Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Gwen's Hair blend: Light Hair Whip Review


Our hairs need as much attention and care as our face needs. There are different types of hairs that have different moisturising needs. Depending on my hair type that is type 2 (Wavy), i was sent a sample of Gwen's Blend Light hair whip. It claims to moisturise and define frizzy hairs and curls. Light hair whip is a natural mixture of coconut and castor, aloe, shea butter and essential oils.

I used it for myself also I made my mother use it, since the company claims it works equally well for type 3 Kinky-curly hairs. Read below to know about my experience and opinion regarding the hair whip.

Packaging:
It comes in an ordinary plastic jar,with a descrptive product label on it. The lid is also plastic-black in colour. It weighs 0.5 lb. For a hair product, it is quite thick in consistency. The hair whip is white in colour and smells strongly disgusting.

My Experience:


Honestly speaking when I opened up the jar i became strongly disappointed. The two things that take any product up or fetch it down in the powerful competitive market are "Fragrance and Looks". In the light hair whip both are absent. The Light hair whip is to be used on hairs after shower either on slight wet hairs or when they become completely dry. Since it is very thick, I didnot find it welcoming for my hairs. I was hesitsant to apply the thick mixture on my hairs that smell very offensive. It would have been better  if the product intends to nourish hair an-hour-before-shampooing.For many people it may become a big reluctance to apply it on their freshly-showered and clean hairs.

CASE 1- Type 2 Hairs (Wavy).
After first application- that I kept very careful to not to apply any extra amount since I was afraid of my hairs being pulled down. As I mentioned earlier, the hair whip is quite heavy and thick in consistency, it may pull down light hairs. Anyhow, even with this very careful application, my hairs become sticky and gooey, with that unforgettable strong smell of coconut and castor. I  feel hesitant to even dip my fingers in the blend.

P.S The smells fades away with in 3hours of application. However, I found even the three hours difficult to bear with the blend's smell.I still gave enough time for the whip to become dry. I however, found no positive difference in my hairs.

CASE 2- Type 3C (Kinky curly hairs)
My mother has very tight close curls in her hairs. Therefore her hairs are subjected to dryness even more. Light hair whip seemed a good option that could tackle her hair dryness, so I asked my mum to give it a try. She had similar feelings and thoughts regarding the whip's consistency and smell. However this product showed somewhat a better performance on her hairs than mine. Her hairs became less tangled, soft and easy to manage.Unlike mine her hairs didnot get sticky. Still, unfortunately, she had to wash her hairs off due to its smell.

P.S Even after washing off the whip, the hairs remained moisturised and manageable than their original state.

How to use Light Hair Whip?
Take out a very little amount from jar, apply it just below the roots and rake the product throughout the hair length.

Price $21 for 225 g

Pros
  • Affordable
  • Simple
  • Natural
  • Nourishes hair and provide calories
  • Tends to work as a good moisturiser for kinky curly hairs
Cons
  • Disgusting smell
  • Very thick blend
  • Short expiry duration
Major turn-on : A natural product
Major turn-off : SMELL

End of the line:
The light hair whip is for moisturising curly hairs and waves. It fails to work on wavy hairs but can be used effectively on kinky curly hairs if you can bear the offensive and strong smell.

Get to know about your hairtype and other information about gwens blend at their website here

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Friday, May 25, 2012

An Introduction to Spa Ceylon Ayurveda


Ever wondered about Ayurvedic Spa and treatment? I didnot know in detail about its effectiveness until I got a chance to try some of the Ayurvedic products sponsored by Spa Ceylon-Srilanka.However, I had heard much about the benefits of ayurvedic way of treatment.

Spas- We all know that spas are getting very popular these days due to their uncountable health benefits. People are including different spas in their monthly routines in order to seek peace and relaxation as an escape from their daily stress full lives.Wheras Ayurveda is an ancient science of healing illness and diseases. It is derived from Sansikirt word that means "scince of life". Ayurvedic way of treatment is recognized by world Health Organistaion.


