Kaya Insta - Brightening Micro Mask - Review

Insta Brightening Micro-Mask is a light silky gel, transparent rinse-off mask with a unique combination of botanical extracts of Scutellaria Baicalensis, White Mulberry, Saxifraga Sarmentosa and Grape that work together to give you visibily brighter and radiant skin in just 20 minutes. The unique Micropatch technology releases the whitening active into the skin even long after the mask has been removed.

Kaya Insta - Brightening Micro Mask

Price - Rs 1800 for 15 ml

Ingredients - Aqua, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Morus Bombycis Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Disodium Sulfite, Sodium Metabisulfite, Pueraria Lobata Raat Extract, Methyparaben, Algin, 2-Phenoxyethanol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum

How to Use - Apply generously over entire face and neck post cleansing. Leave it on for 20 Minutes and then rinse with water.

Kaya Purifying Spot Corrector - Review

If you have oily acne prone skin, you must own this product! Even if you don't, you should still own it because you never know when something might erupt and this liquid will work to banish it in a day. Yes ladies I have seen the results on myself and that is why I'm so impressed by the Kaya Purifying Spot Corrector.

Kaya Purifying Spot Corrector

Description - The Kaya Purifying Spot Corrector dries up blemishes overnight, calms inflammation. Deeply exfoliates and unclogs skin pores.

How To Use - Cleanse skin. Open pen to dispense the product onto the pen tip and dab onto affected areas twice daily.

Can be used alone or under makeup.

Ingredients - Zinc Sulfate: An essential mineral for healthy skin, zinc acts as an astringent and helps in the treatment of acne. Salicylic Acid: A Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) which targets oil in hair follicles, exfoliates pores and clears the comedones. Glycolic Acid: A naturally occurring Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) from sugar canes. Acts as an exfoliator, it penetrates through the cell walls, resulting in smoother and clearer skin. Camphor: Provides a cooling effect on the skin. Witch Hazel: Produced from the leaves and bark of the North American witch hazel shrub. It is a strong anti-oxidant and astringent, which makes it very useful in fighting acne.

Price - Rs 849 (8ml)
Availability - At Kaya Skin Clinics and here

Kaya White Resilience Creamy Exfoliating Rinse - Review

Hiya pretties how are you all doing? I just came back yesterday from a week long trip to Paris and it was just magical. I went with my girlfriends and we had a blast! We used to go out everyday around 10 am visiting places, walking around, sitting at the cafes and be back at the hotel around 11 pm everyday. I'll do a separate post on my Paris vacation but this post is a review of one of the products which helped to keep my skin clean, bright and beautiful there. It is the Kaya White Resilience Creamy Exfoliating Rinse with purple orchid and Japanese cherry extracts (Rs 590 for 100 ml).

Kaya White Resilience Creamy Exfoliating Rinse

Kaya AntOx Vitamin C Formula - Review

Kaya skincare products have always worked on my skin and I love them. For some time now, I've been trying the new Kaya AntOx Vitamin C Formula, a non-oily gel that contains Vitamin C. Now in terms of skincare nothing can get better than Vit C which gives brightness, gets rid of marks and discoloration and in general helps to give healthy looking skin. So when I saw that this product contains Vit C, I was definitely very curious to see if it would work.

Here's what the product claims to do:

It is a non-oily, easily absorbing anti-oxidants gel based on Vitamin C. Vitamin C is known to counteract free radicals responsible for premature skin ageing, protect the skin against environmental assault and delay the appearance of dark spot, fine lines and wrinkles and gives you softer, smoother skin.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Magnesium, Ascorbyl Phosphate, Cellulose Gum, Phenoxyethanol and Ethylhexyglycerin

Price:

1790 for 35 ml

The packaging of the product is simple and fuss free. It has a transparent plastic lid and comes in a white pump dispenser bottle. The product is a clear gel. It's light and spreads evenly on the face and I like that it gets absorbed very fast leaving no trace of the product on the surface of the skin. Which means its perfect for those with combination or oily skin. Can get a tad drying though if you have very dry skin. 

As per directions, the product is supposed to be applied on the face, neck and chest area before applying makeup and sunscreen during the day and that's what I do. Since the texture is very light, for me it acts as a great base for makeup for well. 

