Gressa - a revolution in skincare, makeup & love

Gressa Minimalist Foundation Liv Lundelius Natural Beauty Expert

You might have heard about Gressa already, I have mentioned it on Instagram before and also recently included it in my list of favourite brands over here at Consume With Care.

Gressa is something else. Now I have heard of serum foundations and makeup that is good for the skin many times, yet Gressa actually lives up to this promise. The formulas are squeaky clean and free of synthetic chemicals, yet so glamourous and luxurious. It's a brand that thinks outside the box. Certified organic using purest quality ingredients the formulas and textures are different to other brands, Gressa truly reinvents makeup. Or should I say skincare? Most products are both. A real treatment for the skin delivering colour. And the actual skincare is so potent that again, you don't even need much makeup anymore. Founder and natural beauty Svetlana herself is the best proof that this line delivers healthy glowing skin. She has a admirable minimalist approach to skincare, really showing that less is more, to keep your skin healthy.

I discovered the brand a little while ago and have been experimenting with it. It's so gorgeous I really wanted to take time before reviewing it, although I was impressed right from the start. Finally I have received the correct shade of Minimalist foundation for myself and have been wearing it everyday. And what can I say? This foundation works different to all others I have used, everyday it seems I need to use less and less of it, as my skin heals and becomes more and more even and healthy. It's a little bit amazing. I have been using the products on photo shoots and they work a treat in front of the camera, yet I feel they are perfect for everyday wear and your personal beauty regime at home. Let me tell you in more detail about the products, before I get too carried away:

Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation: The Minimalist foundation comes in a dark glass bottle with dropper! Say what? Yes that's right. The texture is truly that of an liquid skin serum. It says on the box that it is like a multivitamin for your skin. Checking out the ingredient list, this is absolutely true: It's a cocktail of organic botanical oils and extracts all chosen for their skin care benefits, no fillers here! Minimalist foundation also contains a unique blend of herbal extracts helping the skin to heal.

Application: Only 4 drops are enough to give a light even coverage all over the face. This no fuss treatment can be applied with fingers, or buffed with a foundation brush. It's important to shake the bottle beforehand! When I started using it my skin had a few blemishes and scarring, so I used a little more products, applying with hands and then blending it with a fluffy foundation brush to make it even.

Finish: The finish is glowing but not oily/dewy, the liquid serum sets to a powder, yet the finish is not powdery or matte. It's just perfect. It looks like healthy skin! Reflecting the light and looking radiant without being shimmery yet giving the skin a velvety appearance. Does this even make sense? The coverage is medium, it can be applied very lightly for a more sheer result and layers well for more coverage also.

Feel: The foundation glides on very smoothly and has an extremely lightweight feel on the skin. It almost feels like the skin is bare after application.

Skintype: This foundation great is for all skin types. If your skin is extremely dry or flaky, it might show off dry areas. (but hey, no foundation can really deal with very dry skin) At the same time is remains radiant and my t-zone will show oil after a few hours. My skin is combination: Can be dry around cheeks and nose, oily in the t-zone. It's so lightweight that I think even oily skin would love it, and it is so smooth that I can also see it work on mature skin very well.

Colourmatch: Gressa offers an online colour match based on a photo. The foundation currently comes in 11 shades, so most skin tones will find a perfect match.

Minimalist Contouring Serum Bronzer: The bronzer comes in the same packaging and texture as the Minimalist Foundation. It's only one shade, which a very rich, dark and olive colour. This makes it perfect for contouring, as the colour is not orange or shimmery at all. Like the other liquid products in the Gressa range, this is very concentrated. Start with a drop and will it go a long way.

Ilumminator: The Minimalist Illuminating Serum can be mixed with your foundation or used as highlighter over the top. It is very concentrated, so you only need a small amount of 1-2 drops. The colour is pinkish pearlized, making it perfect for fair to medium complexions.

Lip Boost: Contained in a pretty little glass jar the Lip Boost is a highly pigmented tinted balm, leaving the lips with a beautiful stain. I have tried Aux Rouge and Lavish and I might have to get the other shades too. Aux rouge seems like the perfect red for everyone. You can wear these sheer or build the pigment up to a more opaque finish.

