Kenzo Belle De Jour Angel Eyes : Review - The Best Eye Cream Yet

So, in this day and age lucky are those who don't sit in front of a computer all day long drying their eyes out. Putting our eyes through maximum stress day in and night out. Also all that squinting you do when you are really concentrating along with dry eyes - hello early wrinkles !

The Dry Machine

I don't know if it was all the computer-ing or the fact that it was a cold cold winter or a deadly combo of the two but the skin around my eyes were parched. Especially the area at the sides of my nose / inner eye corner - supreme dryness. So much that I refrained from any eye makeup for the longest time . I wasn't doing any eye elated thingy for the blog either - how could I with the grotesque concealer settling onto my dry skin.

Project Combat The Dry Machine

After my Biore eye cream didn't do much to rescue me , I discovered Kenzo Belle De Jour Angel Eyes. The first time I tried it - I knew it was gonna be a hit. Angel eyes is suppose to have reduced the stress inducing hormone cortisol by 13 % in a single use among the test group. Now 13 % was a claim I was ready to believe as oppose to some mascara companies - 200 % more volume stories.

In a week of using this velvety cream every night, my dryness cleared out. And the knowledge about the cortisol made me feel calmer like my stress was really draining out. Its got a very mild relaxing scent of white lotus flower.

Its A Luxury Of Sorts

That being said it is an indulgence, a luxury even at $70 - 0.5oz. For comparison the popular Clinique Repairware Intensive Eye Cream is priced at almost $40 - 0.5 oz.

Since starting out on eye creams a few years back , I've tried more than I'd care to count. But this one stands out - its the best I've tried yet. If you are heavy on cash and are looking to make yourself a lil more happy - look in the direction of the Kenzo wall at Sephora. You wont regret it. I wake up feeling thoroughly hydrated and replenished ; ready to combat another day in front of the dry machine called computer.

Aveeno Positively Smooth Facial Moisturizer

Traditionally it has always been easy for me to find something to soothe my dry skin during winter months. I try a couple and most often if they are a bit heavy - they keep me happy. And when all else fails I just slather on some olive oil !

Summers have never been easy. And around here Summer starts in April. It gets HOT and I get irritated. To top it all off my skin gets oily and keeps me looking every bit tired as the sun makes me. Finding a moisturizer to soothe my summer skin has been a challenge. But this year I am happy I've found something way before the heat hits !

The Aveeno Positively Smooth Facial Moisturizer is going to keep me happy .

The moisturizer is light, non greasy, non sticky, has a pleasant smell and almost vanishes into my skin. It gives me some moisture and soothes my skin. Aveeno also writes about how this product is suppose to minimize the appearance of unwanted hair but I'm not buying into it, yet. The pump model is great . You can close it so nothing drips off .

Lotion Up. Even When You're Feeling Lazy

Last week I woke up one night at 2 AM.

I couldn't take it anymore.

It wasn't the baby next door crying.

I couldn't bear it any longer. I ran to the bathroom.

It had nothing to do with my bladder. Lord knows, the bladder works overtime what with me guzzling down over 64 oz of water a day. Not like you wanna know about it.

But yeah it wasn't my bladder. Not this time.

This time it was my skin.

My dry parched skin.

Dry parched skin spread all around my legs and body. So dry it was paining. My skin was paining and I couldn't sleep anymore. I had to run to the bathroom, and slather moisturizer all over my body. At the end of it I almost wanted to cry. I felt *so* much better. I was beating myself up for not following with my advice on moisturizing soon after shower.

Not anymore. I have gotten back to religiously applying moisturizer after my shower. If I'm feeling lazy I just think of that night and in no time I'm squeezing the bottle of lotion out.

Apart from at home lotion-ing I carry a tube of moisturizer everywhere I go. I have one stashed in the car, one in each of the two bags I carry. I carry a tube of Curel. It is one of my absolute favorite drugstore brand.


They have tubes of Curel hand creams and the lotion itself in small travel size tubes. I use them both everywhere - legs, knees, elbows, hands and face. A few years back I had a really bad episode of dry skin on my face. I tried several products including Olay, Palmers butters, The Body Shop products - nothing helped. The only thing that worked was Curel's Lavender lotion on my face. I've been a fan ever since !

