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My Skincare Journey with IDS Skincare - My first Visit & Consultation with the Doctor

Following a Skincare Regimen has always been a bit tough for me as I always get distracted midway. I never stick to the original routine and always stop or switch over to another brand which I know is a horrible thing to do.

IDS clinic Singapore

I was invited to try out the Skincare products and I am going to be sharing my first experience with them. I visited their International Building which is their flagship store and it was magnificent with a lot of consultation rooms and plenty of staff who can attend to you. All the safety protocols were followed as per the Covid 19 Safe distancing guidelines , which was a big tick from me.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Serum Vs L'occitane Divine Youth Oil Vs Blue Nectar Ayurveda Kumkumadi Radiance Night Glow Serum

 I recently got to try facial serums/oils from 2 brands - One French and one India brand. I have done a comparison of these oils with another midnight recovery serum from Kiehl's as well. You can learn about these oils/serums from the table below.

Loccitane Divine Youth Oil


 

S.no 

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate

L’occitane Divine Youth Serum

Blue Nectar Kumkumadi Oil

Packaging

Very classy and sturdy packaging although it’s a glass container. Royal blue color container with a sturdy pump dispenser.

Most attractive packaging ever and you would definitely get tempted to buy this. Yellow color glass container with a very sturdy pump dispenser.  Not very travel friendly.

Lightweight container packaging which is not the sturdiest. The pump dispenser is given separately and does not completely fit into the container. Hence, the lid needs to be fixed every time after using and the pump is to be kept separately. Not very travel friendly either.

Fragrance

Pleasant smell but strong smell of various oils.

Made from various flowers and hence the smell is quite pleasant and lingers for a long time.

Smells strongly of traditional oils and doesn’t have any other fragrance. Not the best smelling according to me. In a way, you can be assured that it has no added artificial fragrances.

Effectiveness

We need about 3 drops for the entire face and it take about 10 minutes to sink in completely. Initially, I had a FEW BREAKOUTS due to the high concentration of various oils but later my skin got used to it. The oil is best suitable for night time use as per the name. It can be a bit sticky and greasy for daytime. So stick to the instructions. As for the effectiveness, I am not too sure if I would recommend this.

We need about 3 drops of this oil to cover the entire face and it gets absorbed in a jiffy, YES you heard me right. The oil feels so light on the skin and doesn’t make your face greasy. It is so lightweight that you can also use it before applying makeup. I feel that it helps preps my face for makeup better than a moisturizer. The oil definitely helped lighten my dark spots.

We need just about 2 drops of this oil for the face. The oil is quite heavy and greasy on the skin and it takes a long time to get absorbed into the skin. This has to be used only at night on a moist skin for better absorption into the skin. The oil can make your skin a bit dark when applied but once you wash it off after 60 minutes , it does leave it very soft, supple and bright.

Price

SGD 80 for 30 ml

SGD 178 for 30 ml

SGD 35 for 10 ml

Overall Rating

Most affordable for the price considering the various oil blends. Works at a slow pace.

Most expensive of all the 3 but most effective too

Moderately priced and can try the 10 ml first. Meant only for night time skincare


Blue Nectar Ayurveda Saffron Kumkumadi Glow Radiance Serum review

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Serum Review

Loccitance En Provence Divine Youth Oil Review


Blue Nectar Anti Ageing Day and Night Brightening Face Cream for Wrinkles with Pure Saffron Sandalwood First Impressions


Blue Nectar Luxurious Ayurveda Anti Ageing Saffron Sandalwood Brightening Cream Review

I visited India in January 2020 and I really miss the fun times I had with our families and time spent in shopping malls in Chennai. Express Avenue is by far our favorite because it is so close to our house in Royapettah and we literally used to walk to the mall and also watch night show movies on a Friday night. 

I have vivid memories of Pani puris from Gangothri, perfumes from Lifestyle Stores , aromatic coffee from Starbucks and sweet scents from The Forest Essentials store.

Hair Keratin treatment - Is it worthy or not?

I have suffered all my life with my curly , frizzy hair and I got to try the Brazilian  Keratin Treatment last December, 2019. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life although it is not a permanent treatment. 

I did the Keratin treatment from a salon called Zulu Style which is located in Little India,Singapore. I had read sufficient reviews to convince myself of the treatment, of the place & finally I went ahead.

