Let's talk about fairness creams!

Picture Courtesy : sodahead

India got a huge beauty market, and any products related to fairness sells like hot cake over here. In our society, there is an unusual craving for fair skin. And beauty is synonymous with fair skin.

Not only the social circle which believes being fair is being beautiful and anyone who is not fair is considered not beautiful or ugly, but unfortunately, celebrities and Bollywood filmstars endorses this fairness craze by promoting several fairness creams and products. Now, there is a multimillion dollar business setup of fairness products alone in our nation, but the biggest question is how effective are these fairness products?

Picture Courtesy : stuffishare1.blogspot

The amount and structure of melanin in one’s skin, determines our body color or skin tone. The lesser the amount of melanin, fairer the skin tone. All this also depends on race and genes. Upto a small extent, these fairness products work. A recent dermatology study has revealed that one can achieve only upto 20% fairer skin. Fairness creams will generally block the harsh sun rays from entering our skin and also prevents to some extent secretion of melanin. This will reduce tan and restores natural skin color.

What you should do to have a clearer brighter skin tone? –

·         Wash your face with water at least 3 times everyday.

·         Moisturize your face at least twice a day if you have dry skin. For oily skin, you can apply moisturizer once, before going to bed.

·         Apply sunscreen always before going out which will prevent tanning by blocking the harmful UV rays of the sun.

·         Use other protective measures like sunglasses and umbrella while going out.

·         Drink at least 6 glasses of water every day.

·         Consume fruits rich in anti-oxidants.

·         Increase consumption of food items rich in Vitamin C. It multiplies cell turnover, protects skin from sun damage, stimulates production of elastin and collagen, which helps the skin to remain glowing and healthy for a long time.

·         Remember to exfoliate your facial skin at least once every week. If you exfoliate regularly, that should remove any dead skin cells on the epidermis that is the skin’s outer surface.

Picture Courtesy : soulofdavid.deviantart

What you should avoid to get clearer brighter skin? –

·         Do not go for regular bleaching. Since bleaching creams contain hydrochloric acid as well as ammonia it can cause burns on the skin.

·         Any products which might breakout the skin should be avoided.

Side effects of whiteness creams –

Regular or extreme usage of whiteness cream can cause lot of damage to the skin.

Fairness creams contain bleaching agents like mercury, nickel, lead, hydroquinone, chromium, and steroids which are very harmful and can lead to :

·         thinning of the facial skin

·         discoloration

·         visibility of capillaries

·         acne

·         hypersensitivity to sun rays

·         pigmentation

·         excessive facial hair growth

·         skin allergy

·         skin cancer.

Picture Courtesy : redefiningthefaceofbeauty

Finally before we end this post, we must tell you, love yourself for what you are. One does not need to be fair or white skin to look beautiful. However, everyone needs healthy and glowing skin. So just be happy. Dont fall in the trap of advertisements promoting fairness creams. Nothing actually works the way better than you are already. You are gorgeous, just believe in it!

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Garnier White Complete Range Review

RATING – 8 OUT OF 10 (Combined Rating of both the products)

Today i am going to review the Garnier White Complete Range. It consists of the Garnier White Complete Fairness Face Wash and the Garnier White Complete Multi Action Fairness Cream. I took the Garnier 7 Days challenge and here are my thoughts on the entire range. First i will write about the face wash and then the fairness cream from Garnier.

REVIEW : Garnier White Complete Fairness Face Wash

Ingredients : Water, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Propylparaben, Disodium Edta, Lemon Fruit Extract etc.

What Garnier claims about the Garnier White Complete Fairness Face Wash ? : Exposure to sun, pollution and harsh environmental conditions makes skin appear dull and dark.

Garnier White Complete Fairness Face Wash is an effective daily face wash that helps you recover a clear, radiant, even complexion.

How does it work? Enriched with exfoliating pure lemon essence, its formula cleanses and clarifies the skin thoroughly and removes impurities that make skin dull.

How to use ? : Apply on wet face. Gently massage in with fingertips avoiding the eye contour. Rinse thoroughly. Use twice daily. Follow up with White Complete Multi Action Fairness Cream.

