Cosette's Beauty Pantry

Hello everyone! I have not published a  Fact or Fiction?  post in such a long time, but this is, actually, my fourth beauty myths post. These posts are meant to debunk common beauty myths and misconceptions. For this fourth (4th) post, I chose to focus on curly hair.  I have a loose curl pattern (2c/3a) and, I have been wearing my hair naturally, on and off, for over a decade. I haven't straightened my hair in almost two and a half years! Needless to say, I learned quite a few tips and tricks along this journey. I found a lot of helpful information online, but also a lot of misinformation such as: 1. Do not wash your hair more than once a week. Fact or Fiction?  Fiction. There is no one golden rule when it comes to hair cleansing. If you don’t wash your hair enough, it will become flat and greasy. If you wash it too often, it will be dry and frizzy. You should wash your hair when it needs to be cleansed. 2. You only have curly hair if you don’t have to scrunch it. Fact or Ficti

Hello everyone! We all want  clear, healthy and  young - looking   skin .  Here are a few things you can do to prevent premature aging. Drink plenty of water... Simply put, soft drinks, caffeine and alcohol dehydrate you; water re-hydrates you.  Plus, water assists with circulation of vitamins and minerals.  Don’t use soap... Switch to a gentle, soap-free cleanser.  Soap dries the skin and strips it of all natural oils.  Soap is also a detergent and may contain harsh agents like SLS .  It can also clog up your pores. Don't forget to moisturise... Look for lightweight or water-based moisturisers which are less prone to clog your pores.   Use an eye cream... Products formulated for the area around your eyes give you more nutrients than your regular moisturiser.  You should use an eye cream if you have issues like, eye puffiness, dark circles and wrinkles around the eye area (crow's feet).  A regular face moisturiser will not help you with these issues. Wear suns

Is your shampoo stripping your hair of moisture?  Does your shampoo contain sulphates ?   Sulphates ( sulfates ) are  the agents that make cleansing products lather .   Most shampoos contain   Sodium Laureth Sulfate  and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate .  These ingredients, which are standard for most shampoo (and household cleaning products), strips the hair from natural oils, over-dry the hair and cause frizz  ( especially in   curly hair).  Sulphates also damage   coloured hair.  In fact, after a chemical treatment, colouring or hair extensions, hair stylists will often recommend a sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner. Without sulphates there is no lather when you wash your hair so it takes some getting used to.  Cleansing your hair with a sulphate-free shampoo is very similar to co-washing (washing with conditioner only).  If you choose to co-wash, always use a sulphate-free and silicone-free conditioner. However, if you use silicone-based hair products (conditioner

Hello everyone! Did you know that not only skincare products but also hair care products, can cause acne ( acne cosmetica )?  If you breakout primarily around your hairline and/or forehead, your hair care products could be the cause.  That’s because, greasy or irritating ingredients in sprays, gels, mousses and waxes can clog pores. hair gel Furthermore, your shampoo and conditioner may also cause acne around the hairline and/or forehead.  As I previously told you in Choosing facial cleansers , most shampoos contain Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate .  The percentage varies in different shampoos, but these chemicals are highly comedogenic and are known to cause breakouts in some people.  Besides, silicones like Dimethicone are also comedogenic ingredients commonly found in hair care products, particularly conditioners.  (Read Silicone-based hair care products if you want to know more. shampoo and conditioner So, if you tend to breakout around the

There are different types of facial cleansers, and they have different effects on the skin.  Facial cleansers can be divided mainly into two groups:             Foaming cleansers             Non-foaming cleansers Foaming Facial Cleansers You can find various types of foaming facial cleansers, including lotions, creams, gels, mousses and scrubs. These facial cleansers lather, like soap, and have to be rinsed off with water.  Many people prefer these kinds of cleansers because they believe that they do a better job at cleansing the pores, than non-foaming ones. Usually, a high foaming cleanser contains harsh deterging agents which, not only cleanse but also strip the skin from its natural oils.  Consequently, those kinds of cleansers dry and irritate the skin.  Both Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate are   foaming agents used in most drugstore cleansers, soaps, shampoos, detergents, toothpaste   and other products.  Both chemicals are very effective f