Spa Ceylon Srilanka, is helping people enjoying a stress-free life by providing expert spa services with several ayurvedic balms, jels, creams, lotions, scrubs, compressors etc. Ayurvedic Spas combines the benefits of both the spa and ayurveda. Not only it is a cosmetic treatment, but also leaves numerous health benefits on a person including

•Removing metabolic wastes and toxins
•Stimulation of blood circulation
•Muscles toning
•Youthful and glowing skin cokmplexion
•Healing tired muscles
•Regulating blood pressure
•Soothing emotional stress etc

Today I became lucky enough to receive some of their products. they offer a wide variety of products under soothe, peace,sleep, love, purify etc categories. The spa set I received belongs to the SOOTHE family of Spa Ceylon. It as obvious by the name intends to soothe and relax one's mind, body and soul. My set contains following hand and foot care items:


1..Green mint cooling foot scrub
2.Green mint cooling foot relief
3.Cardamom rose handcream
4.Cardamom rose nail and cuticle treatment balm
5.Pure Aloe soothing gel
6.Comfort pain reliever balm- medicated
7.Herbal compress-Vata


The packaging is very sophisticated that offers complete indulgence. All the products came in bone-white bamboo zipup pouch/bag that was safely placed in the black spa ceylon hard-paper box. The box is like a drawer. You need to slide the tray in order to access the pouch along with the other products. The courier service, they deliver through needs much praise and appreciation. It was very quick and fast. I received my package with in 7 days, that I definitely didnot expect. I received my review package through DPEX in collaboration with Skynet-Pakistan.

I will review each product individually after trying them for atleast 2-3 weeks. In this post I want to pay thanks to the customer service and PR team of Spa Ceylon. The entire team, specially the customer service representative is very kind and helping. They kept informing me about the package's expected delivery to Pakistan and also maintained a strong communication with the courier company. I am thankful for the whole Spa Ceylon that didnot only sponsor these products but also bore the expense of the custom duty for me.

I am pretty much excited to use each one of the item I received in this amazing spa kit. Stay connected for the detailed reviews.

Have a look at Spa Ceylon's Boutique and feel the level of luxury and indulgence.( Pictures below are taken from Spa Ceylon's Fb page.)See here


*This post contains PR samples*
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Carry your Favorite Perfume in Your Bag 24/7 with Travalo Excel


Carrying your favorite perfume in your travel bag is not a problem anymore.If you are afraid to break your classic or stylish perfume glass bottle, then Travalo Excel is a product specially designed for you. With Travalo atomizer you can easily get a quick boost of freshness anywhere, any time- yet in just few seconds.


Packaging:

Travalo is an award winning refillable atomizer bottle. It weighs only 20 grams and is 8.6 cm long. Travalo Excel is available in many charming and eye-catchy colours.It comes with a protective carry-case to protect the atomizer from scratches etc.

 I got mine in orange colour. I must say the packaging is something really beautiful. Something that doesn't only perform its function matchless, but also address to our aesthetic senses. It is made up of hi-tech aircraft aluminum that makes it extremely light and strong.

The bottom case and the top case is made up of plastic. The bottom case is decorated with very intricate floral pattern, whereas the top case is transparent with the logo of travalo excel on it. It also has transparent level bar (integrated fill lever indicator) to show that how much perfume is left in the atomizer.

My Experience:
Travalo atomizer is easy to use, thatswhat I love about it. We only need two things to care about:
  • The place should be flat where one is going to refill the atomizer.
  • Keep the lid on while refilling process to avoid any accidental press-sprays and spills.
How to Use: 


  • It is as easy to refill the atomizer as making a cup of tea. Simply remove the nozzle of the perfume bottle. Place it on a table/desk or any other strong base. Place the atomizer over the tube and pump it up and down. With in few seconds travalo's patented refill system will fill your atomizer with your favorite perfume.
  •  The atomizer sprays a very fine mist of perfume upto 65 times without any spills or wastage.
  • It is also aircraft approved, so you may carry it along with you. what more any one can wish for? :)
Price:
I couldn't find the price on their website. Please watch this space in coming days. Price will be updated soon.

Pros and cons:
  • Lovely and unique packaging
  • Easy to carry
  • Easy to refill
  • 65 sprays
  • Light weight
  • Many colours to choose from
Cons :
It is not suitable to full-up with body sprays. Body sprays need a wider nozzle tube.

Get a chance to win the atomizer bu joining their facebook page here . They run a random daily spray and every one who likes the page gets the chance to win it everyday!

End of the Line:
Either you are a guy or a girl, a sportsman or a business man, I'll recommend it to each one of you!

Please check their website for info graphics and more details here or click here to find a store near you.

Announcement:
Travalo excel is planning to come in Pakistan. So which store will you suggest them ? How about Naheed super store Khi?

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Raw Gaia Organic Cold-Pressed Coconut Butter Review


Raw Gaia is an organic cosmetic brands that deals with all types of skin and claims to play its role efficiently in helping people maintaining a healthy, glowing and bright skin all around the world. Today, I have coconut butter to share with you from the brand that makes hand made cosmetics at a very low temperature to retain all of the life energy, vitamins etc.

