How to switch your skincare routine for autumn

The days are getting shorter and colder (thank heavens!), it is time to get cosy. It is also time to switch up your skincare routine to adjust to the change of season. What are some of the most common skin concerns during this transitional period? The change in temperature a..

How to use retinol in the summer?

The skincare community will hotly debate any number of topics. Do you need a moisturiser? Are eye creams effective? How many times per week should you exfoliate? But one ingredient we can all agree on is retinol. It is a powerful ingredient with numerous studies that prove i..

How to beat winter skin

Any season is better than summer. But the fact remains, wintertime can exceptionally harsh on the skin. How should you treat winter skin? What are some of the common mistakes we make, and how to fix them? Skincare routine Cold air, wind, central heating that dries the beje..

How to prevent skincare pilling

For many of us, doing our skincare routine is a happy place. A Zen moment to ourselves. A chance to take a breath and pamper our skin. Or it should be until you experience something called skincare pilling. Plenty of us have experienced it at least once. We do our skincare r..

How to know if you are overwashing your face

Cleansers give us joy! Simple as. Oils, balms, gels, the difference in textures, the scent, the ritual of washing off daily dirt and grime - cleansing your face can be awesome. Cleansing is the first and crucial step in keeping our skin healthy, bouncy, and plump. But someti..

How to Treat Your Skin in Menopause

Hormonal changes affect our skin. It is blatantly apparent when we are teenagers. But menopause is no picnic either. It can bring about increased dryness, sensitivity, and, in some cases, even acne. Give your skin some comfort and tackle the changes head-on with some simple ..

How to Treat Post-Holiday Skin

Holidays can be a mixed bag. For some people, it can be a stressful period with the travel and fraught family reunions that would test the patience of a saint. For others, it is a magical time of the year what with Christmas decorations everywhere, parties, and never-ending ..

Ingredient Highlight - Bisabolol

Bisabolol is an ingredient you might have heard of, or even come across on the inci list, but never really paid much attention to. The fact of the matter is, we might not talk about it to the same extent as we do about retinol or Alpha-Hydroxy acids. But it does have plenty ..

Cosmetic Ingredients A-Z and Their Properties

We're passionate about the ingredients that make up your favorite skincare products. From A-Z, each ingredient has been carefully chosen for its unique benefits to the skin, ranging from hydrating and soothing properties to anti-aging and brightening effects. Whether it?s th..

C60 Fullerene - The new super star ingredient for your skincare routine

The beauty industry is constantly evolving, and new skincare products are hitting the market every day. One of the latest buzzwords in the world of skincare is C60 fullerene. This molecule has been dubbed as the "superstar of your skincare routine," with many people swearing..

Ingredient Highlight - Lipo-hydroxy acid

What is Lipo-hydroxy acid? Lipo-hydroxy acid is an ester of Salicylic acid. Where it differentiates from Salicylic acid is it has a higher molecular weight. Because of this, it slower to penetrate the skin and better tolerated. It is a lipophilic acid meaning it dissolves i..

Ingredient Highlight - Azelaic Acid

Ask any skincare nerd about their favourite ingredient and be prepared to listen about the virtues of retinol/vitamin C/AHAs and what a difference it made to their skin (we are guilty of that, too). But if you have blemish-prone sensitive skin or suffer from rosacea, it can ..

Ingredient Highlight - Emollients

Come wintertime, one category of ingredients that gets talked about a lot in the skincare community is emollients. It is easy to understand why. Due to cold weather and change in temperature, the majority of us deal with dry or dehydrated skin. It is not a life-threatening c..

Ingredient Highlight - Squalane

Want smooth, soft, well-hydrated skin? Give Squalane a try! Chances are a few of the products in your skincare stash contain Squalane. It is a popular ingredient, and for a good reason. It is super hydrating, but what is even more important, it is well tolerated by ALL skin ..

Ingredient highlight - amino acids

Amino acids might not be on your skincare radar. However, due to their nature, they are critical for our skin health. What are amino acids, and how do they benefit the skin? Should you include them in your routine? What are amino acids? Considered the building blocks in ou..

Ingredient Highligh - Humectants

Healthy skin needs to be hydrated properly. Yes, regardless of the skin type. Humectants are ingredients that work well for all skin types. Oily skin gets the hydration it needs, without any of the oiliness. Dry and dehydrated benefits too, for obvious reasons. What are hume..

