Mid-week pampering with my FAVORITE Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask!!!

My love affair with “Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask” started in Spring of 2014. I did not know much about it then but I got 4 travel size pods for $8 with one of my online orders from Sephora just so I could get to the price point for free shipping.

I tried it for the first time and my skin immediately felt fresh, tighter and clean of impurities. I loved the pod sizes because one of them gave me more than 2 usages and considering I was travelling a lot back then they were great to throw in my bag. After I used up the pods, I finished one or two small free samples from Sephora #frugalAru :-) Anyway, I finally invested in the full-size in one of the VIB sale. I use it once or twice a week depending on my skin condition.  As found in Sephora’s website the active charcoal in it absorbs 100- to 200-times its weight in impurities and the white China Clay draws out impurities and toxins while clearing the skin of excess oil, dirt, pollutants, and other waste materials. The mask is formulated without Parabens, Sulfates and  Phthalates so that is always good :-) It may tingle for few seconds after applying. I often just apply it on my T-zones but when I feel extra congested I apply it on my entire face and it immediately clears up my pores making my skin clean and glowy. I don’t have enough good things to say about this mask.  

I remember this being $25 for 3.4 oz. of product but I saw they have increased the price to $26 :-( That pains me a little bit :-(

If you are looking for similar mask, I highly recommend trying out the travel size pods.if it does not break out then its definitely something that you are going to love it. As for me, I am going to repurchase it over and over.

Love

~Arrru

In love with "Caudalie Favorites Kit: 2014"

All of my latest reviews have been mostly skincare! I have not been playing with makeup a lot recently ;-) If you have spent a little time “Discovering Me”, you know that I am a huge fan of value kits; both in makeup and skincare! But I still have to agree that there is a 80% chance that one or more products from these sets may not appeal to me. This set however has pleasantly surprised me!  I have been hearing a lot about Caudalie Skincare and when I saw this set in Sephora for $32 with 5 decent size products, sometime last year, I thought it will be an excellent opportunity to test the brand.

The set contains:

- 1 oz. Beauty Elixir 
- 0.33 oz. Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet 
- 1 oz. Hand and Nail Cream 
- 0.15 oz. Lip Conditioner 
- 1.69 oz. Make Up Remover Cleansing Water 
- Travel case

As you can see, the products are travel-friendly which is what I exactly need. It makes my life so much easier :-)

Lip Conditioner: I can happily say that this is the BEST lip balm that I have ever tried till now. It is a wonderful balm. Velvetty smooth to apply and keeps my lips moisturized for hours, even during the harsh Chicago weather! I also love the smell. Very light fragrance which I can’t exactly pinpoint what it is!

It got finished way too soon though, in just two months or may be less than that! My other trusted lip-balm from Nivea lasts me far more than that. The regular size lip conditioner retails at 12$; quite costly for a lip balm. For these two reasons, I probably would not buy a full size product at regular price. :-) But, but if I can score a value kit with this in it, I will be all over it. ;-) I really LOVE this.

Beauty Elixir: This is a product from Caudalie that is so well loved in the beauty community. And it should be!  It has a strong but very refreshing smell. I really LOVE the smell. I generally apply it right after shower and before I use my moisturizer. I don’t use it on an everyday basis though, it is a costly product and I don’t want to get addicted to it :-) This bottle costs 18$ separately and I believe I would be ok spending that much. It makes me feel very fancy… and sometimes we deserve to feel fancy. :-)

I also love the packaging, it’s very slim and stylish….I have finished the product but I am not yet ready to throw away the bottle; it’s so pretty!! :-) The spritzer is also very nice as in it sprays the product evenly.

