Healthy Juicy Skin

I am all about Juice and Smoothies combined with loads of other healthy unprocessed foods. (Although I am still dreaming about an actual powerful blender to make my own at home!) I just really love how good it feels to eat well and I also really dislike being sick. I feel I don't have time to be sick or unwell and also can't afford to lay around in bed, as I am running my own business. So healthy food is really important to me! I might annoy my friends from time with my health consciousness, but in the end of the day, they always come back to ask me for advice. I started joking that I should consider starting another website/blog: Ask Dr Liv! (no, I am not a doctor nor professionally qualified to give anyone health advice!)

What is Skin Juice? When I discovered Skin juice, the healthy natural skin care ranges with the inspiration to nourish your skin as a fresh juice nourishes your body, I was intrigued. Founder Joanne Dampney used to be a successful beauty therapist with own salon, where she discovered a growing demand for safe, healthy, natural, organic yet effective skincare. Using her own clients as guinea pigs to develop the range, there was no animal testing required. She quickly gained a loyal following and today is focussing entirely on her skin care business. It's a vegetarian range with many vegan products, cruelty-free and packed with certified organic ingredients. All products are made in Australia.

The Best From Science & Nature Skin Juice combines the best from science and nature to formulate innovative, nutrient rich skincare that will feed the skin like a healthy diet feeds the body. The range is large and exciting! There is skin care, body care, products for men and a pregnancy range. I only tried three products so far to get a glimpse and overview of the range, but I think I am already hungry for more! The ingredients are clean and potent and the formulas feel very nice on the skin.

Professional Quality The clever design of the products makes them perfect for travelling in my professional makeup kit as well. The packaging is hygienic and travel-friendly. It's made from BPA free plastic! Mostly pump dispensers are used and all lids fit on securely. The range is also available in many beauty salons in Australia, so it's possible to get a yummy facial with these toxin free products. This shows again how potent the products are. Another natural range that actually works!

Mummy's Tummy I particularly love that there is a pregnancy range. I find that there is so much confusion about what is safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, even within natural skincare. Many natural essential oils or botanical extracts are too stimulating or powerful when you are expecting. That's why I give a huge thumbs up for any natural company that decides to make a range, especially for pregnant women and has a section on their website, which clearly lists everything that is safe to use during such an important and special time.

The daily regime: Skin Juice is based on a simple regime. This can be supplemented with serums and treatments whenever the skin needs some extra love. Morning: 1.In the morning, you start with a refreshing skin tonic instead of a cleanser. 2. Moisturize according to skin type. Night: 1. Night cleansing, which removes makeup and impurities without drying the skin. 2. Use tonic to remove access cleanser and balancing the ph. 3.. Nourish & Repair the skin with a night oil or balm

Skin Juice Review Organic Beauty Expert Natural Makeup Artist Liv Lundelius Sydney copy

Product Review I have only tried three products, so I can't review the whole regime:

Berry Fresh Healthy Skin Cleanser A VERY lovely gentle cleanser.It removes makeup easily and it smells delicious. It's suitable for all skin types as night time cleanser This cleanser will not dry or strip the skin, instead, it will leave the skin feeling soft and looking healthier with the help from antioxidant and essential fatty acid rich blackcurrent, cherry kernel and raspberry seed oils. Berry Fresh contains a high antioxidant carotenoid content, in addition to a high tocopherol (Vitamin E) content, which quenches ageing free radicals before they damage the skin’s healthy lipids.Potent anti-inflammatory Bisabolol is extracted from Chamomile and will help soothe skin inflammation, redness and calm sensitivity. Free from artificial colours or fragrances, this unique aromatic blend is 100% natural.

Quench Juice This is a moisturizer developed for sensitive skin. It helps to calm down an over-stimulated skin. Perfect for combination skin as it is a midweight formulation. It really soothed my skin now in the transition from Summer to Winter and is designed to protect the skin from environmental damage. Quench Juice will sooth, hydrate and firm your skin with a potent shot of elixir from prickly pear, rich in vitamins and antioxidants the prickly pear will visibly reduce redness and bind moisture for soft dewy skin. Provides immediate and long-lasting hydration, while helping to relieve the spread of inflammation and allergic reactions. Nutritious and skin strengthening macadamia oil is rich in cell-protecting omega 7; this essential nutrient calms redness and keeps the skin strong and resilient against inflammation and irritation. Natural and organic plant oils melt into the skin to keep it feeling and looking healthy, calm and smooth.

