Aroma Magic White Tea & Chamomile Face Wash Review | Aromatherapy Skincare Essentials | Everyday Pollution Defence | Beauty Review

Aroma Magic products always seem to be a win for my combination acne prone super-sensitive skin. I have used and loved their-

Microdermabrasion Scrub, 

Charcoal Pack, 

Anti-Pigmentation Glossy Pack, 

Detoxifying Pack, 

Hydrating Seaweed Pack

I saw this Aroma Magic White Tea and Chamomile Face Wash sample at Smytten and guess what, this is the only product I picked up because the packaging looked so pretty :D Well, that, and the fact that I trust Aroma Magic products to be good to my skin. I genuinely feel these products are made with a unique formulation that makes them good for all skin types.

Packaging of Aroma Magic White Tea & Chamomile Face Wash is compact and travel-friendly in a tube with flip-open cap. It is one of the most gorgeously designed packaging with a floral theme :)

Ingredients list is unique like all Aroma Magic products with only good stuff like White Tea, Soy Milk, Protein Beads, Chamomile Essential Oil. It has no alcohol, soap, artificial fragrances, coloring, and no testing on animals either.

Claims to deep clean and lightly exfoliate while keeping skin fresh, relaxed, and also works on preventing aging.

Availability of Aroma Magic Products is very easy on all online sites such as Amazon, Nykaa, Smytten, Flipkart and pricing is very reasonable with the 100 ml sized face wash only around Rs. 150.

Quantity of this 20 ml sample from Smytten was enough for 2 weeks on my horse-sized face. Only a little is needed each time.

Usage - Apply to moist face and neck. Massage and rinse off properly. Follow with moisturizer and sunscreen.

Effect - As I said, I have used and absolutely loved all Aroma Magic products I have used over the years. I completely expected to love this face wash too and it did not disappoint me one bit. It is a light-blue colored gel-textured face wash that lathers nicely without being artificially soapy. It has very few exfoliating beads and I was worried they would scratch my skin but actually they did not. Of course, my skin being extra-sensitive, I used very light hands to massage the face wash into my skin so that the beads did not scratch at all. 

As claimed, it deeply cleansed my pores, and at the same time, did not leave my skin dry like a desert either. In summers, it is perfect for cleansing out all the oil but in winters, like all face washes, it may leave the skin feeling dry. In any case, it is always nice to follow up a face wash with a good moisturizer or gel or facial oil, depending on the skin type. I always do :) 

The only thing is, it claims to work as an anti-aging agent but I am not sure, can a face wash actually do that? Anyway, apart from this little thing, everything else about this face wash is awesome and I shall love to repurchase the full-sized one again and again.

YES 

• Devoid of nasties like parabens, soaps, artificial fragrance etc.
• Amazing fragrance
• Value for money
• Deeply cleanses but does not leave skin dry
• Works nicely on my super-sensitive skin
• Easily available online on Amazon, Nykaa, Flipkart etc.

NO 

• Some people may not like exfoliating beads

Recommended -YES. Like all Aroma Magic products, it works amazing on my skin. Rating is 4.5/5.

Smytten Review | An App For Beauty Skincare Haircare Health Lifestyle Fanatics | Try And Buy And Try Some More | Beauty Haul | Beauty Review

I have no clue how I did not join the Smytten app yet, but worry not, better late than never :) 

Smytten is an app with a wordplay on 'smitten', and it allows all beauty, skincare, healthcare, haircare, lifestyle fanatics to try products from top-notch brands before buying them. It is an app with a shop and a trial section where one needs to pay only Rs. 199 for picking up sample size products from brands such as Just Herbs, Aroma Magic, Votre, Seer Secrets and many more. These sample size products differ in quantity from 10 ml or 10 grams to 50-60 ml or 50-60 grams. In short, they are enough to use for 2-4 times so that the user can make up their mind if it is worth buying the full size product or not. 

If worth it, then simply go to the Smytten shop section and buy the product! Easy-peasy. But the best part about this app is that every time we pay Rs. 199 for the trial section, we get Rs. 169 back in our wallet that can be used for more trials or we can get Rs. 169 off while purchasing a full-sized product! How cool is that! 

