR


Key Ingredients:

• Natural HimalayanDead Sea and Epsom Salt
• Sodium Bicarbonate
• Citric Acid
• Essential Oils of Grape Fruit
• Lemon
• Peppermint
• Ginger
• Neem Leaves

My Experience with Chandra Detox Bath Salt:

Packaging: Sturdy and travel friendly plastic bottle

Colour, Consistency & Texture: The product consists of coarse and finely milled salt that melts on contact with water.

• Read: Aloe Veda Wild Rose with Basil Moisturising Bathing Bar Review

How it works: It is easy to use in the comfort of your own home and I just love it.  I soak my feet in it almost three times a week.  It takes away the soreness from my tired feet as well as accumulated dirt in your toe nails from treading the streets of Mumbai.  I also use it as a foot/hand soak when I need to do a home pedicure/manicure. You can use it in your bath tub if you have one.  You have to add 5 tablespoons to the tub, fill it with warm/hot water and then soak it up.
       I keep one little bucket aside only for this purpose so that it remains clean and hygienic at all times.  All I do is put a table spoon or too of the product in about 2 litres of warm water and soak my feet in it.  The big granules melt soon and all you are left with is cloudy water and a few ingredients that float around in the bucket.  I mixed some in a cocktail glass for you to see how it looks.
         You can then soak your feet in it for as long as you like.  When the water gets cold add some more warm water and a bit more salt. It’s as simple as that.

• Read: Spa Pedicure at Home For Soft Feet

 

Pros of Chandra Detox Bath Salt:

• Inexpensive
• Easy to use
• Can be used in the comfort of your own home
• Eases soreness in the feet as well as swelling
• Can be used during your home pedicure routine also
• Contains good therapeutic ingredients
• It is paraben free
• Chandra does not test its products on animals
• There are no added artificial colours
• It has no added fragrance

Cons of Chandra Detox Bath Salt:

• Availability is limited
• Not available online yet

Makeup and Beauty Home Rating: 4/5


Would I Repurchase Chandra Detox Bath Salt?:
Yup!  I’ve already used 2 bottles and this is my third.  Let’s face it, money does not grow on trees and not all of us can afford to go to a spa every other day for a foot massage and a soak.
As women we work at home as well as outside of it and end up with painful bodies that no one really cares to massage.  It is up to us to ease our own pain and get going the next day pain or not.  This really is a treat for tired and sore feet that is cheap and effective.  It can be done in the privacy of your own room as many times as you want and whenever you want. Dip your feet in this home-made spa treatment and just turn off the world or sip your favourite drink.  You will feel relaxed and refreshed.


A note of warning: Do not use it if you experience any kind of rash or if you any skin infection or open wounds.

Did you like Christina's first review on Makeup and Beauty Home? 

 

Have you tried Chandra Body Care products? Do share your comments below!

5 Amazing DIY Face Pack Recipes

Hello lovely ladies! Today my post is not about a product but its a DIY post. Yay! :)
Okay. let me tell u something about myself, I am the laziesttttt person on the earth who just loves ready made cleansers, packs but whenever my skin is in trouble I always come back to my loyal DIY :P Today I am going to share with you all my five favorite DIY face pack recipes those work like a charm.

My Skin Type: Its as azab as me, sometimes it becomes oil ka dabba and sometimes sukhi roti ;) but all over my skin and hair is very sensitive and prone to break outs, so I think if something work for me it is definitely going to suit dry, normal and oily skinned beauties.

So here we start :) Check out the 5 awesome DIY face pack recipes.

 
Instant Refreshing Fruit Face Pack
Mix a teaspoon of gram flour, 1/2 teaspoon of tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon of  cucumber paste and required curd together. Apply this fresh and instant face pack on your face and leave it for 10-15 minutes. Later, wash it away with plain water and put on your moisturizer. The pack will add instant glow to your skin. With regular use it also helps in removing tan effectively.


Sweet Winter Face Pack
Mix equal amounts of honey, smashed banana and milk powder together and apply this pack on face and neck. lLave it for 10 minutes and wash away with plain water. This is one of the yummiest and skin-nutritious face pack that helps to retain skin's natural moisture in winters. Dry skinned beauties can use this throughout the year.


Dark Spot Removing Papaya Face Pack
Mix equal amounts of smashed papaya, milk powder and honey together and apply this pack on skin. Allow it to work on your skin for 10-15 minutes and wash away. This is similar to the previous DIY pack but as an extra, it has tan removing and dark spot removing qualities due to the papaya extracts.