How to Adapt Your Skincare Routine in the Summer

Most of us switch out our wardrobes at the beginning of each season. Makes sense, right? There is no need for cashmere sweaters when it's boiling outside. Same applies to our skincare. As the weather hots up, it is only normal to switch up our routines. It would be a waste (..

What causes sagging skin and can you treat it?

We said it once, we'll say it again. Getting old is a privilege. That said, sagging skin can be a bugbear for many of us. Is there a way to un-sag (we are aware it's not even a word) the skin? And what can you do to prevent it? The reasons why skin starts to sag As we get ..

Ishtar's Facial Oils at a Glance

Facial oil is a product that can make a world of difference to our skin and turn it from dull and lacklustre to healthy and glowing. Yes, that applies even for people with oily, breakout-prone complexion. It is just a matter of finding the right oil for your skin type. With ..

What are Ceramides?

If you are a skincare nerd, you know the difference between vitamin C and Niacinamide. You know your Retinyl Palmitate from your Retinaldehyde. And you probably recognize most of the plant extracts by their Latin names. One ingredient that is often overlooked is ceramide. M..

Understanding the Skin: An Introduction

What are cosmetics? And what can they be expected to do? To answer these questions we first need to understand the structure and function of the skin. It is perhaps surprising to remember that the skin is an organ. The skin is the visible surface of our bodies, the tangible ..

Ishtar Cleansers at a Glance

Regular readers of our blog will know our mantra by now - cleansing is important! Even more important? Finding a pH balanced cleanser suitable for your skin type. Getting your cleanser right is the single most important step that can transform your skincare routine. Ultr..

Exfoliating Acids Explained

To the uninitiated exfoliating acids can sound scary. Acids? On our face? But like a pH balanced cleanser, they can transform your routine and skin. Oily, combination, acne-prone, dull, aging, dry, sensitive, no matter the condition of your skin, it can benefit from some gen..

Ingredient Highlight - Niacinamide

Retinol, AHAs, and vitamin C make the cornerstone of any decent skincare routine. Niacinamide is one ingredient that any skincare lover in the know should incorporate into their routine regardless of their skin type. What is niacinamide? Niacinamide is also known as vita..

The lowdown on acids

Any skincare-nerd-in-training will tell you - one of the first things we all get fixated on is the need to exfoliate our skin. That is after we get over the fact you do it with acids (say what?) Chemical exfoliation is a fab thing for almost all skin types and issues. Acids ..

Why You Need Mandelic Acid in Your Skincare Routine

What is the first association when someone mentions acids and chemical exfoliation? Things you would use to de-grease a machine engine? Instruments of torture in a horror movie? Not something you would want anywhere near your face, right? Wrong. It has been scientifically pr..

Skin Irritation & Anti-Irritants

By Vispi Kanga Cosmetics and skin care products are part of most people's daily grooming habits. Intact or uninjured skin is an excellent barrier to most substances found in cosmetics and skin care products. If skin is over dry or injured, disruptions in the stratum corne..

How to Use Mandelic Acid and Other Product Tips

Every order at the Ishtar shop includes a free 10 page guide to using Mandelic Acid products, helping you get the most out of your purchase. Each mandelic acid product is explained in detail to ensure your satisfaction. We also touch on other compatible products in our rang..

What is Keratosis Pilaris

It's that time of the year when most of us start to resemble lizard people. On a side-note, if you are not one of the lizard people, we envy you. Dry, itchy, bumpy, flaky skin can be super annoying, not to mention uncomfortable. Chances are if you suffer from any type of ski..

How to Pick A Cleanser for Your Skin Type

Healthy skin starts with the right cleanser. A good cleanser keeps your skin clean, comfortable, and balanced and preps it for all the other steps in your skincare routine. The uppermost part of the epidermis is called Stratum Corneum. The top part of Stratum Corneum is cal..

The Basics of Lip Care

If you are reading this blog, chances are you have a solid skincare routine. It likely includes retinol, an acid, a treatment serum, a decent cleanser, and a moisturiser. While eye creams are controversial (people are typically either firmly for or against eye creams), one a..

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