Summer Skin Series: Sunburn & After Sun

Summer skin needs extra hydration & protection.
Soothing, cooling & replenishing natural products are where it's at!
Here are my faves:

Healing, Cooling & Soothing

For the face:
Soothe Me Balm
By Edible Beauty is in a cooling Aloe Vera & Cucumber base, more like a gel texture. It heals sunburn or stressed skin in record time. It also helps to prevent congestion & breakouts and keeps the skin hydrated and clear. ( I also use the baby version for Faye all the time on little scratches or rashes, highly recommended!!!) 
Soothe Me Balm is my Summer go-to face treatment.
Note: My skin gets a little oilier in Summer in the warm & humid weather.
Remember to use code "LIV15" at checkout for all Edible Beauty products. My readers are getting an exclusive 15% discount. (all vegan)


Antioxidant Hydrating Gel
One that husband Dave has been testing and really liked is USPA Antioxidant Hydrating Gel Aloe&Green Tea. Extra hydrating and lightweight, it's great for Summer skin and also really amazing on men. It's cooling and apparently really nice after shaving according to husband.
Vegan, cruelty-free and in cool unisex packaging this has been his favourite summer moisturiser.
It does contain phenoxyethanol as the preservative, which isn't my favourite, so it loses a point there, but otherwise a really great product.

For dry and troubled skin conditions:
Max&Me Sweet Serenity Rescue Balm
This one is another winner for summer, it can heal and treat almost all skin troubles, from bites, irritation to inflamed acne conditions, the little magical pot can cure them all.
It's designed to be used as a treatment only and should be used on its own and not in combination with any cosmetics. Best to be used daily until your skin is healed.
This product contains propolis and is therefore not vegan.

For the Body:
CV SKinlabs Rescue+Relief Spray
This is a miracle worker, which belongs into every bathroom cabinet. It's an advanced therapy for burned, wounded and irritated skin. Hypoallergenic, free of toxins it's the best treatment for truly inflamed skin conditions, even if they are too tender to touch. That's why it's so handy that it comes in a spray bottle. It's also recommended for cancer patients, radiation exposure, sunburn, laser treatments or burns caused by chemicals or household appliances.
Faye recently got a heat rash, as we had scorching temperatures here in Sydney and I used this also on her to soothe, cool and relieve the itch, it worked a treat.
It's also amazing to soothe skin after shaving.
It's a milk-like emulsion that instantly works and absorbs into the skin. It's fantastic as an after-sun treatment!  (vegan)

As usual, I use the gentle and hydrating Biologika Shower Gel, which prevents my skin from drying out!
If I feel fancy I use my Erin's Faces Monoii Body Wash & Lotion, which smells of Summer! It's also very hydrating and gentle. It's also nice to replace m pure coconut oil with Monoi Oil ever so often for the heavenly smell.
Isn't Monoi just the best smell ever? I have always loved it and it makes me feel like I am on a tropical island, just being a mermaid all day...you know what I mean?

THE super summer body hydrator has been P'ure Papayacare Papaya Renew Cream.
I was given one to review and completely underestimated this! The ingredients are great, it's vegan & cruelty-free but mostly it's SO lightweight, but so intensely hydrating & repairing.
It totally fixed my overly dry and cracked (sorry TMI) poor little summer feet.
They get terribly dry from sandal wearing, beach and the many very long walks I am doing but this really helped. And I tried a lot. It smells lovely and sinks in very quickly!

So there you have it my after-sun Summer skin remedies!

Natural Holiday & NYE Makeup Tutorial

I somehow managed to record this just before Christmas, but with some technical issues it took days to upload. However, it's up and live now, just in time for NYE.

I hope you enjoy this little tutorial.

A great start to the new year and all the glow & happiness from us to you!
Thank you for reading and following along, I am looking forward to 2018!

Products used:
Verdura Hydrating Mist Lotus via The V-spot
Max&Me I AM THE LIGHT
Edible Beauty Luminous Angel Drops (Highlighter)
Edible Beauty Gold Rush Eye Balm (use LIV15 at checkout for 15%off)
Jane Iredale Liquid Minerals Foundation
Ere Perez Waterproof Mascara
Ere Perez Chamomile Eye Palette in Beautiful
Fra Lippo Lippie in Red Betty
Jane Iredale Great Shape Eyebrow Kit
Jane Iredale Mattifying HD Powder in Translucent

 

Gold Rush Eye Balm - No words...