Green Juice Skin Balm Now this is a real multi purpose product! It can be used as night treatment but it has so many more functions. I used it around my nose on some dry patches, on cuticles and as lip balm. I have to quote from the Skin Juice website, as they already summed it up so beautifully:

Green Juice will help heal skin after skin trauma such as; laser treatment, injury, tattoo, sunburn and so on. Get that dewy moisture glow from the juices of coconut and organic plant butter, these skin smoothing lipids nourish and soften the skin. Can be used as a nourishing, gentle cleansing balm for the face Nurturing for the delicate skin of babies. Hard working antioxidants help nourish the skin after time in the sun. Coconut oils antibacterial benefits, plus purifying chlorophyll from alfalfa, help to keep skin clear, fresh and blemish free.

I can't wait to try more of this wonderful super food range. Another great find in the natural cosmetics world, that delivers results, luxurious textures and promotes an high Earth loving ethical standard.

I can't wait to try more of this wonderful super food range. Another great find in the natural cosmetics world, that delivers results, luxurious textures and promotes an high Earth loving ethical standard.

The Power Of Paw Paw And Why Your Skin Needs It

Paw Paw Moisturizer Organic Skincare Review Natural Beauty Expert Sydney

Have you tried Paw Paw before? Paw Paw is another name for Papaya, the tropical fruit. It's not only incredibly healthy when you eat it, it also has very powerful skin healing properties.

The Powers Of Paw Paw:

1. Power: Wound healing & Repairing Papaya has been studied extensively for its wound healing benefits. The papain enzyme helps in healing but also keeps the bacteria away and prevents the scar from getting bigger.

2nd Power: Anti-Aging Papain enzyme can reduce wrinkles by modulating the collagen and elastic fibers in the dermis.

3rd Power: Nourish Papaya fruit provides hydration and nutrition to the skin. Papaya not only repairs damaged skin but your body as a whole with the help of anti-oxidants like Flavanoids, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, etc.

Look For Organic Chances are you have tried Paw Paw ointments before, probably as a lip balm to soothe your dry or cracked lips. I used to always have it as a staple in my makeup kit to prep lips prior to lipstick application. The bummer is that most conventional Paw Paw balms are petrochemical based. Within the last years, however, there has been a greater number of organic and pure varieties.

I love that they are such a great all round product, super versatile and Paw Paw ointments really heal skin in record time. Natralus is an Australian natural skincare brand that specializes in Paw Paw products, besides their amazing classic Paw Paw Ointment they have a whole range of natural goodies. I have recently tried the new range of lip butter over here at Consume With Care. And they are a real winner.

Paw Paw Moisturiser Ointments aside, I really wanted to share my experience with the new Natralus Paw Paw 95% Pure Moisturiser: I was really surprised how this is so light weight. It really is like a lotion and it instantly absorbs into the skin, no stickiness or oiliness at all. It smells divine too! I use it on my body and love that I can get dressed straight away. It's gentle enough to be used on the face as well and suitable for sensitive skins. I decked myself out in it and have some in my makeup kit, some in my handbag and some in the bathroom. They come in three different sizes. Packed with organic ingredients I couldn't find any reason not to slather myself in it, then I realized it contains: Phenoxyethanol as preservative! Booooo! Many natural brands use this ingredient instead of parabens, but it has gotten some bad press, and it is fairly questionable. I try to avoid this ingredient in my beauty products, but I also understand that it is often difficult for companies to find a suitable preservative for certain formulas. Do your own research on the ingredient. Personally, I think if a brand uses overall a very clean and natural formulation it's acceptable. The Paw Paw Moisturiser is naturally free from petrochemicals, petroleum jelly, parabens, silicones, mineral oil, and artificial fragrance and colour. Most Natralus products don't contain this phenoxyethanol as a preservative. Go for their classic ointments and other beautiful products instead, if you prefer. Always read the label! It's called 95% pure moisturizer because it's actually 95% pure, active ingredients like Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and Organic Paw Paw. Did you know most moisturizers are based on water? Usually, the first ingredient on the list is water, often labeled as "aqua" . This one proudly shows Aloe Vera on top of the list. Basically, you are getting more bang for your buck here. Pure hydration!

A DIY Bridal Manicure

Our wedding turned out to be a big DIY fest. Not that we set out to have it that way, it just seem to happen that we are surrounded by uber talented and creative friends that wanted to contribute to our wedding and so many things we did just seemed natural to do ourselves. And yes, I did my own makeup on the day as well. I will share more about that soon!

As my hands were still busy working in the lead up to the wedding and I am a little bit particular about what I put on my body, I decide to do my own mani and pedi. That way I could do it nice and fresh the night before the wedding and also pick my favourite nail products.

For the colour I chose Sienna Byron Bay, a toxin free, high quality polish brand. I use them in my pro kit and they totally live up to my quality standards. Sienna Byron Bay produces their products as eco-friendly as possible. All their Australian made nail polish is produced using a professional, reduced toxin formula that is as clean as you can get. They also only use Cruelty-free, Vegan components.

