The ingredients in products for winter skin care seem to get ever-more exotic. Abhilasha Ojha does a sampling.
Opening my brand-new bottle of Jwalini oil from Kama (Rs 185 for a 100 ml bottle) this morning, a particularly beneficial application to banish dry skin during harsh winter, I find my thoughts turning to the range of Kama products that used to rest in the rooms at the Mumbai Trident…
To make things worse, hours later, I find myself reading a press release that proclaims the availability of Estée Lauder’s signature Re Nutriv brand of creams, with luxurious and powerful anti-ageing skincare formulae at “select outlets” at the same Trident’s Galleria. Clearly, terrorists have this time attacked not just popular south Mumbai destinations but our very psyches. With Mumbai scarring our minds in this fashion, it is difficult to focus on indulgences right now. And yet, life — and the business of living — must go on. So here’s your definitive guide to what you should be picking up for the winter months ahead.
Looking for a body balm after stressful day? We recommend H2O’s raspberry and guava moisture-boosting body balm, a perfect concoction of natural fruit extracts combined with shea butter and aloe vera extract to nourish the skin. The balm is a treat for dry and patchy areas and the exotic-scented lotion hydrates the skin, leaving it smooth and supple. At Rs 830 a bottle, 240 ml, the balm also claims to give you a vitamin E boost.
In fact, H2O has recently introduced its range for the winter season, and there are some other great pick-me-ups too: There’s a green tea facial cleanser (Rs 1,250), for instance, full of anti-oxidants, that you can try out, and another one pitched as a “day care” serum priced at Rs 2,100 for a tiny 25 ml bottle — but worth it for these months, if your skin requires some extra pampering. Hand and nail crèmes by H2O are available at stores such as Religare Wellness all across the country (Rs 1,000).
Another potion that I would recommend is Estée Lauder’s Re Nutriv, an intensive, smoothing hand crème, combining “a variety of butters” with special oil blends for better absorption of the cream. The blends combine “nutlet oils” with special Australian Bois oil to help seal in moisture to prevent dehydration. Lise Jorgensen, vice president, global skincare product development, says that the hand crème “has been formulated with an exclusive anti-spot technology. It’s non-greasy. We guarantee that your hands will feel soft and supple for hours even after multiple hand washings.” While this is priced at Rs 2,095, Estée Lauder’s Re Nutriv body crème (Rs 9,000) is also available at select stores.
At the Body Shop outlet at Khan Market, Delhi, perhaps like some others in your own city, stocks a wide range of skincare products too. One of the latest pick-me-ups that I have spotted here is also a Vitamin E serum, launched especially for India. While this serum is priced at Rs 1,195 for 30 ml, you can pick up products such as the same brand’s must-have melon-flavoured, pink lip-care balm for a more reasonable Rs 95. It’s one of the bestsellers there during winters.
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Organic products are a rage too, and Eminence, usually a preferred brand at salons and spas, is now trying to tap individual clients by going to retail stores. The brand has introduced a range of skin care products (lotions and moisturisers and face and hand crèmes) called DiVine, inspired by, you guessed it, wine (priced approximately Rs 3,500 each). These are made from all-natural, organically grown herbs, fruits and vegetables.
Other product lines include those by Chambor, Shesiedo, Nina Ricci, Elizabeth Arden and so forth — just step into any of the malls and you’ll find salespersons urging you to try these. And, while one feels the fatigue and the stress of these uncertain times, Elizabeth Arden’s green tea massage oil may just be the best way to beat this. At Rs 3,700, it is a tad more expensive than other products in the same category, but soothing your nerves has never seemed so essential before. Has it?