What is meant by cold-pressed coconut oil/butter?
When i got to know about cold-pressed coconut butter, i was intrigued to know about the term "Cold-Pressed". I was satisfied to find out, that cold-pressing is the most proper option used for the extraction of coconut oil. Unlike, boiling method of extraction, cold pressing, retains all the nutrients in the product without destroying them by intense heating. Hence, it is the first strong point that will make you move towards Raw Gaia's cold-pressed coconut butter.

Packaging:

It comes in the glass jar of 90grams with a yellow label on it. It is almost fragrance free when solid. It appears solid white in the butter form, whereas completely crystal transparent at its oil state.
You may get the benefits of both the coconut oil and coconut butter from the single jar. If you want to use it as a hair conditioner, keep it on a room temperature. On the other hand, if you desire to use it as a body butter then you would like to refrigerate it after opening.

My Experience:
  • As the coconut-oil
I have been using it for more than a month now as a hair conditioner. Simply keep it on a room temperature, and use when desired. I normally use it as an alternate of my oiling routine. I dip my finger tips in the cold pressed coconut oil and massage it in the roots of my hairs. I found leaving it for hour or two in hairs is enough for medium to dry hair type. After shampooing, I love to feel the touch of my hairs. Coconut oil leaves my irs well-hydrated and protect my hairs from being di-shevelled.
  • As the coconut butter
    According to the company, it makes the skin softer and smoother by penetrating into the deeper layers. It also removes the dead skin cells and act as an antioxidant.
    I made my mum use it, who has a very dry flaky skin even in the summers. She keeps developing white patches on her face and her conditions more seems like a medical one. When she applies it on her skin, the skin instantly turns into a soft, smooth and supple skin that glows pink. Only a little amount is needed to apply on face. Donot worry it doesnot make face look like an oil factory. However, I would not recommend to use it on oily skins in the summer season. I am seriously reluctant to use it on my skin since the temperature here iin summers remains more than 35C. I wish I had got it in winters to try as a body butter.

    Benefits of Coconut Butter
    • Improves dry skinand make it glow healthily, turn it pink and soft
    • Possess excellent anti-oxidant qualities
    • Helps in many skin conditions like inflammation, eczema and dermatitus.
    • It contains essential oils that protects hairs from harmfull UV rays, make them shiny and protect from hairfall.
    • It acts as a good conditioner on hairs and also helps reduce dandruff.
    • Last but not the least, it also reduce lices.
    Price: £11.49
    Pros and Cons
    • Attractive glass jar packaging
    • completely organic
    • Moisturises skin
    • Conditions hairs
    • Heal many skin conditions
    • Affordable
    • Retains all the goodness of the coconut
    • May be a bit messy in oil state
    • Doesnot completely kill the problem. You need to use it permanently if you want to get rid of any skin condition. 
    Major turn-on : The glass jar
    Major Turn-off: Nothing

    End of the Line:
    Over all a good body butter that may be used even in the medical conditions. Equally beneficial in both oil and butter forms. Oily skin bearers should avoid it in summers.  
      You can order yours online from Raw Gaia's website. Click here to access. Also read my review on Raw Gaia chocolate face pack here.

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      Friday, May 11, 2012

      Pending Reviews

      I have some great products lying in my makeup stash, awaiting reviews. Due to hectic routine I am unable to find some time. However I am trying my best to review all one by one. The products you are seeing in this picture are:
      • Livon silky hair potion
      • Travalo atomizer
      •  Raw gaia body butter
      • Gwen's blend hair whip
      • Lashem eye lash growing gel- Sorry I missed it in the pic.
      • And the most amazing NYX box of smokey look collection!
      What do you want me to review first of all :-)?
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      JoJo Khata Lemon Candy Review

      How about being sweet again? Its been quite some time I reviewed any sweet-0-luscious item for you. So let us jump back from cosmetics to a sweet little treat.


      As you all know I was sent some products by JoJo foods and exporters for review purpose. Therefore, today the product I am going to share you with is "Khata Lemon- Candy"

      Khata Lemon candy belongs to the candy family of JoJo foods. The other siblings of khata lemon candy are khata saeb, khato strawberry and khati orange candy.


      Packaging:
      It comes in a rectangular yellow box alike other chews and candies of Jojo. The box is yellow and orange in color. It has got a naughty lemon on the box which is winking at you ;). It seems that the lemon is aware of its sizzling sour taste and so is compelled to wink ;). Khata lemon is written with white bold text. The pack contains 70 individual candies.


