DIY: Homemade Hair Serum using Camellia Oil and using it neat for my skin

( Picture taken from Wikipedia )

Recently, my interest in doing my own skincare has grown and to date, I have mixed my own hydrosol and body oil. In this post, I am introducing my own homemade hair serum, which is using camellia oil and lavender essential oil. Apart from using camellia oil for my hair, I also use the oil as a moisturiser for my skin. 

I am fond to mix my own skincare ( mostly oil based ) because by doing that, I am rest assured that the products that I am mixing gets superior quality ( minus all the additional addictives ). Secondly, it is far more cheaper than products on shelf. Thirdly, I can always get fresh products everytime, hence the efficacy of the product.

What is Camellia Oil?

Camellia oil is also known as tea seed oil, which is derived from the seeds of the plant called camellia oleifera or camellia sinensis ( camellia japonica ). The seeds of this plant are cold pressed to extract the oil, which is in pale greenish yellow in colour and has a slight aroma.

It is said that camillia oil is high in omega fatty acids, polyphenols and vitamin E and is traditionally used for healing wound and preventing infections.

Benefits of Camellia Oil

Camellia oil is highly beneficial for hair and skin conditional properties and are mainly used in hair oils, soaps and skin products. Camellia oil benefits the hair as it prevents breakage, promotes hair growth and soothe dry scalp conditions. It is easily absorbed into the hair, without making it greasy.

In skincare, it is an excellent moisturizer as it is easily absorbed to the skin, without making it oily. Camellia oil is good for preventing damage from the sun and reducing the signs of aging like wrinkles and age spots. Not only that it beneficial for wound healing and soothing skin irritations, it is said to be effective to fade scars with long term use.

It is great for sensitive skin as it is not found to cause allergic reactions and is not prone to cause acne.

My bad case of allergy and what helped me

Some of those who follow my blog may know that I had a bad case of allergy on my face due to a new product which I have been trying. Initially, I was in denial of the fact that it gave me rashes because I adore the ingredients of that product. It all looked very promising. In fact, in the first few days that I used it, it really gave me wonderful plumped up face and it somewhat amped up the radiant look.

To cut the long story short, after trying at least three times on and off again, it is concluded that the product is not suitable for me because it gave me tiny little red rashes on my eyes, chin and nasalabial fold ( near my nose ) area. And it is itchy as well! Not only that it gave me rashes, it cause me to breakouts as well.

This incident brings me back to the same experience I have when I use Dermalogica's Age Smart Skin Resurfacer. It gave me the same tiny little red rashes at the same spot as mentioned above. It was that bad that I had to see a doctor and was given some medication and hydrocartisone cream ( a steroid based cream to reduce inflammation ).

I am not comfortable to using hydrocartisone cream on my face as there are several side effects, which one of them causes thinning and discoloration to the skin. I certainly don't want to see dark patches on my face!
On route to my search for natural based products, I am very thankful that I purchased a great and wonderful cream from Moogoo a few months back and ta-da, this product saved my skin!

MooGoo Eczema & Psoriasis Balm 120ml RM 69.00

( also known as Irritable Skin Balm )

Review: Garden of Wisdom Eye Majik Cream

Garden of Wisdon Eye Majik Cream( No Wax ) 10g USD 18.85/ RM 58.60

How many of us actually include applying eye creams as part of our skincare regime? Not many I reckon. I actually started paying attention to my eye area when I started using Marie Veronique Eye Serum sample early this year. Yes, I am a late bloomer!:D

One of the many reasons that I am not fond of putting creams to my eye area is because I dread developing milia seeds. I really dread the thought and secondly, I find that most eye creams comes with a high price tag for a tiny tube or a little small jar. I simply think that paying RM 100 and above is a little bit overwhelming for me.

However, I am glad to find that Garden of Wisdom does offer reasonable prices for their products and I took the plunge in ordering a small jar of eye cream to address some of my fine lines and dark circle.

Product Description

This cream is very light and fluffy, and soaks into the skin without being greasy or oily. This version of Eye Majik was specially formulated for those who are sensitive to wax based creams. Date seed extract significantly reverses wrinkles, while other actives cool, calm and relax skin.

Ingredients

Distilled Water-hydrating, solvent

Artemisia Hydrosol-soothing,cooling, refreshing

Cornflower Hydrosol-anti-inflammatory,soothing,cooling,tightening

East Shea Butter-healing,conditioning

Sugarmulse( wax free )-emulsifier derived from plant sugars and vegetable oils,excellent for delivering actives to skin

Reviews: Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser

Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser 175ml SGD 20.00/ MYR 51.00

I was very keen to try out Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser after reading some good reviews over the net and at Makeupalley, it was rated 4.0 out of 5. I was surprised too that this product was out of stock in Malaysia when I stopped over at their store a few months ago. ( I am thinking...this product must be good )

I left my contact with the sales people over at the store so that I can quickly grab them once it arrive. Till date, I have yet to receive a call from them and it is unfortunate that I found out the stocks have arrived in their stores for sometime already. I am quite 'tiffed' that no one at Burt's Bees is even bothered to let me know. Oh well, I might as well take my money to somewhere else where it's appreciated and in this case, I decided to purchase it online through Milangro Trading in Singapore.

