text: Updated: Mar 25, 2019, 14:04 IST
  When I was young, broke and didn't know any better, I would smother the cheapest store-bought skin care products on my face, never thinking for a split second about what was actually in them. Nice packaging? Great commercial? Catchy tune? And yeah, that pretty much would be the basis of why something landed in my cart. I would rarely stop and think, "Hmm... what's in this stuff?" Should I actually read the label? And even if I do, do I know what these ingredients are? Hell, do I know how to pronounce them?
  In other words, I stayed uneducated and oblivious, taking things as they were, until, as an adult, my health became compromised on numerous levels. You name it. I suffered from it. But once I started learning the real deal about health, I had to go into a complete overhaul. That meant I needed to make quality and conscious decisions about not only what I was going to eat, who I was going to spend time with, what products I was going to clean my house with, and for god's sake, what I was going to put on my skin.
  Our skin is the largest organ in our body and absorbs more than 80% of what we put on it. So if you're putting toxins on it, you're making yourself toxic! (Britney Spears won't approve of this). Let's face it, you can't just change one or two little habits and think your life will transform. I was waking up. I was making a conscious effort to take my health seriously. I had one body, one life, and I was ready to take control. And so began my journey of attaining a naturally, healthy skin!
  Sneha Dey/iDiva
  My skincare routine is pretty simple. I wash my face with a face wash, spray some toner, massage in serum and put on a moisturizer and I am done. Occasionally, on days when I need some pampering, I put on a mask in between these steps. So, when I decided to make this switch from off-the-rack products to organic products, naturally I went to Qtrove.com and looked for products that best suited my skin requirements.
  Qtrove.com is the perfect one-stop destination that sells only natural, organic products that your skin and body will love! This curated marketplace exhibits and sells only natural and sustainable products from passionate sellers across the country. The products are made naturally and consciously by local sellers just for you. These products are made in limited numbers, either by hand or in small facilities with individual care. They got delivered within 3-4 days of placing the order and so began my little experiment.
  Because my skin is haunted by the past of my acne-prone teenage years, I decided to use Vya Naturals' Anti-Acne Turmeric & Tea Tree Face Wash. It contains haldi manjal (Wild Turmeric) which is one of the most powerful herbs with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-aging properties! Not only did it help remove makeup and clean my skin, but it also helped reduce the blemishes and helped prevent further breakouts.
  What: Anti-Acne Turmeric & Tea Tree Face Wash
  Cost: Rs. 595 for 100 mL.
  Next, I changed my toner. I had been loyal to a tea-tree based toner for the longest time. But it had alcohol in it and while it did help keep blemishes away, I would walk around with a red face every day. Here's where Imiana House's Rose Water Facial Toner Mist helped me! Rose water is a natural astringent that balances and restores the PH level of the skin. It helped tighten the pores on my skin while leaving it refreshed! And I love anything that keeps my face hydrated!
  What: Imiana House Rose Water Facial Toner Mist
  Cost: Rs. 270 for 50 mL.
  And like any other person who is obsessed with hydrating her skin, I chose a hydrating mask for my pamper sessions. I used the Zero Skin's Hydrating Choco-Mint face mask. I used to add a generous amount of milk to make a paste and would gently massage it in circular motions & wash off with rose water. And it left my skin soft and supple!
  What: The Zero Skin Hydrating Face Mask (Choco Mint)
  Cost: Rs. 320 for 30 gms.
  Now my most favourite find in this little exercise was Ayurvedic Vitamin C Skin Care Serum! The makers claim that the serum will reduce signs of aging and lighten your skin tone. It will also reduce acne, wrinkles, fine lines and help you maintain healthy, radiant skin. And it did! It is a water-based serum and it took less than 30 minutes to completely absorb. All the ingredients of this serum worked in favour of my skin- peaches, amla, lemon, grape seed extracts, aloe vera... you name it, and it worked!
  What: Ayurvedic Vitamin C Skin Care Serum
  Cost: Rs. 999 for 30 mL.
  Finally, for 2 weeks I used Raw Nature's Caramel and Cedarwood moisturizer. It is an ultra-light moisturizer that is a warm, sophisticated blend of natural ingredients that left my skin feeling nourished and hydrated. With no stickiness or oily residue, this worked really well for my skin. I would put a generous amount of the cream on my face at night and would wake up to visibly firmer skin in the morning. My verdict: 10/10!
  What: RawNature Moisturizer (Caramel & Cedarwood)
  Cost: Rs. 279 for 55 gms.
  I loved what the combination of these products did to my skin in 2 weeks. The blemishes on my skin were visibly reduced, it felt more refreshed and hydrated at all times. And I guess that since it was hydrated from within, my pores won't secrete an embarrassing amount of oil. My biggest lesson in all this was that you can nourish your skin, fight the signs of aging, and glow by making this small change- switch to all-natural products!
  If you're on the fence, try it for yourself. I know you'll become a believer too. Because I did! Two weeks of treating my skin to the healthiest skincare out there and I am sold. You're worth every penny. You have a choice. Are you going to treat yourself to the most natural, organic skin care out there and do your body right?