A Simple Green Beauty Routine For Everyone

I feel super honored to be featured over at the wonderful Nourish Every Day blog. You recently met the inspiring and smart Monique from Nourish Every Day already here on my blog. She asked me to share a simple routine that is suitable for everyone along with some product recommendations with her readers.

I connected instantly with Monique when she booked me to create her wedding makeup, and while I took away some awesome nutrition advice and health food shopping lists, she was really interested about my move to a toxin free makeup kit and working as a green makeup artist.

It's all about Cleanse, Hydrate, Moisturize & Exfoliate. You might know some of this already and also might already know a few of my current favourite brands. Check it out and also browse all of Monique's healthy recipes, they are amazing!

NŪDUS Lip Euphoria

Are your lips ready for the ultimate treat? NŪDUS is the clever lipstick range that I have been waiting for. Creamy, luxurious, rich pigments beautifully packaged and certified organic. This range of high-end lipsticks was over two years in the making and contains a superior blend of 27 active naturals. A specially designed tasteful formula incorporating super foods, antioxidants, vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K, essential fatty acids and high-end anti-aging ingredients to keep your lips soft and help protect them from environmental stress. WOW! You can tell that the beautiful founder Diana Saltoun Goltsman has done her researched and developed a wonderful range for intelligent, forward thinking women, like herself.

If you are a bit of a beauty nerd like I am, read on for even more amazing information about this unique luxury range: All NŪDUS lipsticks are handcrafted. What this means for you is that they are carefully made in small batches in a certified organic environment in Sydney Australia. The colours are very different from anything else on the market: NŪDUS pigments are a special mix of ancient Ayurvedic pure bioactive colour extracts from flowers, fruits, herbs and minerals. Each colour extract has a dual purpose of bioactivity and therapeutic function. These color extracts have been chosen on the basis of their properties promoting preventative healthcare. The extracts not only provide longer lasting colours, but safer active moisturising properties, based on the technology of an ancient progressively vibrant traditional medicinal system.

Ayurveda means ‘ life-wisdom’. Pronounced (aa-yer-vay-da) it is believed to be one the oldest healing systems originating from India over 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda revels the wisdom of life ‘ the whole of life’, by unveiling secrets of nature that helps keep a person healthy and in harmony with their soul.

All the colours apply true to the colour they show as stick, and I can't even decide which one my favourite is. I have tried 6 shades and they are all great. (which rarely ever happens!) I am in LOVE.

Tips for beautifully lasting bridal lips

Photo by Luisa Brimble Hair & Makeup by Liv Lundelius One: It's important to prep your lips and make sure they are smooth and hydrated. Besides drinking enough water in the lead up of your wedding, it's a good idea to exfoliate your lips with a special lip scrub or with a soft toothbrush and some lip balm.

Two: Apply a generous layer of lip balm while you get your makeup done.

Three: When you are ready for lipstick, blot off excess balm and use a creamy lip liner in your lip colour or the colour of your choice to apply all over the lips. This will improve the staying power of your lipstick immensely.

Four: Stay with your natural lip shape and don't draw outside of your lip line. If your lips are uneven you can balance them with lip liner to make them appear more symmetric. Once the colour fades it disappears evenly and you won't be left with a scary outline of lip liner, which is never a good look.

Five: If you choose to wear a bright or deep lipstick shade keep in mind that it will transfer and stain your future husband. When kissing, many brides wear a lighter more neutral lip colour for the ceremony and a more colourful one for the reception.

Six: If you choose to wear red or bold lips, blot the lips with a tissue and apply another layer, you can repeat this step to achieve more staying power and a deeper colour.

Seven: Apply your lipstick with a lip brush for a professional finish, you will be much more precise.

Eight: Have your lipstick with you for touch-up's after drinks, food and kisses.

Nine: Have fun and get married!

Ten: Live Happily Ever After.

Smart Beauty By Intelligent Nutrients

"Everything be put on our bodies should be nutritious and safe." This was the inspiration and mission statement of Horst Rachelbacher the founder of Intelligent Nutrients. He stayed true to his vision and today the brand has created a beautiful wide range of cosmetics for body, hair and also a fabulous skincare & fragrance range.

