Bella Vita Organic Growth Protein Conditioning Hair Masque Review | Organic Keratin Hair Mask Spa Cream | Beauty Review | Haircare Review

Looking for a value-for-money hair conditioning spa-at-home product? Who isn't! After all, we are all dealing with myriad issues of hair fall, hair thinning, itchy scalp, dandruff, frizzy hair, dry hair, dehydrated hair etc. etc. In fact, I don't remember meeting a single person in past couple of years who isn't fed up of all these hair-related issues. No matter what the issue, there is a solution. Check out this Bella Vita Organic Growth Protein Conditioning Hair Masque :)

Packaging of Bella Vita Organic Growth Protein Conditioning Hair Masque is in a sturdy plastic tub that seems travel-friendly. 

Ingredients list includes a potent mix of goodies such as Almond Oil, Argan Oil, Coconut Oil, Brahmi, Bhringraj, Onion Seed Oil, Castor Oil, Neem, Keratin and so on. It is free of harsh detergents as well as paraben and sulphate free.

Claims that this Keratin Hair Spa Cream Mask will nourish and condition hair while promoting hair growth, reducing frizz and battling dandruff.

Availability of Bella Vita Organic Growth Protein Conditioning Hair Masque is very good online on its website as well as on Amazon and the 200 gram tub is available for Rs. 399 only which makes it affordable.

Quantity is 200 grams which is enough to last for 10 washes on my shoulder-length  curly, frizzy hair which is very veryyyyyyyyy dry. I call it value for money.

Usage - Apply on wet hair after shampoo and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off. Easy-peasy. 

Effect - Thanks to my extremely dry, frizzy, dehydrated hair with itchy, dandruff-prone scalp, I have to be always on the lookout for a great conditioning option. I don't use normal conditioners on my hair anymore because my hair needs extra nourishment every single time and most conditioners don't provide long-lasting results. So I keep flitting from one hair mask to another, but most of the time the results don't last for more than 24 hours. 

Anyway, I bought Bella Vita Organic Growth Protein Conditioning Hair Masque from Amazon after hearing about it from many of my friends and beauty bloggers. It is very reasonably priced so I thought that even if it does not work very well, I won't be heart broken. Spoiler alert-This spa cream lets my hair stay frizz-free for nearly 3 days which is an excellent achievement and I am already repurchasing it.

It has a mild herbal fragrance that lingers just for a couple of hours, nothing overwhelming or artificial about it. The texture is very creamy and it spreads nicely on my hair after I shampoo it. I  don't use it on my scalp and use a dedicated anti dandruff shampoo too so can't speak for its efficacy on dandruff. But it does reduce frizz and conditions hair which was my primary motive for buying it. It lets me comb my hair without any tangles in my curly nest. Since my hair is extremely dry and damaged over many years, I am not expecting any overnight miracles but am very impressed with how it conditions my hair and makes it frizz-free.

Thus, I would recommend Bella Vita Organic Keratin Hair Spa Cream to everyone who needs a good spa-at-home-feel within the most affordable price point. It has naturally beneficial ingredients, no harmful chemicals, mild fragrance, creamy dreamy texture and one can even use it for a longer time period for deeper conditioning feel.  

YES 

• Natural beneficial ingredients with mild fragrance

• Solid sturdy packaging

• Leaves my dry, frizzy, dehydrated hair conditioned and frizz-free

• Makes my hair easier to comb and detangles it

• Results last for nearly 3 days on my hair

• Value for money proposition

• Available on Amazon easily

NO 

• No con per se, just don't expect any overnight miracles

Recommended -Yes. Good for my extremely dry, frizzy, dehydrated hair. Rating is 5/5.   

     

Blue Nectar Briganantadi Conditioner Review | Bhringraj & Shikakai Scalp Anti Dandruff Conditioner Review | Beauty Review | Beauty Collaboration

'Dandruff Begone' is the chant many of us constantly bellow out in hopes of banishing this malady and I am no exception *sigh*. Over the years I have zero down on Khadi Herbals Neem Shampoo as the only shampoo that truly keeps dandruff away from my problematic scalp but it also keeps my hair super-dry. So I am always in need of a good conditioner. This product from the kind folks at Blue Nectar Ayurveda was a god-send for review purposes, an anti-dandruff conditioner.

