Hello, people of the interweb!

So it's 24th December 2016. And only 7 days 171 hours 10266 minutes and 615971 seconds to go before the clock strikes 12 and we start making those typical "date mistakes" ( you know writing '16 when it should be '17 ). So in the honor of approaching the new year, I decided to write a blog post related to the new year. Now as you can tell by the title it's going to be a "setting goals for new year" kind of a blog post.

And yes, I totally see you rolling your eyeballs there and thinking "well isn't that very typical of you, Natasha?" and "Everyone does that but they never follow through" and "Get out! That's boring!" but hey! Calm down! Because what people don't realize is that there is some sort of magical goodness related to this whole process of setting goals for the new year. Because when you set goals, you believe that with the new year comes a whole set of new opportunities to make things right for you, to have a fresh start at things, and to be able to live again the way you wanted to.

I don't know about you people, but the motivation-meter in my body reaches an exceedingly high point during the onset of the new year. And even if that "exceedingly high point" comes down to not so "exceedingly high point" after a while, I would still love to do this for I don't feel there is a better rush than the one when my heart and my mind is filled to the brim with that twinkling hope that the new year brings along with it.

Okay so enough with the introduction let's get on with it.

1.  TO WRITE MORE HERE

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I LOVE WRITING!!! It calms me down. More than anything, it makes me happy. And in this year, I wrote only 6 blog posts. So I guess you can tell that I haven't been that active here because of how occupied I was throughout this whole year in another kind of things that I didn't get much time to write for myself ( and also because the procrastinator in me was trying to reach its maximum potential). So that is my number one goal this year. To write more. I might even get myself a fancy new website ( how cool right?). At least that's what I have on my mind but let's not count those eggs before they are hatched.

2. TO READ MORE

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Okay, so I managed to read only 20 books this year which is not THAT bad given how absolutely occupied this year has been. That being said, I want to read more books, more articles, more blogs and I just want to read more overall in the upcoming year.

3.SAVE MORE MONEY

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My entire money, literally every single penny that I managed to get was wasted in food. And even though I enjoyed it at that moment, I really regretted it later ( because that food was not even healthy, to begin with ).  So I want to save more money in the new year. And I want to spend that money on meaningful things like books, quality skincare products, quality makeup, quality hair care ( does "quality" sounds annoying yet? ) and "quality" food ( now? ).

4. GET ORGANIZED

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YES! I want to be more organized. Because I read somewhere that "clutter is the physical manifestation of the unmade decisions fueled by procrastination" ( boring much? ) ( but it's true).
Being organized has tons of benefits that come along with it. Like, it makes you feel very productive and you are able to manage your plans efficiently and for more benefits check google ( yes I just wrote that). So guess who's going to be ordering one of those colorful and pretty organizers on Amazon?

5. BE A MORNING PERSON

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Okay! So, here's the truth. This " be a morning person" goal has been there in my 2014 new year resolutions list, 2015 new year resolutions list, 2016 new year resolutions list and now it's making its way to "2017 new year resolutions list" ( embarrassing much?). But I am not the one to give up ( casually covering up my failure to succeed with my ability to never give up here). So here it is again. "BE A MORNING PERSON" ( duly noted ).

6. BYE BYE TO NEGATIVE PEOPLE

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Let me tell you, I have been very successful this year to keep all the negative people at bay. I did not let them get to me at all. And I would like to keep up with that in 2017 as well.

7.COOK MORE

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I want to learn to cook good food. And to cook "more" of that good food. So that's that.

8. DO SOMETHING EXTREMELY SELFLESS

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It's tough but it is also extremely liberating and hence it's on the list.

9. BE HONEST WITH MYSELF AND OTHERS

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Honesty is such an important part of any relationship. When you are honest with others about your feelings, you create more space for yourself and others in your heart because you don't have to carry that baggage anymore. To sum it up "If you tell a truth, it becomes a part of your past, if you tell a lie, it becomes a part of your future".

10. TO LOVE ME MORE

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"Love yourself like you're not waiting for someone else to do it".  Yes! Do this!

