Zilch On Cloud 9 Face Wash Jelly Review | Favorite For Healing Skin Moisture Barrier | Beauty Review | Beauty Collaboration

Welcoming my most favorite facewash in recent times to the fold, Zilch On Cloud 9 Face Wash Jelly :) After Himalaya neem face wash and Just Herbs neem-bitter orange face wash, this is the only one I have come to love with all my heart! From the start, the Zilch brand looks outstanding from all the clutter in the market. Their philosophy is admirable too, with promotion of no BS, no drama, plain simple good stuff for skin. Everything, from their packaging to their website follows this philosophy.

Packaging of Zilch On Cloud 9 Face Wash Jelly is in a sturdy plastic body with flip cap that is secure enough for traveling. It is leak-proof, I tested :D

Ingredients list has many tempting ones like aloe vera, rose water, glycerine, lactic acid, and some minimal chemicals necessary for formulating any product. All good, nothing bad, even on my super-sensitive skin.

Claims to be paraben-free, alcohol-free, sulpahte-free, silicon-free and moisturize even after cleaning face without clogging pores.

Availability of Zilch On Cloud 9 Face Wash Jelly is good online on Amazon, and it is available for Rs. 700 for 200 ml which is amazing. 

Quantity of this 200ml facewash jelly is enough to last more than 2 months even when used twice a day since only 2 drops of jelly are enough for my horsey-size face too.

Usage - Like any cleanser. Take a drop of jelly, spread all over the face for 30 seconds, wash off.

Effect - Apart from the past year that was bad for my health and skin, this year too brought its share of problems. The last 2 months I am battling recurrent acne, inflammation, painful pimples, and I had to devise a complete routine to subside it all. It includes Choonkar Neem Oil, Indrani Cosmetics Anti-Acne Gel and this Zilch On Cloud 9 Face Wash Jelly :)

I have tried quite a few face washes in my life and my favorites are Himalaya Neem and Just Herbs Neem-Bitter Orange, and now Zilch. There is a difference between them, the other face washes are a bit drying, and strong, and in case one's moisture barrier is compromised then it is not good to use very strong products. This is exactly what I am battling right now. Going to soon do a post about compromised moisture barrier. However, for now, just know that it is a painful condition especially for someone with sensitive skin from birth, like me.

This is the first time I have used a jelly face wash and realized how much better it is...

-Glides like softest cloud on skin

-Feels cool and soothing

-Leaves skin feeling hydrated somehow

-I love it so much I leave it like a moisturizer on my face for 2-3 minutes before rinsing off and it still does not dry out my skin 

-Is extremely mild yet cleans my face nicely, leaving it plump and supple

But yeah this is not deep cleaning for those who need to remove makeup. I loved using it specifically because my skin is going through a repair mode after succession of acne attack, inflammation, dryness, rosacea..so I am using only the mildest products on my skin and This. Is. The. Bomb. 

It fulfills all its claims completely, so absolutely recommended, especially if your skin is ultra-sensitive and problematic. I will ensure I have this by my side at all times from now on!

YES 

• Fulfills all its claims completely
• Cleans without drying
• Leaves my super-sensitive skin feeling cool, supple, hydrated
• Available on Amazon
• Huge quantity, makes it value-for-money
• Helping my skin in healing from intense acne and inflammation

NO 

• Can be considered as pricey in one glance
• Will not remove stubborn makeup, but does not claim so either

Recommended -YES, a thousand times YESSSSSSS. An absolutely incredible product, use it, your skin will thank you. Rating is 5/5.

Indrani Gold Facial Kit Review | Hidden Gem | Glitter Like Gold | Beauty Review | Beauty Collaboration

Once upon a time, I had used VLCC facial kit at home and it was okay. Never had the inclination to try another one. but the kind folks at Indrani Cosmetics sent this beautiful Gold Facial Kit for trial and it looks so appetizing that I tried it today on myself as well as my mom's face and it turned out to be a total pampering day.

Packaging of Indrani Cosmetics Gold Facial Kit is beautiful with hues of gold that are not gaudy. Little pots with ample products to last 4 sessions easily. It is travel friendly.

Ingredients list of each product is different and clearly labelled at the back of the package. Every product has gold dust that does not stick to the skin artificially, rather it sinks inside!