I fell hard for the colour "Aura" which I used on finger and toe nails for the wedding. It's a beautiful sheer pearly white. (On honeymoon I used "Utopia" a stunning pastel mint green colour, that Dave was really over the moon about, good to have a designer husband!)

To prep my nails properly I used the brand new Weleda Nail Care Pen and Cuticle Softener Pen. Both contain organic pomegranate seed oil, which is extremely high in antioxidants and promotes cell regenaration. The nail care pen is a staple in my bag now, also for days when I am not wearing any polish. It smells delicious, but not overpowering. The Pomegranate Regenarating Hand Cream is another winner in the range. It absorbs very quickly and doesn't leave the hands greasy at all. It's a really great anti aging hand treatment as the antioxidant-rich, organic pomegranate seed oil helps to protect your hands from environmental influences that can cause the appearance of age spots. The Cuticle Softener Pen, really made my manicure look professional and super neat. How genius is Weleda ? I haven't seen any natural or organic manicure products like these on the market. They were a dream to use, toxin free and really worked a treat. They will be repurchased for my makeup kit as well.

Uni Organics Review or Sleeping Beauty & the Good Day

uni organics review Liv Lundelius Natural Beauty Expert

I just had the chance to try out the beautiful anti ageing range by Uni Organics. It's the latest certified organic skin care brand here in Australia. There is something very different about this range, that I noticed immediately: The textures and scents! They seem very familiar as you would expect from any conventional high end luxury beauty brand. Very pleasant and not too aromatic. Most natural organic brands have an essential oil smell to them, or smell simply herbal (not that this is a bad thing!). The Uni Organics range however has sophisticated textures and a really pleasant soft creamy smell. I think it's the perfect introduction range, if you are changing from conventional to organic beauty products. The packaging is travel friendly, hygienic and neat.

The ingredient list is cutting edge and on trend with the latest potent super foods for your skin. For example: Kakadu Plum! I have seen it pop up everywhere recently, so I was really curious to learn more about it. It's a Australian native plant, which is extremely high in Vitamin C full packed with antioxidants. Kakadu Plums also have anti-carcinogenic, anti fungal, antiviral and anti inflammatory properties. This miracle worker is great for all skin types.

The Uni Organics Range focuses on anti aging with a straight forward compact range. There is a cleanser "Perfectly Clean", day cream "Good Day Face", night cream "Sleeping Beauty", a serum "Restore" and an oil "Repair" that I have tried. I liked all of them! (There are a also few additional products that I haven't yet tried: A face mask, an eye cream and a face scrub.) All of them are meant to be suitable for all skin types, with exception of the night cream which is not suitable for oily skin types. In my experience the range is perfect for normal to dry skin, as most products are very hydrating and rather rich. My skin loves it as it's a little more on the dry side naturally, I am a combination skin type now that I live in Australia. (besides random flare ups of oiliness and breakouts, when I am out of balance)

I like how the range is inspired by Aboriginal Australian Bush medicine and uses many local indigenous ingredients. They have a lovely little explanation of the extracts they use and their effects on their website here.

Clean Skin , Clean Home Envirocare Review

Over here at the Liv headquarters it seems things are finally getting sorted and back to "normal", after our wedding and trying to catch up on everything it's been a hectic (!!!) few months. This last weekend Dave and I had some time together to sort out our home and did a full spring clean, and home cleanse. We got rid of unwanted clothes and did multiple trips to donate them, we threw away boxes and boxes of useless stuff that had just accumulated and we also cleaned our apartment in depth. It feels SO good! I can move around again in my office and breathe! There is nothing like a good tidy up.

You know that I am trying my best to avoid any unnecessary toxins in my life. At home we do our best to only use green cleaning products. I love buying from companies that care about the environment and source and make their products in a sustainable way. We lately got sent the EnviroCare Earth range over here and really liked them. EnviroCare Earth products have never ever been tested on animals. They are safe to use without polluting our home with nasty chemicals. Dishwashing Liquid, laundry detergent, Hand Wash and also they Body & Hair Cleanser (which I used as travel size on our honeymoon, and loved it!) They are fantastic unisex products for the whole family including the dog. Not even kidding, they have a lovely natural pet grooming range, approved by always white and fluffy Dalston. Most products also come in generous sizes, reducing packaging and landfill. I really love how they thought about everything.

All their body products are extremely gentle and have the most pleasant barely there scent. I would highly recommend them for sensitive skin and sensitive noses that aren't a fan of strongly perfumed products.

The cleaning products are really powerful and work a treat! I love how they don't leave a strong scent either, they simply work and have no nonsense added to them. I think it's especially important if you have pets or babies in your home as they are much more sensitive to toxic ingredients and often are the first ones to develop allergies or skin problems. Do you use green cleaning products in your home? Do you know that conventional cleaning products often contain allergens and toxic ingredients that can seriously effect your long term health?