Purifying Mist: The Purifying Mist is a toner that balances & soothes both your skin and mind. A pure rose mist, which was on stand by on my desk for as long as it lasted. Love the refreshing smell of pure rose. And this is all it is: Pure certified organic rose water. Gressa also has the best selling Neroli toner, I will have to try this one as well....

Purifying Oil:Purifying Oil is a very lightweight oil suitable for all skin types. An excellent blend of organic natural oils featuring: Immortelle, Rose Hip and Jojoba Oils among others.

There are many more products by Gressa which I haven't tried yet check out the website to see the full product range.

Spring Skin - Fresh and radiant

la mav sweet orange cleanser review liv lundelius sydney natural beauty expert green makeup artist sydney

I can't tell you how excited I am for Spring! I have seen the first beautiful blossoms blooming, here in my street and they make me smile every time I walk past. I already told you how I got my body glowing in time for Spring, now it's time for the face!

The warmer temperatures will also have an affect on your skin. All dry skin sufferers will welcome the warm weather, while for those of you with oily skin the battle with shine and congestion will start once again. Everyone will benefit from exfoliation at this time of year.

My own skin already started showing a shiny t-zone throughout the days this week, along with a little congestion: Two signs reminding me to adjust my makeup and skincare routine! I am switching over to a new cleanser, incorporate a cleansing mask twice a week and switch to a clarifying toner. Perfect timing to review the La Mav Purify and Clean range. My skin is combination and it does change with the seasons. I have also lately been prone to breakouts and congestion, so I feel the need to change my routine. (of course there are many reasons for this and nutrition, stress levels, sleep etc. play a big role in break outs!)

Spring Cleanse If you have read my general advice, I am always preaching about very gentle cleansers and I love oil cleansing myself, more about that soon! Yet sometimes I feel the need for a no fuss cleanse! The La Mav Sweet Orange Foaming Cleanser is just that and much more :) It has wonderful anti aging properties, which makes it perfect for adult acne, or congested skin in your 30s and beyond. I really love how this cleanser doesn't dry, yet really balances my skin. The smell is very mild and pleasant. Bilberry extract along with Sugar Cane extract helps purify, cleanse and exfoliate the outer layer of the skin encouraging cell turnover and strengthening the surface of the skin as well as refines and unclogs pores. My skin feels refreshed and supple afterwards. The cleanser has a liquid gel texture (which reminds me of Cetaphil for those of you who know it, yet Cetaphil is of course NOT natural and includes too many questionable ingredients for my liking!) La Mav of course is all organic and packed with beneficial toxin free ingredients! This cleanser also removes makeup with ease. It's basically perfect!

Spring Tone The Purifying Toner is another one that a fantastic anti aging product while balancing oil and preventing congestion! La Mav knows their stuff and really developed a great range for oily skin, beyond teenage years. This toner refines the pores and assists in maintaining the skin’s natural pH balance. Basically: Making oily/combination super happy without drying. Formulated with Melissa water and Bilberry extract to tighten and firm, this toner delivers clean, smooth skin. Yay!

Spring Detox The Green Clay Detox Mask is recommended to be used every other day (I have been using it twice a week, to to a busy schedule!) Yet I found the results great! The mask comes out very smooth and is easy to use unlike many other messy clay masks that I have tried. Due to the green clay it has a light green colour, which looks very healthy to me. The combination of white and green clay helps to absorb impurities and control excess oil. Fruit acids and extracts exfoliate to reveal plump skin and reduce the appearance of pore size, while Marula Oil hydrates and protects the skin. It's an award winning mask that does what it says.

La Mav Tamanu Oil Review Adult Acne Tips Liv Lundelius Natural Beauty Expert

Spring recover Did you read my introduction post on oils? There is a little miracle worker, I haven't mentioned yet: Tamanu Oil! It has very healing properties and is known as amazing treatment for acne scars and sunburns. I have been using it on scars and am amazed about how powerful it is. I even started using it on a scar on my foot, which stems from an accident 2 years ago and it has faded the darkness and softened the skin immensely. Apart from it anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, Tamanu oil promotes new tissue formation, accelerates wound healing and stimulates cell division (more new cells = healthier skin). You can use it as main ingredient in DIY face masks or as nightly restorative skin treatment I highly recommend having a bottle of this miracle elixir, especially if you wish to brighten and heal acne scars.