My Reads: Three Common Skin Care Myths

I found this pretty interesting article on MVO's blog and thought that it's a good topic to share. Enjoy!

Here are some common notions about what we need to do to keep our skin vibrant and healthy. Just answer true or false, then see if your answers agree with ours.

1) High SPF ratings are your best protection against sun damage.

FALSE

The problem with a sunscreen with a high SPF rating is that, because it allows you to stay out in the sun longer without getting burned, you may feel that you have not incurred sun damage when in fact you may have exposed yourself to the more insidious damage caused by longer wave-length UVA rays. Risks from UVA over-exposure are potentially of more concern than the risks associated with simple sunburn occasioned by over-exposure to UVB rays. See #2 below for more discussion of UVA rays.

Two better ways to protect yourself are:
1) MAKE SURE YOU GET BROAD-SPECTRUM UVA/UVB PROTECTION.
2) Remember that sunburn is your natural alarm system–red skin tells you that you’ve had enough and it’s time to cover up.

Review: Garden of Wisdom Argan Anti Aging Serum

GoW Argan Anti Aging Serum 15ml USD 15.65/ RM 48.50

I am always on a look out for anti aging serums and while I was web shopping at Garden of Wisdom's site, this serum stood out among the rest, mainly because it contains Argan Oil and Niacinimide. While I am hesitant to purchase the full bottle, I asked if I can purchase a 15ml bottle. I am happy that the good people at GoW is able to accomodate that. A bottle of 15ml would be able to give me at least 2 months of usage to see the full potential of the product. Before I proceed with my review, here is the quick product description taken from Garden of Wisdom.

Product Description

Our Argan Anti-Aging Serum is slightly emollient, and is an absolutely perfect anti-aging serum for use during summer. Argan Oil helps with emollience, while CoQ10 and Niacinamide address wrinkles and aging skin, while also nourishing and reviving the epidermis. This serum is great for addressing dry skin and lifeless skin. Perfect for all skin types.

Review and DIY: Garden of Wisdom Neroli and Rose Damascan Hydrosol.

Neroli Hydrosol 30ml US 3.70/ RM 11.50

Rose Damascan Hydrosol 30ml US  4.25/ RM 13.20

What are Hydrosols? Hydrosols are sometimes referred as floral waters and is the aromatic water that remains after producing an essential oil via steam or water distillation. The water which is used for the oil distillation has a wonderful aroma and even has some medicinal properties in it. Hydrosol also offers some therapeutic benefits and is also widely used for aromatherapy purposes.

Hydrosols are versatile to use and can be added to creams or lotions in replacement of water. Some may use it as facial toners, body spritz or as a wetting agent with clays as your homemade mask.

Neroli Hydrosol

Neroli is one of the most desirable natural aroma used in skincare products. It's delicate floral scent makes it light and feminine that promotes happy feelings and relieving depression and anxiety. In short, it is calming. In skincare, it works as a gentle yet effective astringent, helping in balancing skin.

Neroli Hydrosol is a good, less expensive alternative to those who want to enjoy the benefits of neroli. It makes a good toner for mature and oily prone skin as it has anti-bacterial properties.

Sampling: Weleda Sea Buckthorn Creamy Body Wash



When I purchase my body oil from Weleda a few months back, I was happy to receive this sample size body wash from them too. I was torn between the Lavender and Sea Buckthorn but later settled for the latter.

Product Description

Revitalizes and nourishes the skin.

Gently cleanses, revitalizes and nourishes the skin without synthetic detergents. Vegetable-based cleansers leave the skin clean and soft. Antioxidant rich biodynamic Sea Buckthorn Oil and sun-drenched essential oils revitalize the skin and the senses.

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Sesamum Indicum (Sesame), Coco-Glucoside, Alcohol, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Fragrance (Parfum)*, Hippophae Rhamnoides, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Limonene*, Linalool*, Citral*.

*from natural essential oils

Review: Burt's Bees Baby Bee Nourishing Baby Oil

Burt's Bees Baby Bee Nourishing Baby Oil 118 ml RM 56.80

( Special promotion price RM 41.60 )

When Burt's Bees in Malaysia were having their buy 2 free 1 promotion, I quickly made a dash to their nearest retail store and bought myself  two of my current favourite baby bee body wash and I grab their baby oil too, since I am a lover of body oils.

Product Description

It's time for a treat. Soften and smooth baby’s skin with a medley of vitamin-rich oils. Apricot is infused with grape seed, wheat germ and sunflower oils to create a rich, natural treat for precious skin.

Featured Ingredient- Apricot Oil

Prunus Armeniaca. An extremely desirable moisturizer rich in vitamins A and E, apricot kernel oil is extracted from the inedible kernels found in the apricot pit. The oil helps skin retain elasticity and suppleness without feeling greasy. It is especially effective when used on dry or mature skin.

Ingredients: prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, triticum vulgare (wheat) germ oil, tocopheryl acetate, parfum (fragrance), helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, canola oil (huile de colza), rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, tocopherol, glycine soja (soybean) oil, olus (vegetable oil, huile vegetale), beta-carotene, benzyl benzoate, geranoil, limonene, linalool