Wrinkle Removing Cabbage Face Pack
Boil cabbage and smash it well to make a smooth paste. Add few drops of rose water to this cabbage paste if required. Smooth this cabbage wrinkle removing pack over your face and keep it for 15 minutes before washing away. This naturally prevents wrinkles and removes the existing ones with regular usage.


Deep Nourishing Citrus Face Pack
We always use lemon juice as an ingredient in DIY oily skin recipes, right? Lemon has oil control properties and now, with this face pack even dry skinned beauties can enjoy the flavour and skin brightening properties of lemon extracts without losing excess moisture from their skin. Mix a teaspoon of honey with a teaspoon of lemon juice. Blend this well and put in 4-5 drops of olive oil. Mix well and apply over your cleansed face. Leave on for 15-20 minutes and allow the citrus extracts to work on your skin. Wipe off with a wet sponge and wash away!

Hope you like my DIY face pack recipes. Do try them and let me know how they work! :)

Do you have any special DIY face pack recipe to share?

Image source: 1

Affordable Makeup Products for Beginners in India

Guest Post by Barisha

Hello Everyone,
Today my post is all about the best makeup products for beginners. These products are simple, easy available and moreover affordable for teens and college going girls. If you can't spend more bucks on high-end makeup products, this collection will definitely help you a lot. Go ahead!

Editors note: (Barisha! That's an amazing topic and I am also adding some quick reviews of the products in your guest post :) Hope this would make the post better and more informative.)

So let us start with women's favorite product, kajal. Many girls out there never step out of their home home without kajal in their eyes. No matter they are wearing foundation, concealer or bla bla but kajal is something which most of the girls cannot live without!

Kajals:

Faces Cosmetics Kajal
Price: Rs.99 for 3g
Quick Review: This kajal glides smoothly onto the water line and gives that blackest black finish with less smudging compared to the other kajals in the market. For this price, Face kajal is definitely a hit! It also contains almond oil which promotes eyelash hair growth.

Maybelline Colossal Kajal:
Price: Rs.150 for 0.35g
Quick Review: Is there anyone who doesn't know Maybelline Colossal Kajal here? This product is a huge hit among Indian women, especially for its long time smudge free quality. This is not a blackest black definitely but stays on eyelids for a long time compared to the other kajals. You need a good eyemakeup remover to remove this though.

Lakme Eyeconic Kajal:
Price: Rs.199
Quick Review: Doesn't it look like a competitor for Maybellin Colossal one? Of course yes and YES it wins the competition too. It has a better smudge free staying powder and 'smoothness' than the colossal one. It claims to stay on waterline for 10 hours. Whoa! This product is recently launched and has become a huge hit among all kajal lovers! Go grab one before Lakme increase the prize.

Eye Liners:

 

Avon Simply Pretty Waterproof Eyeliner
Price: Rs.90 for 7.5ml
Quick Review: I really don’t know why I have not seen any review on this product, this is the best-est-affordable eye liner I have used and I am using this for past 4years. It stays good for 5-6 hours (Stays even more time with light fading) without any fading and it is of course waterproof as per the claim.

Lakme Insta Liner Liquid Eyeliner
Price: Rs.70 for 9ml
Quick Review: This is one eyeliner which many eyeliner beginners swear by and this of course the first eyeliner of  many girls out there! This Lakme Insta Liner is easily available, very very affordable for the huge quantity and of course stays for a good time with less smearing. The only issue with this is the drying time. You need to sit under fan for 3-4 minutes to get it completely dried or else you might mess it up.

Foundations:-

Coloressence Aqua Makeup Base
Price: Rs.125 for 30ml
Quick Review: This makeup base is dirt cheaply priced and comes in 4 different shades for different skin tones. This gives medium to light coverage with an oil free matte finish which many of you oily skinned girls would expect :) A great buy and quantity for the price.


Lakme Face Magic Daily Wear Souffle
Price: Rs.99 for 30ml
Quick Review: This souffle comes in a really cute glass got with a screw lid :) It come in three shades namely Pearl, marble and shell. One needs to choose the perfect shade for their skin. 30ml for just Rs.99 if a dirt cheap price right? But this product absolutely works as a great daily foundation for 'foundation beginners' out there. Make sure to set it with your compact for a better staying time.


