Lip Balm

Hey everyone!
So I have tried so many lip balms-Burt's Bee's, EOS, and who knows what but I started using one about five months ago and I am extremely satisfied with it. It is a cocoa butter lip balm by the company known as Badger. They make a variety of other lip balms but the ones with the cocoa butter are extremely creamy and last for a good 3-4 hours, no joke! The smell is a little bit like chocolate and takes a little while to get used to in some of the flavors. But, the tube is big and consistency is amazing. Each one costs about $5 but I have had mine for 5 months and am still not done with it. Since it is so creamy, it sort of has a light sheen to it which is really nice. If you are not in the mood for a gloss, this is perfect! Try it and let me know! You can buy this in Whole Foods, Ulta, Amazon, etc. 


                                                                                      




                                                                                                                                       -Krutika

HAZARDS!

Hey Friends!

Please read this!

 Very important!

http://shine.yahoo.com/green/heavy-metals-found-many-cosmetics-not-listed-labels-194900866.html

Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion

Hey Friends!
So lately the sun has been out for a longer time and I feel like spring is going to be here sooner than expected. When the sun comes out a lot of people love to wear shimmer tan lotions, that just give them that glow when they step out into the sun. Well, I was on the look out for a product like that expect I didn't want the color pigments in the lotion as I am naturally tan already ;). I went to Ulta one day and I bought the Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion with royal jelly. It is a sheer lotion that is shimmery and is reflected when you step out into the sun. I love this! It makes your skin look dewy and altogether very nice! It has a slight smell to it, which isn't bad, but some might take a while to get used to it. For some reason, you cannot find this product wherever a store sells Burt's Bees stuff. I would recommend Whole Foods, Ulta, Sprouts, online,etc. It is around $8, so very affordable and it comes in a pretty big tube!


http://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/body-moisturizers/radiance-body-lotion.html


As always, please let me know how you find it and if you have other products that you would like to be seen reviewed!  


                                                                                                                               -Krutika

Origins VitaZing Moisturizer

Hey Friends!
So yesterday I had to the opportunity to meet the creator of Bare Minerals, Leslie Blodgett. For a second I thought I was literally going to cry, but thankfully it didn't happen. She is someone that I really look up to as an individual who has made a difference and still continues to make one! 


Today I just wanted to talk about a moisturizer that I picked up previously. I had mentioned in my post about foundations, so I just shelled out and bought the Origins VitaZing moisturizer. It is basically like a sheer tinted moisturizer. It has an spf of 20. I really like the scent, which is very subtle and kind of flowery. This is perfect for those who do not want a lot of coverage but are only looking out to kind of add that oomph to their skin. It gives a dewy glow and overall just boosts your skin. It is perfect for those who have oily skin as well, since it is an oil-free moisturizer. It is a little pricey. It retails around $35 for a 50 ml tube. But as far as I know, origins products last a long time, but it also depends on how often or how much one would use. You only need a tiny amount to even out your skin tone! But for now, I am just using this with a bit of blush and finishing powder and the overall effect is very pleasing! Please leave comments or requests, as that would help on how to improve or what other products I can review. Also, there are links for products on my sidebar for the ones I have reviewed. Take a look, and you might find some good deals! Check it out and see if you like it.




http://www.origins.com/product/3858/13004/Skincare/Daily-Essentials/Moisturizers/VitaZing/SPF-15-Energy-boosting-moisturizer/index.tmpl
      
                                                                                                                                   -Krutika

Curly Hair Care

Hey Everyone!
So if you have curly hair like me, you probably have gone through hell trying to figure out how to manage it in the proper way. I straightened my hair all the time in the ninth grade and stopped in the tenth. I didn't like the way it looked and instead decided to embrace my curls. I first tried out Giovanni's styling gel that did a pretty good job but still gave me a little frizz. The thing I liked about this product though is that it gave me a lot of volume, which some of you may not like. I think that this retails for about $8-$9. A little later I came across something called Kinky Curly Curling Custard. I know, the name is a little funny ;). This product is seriously the best! You put it on wet hair and then leave it to air dry or use a diffuser. And voila, you have perfect curls. This product is $17. You can get it at Whole Foods, Amazon, and if you are concerned about the price, this tub lasts for over 6 months. The one drawback i have with this is that when you put it on and even after you have diffused it, it still stays a little damp looking. One tip is tie up your hair after it is dry and after taking it down the curls become completely dry. Also, if you are looking for like immense amounts of volume then you have to use some sort of hairspray along with this. But overall, I really like the curling custard and it keeps the frizz down immensely. Along with the curling custard I also bought like a styling mist from the same brand. You cannot spray it on, as the consistency is a little thinner than the curling custard. But, you basically take some in your hand and put it on the second day curls which need a little help. This bottle is about $12. I bought mine in 2010 and still have not finished it. I like to have my curly hair look voluminous. So right now I am on the look out for a good hairspray. As soon as I find one, I will let you guys know. Right now I am trying out Aveda's Air control hairspray.
If you have a Whole Foods near you, all of these products are available there!


Take a  look at it and let me know how it works! 

Electronic Exfoliators

Hey Everyone!