Moral Of The Story

Love,
Indian Girl

Ellin Lavar Nourishing Oil : Review - Does It All !

Beauty Junkies everywhere have wanted a product that does it all.

Beauty Junkies everywhere have wanted a product that does it all and costs a single digit.

(No not your finger ! Digit as in a single digit number. Good Lord !)

Beauty Junkies Everywhere need to hear this story.

The Ellin Lavar Nourishing Oil that costs $8 and is safely placed in the hair care aisle of your local CVS is what beauty junkies everywhere have longed for. It really does it all !


I have used it as a night time eye and face moisturizer. It is a dry oil; so on a regular dry face day I could totally do it during the day as well ! After rubbing it all over my face, I rub the rest onto my rock hard cuticles. I spray it onto certain dry spots on my scalp. And after I do a heavy eye look on one of my eyes (just for the blog), I take it all off with a squirt of this oil.

I still haven't tested the theory but I get the feeling it will polish tiles and sparkle sinks as well !

That stick figure is me. I plan to be that size by New Year's with regular workouts of once a week and eating carbs only three times a day.

The product is sold solely as oil for the scalp. Now why would they do that ! It does so much more !!! I wrote to the folks at Ellin Lavar and they confirmed its innate abilities to be a super oil. Take my expert non-expert opinion on this, it really does all of the above.

That being said, before I engage in the process of pumping the oil out I take in a long breath and let it out slowly with the words " Om....." You really need all that clarity of mind to gather the patience to get the pump working.

Its called pumping science. You place the bottle horizontally and pump a couple of times. Then place the nozzle against your palm at a 45 degree angle and continue pumping until the oil oozes out. I hope Ellin Lavar gets this taken care of. I don't have many Om's left in me.

Love,
Indian Girl

Kenzo Cream With A Sheen : Review. For a Luminous Pearly Sheen On Your Skin !

Ladies, I'd like to divide y'all into two groups now. But you will divide into three.

I'd like all my lovely ladies with oily skin AKA the oilies to come to my right.

The rest stay where you are. I'll get back to you later.

Now oilies, run. Run as far as you can. Run like the devil herself is chasing you.
This devil ain't wearing no Prada. She is wearing comfortable Nikes with Foot petals in it for extreme comfort.

So. Run.
Faster. Faster. Faster.

Okay so now that we've sent away the oilies. I'd like my girls with dry skin to my left.
Lets call us - The Dryers. This story is for you.

I once had a dryer write to me asking what she can do to make her skin look oily. We all know what that meant. We want that sheen that comes naturally on oily skin.We don't want the parched lifeless look.

Thanks to some bad acne , four weeks back and some very good anti acne products that dried the living hell out of those pimples - I was left with super dry skin on my face.

Why the acne ? Chocolates.

Worse they weren't even good chocolates. I ate them because I had them.
Okay they weren't even chocolates . They were semi sweet chocolate chips.
Bad bad bad.

But no matter what the folks at Pro Active say, I still believe stress + chocolates = acne.

To add moisture back into my face and get rid of the lifelessness I started using Kenzo - Cream With A Sheen. It is a super hydrating product that also gives an overall luminous glow to your skin. I apply the cream and all I see is cream. But in a couple of minutes I notice the pearly glare all over my face. It is not shimmery, it is a sheen - like they say. Like the sheen on top of a pearl. And then I wait a couple more minutes and let out an Aaah...!

The same Aaah...! you let out after water reaches your dry throat.

The moisture hits your skin like the water from a sprinkler hits the earth on a dry hot Teaaaxan summer day.

However, use very little. I cannot assume that same beautiful result will come from adding loads of it. Loads of it and the devil will be chasing you too. In Nikes nonetheless !

Absolutely wonderful product that will break your bank at $58. But will leave you with the most beautiful, angel like, illuminated , luxurious feeling skin in the world !

I'm not done yet. I said I'll divide you into two groups but you'll become three. You did ! The third group - combis . Thank you for your patience. You know where your skin is at. Follow the path to breaking your bank err...luminous skin or run away if you've got the oilies.