I am very impressed with their Aromatics; a range of natural fragrance that can be used all over the body and hair. With Aromatherapy benefits these fragrance can help your emotions and wellbeing throughout a day. On the hunt for a wedding fragrance for myself I am currently wearing 2 Seductive Spirit Essence. This scent really grew on me. While it's very spicy at first and I am not a fan of the clove oil which is very prominent at first, it quickly settles into a very warm skin like spicy fragrance with a beautiful complex heart and after a little wear the fruity notes really come through. Such a unique fragrance combining spices and fruit scents, but it really works. I also find it very long wearing, which is a plus. Although it has strong spicy notes, it's in no way offensive, it smells very smooth overall. Designed to create balance between mind and body, this elegant mist uses no petrochemically derived ingredients - just the plants themselves. Right now in the colder months Seductive is perfect, I am not sure if I would like it in Summer, so I might try another aromatic for the warmer months.

I have already mentioned the beautiful skin care Renewing Oil Serum here, and have been using it as serum whenever my skin feels dehydrated. Truly a light oil, this glides over skin and immediately sinks in for the kind of results promised by more aggressive regimens. Super certified organic antioxidant Intellimune help cells live longer, healthier lives while restoring skin's collagen and elastin production. I also think it's perfect for plane travel, (if you decant it into a smaller container) and the smell is just heavenly. Last but not least I am a huge fan of their Antioxidant Lip Delivery lip gloss. It's actually packed with healthy natural antioxidants, protecting and a powerful anti aging treatment for your lips. And then it has just enough of the prettiest pop of colour. I have the Pink Hibiscus always in my handbag.

Of course all their products are cruelty free and certified organic!

5 Tips For Healthy Shiny HAIR The Six Week Bridal Beauty Prep

Photo by Luisa Brimble of Liv Lundelius

Do you want shiny locks and healthy hair for your wedding day (or just in general?) ? Here are my top tips on how to keep your scalp and hair naturally beautiful, enhance hair growth and prevent damage.

1. Deep Condition Once a week apply a deep hair conditioning treatment. You can use pure Coconut Oil if you are a purist or on a budget or you can use a luxurious store bought hair treatment. Always go for a toxin free hair product range! If you use coconut oil do this on a day off and sit in the sun, which will activate and heat up the oil. Protect your gorgeous skin in the sun though (with a natural zinc sunscreen) and be careful not to get burned before your wedding day. The trick with washing out oil treatments is to apply shampoo before wetting your hair then rinsing with water and then using a 2nd shampoo. Lather and rinse well. The use your regular conditioner.

2. Nourish from the inside Hair is protein discharge, and adding good quality protein to your diet will help encourage growth. Consuming enough healthy fat can aid in improving overall shine and texture. Eating more kale (vitamin C and Silica) berries (more C), onions, leeks, garlic or scallions (sulfur), mushrooms (zinc), almonds, brown rice (vitamin E), sunflower seeds (pantothenic acid – B5), and shitake mushrooms (copper) and a wide variety of antioxidant herbs like ginger, rosemary, and turmeric root, could benefit hair growth and make hair even more gorgeous! Eat WHOLE eggs (ALWAYS ORGANIC & FREE RANGE) . They contain biotin, folate, silica, and B-5, which are all universally known for helping promote lustrous hair.

3. Keep it natural Certain products can clog the hair shaft, and that will impede new growth. Many products contain alcohol, which will strip your hair. Choose natural, green products instead. I am a big fan of the John Masters Organics line because he uses a lot of essential oils and plant-based ingredients. I also love the Yarok Styling Products. If you are after a real super luxurious treat you can't go past Rahua products.

4. Be Gentle Many people break their hair when it is wet and most delicate by brushing to hard. Buy a high-quality professional hair dryer and use it at the medium setting, or don’t blow dry your hair at all. Use a wide comb or detangling brush and slowly work your way up, start at the ends. When using heating tools like a dryer, flat iron, curling iron, or hot rollers, be sure to use natural products for heat protection. Stay away from damaging heat tools if you can.

5. Protect! Braid your hair loosely or tie with soft ties to avoid any breakage, especially if you have dry or chemically treated hair. If you color your hair it's a good idea to wear a hat in the sun. It will protect your hair colour from fading or changing colour.