The treatment done was Advanced Keratin treatment since my hair was extremely frizzy & curly. The entire process took about 4 hours and the products used were absolutely chemical free. The end result was magical and they said my hair would turn a bit wavy after the first wash and not remain very straight unlike straightening treatment. The smell of the Brazilian Keratin was not very great and there were several rounds of treatment like a hair wash, followed by application of keratin, then straightening the hair using an iron, then again washing and followed by a serum.

Before Keratin Treatment
BEFORE

Keratin treatment Benefits
AFTER

Hair Keratin Treatment

How to look Fashionable in Kurtas

Kurtas have been around in the market for 40 years or so, with variations in the material, prints and the styling. I have started a series on my Instagram called the SimpleSalwarSeries to show case simple, wearable, comfortable kurtas that are affordable.

I am going to be featuring some of them today on the blog, so that you guys can see how I have styled them in multiple ways. All of these are under INR 1500(USD 20) and are mostly cotton material which is suitable for the heat in India. 

I have listed the best available simple, wearable kurtas for you to choose in order to suit your needs and also some hacks to look stylish in them.

Twists that you can give to your outfit for an extra oomph factor :

1 : Colourful Headbands

Styling Kuras S

Styling Indian Kurtas


2 : Printed Scarves

3 : Beautiful footwear

Jhootis India

Outfit from Myntra

4 : Statement Jewellery

Styling statement earrings

Oxidized Jewellery Chennai

Wearing Oxidized Necklaces

Kundan stone necklace

Ayesha Accessories

GRT Jewellers India

Long Statement earrings

5 : Fashionable bags

I have featured my jewelry choices along with each outfit to give you an idea of how it can change an entire look.

Fashion Equation Chennai

Kay Fashions Chennai

92 Shop Kurtis Chennai

92 Shop Chennai Ranganathan Street Kurtas

Fashion Equation Kurtas Chennai Porur

T Nagar Pondy Bazaar Kurta Shops

Traditional Kemp Jewellery

Myntra Fashion Kurtas

It is extremely important that you feel comfortable in the outfit that you choose to wear, be it Western or Traditional. I absolutely love to rock traditional wear along with a combination of modern & traditional jewelry.

The one lipstick which you will never regret buying

I have searched the aisles of several beauty shops for the best nude lipstick but never did I find the right one. Some made me look like I just got the worst sunburn of my lifetime while others made me look like my lips were cut off from my face. Being yellow toned, I have never liked any of the MLBB lipsticks earlier until I got my hands on this beauty.

Sugar Matte as Hell Lip crayon in holly Golightly

Colourpop Fantasy Super Shock Pressed Pigments Review

How is the Covid Situation in all your places? Here the stay home notice has been eased and my little one has started getting back to school although with a mask on , full time except meal time. She is adjusting well to the new norm and we parents also have to wear mask while dropping & picking them up.

Since masks have become the new normal, why not use this time to make the best of our eye makeup skills & make our eyes pop? Sounds good right ? So here comes Colourpop Super Shock Pressed Pigment in the shade Fantasy.

Colourpop Super shock Pigments
Colourpop Super Shock Pressed Pigment in Fantasy

Wet n Wild Megalast liquid catsuit Lipstick in Missy n Fierce Review, Lip Swatch

How many brands may come up with varied lipstick shades but the one shade that will never ever go out of trend is a red lipstick.

Wet n Wild Megalast liquid catsuit lipstick

What the brand claims ?

What glides on like butter, feels like a second skin and wont budge? Our Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick! Made with glammed out superpowers, it goes on glossy yet transforms into a high - pigmented matte finish with some serious staying power. Read our lips This color is going nowhere.

  • Glides on glossy and transforms into high - pigmented matte finish
  • Lightweight formula made with serious staying power
  • Intense pigmentation without drying the lips
  • Green & Gold eyemakeup Ft.Barry M Cosmetics Singapore

    Watch how I create this Olive Green & Gold eye makeup using products from Barry M Cosmetics, Singapore.

    Barrym Cosmetics SIngapore

    Nordgreen Native Gold Strap Watch with White Dial - A perfect timeless gift

    Times have changed, technology has changed but the way we check the TIME hasn't changed one bit in all these years.
    Hence a watch still remains a timeless gift and in some cultures,it is gifted to people when they come off age ,as an indicator that it is the TIME to establish a path of their own. 