There's one word of caution that I would like to share. Not everyone's skin takes to Vit C very well so I do recommend doing a patch test and trying it on at a Kaya skin clinic first before buying the product. Every Kaya clinic has an in house dermatologist so consult with the doctor as well. Its an expensive product and it helps to be absolutely sure. 

On me, the product has been working well. I've noticed that my skin tone has evened out a bit and some spots around my cheeks have lightened. I have not seen any effect on the fine lines yet but I guess it will take some more time. I am happy with how my skin looks and feels now and that means the product is working for me. 

If you are looking for a Vit C fix for your skin and don't mind the price, try out the Kaya AntOx Vitamin C Formula. Its working very well for me!

P.S - PR Sample. Honest review

The Ultimate Guide to Post-Party Detox

By Dr. Sangeeta Amladi, Head Medical Services, Kaya Skin Clinic

It is common to feel guilty for having overeaten and feel bloated post the festive and party season. While it’s perfectly normal to indulge during this time of the year, it’s also important to cleanse your body after the relentless onslaught of festival food, cocktails and delicious desserts. Detoxing at regular intervals can help reduce environmental and dietary toxins from your body, leaving you feeling lighter and healthy. Detoxing also stimulates healthy digestion and can benefit the entire body.

 Here are a few useful tips to detox –

1. Lighten up your toxin load, eliminate alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fats, all of which act as toxins in the body and are impediments to your healing process
2. One should include a lot of fiber, as well as brown rice and organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet. Beets, radishes, cucumber, cabbage, broccoli and fruits are excellent detoxifying foods
3. Including vitamin C, which helps the body produce glutathione, a liver compound that drives away toxins is extremely important for a detox diet
4. Drink at least two liters of water a day
5. Sweat in a sauna so your body can eliminate wastes through perspiration

While it is important to cleanse your body, it is also equally important to detoxify your skin and recapture the glow post the party season. Kaya Skin Clinic understands your skin’s needs and has specially designed the Ultra Detox service that reduces the effect of pollution and stress on the skin. It also detoxifies the skin and relaxes the senses. With the goodness of earthy Neroli and Patchouli you can unwind with pure air and water.

This therapy begins with a unique “Jet Technology” that uses pure air and water jets to drain lymphatic nodes and gently exfoliate your skin. Pure Vitamin C serum is used as an anti-oxidant to remove free radicals. Brightening process follows, Infusing your skin with natural brightening extracts of (mulberry extracts) to give you instant brightness. The Face Therapy ends with Kaya’s Insta-Glow mask and leaves you with that glowing, youthful skin you have always desired.

In addition to that, Kaya also recommends AntOx Vit – C which is a dermatologically approved product that is non-oily easily absorbing anti-oxidants gel based on Vitamin C. It also contains active ingredients that delay the appearance of dark spots, age spots, fine lines and wrinkles and UV damaged skin, thereby giving a more even skin tone.

Benefits -

• It delays and reduces the appearance of dark spots, age spots, acne marks, fine lines and wrinkles
• Protects the skin against environmental assault and treats acne marks and UV damaged skin
• Gives you softer, smoother skin

Key Ingredients: Aqua, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Magnesium, Ascorbyl Phosphate, Cellulose Gum, Phenoxyethanol and Ethylhexyglycerin.

Price – Rs. 1,790 for 30 ml.

Kaya Skin Clinic Pigmentation Reducing Complex - Review

If you have been following my Facebook page and my daily rants, you will know that my skin has been under a pimple attack for nearly two weeks now. And do you know how it started?? A lady had complimented me on my clear skin and asked what products I use. That obviously made my day and I went to sleep very happy. Cut to the next day, I see two pimples slowly making an appearance and in another two days time, they took on gigantic proportions!! A few more joined the party and my face slowly turned into a mess! Its not yet back to what it was but the numbers have thankfully reduced. Considering my current condition, I am probably not the best person to review a skincare product but this has been pending for a long time and it really delivered results when I used it. The product I'm talking about is Kaya skin clinic's latest launch - Pigmentation Reducing Complex.