Love,
Indian Girl

Jergens Sensitive Skin Relief Fragrance Free Daily Moisturizer : Review

As far as body lotions go I have been a Curel girl for ever and ever. Amen. It is deeply hydrating, has a good lavender scent and is non sticky most of the times.

But something about the name Jergens ( no logic, I know) always told me the product would be sticky. So I avoided it at all cost. Just like I avoid Suave products. No reason no rhyme just my mind. ( Ooh , beat that !)


That was me. But my best friend swears by Jergens. She buys them in bulk at Costco. And when I'm at her place I have to use it. Imagine my shock when I realized it was good. Just as good as Curel ! Also a wee bit cheaper. Though heavy, the lotion gets absorbed very easily ! And the best part is I can use it anytime and it works just as great. No more worrying about slathering it on damp skin.

The Sensitive Skin Relief Lotion is the one I tried. It is non irritating, fragrance free, dye free, lanolin free and is great for dry skin like mine. The product comes in a huge 16.8 fl oz bottle with a pumping dispenser. Though I'd love to be religious with moisturizing my body every day, I am not. Most days I am lucky if I shower.

What ? Did I just say that out loud ?
I'm kidding of course. You know that.

If you're looking for a heavy but easy body moisturizer and are on a budget ( $7) give Jergens a try. You wont be disappointed. You might even be pleasantly surprised ! Always trust an ex-snob.

Are you a snob when it comes to certain brands ? Does your mind make weird baseless accusations on some products ? Please tell me I'm not alone here.

Love,
Indian Girl

The Body Shop Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion

For the past year I've been using a mystery product to dry up pimples and fade the blemish it might have left. One whole year. And just last week I realized the product was a Tea Tree Oil based one. Some times I'm like that. I'll make my mind up that it was made of Salicylic Acid and it will be a year before I realize its Tea Tree Oil.

T.E.A T.R.E.E O.I.L

The Tree Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion is now available 2 for $18. Originally its retails for $18 per product. Aint that bloody brilliant ( that's my London based alter ego)


It was when I sniffed this little bottle that I realized the story behind my mystery product. Once you get past the unique smell, there is no reason to not like this lotion. Its totally non greasy. As non greasy as fries rolled in paper towel and twisted to squeeze out the oil.

The two important ingredients in it are the Lemon tea tree and Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya which contain anti-bacterial properties that help fight blemishes and prevent new ones from forming. The other essential ingredient is Tamanu oil from Madagascar which has a soothing effect and helps to calm irritation and redness.

Thanks to some chocolate overdose from baking cookies for a friend I broke out on my right cheek. Three days of continuous application and there was a marked difference on the state on those suckers. They shriveled, sunk, weakened and drew back from fighting the almighty Tea Tree.

For $9 I am super happy with this product. Its a dream formula for gorgeous oily skinned women. For a dry skinned beauty ( hey, I called you gorgeous) like me, its still a miracle product coz it moisturizes and soothes my skin apart from putting those red suckers in its place.

Price - $18 (1.0 fl oz)
Purchase - Thebodshop-usa.com , The Body Shop stores
Purpose - Blemish Fade, Oil Free Lotion
Position - Have you tried any product from the Tea Tree Line ? If not, you must !

Love,
Indian Girl

How To Get The Naturally Glowing Dewy Makeup Look : Tutorial

The past ten days or so have been awesome makeup wise. I started working on this tutorial and as part of it I was testing out various ways of wearing the look and to perfect it. Everyday I changed a little something and saw how much of a difference it made and finally when I was happy with a routine I decided on putting it up for you guys to try !

The Quest For The Perfect Products

It all started almost two weeks back when I made a trip to Macy's to decide on the products that would give me what I was looking for.There are several tutorials online and most of them are just a repeat of another. The same products, the same brand, same routine. I wanted to come up with an original look that was not only basic and super easy to replicate but also use products that were easily available, would suit people who were prone to makeup allergies, sensitivity to fragrances, one that did not burn your wallet ( as much) and of course no limited edition stuff.

