How to Choose the Right Foundation For Your Skin Type?

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Like every human being is different from one another likewise each person has a unique skin pattern too. Each skin type has its own advantages and disadvantages so it’s very much obvious that each skin type requires products which cater to its needs and characteristics.

Well usually skin types are categorized into four basic types..

4 Different Skin Types:

Normal Skin: This is the most coveted skin type and those who have it are lucky. This skin is not too much oily or too much dry. It does not become oily at the T Zone and is well mannered.

Oily Skin: This is the skin type where there is an excessive amount of oil on the skin which makes it look greasy and shiny. Very much prone to acne and pimples due to its excessive oil secretions it is a quite common skin type in India.

Dry Skin: In this type of skin the skin loses moisture fast and turns dry and dull with time. The results may be broken skin on the face and peeling due to dryness

Combination skin: This is the commonest skin where one has an oily T zone but the rest of the face is dry or normal.

So now that you know all the skin types and have determined yours let’s move onto how you can choose the foundations according to your skin types:

If You Have Oily Skin?:

Those with oily skin need something to keep the oil at bay and keep their skin oil free for a long time. For that the best way is to use a powder based foundation which will soak up the extra oil. Products that will be good for your skin type are Powder foundation as well as Liquid to powder foundation. All in all a product that is powdery will help you keep the shine in control. Also you can choose water based liquid foundation too but avoid those with oil as their base.

 

If You Have Dry Skin?:

Whilst the oily skinned ladies needed to keep oil and moisture away dry skinned ladies need all the moisture they can get. And the best way to provide a moisture rich foundation is to use a mousse or crème foundation. A liquid foundation with a moisturizing formula can also work to keep skin looking healthy and supple.

 

If You Have Combination Skin?:

Those who have slight combination skin may get good results from using crème to powder foundations as this will keep the dry areas supple and will also control the shine in the T zone areas. Whereas those with a very oily T zone can get best results from liquid to powder foundation which hydrate the dry areas and take away the shine at the T zone.

 

If You Have Normal Skin?:

If you are lucky enough to have this type of skin then you can work with any type of foundation. You can use liquid, mousse, stick or powder foundation at ease.

So what is your skin type and which is your favorite foundation till date? Share below!

Freeman 2-in-1 Exfoliating Body Wash Blackberry Review

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Hello lovely ladies,

Hope you are all enjoying your summers whichever part of the country you are in. Now there is always that one thing about summers that all of us love and what is that?? Taking endless number of showers (in spite of water shortage??? Hope not!!). I am a hard core shower person in all seasons for all reasons. I especially love the excitement of cold showers!!


And, shower gels just enhance the whole experience for me and take it to another level. So, today it is a shower gel from my cupboard for a review :) I am talking about Freeman 2-in-1 Exfoliating Body Wash in Blackberry. (Blackberries are jamun in Hindi and naval pazham in Tamil and navva pazham in Malayalam.) Now some of us can make our own DIY exfoliating body wash ;) Let me tell you how the ready made one fared for me.

 

Price & Quantity:

Rs. 220 for 150 ml

 

Smell:

It has a very fruity smell which should not be surprising as it contains blackberries. So, the smell is very berry/cherry like J. Nothing too overpowering either but really mild. Should not bother sensitive noses.

 

Key Ingredients:

Blackberry and Vitamin A. And the rest of the unpleasant stuff is in the picture below (SLS/parabens etc.)

 

The product comes with the month and year of expiry unlike number of years which is more convenient to throw out. Mine is to go in February 2014.

My Experience:

Packaging: I love the packaging. It comes in a really bright green coloured sleek and slim plastic bottle. Now, from what I know, all Freeman products have great packaging. The cap is a flip cap. So not messy. The bottle goes upside down like how most conditioner bottles are.

Colour, Consistency & Texture: Now, the key ingredient being blackberries, the colour is a pretty light purple. More lavender than purple I feel. The consistency is typical of any exfoliating wash. It is not runny like a shower gel but is more thick.
The texture too is that of any typical scrub. From the swatch you can see that there are plenty of small granules in it which however are really effective in the exfoliating part. Even those who do not like too many granules in their scrub might not find this to be a problem. The product is however more soapy than a typical scrub as it serves the 2-in-1 purpose of a body wash too.