Claims to nourish, brighten, make the skin glow, and provide anti-ageing that is true of all gold products.

Availability of Indrani Gold Facial Kit is good on Amazon and it is available for Rs. 466 which is extremely value for money.

Quantity of this facial kit is more than enough to last 4 times which is so much better as compared to facials in salons that cost thousands per session.

Usage - I applied the gel, followed by scrub, followed by cream, and finally the pack, and it worked wonderfully.

Effect - My skin is super sensitive combination acne prone and my mom's is normal mature with mild pigmentation on cheeks. This kit has suited both of us. It has-

Gold gel

Gold scrub

Gold cream

Gold pack

I did not use the scrub on my full face, only on my nose for the pesky blackheads. I am still undertaking a rigorous routine of neem oil by Choonkar Organics and the marvellous anti acne gel by Indrani Cosmetics twice a day for my acne rashness and inflammation on cheeks.

First step- provided hydration with the help of gold gel, massaged and it felt really cool on skin,

Second- scrubbed off nose with gold scrub. Mom used it on her whole face, no issues, skin left baby soft as dead skin cells washed away, left skin bright,

Third- massaged with the soothing gold cream for couple of minutes and let it sink in, gave mom a full 10 minutes massage and it literally made her glow,

Finally- applied the pack..it had dried inside the container so mixed it with a little rose water for making proper paste, it dried on face in about 5 minutes,washed it off...

And tadaaaaaa, glowing, smooth, baby soft skin with ample hydration all over, all blemishes temporarily out of sight, my mom's skin especially loved the pampering session and her cheeks had big pigmentation patches that are noticeably brighter and lighter :)

No rashes, no allergies, nothing bad...oh and all the products have this beautiful Gold dust that glitters like fairy magic and also smell so so good!

Perfect pamper routine for EVERYONE true to all its claims. Very much recommended :)

YES 

• Easy to use facial kit
• Gives clear glow and deeply cleans
• Suits even my super sensitive skin
• Gold dust in every product seeps inside skin and gives internal glow
• Very value for money
• Sturdy travel-friendly packaging
• Available on Amazon

NO 

• None really!

Recommended -YES. After its anti-acne gel, this is another great product from Indrani Cosmetics. Rating is 5/5.

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.

St. D'vence Aloe Vera Gel Review | Aloe Vera With Vitamin E | Smytten Beauty Haul | Beauty Review

Aloe Vera Gel is one of the best multi-functional health and beauty products in the world that not only keep the skin healthy and glowing but also work on acne, pimple marks, dark spots, allergies, redness, inflammation, allergies, insect bites...so obviously every skincare and beauty addict needs to have it in their stash. 

Over the years, I have used and absolutely loved Green Leaf Aloe Vera Gel and Patanjali Aloe Vera Gel because these suit my horribly sensitive skin as well as work on acne spots, allergies, redness and inflammation and so on.

I saw this St. D'vence Aloe Vera gel sample at Smytten website and instantly picked it up since my aloe vera stash was over in the quarantine and while I was waiting for my new Patanjali aloe vera gel order to show up, I needed something for emergency skincare situations :D Yup, every time my skin shows even one ounce of trouble, I go directly for aloe vera gel.

Packaging of St. D'vence Aloe Vera Gel with Vitamin E is a simple tube that is pretty travel friendly and compact. 

Ingredients list is not pure 100% or 99% aloe vera gel. Rather it has a long list including Aloe Vera Juice, Vitamin E, Allantoin, Potassium Sorbate, Purified Water, and some other chemicals. It is free of parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, phtalates.

Claims to work on all skin types as a cooling gel, a non-oily moisturizer for healthy and nourished skin.

Availability of St. D'vence Aloe Vera Gel is limited in online sites such as Amazon, Nykaa, Smytten.

Quantity of this sample from Smytten was enough for 9 days on my horse-sized face.

Usage - Use it as a cooling gel or non-oily moisturizer.

Effect - My facial skin is combination-dry, ultra-sensitive and acne-prone and my biggest concern, as always with any new product, is that it should not react on my skin and give it pimples or redness. 

I have used and loved aloe vera gels from brands such as Patanjali, Just Herbs, Green Leaf, Herb Life, and hoped to do so with St. D'vence too. And it did not disappoint :) I cleansed my face and put on a thin layer every night before sleeping and woke up to soft skin. 