Here's some information about the product -

The Intense Clarify HD range from Kaya is the ultimate solution for uneven skin tone and hyper-pigmentation. This advanced product range comprises highly effective active ingredients which are popularly used by dermatologists to treat pigmentation. The exceptional blend of active ingredients in the products brightens skin, treats cellular discoloration and improves skin clarity

One of the revolutionary products from this range - Pigmentation Reducing Complex which is a light-textured, fast absorbing cream that helps to reduce dark spots, tanning and pigmentation marks that are resistant and have been there for a long time. It contains highly potent actives like Azelaic acid and Phytic acid which are proven tyrosinase inhibitors. The actives not only help to reduce the spots but also prevent further darkening of skin. The Hydrating nature of the actives improves the feel of skin and keeps it soft and healthy. This product helps reduce dark spots in just 2 weeks.

My experience:

The Kaya Pigmentation Reducing Complex is to be applied daily at night before going to bed. And I did apply it every day for about two and a half weeks before my face got messed up. Remember I wrote in the beginning that a lady had complimented me on my clear and bright skin? Well, I think this product had a lot to do with it because other than my usual moisturizer in the day and this one at night, I was not using anything else. 

The product comes in a bottle with a transparent plastic cap and a pump style dispenser. The lotion is mildly scented and the texture light. It gets absorbed into the skin very fast and there is no greasiness at all. The product is designed to treat uneven skin tone and hyper pigmentation and even though I don't have major pigmentation problems, this really helped in making my skin look brighter and lighter.

The key ingredients of this product are quite potent and considered effective against pigmentation. The ingredients are all chemicals so you know why I'm saying they are potent stuff. On the first application, I did experience a very slight tingling sensation but it settled down soon after. I have a few brown spots on my cheeks and that's where I specifically applied the product at night to see the effect. And the effect was quite good. I am giving my face a break from chemicals till the pimples vanish so not using the Pigmentation Reducer now but after the 2 and a half weeks that I used it, there was a visible improvement. The brown spots had lightened slightly and there was a radiance and luminosity. The lotion also helped lighten my tanned skin considerably as well. Sighhhhhh. I miss you old skin!!

Once my pimples die, I know Ill be left with a lot of spots. Hopefully, the Pigmentation Reducer will be able to take care of them well. Will keep you updated on how it fared. Meanwhile, if you are battling uneven skin tone, tanning and hyper pigmentation, check out the Kaya Pigmentation Reducing Complex. It is priced at Rs 990. 

P.S - PR Sample. Honest review. 

Kaya Youth Fill Therapy Facial - My experience

I have always had wonderful experiences at the Kaya skin clinic and this time was no different when I went to try the new Youth Fill therapy facial at their Salt Lake City Centre 1 outlet.

Kaya Skin Clinic, Salt Lake City Centre 1, Kolkata

Here's a brief about the facial.

"An intensive anti-ageing facial that helps correct the signs of ageing and protects your skin against the damaging effects of time.

A deep cleansing and exfoliating process using Microdermabrasion removes dead skin cells to refresh and smoothen the skin’s surface. A micro-circulatory massage is performed with youth renewing Argan Oil, derived from Argan tree, one of the oldest and rarest plant species in the world. Argan Oil deeply nourishes skin, increases cell turnover and provides anti-oxidant benefits.

Our unique marine-origin wrinkle-filling concentrate and sea-weed based Re-hydrating mask works its magic on your skin. It helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles, boost collagen making it look smooth and tightened".

None of us are getting younger so when Kaya graciously offered me to try this facial I was quite interested to see the results on me. Another factor that upped my interest level was the massage bit with argan oil. My skin is in a pretty bad shape right now and I really needed something to restore moisture and hydration and what's better than argan oil to do it? 

What I like about the Kaya City Centre outlet is that the staff is really friendly and helpful. When I went there, I was first offered the signature Kaya cool drink that I absolutely love and then Esha, the clinic manager explained to me about the therapy. After a few minutes of waiting at the reception, I was then taken to the therapy room where Soma, my therapist for the day again briefly spoke about the entire process and the various steps involved. 

The Experience:

1. The service began with Microdermabrasion that helps to reverse damage to the skin. Through a tiny nozzle, crystals are poured onto the skin to gently exfoliate its uppermost superficial dead layers, stimulating cell and collagen production, making it look younger and firmer. I had a pretty big pimple on my face and I asked the therapist if the treatment would aggravate the skin and lead to breakouts but she assured that it would do nothing of that sort. She also took care to avoid the area where the pimple was during exfoliation.