Hand and Nail Cream: This is definitely another favorite from the set. My nails are not generally very fragile. In the event of continuous nail-polish wear, I use this cream and it heals my slightly yellow-ish nails :-) It’s moisturizing too as hand cream. I apply it before going to bed at night, it feels so luxurious! I am in love with the smell. It’s very citrusy, very fresh (I think I should take a crash course on understanding and describing fragrance note :-)) I have never fallen in love with a cosmetic fragrance as I have with this. :-)

Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet: It was a tiny tube and I finished it in 3 to 4 weeks. It is a light moisturizer with a very nice fragrance, the texture looks a little bit gritty but it’s a smooth moisturizer. It’s very weightless on the skin. It absorbs quickly and is good under makeup too. I have not been wearing a ton makeup these few days, but it did perform well for the days I did wear makeup. It performed extremely well in the hot humid Florida as I have been living here for work last few weeks; it might not be thick enough for cold drying climate. After I finish up the all the moisturizer I have been hoarding, I might be picking up the full size version of it.

Makeup Remover Cleansing Water: Like all the other products in the set this one also had a very mild fragrance. It is however a very simple and light makeup remover; certainly not for heavy duty makeup. This is the only product that I have not been using much, rest of the product I have already finished already. I don’t have a lot of complaints, but performance wise this is the only product in the bunch that I would have liked to perform better.

As I have already mentioned, I already have finished three of these products. I loved the kit so much that I went on a mission to get a backup. It was sold out in Sephora; so I bought the second set from Caudalie USA website. I got a free lip conditioner as this was my first purchase from them. I really want to appreciate Meagan from Caudalie Customer Care. She and other members of their online team were very helpful and communicative during my purchase (there were a few problems, and they really helped me out). Good customer care is something I always look for when I am trying out a new skincare brand. I love the story behind the brand too; you can read more about it here. I have become a fan of the brand and I would definitely be experimenting more. Do you have any suggestions?

Also, this is a limited-edition set that was curated for 2014. But it might still be available in Caudalie USA website. Also, right now Sephora has Caudalie favorite set for 2015 which almost has the same product except for the Gentle Cleansing Milk. I say pick it up, you will not regret it :-)

Love,

~Arrru

Naked Bee Moisturizer : Surprize Find!!

Travelling for job is often hectic; more so if it includes 100% travel. But I have to agree that there are a few advantages as well :-) If and when I get any chance I like to roam around in the small travel shops or boutiques and in that process I sometimes stumble upon collectible goodies or  relatively new skincare/cosmetics brands. That is how I discovered "Naked Bee" brand while roaming around in a small boutique in Branson, Missouri back in the Summer of 2013.

And I have completely fallen in love with this moisturizer since then. It's not too thick or thin; absorbs quickly and is really "really" moisturizing. Given that my skin is dangerously dry (my regular reader must be sick of hearing this again and again) and parched during the rough winter months here in the Windy City, I need to use my beloved Neutrogena Body Oil in coordination with this. But this is the right amount of moisturization I need for summer. Also it is 70% organic product without parabens, mineral oil, any dye or pigment. Read more about it here. It is also cruelty free which is a always major plus in my book.

There are different types of fragrances in this line including one fragrance-free. Among those I have tried "Orange Blosson Honey", "Lavender and Beeswax Absolute" and I simply LOVE both. I have mentioned before that I don't like strong overwhelming scent in my skincare products but these lotions are so mildly and pleasantly fragranced that I have grown fond of the smell. I have given these as gifts to my parents and sister and they ALL love it!

For the 6.7 oz Hand and Body cream the price fluctuates depending on where you get it from. It ranges from 12 to 16$. For the body lotion with 8 oz. of product the price varies from 16-20$. I believe it is still not available in any convenient stores. I have seen them in 2-3 boutiques near tourist spots in Michigan and Missouri (I travel a lot ;-)) I bought two tubes when I saw it in that above mentioned store for the first time but I placed my second orders from tartburners.com. I am almost in need of new tubes, so if you see it somewhere in stores please let me know. I am eager to try 'sandelwood' next!

Pro:

Organic; no harmful product.

Good moisturizer with pleasant smell.

Cruelty free product.

Con:

Not easily available in stores.

I am definitely repurchasing this at some point of time and I really hope that they start to distribute these in some drugstore. Thank you so much for staying with me till now, have any of you tried these?

Love

~Arrru

Neutrogena Body Oil : The Perfect Body Moisturizer for winter!!!