Ze Flamant Rose - The Eco Luxe Hair Salon

Ze Flamant Rose Eco Hairdresser Sydney Review Greenbeauty

Ze Flamant Rose Eco Hairdresser Sydney Review

ze flamant rose review green hairdresser sydney

Have you heard about Ze Flamant Rose? It's an award winning French beauty salon & hairdresser in the heart of Surry Hills, which also prides itself of being eco friendly.

Why I Needed Professional Hair Help As part of my green journey to a healthier, cleaner, more sustainable yet luxurious life, I have decided to grow out my bleach blonde block hair colour. I have been colouring my own hair at home for about 15years using cheap and nasty supermarket hair colour. While the results have been fine, I was no longer comfortable with using these brands, filled with synthetic chemicals, testing on animals ruining my hair. My hair has started breaking in some areas, due to my home diy dyeing. So I said no more harsh fumes and colour drying my scalp. So far so good. I had been letting my roots grow out for a few months when I reached the point of really needing some professional help. Growing block colour out, does not look pretty. As my wedding is coming up in 6 months, I was a little worried to start experimenting with new colour, but my decision was made, I won't go back to toxic DIY colour. My goal is to blend the colour every few months and ultimately having my natural colour back.

VIP Treatment That's when I found Ze Flamant Rose! An eco luxe hair salon in the midst of Surry Hills. Run by a fantastic Team of owners and master stylists Emilie and Cyril, who are welcoming and truly give that VIP treatment. I was offered a range of Organic Tea along side with a french macaroon. Yay. All my doubts and worries about the new colour were blown away instantly when I realized how Emilie was paying close attention to everything I said. I felt that she understood what I was asking for, which really put me at easy. She is just a natural in her field. The salon is very well designed and spacious. My colour was done at a big table filled with books and magazines in a lovely quiet room with good music. Emilie created highlights and low lights with a eco friendly technique, without the use of foils or plastic waste. The colour did not touch my scalp and was also eco friendly. (unfortunately there is not such thing as synthetic chemical free hair colour yet, but at least there are crueltyfree options with eco friendly packaging and salons that use green techniques) We also had the most interesting conversations in the meantime, Emilie is very knowledgeable in natural health and holistic beauty. The highlight was the hair treatment with head massage. I highly recommend you book yourself in for this. Don't be fooled by the playful and simple website, these guys offer the real professional luxury treatment!

The result I left the salon super happy with shiny natural looking hair and that feeling that I wanted to go out and show off my new locks. The result of the colour was better than I could have ever hoped for. Emilie also discussed with me the colour plan up to my wedding day and I am already looking forward to my next appointment. I am also very curious about the facials. Emilie gave me some beautiful samples of the Organic Spa product range to try and I was impressed, so I might book in a facial next time as well. This is for sure an outstanding salon, I am so happy I discovered this treasure.

Winter Skin Good Bye with Eco Tan

This Winter has been feeling extremely long. I am still sipping hot tea next to the heater while typing this, so I guess it's safe to say that I have gotten used to the mild temperatures here in Australia. I am even getting a little bit pale.Naturally I am a medium skin tone, tanning very easily and I do get pretty dark during the Summer months. My skin is yellow toned and I feel it looks best sun kissed. I believe all skin tones are beautiful from the fairest milkiest white to the darkest chocolate brown, and of course we all suit our natural skin tone. As makeup artist I observe skin tones constantly as it's important to find the right colour match when applying makeup. My yellow skin can get a little sallow in Winter so I do prefer a little bit of a tan glow.

I am quite low maintenance (for someone working in the industry) with my personal beauty routine and really like products that work and a beauty routine that I can do at home. While spray tans are super popular here in Sydney (and thank goodness there are now certified organic self tan options available!) I prefer a quick DIY job in my own bathroom.