Lotus Herbals Pure Radiance Matte Glow Daily Foundation
Price: Rs.175 for 25ml
Quick Review: This is a wonderful light-coverage foundation for beginners which is not only water-based and oil-free, but also SPF 20 for sun protection. 25ml is decent quantity for the price too and hence this product is definitely a hit for foundation beginners.


Okay it is going long and let us end the Part 1 here :) The Part-2 of 'Affordable Makeup Products for Beginners' is coming up soon. There we are going to check an affordable collection of compacts, lipsticks, lip liners and blushes!

So girls, which is your favorite affordable makeup product in India?

Image source: 1, 2, 3

How to Make DIY Skin Hydrating Face Pack? [Photo Tutorial]

Guest Post by Gowmi

Hi Sweets,
  As per now, I am very obsessed with the weather over South India (Tamil nadu). They call it winter season?? Nope! It’s still summer in here. Due to the random change in the weather conditions, our skin gets not only dry but it losing the hydration completely. I have combinational to normal skin type, so my T- zone areas (due to rapid change in weather) look like cement concrete (dry), elsewhere skin is normal. I wondered, I don’t how I suppose to hydrate my skin? I was tried over search engines by looking over the solution for uprooting skin hydration. Hence, I came across the uses of banana with honey. It was quiet satisfying. Yet need to improvise! So again I browsed and came to know about the wonders of cucumber and sandalwood.
           They all work as smoothing agent, for soothing and skin hydration. This is what Is looking for! So I made them as pack and apply as hydration face pack twice a week. Now it’s all hydrated. So, let me introduce my hydration face pack here in this tutorial.

• Read: Ten Home Remedies for Winter Dry Skin

DIY Skin Hydrating Face Pack:

Ingredients you will need:

• Smashed cucumber (You can smash in mixer and store in air tight container in refrigerator for later use)
• 1 spoon of honey
• 1 banana (2-3 pieces will be needed for the entire face)
• 1 spoonful of sandalwood powder (if you have red sandalwood powder then you can use it instead of sandalwood powder too)

Tip: Women who have acne prone skin can reduce the amount of cucumber and sandalwood powder for this pack. Because, both are highly cooling agents, so they may enhance acne sometimes. Don’t add fuller’s earth to this pack, it may completely alter the pack.

• Read: How to Make Your Hair Wash Cream at Home - Photo Tutorial
  
  

Method of Preparation:

 

Step 1: Add smashed cucumber and sandalwood powder to a bowl.

Step2: Add spoonful of honey to same bowl and mix well.

Step 3: Add 2-3 banana pieces to mixture prepared above.

Step 4: Mix every tthing well togther with the fork without lumps.

• Read: DIY Hair Masks from Your Kitchen

That's it. Now, our DIY hydration face pack is ready to use!.

• Read: 20 Awesome Beauty DIY Recipes

Tip: Use a fork to smash banana with mixture. Don’t use finger as it may get clumsy.

How to Use?:

Clean your face with cleanser and pat dry. Now apply the hydration pack on face, leave 20-15 minutes and wash with luke warm or tap water. Don’t leave pack to over dry on your skin then the washing process goes little bit difficult. For starters it may feel little tingling due to the banana usage in pack. Also don’t add water to the pack. While applying you may feel greasy but you should wait 15 minutes to see some wonders on your skin. After this pack skin feels hydrated and soothing.


Tidbit: Use this pack thrice or twice a week. It removes dullness and excess sebum on surface of skin and leaves hydrated.

So girlies, did you like my tutorial on DIY Skin Hydrating Face Pack? Do share your feedback below!

Lotus Herbals WhiteGlow Oatmeal & Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub Review

Lotus Herbals WhiteGlow Oatmeal & Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub Review

Guest Post by Barisha

Hello darlingzzz :D

Last year Lotus herbals launched their skin care range called “Lotus white glow range”

• Read: Prakriti Herbals Walnut WheatGerm AloeVera Exfoliating Scrub Review

Face wash, scrub, cream, emulsion, serum and mask are part of this series. Somehow I really don’t like skin whitening products because most of them are drying in nature. Once I used Olay cream and it broke me out crazily :( but still the packaging, reviews on many blogs attracted me a lot and I have to try something from this range :p so I picked this white glow scrub and here is my experience and detailed review on it.



Product description:
WHITEGLOW Oatmeal & Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub exfoliates the skin gently, removes dirt, impurities, whiteheads and blackheads leaving your skin brighter and healthier with a shining glow. The gentle exfoliating action works on skin discoloration, dull and uneven skin tones and softens the skin giving you a firmer skin texture. Oatmeal exfoliates gently, restores the natural moisture balance of skin and yogurt moisturizes and lightens the skin reducing imperfections giving you silky, smooth and brighter skin.


