For the longest time I used an alcoholic toner. Everyone recommended the same. Whenever I visited the Kiehls store for a skin testing, the SAs would strongly recommend a non alcoholic toner since my skin is sensitive.
Finally, I bought the Calendula herbal extract toner.
Calendula is nothing but marigold- picture below. It is supposed to treat acne, reduce inflammation and also has many other medicinal properties.
The toner has calendula marigold flowers in the toner.

                                                 Calendula marigold in the bottle

The bottle is made of plastic with a flip cap. The cap can also be opened. I have carried it while travelling and there were no spills.
It is priced at Rs 2500 for 250 ml. Very expensive!!! But it lasted 4-5 months.
The toner has a weird smell but it does not transfer to the face. I apply it after facing my wash with a cotton morning and night.
When I used an alcoholic toner, my skin would burn a little. With this toner, there is no issue. It is like applying water to the face.
I won't say it has improved my skin texture because that is not its job. It soothes the skin and closes the pores.

Will I re-purchase? Yes, I have bought another bottle already BUT... it is very expensive and I cannot afford it as part of my regular regime.
Once the current bottle is over, I will be on the lookout for non alcoholic toners.

I just received my Vellvette box and am very happy with their delivery timeline this month.

It is a navy blue bag this time which contains the following:
- Full size products of Vantiv lemon shower gel- MRP Rs 214 for 180 ml
- Full size Vantiv moisturising shampoo- MRP Rs 187 for 250 ml
- Florelle wet and dry blush - MRP Rs 750
- Origins make a difference rejuvenating treatment lotion - MRP Rs 2000 for 150 ml

I have mixed feelings about the bag. I like the navy blue bag which will come handy. The shampoo and body lotion are manufactured by some company in Dehradun. Isn't the bag supposed to contain only 'premium' products?
I could not find any reviews for the Florelle blush online.
Thankfully, for Origins I did find reviews but the it is just a sample size. Don't know how long it will last.

I am wondering if the bag is worth the 500 bucks I am paying.

I don't understand how other bloggers can rave and appreciate these products. It has become a fad without actually evaluating anything.

Where have the Clarins, Clinique, Dior products gone? 

I have/am going to finish so many products this month that I decided to blog about them.

1) Nivea lemon and oil body wash: MRP Rs 165 for 250 ml. I bought this for my brother when he had come to stay for a few days. I would never have tried it otherwise. After he left, I used it to finish it off. A good product. It smells of lemon (obviously) and lathers well. It also consists of small yellow beads giving it an attractive look. The bottle is travel friendly and the flip cap does not open up while travelling.
Will I re-purchase? Yes. Why not.

2) The Nature's Co Peppermint face wash: MRP Rs 325 for 125 ml. I bought this when Vellvette sent me a coupon for a spa at their store. I visited their store in R City, Ghatkopar. This was a forced purchase. Details here. Anyway, I have been using it for the past few months. The face wash is for oily skin. It is slow to lather specially if face is already oily and smells like spirit... you know, the product which doctors use to disinfect before giving an injection. Yuck!!! On applying, it tingles in a good way. After washing the skin does not feel squeaky clean... it does not feel dirty but I don't get the squeaky sound which is a test of cleanliness. This may not be a bad thing but I am so used to judging cleanliness by this that I prefer it that way. The face wash is ok. Nothing great. And the price is a hindrance for me.
Will I re-purchase? No.

3) Baby Lips Coral Crush: MRP Rs 125. The Maybelline Baby Lips lip balms do stand out in the market. I have bought one in every shade. Finally, I finished 1 lip balm and can now open a new pack. They make my lips smooth and keep them moisturized. They did not work when my lips became very dry and damaged but I think that was an extreme reaction to some lipstick. For regular usage, they are good but if you are looking for specific care/concern this may not be the ideal product.
Will I re-purchase? Of course.

4) Clinique Clarifying Lotion : MRP Rs 1400 for 200 ml. This toner has lasted me for around 2 months. The brand does have a bigger bottle which is cheaper but would be difficult to carry while travelling. This bottle is sturdy and travel friendly. I wish they had 100 ml bottles to carry while travelling. The SA at the store told me it is a clarifying lotion. It tones but also removes dead skin cells. I wish I could see the effect on my skin. Earlier, I used Vichy Normaderm toner. I don't think Clinique lotion has made any significant difference to my skin. It did not stop breakouts (I get 1 pimple every month). I soak a cotton with the lotion and dab onto my face. The product tingles a little and may burn if there is a cut on skin. Also, it has a lot of alcohol and smells like it. I am so confused... the SA at Clinique tells me that alcohol is good for skin while the one at Keihl's tells me that it is not good for sensitive skin. Arrgh!!! I am still trying to figure it out.
Will I re-purchase? No. I will be trying Keihls caldula toner next.

5) Garnier deo Absolute Dry: This is my favorite antiperspirant. MRP Rs 150 for 150 ml. It is a little expensive compared to other deos in the market but I love it. Earlier, my underarms would smell and the deodorant (Fa, Charlie, Reebok) would add to the smell and make it worse. Plus, they started making my underarms dark. Oh, how I hated those days. Then, I discovered Garnier deos. I do not smell at all now. The deos does not smell too great but it is not bad. The point is that it does its job well. It does not darken my underarms and I am so glad.
Will I re-purchase? Yes. I have been using this for years and have not even tried any other deo.