How it works for me: I have dry skin and I am very careful when buying skin care products. Anything that could be a little drying has to end up in the bin and cannot be put to any other constructive use. So an exfoliating body wash needs more scrutiny than any other body wash. However, this product is a bonus for summers. Summers mean heat and humidity and sweat and grime and pollution and a whole lot of other unpleasantness. That is where this body wash comes in to save the day :). It does an extremely great job of exfoliating and body wash. I initially use only my fingers to get the scrubbing done for the body after which I use a loofah to create a lather to use it as a body wash. One can really get a great exfoliation done with this as the granules are small and effective leaving the skin feeling extremely soft and fresh and not stretchy at all.

It lathers pretty well too and is also easy to wash off leaving behind no residue. You might need a little more of the product than your usual shower gel as it is a little thick in consistency BUT it lives up to all its claims. The granules too are not very large and intimidating. However, the smell does not stay on after the wash but then I am not complaining here.

In all it is a win-win product with me after two duds (read enliven shower gels). But one must keep in mind the water quality as far as body washes and shampoos are concerned.

 

PROS:

  • Serves two purpose of exfoliation and body wash
  • Lives up to its claims
  • Exfoliating granules are small and very effective
  • Mild and pleasant fragrance
  • Leaves skin feeling fresh and rejuvenated and nice and soft and wonderful and supple etc….
  • Lathers decently
  • A decent amount of product
  • Sturdy packaging and hence no mess
  • Travel friendly

CONS:

  • A bit pricey I feel
  • Available only online

 

Rating:

4.5/5 (for price and availability)

 

Do I Recommend?:

Yes, I would especially when one is feeling all sticky and sweaty.

 

Would I Repurchase?:

Not this one but definitely others in this range.

Long Lasting Makeup Tips for Summer

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Hello Everyone!

Summer is finally here and all of us are ready to face the sun. But are you really ready? Or are you in fear about what makeup you should try this summer? If you are in fear then don’t be because we at MABH know the right tricks to keep your summer makeup woes at bay.

Summers in tropical climates like India are accompanied by sweat, harsh sun rays, tanning, dullness and lots more but there’s some tricks which will help you keep yourself free from these woes.

Sunscreen:

Sunscreen should be your best buddy throughout the year. It is one essential item to keep your skin free of damage from harsh sunrays. What’s the need you say? Well prolonged exposure to sun causes premature aging, pigmentation, dullness, and may cause skin cancer. So now you see why we are so obsessed about it. Apply a sunscreen half an hour before you go out into the sun and always choose a broad spectrum sunscreen with 40SPF or higher.

Oil Free Moisturizer and Base:

Oil free moisturizers are must this season and after moisturizing apply some light weight base for your makeup. Try Liquid foundations which are sheer and do not weight down the skin. Also try tinted moisturizers followed by a good dusting of translucent powder or face powder to set the foundation. Always carry the compact with you to keep yourself sweat free and oil free and do touch up’s.

Eyes and Lips:

Some of us have oily lids so you need to keep them oil free for those precious eye makeup looks to stay longer so apply a mortifying base or primer on the lids and eye area to keep i oil free. If you do not have bases then apply concealer and dab some face powder over the lids.

Wear a lot of funky shades like electric blue, green, purple, pink and even yellow to keep yourself in style. Also try the newest eyeliner styles to keep the eyes looking the Centre of attraction.

For the lips we feel our lips need some long lasting fun colors for your lips. Always keep lips hydrated and exfoliate them. Try shades like corals, peach, orange, nudes and red this summer to keep your lips in full bloom. Apply one layer and dab a tissue on the lips followed by another layer of lipstick. This will help the lipstick stay longer.

Cheeks:

While many hesitate to use blushes during summers but using natural shades and shades like peach shades, light pinks and earthy shades help to get that fresh glow in the face. A great tip is to firstly apply a cream blush onto the skin and follow up with a layer of powder blush on top of it to help it stay longer.