Packaging of  Blue Nectar Briganantadi Anti-Dandruff Conditioner is in a sturdy blue-hued plastic bottle with pump dispenser that is also leak-proof and travel-friendly. 

Ingredients list includes a potent mix of herbs such as Bhringraj, Amla, Shikakai, Hibiscus, Brahmi, Onion Oil, Vitamin E, Aloevera, Glycerin, all in a 'conditioner base' that is not specified. I am not a stickler for ingredients most of the time but I know there are many who like a complete list of each and every ingredient. I just trust Blue Nectar to give me Ayurvedic base.

Claims that this conditioner works against dandruff, promotes healthy scalp, restores moisture to hair.

Availability of Blue Nectar Anti Dandruff Conditioner is very good online on Amazon and the 200ml bottle is available for Rs. 645 which makes it mid-range luxury.

Quantity is this 200 ml bottle is enough to last 4-5 washes only on my curly, frizzy hair which is very veryyyyyyyyy dry.

Usage - Apply on hair length, not on scalp, after washing and let it stay for 2-3 minutes before rinsing off. 

Effect - I was excited to try this anti-dandruff conditioner from Blue Nectar Ayurveda with an abundance of Ayurvedic herbs such as shikakai, methi, reetha, neelambari, and morrrrrrrrre, especially since I have not yet found the holy grail for my super dry, crazy frizzy curly hair. 

The only conditioners that have come close to making my hair soft for longer times are Himalaya Detangler, Aaranyaa Argan Hair Spa, and Enliven Conditioner. But these also stop working after a couple of months so I keep rotating between them *sigh* Turns out my head gets used to any treatment very quickly and I need to feed it new brands :P

Anyway, so Blue Nectar Briganantadi Conditioner looks beautiful in that classic blue packaging, and has an amazing spa-like fragrance that lingers for whole day, not chemically at all, but naturally appealing. It honestly is the best part about this product, its incredible natural soothing calming luxurious smell. There are no added chemicals, colors, or fragrance in this concoction.

My hair is super-duper dry and curly and horribly frizzy so I need heavy-duty conditioners or hair masks to tame them. This does not claim to work on such dry frizzy hair and it doesn't. It works as a decent companion to whatever anti dandruff shampoo one is using. I always want intense condition from my conditioners and not every conditioner can give it to me...that is the story of my hair and scalp. One thing that confused me-the bottle says it is 'scalp & anti dandruff conditioner' but in usage it is clearly written that 'use only on lengths, not on scalp'! It is quite confusing. Anyway, it is common sense that one should not use conditioner on scalp as it can increase buildup, cause clogged hair follicles, increase dandruff and so on. 

Rather than on my curly frizzy hair, it worked better on my mom's straight fine hair with minimal frizz. I used it twice and yes, it did give my hair some softness and detangled my hair a little bit, it worked way better on my mom's hair. Incredible softness and shine. So this turned out to be a great product not for the beauty blogger but the beauty blogger's mom blessed with normal hair and scalp! 

Thus, I would recommend Blue Nectar Briganantadi Conditioner to those hair types (normal, neither too dry nor too oily, not frizzy, not curly), it is a natural sulphate free ayurvedic conditioner for normal, straight, wavy hair types for conditioning after using drying shampoos. One thing is commendable that it does provide moisture to the hair and makes hair feel healthy but on my hair the results were mild and lasted only for a day. So my quest continues. 

As of now, I am back to using Aaranyaa hair spa and alternating with Himalaya Detangler. My mom continues to use Blue Nectar conditioner and since her hair is shorter and finer than mine, she will use it for 3-4 times more. Win for her, meh for me :)

YES 

• Incredible smell, easily the best fragrance I have found in a conditioner
• Beautiful, travel-friendly packaging
• Abundance of Ayurvedic goodness in the form of bountiful herbs
• Does provide good companionship to any dandruff shampoo
• Gives decent moisture to the hair, detangles knots 
• Works best for normal, straight, non-frizzy, or wavy hair
• Available on Amazon easily

NO 

• Those who want complete list of ingredients will not like the mention of conditioner base
• Will not work for super-dry curly and frizzy hair, results will last temporarily
• Seems expensive 

Recommended -Maybe, depending on your hair type. Good for my mom's hair but nothing exceptional for me. Rating is 3.5/5.    

