Meet Tanja, The Radiant Beauty Behind Max&Me

Max&Me first came into my life when I was highly pregnant and I was given the "Circle Of Protection" Body oil. It was love at the first sniff. This oil made me feel safe and beautiful and was nourishing the skin of my very stretched belly and body. I am still using & loving it.

I was curious to learn more about this line of unique beauty products and have since fallen in love with many of them.

Enough of me for now:
I am excited that I had the chance to interview the glowing & inspiring co-founder, Tanja to talk about her magical formulations and all things natural beauty!
She lives in Vienna/Austria on the other end of the world, so we did a virtual interview.
Which makes me so grateful for technology and being able to connect, even if the internet connection wasn't always perfect, I learned so much about the power of plants are the story behind these special skincare products.

I hope you enjoy!

(All products are made from only the highest quality, organic or wild crafted ingredients. All products are cruelty-free, most are vegan. Some contain Honey/Propolis)

Bounty Bliss Bowl

I have had a bit of a sweet tooth lately and really felt like chocolate!  As in Chocolate everything! 

Did you know that Cacao is really good for the skin? Researchers found cacao boosts skin health by increasing blood flow and improving skin density and hydration. But that's not all...
It’s packed with Antioxidants & boosts well-being and mood!
It can actually protect the nervous system. That's why it makes perfect sense that we are craving chocolate in times of increased stress!  And that’s why I called this a BLISS bowl. :)  

 IMPORTANT: Don’t confuse Cocoa with Cacao!!!
Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans. The process keeps the living enzymes in the cocoa and removes the fat (cacao butter). Cocoa looks the same but it’s not. Cocoa powder is raw cacao that’s been roasted at high temperatures. Sadly, roasting changes the molecular structure of the cocoa bean, reducing the enzyme content and lowering the overall nutritional value.

Good thing that there is is so much yummy & healthy-ish vegan chocolate out there...
And so it happened that most my smoothies, desserts and snacks involved adding some raw cacao & chunks of raw & sugar-free The Chocolate Yogi's creations. 

So instead of my usual Green Smoothie in the morning, I mixed things up, literally.
This works well as Special weekend brekkie! 

I won‘t recommend having a bar of chocolate every morning!
Yet, this is SO much better for you than regular sugar loaded cereal. 

Here is my recipe:
1 handful Red Kale
1 Frozen Banana
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tbsp Raw Cacao powder
1 tbsp raw vegan protein powder (optional)
Half a bar „Happy Thoughts“ Chocolate by The Chocolate Yogi
1 cup Rice Milk (or Almond or any Mylk of your choice)
Blend all the above on in a highspeed blender until smooth & creamy

Top with:
Dried Coconut
Berries in season
& the other half of your chocolate bar!  

Sweet Serenity - A Vibrant Treat For My Skin

"You look wonderful! " said the lovely random lady, stopping me on the street staring at my face. Well, I definitely felt very good and radiant while running errands with little Faye in tow.

I can't say that it was the skin care that led to this compliment but I know that Max&Me Oils have this very therapeutic effect, they somehow uplift my soul and put me in a great mood.

Is it the beautiful packaging with Elf illustrations or the organic & wildcrafted ingredients? There is surely some magic involved when it comes to this luxury skin care brand! 

I hinted that this month is a little over-scheduled (to avoid saying stressful, which is just a little too negative) for us and on top of everything my kitchen flooded today, but that's a story for another time. Or actually hardly worth telling. Ever. 

To change things up from my usual skincare routine, this month is asking for some extra treats:

I have been oil cleansing with Purity&Grace and moisturising with Sweet Serenity Beauty Balm. And what can I say? Magic! 
Both are balancing for all skin types and can be used day & night, which came in handy when travelling.  

The magic happens when you inhale the aromatic Oils prior to massaging the balm into the skin. They are both vegan, organic, and packed with luxurious natural ingredients. 
Highly recommended!  

I will share some more about this line and a few surprises over here soon. Stay tuned.  

Liv's Radiant Rawnola Recipe

This Rawnola is the perfect snack when you have a sweet craving, a yummy dessert and perfect topping for smoothie bowls!
Best of all it's packed with vital nutrients for radiant skin and overall health.
Oh, and did I mention that it's super quick and easy to make?