After making rounds of several brand counters I zeroed in on Clinique. Its not only a brand that I love but they also happened to have everything I was looking.
Allergy tested - check
Fragrance Free - check
Product Availability - check
Decent Price Tag - check
Easily Available - check

Remember ...

I am going to start off with step by step instructions on how to do the dewy look. I have also scattered some cute pics of models with pretty makeup on. For real life, a toned down version of it will kick a$. At the end of the steps I have added several alternatives to the look. Healthy skin is the key but all of us have some issues or the other so I am only going to talk about how one can use makeup to create this look. One must remember that each of have different types of skin, different needs from makeup, different comfort levels with makeup and a different idea of what dewy is. This is a look I came up with that has worked very well on me and its something to get you started on. Change it up, play with it as per the demands of your skin.

Products Required:

Moisturizer : Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
Face Spray : Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray
Foundation : Clinique Super Moisture Makeup - 12 Warm Caramel
Highlighter : Clinique Up- Lighting Liquid Illuminator - 01 Natural
Cream Blush : Clinique Blush Wear Cream Blush - 02 Peachy Blush
Mascara : Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara - 01 Jet Black
Lipstick : Clinique Butter Shine Lipstick - 438 Baby Baby
Concealer : Three Custom Color + Jouer
Makeup Wedges


Step by Step Tutorial

1. Start off with a clean face and hands.
2. Apply Dramatically different Moisturizing Gel all over your face.
3. Wet the makeup wedge with water and squeeze out the water.
4. Spray the Moisture Surge Spray onto the wedge and dab it all over your face.
5. Apply concealer under your eyes and on the lid if necessary.
6. Take the required amount of foundation onto the back of your hand. With the same wedge apply the foundation all over your face and neck using dabbing motions.
7.. Spray the Moisture Surge Spray on the other side of the wedge and dab it again all over your face
8. Let the foundation set for a minute.
9. Take some cream blush on your finger and dot it on top of your cheeks. Use the wedge to dab it on the apple of your cheeks.
10. Take just a drop of the Uplighting Liquid Illuminator on the back of your hand. Working with some of it at a time, dab it along the bridge of your nose. Next dab some of it on the 'C' shaped area along the outer edge of your eye extending it to the top of your cheek bone.
11. Apply some of the Liquid Illuminator under your brow bone and on the eye lids.
12. Curl your lashes and apply the Naturally Glossy Mascara.
13. Apply the Butter Shine Lipstick - baby baby
14. Spray some Moisture Surge Spray onto the wedge and very lightly go all over your face with it.
15. Admire that translucent glowy face of yours.

Deconstruction

The key to the dewy look is hydration. Dabbing the Moisture Surge Spray helps keep your skin constantly hydrated and reinforces the moisture with every repeat application. The Dramatically Different Moisturizer is a gem of a moisturizer especially under makeup. Thanks to you guys for recommending it to me. The Clinique Super Moisture Makeup is so wonderfully moisturizing and not one bit oily. It has a sheer to medium coverage, works very well for normal to dry skin and wears well for at least 8 hours. The Uplighting Liquid Illuminator in Natural is just that - naturally illuminating. Applying it on top the cheek bone and the bridge of your nose is the key to an over all glow. These are the parts of one's face that stand out and reflect light so adding a bit of an illuminator here is enough to make your whole face look radiant. The creme blush if dabbed in excess can be quite pigmented. However in the end going over the whole face with the moisture spray, takes care of excess of anything and brings the whole look together.

Alternatives

- If you have very clear, even and don't use foundations, mix a bit of the illuminating liquid in your moisturizer and apply all over face for super radiant complexion.

- If you have a problem with acne or pores, apply a face primer after applying the moisturizer. Let it set for a minute and follow with foundation.

- If you have a very very oily face apply a face primer after applying the moisturizer. Follow with your regular matte, oil free foundation.

- You can also mix a bit of the liquid illuminator with your foundation and apply all over your face.

- You can also use water in a spray bottle instead of the Moisture Surge Spray. No spray bottle - no problem, just sprinkle a few drops of water onto the wedge or directly onto your face.

- A skunk brush can also be used instead of the makeup wedge.