      My Experience:

      If someone asks for my favorite sweet , I would definitely pick khata lemon without giving a second thought. It tastes sweet, since it is a candy- but is more sour as mentioned by its name. It tastes like the drink "FANTA/MIRINDA" so has become my all time favorite. To enjoy the candy most, I would recommend sucking the candy instead of chewing it.

      It contains sugar, liquid glucose, citric acid E330, artificial flavor Lemon and artificial colour E102 (tatrazine). I noticed that it contains less ingredients as compared to the other jojo products.

      If you want to get more information about Jojo foods and exporters, you would definitely want to have a look at their website. Also, you can contact them through their website here either by email, fax, phone or post. Join their facebook page here

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      Monday, May 7, 2012

      Liz Earle Hand Repair Review


      Liz Earle is a brand fancied by a large population of the world, specially the western part. However, Liz has successfully won the hearts of eastern consumers too.After trying several skin care products from Liz, I planned to give a try to Liz Earle's Hand Repair. Read below to learn about my thoughts and experience regarding it.

      Packaging:
      Like  most of Liz Earle products it also comes in a cylindrical pump bottle that is sky blue in colour. The pump, pumps out enough amount to be applied on hands in a single pump. The girth of a bottle is user-friendly and stays in hands firmly without any trouble. The bottle is matte, so doesn't slip from the grip. The pump is covered by a small pull-off lid.


      My Experience
      The naturally active hand repair contains soothing echinacea, toning hops, plus antioxidants beta-carotene and natural source vitamin E. Echinacea is considered the major element in its formulation since it is responsible for skin regeneration, heal wounds, inflammation and skin infections. It belongs to the daisy family. Whereas Vitamin E has innumerable skin benefits such as fading scars etc. Being an antioxidant, it also makes skin look younger and glowing.

      It is a thick white creamy but non greasy formula, that gets absorbed in the skin easily by leaving a herbal scent behind. It smells like cinnamon to me. Since it is non-greasy it has become the best moisturizer for my skin even in summer season. My hands become itchy, partially dry in summers. Using this healthy formula, leaves my hands skin soft and supple, that I really love to feel the touch of. It is suitable for all skin types for both summers and winters. I have been using it for some 15 days, and I am really satisfied with how my hands look and feel now.

      Price: 150 ml pump for £20.75

      Major turn on- The smell
      Major turn-off- The price

      Pros and Cons
      • Good packaging
      • Suitable for all skin types
      • Suitable to be used all the year round.
      • Lovely herbal fragrance
      • Makes hands soft and smooth
      • A bit expensive
      • The bottle gets dull in colour after few days due to its light shade.
      End of the Line:
      Liz Earle never disappoints!! :-) You can have a look at their site here

      =====
      Breaking News:
      1.I am feeling thrilled and pleased to mention it that My most Loved brand Liz earle has now unveiled the much awaited makeup-range. It covers face, eyes, lips and makeup accessories. Have a look at their new collection 

      2.

      Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish has won the ‘Most Revolutionary Beauty Product of the last 20 years’ at the Beauty Industry Oscars - the prestigious annual CEW (UK) Beauty Awards!Read my review on cleanse & Polish here.

      Congratulation to all the Liz team and fans :)

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      Sunday, May 6, 2012

      Cutey Charm Bracelets Review- GAIA and AETHER

      The world seems to go crazy for the charm bracelets. Charm bracelet has made its way from long forgotten history to our modern, fashion-ista life style. Aint it really the charm that has been spelled upon us by this cute dangling jewellery?

      Charm bracelets were worn in ancient times in order to please gods, bring good luck, faith and wealth and to swish away the evil spirits.  Charm bracelets are usually personalized, that collect different charms- telling the story or an specific event from the life of a wearer. It is supposed to be loose enough to keep on adding different charms based upon the specific story, as the wearer moves ahead in life.

      Cutey.co.uk has given a new concept to the beauty of charm bracelet by making them more wearable and adding a universal value to each charm. The bracelets contain metal beads, wooden pieces and crystals that are truly adorable. Each bracelet depicts a certain idea and so is very symbolic. I loved the way each charm is intricately cut and designed to enhance it not only as a charm but as a simple piece of jewellery too.

      GAIA Charm Bracelet

      Concept: Gaia charm bracelet is an ultimate love for those who love nature and mother earth. It was named after the greek goddess of Earth. It reflects wearer's attachment to the soil, foliage, roots and life at our dear planet earth.