So I made an account on Smytten, logged in using my mobile number, and fell in love with so many options for the trial part. There were 6 points in my wallet and each trial sample has certain points assigned to them. So, for example, a Votre 50 grams cream for 2 trial points while a Just Herbs 10 ml rose water for 1 trial point. Sometimes there are full sized products for 6 trial points too! 

I chose samples using the 6 trial points and got Rs. 169 points back in my wallet. Then I went to the shopping section and got Aaranyaa Hair Spa at a massive 40% discount PLUS Rs. 169 OFF! This is called Super-Bonanza shopping :D And after shopping for a full-sized product, I got 6 more trial points in my account. And so on and so forth. Now looking at my haul size, you can see for yourself how many samples I got in 3 rounds...And there is so much more to try out. 

I am a beauty and skincare junkie so I got shampoo, conditioner, hair oil, face wash, clay masks..but there are samples of tea, perfumes, handmade craft materials, eco-friendly hygiene materials and MUCH MORE that I am craving to sample. 

Pretty Soon my friends, Pretty Soon :) 

Oh, if you want to sign up to Smytten now, you can use my referral code CW9cayr..of course you can sign up without it too. You will get your own referral code and everytime someone signs up using that and places a trial order, you will get Rs. 200 cash in your wallet to spend on buying awesome products. So if you feel like this pose added a bit of joy to your life, do consider using my referral code --> CW9cayr :)

Herb Life Product Haul | Herbal Products Review | Aloe Vera Gel Saffron Gel Red Wine Gel Nalpamarathi Oil Rose Water | Beauty Review

I used to pride myself on my knowledge of social media navigation. Yet, the more time I spend online, the more I learn something new and realize that it is probably bigger than our real universe! For instance, even though I have been a beauty blogger for more than 2 years now, it was only very recently that I found there was a thriving beauty industry active on Instagram. 

This is the place of organic, natural, homemade, handmade products such as serums, lotions, creams, soaps, scrubs, masks, and much more, made in small batches by enthusiastic and passionate entrepreneurs. Away from the glitz and glamour of all the big brands that occupy our shopping malls' shelves, these Instagram brands have a cult following. 

I was intrigued and I researched a bit and found out so many new brands offering wonderful products at down-to-earth prices. Couldn't resist. Especially since the year 2020 saw me at the worst of my skin and hair woes thanks to the whole of 2019 being a big battle against a lot of family, personal, and health issues. 

Anyway....after much research, I thought, let me try some such products and see where it leads us..and so I got this little haul from Herb Life, available on Instagram @herblife_soap :) It has- 

-Aloe Vera Gel 

-Saffron Gel 

-Red Wine Gel 

-Pure Rose Water 

-Almond Face Pack 

-Hair Growth Oil 

-Nalpamarathi Oil

I chose these products after consultation with the brand itself, and after using these products for more than a month, here are my views on all:- 

Aloe Vera Gel Review | Saffron Gel Review | Red Wine Gel Review 

Pure gels that did not react or give allergies of any kind to my super-sensitive skin that turns red at the slightest provocation *eye roll* I liked the Red Wine Gel the most! It felt light and cool on my face and brightened it immensely. Red Wine is famous for anti-ageing properties and I am sure this gel will perform anti-ageing miracles on mature skin after long usage. Aloe Vera and Saffron gels were cool, soothing, just as expected. Though I thought that the saffron gel would provide more brightening effect, but it was just a normal gel, the red wine gel happened to be better here. 

Hair Growth Oil Review 

Has a strong smell of curry leaves, bhringraj and many other herbs. Nourished my hair, though I did not see any new hair growth in the one month that I used it. But it worked beautifully in conditioning my super dry hair when I applied in on my scalp for 2 hours before shampoo. No complaints. 

Almond Face Pack Review

I believe it has besan, sandalwood, turmeric alongside Almonds. A little bit on the coarse side but still wonderful for my super-sensitive skin. I mixed it with aloe vera gel and rose water and a little bit of curd and applied on my face for 10 minutes 3 times every week and it left my skin super-soft and bright. Loved it. Also gives light exfoliation, a win-win proposition.

