Sunday, April 30, 2017
Cruelty-free Skincare | The Body Shop Drops of Light Pure Clarifying Foam Wash Review
In
Cruelty-free,
Skincare
My skin at the time was not really in a preferred condition. Inflammatory acne due to the weather change and my rosacea had poked its head up and my skin was drier than usual. I have used the range for a few weeks- two to be precise and stopped using the Pure Healthy Brightening Day Cream due to acne breakouts.
Texture & Efficacy
I find it unnecessary to spend on some clarifying cleanser that is nothing more than an ordinary foaming face wash. I had to put this range to test and hence I bought it without much thought. The clarifying Foam wash has a pearl sheen to it and foams more than an average cleanser. I find this works well with my Michael Todd Sonic Brush as well as working with hands; I tend to use a lot with the brush in compared to using it with my hands. It has extremely micro-particles, the kind you’ll only feel when you’re sensitive. I assume the creamy yet soft gritty texture is due to clay in it. I am sure the exfoliation is as micro as possible, great for sensitive skin.
Indeed clarified and non-drying results are achieved after rinsing off. At first, I disliked the overall working of the product including the texture and results. I am used to liking squeaky clean skin but I am noticing a radical change in my preference; Squeaky clean = Stripping of beneficial natural oils.
This does leave a slight veil of creaminess except for the areas around my mouth. I find it a balance of clay and creaminess that should work for both oily and dry skin.
This does leave a slight veil of creaminess except for the areas around my mouth. I find it a balance of clay and creaminess that should work for both oily and dry skin.
Clarifying Foam Wash with and without Drops of Light Serum and Brightening Day cream
The Body Shop Drops of Light Pure Healthy Brightening Day Cream broke me out so it was wiser to eliminate it from my daily routine. I did continue using the Serum and Face wash together and my review is entirely based on this combination.
I did notice radiance after using the Foam Wash but that did not last any long. With the continued usage of the Foam Wash and serum daily, I did notice a difference in my skin tone alone. It did fail to work on my hyperpigmentation, texture and old scars. But I did skip exfoliation or restricted only once a week.
I did notice radiance after using the Foam Wash but that did not last any long. With the continued usage of the Foam Wash and serum daily, I did notice a difference in my skin tone alone. It did fail to work on my hyperpigmentation, texture and old scars. But I did skip exfoliation or restricted only once a week.
Conclusion
I find it unnecessary to use the Clarifying cleanser on its own. It does not strip natural oils from the skin and leaves a healthy satin veil of moisture on the skin. I am assuming that it boost the radiance when used with the products from the same range. At times, I did keep the lather on for few minutes to notice if it works on removing suntan, sadly it didn’t but instead left my sensitive skin feeling raw after rinsing. MicroExfoliation, as I noticed. To put down in one sentence, it is insignificant on its own, unless If you’re planning to include the DOL Range in your routine. On its own, it is just another cleanser. I’d rather invest in a cleanser that doubles as makeup remover and cleanser at once.
Is The Body Shop Cruelty-free? Yes
Price In India and UK: INR 1,525 & £ 12.00
Will I repurchase? No
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Charlotte Tilbury Haul from Beautylish.com | Shipping and Import Customs Duties to India
In
Foundation,
Haul
I have been fancying Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks (esp
I want to try her Treat & Transform Magic Cream which I added to my cart but since it is heavy, the import duties for it (alone) turned out to be higher than I anticipated.
So I settled for base makeup instead. I am hankering towards Golden Goddess & Filmstar Bronze & Glow kit! In a few, I want all!
My Charlotte Tilbury Haul includes
Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Finish in 2 MediumCharlotte Tilbury Cheek To Chic First Love
Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder in 7 Medium
Charlotte Tilbury The Retoucher in 3 Medium
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation in 7 Medium
Even though, I decided to christen these on my birthday; I tested both the foundations few days before. I wanted to be sure of what finish I preferred with the makeup with my skin condition.
Boy! When I tested the shade of Magic foundation on my jawline and nose, I was doubtlessly under a spell. The shade blended in perfectly. I have had great first impressions of all these products so far.