Today I wanted to talk about some advanced cleansing systems and foundations. I was talking to a cousin of mine and she said she is using the new Clarisonic Mia. Basically this is an electronic exfoliating system that really gets rid of dirt, residue, etc. on your face. This one is a bit expensive and retails for about $120. She also told me of another alternative called the Olay Pro-X cleansing system. This basically does the same thing but instead of $120 it is $30. It is smaller than the Clarisonic and has less functions, but it does the job. The one thing I like about this is that the brush rotates in a circular motion instead of just vibrating. I have been using it with my black soap every time I wear makeup and it completely removes everything. I think a Clarisonic is a good option if you are 20 years or older, but for right now I am completely happy with the Olay. You can purchase the Clarisonic online, Sephora, Ulta,etc. The Olay can be bought anywhere. Both of them are really good buys and leave your skin tight and fresh looking!

Now.. foundations!

Foundations are worn just to even out skin tones, and give a bit of coverage. I have started using Bare Minerals Matte foundation a while ago and have been completely happy with it. Its very sheer, natural looking, and doesn't feel cakey at all. The one drawback I found was that it wasn't covering some of the scars that I have. I thought about buying their concealer but, the shades didn't match my skin tone. I went looking for a concealer couple weeks ago and ended up going to the Origins counter in Macy's- always natural :). I picked out the Stay Tuned foundation and am using it as a concealer. It is very light, and has a slight smell to it that's very pleasant. I was looking for more of a dewy finish and this has been great. Another product I saw at the counter was something called Origins VitaZing Moisturizer. Basically it is white in color but when dabbed onto the skin it changes to suit your skin color. So it is like a sheer tinted moisturizer. I really wanted to purchase it but it is $35 :(. Will wait for a while to get it. Overall, Bare Escentuals and Origins are two companies that I strongly recommend. You can never go wrong with them. Just make sure you have someone put in on you and remember to match the foundation to the color of your neck so when you put in on your face, it blends seamlessly into your neck. 

http://www.origins.com/index.tmpl

https://www.bareescentuals.com/

Also, please leave me comments and suggestions as to what you would want to see me review!

                                                                                                                              -Krutika

Soaps/Cleansers

Good Morning!

Topic for today? Cleansers/soaps. I have tried every soap-free cleanser for my face and some of them have worked and others haven't. Two years ago when I went to India I started to develop little bumps on my forehead. I was kind of bummed because before that I would never get  pimples. But, I had to deal with it. My mother came across something called African Black soap and told me about it. I kid you not I have never looked back after using it. This basically dries out all of your pimples and ever erases your black scars. My sister started using it before I did and her skin has cleared up tremendously. One drawback with this is that it dries out your skin a little bit. But, if used with Shea butter it leaves your skin impeccably smooth. You might ask what Shea butter is. It is basically the fat extracted from the nut that comes from the Shea tree in Africa. I use it instead of a lotion and it leaves my dry skin hydrated for the entire day. It is a little thicker than normal creams and lotions but at least it is all 100% natural so no side effects what so ever! Feeling good about yourself is always important and I think girls always feel better when they have perfect skin. You can buy both of these products easily on Amazon. Just type in raw African Black Soap and Raw African Shea butter. You can buy the Grape seed oil and the Jojoba oil on Amazon or in Whole Foods. I recommend either the brand Now Foods or Heather Lorraine.So try it out and see how you like it. 

                                                                                                                                                 -Krutika

Fruit pack

Alrighty.. let's get started. I have combination skin, which is to say dry in some areas and oily in others. Skin, basically is our body's biggest organ. Keeping the face blemish less and smooth really is a challenge. A number of factors can affect this such as not eating the right food, too much stress, not using the right products,etc. I am a huge fan of Ayurvedic face packs as they are all natural and can be easily made at home. One that I tried out is with bananas, turmeric, oatmeal, honey, and a bit of lemon. I added the lemon to the mixture as lemon is a little acidic and it will help with pimples. The turmeric lightens hair on the face and gives it a nice glow.Basically mix all of them together and leave it on your face for about 15 minutes then wash it off. For a moisturizer I use grape seed oil mixed with a little bit of jojoba oil. Both of these are extremely light weight and penetrate easily into the skin. It does not feel like you have a layer on top of your skin as it completely absorbs it. I have been using these oils to moisturize my face daily for the last 5 months and they have been working wonders. I would probably not want to go back to any creams of that sort. Adding this fruit pack really gives your skin a light boost and a soft texture to it. Enjoy and let me know how it works!

                                                                                                                              -  Krutika

Hello Everyone,

So the reason for starting this blog.... I have suffered from eczema from the age of 5 years old. I have done numerous amounts of research and still continue to do so about what natural and organic products there are in the market that are suitable for me. I just could not contain all the info that I have collected so far and hence the reason for sharing this with you! I truly believe that your body is like a temple. Treat it with utmost care and and you will not be disappointed. I will try to be truly honest with my reviews about my skin care products/makeup. Please keep in mind that this is my personal opinion and does not mean that you have to follow my advice. I hope you enjoy the tips and reviews and your support  is kindly appreciated. 

                                                                                    love,

                                                                                        Krutika