2. Next, Soma applied Ntox, an anti-oxidant and also cleansed my face and nose of any blackheads and whiteheads. 

3. After cleaning the face, she then applied gold leaf on the cheeks and forehead and kept it on for about five minutes. The gold leaf adds to the anti-ageing and brightening effect.

4. Next was the massage with argan oil and the gold leaf and that was by far the best part of the treatment. The oil smelt lovely and Soma has such wonderful hands! The massage went on for about 15 mins and I had actually fallen asleep during that time. 

5. After the massage, a very thick re-hydrating mask was applied on the face and left on for around 15 mins till it got dry. Once dry, the mask took on a rubber-like consistency and Soma just peeled it off the face.

6. Next, was the application of a facial serum followed by sunscreen. I was also advised by Soma to only clean my face with cold water, not apply any chemicals, and not do any parlor activity for the next three days. 

With the gold leaf on my face!

The Verdict

I loved the facial and I could see the results on my face immediately. My skin looked plumped up and it felt fresh, hydrated and really soft and smooth to touch. In the evening after i got back home, there was a bit of redness on the cheeks but that went away in the next 3-4 hours and there was no discomfort at all. The microdermabrasion and the massage with the argan oil really helped and the dry patches on my face have thankfully disappeared. It's been two days since I availed the service and the effects are still visible. One session is definitely not enough to get red of fine lines and make me look younger but it has definitely helped my dull, tanned, dry skin after that one session. This stuff is good!

The only con is the price. With the gold leaf, the facial is priced at Rs 4500 and without, Rs 3500. It is pretty expensive but then so are the ingredients that are used. Kaya has offers and various packages available so do get in touch with them to get a good deal.

Disclaimer - Complimentary service provided to me by the brand. My review is as always, honest and unbiased. 

Kaya Skin Clinic Aqua Fairness Luxe Service - My Experience

The last time I went to Kaya Skin Clinic was five years back when I suffered from a bad bout of acne. Nothing was working and Kaya was the last resort. I was suggested a treatment that included glycolic peels and microdermabrasion and that treatment worked wonders! I hold Kaya in very high esteem since then and it was with that faith that I went back to experience one of the summer special services at their Salt Lake City Centre branch in Kolkata.

Barring the new faces at the reception counter, everything else looked the same. The atmosphere is still very soothing with low lights and light music and guests are still welcomed with the cool cinnamon apple signature drink that I love. I was made to feel very comfortable by Esha, the assistant clinic manager who first gave me an overview of Kaya and all the different services available and then gave me a questionnaire to fill up which had questions related to my skin condition and medical history. This was for their records and also a guide for the doctor to prescribe the correct products and treatment for me. Next, I was taken to the resident dermatologist who asked me about the products I use and took a look at my face through a skin sensor. That sensor made me look like a ghost with white pupils and white patches on the skin, which I was told are the areas of pigmentation. He advised me to follow a regular CTM regime followed by the use of sunscreen thrice a day. He told me that there is a common misconception among people that only sun exposure leads to skin tanning while the reality is that anything that emits heat and light does. This includes smoke from the kitchen, prolonged tv viewing and one of the major reasons - exposure to radiation from laptops/desktops. So the message my dear pretties is very clear - use a sunscreen whether indoors or outdoors after every 4 hours and 20 mins before heat or light exposure. It's also important to use one that is designed for Indian skin which is a Type IV and prone to sun tan.

Kaya skincare products

The doctor said that I had combination skin with sun tan, mild pigmentation, dark circles and acne marks and to get rid of the tan, he suggested the summer special Aqua Fairness Luxe, a treatment that uses air and water to brighten skin. I was advised to try one out and come back after 15 day intervals for followups. He did mention that this service is best suited for people who want instant brightness and want to maintain their skin tone and not for those with serious skin problems. For the latter category, different treatments are available which would be prescribed after the consultation. 