Choonkar Cold- Pressed Neem Oil Review | Miracle Worker For Acne Redness Inflammation | Beauty Review | Beauty Collaboration

Want to meet a miracle worker? Here you go- Choonkar Organics Pure Cold-Pressed Neem Oil, Raw & Natural. And trust me, while I am easy to please, this product has made a special place in my heart based solely on its performance overnight. 

Neem is famous in India as a traditional authentic potent Ayurvedic remedy for external as well as internal use. Internally it purifies blood and externally it is applied as a miracle remedy for pimples, rashes, acne, boils, and this is why I specifically chose Neem oil from Choonkar for review purposes because I had been battling horrible recurrent acne, rashes, redness, inflammation on my face, specifically my cheeks area for past year.   

Packaging of Choonkar Organics Pure Cold-Pressed Neem Oil is in a simple plastic bottle that seems sturdy, but the cap may leak the product if kept in a slanted position so I won't call it travel friendly. I suggest to transfer it in a more secure container if taken while traveling.

Ingredients list has just one name-100% pure, cold-pressed, raw, natural neem oil.

Claims to be GMO-free, Gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, pure and natural, and work on skin, hair, nails in the typical potent neem way.

Availability of Choonkar Organics products is good online on Amazon, and this miracle oil is available for just about Rs. 199 which is amazingly affordable.

Quantity of this 60 ml oil is more than sufficient to last ages even when I use about 10 drops every night on my face as massage oil.

Usage - Internally as well as externally since it is pure neem oil. I use it solely on my face for reducing acne and inflammation. I suggest patch test for everyone before using any new product.

Effect - I woke up one fine day with my cheeks filled with big red angry pimples and my cheeks covered in rashes. It may be due to changing weather or the fact that I had used some new beauty products in past week or due to hormonal changes *sigh* I don't know. Something triggered a massive acne and redness attack on my face and the pimples were hurting very bad. 

This has been a pattern with me for past 1 year when I have battled many health issues and family issues so I was not surprised. Thankfully, I had this Neem Oil in my stash from Choonkar that I had not yet used. 

But this was the perfect opportunity. So I stopped using every beauty product and simply washed my face with my trusted Himalaya Neem Turmeric Face Wash, mixed this Neem Oil with Lacto Calamine Lotion and applied on my skin. In evening, I again washed my face with Himalaya and applied Indrani Cosmetics Anti Acne Gel and let it stay on my face for about 3 hours. Then I washed it off and applied this Neem Oil mixed with Calamine lotion and went to sleep. 

3 days later, my pimples had vanished and my redness was much controlled. Since then, I have used more or less the same routine and my skin is thanking me right now. I had heard about the miracles of neem oil but this time I saw the miracle with my own eyes. Choonkar Neem Oil is a potent product that smells strong, showing its purity. It also stings if it goes near the eyes so I suggest everyone to be careful about that. 

Since it is such a strong product I do not apply it directly on my skin because I don't know when my problematic skin will start acting up. Right now I am mixing it with my Patanjali Aloe Vera Gel and applying it. But I am sure normal skin people can use it directly, and maybe I can too, I just need courage to do that :D 

In any case, it is an incredible product and I am always going to keep it by my side as it leaves my skin purified, soft, redness and acne free. Soon I am going to use a few drops in my shampoo and oil too for getting rid of dandruff permanently. What an amazing multi-purpose product :)

YES 

• Miracle worker, pure potent Neem Oil
• Soothes, calms skin, works on acne and inflammation overnight
• Extremely value for money
• Multi-purpose for skin, hair, nails
• Available on Amazon