Key Ingredients: Oatmeal and milk yogurt


Usage Directions: Gently apply the scrub on moistened skin with brisk circular movement on the face and neck. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Use twice a week for brighter skin. Follow with yogurt radiance mask for best results.


Price and Quantity:145 for 100gm


Shelf life: 36 months

My Experience with Lotus Herbals WhiteGlow Oatmeal & Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub:

Packaging: The product comes in a pretty white tube with a metallic cap but this tube is not at all travel friendly as the cap is loose and the tube tends to break easily in case if it fell down.

• Read: Vedic Line Plus Exfo 10 Avocado Face Scrub Review

Colour, Consistency and Fragrance: This scrub is creamy white in colour and thick in consistency. It has a very artificial smell which is very disturbing for my sensitive nose.

• Read: How to Make Exfoliating Body Scrub with Chickpeas? [Photo Tutorial]

How it works: I have a love and hate relationship with Lotus Herbals. Some of their products (Berry Berry scrub and 4-1 sunscreen)suits me well but some make my skin dry (there face packs including fruit pack which is meant for dry skin). Okay let me concentrate on this product. I didn't have a good experience with this product. This scrub just adds a lil glow to my skin after application which lasts hardly for 10 minutes. I am using this scrub regularly twice a week for more than two months to see the effect but to be frank it does nothing to my skin. I did not expect any whitening and brightening results from this scrub because I know nothing can change our original skin color apart from some heavy bleach like kojic acid and hydroquinone. It did not help me in removing acne scars, black heads and white heads. Wanna know more? It is harsh on my sensitive skin! :( but the only good thing about the product is it does not dry our my skin or broke me out. Overall, this is an average-good scrub for normal-dry skin types. If you're skin is skin is extra sensitive, then do not go for this.

Pros of Lotus Herbals WhiteGlow Oatmeal & Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub:

• Affordable
• Available easily
• Its not drying; hence dry skins will love it
• Does the exfoliation part well
• Adds a little glow to the face after usage
  Does not break me out
• Works good as a foot scrub :p

I am really sorry I cant think of any other pros :(

Cons of Lotus Herbals WhiteGlow Oatmeal & Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub:

• It claims too many things but delivers nothing
• It’s not at all a gentle product for sensitive skin types.
• Smell bad and artificial.
• Tube breaks easily and not travel friendly
• Contains a big list of chemicals.
•  Pareben is present. How could Lotus herbals says it’s a herbal product? :O

Makeup and Beauty Home Rating: 2/5 (Because it is working well as a foot scrub :p)


Recommendation: If you have sensitive nose cum sensitive skin then please don’t waste your money on this product.:( However  normal-dry skinned people may find this scrub good on their skin because it isn't drying and moreover, it doesn't break out skin.


Have you tried Lotus HerbalsWhiteGlow Oatmeal & Yogurt Skin Whitening Scrub? Did it work for you girls?

VLCC Daily Protect Honey Lip Balm Review

Guest Post by Babble

VLCC Daily Protect Honey Lip Balm Review

Hi girls! First of all I would like to introduce myself as Lancy's sister ( the beauty blogger…lol). People call me Babble (my name). I am a graduated bio medical engineer and now waiting for my call letter from a well known corporate organization in which I got placed during my final year. I could also say that ‘I am enjoying my holidays’ as of now. Coming to the main thing, I am here to contribute my first review on VLCC Daily Protect Honey Lip balm. I am not that expert at beauty and skin care cosmetics as I will make use of it if required. Being a beginner I wish to put forth my kind request to you. And that is 'Please excuse me if I make any silly mistakes in my very first review' Go ahead and read my review now!

• Read: VLCC Strawberry Lip Shield SPF 10 Review

Product Description:

• This moisture rich formula soothes and conditions lips, keeping them soft and supple.
• SPF 15 protects from harmful effects of sun.
• Light, non greasy formula, provides long lasting moisture, leaving the lips supple and hydrated.

Price and Quantity:
Rs.49 for 4g


Usage Directions:
Glide on lips for soft, moisturized lips. Use daily. Apply as often as desired.


Key Ingredients: Honey, Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter


Shelf Life: 36 months


Other Variants Available:

• Cherry
• Mango

My Experience with VLCC Daily Protect Honey Lip Balm

Packaging: This lip balm comes in a small screw bottomed tube which makes it hygenic and comfortable to use. Thank god it doesn't come in a tub where we need to pick it with finger tips every time. It has a tight press type cap (sometimes difficult to open). Simply I could say it is handy and I can put it even in my purse.