So what I chose to wear on my Birthday? Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder! (without a doubt)
The shade matching is close enough but a bit too warm for my neutral tone which makes it a bit shadowy on my complexion. Shade 6 has pink undertone while Shade 5 would've been too light for me. But the Magic Foundation is my skin but better kind of shade match for me and I couldn't be more stoked!
I do not regret purchasing any of these but are these worth the price? which I will be decoding in individual reviews.
Shopping with Beautylish
I placed my order on 6th of April 2017 and I was notified that my order was shipped within 24 hours. And additionally, I received an email from FedEx about the tracking and documents for customs verification. The Service type used by Beautylish was FedEx International Priority. And I received my package on 10th April, 2 days before the estimated date. I selected the gift wrap option with a written note. I am definitely impressed with the quick delivery. The customs duties were already included in the order. You can check the snapshot of my order below. I prefer paying import customs duties with the order than on arrival.For such quick International delivery and prepaid custom duties, I am impressed and looking forward to placing more orders with them( motivates me enough!)
 |
| Click on the image for a larger view |
Is Charlotte Tilbury Cruelty-free? YES! and many of her products are vegan as well.
You can check Charlotte Tilbury Base Makeup in action here.
I had to choose between diamonds and makeup.
I chose Makeup.
And for accomplishing 3 major goals in 2016 (one in 2017), after working hard for months and numerous sleepless nights (Thank you Redbull!) I decided to treat myself to some luxury makeup in spite of my project pan challenge. I seem to go on purchasing makeup and keep forgetting about it. I lack sincerity with project panning!
Here's the makeup flatlay
My theme for makeup as well as aesthetic was Rose gold. I paired a soft rose gold smokey with soft mauve lips. That lip colour was not on my mind, but I have been wearing Cannes lot, to skip it for once; I mixed Zurich and Marc Jacob's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. I wore Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation and dusted the Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder over my T-zone lightly.
My base, illuminated and extremely light with bronzed glow, I did skip contouring today. And after taking pictures, I realized I need to fix my eyebrows, I fixed them, wiped off my lipstick and stepped out.
I have zillion Lace blouses, tops and tanks and every time I see lace, mesh or anything similar I have to purchase it (and regret later.) But this is something I had to include in my collection. I didn't have anything forest green!
And here's my humble Face of the Day!
Closeup shot of my illuminated base makeup
And here's the birthday acquisition (for succeeding goals and ignoring my skin all the while!)
My laugh lines are running deeper due to lack of skincare and I am determined to switch to a skincare routine preventing dry patches and developing lines/wrinkles. You can check my acquisition here
Brown paper packages tied up with strings. ;)
I chose Makeup.
And for accomplishing 3 major goals in 2016 (one in 2017), after working hard for months and numerous sleepless nights (Thank you Redbull!) I decided to treat myself to some luxury makeup in spite of my project pan challenge. I seem to go on purchasing makeup and keep forgetting about it. I lack sincerity with project panning!
Here's the makeup flatlay
My theme for makeup as well as aesthetic was Rose gold. I paired a soft rose gold smokey with soft mauve lips. That lip colour was not on my mind, but I have been wearing Cannes lot, to skip it for once; I mixed Zurich and Marc Jacob's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. I wore Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation and dusted the Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder over my T-zone lightly.
My base, illuminated and extremely light with bronzed glow, I did skip contouring today. And after taking pictures, I realized I need to fix my eyebrows, I fixed them, wiped off my lipstick and stepped out.
I have zillion Lace blouses, tops and tanks and every time I see lace, mesh or anything similar I have to purchase it (and regret later.) But this is something I had to include in my collection. I didn't have anything forest green!
And here's my humble Face of the Day!
Closeup shot of my illuminated base makeup
And here's the birthday acquisition (for succeeding goals and ignoring my skin all the while!)
My laugh lines are running deeper due to lack of skincare and I am determined to switch to a skincare routine preventing dry patches and developing lines/wrinkles. You can check my acquisition here
 |
| From Me to Me :) |
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Organic Harvest Green Apple Lipbalm Review: Is it EOS Lip Balm Dupe?
