PATCH: Organic Bandages For All Kinds Of Boo-Boos

Have you seen PATCH? No?
It's a really great organic & toxin-free alternative to your good old band-aid.
I just got these cuties sent and had to share!
Faye just got to the age of bumps & boo-boos, trying to balance on her feet & crawling, scooting around. I remember quite clearly all the scraped knees of my own childhood and I know that these strips will come in handy for all the years to come.
But I am also happy that these are such a cool option for babies & kids, as they are suitable for those with the most sensitive skin. Made with a gentle pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), certified organic bamboo fibre and organic bamboo gauze. They are also
THIMEROSAL FREE  - MERTHIOLATE FREE   - LATEX FREE . Which makes them hypoallergenic and safe to use on little ones and adults alike.

And they really did a great job on the outside, too! The brown recycled paper tubes with sleek typography are just SO beautiful to look at! Packaging absolutely nailed. I will even keep them around for Faye to play with.

There is a kids version of the cutest Panda print, which to be honest, is totally what I would choose to wear myself. This one is enriched with Coconut Oil, which means no more red marks or nasty reactions from plasters. These are super soft and easy to remove, but they do stick very well at the same time. Created for the future eco warriors.
They further have a simple and plain version that is a nude colour and without any extra ingredients, perfect for the minimalist ;)
The black strip version with activated charcoal, which helps wound healing especially for bites, splinters & grazes and a Tan strip version, enriched with Aloe Vera, they speed up wound healing and are perfect for burns, blisters, grazes & scrapes. Cool, huh?

I am overall quite inspired how these guys took such a simple, yet boring product and really turned it around offering a safe, healthy, eco-friendly & very well designed product!

Thumbs up from this Mama and highly recommended!
Here is to all our adventures!
 

Summer Skin Series: Remedies for Sundamage & Hyperpigmentation

I LOVE summer, sun & the beach!
Vitamin D and sun exposure are good for our mood & important for your health!
But what if you have overdone it? The Australian sun is so strong and it’s easily done to get a sunburn or also hyper-pigmentation and Sun damage in the long term. 

HYPERPIGMENTATION

Sun-damage, sunspots & hyperpigmentation are some of the major concerns for women living down under. I get asked about this skin concern a lot!!! So I thought it's about time to do a little write up about it:
Prevention is key, so do not overexpose your skin to the sun, avoid hormonal contraceptives and be especially careful during pregnancy, as hormone changes are known to bring on the sunspots.
If you already have got some pigmentation, don't fret, there are also natural treatments which help to fade, balance and lighten already established pigmentation. 

Of course, first and foremost: Always protect the affected area carefully from sun exposure, to give your skin the chance to normalise it’s pigment naturally. Wear natural Zinc based SPF, hats and keep that face out of the sun whenever possible.
To speed up the process and help brighten and fade here are my top picks:  

Max&MePurity&Grace
My All time favourite cleansing oil, which I have already shown you here.
With its Tamanu oil (a gem of the Polynesian Peoples medicine) and its seabuckthorn oil (One of the best-researched oils, which protects the skin from damage due to radiation as well as damage from too much sunlight. A magical oil with a beautiful orange tint and a delightful scent, which is said to have a wonderful effect thanks to its regenerative and rejuvenating properties.) is so good when there is much sun around. It heals protects and prevents damage with the help of the amazing talents its ingredients boast -  but also by oil-cleansing itself which is so good in keeping skins barrier happy and healthy and ready to take on any challenge.

Max&Me Mask&Wash
This is the superstar in managing, fading and also preventing hyperpigmentation, sun spots, uneven skin tone and sun damage as does the whole „sweet serenity“ line.
(Mask&Wash contains sustainably sourced honey, if you are strictly vegan, please use the other products of the Sweet Serenity Line e.g. Beauty Balm and Purity&Grace as cleanser)
I have already told you about this miracle worker, here !
But did I mention how good it is for the prevention & treatment of pigmentation?
Here is why, for the skincare nerds:

Cacao and manuka honey paired together with „hyperpigmentation healing heroes“ 
helichrysum, sandalwood and rose-geranium of the essential oil’s bouquet.