• Read: VLCC Natural Sciences Gold Scrub Review

• Read: Himalaya Herbals Lip Balm Review

Color,Consistency and Fragrance: This balm has a bold mango colour with a hint of orange. The texture is thick as a caramel candy (Candies..Yummy!). The fragrance of this lip balm is pleasant, sweet, shea-butter like and purely natural. Seems it doesn’t have any dominating artificial fragrance. I feel like eating my lip balm whenever I use it :P

• Read: Himalaya Herbals Natural Moisturizing Lip Butter Review

How it works: Since I am using this product for the past 10 days, I felt it as a perfect remedy for my chapped lips. Not only it treats and moisturizes lips, but also it has pleasing natural fragrance.
        Obviously, it works well on my lips. I would say it will be suitable for every sweet fragranced lip balm loving girl out there! It stays on the lips for a considerable amount of time; Hmm say 2-3 hours. As mentioned already, it moisturizes well and a brings a pleasing effect to the lips. In addition, it regains the natural beauty of the lips by healing the dryness. However if you have extra dry lips, you might need something more rich and moisturizing for a long time, especially in winters. This lip balm, when used along with lippies, bleeds at times so make sure your lipstick isn't that creamy while using together with your lipstick.

• Read: Aloe Veda Strawberry Lip Butter with Sunscreen Review

Pros of  VLCC Daily Protect Honey Lip Balm

• Soothes and moisturizes lips 
• If you're searching for a sweet fragranced lip balm at an affordable price, this would be a perfect pick!
• Sweet natural shea butter fragrance that lingers for a decent time
• Very affordable price for the worth
• Easy to use and handy packaging
• A boon for clear lip balm lovers; it leaves no tint on lips
• Stays on lips good for 2-3 hours
• Easily available in outlets and shopping sites

Cons of VLCC Daily Protect Honey Lip Balm

• The cap is too tight to open at times
• Melts in hot summer but you can use the refrigerator to store it :)
• Bleeds with already creamy lippies
• In case if you're wondering whether it would show any tint on your lips, then you're wrong. It is a CLEAR colourless lip balm! But then it is not a con for me at all.

I can't find any other con with this lip balm! This product is a huge hit for this dirt cheap price.

Makeup and Beauty Home Rating:  4/5

Recommendation: I highly recommend this to everyone who loves sweet smelling, colourless lip balms!

Would I Repurchase?: Yes definitely I will repurchase it every time.

Hope you all liked my first review ever :)

Have you ever used VLCC Daily Protect Honey Lip Balm? Do Share your comments below!

Avon Simply Pretty Color Last Lipstick Almond Beige Review & FOTD

Guest Post by Barisha

Avon Simply Pretty Color Last Lipstick Almond Beige Review

Hello lovely ladies.. How are you all? Hope you all are fine. I am back with another review today and this review is on an Avon lippy. To be very frank I am not too much into makeup. For me applying a lil compact, eyeliner and kajal is more than enough. Somehow I always think whenever I apply lipstick it makes me look more ugly :P But this lippy just proved me that was wrong: and I am really happy for that. Today I am going to review this on my favorite blog, of course here at  Makeup and Beauty Home :D Okay, now let us see how it works on me. Keep reading!

Product Description:

• Get velvety color that lasts long, stays fresh and keeps lips soft and moisturized.
• Gentle long-lasting lipstick with anti-oxidants and SPF 12 UVA/UVB
• Lasts up to 4 hours
• Transfer resistant

Price: Rs.299


Shade: Almond Beige

My Experience with this Product:

Packaging: It comes in a dark violet pack. The packaging looks okay and it is sturdy enough to be travel friendly; no complaints.

Colour and Texture: The colour of this Almond Beige lipstick from Avon justifies the name. It actually looks like almond but after applying on the lips it looks so different. Sometimes it looks pinkish brown sometimes orangish brown. Sometimes brown! No I am getting confused :P I am very poor at describing colours so have a look at my swatch and FOTD. The texture is of lipstick is so creamy, buttery and soft. It is so soft that it tends to break or melt if not stored in refrigerator.

