Introducing Facial Serums

Its the start of winter season and the air is showing signs of whats to come. Winter will come and along with it will be harsh winds that strip away moisture of the skin and make it dry, brittle and prone to damage.

Rejuvenating your delicate facial skin with night serum gives it the boost to fight these dry winds.

With special formulation for normal skin and dry skin, these serums carry amazing ingredients like sweet almond oil, jojoba oil and apricot kernel oil.

How to order: Just get in touch with me on email or whatsapp 9899792472. Follow me on instagram to get updates.

Autumn Tips for Skin Care

Autumn may signal the change of weather but it also signals another change we must do, a change in our skin care routine. The air is turning dry and sun no longer as harsh as it was. Follow these simple tips to ensure your skin is ready to face the weather coming round the corner.

Moisturize

If your skin starts to feel dry or de-hydrated, try using creamier moisturizers.  A richer night cream with Kokum or mango butter can help give your skin a soft texture. Depending on your skin type, go for a facial serum containing jojoba oil or sweet almond oil to rejuvenate the skin in these months

Exfoliate

Its important to exfoliate regularly to remove the dead skin cells and keep the skin healthy and fresh. Don’t use chemical laden exfoliants which also strip the skin of moisture. You can use home based scrubs like besan or ubtan or you can go for a scrub mask.

Watch the water temperature

While a nice long bath with warm water will look increasingly enticing, but it can strip away oil from your skin leaving it parched and dry. Apply a good bath oil like Coconut Oil or Til Oil to help keep the skin soft and supple.

Choose the right soap

Choose a soap which does not strip away all the oil from the skin. If your skin feels stretched or dry after bath, consider moving to a hand made soap which helps the skin retain moisture and oil balance.

Most conventional ‘soaps’ on the market are not really soap but are either made with detergents or blends of detergents and real soap.  Most small hand crafters make real soap.  Many (but not all) large companies remove glycerin from soaps (since they can make more money selling it as a raw ingredient).  Small hand crafters do not remove glycerin from their soaps.

Drink plenty of water

Just because the days are cooler does not mean you can let up on your water intake. Be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water to help keep your skin hydrated.

Enjoy the adrak chai  and coffee latte in the new weather.

Kaolin Clay for face mask

Hi Girls, You know Kaolin Clay is a very fine clay and is one of the most gentle clays. Since it does not draw too much oil, it is suitable for people with dry or sensitive skin. It is mildly exfoliating and makes the skin soft. Just getting my hands on this clay and will be using it to make face masks soon. So stay tuned 🙂

Hurrey, Got listed on craftsvilla

Hey Girls, taking this opportunity to shout out that I am finally listed on craftsvilla. It is still a work in progress but so happy to be there. Do check out my page at www.craftsvilla.com/swarnkrita and show some love.

Neem Haldi Tulsi Soap

Hi Ladies,

Last week was really hectic so could not tell you all about this. Recently made this amazing, dark & handsome soap with freshly crushed Neem leaves, Cold Pressed Neem Oil and essential Oil of Basil or Tulsi. Perrrrfect for this humid monsoon season starting up. All these ingredients are considered good for the skin and have anti-bacterial properties.

And to top it all, it has crushed walnut powder to give the skin a mild scrub.

Now these soaps are cut and curing on my soap rack. Since I make only small batches, it happens that by the time the word goes out, the batch is close to finishing. So if you like it, pre-book it now. I will be shipping them starting 24th June.

Enjoy the rains.

Get Monsoon Ready Skin

The monsoons are not far off and very soon the hot dry air will be replaced by …. (drum rolls) hot humid air.

High levels of humidity take a toll on our skin. Because of the heat, Skin works in overdrive to produce more sweat & cool the body but it also attracts more dust and grime. When the skin is wet and sweaty, it is very easy to suffer skin damage when we venture out in the sun. Humidity, dust and oily skin also mean a fertile ground for bacteria to flourish. This can lead to blocked pores, acne or rashes.

Skin care during the rainy season does not mean just sitting in air-conditioners and not stepping out. (I won’t mind it thoughJ) Rather, natural recipes to support the skin can make a world of difference and keep us looking and feeling fresh and glowing.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind during these monsoons.

1. Keep the skin hydrated by drinking adequate amount of water. Instead of sugary/fizzy drinks, go for natural traditional drinks like sweet lime or shikanji, honey & lemon, freshly pressed fruit & vegetable juices, sweet lassi or masala chaas.
2. Use a mild soap to keep the skin clean without affecting the sebum balance of the skin. Remember that sebum fights off the bacteria build-up on the skin and stripping it away with harsh soaps can be counterproductive.
3. Go for minimal makeup. Always remove the makeup as soon as possible to let the skin breath.
4. Applying light oil like sesame oil after bathing helps lock the moisture and also keeps the skin free from bacteria. It is an old and beneficial practice but many don’t do it thinking its not fashionable enough for them 😛

Here’s wishing a bountiful monsoon with lots of fun & frolic and glowing, radiant skin to match.

Stay natural, stay beautiful.

Orangy-Tangy-Yummy

Its going to be back…. the Orange Blast Soap has been in slumber for a couple of weeks and needs just a bit more sleep. Its orangy-tangy-sweet smell will wake you up with a bang. You can pre-order by connecting with me on gmail or whatsapp as well.

Exquisite Ingredients give excellent results

The handmade soaps that I make have ingredients which have known benefits for skin and have been used for skin care since a long time. They are so good for the skin that you can directly use them as massage oils.

Coconut Oil keeps the skin nourished and soft. It also has anti-aging properties and protects the skin from harmful effects of the Sun. Have a look at how many ways you can use coconut oil here

Castor oil has been used for centuries for its anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties. It is one of the most widely used ingredients in cosmetics, soaps, massage oils etc. Castor oil is an excellent emollient for the facial skin

Olive Oil is loaded with antioxidants and nutrition. Olive oil can also help repair skin damage from sun exposure, cigarette smoke and pollutants.  Using it as a massage oil in winters can keep your skin soft and supple.

Commercial soaps contain so many chemicals; I don’t think any manufacturer will ever recommend putting the ingredients directly on skin 😉

Do You Know?

Transparent soaps look so good to hold against the light and see through. A lot many adverts have that image. Do you know how a plain jane bar of soap turns transparent?

Transparent soap is made by adding alcohol to the soap; and that too 80%-90% ABV alcohol. Such high alcohol content is very drying for the skin. It strips the skin of the natural oil. This can leave the skin scratchy and itchy. It can also cause flakiness. Bereft of its natural oil barrier, the skin can become prone to rashes too.

Choose a soap which is good for you, not just good to look at; much like choosing a life partner 😉

Happy Users = Happy Me :-)

It feels so good when people who have used the soaps take the trouble to let everyone around know that they liked it. Makes me feel super happy.

Hifza loved the Frankincense & Cinnamon soap so much, she took the whole batch 🙂

Thank you so much.

You can read her review here.