Self Tanning at home So I was very intrigued when I heard about Winter Skin by Eco Tan. Winter Skin is a lotion in a pump bottle, which is a body moisturizer with a hint of buildable self tan. It's THE solution to just warm up your skin, super easy to use. It has no stinky fake tan smell and keeps the skin hydrated. I simply exfoliate with the Extreme Exfoliating Glove in the shower and use the Winter skin as I would my usual body moisturizer and then wash my hands thoroughly. Done! If your knees, elbows and feet are dry make sure you exfoliate and hydrate them before using any self tan. This one is pretty foll proof though, as the colour is just a believable little hint of tan. No need for a tent or cleaning the bathroom afterwards, just a quick and easy thing to do. It can be used a few days in a row until you achieve the desired colour. Love it! It really helps as well to even out the skin and I feel ready to expose my legs now that Spring is around the corner.I might need a bottle for Summer to even out any tan lines before the wedding...(I will let you know if I do and if it works!) I think this is great for beginners, anyone with very fair skin, or people like me that find it too stressful to go for beauty appointments. If you however want a deep professional spray tan, Eco tan actually has professionals that can do this for you.

Why Organic? If you know me or have read this blog before you know how passionate I am about anything organic. To me it's the best lifestyle to ensure we can sustain this beautiful planet in the future. Organic food and cosmetics protect the environment, the animals and also our own health as humans. Of course I could go on and on why it is so important, but chances are you know this already. Otherwise I might write up a separate blog post.

Of course I all for the quality certified organic ingredients throughout the whole Eco Tan range. It has been tested in Australia to be toxin free and it's also vegan. I recommend this range to all my brides, if they are thinking about getting a fake tan for their wedding day. Of course always book yourself a trial appointment for a tan before the wedding day,so you can confirm the right colour and also make sure you don't have any allergic reactions. Now we can all get a truly healthy glow! In time for Spring...

A date with the bathtub- Weleda Time Machine

The nights are still pretty chilly over here and having worked some late nights lately as well as doing quite some intense yoga sessions, my muscles were in need of a soak and massage.

I haven't even used our bath tub since we moved into our apartment almost a year ago. When I lived in Berlin years ago the bathtub was the place to find me on days off and cold winter nights. I almost forgot how good it feels to have a bath! While the bathtub brings back memories I stepped even further down memory lane by using a beautiful Weleda bath milk. Weleda is one of the brands my hippie parents used when I was little and that I have adored all my life. It's the go to green beauty brand for everyday essentials. We lived in Germany and my Mum who is a Naturopath has always been into organic and green beauty products. Weleda has just brought out a new Arnica Muscle Soak, that called my name. It actually smells of an Swedish Sauna to me, which must be due to the birch, rosemary and lavender used. Where I grew up in Northern Europe saunas are very popular and are part of our culture. By the way: Did you know we recently visited Northern Germany, Denmark & Sweden? If you are interested in Scandinavia and our adventures check out our personal blog here. It's our personal project about happiness, photography and travel but mostly all the small things that make life so wonderful.

But back to my wonderful bath experience: I feel bathtime is one of these special pampering times that are so important for self care, just like meditation or exercise. I think I will continue to have baths until Spring arrives! I soaked for a little while in the warm water before bed and had my bed already warmed up with hot water bottles. I can't even remember a thing, I passed out as soon as I snuggled up. Highly recommended!

"Skin Food" is another hero product by Weleda a healing intensely moisturizing balm, soooooo good for feet, elbows or dry hands! It's one of these cult beauty products that has had no reason to change formula since 1926. It has a huge celebrity following as well and is a staple in many professional makeup kits, including my own, especially during the Winter months. Free from parabens, artificial preservatives, colours and fragrances. Skin Food is not tested on animals and is suitable for vegetarians. (this one is not vegan it does contain lanolin)

Weleda is one of the brands that takes green beauty to the next level, they grow most their ingredients in their own biodynamic organic gardens. Exotic ingredients they usually buy from sustainable fair trade projects, ensuring there are no sprays or pesticides used. This way they ensure that they are able to use only the highest quality ingredients while making sure they are sourced in a way that is ethically, socially and environmentally responsible. Extra green smoothie points from me there ;)