Nalpamarathi Oil Review 

I heard about Kumkumadi and Nalpamarathi oil about 2 years ago from several fellow bloggers but didn't use, for one reason or other, mainly because most big brands out there are super-expensive. But this one is so value-conscious -imagine this little bottle of wonder for only Rs. 100!!! I couldn't resist from picking it up. It is a thick concoction with sesame oil, turmeric, castor oil, and many other beneficial and potent oils for brightening the skin, making it soft, smooth, working on pigmentation, acne marks..basically it IS a wonder oil, purely Ayurvedic formulation. I have used this regularly twice a day, 4 drops suffice for my whole face, and it has CONSIDERABLY LIGHTENED my old acne scars! Sorry for yelling, but I am IN LOVE with this little bottle. 

Pure Rose Water Review 

Now everybody knows the good effects of Rose Water for our skin, right? But I never used rose water...because a long time ago I had used Gulabari that had made my skin reddish and allergic :( Very recently I realized that it is not pure rose water and is full of chemicals. When I picked up Herb Life Pure Rose Water, I had no idea it would be soooooo good. Another MUST-HAVE from this brand. It smells soooooo good, pure, light, feels like feather on my skin, refreshes it, soothes it, brightens it, keeps redness away from my cheeks. I LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOOVE it.

Oh, and by the way, do you know how much I paid for all this? LESS THAN RS. 1200, including shipping! Yes, this has to be the most budget-conscious pricing EVER :)

YES 

• Pure Ayurvedic formulations
• Made in fresh batches
• Unbelievably value-conscious
• All claims are true
• Works fabulously on my super-sensitive skin
• Did I tell you how value-conscious it is!!!

NO 

• The packaging does not have any ingredients list
• Is not available on amazon, nykaa, or our departmental stores

Recommended - YES. Rating for all products is 5/5 because I do not know where to cut marks :P 

Ancient Living Kasturi Turmeric Review | Ayurveda Wisdom | Haridra Churna | Beauty Review

Besan-Haldi, Chandan-Haldi...Haldi or Turmeric is considered a super food and a multi-functional herb in India because Ayurveda tells us about its many benefits for our body. It detoxifies, cleans the liver, helps in building immunity, eases pain, brightens complexion, so on and so forth. Every Indian household has plenty of turmeric at all times, for eating as well as cosmetic purposes. 

So no surprises that I also keep buying beauty and skincare products with turmeric...or turmeric itself from time to time specifically for use in skincare routine :) Here is a review of Ancient Living Kasturi Turmeric that I got from Qtrove especially for use in daily face masks. 

Packaging of Ancient Living Kasturi Turmeric is highly functional and environmentally friendly. It comes in a little glass jar that can be used even after the turmeric gets over for storage. I also find it travel friendly, though it is bulky, and well it is glass, so butterfingers be careful :D There is a refill pouch available too.

Ingredients list is Pure Kasturi Turmeric. Plain and Simple.

Claims that this aromatic Kasturi Turmeric would increase skin luminosity with regular usage and won't stain skin like normal cooking turmeric.

Availability of  Ancient Living Kasturi Turmeric is good online on sites such as Amazon, Nykaa, and Qtrove. I got it for Rs. 225 for 100 grams.

Quantity is good enough to last more than a month even when using everyday since only half a spoon is needed each day.

Usage - Mix it with other herbs, powders, aloe vera gel, milk, curd, rose water...possibilities are endless.

Effect - I use a face mask everyday since more than a decade now, and my favorites are from Forest Essentials, Ayur Herbals, Auravedic... I love mixing ingredients like Sandalwood (Chandan), Turmeric (Haldi), Multani Mitti (Indian clay), and other herbs with aloe vera gel, rose water, curd, and apply all over my face and neck for 10 minutes and then wash it off. 

This is not something that shows results overnight but I have stuck with this routine for over a decade and it keeps my skin baby soft. I use a variety of other cleansers, face washes, exfoliators, ready-to-use face masks too...but a homemade face mask is a must everyday before shower. Over long usage, it keeps skin healthy. 

After all, in earlier days, before all these brands bombarded our shopping malls, our grandmothers made these concoctions in their kitchen and had the most amazing skin, right? :) I love Ancient Living Kasturi Turmeric since it works exceptionally well, over time, in brightening my skin, and keeping dark blemishes away. 