11.FOCUS ON YOUR OWN GRASS

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That is pretty self-explanatory I guess? Why do you care what the other person is doing with his or her life? or "how much does he/she earn?" or "how long has she/he been single for?" or "what does his/her parents do?". Seriously, why do you care? I mean seriously, how basic can you be? Focus on yourself and your life will be so much better. And again, I have been pretty consistent with focusing on myself this year and that's what I intend on doing the upcoming year as well.

12. EXERCISE MORE

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No! I'm not talking about cardio! ( but again if that's what is going to help you then YOU DO YOU! )
Just exercise. Stay fit and healthy. Jog in the morning. Do light stretching workouts and strengthening exercises. That kind of thing.

13. BE INDEPENDENT

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Do it all by yourself for yourself. ( You feelin'? )

14.STOP FEELING LIKE YOU OWE KINDNESS TO PEOPLE

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Some people just don't deserve it. They seriously don't! I don't know why but this is always the hardest concept for my mind to grasp and I have hurt myself a lot in this process. And even though I managed to not treat unkind people with kindness this year, I still haven't hit that 180 yet. I have hit like 140 (or 160 rather). 
For instance, I recently helped this person out( someone who only comes to me asking for help. Other than that, this person loves to indulge in small talks so that it doesn't seem too obvious that she/he is only there for selfish reasons). I helped her/him out with his/her problems when she/he clearly has never ever been there for me EVER. I consoled her /him for hours. Helped her/him figure things out. Just because I feel like I owe kindness to people. Why? That is something that I need to figure out. So yeah it's on the list.

15. TO APPRECIATE LIFE AND THE CHALLENGES IT THROWS

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Every problem that you face in life is there to teach you a really valuable lesson and to make you a stronger person. And I really believe in that with all my heart. So instead of getting bogged down by the tough times in 2017, I would like to stand tall and firm for there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Some people just end up getting longer tunnels than the others.


Sooo... that is all. Those are all the goals that I want to achieve this year. And I know they cannot be achieved overnight or even over a month. Hence, I will be taking one step at a time. And just so we are clear, beginning of the new year is not the only time when you can make things right. You can make things right anytime that you want to (you know this right? C'mon! You should know this!). Everyone has a different way of celebrating the onset of the new year. This just happens to be mine. So keep reading those "12 new chapters, 365 new chances" and "this is your year to sparkle" kind of quotes because god knows they are what keeps us sane.

And to anybody who thinks I'm going to fail or this is too basic or too boring..this is what I have got to say to you,"Girl! (or guy!) There is no way that I am letting you dull my sparkle!".

I hope you enjoyed reading this! And hey! A very happy new year to you and your family!

Lots of love,
Natasha

Hello people of the interweb!

NOVEMBER IS HERE! And we are very close to the end of 2016. So I decided to write something related to 2016 because I was pondering about all the things that I did in 2016 or all the things that happened to me in 2016 and how I feel kind of grateful for all of them.

So as you can probably tell by the title, this post is going to be about things that I did in 2016 that made me feel very proud of myself (sounds cheesy but I don't really care). Now these are not crazy big achievements like "Hey! I got a job at Google!" or "Hey! My eyebrows finally look like Cara Delevingne's!(which by the way are just GOALS)". Instead, I am going to be talking about little things that I did or how I dealt with certain things ( to be more accurate ) which led to me being proud of myself. So enough for the intro it's now time to get into it.

DISCLAIMER: I am not trying to brag or anything. If you end up thinking for some reason that I am trying to show off or brag in any way after reading this then there is something seriously wrong with you. I just want people to appreciate the little things and little efforts that they put every day because god knows, it gets hard to do even the littlest of things sometimes. That's all. 

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1. I survived the biggest heartbreak in the history of the world.

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Let me just say, this was literally the most hurtful thing that I had to go through in my life except of course my grandma's death back in 2015.  But this was my first real heartbreak and it felt like a death in itself to me. And what followed were long months of sadness, crying myself to sleep, anger, anxiety, low confidence and EXTREMELY NEGATIVE THOUGHTS. BUT I recovered in the greatest way possible and now that I look back upon it I feel very proud of myself because: a) I didn't get a rebound or anything. Not saying that if you get a rebound then you're a bad person but it's just that, it was one of those things that I didn't want to do (and I didn't) and  b) This person wasn't worth suffering for. 