Garnier White Complete Fairness Face Wash costs INR Rs 145 for a pack of 100g. The tube is made up of plastic which is white in color with a yellow cap. The face wash is creamy white and got a very fruity lemon kind of essence in it. Lathers okay, but you need a bit more than one pea size amount to cover up the face and wash it off. However, the packaging is travel friendly as i did not see any leakage or spillage so far.

Yes, after washing my face, i found my face to be clearer and brighter though i wont say i got ‘whiter’ or ‘fairer’. The result was instant indeed, but did not last for more than an hour or two. And as Garnier says to avoid the eye contour while applying the face wash, thats a bit difficult to do while am in a hurry as i have to use two different face washes then, one for the eyes and this one for the face, so i will mark this particular point down! If you are in a hurry, definitely you cant use the Garnier White Complete Fairness Face Wash unless you are okay to not wash your eyes.

Overall, the Garnier White Complete Fairness Face Wash is quite a decent buy for this price. You get an instant glow, so ideal if you are going out and would be applying makeup prior to that. The skin feels quite relaxed and soothing also the complexion seems to be brighter. I might repurchase this one, but then there is enough in one tube, so one need not buy it frequently, it will last at least 30 days even if used twice a day!

REVIEW : Garnier White Complete Multi Action Fairness Cream

Ingredients : Water, Glycerin, Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Dimethicone, Silicone, Phenoxyethanol, Behenyl Alcohol, Linalool, Lemon Fruit Extract, Hexyl Cinnamal etc.

What Garnier claims about Garnier White Complete Multi Action Fairness Cream ? :

Speed White Serum - Speed White Serum is a blend of actives that address skin moisture and fairness needs.

Pure Lemon Essence – Known to clarify and smoothen skin.

UV Filters – Known to protect your skin from further darkening by harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Enriched with natural ingredients, this formula provides instant whitening and long lasting fairness. Your skin looks even, feels fresh and moisturised with a natural glow.

Why is it the complete fairness cream ? – Multi action fairness cream for glowing cream :

1.      Instant Whitening – Provides instant whitening.

2.      Sun Protection – Protects skin from further darkening by harmful UVA and UVB sun rays.

3.      Long-lasting fairness – Fairer skin over time with regular usage.

Personally, i did not like this product. Its a bit sticky when we apply on the face, and as i have super-oily skin very much prone to breakouts, this did not work well. After i applied the Garnier White Complete Multi Action Fairness Cream, i could see my skin looked brighter and am sure it will work good as a makeup base too. Also it has SPF 19, so if you are going out in the sun, you can just put on this, and you are sorted. However, the main problem for me was, once i applied i felt the skin was mattified however the T-zone was a bit sticky still, and my face started getting oily within an hour, and i had to wash off my face within the next 3 hours, and 1 day after this, my skin broke-out. So i refrained from using this.

However, my mother has a combination skin, so this works good for her. No issues as such. She does not feel any stickiness as i felt, obviously her skin type and mine are very different. Though, Garnier claimed that this cream is suitable for all skin types, but on my oily skin, the product did not fare well. I presume, Garnier White Complete Multi Action Fairness Cream will work well if you have combination skin or dry skin! The outer packaging is made up of paper and the bottle is made up of plastic, both the body and lid are white in color. The cream is white color and got a nice smell. When i applied this on the skin, i felt like am putting on Fair & Lovely cream, i think the texture is similar.

Garnier White Complete Multi Action Fairness Cream costs INR Rs 160 for a pack of 40g. Since i had to discontinue the usage of the fairness cream, i cant comment on the ‘fairness’ claim. But i saw my mother’s skin looks fresh and bright once she applies this on her face, but the effect is temporary. Since she has used only for 7 days or so, she will continue using this and if the claim is proven to be true, i shall update this space, but till now i did not see any such changes on her skin tone. However, the fact that this cream has SPF in it, is a bonus! Also it works as a makeup base and makes the skin look brighter in an instant without bleach or facial, are some of the other plus points.

(Both the products have been sent by PR as a part of the sampling activity. But that has not affected the review in any way, as you can read.)

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Homemade face packs & masks to get fair and radiant complexion

Picture Courtesy : glamcheck

Women and even men are vying for fair skin. We are fascinated towards fairer skin always. But then all are not fair since birth. So, if you are not so blessed in the fairness department, here comes some tips to achieve fairer complexion.