Details about Aqua Fairness Luxe

This summer reverse the effects of the sweltering heat and scorching sun with a new skin care service from Kaya Skin Clinic – AQUA FAIRNESS LUXE, a new innovation for instantly brighter looking skin. Whats more, get up to 2 shades lighter in just 3 sessions. Even with the temperatures soaring high and the notorious sun playing havoc with your skin, you can get that required brightness and even skin tone this summer!

This unique enhancement service uses the revolutionary water jet technology to exfoliate the skin, remove dead cells and create channels for deep infusion going up to 4.5mm deep into the skin. The glycolic fruit peel which is derived from sugarcane extracts penetrates into the skin easily, allowing new skin to surface quicker. This is followed by comedone extraction after which you can relax with a cooling massage with aloe vera gel to improve blood circulation and to soothe tired and overworked muscles.

The service is completed by the application of a special Insta Brightening MicroMask, which has a unique combination of botanical extracts for skin whitening that work together to give you visibly brighter skin after every session. This innovative mask uses a Micropatch technology which continues to release the whitening active into your skin even after the mask has been removed.

This 60 minute enhancement service gives you instant brightness along with two shades lighter skin in just 3 sessions. The effects are dramatic, visible and long-lasting. It lightens the darker areas of your face such as the forehead to match the lightest areas such as your cheeks, making it even toned. The procedure also improves the overall texture of your skin. It is best suited in the summer, as it helps in tan removal as well. It provides excellent hydration and is completely safe for all skin types.

Pic Courtesy - Kaya (the girl here is not me :)

The Experience: 

• The service started off with the therapist cleansing the face and directing a powerful jet of saline water on my face from the Jet M machine, a hand piece with a specialized nozzle. I was told that this would further clean the face of all impurities and also help in lymphatic drainage to reduce puffiness. What I liked about the therapist was that not only was she an expert, she was also explaining the process to me at each step. The water jet is quite a unique experience! Imagine a spray of cold water on your face at very high pressure and energy. Initially I was gasping for breath but that lasted for only a few seconds till I got used to the sensation. Then it was quite nice actually. A very cool respite from the blazing hot weather outside. 
• Once the lymphatic drainage was done, the next step was to exfoliate the skin using the same Jet M machine. I could never imagine saline water being used to clean and exfoliate but this water jet technology does that really well. 
• After the exfoliation, the next step was to infuse the skin with the glycolic peel. I liked that this was done under the supervision of the doctor and not by the therapist alone. A peel always leads to a slight burning and itching sensation that thankfully goes away pretty soon. The therapist let the peel stay on the face for a couple of minutes before neutralizing it. 
• Next, she applied a thick layer of aloe vera gel and massaged that into my face. The massage is my favorite part in any facial treatment and I absolutely loved it. She had lovely hands and the massage actually made me fall asleep for sometime. Wished it lasted more than 10 mins but that's the stipulated duration. 
• Post the massage, an insta brightening cream micro mask was applied for 20 mins. After the mask was wiped off, sunscreen was applied and the therapist advised me not to apply anything on my face for the next 12 hrs and not to go for any parlor activity for 3 days. 

All Kaya products were used for the service.

The wonderful people at Kaya

The Verdict

Did I like the service? Yes, I absolutely did. And it's not just the Aqua Fairness service. The entire Kaya experience was lovely from start to finish. From the warm yet professional approach to the expertise of the staff. I loved the fact that they are very strict about hygiene and cleanliness. Everything is sanitized before use including the key chain of the drawer where I stored my bag and jewelry. How about the service itself? My skin does look a lot brighter and it also feels quite soft and smooth. One session is definitely not enough to get rid of the tan completely but I do see my skin looking more radiant. The best part is that there has not been any breakouts post the service and the couple I had has also gone down considerably. I think I'm going to go back after 15 days to get a follow-up service. This stuff is good!

Those who want to avail the Aqua Fairness Luxe service at Kaya skin clinic, August is a good time for you to do so. On a package of 3 sessions, Kaya is offering 50% discount as part of the August Rush Offers. This means that you need to pay Rs 4000 against the usual Rs 8000. A single session will cost you Rs 3000. They have a lot of offers going on this month so do get in touch with Kaya for details.

Disclaimer : Service provided by the brand free of charge for review. However, opinions expressed here are my own and honest as always.

Have you tried any service at Kaya? How was your experience?