6) Bourjois magic nail polish remover: MRP Rs 400 (I think, it has been months since I bought this). This nail polish remover reduced my nail care time drastically. No more turning off the fan... soaking cotton... closing the lid fast so that the remover does not disappear... rubbing.. rubbing... and then repeating for each nail. You just have to dip your nail and turn 1-2 times and ta da... nail polish gone. It has a very sweet fragrance which gets on my nails. I don't always like the fragrance. The liquid is non sticky. I have been using it for months and it got ruined when I used it to remove glitter nail paints. Now, I am using it to remove only glitter nail paints and Colorbar ultimate nail polish remover (similar one minus the smell) for regular nail paints.
Will I re-purchase? Maybe not. I think the Colorbar one is better ... it does not have the fragrance.

7) The Body Shop Satsuma Body Mist: MRP Rs 745 for 100 ml. It smells just the way I like it... like fruits. I prefer fruity fragrance to anything else. It has lasted me months. I apply it on my body after a bath and it smells good. On the downside, it is a mist so cannot be applied on clothes. Plus the lasting power is low. You can smell it as soon as I apply it but not later.
Will I re-purchase? I don't know. I am using the Victoria's Secret body mist and it lasts slightly longer.

8) Sally Hansen Insta Brite: Rs 775 for 13.3 ml. Yep, it is damn expensive. I bought it 'coz my nails were yellowing due to excessive use of nail polish. I thought this would help. But nope. It is the biggest disappointment. I apply it before nail polish but it is transparent and does not whiten the nails or cover up the yellowing at all. Hate it. Have used it as base coat to finish it off.
Will I re-purchase? No. I am trying out Inglot nail whitener.

9) Colorbar nail polish remover. MRP Rs 125 for 110 ml. I am a fan of this product and this brand. This is the best nail polish remover I have used. It beats Lakme also. It removes nail paints quickly. The bottle is plastic and travel friendly. It is also acetone free.
Will I re-purchase? Yes. Have started using the next bottle.

10) Kerastase Elixir Ultime: MRP Rs 2300 for 125 ml. It is very expensive but I bought it at a discount. Love this product. It smells of coconut which I do not like but the fragrance does not linger. 2 pumps are required to cover the entire hair. It gives a healthy shine and reduces frizz. I use it on towel dried hair and apply more on the ends than on roots. If used too much, it may make the hair look oily but does not feel sticky at all. If there is one product you can splurge on, this should be it.
Will I re-purchase? Yes. I already have a back up bottle.

11) Chanel Inimitable Intense mascara: My sister sent me this sample along with other goodies from USA. It has lasted me months. I love it. It gives volume and length to lashes. I would love to buy the full product if I already didn't have so many mascaras. Someday... when I finish off my current stash.

This is the first product I have used from this brand. My Vichy toner was over and I decided to try Kiehls. I know there are women who prefer alcohol free toners but I only use toner with alcohol since it is the alcohol which closes the pores.

Kiehls ultra facial oil free toner is alcohol free. The MRP for 250 ml is Rs 1390. It comes in a blue plastic bottle with a flip cap. I like the packaging. It is very different from other brands. It feels almost clinical.





The first time I traveled with it the flip cap was not closed properly and 1/4th spilled out... causing me a lot of heartburn.

It feels calming on the skin. It lasted me for 2-3 months. I think its a good toner for those who have sensitive skin and prefer non alcoholic toners.

I have gone back to Vichy Normaderm toner.

I received my Vellevette box today. It is a cute box with a heart shaped fridge magnet. There is 1 make up product and 2 skin care products which is awesome. And... 2 of them are full size.











In the box:

• Ofra Toner: 50 ml, MRP of full size 240 ml- Rs 1195. MRP of 50 ml- Rs 250


• Figs and Rouge lips, face, body balm: 17 ml, MRP Rs 695


• Purely Pure blush- Cheeky: 3.7 gm, Rs 1650

These are all products not available in India (haven't seen them in the market). Maybe they want to enter Indian market or maybe Vellvette box have included them for some variety and excitement. In case anyone wants to purchase them, they will be available on the website. Anyway, since I have never heard of them I did some research.



- Figs and Rouge balm: Aloe vera and mint balm. Figs and Rouge balm is quite famous online and has only good reviews. I am so glad a lip balm is part of the box. In the last 1 year my lips have become very dry and I need a lip balm at all times no matter the weather. I carry 2 lip balms in my purse, 1 is in the living room and another 1 in the bedroom. I cannot survive without one. I hate the feeling when lips are dry and start hurting. A new lip balm is most needed. This balm can also be used on dry areas of body, face, feet. Quite a multi tasker. According to reviews, the balm is available in many flavors- coconut, vanilla, pomegranate etc. Aloe Vera and Mint is not the best variant among these.... since it does not have a flavor or smell as good as others. In its own way it is good but if I had to buy one my first choice would be some other flavor.




It is packaged in a tin which looks classy. When I was in the boarding there were many kids from abroad. They would have such cute lip balms in tins which I would be using Vaseline. I love this. The product is white... when applied on the lips it has a tingling effect 'coz of mint. It makes the lips soft and smooth. But I need to keep re-applying it... like any other lip balm.



- Purely Pure blush: This is a brand available online. I could not find too much online. The reviews I came across (very few) were all positive. They maybe paid reviews. I don't mind. It is after all a blush in a very neutral shade- brownish peach matte. I will definitely use it. It is very similar to my Mac blush. I will try and compare this week.







- Ofra Toner: According to the Vellvette box, Eva Longoria, Denise Richards use Ofra cosmetics. Strange!!! I found least about this brand online and nothing about the toner. It is a South African brand.











Price I paid: Rs 399

Price of products in box: Rs 2585

Awesome. Next time I am going to pay for 3 months subscription.