- For this look, I would avoid powder anything - powder blush, translucent powder, powder foundation, powder highlighter. To me powder takes away from all the dewy-ness but then again, to each his own.

I was extremely satisfied with how this look played out - its dewy, glowy, hydrated, everything is in right amount, nothing in excess, natural yet put together. Its all about effortless sheer luminosity ! I cant talk enough about the Super Moisture Makeup. After being a slave to Tinted Moisturizers for ever, I took a step forward to a medium coverage and couldn't be more happier with this formula. Surprisingly it is more natural looking and has me feeling extremely comfortable. It is so light, I can barely feel it on my skin ! Overall - super satisfied !

Your Turn

Now go on try it and let me know how it works out for you. I am dying to hear from you guys. Sorry it took me a while to answer this most requested look but I was trying to perfect it before I showed it to you guys. Am sure you will be happy with the results. Like the tutorial ?

Love,
Indian Girl

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex - Review & Free Sample Offer

Yes there is going to be a free sampling offer but before I tell y'all about it I wanted to write about my experience with the product.

Hello Skin Nightmare !

I have been using it for five days and nights now. After my little three day trip to TMONW, I got back home with severely dry, red and irritated face. To add to the horror I also has a few tiny bumps on my skin. I am sure it was because of the change in water. The water there was very hard and something you cannot put into your mouth. It definitely took a toll on my skin.

ANR Experiment & Results

When I got back home I knew I needed something powerful to take care of it ASAP. Thankfully I had a small sample of the new Advanced Night Repair (ANR) waiting in my mail box and I decided to put it to test. I took a before picture and wanted to see if there was any visible difference. In two days of testing it I saw remarkable change in the redness, irritation and bumps. There was a significant reduction which is visible in the picture.

The dryness however remained and still remains. Not completely but my face is still on the dry side. I realize this is because they do ask you to follow up with a moisturizer of your choice. I did not know this but I guess its good I didn't because then I wouldn't know what brought the change.

Prevention Rather Than Cure

Once my sample finishes I plan on buying a full size 1 oz bottle for $47.50. I love the feel of the serum on my skin. It is very light and gets absorbed in a flash of a second. Plus it is not an anti aging product. I'd say its more of a prevention than a cure.
It is a product aimed at everybody to
- Help heighten Skin's Natural Repair Process
- Help repair past damages that the environment has done to our skin
- Protect skin from 90% of environmentally generated free radicals that are harmful to the skin
- Hydrate with key ingredient Hyaluronic Acid

I am eager to see how well the product works for me in the future. At 25, I am looking to protect my skin and keep it looking as good as it can in the future but at the same time I am too young to start on anti aging stuff. For now, I am very happy with the feel, texture, design of the product and the effect it has on my skin as far as redness and irritation goes. Lot more is desired on the hydration front.

Fun Facts About ANR

- It was first released in 1982 ( way before I was born !)
- First serum ever created.
- Everyday 4.464 bottle of ANR are sold worldwide.
- The Night Repair patent was purchased for $10 !!! LOL !

Price - $47.50 ( 1oz)
Purchase - Nordstrom, Macys, Estee Lauder Website
Purpose - Protect skin against environmental damages, help skin's natural repair process Position
Estee Lauder Offer : Get Your Free 10 Day Sample Of ANR

On Thursday, July 23rd Estée Lauder will kick off its largest sampling program to date – America’s Night to Repair. For 4 synchronized hours – from 5:00pm – 9:00pm (all local times) – Estée Lauder Beauty Advisors will be distributing 250,000 10-day samples of NEW Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex at ALL Estée Lauder department and specialty store counters nationwide – one per customer while supplies last. Visit the EL site here for additional information.

Love,
Indian Girl

Rx For Brown Skin - Absolute Radiance Intensive Exfoliating Serum : Review

This is the first time that I tried an exfoliating serum. All exfoliation up until now has been with a cleanser or masque - the regular way. The Absolute Radiance Intensive Exfoliating Serum($38) is a special kinda exfoliator that exfoliates while moisturizing. Rocket Science stuff, I tell ya !