      It has a metallic thin band , when open it measure 7 inch. It contains seven different charms, two lock heart spacers and one lucky leaf spacer. Spacers are sometimes added in the bracelet to avoid clutter of the dangling charms. Charms are made of crystal, wooden, glass and metallic. Spacers are also metallic. One of the charm engraves cutey on it. It is easy to wear since it has a metallic clasp.

      Price: £14.99
      Aether Charm Bracelet

      Concept:It was named after the god of upper heaven and the sky. It depicts the idea of a fun-filled, cheerful life with no enmities. According to cutey, it is a piece of heaven in delicate pinks and perfect to show of girlishness.

      Unlike GAIA it seems less cluttered, since it has only seven charms but no spacers. It also measures 7 inch when opened. It has three glass charms that are in pretty pink, two stars, one another metallic charm ( I seriously do not know what it is) and one charm that reads cutey. Easy to wear, easy to open and easy to boast around the world ;)

      Price: £12.99

      Major Turn On- The cute charms 
      Major Turn Off- Nothing

      Pros and Cons
      • Charming
      • Easy to wear
      • Thematic
      •  Metallic and sturdy
      • A bit expensive
      • Adjusts only medium to thin wrists.
      Cutey is a baby company but their bracelets make the best gifts.  Share the love and beauty and join Cutey by ordering some for your self and your loved ones. They ship worldwide. For more information click here

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      Tuesday, May 1, 2012

      Life Savers(Part 1)-L'OREAL White Perfect

      I usually don't believe that any cosmetic can show magic with just a swish and flick of a wand.Yeah, magic does not exist in the real world, and in real scenarios. I had to double check this concept when I discovered two of the "life Saving" products for myself.

      Below you will find the unveiled first product that really changed my life. Gave me confidence enough to walk my head high!
       Loreal White Perfect (Dermo-Expertise) is a NIGHT cream that aims to deeply nourish and regenerate the skin to improve its elasticity and lets it regain its youth over night. Science proves that when we are asleep, our skin starts working. Therefore, face that bears the most delicate skin needs utmost attention. You can solve some 70% of your acne, dehydrated skin and other related issues just by showing some concern to your skin at night. It contains glycerin that maintains a healthy fresh glow of skin for the coming day.
       Packaging:

      It comes in a very elegant glass jar and two lids on it. 
      • The inside lid
      • The major lid
      The inside lid is a small thin plate like cover that is plastic made. It is something unique. Yes, stylish you may call it. This adds even more to its packaging. You just place it on the jar's mouth to keep your product fresh and safe from bacteria accumulation.Whereas, like all other creams it has got a major lid that is used to close the jar by moving it in clockwise position. It comes with quite much reading stuff that explains in detail that how the cream works.

      My Experience
       Loreal White Perfect Night-Transparent Rosy Whitening is a gel like formula that gets completely absorbed in the skin. It has got hint of blue in it, that makes it even more different from the other available creams in the market.The fragrance is very light and smells good.


       As earlier I said in one of my reviews, that I do not believe on skin lightening products, I still stand by with the same statement .However, it tends to make your skin flawless by bringing it in an even tone and by lightening scars and dark spots. I have been using it for three months, and now I can strongly recommend it to all oily skin bearers. It neither feels sticky, nor heavy on face. It is making my skin soft and smooth day by day. I love to wake up with a clear, bright face every morning, that had not been possible otherwise. In these three months, I also did not find any noticeable zits, that might have been caused by the formula. Not only this, it even minimize pores. I am definitely going to repurchase it, even though it is expensive just because it has solved my large scary pores to a big extent. I am not saying that they all have been vanished, however I am expecting them to be, with the use of some three months more. Moreover, it keeps the skin well-hydrated. If you have oily skin, you can go, get it for yourself without any risk fears!

      Major Turn-On:
      The Packaging

      Major Turn-off:
      The Price tag

      Price

      I got 50ml from Hyper star Lahore with a discount price tag of Rs 1005. It is available at almost all big drugstores for Rs 1050.   

      Pros and Cons
      1. Attractive packaging
      2. Non- greasy 
      3. Easy to apply
      4. Easily absorbed
      5. No zits noticed
      6. Minimize large pores
      7. Keep skin healthy and glowing
      8. Rejuvenates skin in the real sense
      9. Makes skin even-toned
      10. HELL EXPENSIVE!
      A 50ml jar will last you 3-3.5 months. 

      End of the Line 
      It really is a life saver. I had some really huge pores. Sometime I would feel that my face is porous like a sponge and nothing can help me making it look better. I am glad i found it. If you are looking for a product that could turn your skin into a beauty magic, then GRAB it immediately for yourself. Do not look at the price, it is worth it!!
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