Beauty
10 Mesmerizing Makeup Looks for Navratri 2024: A Step-by-Step Guide
Discover the top 10 Navratri makeup looks to rock this festive season! From vibrant Garba glam to elegant dandiya styles, our guide will help you shine bright.
It could be while thumbing through lifestyle magazines, while scrolling down a beauty blog, or while eyeballing an influencer's page, but advice on taking better care of your skin, has a way of reaching you these days. And truthfully, the rising concern is not surprising one bit. Diets overladen with junk and grease, fast-paced schedules with no time to spare, and frequent exposure to smoke, smog and noxious pollutants, there's an abundance of reasons your skin might be suffering. I for one, know mine is. The clogged pores, recurring breakouts and the heavy coating of dullness on my face, were all dead giveaways.
But one Google search on skincare, results in more than a thousand types of products, routines, regimes and practices. Some advice including 6 steps in your nighttime routine, others assert you just need to scrub your face once in the morning. Well, to each their own suppose. Personally speaking, I usually give precedence to products that harness the power of natural ingredients. I've come to rely on long-standing gharelu nuske, especially off-late, and if those come packaged in a sturdy bottle, it doesn't really get better than that.
I'd also consider it safe to say, that anybody who shares my chemical-free beauty preferences, would be aware of Mamaearth as a brand. Their products bridge the gap between science and Ayurveda, and the list of ingredients has no space for synthetics. It's au naturel, and thus, perfect for my beauty counter. But while I've definitely tried and loved an assortment of their skincare offerings over the years, their Vitamin C range was yet to be tested by me.
First off, the promise of deriving all the benefits of Vitamin C was enough to pique my interest. Rich in antioxidant properties, adept at boosting the skin's regeneration process, and immensely effective in reducing hyperpigmentation and spots, Vitamin C is nothing short of a wonder-nutrient for the health of your skin. Needless to say, if you get the option of including it in your skincare regime, you take that option.
But I'm no fool (no matter what my mother says). As wonderful as a product may sound in theory, you still need to verify its impact on your own skin to figure out if it delivers. So, when I received 4 products from Mamaearth's Vitamin C skincare range, it was pretty clear what I needed to do next. Apply, test and review. The first two steps were carried out seamlessly over a period of 2 weeks. Here's a summary of the last one!
I'm a fan of simple, hassle-free products, so this one is definitely my favourite of the lot. On day 1 immediately after the first application, I noticed slightly enhanced brightness to my skin. It's a face wash, and it does the job of cleansing your skin gently but thoroughly, remarkably well. It took some 5 odd days for this product to bring about a tangible and enduring impact, which for me, was diminishing dullness and a reduction in the pigment of my dark spots. I also have some acne scars and while I didn't expect the product to work on those, I'd be lying if I said they weren't a tad lighter in appearance by the end of 14 days. My skin is somewhere between combination and sensitive, and harsh products just don't fare well on my face. So suffice it to say, I was in awe of how tender the product felt on my skin.
Just ordered another!
Image Courtesy - magicpin
To be completely honest with you, this was my first tryst with a toner. I've never really incorporated one in my skincare regime, so when I got this one, I took it as a sign to finally get around to using one. And let me just add, I'm glad that happened. The first application didn't exactly come bearing astonishing results, but the key was to keep at it. About 3 days into using it regularly in the morning, my pores somehow felt cleaner than they had in a long time. I'd also been experiencing reactions to wearing a face mask regularly, and surprisingly enough, this product seemed to help with that. At the end of 2 weeks, my skin felt noticeably firmer and more than anything, I loved the freshness the product left behind in its wake.
I understand the hype behind toners, and why the three-step process of cleanser, toner and moisturizer is deemed so important!
Image Courtesy - magicpin
I'd been meaning to score a high-quality face serum for the longest time, and this one just fell right into my lap! I observed the difference this serum made to my skin, almost right away. After the first week ended, the dullness I'd been complaining about, was considerably reduced by the product. Instead, every time I completed my morning skincare routine, there was a visible gleam and radiance to my face. You know when your skin just looks healthier and nourished after a specific tweak to your skincare game? Yeah, this face serum was what made it happen. Even though the instructions ask you to follow it up with a moisturiser, I actually didn't. Of course, that may not be the case for you, especially if you have dry skin, but for me, the serum was more than enough on its own!
Well, I just found the serum I'd been waiting for. You betcha I'm holding on to this one!
Image Courtesy - magicpin
I think I was the most excited about this one. Simply because the lazy in me, loves the idea of a product you slather on before you sleep, and do practically nothing to reap the rewards of. But I'd be lying if my first application didn't give rise to a sliver of doubt. Mostly because it led to a stinging sensation all over my face. After some alarm and paranoia, I took a look at the list of ingredients, and realised it might be the aloe-vera leaving a cool feeling on my skin, which as you might guess, is easy to misunderstand. Nevertheless, I continued applying it every second day. After about 6-7 days, I observed that I was waking up with smoother and more hydrated skin. Even early in the morning, when I personally think I look my worst, the enhanced illumination was discernible. The consistency of the product also especially stood out, as did the refreshing smell.
I'll decide whether I should order another, after I reach the bottom of this one. But for now, I'm still using it every second day or so, and digging the after-glow!
Image Courtesy - magicpin
If you've been wondering whether the range is worth a try, let me just confirm it is!