How it works: One can easily apply this lipstick over their lips without any hardness as it glides in a smooth manner. This lipstick is nicely pigmented and stays on my lips for 3-4 hours as per the claims. This shade suits almost every Indian skin type and thus can be wore daily for casual outings and even for work. Overall, this lipstick suits everyone beautifully and the lippy beginners out there can pick this without any second thought.

FOTD:

This is how it looks on me and sorry I was damn tired at that time!

Now come, let us discuss about the pros and cons.

Pros of Avon Simply Pretty Color Last Lipstick in Almond Beige Shade

• Beautiful colour which brightens up the face.
• Sturdy and travel friendly packaging
• The shimmers are very subtle, making this lipstick as a perfect daily wear one
• Will suit almost every skin tone
• The lipstick does not bleed
• Suitable for office wear too
• One of the best shades for lipstick beginners
• Not drying as it has a buttery texture
• Contains SPF
• I think its affordable for the worth. Avon products are available on discounts most of the time.
• Good staying power, This particular shade will stay for 3-4 hours without the need of reapplications.

Cons of of Avon Simply Pretty Color Last Lipstick in Almond Beige Shade

• The ingredients list is missing.
• Availability is a problem for many.
• Might melt in hard summers; you can store it in refrigerator though

Recommendation: I will recommend this to lipstick to every lipstick loving girl. It looks good on all skin types and perfectly suitable on both day and night.


Makeup and Beauty Home Rating: 4/5


Have you tried any lipstick from the Avon Simply Pretty Color Last Range? Which is your favorite shade?

Nature's Essence Lacto Tan Clear Review

Guest Post by Barisha

Nature's Essence Lacto Tan Clear Review

Hello beauties, I am Barisha from kolkata , a silent reader of Makeup and Beauty home. I am soooo happy that Lancy has allow me to write for her beautiful blog. Today I am going to write a review on  the “Nature’s Essence Lacto Tan Clear” I am using this product for last 2 weeks and I must admit the result is quite good.

Product Description: 
Milk and honey enriched special tan cream helps remove the epidermal tan, thereby restoring the natural fairness of the skin and also preventing pigmentation due to harmful sun. Its matt effect is ideal for hot climates and the cream also helps enhance after facial glow..


Usage Directions:
Apply a layer on the face/skin and keep it on for 10-15 minutes and after soft message remove it with water. Advice to be use every day to restore natural colour and glow of the skin..


Price and Quantity:
Rs. 80 for 40 gm;125 for 100 gm. Available in many online sites at discount :)


Key Ingredients:
Milk ,bees wax, geranium oil.

My Experience with this Product:

Packaging: I saw this product in a local store at the very first I didn’t like it because of the packaging; it comes in a tub, yak unhygienic.This product is packed in a white coloured tub with a screw cap. There is an inner lid present inside top prevent mess. Though being travel friendly, this product isn't that easy or hygienic to use due to the tub packaging.  I think the packaging could be better but at this price I can’t expect more  after using it I toh just fell in love with it :-P

Colour, Consistency and Fragrance: The pack is creamy and milk white in colour. It glides on the face quite easily. The fragrance is subtle and mild; there is nothing to worry about it you sensitive noses.

How it works: I am really very satisfied with the product. I am blessed with an Indian skin tone which gets tanned very easily. I have severe tan on my face, neck, hands even on feet. I use lots of products but nothing worked but Yes! this one removes tan. Can’t say about the old tan but it works on the fresh tan. I use it  after coming back home and it removes tan as well as adds a nice glow to my face. It doesn't leave my facial skin oily but gives a matte effect to the skin which last for 5-6hours. Okay now let see the pros and cons :)

Pros of Nature's Essence Lacto Tan Clear

•     It’s a herbal product..
•     Gives a cooling sensation on application.
•     Yes it removessss tan as claimed!
•     Gives an instant glow to the skin
•     Readymade pack, saves time..
•     Affordable. A 40 gm pack will last for a month if used regularly only on the face.
•     It’s easily available in stores and online.
•     Smells okay.
•     Does not break me out.
•     Will suit every skin type.

Cons of Nature's Essence Lacto Tan Clear

•     Full ingredients list is missing
•     May be a little drying for extremely dry skin

Sorry I can’t think of any other con  :D


Makeup and Beauty Home Rating: 4.5/5


My Recommendation:  I will recommend this product to everyone. It’s a must have for summer :)



Have you ever used Nature's Essence Lacto Tan Clear? What are your views about it?

Ten Home Remedies for Winter Dry Skin

Guest Post by Radha of My Noble Secrets

Hello Friends, This is my first post on MABH and I am excited to share it with you all.
                    
