In the world of the “gram”, everyone you see is beautiful; almost flawless, all thanks to their apparent skincare routines. And we do seem to get caught up in these propagated skincare trends. From charcoal masks to micro-needling at home, from snail mucin to CBD infused products, and so on. There is always something new and exciting that promises you the perfect skin. However, you should know that what works for someone else’s skin won’t necessarily work for yours; not to mention how dangerous some of these practices can be.

The point here is to not follow these fads blindly but to listen to your skin and what it needs in order to look and feel healthy. For example, if you have dry skin, using abrasive skin scrubs will eventually strip the natural oils from your skin, making it more flaky. For someone with oily skin, they should prefer using light-weight, oil-free products. Moreover, introducing your skin to too many new products at once could also lead to skin breakouts, inflammation and irritation. Just because there is a new skin product in the market doesn’t mean you have to have it.

So how do we find out what our skin needs and what kind of products should we use?
The first step would be to figure out your skin type; whether it is oily, dry, combination , sensitive or normal. Once you know that, it becomes easier to find out the products that are a perfect match to our skin. Anour brings you a wide range of cruelty free products that are customised for every skin type. The Avocado Mousse Body Butter does wonders for dry skin giving long lasting nourishment, while the light-weight Aloe Gaze Aloevera Gel makes oily skin look supple and fresh and helps with acne and skin irritation! And all these products simultaneously fight ageing.

Another step that one could take is to consult a skin specialist if they have specific concerns. A dermatologist can recommend the most effective products.

Thirdly-Know your ingredients! What is inside a product can have a different effect on different skin types. For example – salicylic acid works well with acne- prone skin, while retinoids can leave your skin very dry. You need to find out which ingredients are suitable for your skin. Like the Ginseng Day Cream by Anour; the primary ingredients of which are, Ginseng-that helps balance oil production and pigmentation, hyaluronic acid which helps plumping fine lines and wrinkles and Arbutin, that improves the skin texture. The key, thus, is to find the perfect ingredient that suits your skin, and it will surely give results.

The next step is to start with a basic skincare routine – gentle cleansing, moisturizing and UV protection. Once it is set, you can then begin adding new products one by one and see the reaction of each product by first trying a small portion of it on your skin. For example, you can try Anour’s Crunchy Cappuccino Scrub. It is 100% natural and works as the perfect cleansing exfoliator if you have dry to normal skin. Hence, such practices give a clear picture of what exactly suits your skin type.

Finally, what is required by you is to be patient. If you have chosen the right products, give them some time to start working their magic on you. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the outstanding results.

Here’s hoping that you lovely ladies out there, are going to be attentive towards your skin, and do what it needs. Because trust me, each one of you is beautiful; you just haven’t discovered it yet.

A resolution we all have taken this year is to indulge ourselves more into self-care. Well self-care can mean from spending more time with our friends to picking up a hobby to taking care of the biggest organ of our body, our skin. Because you know, happy skin aligns to a happy mood.

However, in this journey of skincare one can get a bit overwhelmed looking at the sheer number of products out there. Every time you make a scroll on Instagram there’s a new product offering, making it all the more confusing. So here we are, to talk about the products that are an absolute investment and stand true to their claims and at the same time, products that you don’t need to splurge your money on.

With our hectic schedules every day we are looking for skincare routines that are not so intensive and take minimal time and energy. Why go for a moisturiser and a sunscreen separately when simply one product can do both the jobs? Introducing to you this Ginseng Day Cream from Anour that helps balance oil production and pigmentation along with protecting your skin from the sun sensitivity. The Day Cream is light weight and is uniquely formulated with SPF 20. Enriched with Hyaluronic acid, it makes the skin feel nourished, plump fine lines and improves the overall texture and tone of the skin.

In case you travel a lot and love to keep your products handy in your little-cute handbag, go for this absolute winner Cherry Bomb Lip and Cheek Tint. Not only is this natural and gentle, it also acts as a two-in-one application for the lips and cheek. It helps in moisturising your lip while adding a brilliant lip color & can also be used to give that perfect cherry flush tint to brighten your cheeks. It’s perfect for the days you want to achieve a no-fuss subtle makeup look. The point here is, we often end up passing big money on expensive lipsticks and blushes solely to create that no-makeup makeup look. Well, the good news is, this Cherry Lip and Cheek Tint does the same thing for you but at a much better rate. Also, Lip products have a shelf life so it’s only smarter to buy the less expensive ones.