Most of the tips are home-made remedies, so you can prepare them at home. You don’t need to spend lot of money to do the skincare at home.

Lemon :

Lemon juice is the best remedy for skin bleaching and whitening. Squeeze lemon juice and apply the juice all over your face with the help of a cotton. Follow the same routine for a month or so. You will get a glowing skin.

Tomatoes :

To eliminate sun tan on the skin and get a fairer and glowing complexion, tomato pulp is very helpful. Grind tomatoes in a blender and the tomato pulp is to be applied all over the body. Apply this pack on alternate days.

Almond & Honey :

Take some almonds in a blender and crush them. Add some honey and 1 tablespoonful of honey into it. Apply this paste on your face and let it dry. After rinsing off the paste with water, you will get fairer and brighter complexion.

Gram Flour & Turmeric :

This mixture shows visible results and is very popular. You need 2 spoonful of gram flour, half tablespoonful of turmeric, 2 spoonful of curd, and 1 tablespoonful of lemon juice. Apply the paste in upward circular motions on the face. Let it dry off, rinse it off with water and you will get radiant glowing skin.

Milk :

Raw milk can be used as a skin cleanser. Apply cold raw milk on your face to get rid of dust and dirt and impurities from the skin. You can even add a bit of saffron in the milk. As a result of this you will get a fairer and dewy complexion.

Picture Courtesy : markrepjulie.blogspot

Cucumber :

If you want to get rid of dark circles and puffy eyes, nothing can beat the effectiveness of cucumber juice. It refreshes the face. Take two balls of cotton, dip it in the cucumber juice and apply it on the eyes. Keep it on for 20 minutes. You will brighter and more prominent eyes.

Rose Water & Fuller’s Earth :

Take 2 tablespoonful of multani mitti or fuller’s earth and put a few drops of rose water in it. Put this paste on your face. Rose water will act like skin toner. Fuller’s earth protects from the damage caused by sun.

Dried peels of orange :

A rind of the orange can give you even and fairer complexion. Grind dried orange peels into powder. Put the powder in a bit of curd and mix it and apply the paste on your face. This is a nourishing face pack and adds radiance to the skin.

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Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion review

RATING : 7 OUT OF 10

The Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion is a watery lotion with thin consistency. It is white in color and gives a powdery illusion.

Product description: Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion has SPF 15/PA++ and provides you protection from sun rays. The website claims it to enhance skin clarity by lightening and removing dullness. It also brings back the lost complexion of your skin by restoring its natural white. It leaves your skin with natural rose glow.

Price: Priced at INR 199 for a pack of Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion of 100 ml

Shelf life: The shelf life Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion is believed to be of 3 years but can last longer.

Ingredients: It contains rose and rose hips extracts that are known to have vitamin-C and this is the cause behind the whitening effect of Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion. The other ingredients are water, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, glycerin, ethylhexyl salicylate, proplylene glycol, benzophenone-3, titanium dioxide/ci 77891, peg-40 stearate, steareth-2, trimethylsiloxysilicate, dimethicone, imidazolidinyl urea, fragrance, cetyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, methylparaben, xanthan gum, acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, triethanolamine, choleth-24, disodium edta, tocopheryl acetate, ceteth-24, rosa canina fruit extract, retinyl palmitate, rosa centifolia flower extract, tocopherol.

Packaging: Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion comes in simple packaging with a cute rose photograph in the front side. The white plastic bottle has a pink screw lid with a flip top opening. The opening is enough to get the right amount of lotion.

Scent: The smell of Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion is no where near rose fragrance and has a chemical scent to it.

How to apply: Take the desired quantity of Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion in your hands and start applying evenly on your face. Start with small amount and do it in even layers. Blend it properly and wait till it is absorbed.

Pros:

• Suitable for all types of makeup and skin tone
• The Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion is mild and gentle and great for everyday use.
• Even out the skin tone and smooth in application

Cons:

• Does not absorb in seconds into the skin and takes a long 1-2 minutes and even after that does not absorb properly
• It does not feel light and after applying the Avon Naturals Rose and rosehips fairness lotion, there is a heavy feel of something sticking to the face.
• It is not suitable for oily skin and turns greasy when applied more.

( Written by aEsThEtIcS staff )

 

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