                     Winter going to come and the main worry of all of us is DRY SKIN. Winter gives us no sweating but the dry cool wind becomes the enemy of our skin's moisture often. So, we have to take care of our skin more carefully in order to prevent skin dryness and tightness. First of all, we have to concentrate on our diet well. This kind of moisture balancing skin care diet should be started earlier to the winter to maintain young glowing winter skin. Make your diet rich in Omega-3-fatty acids and low fat milk with oats or cereals. This will make wonder changes on your skin. Reduce the intake of coffee and tea that makes skin more dry by reducing important vitamins and minerals from the body. Take Green Tea which has lot of Anti-oxidants that repairs and keeps the skin younger forever. Staying hydrated with drinking 2 to 3  liters water everyday will wash away toxins from your body. Vitamin A, C and E helps to lock moisture in your skin. Hence, try to include fruits and vegetables rich in these vitamins. Avoid oily and greasy foods that give you bad skin. Consumption of nuts such as almonds and peanuts provides you vitamins and good fat; thus helping to prevent skin's natural moisture in winters.

                  
Now let us move on to the external maintenance part of skin in winter. Note down these ten effective dry skin home remedies and make use of them in a natural way to make your dry skin beautiful in winter.

• Mash a well ripen banana and mix it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Apply this mixture on your facial skin for 30 minutes  Wash it off with cold water. This method will give you soft and supple skin with a natural tightening effect.
   
• Massaging your skin with plain malai and a pinch of turmeric powder will also moisturize your skin the natural way.
  
  
• Use cold compressed castor oil to massage your skin to keep wrinkles caused due to dryness at bay.
  
  
• Give you face and body skin a honey massage ten minutes before bath.
  
  
• Egg yolk gives you skin wonderful moisture hence you can try this if you can tolerate the smell.
   
• Curd is also a good moisturizing agent. Just rub it on your skin for half an hour before bath.
   
• Aloe vera is a very good and natural moisturizer for your skin, It is good to have a plant in your home. Take out the flesh part of the plant wash it and just apply it on your skin. Use it on night because, it has photo sensitivity nature.
   
• Vitamin E oil massage also does wonder on dry skin.
  
  
• Coconut milk is a good moisturizer. Applying coconut milk on your dry skin gives you shine.
   
• Use glycerin and rose water mixture as your skin toner. Mix equal quantity of these two ingredients and store it in a tightly closed bottle. Refrigerate and use as your winter skin toner.

Hope you liked my natural home remedies for dry skin. Do share your comments below!

Image source: 1

VLCC Natural Sciences Gold Scrub Review

Guest Post by Yendrilla

Hi Guys I’m Yendrilla, a part time blogger from India. This is my first post on MABH and I am up with a review of a scrub today. First I should tell you I love to experiment with products like scrubs and face washes. I had been looking for a scrub which will add radiance to my skin and I ended up buying this VLCC Natural Sciences Gold Scrub.

Product Description:
Exposure to environment factors like pollution and dust make skin look dull
and lifeless. This unique scrub, enriched with 24 Carat Pure Gold, Turmeric and Sandalwood, has a
deep pore cleansing action that gently exfoliates dead skin cells, superficial white and black-heads. It
leaves the skin fresh and glowing with a radiant complexion.


Price & Quantity:
Rs.135 for 70 gm


Key Ingredients:
The face wash has mentioned the key ingredients as “Extracts of Alovera,
Sandalwood, Raisin, Turmeric, Gold Leaf, Xantham Gum, Dimethicone, Triclosan and Vitamin E”.


My Experience with this Product:
This product is packed in a golden coloured tube with a flip type cap which makes it hygienic for usage. No complaints about the packaging; it is pretty okay.

The scrub is gel based, yellowish in color and almost transparent with some yellow micro granules and small gold particles in it. It has a mild fragrance which is really soothing.

It is very gentle on skin. I am using it for the past 2 weeks and my blackheads have almost gone. It provides a deep pore cleansing action that gently exfoliates dead skin cells. Though I didn’t find much radiance effect in my skin as the product claims. Okay, now let sum up with the pros and cons.


Pros:        

• Comes in a hygienic and travel friendly packaging.
• The consistency of this scrub looks attractive due to the small gold particles.
• This granules are very mild so that even sensitive skin types can use it.
• I did experience no side effects with this scrub as its formulation is very gentle on skin.
• Though mild and gentle, it does a deep pore cleansing action effectively.
• It clears blackheads very well. All my blackheads were almost disappeared within 2 weeks of usage.
• The price is that not costly.