Imagine you are stepping out for a date & you forget to splash your favourite Perfume, Nightmare, right? Well, you can create a fantastic look by putting on the best skin care and best make-up but if you miss out on Perfume, it’s almost like skipping a personality trait that could have made a lasting impression on your date. Speaking of which, Anour offers you a Cocktail Drop Solid Perfume infused with Shea Butter, Cocoa butter & Silicon Wax. It lingers on your skin for hours and practically massages your pulse points with scent. Now if you are wondering how is this a smarter purchase than the other expensive perfumes available in the market, this one will last much longer and is compact in size, making it all the more easy to carry when you travel.

I believe in an ethical world where we care about animals, the planet and each other
– By Divya Kalra, Content writer at Nykaa

More often than not, sustainability comes with a lot of pressure to perfect it. But instead, it is a holistic journey of making better choices, one day at a time. So what, if you’re not able to perfect a sustainable lifestyle in one go? You can surely reduce your carbon footprint on the planet and say yes to a greener future. Here are a few ways that we, at Anour conjured for you to start making better choices wherever you are.

Bring your own bags, essentially. Trust us and you won’t regret it. Go cold turkey on all the plastic bags you use on an everyday basis. Your swaps? Reusable cloth bags for grocery shopping and biodegradable garbage bags. You may think these changes are small, but they have a huge impact.

Thrift stores and second hand shops are a great option to find some really unique items and save money. Who doesn’t want a wardrobe change. But do you really need all that you want? Think twice before you’re thinking of discarding a beautiful dress that got ripped. Go to your local tailor and get it fixed, these small hacks go a long long way!

Great products that are vegan, cruelty free, recyclable or biodegradable packaging, natural and have organic ingredients – all in one – this may seem like a dream. But trust us, more and more small businesses are adopting ethical practices and producing great quality products. We, at Anour are constantly striving to be more ethical each passing day.

The trick is in finding YOUR first step in sustainability by identifying a label that makes you feel good and supporting a great brand. You can even start by simply making your products multitask.

With knowledge comes great power. Once you start making a few changes in your lifestyle, read about the kind of impact you’re making on the environment. Reinforcing yourself is key. The more you read, the closer you get to playing your part in looking, feeling and doing your best for mama earth and yourself! Make sure you choose brands that are free from toxic chemicals, parabens and sulphates. We love to keep our products clean and focus on naturally derived ingredients.

Sustainability begins at home. Those fancy glass bottles, plastic bottles and cardboard boxes that your products come in – why not make them planters or storage boxes for nuts or medicines? At Anour, not only do we use jute bags so you can use the packaging to store anything that you like, but also encourage you to reuse the containers. DIYs are great to indulge in as an activity and they support sustainability. Want inspo? Pinterest some! It even makes up for an indulging activity.

It’s hard to believe that we’re almost at the cusp of monsoons. While we’re still experiencing the humidity, we have a drier fall coming on the other side and word has it, it’s gon’ require for us to switch things up. You know what that means right? It’s time to upgrade your skin care!

While we had a good run with lightweight formulas, the agenda of skin care is to nourish the skin with what it needs, wants and deserves. Just as we spruce our closets with the coming of a new season, we must do the same with our products. We promise, it’s not daunting. Ahead, we have a few tweaks and you’ll be prepping for winter this fall to walk to healthier looking skin.

Get ready to kiss the hot and humid days au revoir, and prepare to enjoy hydration at its max. Look out for products with aloe vera, hyaluronic acid and other hydrating ingredients with rich formulas. The Anour Aloe Glaze Aloe Vera Gel comes with 97% pure aloe vera that can be used on both the skin, hair, and body. Try it out, and you won’t regret it!

Uneven skin tone is a primary concern when it comes to weather changes. As we shift from monsoon to fall, our skin may get clogged which is when exfoliation comes in handy! We recommend going for the Crunchy Cappuccino Body Scrub or even whipping some up at home using coffee and coconut oil.

It’s the time when your skin is changing along with the weather and there isn’t enough moisture in the air. Choose a lightweight cleanser to maintain PH levels. Ain’t nobody want to strip their skin off the good and natural oils. You may also go with the Anour Saffron and Shea Vegan Face Soap. It’s handmade and enriched with moisturising oils to keep skin supple.

While we have conjured a list of must-dos to keep your skin happy during weather changes, always keep in mind that besides skincare, it’s also important to keep yourself hydrated, eat well, sleep well and do the things that make you happy.