Nivea Refreshing Cleansing Milk review

Nivea Refreshing Cleansing Milk for normal skin is a nourishing and quality cleanser to remove makeup and dirt. Its light feeling and no oily residue makes it good for everyday use unlike my last Lancome cleanser.

Quantity – 200ml

Price –  in 20 AED range

Product info – Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Cleansing Milk enriched with Vitamin E and Hydra IQ cleanses deeply, removing makeup and even waterproof mascara, moisturizes the skin to keep its natural moisture balance, refreshes the skin with its invigorating formula.

It is a sweet smelling, slightly runny cleansing milk which melts away the makeup (foundation, kohl, eye pencil, sunscreen – what I have removed) without much pulling and tugging at skin. The best part would be that it does not leave any oil and after washing the face I feel clean and fresh skin. Me being dry skinned, Nivea Cleansing Milk moisturises the skin just the right amount to feel soft, sometimes I follow it up with light moisturiser, sometimes not. However it does sting the eye if it goes inside, so I have to be careful. To remove waterproof eye makeup it takes 3-4 gentle swipes and it comes off. A little effort there.

I first moisten my face with water, then massage the cleansing milk with cotton and gently it removes the makeup. Following it up with splashes of water, skin feels hydrated and clean. It is not extremely moisturising if that’s what you are looking for, but for me Nivea Cleansing Milk is perfect – gentle, effective and soothing (no breakout, flakes).

Recommendation – If you are looking for hydrating deep cleanser for normal to dry skin, then Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Cleansing Milk might fit the bill.

Nivea Q10 Plus Anti Wrinkle Night Care cream review

Nivea Q10 Plus Anti Wrinkle Night Care is a rich moisturiser for night skin care. I feel Nivea products are more inclined towards dry skin and I love it. Still wary of the anti wrinkle range but in shortage of options had to pick up this. This is my first night cream.

Quantity – 50ml

Price – AED 47

Product info - Q10 and Creatine are powerful actives found naturally in the skin. With age, their levels decrease, leaving the skin with less energy to regenerate. Over time it is more prone to wrinkles and other signs of ageing. Nivea Q10 plus range contains skin’s own actives Q10 and Creatine. Provides intensive moisture throughout the night. Effectively fights wrinkles from within. Increases Q10 and Creatine levels in the skin during the night.

Q10 night cream is thick and contains signature Nivea fragrance. On application, it feels sitting on the skin but slowly it absorbs through the night. I apply a thin patted on veil of this cream on the outside face lines and slowly spreading – patting on whole face. It feels oily while applying, so a very light application on the T-zone or else the cream feels like pore blocker. Q10 cream is heavy duty night care as the moisture stays till morning and I could find no dry patches. For night time, fragrance is bit heavy, as I prefer without or fresh scent. Also there could be improvement on its heavy texture, as it breaks me out on oily skin days.

For the anti wrinkle part, I had earlier two lines between my brows which seem to have vanished and overall the skin feels smooth. Since this night cream is new to my skin care, I think it has worked its part, also regular usage is key. The packaging is heavy glass tub in Nivea blue, which seems sturdy and travel friendly. A lighter package would be welcome.

Recommendation – Nivea Q10 night cream is great for dry skin but sensitive /oily /combination skin might have different opinion.

Trending Metallic’a: Summer 2014

Midas touched the runway and what became of the clothes. Scrapes of gold clinging to fabric shone under the sun. Metallics have dazzled the runway in reflective golds,  jewel  tones and what’s shocking that Summer 2014 is playing this trend in day time. Metallic fashion this year is not reserved for the Gatsby nights but the tomboy days – easy,sexy and shiny. I can almost picture Jennifer Lawrence as the ambassador of this trend, wearing this Jason Wu halter.

The fabrics are coated and sheathed, mixing best with breezy silhouettes. The key is to insert a single metallic element in your look, let it shine in light, speak for itself. This trend is about inner goddess, choose your own jewel color and glow iridescent.

Take out those oxfords.

(from left - Topshop,N°21,Simone Rocha)

Dandy and handsome women

(from left - Haider Ackerman,7 For All Mankind,Lanvin,Lanvin)

Slinky next-door girl

(from left - Jason Wu, Jason Wu, Rochas)

Image courtesy- Harpersbazaar.com,outnet.com,style.com,H&M magazine

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration shampoo

After scouring through the hair care racks for a much needed rescue from heat / dryness, thought of giving Herbal Essences a try. My hair type is normal to dry,thin and straight, so I picked up the Hello Hydration Moisture and Shine shampoo for dry / damaged hair.

Quantity - 200 ml
Price - AED 16 approx.

The package says "Take the plunge.Deep dive into this shampoo's moisturisers with Hawaiian coconut and orchid extracts."

The minute I flip the cap, the strong coconut smell wafts out. Hello Hydration is a thick blue colored shampoo with nice fragrance,beautiful sturdy packaging but the good points stop here. This product is complete disappointment as it makes the hair dry, too frizzy and does not clean the scalp. Any shampoo for dry hair should not coat the hair strands with wax / oil. Hello Hydration does not provide any moisture to hair, instead leaves buildup / oily feel which results in greasy, frizzy hair. It does not lather well, does not cleanse well and provides no moisture. After using this shampoo, my hands feel very dry which indicates the hardness of product. Following it up with conditioner does not help much. I have only tried this out in summers and it leaves hair oily and dirty.

Recommendation - It did not work for my hair in both normal and dry condition, so won't recommend it. 

ZARA Black Amber Eau De Toilette review

Zara Black Amber is a spicy addition to the brand's affordable scents. This perfume ups the game as it smells like high end for the price. Also being my first post from the Arabian desert, this oud-like scent is apt to review.

Quantity - 50 ml
Price - INR 790

On first spray it is citrus and strong, but in seconds it turns sweet and woody. I feel its a versatile perfume with rich notes of amber without the heaviness. Black Amber seems a mix of spices, dark wood and aromatic oils wrapped in sheets of velvet. Still the fragrance is smooth and your nose would not get a spank out of it. What hurts me is although being a woody scent, it wears off quickly (2-3 hours) even after spraying heavily.

The box is black with gold lining which seems classic and Chanel-esque. The uniquely carved glass bottle with gold cap is a gradient black and looks very beautiful. Packaging is well thought upon and complements the scent housed inside. Looking at the price, packaging and scent, I feel Black Amber is a gem of Zara products.

Recommendation - Black Amber is well suited for night and feels quite original if one is not a perfume expert.