NO 

• The bottle is not travel friendly as the cap can let the oil leak sometimes
• Neem oil is so strong, it will sting eyes if it gets near, so be careful

Recommended -YES. An absolutely incredible product from Choonkar Organics that everyone should have at home. Rating is 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 

Mamaearth Onion Hair Oil Review | Anti-Hairfall Product With Onion Oil & Redensyl | Haircare Review | Beauty Review

My skin and hair are problematic. No big reveal there. But the past 2 years have seen the problems worsen, especially for my hair. It is also attributable to extreme stress at home and some health issues I have been having. While I am trying to get my health back, it is no fun to deal with constant dandruff and hair fall. Thus I am trying a lot of different products that claim to be good for these issues. And here is one of the most raved new entrants in the hairfall control department, Mamaearth Onion Hair Oil. 

After hearing so many beauty bloggers and skincare experts claim that onion is good for controlling hairfall, I couldn't stop myself from buying this. So now, let us see how it fared :)

Packaging of Mamaearth Onion Hair Oil is simple and appealing, I love the bright color scheme of all Mamaearth products. And it seems secure enough for travelling too.

Ingredients list is full of tempting ones such as Jojoba oil, Onion Seed Oil, Onion extract, Bhringraj Oil, Castor Oil, Sesame Oil, Vitamin E, and more. NO mineral oil and NO silicones. Suitable for everyone, all age, all genders, all hair types.

Claims that this hypoallergenic Mamaearth Onion Hair Oil boosts hair growth, controls hairfall, strengthens scalp and improves hair shine too.

Availability of  this Onion Hair Oil is good online. I bought it from Amazon for Rs. 499 for 150 ml. (There was some sale so I got it for little less,you can also buy it during sale). You can also buy it from Nykaa or Mamaearth's website or other e-commerce websites.

Quantity is good enough to last about 45 days when used every alternate day on shoulder length thick hair.

Usage - Take a few drops. Massage into your scalp to let the roots absorb it. Keep it for a few hours or overnight. Wash off with a good mild shampoo.

Effect - My scalp is itchy, dandruff prone, while my hair is super-curly, frizzy, and constantly dry. What an amazing combination! So clearly, nobody can blame me for trying out as many products as possible for managing my hair. Well, I started using Mamaearth Onion Hair Oil with high hopes, looking at all the brilliant ingredients, including the much-acclaimed 'revolutionary' ingredient of Redensyl that is supposed to target the roots and improve hair growth. It takes a couple of months to show results though, so it is no use being impatient while using this product. 

I started taking a little bowl of this oil and massaged it all over my scalp 3 times a week. Thereafter I would also coat my hair with it and braid it and then leave it for about 3 hours. Afterwards, I washed it off using my favorite Khadi Neem Shampoo or any other shampoo (I keep rotating shampoos but come back to Khadi often!). Then I would use one of my favorite conditioners that I keep at home-either Dove or Aaranyaa Argan Hair Spa. 

I did not see any dramatic results in the first 15 days, but YES, then I did start seeing noticeable difference in hair fall. My hair felt smoother, and I know it is because of this oil because I did not use any other new product in this one month period :) I won't say it completely stopped hair fall. But after 1 month of using Mamaearth Onion Hair Oil, I am proud to say that instead of about 200 hair strands everyday, I am losing just about 50-60 hair strands. My hair does not have any dramatic increase in shine but I feel that it is stronger. 

I know that I need to spend more time using this as well as taking care of my diet and health status to completely stop hairfall, dandruff, and other issues. So I am just happy and ready to repurchase this. Oh also, if you are wondering about its smell, NO it does not smell unbearable like an onion :P It has so many other oils in the mix that the onion smell is nicely masked. But yes, it does have a strong smell that should not bother anyone except very very sensitive noses.

YES 

• No silicones or mineral oil
• Controls hairfall as promised
• Does not have unbearable onion smell
• Can be used by anyone
• Easily available online

NO 

• A bit expensive, but honestly worth it
• Have to be patient in seeing results

Recommended -YES. It feels expensive while buying and the results are slow but I am happy that it does what it promises. Rating is 4.5/5.