 

Does Brevoxyl Peroxide in Acne Products Darken Skin? – MABH RBQ

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Sonia’s Query..

Hi Lancy,
I’m Sonia from Singapore. I heard alot about your home remedies and wished to contact you as I need urgent help regarding my skin.

I’m 19 years old. I had a few pimples here and there and I was very concerned about them. I quickly went online and ordered the regimen and acne curing products from one website. It worked for me. My pimples became lesser and lesser however free too. Weeks I noticed that my skin had become darker. I have fair skin. However now I’m two to three tones darker. The regimen I order has an ingredient called ‘Brevoxyl Peroxide’. Is it the reason for skin darkening?

I need your help urgently. I really wish to know how I can get my original fair skin back. I have some acne spots here and there as well. I will be so grateful to you if you can help me.

Thank you so much!

Reply to the Query:

Hi Sonia,
I completely understand your situation. Its great to know that the acne curing product you bought helped you to be acne free but the sad part is that your skin has gone three tones darker with regular usage of the product, as you said. I have gone through your query and surfed about it on net. Below are the details I gathered. Hope it will help you.

What is Brevoxyl Peroxide?:

Brevoxyl Peroxide has been widely used in acne scar removal products and acne reducing products. I hope you have heard about salicylic acid; Brevoxyl Peroxide is one kind, which helps in fading out the dark scars and helps in removing stubborn ugly bumps. It is a strong bleaching agent (I have no clue whether it is harsh or not!) which can fasten the fading process of your acne scars. Due to this property, you have got a pimple free skin with the regular usage of the product you have bought.

Does Brevoxyl Peroxide Darken Skin?:

No! Brevoxyl Peroxide doesn’t actually darken your skin however it may indirectly cause skin darkening. As I mentioned, it is a strong bleaching ingredient used in acne curing products. Once you start using a product that contains Brevoxyl Peroxide, you will notice good results on your skin. With regular usage, you will get a clearer skin tone but the problem is the ‘SUN’. Yes, sun is the black sheep here.

Your skin becomes more sensitive after using any ‘bleach’ product and thus it reacts very much to the harmful sun rays. This was the sole cause of your skin darkening. From this, it becomes clear that Brevoxyl Peroxide doesn’t darken your skin but it makes your skin over sensitive resulting in skin damage and darkness (Only if you expose it to sun or doesn’t maintain it properly)

How to Prevent Skin Darkening While Undergoing Acne Treatment?:

You MUST stay away from the sun when you are undergoing any acne treatment. That is the one and only way. No other excuses! Body heat due to sun may also result in skin darkening so wear a scarf or a cap whenever you are out in sun. A high SPF sunscreen lotion is a must too! Wear your sunscreen once every 2-3 hours if you are exposing your skin continuously to the sunlight. But it is better to avoid the hot sun completely when you are in your acne scare removal treatment to prevent skin darkening due to over sensitivity of the skin.

How to Get Back Your Original Complexion?:

You have mentioned that your skin has got dark with usage of the acne product you bought. Hence, stop the usage for a week to ten days. Do not use any harsh chemical based product on your skin during this period. Wash your face with a mild face wash and wear a healthy skin calming moisturizer. Apply chilled yogurt and sandalwood paste to your skin. They help in calming down your skin and reducing the extra sensitivity to sun. Apply a mixture of olive oil and honey may also help with the quick skin healing process.

Spray rose water on your facial skin 3-4 times in a day. Maintain your face soft and calm like a baby and it will return back to the original color :) If still you are not satisfied with the results, you can use any natural skin lightening product to gain back your complexion. I suggest you to read this post on how to get back your lost skin complexion.

Hope this information will be useful to you Sonia! So don’t forget your sunscreen next time when you are undergoing any kind of acne scar treatment where there is a presence of bleaching ingredients :) Better stay away from the sun to completely avoid skin darkening!

Do you have any ideas for Sonia to get back her original complexion? Any home remedies or product suggestions? Kindly drop in the comment section below and help her. If you want to drop a query to us, then go to the Ready Beauty Query section of MABH. Take care!