In
Cruelty-free,
Skincare
The Product has been provided by the brand for consideration.
I was invited to the Organic Harvest Juhu Store launch. A gift hamper was provided for consideration. I also bought their Daily Shampoo which is SLS/SLES and Paraben free, I am left with few washes and my review is due.
[Please take note that I have already finished the lipbalm (both Organic Harvest & EOS smooth sphere) and this is an incomplete draft I am determined to complete and publish, hence the tense]
Organic Harvest Green Apple Lipbalm was the first thing I tested which of course could be assumed as EOS dupe. But wait till you hear out my conclusion.
I am left with a flattened dome, good enough to last me for a couple of weeks.
I have an anxiety-induced habit of biting my lip and the only way I can keep myself biting off my lip is by layering them with balm. And it takes reminding, to constantly reapplying the balm, out of anxiety again!
Texture:
A slight waxy formula. It does instantly soften the dryness and flakiness. And to my disenchantment, it disappeared into nothingness. Who am I kidding?
The waxy formula dissipates into an invisible waxy veil with more or less shine-free finish, unlike the conventional lip balms.
I hope that I put that across decently. And if you layer, it does have a slight tendency to look whitish with visibility of the wax.
In comparison with the EOS lip balm:
EOS lip balm does not dissipate but brings out rather a healthy flush due to peppermint in it. EOS is comforting on the lips.
Longevity:
I find Organic Harvest Lipbalm needs less frequent application in comparison to EOS lip balm. Perhaps, due to the waxy formula. EOS lip balms do not survive meals.
To put it straight, both of these need reapplication but I prefer Organic Harvest lip balm underneath my mattes and EOS lip balm on its own, mostly indoors or when I give lip colours a miss.
Price & Availability:
Organic Harvest lip balm is available across leading e-commerce website and their standalone stores. EOS lip balm is available only on selected e-commerce website with price variations. There is a colossal difference in the price points. Organic Harvest lip balm retails for 199 INR while EOS lip balm retails for anywhere between 500 INR to 600 INR depending on the re-sellers.
Other variants available for Organic Harvest lip balms are Pomegranate, Strawberry, and Shea.
EOS lip balms are available in so many other variants. Sweet mint is my favourite, though.
Is Organic Harvest lip balm a dupe for EOS lip balm?
No, except for the packaging there is no likeness in the texture of these two. Organic Harvest, in my opinion, has a unique texture which on application goes lustrous on application but settles into a shine-free veil. This uniqueness I find quite flattering underneath a matte lipstick due to its waxy formula which tends to go opaque if layered. Especially underneath the Colourpop Matte Lipcolours, the OH lip balm works for me.
I dislike wearing OH lip balm on its own, which is probably my only dislike with the product.
Cruelty-free status: Organic Harvest is Cruelty-free. EOS is not Cruelty-free.
Is Organic Harvest Lip Care Balm Vegan?
Sadly, It is not Vegan. Even though the ingredient list is missing. One of the key ingredients is "ECO certified Lanolin" which makes it unsuitable for vegans.
Price: 199 INR
Repurchase: Probably not.
I was invited to the Organic Harvest Juhu Store launch. A gift hamper was provided for consideration. I also bought their Daily Shampoo which is SLS/SLES and Paraben free, I am left with few washes and my review is due.
[Please take note that I have already finished the lipbalm (both Organic Harvest & EOS smooth sphere) and this is an incomplete draft I am determined to complete and publish, hence the tense]
Organic Harvest Green Apple Lipbalm was the first thing I tested which of course could be assumed as EOS dupe. But wait till you hear out my conclusion.
I am left with a flattened dome, good enough to last me for a couple of weeks.
I have an anxiety-induced habit of biting my lip and the only way I can keep myself biting off my lip is by layering them with balm. And it takes reminding, to constantly reapplying the balm, out of anxiety again!
Texture:
A slight waxy formula. It does instantly soften the dryness and flakiness. And to my disenchantment, it disappeared into nothingness. Who am I kidding?
The waxy formula dissipates into an invisible waxy veil with more or less shine-free finish, unlike the conventional lip balms.