Cacao
The cacao that is used is the finest, organic Balinese cacao powder. Brimming with vitamins and minerals this cacao powder is rich in super antioxidants and has such skin brightening talents.
 
manuka honey (not vegan)
The unique flower nectar of the manuka blossoms boasts methylglyoxal with incredibly potent antiseptic and antimicrobial properties which help to clear up the skin and to tame inflammation. Raw manuka honey is also said to brighten the complexion, evening out skin tone, lightening scars and age spots. Raw manuka honey is brimming with nutrients and minerals and also acts as a beautiful humectant, drawing moisture into the skin.
 
helichrysum
this extraordinary, exceptionally effective essential oil is unparalleled in its ability to heal hyperpigmentation supporting skin’s health and healing. Very few oils can match Helichrysum italicum for its affinity and effectiveness for use on skin prone to hyperpigmentation.
 
sandalwood
helps in healing scar tissue and fades away marks and discolouration caused due to skin damage.

rose-geranium
very effective in lightening scars, blemishes and dark spots. It is considered as one of the top essential oil used in treating hyperpigmentation.

HEALING HYPERPIGMENTATION FROM THE INSIDE

Another great thing you can do is heal pigmentation from the inside out!
Edible Beauty Teas No.1, No.4 & No.8 all have powerful herbal ingredients that help you to detox, balance hormones (an important one for this issue!) and to boost antioxidant levels to protect your cells & skin from the sun.
The skincare range also has some powerful products that help with pigmentation.
They are all vegan!
Use Code "LIV15" at checkout for 15% off all Edible Beauty products for all my clients & readers!

I hope this was helpful! Enjoy Summer and the holidays!

Stay Matte, Natural Foundations For Oily Skin

With the humidity on the rise and the party season in full swing, I am getting asked about matte foundations and shine control.
Adjusting your skincare and diet in the Summer months is key for healthy, balanced skin liquid but here are my picks for oily skin:
 

Nu Evolution
Fabulously matte finish unmatched in a natural, liquid foundation!
(you know I am a sucker for a dewy foundation but today it's all about matte)
Complete Coverage Foundation is completely vegan (YAY!) and toxin-free. Not a surprise that these have been used by many pro's backstage at NYC Fashion Week. Prime well and apply & blend with quick brush strokes. If you want a lighter finish, use a wet/damp brush.

 

Gressa
Remeber this unique Serum Foundation?
Still a winner for oily skin as it dries matte. Read my full review from a while back here.

PurePressed
A Jane Iredale staple in my makeup kit, PurePressed allows for super quick & easy application of a flawless finish.
With its buildable coverage, it can even act as a concealer. Complete with SPF a compact for your handbag this is a Summer go-to. I like this one to cover acne or troubled skin. But with a light application its also great to keep healthy combination skin matte & beautiful.
Also suitable for mature oily or combination skin.

DreamTint
Another Jane Iredale base, that made it into my list! Dream Tint is a very lightweight tinted moisturizer that minimizes pores and smooths the skin instantly.
If you don't like foundation and are scared of coverage this will be your new friend.
Comes with SPF 15 which is great for a light daily protection. A rare find to have a tinted moisturizer that isn't overly dewy. This one gives a beautiful subtle glow, but no oily, dewy, glossiness on the skin.

Of course, if you are truly oily please use a primer and setting products in addition to pre-long the wear of your foundation! I also recommend powder blush, bronzer & highlighter as opposed to cream products, which will suit oily skin so much better!
I might do a post on just that soon if you are interested?

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! 

How I Do My Own Makeup (as a busy Mum)

The title says it all! 

I hope you enjoy:

Products used: 

http://janeiredale.com.au/ 

https://ereperez.com/ 

https://www.maxandme.at/en 

https://ediblebeautyaustralia.com/