So...if you were to ask me about my fave eye-cream there are a few that come to my mind.

100% Pure does a great coffee bean eye-cream, then there is this special Eye Love coffee eye serum by Raaw In A Jar both which are AMAZEBALLS for dark circles and puffiness. (and of course, they are vegan, toxin-free and cruelty-free)

But my all-around favourite eye cream of the year (and the winner of my non-existing very own beauty award) is Edible Beauty's Gold Rush Eye Balm! 
It just does it all. Everything you would want in an eye cream, there you have it!
Hydration, dark circles, lines & wrinkles...this one tackles them all.
It looks pretty too. Now, just remember to only use a very small amount and always dab, not rub it into the skin. The gold flakes will actually melt into the skin and won't be visible after application. 

This review is written by a slightly sleep deprived working young Mama!
Who else would you trust about eye-cream? Also: I have to admit that I have been slack with using eye-treatments since Faye was born...until I saw myself in recent photos...
I used to use this one and then somehow, it was just one of the things that I forgot about during pregnancy.
Well, my skin has improved a lot very quickly with this, so I would def recommend it!

USE CODE LIV15 AT CHECKOUT FOR ALL EDIBLE BEAUTY PRODUCTS FOR AN EXCLUSIVE 15%OFF.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Our Summer Glow Workshop- Roundup!

Just a week ago I teamed up with the raw food wizard (or shall I say unicorn?) Julie from Earth To Table & Naturopath & skincare expert Anna from Edible Beauty for a really fun and hands-on night teaching all about The Inside Out Summer Glow. From healing & nourishing foods and toxin-free skincare to natural makeup...
There was so much to tell, teach, demonstrate and play with!

Anna had everyone mix a fresh turmeric face mask to apply, Julideliciousmonstrated the most delicious treats (I also learned a thing or two about food preparation!) and I followed with a simple Summer Glow look, talking all things foundation, highlighter and radiant cheeks.
The look we did was quite similar to my day-to-day makeup, which you can see in this video.
I was using my fave Jane Iredale Foundations: Liquid Minerals, Glow Time & PurePressed.
The key is to find the right one for your skin type and needs.
And I really can't seem to get enough of the vegan lip&cheek carrot colour pots & vanilla highlighters by Ere Perez.
We used all the beautiful skincare products for prepping the skin by Edible Beauty, which I also featured in detail in this video.
(If you want to get yourself some: Use code "LIV15" at checkout, for a special discount that applied to my clients & readers!)

We were also lucky to have the talented Gaby @ Gabriela Fearn Photography, shoot some behind the scenes of the event for us. Thank you, Gaby!!!!

The beautiful toxin-free candles were supplied by BearLakeFinds.com

As usual, I had little Faye in tow, while she had a great time with daddy and coming to visit for a while, she definitely had enough of it all by the end of the night.
I totally pushed her bedtime a little too far. Mama has still a lot of learning to do. Oops.
Forgive your silly Mum, little one, I am trying my best.
Our next workshop will happen during the daytime :)
She has been amazing tagging along with my gigs and I make sure that she gets my full attention and presence when we spent time together. I might write a little piece about this working mum business sometime soon! 

My Favourite Facial Oils Guide

Some people swear by using pure oils on their skin, while others try to stay clear of oils completely after a bad break out experience? Why are oils all the craze right now and how to know which one to use?

If you are a beauty nerd and love to know more details read on... If you are just after a quick What-product-to-buy-guide, scroll down toward the end of this post :)

What's in an oil?
It's important to realize that all natural carrier oils have a different composition of fatty acids, making them suitable for some skin types and purposes, yet not for others. All oils contain a different percentage of Oleic Acid and Linoleic Acid. Many skincare brands combine different pure oils to get the right balance and a variety of benefits. Besides this, they contain different nutrients. You can purchase pure carrier oils or ones that are blended and formulated out of different oils. Some are enriched with further ingredients like essential oils to address certain skin concerns and aromatherapy benefits.  

Why oils are better than creams, lotions & co
Moisturizing your skin with certified organic plant oils is possibly the best thing you can do for your skin. Pure plant oils provide moisture and nutrients to your skin without any fillers or aggressive preservatives. Water is usually the first ingredient on the list and therefore contained in the highest percentage in your moisturizer, due to the high water content moisturizers and creams will always require preservatives while pure oils don't. You basically get more bang for your buck and higher quality as water is nothing more than a cheap filler. Plant oils are very versatile and can help to balance oily skin with over active oil glands while moisturizing the very dry skin.