Come winter and all hell breaks loose for my skin! In general, I have very dry skin and during winter it gets specially dry, parched and flaky! I really need extra help as compared to my regular moisturizer. I discovered this product soon after I came here to USA and I have been religiously using it for last 3 years! In short it is one of my HOLY GRAIL skincare products.

It's a very light-weight moisturizing oil, it is yellow in appearance. I have used both the regular and light version. I find the scent very mild, even in the regular oil! Its very mild scent, I personally don't mind it. There is a fragrance free version too. The oil absorbs quickly, non-greasy and keeps my skin hydrated a few solid hours. I love to use it right when I am out of the shower. And sometimes I do use it for overnight moisturization. 

There are two sizes; 16 fl oz. for $15.99 and 8.5 fl oz. for $7.99. The price however varies with the store. It is available in Ulta, Target, Walgreens, Walmart etc. It surely is a well-valued product. I love the packaging, its simple and sturdy. However, while travelling you really need to seal it very very tight, otherwise it spills everywhere. 

I love LOVE product. I have gone through many many tubes of this and I am sure I will be needing many more of this.What moisturizer do you use for winter? I am always interested in suggestions :-)

Love,

~Arrru

Bought it, emptied it: Philosphy's "Hope in a Jar for Dry Skin"

This is the first skincare product in "Discovering Me" and I am going to keep it short :-) Philosophy's "Hope in a Jar" is a cult-favorite moisturizer. Like every beauty enthusiast, I also feel the curiosity to check out "insanely hyped" products like this one :-) My skin is VERY dry skin; and I don’t know about others, but I am already dreading the winter. Anyway, I moved to the harshly cold Chicago from the humid south-central just before the horrible polar vortex in the beginning of the year, and that sudden change in weather left my already dry skin extremely parched! As my regular moisturizer was not cutting it, I picked up a value set especially aimed for dry skin from Philosophy (which included "Hope in a Jar for Dry Skin") hoping that they will bring back some life to my skin. While I loved the moisturizer well enough to finish off the jar (I just emptied the jar today :-) ), I will not be repurchasing it, not for now at least! That's my experience in a nutshell.

The price for 2 oz. of product is a whopping $42. You can find it in  Sephora,  Ulta, Macy's, Nordstrom, among other places and also from Philosophy website. Because I got this in a value set, I spent much less than the regular price for this particular jar. 

It has a simple, classic and effective packaging with plastic white jar and black lid! It's minimalistic; which I really like. After using and travelling with it for 3-4 months, I did see a crack on the outer side of the jar that made me question about the sturdiness of the bottle. (I swear, I have never dropped it!). Also, whenever I travel with it, the moisturizer clings onto the lining (which is unavoidable), but because the lining is cardboard it seems to absorb some of the oil from the moisturizer. I feel it compromises the moisturizing quality over time.

Now on to the product itself! Even though it's for dry skin, it is a very light moisturizer. I did not find it greasy and it really sinks into my skin comfortably. I do use my favorite “Hope Is Not Enough Facial Firming Serum” every other day in conjunction with this. When I first started using it as a daytime moisturizer during the winter months, I really hoped it would take care of all the dry patches in my skin; it did not do anything magical though! It performed well, provided me decent moisturizing but not 100% up to my expectation. Some days, I needed to reapply twice or thrice during the day! It was, however, perfect for my dry skin once summer set in. I really liked to use it when I am having good-skin days, but whenever I deviate from my regular routine and my dryness goes out of control, this just is not enough! I have to use some kind of facial oil to tackle the dryness! That is the reason why I am not very keen on repurchasing it. This might be ideal for someone who has normal skin, but what’s the point when it is meant for dry skin right? ;-) I have seen some complaints about the scent in Sephora review, but I am very comfortable with it :-) I also love that it has never given me any issue while using under makeup. 

Pros:

1. Thin and not greasy.
2. Absorbs quickly.
3. Works well under makeup.
4. Great in summer.

Cons:

1. Very steep price.
2. I personally don't like the cardboard lining in the lid. 
3. Not good ENOUGH for me during EXTREME winter.
4. The packaging on the outside cracked a bit towards the end :-( 

42$ is a lot of money to be paying for a moisturizer; so I naturally have had high hopes! Like I said I did have a pleasant time using up the entire bottle, but it did not mesmerize me enough to repurchase.