2. I was vegan for four months. 

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YES it was hard. YES I had to check labels of everything before putting it in my mouth. And YES it was totally worth it. Being vegan is still on my list. It's the right thing to do. I still very much believe that animals should not be killed and tortured for one's pleasure. And I failed at it. But that does not mean that I am not proud of myself for being vegan (even if for 4 months). Because yes, that did not make me a saint but food is culture and when you deny that piece of chicken that somebody offers you then you're somehow denying yourself that culture experience and that, my friend, is hard. And so I would like to appreciate all the vegans out there for kicking ass like they are and also myself even though I failed at it. But hey, I'm still on it. 

3. Started my blog.

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THIS. RIGHT HERE. WHAT YOU'RE READING. WHAT I AM WRITING. I AM PROUD OF THIS. 

4. Traveled for two hours every single day to work (and felt very adult about it) ;)

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Mumbai is a BIG CITY. And traveling is something you just have to do when you're there ( especially when your office is 14 km away from where you live). But I'm happy to report, I survived the traveling and guess what? It was fun sometimes. 

5. Got my first paycheck in the history of ever.

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AGAIN! Felt very adult about it. It was great. I mean it was MONEY, who doesn't like them some cash?

6. Boarded local trains like a boss. 

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Let's just say, I am an expert when it comes to local trains now. And I'm proud of it.

7. Talked live to my favorite YouTuber.

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It was 21st August. And I talked to my favorite YouTuber for 1 hour and 45 minutes. She answered all the 11 questions that I asked her. And guess what? She even said "HEY NATASHA!" OMG JUST THE THOUGHT OF IT. I CAN'T EVEN.

8. Had a major embarrassing meltdown in front of the CTO ( you know who you are )

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OKAY! So the meltdown? Yes! EMBARRASSMENT LEVEL INFINITE. But the very intellectual discussion that followed the meltdown? Totally worth it. And I am grateful that I had a CTO (you know who you are :D) who was so understanding. 

9. Got a panic attack in the bus on my way to work and still went to work.

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If you know anything about panic attacks then you would know that the first thing you want to do when you get a panic attack is to GET OUT OF THAT SITUATION. But I was in the bus. On my way to work. And I got a panic attack. But I survived it. And went to work. And everything turned out to be just fine. And you know what? I am literally patting myself on the back now. 

10. Got to eat really good food.

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So I don't know what it is about this year, but it's been consistently nice to me in terms of food (lasagna, tandoori momos, pina colada, starbucks frappes,etc). The amount of delicious food that I am eating is just unfathomable and I am very happy.

11. Got a brand new, shiny and awesome friend. 

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You know who you are. You are awesome. Just stay awesome. And hopefully, everything between us will always be "sorted". ;)

12. Went out of my comfort zone a lot of times. 

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My comfort zone is literally the size of a penny. And I had to get out of it a lot of times. And I liked it. And I'm proud of myself.

13. All the awesome outings with my sister.

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So grateful for all of that. It was amazing. From boarding a metro at 11 at night to never wanting to leave from Chaupati because it is so beautiful and calming, it was ALL AMAZING. 

14. Read amazing books and discovered one of my favorite books of all time.

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It is the kite runner by Khaled Hosseini. And it is hands down one of my favorite books of all time. And you should totally read it if you haven't already. And I am still reading a lot more. 

15. When I applied for a part time job at starbucks.

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Okay so if you know me then you should know that I have "working at starbucks" in my bucket list (don't ask my why). So I decided to apply for a job there and I could have easily been working there right now but I didn't have that much amount of time left with me in Mumbai because it was time for me to get back to my home town. But it is still totally on my bucket list. And I felt proud of the fact that I took the initiative to apply for it.

16. Survived eating only Top Ramen curry for a week.

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lesson: QUIT BEING A PROCRASTINATOR. 
But still, proud of myself for that. 