What It Does

Unlike regular exfoliators that contain broken nuts and dissolving beads, the exfoliating serum contains glycolic acid in small quantities. The glycolic acid gently helps shed the stubborn discolorations from the skin, retexturizes our brown skin and gives an overall boost by doing away with the top dull layer of cells. If uneven skin tone is what you're looking to take care of then this is probably one the better products to start with.

Meet Pesky Patricia

In a week of using the product I knew I saw a difference! Let me tell you how . A person I know - lets call her Pesky Patricia, who almost never compliments anyone on anything had something to say about my skin . Oh yes, The Pesky Patricia said something, awright. It went like this - " Your face..." and she continued by giving it a good stare. Now anyone and everyone who knows Pesky Patricia understands what it means. It means " Your face. It looks so radiant and polished ". Okay I added the radiant and polished part but I knew that's exactly what she would have said. Its only Pesky P who didn't know it.

Dear Pesky Patricia,
Thank you for your many compliments today. It totally made my day !
Love,
IG

So, desi girls, brown girls and actually anyone else out there looking for some gentle evening of skin tone and for a compliment from Pesky P, try the exfoliating serum. It works well as a light moisturizer. Does not tingle or feel rough. Its just like applying a regular thin gel with secret rocket science properties. You'll really like it !

Love,
Indian Girl

Rx for Brown Skin Bright & Even Eye Cream For Dark Circles : Review

Rx for Brown Skin is a line of skincare products, all of which were made to suit brown skin. With the different ranges of melanin , the types and problems that come with brown skin are unique and require special care. Rx for brown skin is one line that recognizes this difference and has formulated several products to suit brown skin.

I fall right into their category and with a whole line dedicated to my kinda skin...I had to try it ! By now you know what is the one word I go for. That;s right - BRIGHT ! Any product with word bright in it - I will try. After my trip to Big Bend I got back exhausted from the lack of sleep and lots of travel. Exhaustion leads to one thing for sure and that is dark circles. My regular moisturizers weren't really doing the trick. So, I turned to a more specific product - The Bright & Even Eye Cream for Dark Circles ($36)

No Dark Circles or Irritated Eyes ??

The very good thing about the cream is that in four days of using the product, my dark circles reduced drastically. I must also mention that I slept like a log but who doesn't after a 10 hour drive and three days in the wild ! The cream has awesome texture and provides a lot of hydration. Its not heavy or oily either. However, if I don't apply it carefully, my eyes burn a bit. I must take care to apply it just around the eye and see to it that not one bit touches the eye itself. The reaction is not severe but is more like an uncomfortable feeling that makes me want to wash it off ASAP. So, I decided on using it only before bed and applied it very carefully so it did not touch the eye at all and things were fine.

Overall it is almost the only cream that I've had a reaction to and the only eye cream that has made a difference as far as dark circles go. Weird Predicament ...Now that my dark circles are at a normal level, I have gone back to a regular eye cream but if they do make comeback, I'll whip the Bright & Even Cream out and fight em off - at night.

Love,
Indian Girl

Aveda Enbrightenment Skin Care : Review

A lot of you were excited to learn that I was testing out the new Enbrightenment line from Aveda ! It is super nice when my readers are looking forward to a certain post ! Guess you guys are just as excited as I am by the possibility of a " brighter face " ! This will be a detailed post on the line and my experience with it . Read on...


What is Enbrightenment ?

The new Enbrightenment Skin care line from Aveda is a four-step daily regimen plus twice-weekly masque that's infused with powerful plant actives to diminish the appearance of dark spots and discolorations and improve skin’s visible clarity. The products in this line are clinically proven to perform in just eight weeks with most participants seeing a 34% reduction in the appearance of discoloration/dark spots and 52% improvement in visible clarity. So, those are the stats.

What are the products in the Enbrightenment line ?

The Enbrightenment skincare line includes:
• Enbrightenment Brightening Cleanser
• Enbrightenment Brightening Treatment Toner
• Enbrightenment Brightening Correcting Serum
• Enbrightenment Brightening Correcting Lotion
• Enbrightenment Brightening Correcting Creme
• Enbrightenment Brightening Intensive Massage Masque

What can we expect from it ?