I hope that I put that across decently. And if you layer, it does have a slight tendency to look whitish with visibility of the wax.
In comparison with the EOS lip balm:
EOS lip balm does not dissipate but brings out rather a healthy flush due to peppermint in it. EOS is comforting on the lips.
Longevity:
I find Organic Harvest Lipbalm needs less frequent application in comparison to EOS lip balm. Perhaps, due to the waxy formula. EOS lip balms do not survive meals.
To put it straight, both of these need reapplication but I prefer Organic Harvest lip balm underneath my mattes and EOS lip balm on its own, mostly indoors or when I give lip colours a miss.
Price & Availability:
Organic Harvest lip balm is available across leading e-commerce website and their standalone stores. EOS lip balm is available only on selected e-commerce website with price variations. There is a colossal difference in the price points. Organic Harvest lip balm retails for 199 INR while EOS lip balm retails for anywhere between 500 INR to 600 INR depending on the re-sellers.
Other variants available for Organic Harvest lip balms are Pomegranate, Strawberry, and Shea.
EOS lip balms are available in so many other variants. Sweet mint is my favourite, though.
Is Organic Harvest lip balm a dupe for EOS lip balm?
No, except for the packaging there is no likeness in the texture of these two. Organic Harvest, in my opinion, has a unique texture which on application goes lustrous on application but settles into a shine-free veil. This uniqueness I find quite flattering underneath a matte lipstick due to its waxy formula which tends to go opaque if layered. Especially underneath the Colourpop Matte Lipcolours, the OH lip balm works for me.
I dislike wearing OH lip balm on its own, which is probably my only dislike with the product.
Cruelty-free status: Organic Harvest is Cruelty-free. EOS is not Cruelty-free.
Is Organic Harvest Lip Care Balm Vegan?
Sadly, It is not Vegan. Even though the ingredient list is missing. One of the key ingredients is "ECO certified Lanolin" which makes it unsuitable for vegans.
Price: 199 INR
Repurchase: Probably not.
 | ||||
| Source |
I love a good, gentle and non-drying cleanser; and a search for one is unceasing. I have loved Neutrogena Foaming Cleanser for the longest time. I was searching for a cruelty-free alternative; I narrowed down on a few brands. I was adamant to buy CeraVe from Amazon US since I read it is cruelty free and hence I dropped them an enquiry email. The challenging part of finding a cleanser is it being SLS/SLES free, Paraben free and cruelty-free. And then there is no middle ground.
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser had it all that I was anticipating, even though I did read that CeraVe is cruelty-free. I was unsure of it being unquestionable. So I dropped an email to enquire about their cruelty-free stance. I received two emails regarding my query.
The first did mention that CeraVe products are not tested on animals. Here is an insert of the email.
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser had it all that I was anticipating, even though I did read that CeraVe is cruelty-free. I was unsure of it being unquestionable. So I dropped an email to enquire about their cruelty-free stance. I received two emails regarding my query.
The first did mention that CeraVe products are not tested on animals. Here is an insert of the email.
Thank you for contacting Valeant Customer Service.CeraVe products are not tested on animals. Additionally, we have forwarded the latter portion of your inquiry over to our Medical Information Department. This department has access to CeraVe ingredient information and will be getting back to you with additional information.
Regards,
Elly
Consumer Affairs
And a few days later, I received an email from one of the members of Medical Information Department stating that either their products are tested on animals on some instances. I am inserting an excerpt from the email below.
Dear Pranali:Thank you for your request on product information from Valeant Pharmaceuticals North America. Please refer to the respective product package insert(s) for complete prescribing information.
Enclosed is the following information you requested:
Animal Testing
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other worldwide health regulatory agencies currently require all pharmaceutical manufacturers to protect patients and consumers by establishing product quality, safety and effectiveness through approved and validated testing methods, which include animal testing in some instance.
Please feel free to contact the Valeant Medical Information Department at 1-877-361-2719 if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
VALEANT PHARMACEUTICALS NORTH AMERICA
Conclusion: CeraVe is not cruelty-free.
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