17. Chased a bus like a crazy person. 

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Let me just begin this by saying, I HAVE NEVER EVER CHASED AFTER A BUS but If I wouldn't have chased after this bus then it would have been me waiting for it for another 30 minutes to arrive and that is a lot of time so obviously I had to chase after it. Imagine a 21 year old girl shouting like a crazy person running after a bus as if it's the end of the world. Funny enough? Yep! Still proud of it. 


So.. these were some of those little things out of that long list of little things that I did that made me feel grateful about my life and feel proud of myself. And hopefully November and December will also be nice to me. It might seem piffle to some of you but before you try to be all original and judge me , DON'T. Because no matter what you say or do or think, I don't give two shits. I am proud of ALL OF THESE things and more and 2016 couldn't have been any nicer and it still is very nice to me (thank the lord). Of course, I faced few hardships here and there but I dealt with it in the best way that I could have. I wanted to appreciate myself for all the efforts that I have put in so far because I don't think I do that often. People tend to compliment other people the most but not themselves. And that needs to change. So that is it and I would like to end this by quoting a very wise person " The little things? The little moments? They aren't little."

Thanks and I hope you enjoyed reading this. 

With lots of love,
Natasha

Hello people of the interweb!

It's October! And with the onset of new month comes new products. So I have been trying out new products that are cruelty free and vegan. And I found a very affordable and herbal drugstore brand that sells cruelty free and vegan products. And I must say I was kind of surprised when I discovered them on amazon because I wasn't able to find any vegan "skincare products"  that were this cheap before. And not only are they vegan but this brand uses mostly non harmful chemicals so that was a pleasant surprise. But now that I have found it and I am almost happy, let's get into it.

1. ALOE VEDA CHOCOLATE VANILLA LUXURY SHOWER GEL WITH ALOE VERA.

So this is what the bottle looks like. As you can tell, it's a plastic bottle with a flip top green cap ( nothing fancy ). The bottle is transparent so you can see the shiny green colored liquid through it. I expected the liquid to be brown in color given that it's a "chocolate " body wash but "oh well". 

Price: You get 300 ml for Rs. 180.00 which is absolutely amazing. 

Ingredients:

My review:
OKAY SO FIRST OF ALL. THIS THING SMELLS HEAVENLY. It smells like chocolate and I honestly feel like this product has come straight out of Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory. The liquid is a shiny green color. It lathers up pretty well. And you don't need to use half of the bottle to create lather. Just take a coin sized amount and you're good to go. It's also kinda moisturizing but not all that much. And the scent also fades away after you're done showering so that was bit of a downer for me because I like to smell yummy all day long ( who doesn't? ). But other than that it is a decent shower gel which cleans your body well. And it is not tested on animals which is just awesome. 

PROS:
1. Cruelty free and vegan.
2. Affordable.
3. Awesome chocolate fragrance.
4. Good for all skin types.
5. Contains less chemicals as compared to the other drugstore shower gels out there in the market. 
6. Available on amazon.

CONS:
1. The chocolate smell fades away pretty quickly.
2. It has SLES in it.
3. The packaging is pretty boring. 

Over all, I liked this product. And I will totally repurchase it. 


2.ALOE VEDA TULSI AND CUCUMBER REFRESHING FACE WASH( SUPLHATE FREE) WITH CUCUMBER EXTRACTS, TULSI EXTRACTS, ALOE VERA.

Now again, this bottle is just a transparent plastic bottle with flip top green cap. The liquid inside it is light green in color ( in case you can't tell). 

Price: You get 100 ml for Rs. 160.00 

Ingredients:

The product claims to be sulphate free and paraben free and as you can tell by looking at the ingredients list that it is totally true to its claims. 

My review:
I have dry skin. And during this time of the month it starts acting like a Sahara desert. So that being said, I like using products that are soap free and mild. And this is soap free and mild. It has a pretty strong herbal scent. But when you apply it on your face, the smell doesn't seem too strong. It has a light green color (even though it looks transparent in the picture). It gets rid of all the gunk off of your face pretty well. It doesn't over dry my skin and a little amount goes a long way. It says it cleans makeup but it's kinda average at doing that. But overall it's a nice face wash with no parabens and sulphates in it. 