9 days is not enough time to see if a product is working any kind of miracles on old acne marks, pigmentation, fine lines...but it did provide a light glow to my face so I am sure it will work nicely on all the issues that aloe vera gel works on :) 

It is perfectly cooling and calms my skin, did not give my any redness or rashes or allergies on my super-sensitive skin (yes, even aloe vera can sometimes not suit someone's ultra-sensitive skin). I used it with my face packs such as sandalwood, turmeric, licorice powder, curd and it nicely moisturizes as well as soothes skin.

The only thing is that it has a sticky feel and does not seep in completely in the skin, so I cannot use it as a moisturizer in the morning and rather only as a sleeping pack at night. It is no problem with me but some people do not like such sticky feeling..but then it may also work differently on different skin types, who knows!

YES 

• Cooling gel
• Works on my super-sensitive skin
• Works well directly on skin as well as after mixing in face packs
• Quite value-friendly

NO 

• Not easily available. 

Recommended -YES. I liked it as a cooling and soothing aloe vera gel and it works nicely on my super-sensitive 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 :)

Global Culinary Journey At The Sassy Spoon Powai | Beautiful Modern Dining Destination | Food Review | Food Photography

Powai has suddenly turned into the party zone and top culinary destination in the suburbs, giving tough competition to venues such as Lower Parel, Anderi, and BKC. One of the newest entrants here is this sassy place. Walk in to feel like you just entered the saner version of Alice in Wonderland. 

The greenery below the ceiling with the fairy lights, the differently-colored chair cushions, the careful arrangement of quirky collectibles along the booth wall, the life-size van fixture at the well-appointed bar, the medley of high chairs with zebra pattern, the cherry blossom motif on the pillar in the center and the juxtaposition of primary colors against each other. Look at me, I can write an architectural digest episode here! 

Combine this with an ever-helpful staff, a menu that promises a tour around the world, live music on special nights, a general bonhomie in the air and you know this is a winner. Prices are on the higher side but cannot complain looking at the location and the brand name. The quality of the food certainly justifies it to a large extent.

For our review session, we had and loved-

TOMATO, OLIVE AND PARMESAN SOUP- LOVED, hot bowl of warmth that I needed on this chilly evening,

WARM LEMONY COUSCOUS WITH TOASTED ALMONDS, PEPPERS, CHILLI, CORIANDER SALAD- Healthy wholesome bowl, different flavors and textures went well together, a nice trip through west asia,

SPICY KIDNEY BEANS EMPANADAS WITH QUESO - Straightforward, heavy dish, try it when you are in a group, could feel a bit dry but tasty nonetheless, 

BAKED BEETROOT & FETA KEFTEDES IN ONION SEED PITA WITH CUCUMBE TZATZIKI -LOVED, MUST-HAVE, the beetroot & feta koftas were OUTSTANDING, if I could make beetroot taste like this I would never eat outside food #justsaying :D Would come back here just to try this,

BAKED LASAGNA WITH CREAMED LEEKS, MUSHROOMS, SWEET POTATOES & CHEDDAR - Again LOVED, and on the healthier side with layers of lasagna sheets, mushrooms, sweet potatoes in a hearty tomato sauce, Italy tastes good :D, 

NUTTY RICOTTA RAVIOLI WITH HOMEMADE RICOTTA, WALNUTS, PINE NUTS AND GARLIC CREAM SAUCE- Hands down my FAVORITE, the play of ricotta mounds with nuts and creamy sauce, explosion of flavors in mouth, had the potential to be bland or heavy and was none, try this for sure!, 

SEVEN TEXTURES OF HAZELNUT AND CHOCOLATE-Think of every chocolate and hazelnut based dessert form-pastry, disc, biscotti, mousse, molten sauce..this ultimate dessert has it ALL, if you love chocolate and hazelnut, try this. If you don't, well try this anyway and then probably go for therapy :P, 

RASPBERRY MOUSSE- Dark Chocolate meets Raspberry in a mousse form and gets immortalized in a fluffy decadent dessert with tangy raspberry sorbet by the side. MUST-HAVE!

True to their promise, you can travel around the world on one plate here with fresh ingredients, delicious culinary experimentation, cool ambiance, prompt service, and smiling helpful staff. On all points, a complete pleasure. This hungry hippo gives a thumbs up.