See, I am a lady, and I often get pimples in my 'time of the month' and they leave behind dirty black marks. In my experience, it is only with regular usage of Haldi that these marks can be banished. So I absolutely recommend it to everyone who loves homemade packs and wants to use Haldi for skin care :) 

YES 

• Pure Ayurvedic product
• Nice aroma
• True to its claims
• Works on acne marks
• Brightens skin with regular usage
• Suits my sensitive skin
• Available online on Amazon, Nykaa, Qtrove etc.

NO 

• A little bit on the expensive side

Recommended -YES. The quality of the product justifies its price. Rating is 4.5/5.    

Soulflower Apple Mangosteen Soap Review | Handmade Anti-Aging Product | Beauty Review

Ever since I reached my teens and realized that God had blessed me with the most problematic skin and hair, I stopped using soaps of any kind on my face or hair. After all, the commercial soaps are mostly full of bad chemicals, fragrances, fillers, that only increase the dryness of my sensitive skin and sucks out all the essential oils. But over the years, so many brands have come up with handmade soaps that many beauty bloggers rave about, that I started feeling enthusiastic about trying one of these. Finally, 2 months ago, I took the plunge and bought a good batch of Soulflower soaps. 

Among these is Soulflower Apple Mangosteen Soap that claims to be awesome for anti-aging purposes, let us see how it fared :)

Packaging of Soulflower Apple Mangosteen Handmade Soap is simple and secure, a big thick chunk of soap with clear instructions and ingredients list.

Ingredients list is full of tempting ones such as Fresh Apple Pulp, Mangosteen Peel Powder, Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Palm Oil, Vitamin E. It is completely SLS free.

Claims that this aromatic Soulflower Apple Mangosteen Handmade Soap exfoliates, lightens fine lines, hydrates skin, works with anti-wrinkle properties, and is fit for both face and body.

Availability of Soulflower Apple Mangosteen Handmade Soap is good online as well as offline. I bought it from Amazon for Rs. 250 for 150 grams, thanks to generous sale going on, otherwise the price is Rs. 400.

Quantity is good enough to last about 20 days when used everyday on face and body.

Usage - Like a soap. Wet the bar, create lather, use it all over face and body, rinse off. Easy-peasy.

Effect - My facial skin is combination-dry, ultra-sensitive and acne-prone while my body is dryness prone, thank God I do not get pimples and acne on my hands, legs, or shoulders. So I am very careful about the products I use on my facial skin while I can experiment a bit on my body. 

Firstly, the Soulflower Apple Mangosteen Handmade Soap melts away very easily so it is recommended to cut it in 4 smaller pieces for easy usage. It has a grainy texture that works well as an exfoliator. I took a little piece, wet it, got a little bit of lather and grainy bits and applied all over my face. I could feel the little bits doing gentle exfoliation on my skin without hurting it. When I washed it off, I felt my skin to be squeaky clean. This means that those with super dry skin will not like it at all. I followed it up with a layer of aloe-vera to give some moisture back to my skin. After 2 days I decided to just use Soulflower Apple Mangosteen Handmade Soap on body and not on face.

I had better results using it on body since it worked as a deep cleanser plus mild exfoliator and also the fragrance is really pleasing, making shower a happy experience. I always use a heavy-duty body lotion after shower so I never had to feel super-dry Sahara desert like skin after using this soap, but yes you cannot skip using a body lotion here unless your skin is very oily in which case this soap will work fantastic for you.

As for its anti-aging claims, I did not see any such result overnight but then truthfully I don't think a soap can give any kind of anti-aging effects. We use a soap for a couple of minutes, how much effect can it have on our skin in that little amount of time? A soap is supposed to cleanse skin and Soulflower Apple Mangosteen Handmade Soap does it well. If you are planning on using it on face, make sure that your skin is oily and not dry.

Overall though, I am happy that I tried it because I wanted to know what is the difference between a normal soap and a handmade soap. It definitely feels premium and different from any commercial soap. The best thing is that it did not give me any rashes or bad side-effects when used on face either. 

YES 

• No SLS or harmful fillers/chemicals/preservatives
• Pleasing natural fragrance
• Works well for body
• Did not give me pimples or rashes on face
• Can be bought from Amazon or other online e-commerce sites

NO 

• Expensive
• Not good for dry skin

Recommended -MAYBE. It is a good soap, but also on the expensive side. Rating is 3.5/5.  

Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic Detoxifying Mineral Pack Review | Beauty Review

The quest for healthier, better, more natural beauty/skincare regime has given me some unexpected gems. Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic is one of my all-time favorites from this gems' list. All the products I have tried from Aroma Magic brand have been fantastic, be it their Mineral Glow Scrub or their Activated Charcoal Face Pack. So when a particularly bad bout of acne attacked my face, I turned to their Detoxifying Mineral Pack for nursing my face back to health. Here is how it went :)

Packaging of Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic Detoxifying Mineral Pack is very simple, sleek in a tube, hygienic, convenient to travel and store.

Ingredients list is choc-a-bloc with amazing ingredients such as Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Mineral Salt, Rotorua Mud, Santalum Album Essential Oil, Green Zeolite Amargosa. I know it all sounds like chemistry class :P Basically it is a mix of minerals, clay, sandalwood and tea tree essential oils. NO paraben, NO harsh chemicals, NO alcohol, NO artificial fragrance and color, NO animal testing. BIG THUMBS-UP.

Claims to deep clean, repair tired skin, heal , purify skin and enhance complexion naturally. It is meant for Normal to Oily skin types.

Availability of Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic Detoxifying Mineral Pack is common online on e-commerce sites such as Amazon and Nykaa. I bought it from Amazon for Rs. 395 for 100 grams.

Quantity is good. I have been applying it twice a week for past 3 weeks and it still has enough to last 2 more weeks, so can be called value for money. Actually I use a thick layer so I may be using it up a bit faster, it may last even longer.

Usage - Instructed to apply an even layer on face and neck, leave it for 15-20 minutes and then gently wipe off or rinse off with water. To be used twice a week for best results.

Effect - As we see above, it does not claim any miracles. It simply says that the ingredients are detoxifying and they will deeply cleanse, purify and heal the skin. I would agree with the claims. As I said, I have been diligently applying it twice a week for past 3 weeks, so a total of 6 usages so far. My facial skin was filled with horrible acne marks and my skin in general had become a bit too oily in past couple of months. No idea why but my skin keeps changing every day it seems, more than the weather changes in Mumbai!

Anyway, the first time I applied it on my face, it looked just like a regular sandalwood-turmeric paste. Like all aromatherapy products, it has a distinct smell but it is not chemical-y or strong. I find it quite soothing and herbal, a little bit like the old-timey vicco turmeric cream (again, due to sandalwood I think). 

It has a creamy texture, it does not harden like a regular clay mask and I can easily keep it on for 20 minutes after which I wash it off with warm water. It immediately soaks all the oil from face. Over 3 weeks I have seen my face oil balance get back to normal, it is no longer an oil factory. My face feels clearer (which some people might say is 'fairer' but it is not fair, it is just bright complexion because of deep cleansing). Some acne marks have also lightened and I have just 2-3 really stubborn marks yet to go away. In any case, this face mask did not claim to wipe away acne marks. But I think it really deep cleans and purifies skin, so acne causing bacteria is wiped away, and because of that maybe lightening of acne marks is happening. Bonus :D

Also, if you have any pimples, I think this pack would instantly reduce its size and redness, mainly because of its intense calming properties. Overall, I would suggest it as a must-have face pack especially for acne prone, congested, pimple-filled, oily and normal-oily/combination-oily skin types.

YES 

• Fulfills all the claims
• Deep cleans, purifies, heals, smoothens skin
• Cleans oil completely, meant for normal-oily or completely oily skin
• Skin is left soft, clean, clear, my acne marks have lightened a bit
• No breakouts even on my super-sensitive skin
• Over 3 weeks of usage, have seen my skin's oil balance go back to normal
• No parabens, alcohol, artificial fragrance, color,  it has only good minerals, essential oils
• Creamy formula, does not dry like regular clay
• No animal testing
• Made in India
• Easily available online, I bought from Amazon

NO 

• Completely dries up skin, moisturizer is a must after this
• Maybe a little bit on expensive side, it would be better to get 200 grams in this price.

Recommended -YES! I am yet to be disappointed by an Aroma Magic product and this is no different. It fulfills all its claims and makes skin better naturally. I will repurchase for sure. Rating is 4.5/5.