This review is ENTIRELY based on how it has worked on me! I am a strong believer of the fact that the performance of a skincare product entirely depends on the nature of the user's skin. While it was nothing miraculous for me, it might work wonders for your skin! Have you used it? If you have, what's your experience? Please feel free to share; I always appreciate your feedback! 

Love,

~Arrru

Products I've Used Up/Empties Vol. 1

When I first started reading blogs, watching YouTube videos as well as writing my experiences here in my blog, I would feel weird about "Empties" article. It seems strange to me as to why I would like to know about what products somebody uses I was not able to understand the point on reading about someone's bath products :-) But now I truly understand the point of these empties posts :-) When you use a product and like it enough to use it up (especially cosmetics products...they take forever to finish) and then you feel inspired or still impressed enough to jot down your feelings regarding the product, that really makes sense. And it is a great way to find out about "really good" products :-)

So here it goes, my first ever empty products...

1. Matrix Biolage Root Nourishing Oil: This is a blend of 3 nourishing oil including coconut, almond and sunflower seed oil. It is meant for scalp as well as root-to-tip hair care. I actually got this as a gift from my hair salon back home in India when I got my hair chemically smoothened last October. But now that it's finished, I cannot find it anywhere to buy :-( I TRIED really hard to find it...but my hard luck! :-( But I thoroughly ENJOYED it when it lasted. I love me some deep massage before I wash my hair. I had been regularly using this in combination with my "Old and Faithful" coconut oil to deeply massage my hair and scalp and keep it overnight before washing it off the next day! I strongly believe it has helped me a lot in keeping my hair healthy and straight enough even after almost a year from the smoothening treatment. I just LOVED using this stuff and now only if I could find it somewhere. Please let me know if you all have any clue :-)

2.Schwarzkopf Professional Bonacure Hair Therapy (Repair Rescue) Shampoo and Conditioner: Phew...that was a long name! It was suggested to me by my hairstylist after the smoothening treatment mentined above. Both the shampoo and conditioner are very good to use. I feared that my hair will go back to its fizzy natural wavy self, but I am glad that it is still smooth and healthy enough and more importantly 'Straight' :-) 

I bought this from the same hair saloon @600 INR per bottle and then I ordered it from Beautybay.com but Ulta has recently started to carry this line..I think it costs $. I will definitely keep repurchasing it. :-)

3. Topcare nail polish Remover: Very basic and must-have product right? This is affordable (around 3$), easily available in most of the drugstores and gets the work done. I, of course, need a little more work to remove glitter polishes with this remover. But if you use the "aluminium foil" trick, it works wonders. I am definitely repurchasing it.

4. Lakme nine-to-five Intense Volume Mascara: If you are from India you know all about "Lakme" as a brand. It is an Indian brand which has been in the beauty market for a long long time now. When I was in India, Lakme was one of the relatively higher end brands that was easily available in my place (key word--> relatively, available etc.) 

This was my first ever mascara. I loved using it. The formula is really nice and "wet enough"! I never had any problem with smudging or flaking. And it stays for a long time. I love the short and simple bristles. Perfect for my small eyes :-) I also love the simple compact packaging; it takes a real tiny place in your bag or vanity. And it really lasted for a long time without drying. I will definitely repurchase it; as a matter if fact, I already have a back-up!

5. Neutregena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes: I traditionally don't completely rely ONLY on makeup remover wipes to  remove my makeup. But they definitely are very useful in removing the first layer which means less stress for my clarisonic brush head which eventually prolongs its life. I do not have experiences with many different wipes. But keeping that aside, I love these. They are effective in removing chunk of the makeup. I have stopped using wipes for my eyes at all, but when I did, it did work good enough for simple eye-looks! I am definitely going to repurchase it.

These were not a lot of products, but then again, I don't use makeup products on a day-to-day basis :-) But as I have started to really dip my toes into all sort of beauty products, I am pretty sure you will definitely see more empties in the months ahead :-) !! Thank you for stopping by and I hope it was a good read!!

Love,

~Arrru