If you haven't heard of Rawnola before: It's a cereal substitute for baked crunchy granola.
While it does get crumbly it stays chewy and tastes more like cookie dough. Yummmmmm!
If you prefer more crunch add some "Buckinis" which is Activated raw Buckwheat to the final mixture. As always use certified organic ingredients of the best quality and without any additives or preservatives.

Equipment:
You can use a food processor or high-speed blender. I used my Vitamix. It's important to only use the lowest setting and not to overdo it with the blending! And a jar for storage. That's it!

Ingredients:
1 Cup of Organic Oats
1 Cup of Organic Dried Mulberries
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
1/2 a Cup Coconut Flakes or Shredded Coconut (organic and preservative free)
10 Dates (in the pictures I ran out of enough Dates and added some mixed dried berries instead, you can also use just Mulberries and other dried berries, but Dates are stickier and have the perfect sweetness)

How To:
Basically, you just chuck it all in and switch that thing on. I like to add two dates at a time and blend, add another two and so forth until you have the right sticky/crumbly texture.
Start with the Oats and add Mulberries then add all the other ingredients and 2 dates.
Blend. Add another two dates.... Until done! You might have to give the jug a shake ever so often.

I hope you enjoy! And don't eat it all at once ;)

Beauty Hacks For New Mums - MASKS

Masks are like a mini facial at home. They are so fun and give your skin a boost.
While finding time to mess with a traditional clay or creme mask can be tough, I have found some clever next generation masks that are perfect for new Mums. Or at least they work for me :)
I have been drafting on this Beauty Hacks post for a while and I always end up adding more and more tips and content...
This is not just for Mum's but for everyone that is time poor but feels in need for some special treats and boosters :)
I am in no way suggesting that Mum's need to look good at all times. I personally love to pamper myself a little bit and do something healthy for myself. Nutrition, rest, movement and meditation are most important as self care! But there is nothing wrong with Masking either :)

So: I was deciding to turn this into a little series instead!

1. Overnight Masks - Think Sleeping Beauty
While we miss out on a little bit of our beauty sleep we can help our skin by using night time masks. The next generation of these combines cleansing actions of clay masks with hydrating and regenerating oils for the perfect balance. Of course, you can use them during the day too.
I put mine on the evening when we sometimes get to watch a movie (or Star Trek Episode... we are totally addicted guys! How good are all these old Star Trek Episodes?) or read or chat. By the time we go to bed it has absorbed enough so I can leave it on over night without making a mess. It actually happens pretty quickly but I don't want to risk smothering my pillow cases.
If you want to apply it right before bed, use a thin layer instead.
The next morning my skin glows! I then wash my face as usual and am fresh for the day.

There are two new masks that I like:

Divine Ultra Perfecting Mask
Ultra Perfecting is a pretty high claim. What is perfect anyways? I surrender to the imperfect beauty of things these days...
But: This mask does really balance the skin. It's a clever combination of White Clay (cleansing), Hyaluronic Acid (hydrating) & a combination of nourishing oils. It's certified organic and without nasties.
 

& Sleeping Beauty Purifying Mousse
This has made me waking up radiant, which is pretty amazing. It's a real treat to use in the evening especially since this has the most luxurious natural scent of Rose Otto! But besides that it feels good for the soul the ingredients are top notch.
 Australian Pink Clay and the volcanic mineral Zeolite purify the skin, removing impurities to prevent breakouts whilst at the same time support skin cell renewal and rejuvenation. Avocado Oil (5 Alpha Avocuta) reduces excess oil production and soothes whilst Acai and Snowflower Seed Oil hydrate and nourish the skin, promoting flawless radiance.

2. Sheet Masks

I can't get enough of sheet masks. Easy-Peasy, rinse free and immediate results. Can be used any time of day! These are best for an immediate glow effect.
My favourite is this one, which I have already told you about.
Make sure not to use Sheet Masks on very dry skin though, you want to moisturize and treat your skin first. Sheet masks are hydrating boosters but they don't offer the richness or comfort of a cream mask. That's why I love them most in warmer weather! Also perfect for holidays, for plane travel and to bring to little getaways.
If your skin is dry/flakey you want to use a balm or right night cream as a treatment instead and use the sheet mask when your skin is back to normal.

I hope you got inspired! Mask On Mamas!