PROS:
1.Paraben free and sulphate free.
2. Cruelty free and Vegan.
3.Good for all skin types.
4.Affordable.
5.Available on amazon.

CONS:
1. I am not a big fan of the scent.
2. The packaging is so boring.

So all in all, it is a decent face wash and if you're wondering whether I'll repurchase it? May be! 

And the last product that I bought from this brand....

3. ALOE VEDA ALOE VERA NOURISHING SKIN GEL WITH GREEN TEA EXTRACTS AND VITAMIN E.

This is the last product that I purchased from this brand. It's an aloe vera gel. But not just an aloe vera gel, it says it has vitamin E in it and also Green tea extracts. So my expectations were kinda high with this one but unfortunately, I didn't like it all that much. 

This is what it looks like. It comes in a tub with green gel inside it and a white twist open top kinda cap. It also has white beads in it. 

Price: Rs. 90.00 for 125 g.

Ingredients list:

That is aloe vera gel- 98%  (it got rubbed off).


My review: 
Let's talk about the fragrance first ,it is very fresh and mild. I love it. It is light green in color. 
Now, coming to the actual review, this says, it has VITAMIN E in it. So when I saw that, I thought okay great, so this must be more moisturizing than aloe vera gels usually are because of additional vitamin E but oh dear lord!! This is so drying. It is extremely drying for my Sahara desert skin type. It's great to soothe your skin but not good for moisturizing dry skin. That being said, people with oily skin will love this stuff. And as far as I am concerned, I will be using this as my post shave/wax balm. 

PROS:
1. Cruelty free and vegan.
2. No harmful chemicals at all.
3. Very mild and fresh fragrance.
4.Good for people with oily skin. 
5. Available on Amazon. 

CONS:
1.Not good for dry skin.
2. I don't like the fact that it comes in a tub because it is unhygienic. 


MY OVERALL RATING FOR THIS BRAND: 3 STARS 


So those were all the products that I tried out from this brand this time. And I hope you enjoyed reading this. 

Lots of love, 
Natasha

Hello, people of the interweb! 

I hope all of you are doing well and good. If NOT  then don't worry because everything will be well and good soon enough. Anyway, it has been a crazy busy month and I haven't been able to take care of my skin the way I wanted to take care of it ( let's just say face wipes and concealer have been my best friends for the past month ). So I decided to give my skin kind of a pick-me-up and what better way to do this other than treating your skin with face masks? My skin issue currently has been dull and dry skin but these face masks have been working like charm to get rid of that. And when I say "charm" I REALLY MEAN IT. And these are also homemade face masks which mean that they are pocket-friendly ( can I get a hell yeah? ). 

Also, I have extremely sensitive skin and I've never had an allergic reaction to these.So now let's get into it.

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TOP FIVE HOMEMADE FACE MASKS FOR DRY SKIN ( that actually work )

1. COCOA POWDER FACE MASK

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I love cocoa powder. Not only does it smell heavenly ( like I literally feel like licking my face off after I'm done applying this) but it's also rich in antioxidants which prevent aging of the skin, adds that natural glow to your face and also moisturizes the skin really well. So let's see how to make this magical face mask. 

YOU WILL NEED:

1. Unsweetened cocoa powder 

2. Milk of your choice ( I prefer almond milk).

3.Honey or agave.

4.Bowl

5.Spoon

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1.Take 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder. And put it in a bowl.

2. Take 1 tablespoon of milk. And mix the cocoa powder and milk well until it turns into chocolaty brown color.

3.Add 1/2 tablespoon of honey or agave to the paste. And mix all the ingredients well again. using a spoon. The consistency of the paste should neither be too thick nor too thin. 

HOW TO APPLY:

Apply it all over your face (leaving the under eye part) and neck. You can use a brush or your fingers (both work just fine).

WHEN TO WASH IT OFF:

Wash the entire thing off after 20 minutes (resist the urge to lick it off) with a hot washcloth. And VOILA! YOUR SKIN IS BABY SOFT NOW!