• Brightens using a process that reduces the appearance of pre-existing dark spots by breaking them down through exfoliation.
• Helps prevent new dark spots and discoloration with anti-oxidants which help fight free radical oxidation.
• Soothes skin and reduces irritation that can lead to dark spots.
• Illuminates skin with Aveda’s proprietary, plant-derived Skin Brightening Blend.

Cast of Characters :

100% Naturally-Derived Skin Brightening Blend—soothes skin and diminishes the appearance of dark spots with a proprietary blend of scutellaria (a perennial herb), mulberry root and grape extracts.
Ascorbyl glucoside (Vitamin C)—a protective antioxidant that brightens skin and helps diminish the appearance of dark spots and discoloration.
Glucosamine—aids in moisturization; smoothes and exfoliates for a more even skin tone. Derived from plant biofermentation.
Brown algae—helps diminish the appearance of dark spots and discoloration for a more even tone.
Naturally-derived salicylic acid—derived from oil of wintergreen; exfoliates skin for a more even skin tone.
Organic shea butter — hydrates, protects and repairs skin’s moisture barrier.
Rosemary leaf extract — an anti-irritant and antioxidant to soothe and protect skin.
Sodium hyaluronate — aids in hydration, protecting and restoring moisture barrier. Derived from plant biofermentation.
Organic aloe vera leaf extract — soothes skin and acts as an anti-irritant.

My Experience :

I was very interested in trying this line, mostly because my face lacks luminosity. My issue is not with pores or acne but with a lack of overall clarity and unevenness of skin tone. I have been testing out these products for almost four weeks now . The total time recommended is eight weeks at least. However, I have plenty to share on what my skin looks like after four weeks. I see my face everyday , so really all I could tell was that I look a lot more brighter overall. The shallowness in the skin tone is definitely missing and my features look a lot more prominent. This is what I noticed. Without sharing any details on my regime , I asked my friends on what they saw. The unanimous decision was that the redness on my face had drastically reduced; especially on my cheeks. I am over the moon about it ! It is not very often you see products doing stuff they talk about as far as brightening goes. But this line is amazing ! It feels great to see visible results in half the time !

My Enbrightening Routine & Low Down On The Products

Morning, I wash my face with the Brightening Cleanser, follow it up with the Correcting Serum. I am not a toner person so I didn't go for it. It is recommended to follow the cleanser with the toner. At night, I wash with the same cleanser and follow with the Correcting creme. Sometimes I apply the serum after the cleanser on areas that could use some extra help like my chin, sides of the nose. Then I follow it up with the correcting creme. I used the masque only once a week although the recommended usage is twice a week.


The cleanser was my most favorite product from this line. It is truly brightening. The texture is in between a creme and foam cleanser. It comes in a tube and we can take out as much or as little as we want. It cleans my face super thoroughly without drying. This has replaced my favorite garnier cleanser for sure. I have been using the garnier one for over four years now so that's saying something about this !


The Correcting Serum is my second favorite product. It is light, yet heavily moisturizing (I know it sounds weird...that's the best way to explain it) Works great under makeup and has obviously done to my face what it had to do. I used the Correcting Cream as a night cream. It is heavy and there is no way I could wear it during the day without having a box of blotting sheets next to me. I should also mention that it has a stronger scent than the rest of the products in this line. The Intense Massage Masque is like a hydrating masque. You apply, wait for 5 - 10 minutes and wipe it off. Not wash it off, but wipe it off. Somehow I get a feeling this masque did not do much in terms of brightening but was a wonderful hydrating masque.

That's it ! The low down on Aveda's Enbrightenment and my wonderfully enbrightened face ! I really wanna keep up with the eight weeks routine but am itching to try the RX for Brown products. I cant tell you HOW MANY emails I get from women , especially desi women asking me for recommendations on skin brightening products. If you are looking for products to bring about a more clear complexion, reduce some discoloration or just an overall brightness , like me then you should check this stuff out !

That cleanser...oooh - Hot Stuff ! Did I mention the ingredients in the line are 99.7 % naturally derived ! That's exactly how natural I am - 99.7 %. This is so weird. We are bff's, y'all !

Love,
Indian Girl