Apricot Scrub Review by Himalaya Herbals

As part of routine cleansing,  a facial scrub plays an essential role in removing dead skin cells and deeply embedded impurities leaving the skin soft, supple and refreshed. 

Exfoliating prevents the skin from looking lifeless and dull. It also prevents acne and blackheads. Since exfoliation should ideally be done twice or thrice a week, a gentle and relatively chemical free herbal product would be an ideal choice. One such product I came across is the Apricot scrub by Himalaya Herbals. 

Product name: Gentle Exfoliating Apricot Scrub

Key ingredients:
Apricot, Apple and Wheatgerm Oil.

Packaging: a 100 gram plastic tube containing an off-white coloured scrub in a creamy base with tiny brownish granules. (picture attached)

Fragrance: A pleasant apple and apricote smell.

Direction of use: (FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY)
Gently massage the scrub in a circular motion over wet face and neck using fingertips, avoiding the area under the eyes. Wash off and pat dry. Use twice to thrice a week for healthy glowing skin.

Price: 115 Indian Rupees for 100 gram tube

Shelf life: Three years

Storage: Store in a cool dry place.  

Pros of Apricot Scrub
1. Natural herbal product- no harmful chemicals
2. Hypoallergenic
3. Gentle on skin, the fine granules gives a soft gritty feel leaving the skin supple and glowing.
4. Affordable
5. Lasts long - about six months or more if a tube is used by a single person
7. Contains Vitamin E which is vital for skin rejuvination
8. Nourishes skin.
9. Helps fight excess oil
10. Helps fight acne and blackheads. 
11. Pleasant fragrance.
12. Can be used regularly .
13. Efficacy remains the same over time.

Cons of Apricot Scrub
1. Can change colour as it is a herbal formulation.
2. Takes longer time to improve skin complexion.

My experience:
I have to admit that I am not a regular user of this product, I use it only when I need a scrub occasionally.  Despite this, I just loved its smell and the consistency.  It is easy to use and does not end up giving the over scrubbed effect like its Walnut scrub counterpart nor does it abrade the skin. Moreover, it leaves the skin soft, supple and glowing as it claims, immediately after its use.

I would definitely recommend this product to be included as a part of your routine facial care. The best news is, it is a unisex product!

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Neem Active Toothpaste Review

As the world is moving into re-experimenting on herbals, I thought a daily use product would be an ideal to shade some light on.

Product name: Neem Active Toothpaste from Henkel India. The company also is known for its Margo soap as its trademark.

Product description: A light green tooth paste.

Flavour: It has an added mint flavour.

Packaging: a 200 gram tube with a nozzle cap. (Pic attached)

Cost: INR 65 (MRP) in regular stores.

Direction to use: Open the cap and squeeze the tube from the bottom to the top.

Introduction:
Neem Active Toothpaste claims to offer a complete oral care. It is 100% vegetarian and have efficacy in preventing cavities, long lasting freshness and strengthening teeth and gums.

Ingredients:
It contains a long list of hard to pronounce compounds but the active ingredients are calcium carbonate, Glycerin,  hydrated silica, sodium carboxymethylcellulose,  Neem extract, sodium monoflouro phosphate and Tea Tree oil among others. These are all natural and nature derived ingredients. The toothpaste is 98% herbal.

Properties: Because it contains Neem (Azadirachta) extract which is a strong naturally occuring anti-bacterial, the toothpaste helps to fight germs. The product also claims to prevent bleeding gums and inflammation. The mint flavour helps fight bad breathe for hours.

My experience:
Easy to open and recap. 
Easy recapping with no spill over.
Tastes good. Minty and fresh.
Easily accepted by children due to its flavour and mild strength.
A pea size quantity suffices to clean the entire mouth per use.

I have been using it for four months once daily and I still have half of the tube intact. The number of users for the paste are 5 per day. So basically it is cost effective for the entire family use.

It has a temporary fresh feel but the minty flavour lasts for hours.

Compared to other toothpastes falling in a similar category like Dabur red paste and Meswak, Neem Active toothpaste lack the efficiency of whitening the teeth.

Conclusion:
Neem Active Toothpaste is a herbal choice for those who can't adjust with chemical-loaded toothpastes. It might offer what it says if used twice daily. It is an affordable product for a complete oral care for the entire family.

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