Cons:

• I did not find much radiance as expected.

My Rating: 3.5/5



Recommendation: I think this scrub will suit all skin types except the extra dry ones. After using it, my skin got a little dry and hence I think it will do best on oily skin. However, if you want to clear your blackheads, then you can give this product a try.


Would I repurchase?:  I guess NO. I didn’t like this scrub that much. There are many more scrubs in the market with better results, at much cheaper cost. Right?

About the Author:

Yendrilla blogs at I AM SHE, a beauty blog that features product reviews, eye makeup tutorials and recent giveaways. Do check out her blog!

Almond & Sandalwood Face Pack for Brides

Guest Post by Shilpa

Hi girls! This is Shilpa Kalluru from Kadapa; working and settled in Hyderabad now. I bumped into this blog when I was searching for some home remedies for my dark patches. I was surprised and happy to see the simple, affordable tips those were shared here. This is a very nice blog and thank you for all the effort.
   Any beauty problem has a home remedy in it and thus I wanted to share a beauty tip with MABH friends that will help everyone get a porcelain clean skin. I have heard this over television in Band Baaja Bride by some famous beautician. And this is especially for brides who are looking for a clearer and beautiful skin for their wedding. Check out the quick and simple recipe below.

Things you will need:

• Almonds - 10 numbers (Small sized ones; these are rich in Vitamin E)
• Sandal wood powder - 1 or 2 tbsps
• Saffron - a pinch
• Olive oil -  4-5 drops

Preparation:

• Grind everything together in mixture until smooth.
• You can store this face pack in refrigerator by making it for a week.

How to Apply:

• Take required quantity of this mixture and add full fat milk to it to make a semi solid consistency. If you have extra oily skin type, you can use rose water instead of milk.
• Cleanse your face with a mild cleanser or a cleansing milk and wipe off gently.
• Apply this pack over your facial and neck skin evenly. Let it dry for 10-15 minutes.
• After this dries out completely dab it with rose water. Scrub it in circular motion to get that exfoliating effect (This encourages the removal of impurities and dead skin cells).
• Clean with lukewarm water and then splash cold water to close the skin pores.

Try this for a week and you will see beautiful, clear and supple skin on your face. Continue using this face pack regularly for maximum results. For brides, 3-4 times usage per week is recommended.

Hope you liked my first contribution for MABH. 

Do leave your comments and feedback below! Thank you

Image source: 1

3 Super Easy DIY Recipes

Guest Post by Iswarya
Weekend Fun Giveaway July Week 2 Giveaway Entry #19

Image source

Homemade Rose Water

If you don’t want to use ready-made rose water from the stores, you can try this quick easy recipe. All you need to do is pick a bowl full of fresh rose petals. Then take a wide mouthed enamel or glass pot or bowl with a cover or closing lid. Take another heavy bottomed open vessel. You need kitchen gauze or a strainer too. Now place the wide mouthed enamel pot on the gas stove. Keep the gauze inside it and spread the rose petals to it. You can crush the rose petals if you want. Note that the bowl should be heat resistant. For 1 bowl of rose petals add 2 cups of distilled water. Now keep the second open vessel above the gauze and close the lid in an inverted position.
             Light the gas stove and wait for 2 minutes. Once it starts boiling simmer it, keep adding crushed ice and wait for another 15 min. The rose water will condense and fall to the open vessel above. Even a layer of rose essential oil will be formed. If you need oil you have to separate it from water. Once the mixture cools you can store this in old serum bottle and you can refrigerate too. You can carry this to your office too. For people sitting in ac for a long time this might help to overcome the dullness. Spray to your face during regular intervals. You will enjoy this refreshing and moisturizing experience!!


Aspirin Mask for Acne Control

Aspirin masks helps to control acne. Take 4-5 uncoated aspirin tablets (as required) and mix it with little distilled water and make in the form of a paste. Apply this to your face once a week. It should not be used daily because skin may be irritated as it cannot bear sensitivity caused by aspirin.


Pumpkin Face Mask

Pumpkin is excellent for skin. It is rich in vitamins A and Antioxidants and zinc. Take cooked pumpkin (smash it) and mix it with honey and milk. Add egg white to this mixture. Mix well. Egg white helps to bind the mask together. Apply this to your face and see the miracle it does to your skin.

                     Hope you liked these quick DIY Recipes. Which is your favorite own DIY recipe?