Believe you me, this mask hydrates your skin like no other. And I love applying this on my face whenever my skin feels too dry. 

2. VITAMIN E FACE MASK

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It is a common knowledge that dermatologists recommend vitamin E capsules to people with severely dry and dull skin. And that is because vitamin E helps retain the skin's natural moisture. So this is how you use it.

YOU WILL NEED:

1.Vitamin E capsules or oil( you can find these at any medical store ).

2.Big spoon. 

HOW TO USE IT:

Pinch the vitamin E capsules and get the oil out ( I use 2 capsules) in a spoon. Apply it all over your face including the under eye part. Don't forget to apply it on your neck.

WHEN TO WASH IT OFF:

Now you can leave it on overnight and then wash it off the next morning or wash it off after 20 minutes. Now since the oil is a little bit thick in consistency I would recommend taking a washcloth and run it under hot water. Then take the hot washcloth and cover your face with it for a minute. Repeat this procedure until the vitamin E oil is completely off of your skin. 

This is one of the best face masks to quench the skin's thirst for moisture. It's without a doubt one of the best pick-me-ups for people suffering from dry skin.

3.OATMEAL FACE MASK

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Oatmeal is famous for its anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties. It really helps heal the skin. I love using oatmeal on my face. 

YOU WILL NEED:

1. Ground oatmeal.

2. Milk of your choice (I prefer almond milk).

3. Honey or agave.

4. Bowl

5.Spoon

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Take 1 tablespoon of ground oatmeal ( or more if your face is bigger ). Put it in a bowl.

2. Take 1 tablespoon of milk and add it to the ground oatmeal in a bowl. Mix the two well until it forms a paste.

3. Take 1/2 tablespoon of honey or agave and add it to the paste. Mix it well.

HOW TO APPLY:

This is no rocket science. Just like any other face mask, use a brush or your fingers to apply it all over your face. Don't forget your neck. The neck is just as important. Leave the under eye part. 

WHEN TO WASH IT OFF:

Wash it off after 20 minutes with a hot washcloth. 

TRY THIS and your skin will thank you.

4.BANANA FACE MASK

Image source: Google

Bananas are great for everything ( that's why minions love them so much). I love bananas too. They are great for providing moisture to the skin. They are anti-aging and also helps lighten the dark spots on your skin. So let's see how to use bananas for the face.

YOU WILL NEED:

1.Bananas

2.Bowl

3.Fork

HOW TO MAKE IT:

Take a banana and mash it in a bowl using a fork until you get a banana paste ( it can take about 5 minutes to get this paste). 

HOW TO APPLY:

Use your brush or fingers to apply it all over your face (except the under eye part) and neck.

WHEN TO WASH IT OFF:

Wash it off after 20 minutes. And enjoy your soft and supple skin. 

I love this face mask. It's perfect for dry skin.

5.ALOE VERA  AND COCONUT MILK FACE MASK

Image source: Google

No skin care is complete without using aloe vera. I love aloe vera. It has multiple uses. It's great at getting rid of cracking and flaking skin. And I try to use this at least once a week.

YOU WILL NEED:

1.Aloe vera extract ( I prefer using natural aloe vera leaf extract).

2.Coconut milk

3.Gram flour ( or any flour to make a paste ).

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1.Take aloe vera leaf extract. Put it in a bowl.

2. Put about 1 tablespoon of coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of gram flour in a bowl. Mix the three ingredients well using a spoon.

HOW TO APPLY:

Use your fingers or brush to apply it all over your face( leaving the under eye part) and neck. 

WHEN TO WASH IT OFF:

Wash it off after 20 minutes with a hot wash cloth. 

Your skin will feel like a baby's bottom after this face mask. All the three ingredients work extremely well in making your skin smooth and soft. 

So those were all the face masks that I use to curb face dryness. 

I like to use a face mask at least once a week. All of the above-mentioned face masks have been tried and tested on my skin. And like I mentioned before I've never had an allergic reaction to these. 

There are a lot of homemade face masks that you can find on the internet but these are the ones that really work for me. 

I hope you people enjoyed reading this. 

Lots of love,

Natasha