    We are all crazy about European watches, aren't we ? When we had gone to Switzerland, all that I did during shopping time was to stand outside watch showrooms and gaze at those amazing designs. Not one day did I think I will own one of them. Today we are here to talk about once such amazing watch brand NORDGREEN, based out of Copenhagen.

    Nordgreen Native Watch with white dial

    About the Brand ;

    The “Nord” represents our Nordic identity. We not only strive to capture the sophisticated minimalism that is so inherent in Scandinavian design, but aim to integrate Danish values into everything we do. We actively work to inspire trust, encourage cooperation, and foster an open and honest environment between us, our employees, our partners, and our customers.

    The “Green” captures our emphasis on sustainability. We take the necessary steps to ensure that our products and processes are as sustainable as possible, exemplified by our recyclable packaging and partnerships with sustainable manufacturers. At Nordgreen, the Scandinavian values of generosity and social responsibility always come first.

    Best Nordic Watches

    VLCC 3D Youth Boost Gel Sunscreen SPF 40 Review

    The beauty and healthcare market in India is growing at a very fast pace. So many brands, so many variants and varied price range which caters to people from all walks of life. 

    VLCC youth Boost 3d

    Continuing the sunscreen series on the blog, today we have VLCC's 3D Youth Boost gel Sunscreen. VLCC has so many variants of sunscreens in the market suitable for different needs & skin types. I chose this version because I was tired of oily , creamy sunscreens and wanted a gel based for a change.


    VLCC 3D Youth Boost Gel Sunscreen Review


    The product comes in a squeeze type packaging and the quantity is 100 ml. The fragrance is absolutely amazing and it reminds me of a good perfume. The overall packaging is very colorful, attractive and would tempt people into buying. The texture feels like a cream but it blends into the skin like a gel & sets in probably just 2 minutes. Singapore has very high humidity and I have tried this sunscreen during the peak humid period of 4 to 5 pm and it didn't make me sweat or feel greasy.The skin feels really moist and supple but I am not sure of the youth boost feature. Supple skin would get lesser wrinkles and hence the name Youth Boost. 

    Gel Sunscreens India

    The SPF is 40 which is a decent protection for the budget but I would have been happier if the SPF was a little higher. Priced at INR  395 , the quantity is a bit less and since the consistency is a bit thick, it would last for a lesser time. Rating 4/5

    VLCC skincare products India




    Biotique Bio Vera 75 + SPF UVA/UVB Sunscreen Ultra Soothing Body Lotion - 100 % Ayurvedic Recipe

    Some products are way too expensive in Singapore like Dettol, body wash liquids , hand wash liquids, sunscreens, and so on. So whenever I visit India or someone from India visits me, I make sure I have at least 2 bottles of each of these. This time I made a visit to Health & Glow, the go to beauty destination in Chennai for all your skin and makeup needs (This is not a paid post). I managed to grab a lot of stuff like shaving razors, bleach, some sunscreens, some face creams , cotton swabs, pedicure kit etc.

    If I get ample time, I make a visit to Angels store in Egmore which has a lot of offers & a varied range of products too.This visit was too short & I had time just to go to the H&G opposite to my in-law's place.

    Today , I have penned down my thoughts about The Biotique Bio Vera 75 + SPF Body Lotion.

    Biotique Bio Vera 75 + SPF UVA/UVB Sunscreen Ultra Soothing Body Lotion

    Intense Black Smokey Eye Tutorial - Video

    Watch here how I have created an intense black smokey eye suitable for evening parties or photoshoots. Here, I have worn a simple white embroided kurti with a Pink phulkari dupatta.


    Innisfree Jeju Lava Seawater Boosting Ampoule Review

    How are you all coping with the Covid 19 situation in your respective countries right now? I have a high energy 3 year old who thinks sleep is for the weak and hardly sleeps these days due to lack of any physical activity and I have to entertain her from morning till night since she is extra clingy due to change in her routine. Nevertheless, we are all safe at the moment confined to our house with enough food supply. My heart goes out to those who are finding it difficult to even find food supplies or unable to procure their basic necessities, the only thing I can do at the moment is pray for everyone in the World.

    Innisfree is my all time favorite brand when it comes to skincare and I have at least about 3 to 4 products in my household on an average from Innisfree at all times. I have 3 to 4 used by bottles or tubes for recycling too which shows how much I love the brand. 


    Innisfree Jeju Lava Seawater Boosting Ampoule Skincare
    Innisfree Jeju lava Seawater Boosting Ampoule

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