How to find the right oil for my skin?
Below is a guideline on which oils commonly work the best for the different skin types. You might have to experiment to find the oil that works best for your skin. If your skin absorbs the oily quickly and nicely, not leaving it shiny, but rather supple, moisturized and healthy it's right for you! You want the oil to absorb, without leaving any residue behind.

Dry Skin
In a nutshell: Oils that are high in Oleic Acid are best for dry skin. These oils very rich and nourishing and feel oily on the skin. Some of the best oils for dry skin are Macadamia Oil, Avocado Oil, Almond Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Sea Buckthorn Oil. More balanced oils that can also work well for dry skin: Flaxseed Oil, Argan Oil, Coconut Oil (Unrefined) 

Combo/Oily Skin
Oils that are high in Linoleic Acid are best for oily/acne prone skin. These oils are light and help to reduce clogged pores. For example, Safflower Oil, Black Cumin Seed Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil Rosehip Seed Oil Grape Seed Oil Soybean Oil These are well-balanced oils also good for oily/acne prone skin: Jojoba Oil Pomegranate Oil Sesame Oil

Extremely Dry Skins
If you are very very dry or live in a very cold climate, your skin might ask for something more. In this care try Coconut Oil or Plant Butters (e.g. Shea-, Cocoa- or Mango butter), which are also amazing for the body. These oils are high in Palmitic Acid and not recommended for acne-prone skin.

Look For Quality & Keep it Cool
It's important to look for certified organic oils of the best quality. If you use an oil that is high in Linoleic Acid, it's best to keep it in the fridge, as they tend to go off very quickly otherwise.

How To Apply
Usually, only a few drops are needed and oils are best applied on damp skin. I love spraying my face with some hydrating mist before applying oil. The right oil can be used morning and night instead of moisturizer or you can choose a different one for morning & night.

Here are my favourite Oils:
 

The Multitasker
Akhal Organic Argan Kernel Oil
This smooths and nourishes the Mr.'s beard & my dry hair but it's also fabulous on the skin.
Moisturising, repairing and fights free radicals. Good also if you prefer a single pure oil rather than a blend. Certified organic directly from Morocco.

The Healer
Happy Skincare Tamanu Oil (or also known as Dilo Oil)
Tamanu Oil is known to strengthen the skin and can even heal & improve scars and stretch marks. Everyone should have this one in their home remedy kit! This Dilo oil from Fiji is the most potent and it's 100% pure (often you buy low percentage blends with Coconut oil) this is the real stuff!

The Glow-Getter
Max&Me "I am the light"
A real luxury blend of the finest oils.
Very lightweight, sits well under makeup. For all skin types! This creates an instant radiance.
"illuminates and hydrates tired skin, releasing dullness and congestion, radiantly removing the traces of time" I could not have said it better!
Regenerating argan, moisturizing marula, repairing rosehip, antioxidant-rich pomegranate are the carrier oils. Combined with pink lotus, frangipani, white fir, neroli & rose as the added highly vibrant essential oils. It is extremely uplifting and resonates with the energy of the third eye chakra.
 

The Brightening Plumper
Edible Beauty Snowflower Illuminating Face Oil
One of my all-time favourites, this nourishes the skin so well and regenerates instantly.
Another winner for daytime under makeup (I use this in my Pro Makeup Kit)
(as well as for night time!)
With a unique combination of Native Australian Extracts including Snowflower Seed Oil and Kakadu Plum are abundant in vitamin C to boost collagen production and brighten the skin whilst Emu Apple Seed Oil has four times the antioxidants of Blueberries and natural waxes to nourish and rejuvenate the skin. Jojoba Seed Oil and Banksia Seed Oil reduce inflammation and encourage skin suppleness. 
Don't forget to use Code "LIV15" for 15% off all Edible Beauty Purchases for my readers & clients!

 

The Chaos Calmer
Max&Me "Enchanted"
My oil of choice for sensitive skin and a beautiful night time treatment.
It treats all sensitive, irritated conditions and regenerating mature complexions while embracing all skin types with its calming and hydrating talents. This is a rare blend of antioxidant-rich beauty oils each bursting with its own special talents - argan, marula, macadamia nut, rosehip, pomegranate, evening primrose - refined with a treasured and very potent blend of essential oils.

Do you have favourite Oils?