It’s not quite that dramatic. I was prepared for a long and dry winter (which I welcome), however, El-Nino was upon us and Pune witnessed a rather short winter. I was sorely disappointed that I got only two months to wear scarves and fuzzy socks. But I’ll take any excuse to talk about winter and I bring you my winter skincare picks in spring.
This purchase was partially initiated because I just like the packaging that much. I had never used a serum before, I thought I couldn’t go wrong with a hydrating one that had good reviews. Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Serum was amazing at making my skin look plumped and hydrated instantly. It was a staple in my morning routine and I’ve used it up since. It’s a very milky liquid texture that absorbs quickly. The only con I can find is that it does contain fragrance, I’m not sensitive to it but it can be problematic for others. I mentioned in my last post how difficult this particular product was to find online, but you can buy this at Nykaa now.
Possibly all throughout 2015, I’ve been very loyal to Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Moisturizer. It comes in three variants but this particular one is a light but rich cream. I actually find this great to use all year round. It isn’t uncomfortably rich in humid weather and moisturises well enough in winter as well. It probably lasted longer because of the serum though. This is my second tub and to be honest, while I do like it, I will be moving on to a different moisturizer next because I just want to try something different.
After using up Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate (my first facial oil), I was very excited to try a bright rosehip oil. Having heard about it’s benefits like evening out skintone and hydration, I had decent expectations. Sadly, I didn’t quite get on well with Pai Rosehip Regenerate Oil. There wasn’t anything particularly wrong with it, I just felt quite meh about it. It is quite good at hydrating overnight and whilst my skin wasn’t dry when I woke up, it wasn’t plump or glowing either. I didn’t particularly see any difference in my skin texture or hyperpigmentation reduction. This isn’t bad per se, but it did make me miss my MRC. Hence, this won’t be repurchased. Also, the oil is on the thicker side, it takes a while to sink in but you can definitely *feel* it on your skin.
Every winter I pull out my Dior Addict Lip Glow, which is also available in two other shades now! It’s the mood ring equivalent of a lipstick and gives me a very healthy pink tint. It’s very hydrating and lasts a good 3-4 hours. It’s quite balmy but not quite as heavy as Nuxe. Would I buy this again? It’s a case of heart over mind, yes. Thankfully, I’m not running out of it anytime soon.
NUXE Rêve de Miel as been repurchased thrice and that should tell you all you need to know! It’s not something I’d wear in the day unless I had severely chapped lips. It’s a thick balm reserved for night time repair. It can have a slight gritty texture (particularly the top layers) but it’s very soft and oddly a matte-ish finish. It’s one of those balms that can also soothe irritation around your lips if you suffer from sun sensitivity like me.
I decided to try the (heavily and heavenly) vanilla scented Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector in Rosewood after fangirling over it for a year. I’m happy to report that’s a great sheer lip tint. Not quite as moisturising as the original Instant Light Lip Perfectors or Dior Lip Glow but it has it’s place in my routine for when I need a comforting nude brown glossy tint.
Okay, so Mysore Sandalwood isn’t nearly as ~exotic~ if you’ve been exposed to it all throughout your life. Chances are you’ve visited Ooty/Mysore at some point of time in your life and brought back heaps of sandalwood soaps, potpourri and those scented packets you keep in your closet. I still have them after all these years. I get such a nostalgic kick from it, it reminds me of my old house in Bombay and other times I went on holidays with my grandparents. That and fact that true Mysore sandalwood reserves are dwindling makes you want to preserve that scent memory even more. That’s what drew me to Forest Essentials Bath & Shower Oil in Mysore Sandalwood first. I literally wanted to douse myself in the scent, the fact that it’s also moisturising is an added bonus.
It’s a sweet and creamy sandalwood, not a sharp spicy scent at all like all those artificial ones. I use it sparingly whenever I’m feeling lazy to apply a body lotion. It’s moisturising but sadly only lasts for maybe half the day. I’ve also noticed that Forest Essentials has replaced this particular one with Mysore Sandalwood and Vetiver, which isn’t quite the same. Lucky for me, my local Sephora still had the Mysore Sandalwood version on display which was promptly purchased.
When I visited Australia last year, there were a surprising number of emu oil and placenta skincare products everywhere. Not sure what that’s about and I haven’t read a lot about them either. But I did want to try something from that assortment. I picked out the safest option there, the Lanocreme Body Lotion. I don’t have a particularly strong opinion about this. It’s alright and was good enough for winter. Not something I’ll be trying to track down to purchase again though.
To end this, I’ll talk about least used product from this lot. Not because it’s bad but because I can just never remember to apply it. When I did though, I was rewarded with an amazing green apple scent and soft hands. The Body Shop Glazed Apple Hand Cream was limited edition, but I hope they bring it back this year again. It’s creamier than the L’occitane hand cream but does sink in well after a bit of massaging. No complaints.
These are the main products I used in the last three to four months. I’ve used up some of them now. Maybe I’ll do an empties post?
In conclusion, can we all take a moment to appreciate Deadpool? So meta and silly and relevant, I love it! Truth be told, a lot of the jokes weren’t landing well on a Tuesday night, part of enjoying the movie is the atmosphere around but I definitely want to see the complete uncut version! The Indian Censor Board pretty much removed every R-Rated bit from an R-Rated movie. Oh wait… what’s the point of ratings then?
I’m unsure what my next update should be. Either a post about all my Mac eyeshadows (now that that 15 palette is all filled up) or possibly an on-the-go makeup kind of reveal. Take care everyone!
Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Serum (Rs. 1800) – Nykaa, Escentual
Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Moisturizer ($43) – Sephora
Pai Rosehip Regenerate Oil ($24) – BeautyBay
Dior Addict Lip Glow ($33) – Sephora, Nordstrom, Escentual
NUXE Rêve de Miel (£9.5) – Feel Unique, Escentual
Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector in Rosewood ($25) – Nordstrom, Escentual
Forest Essentials Bath & Shower Oil in Mysore Sandalwood (Rs. 1675) – Forest Essentials, Nykaa
(links above are affiliate links)
Leave a Reply