Trying Happy Skin - My skin on Cloud 9

Happy Skin, sounds lovely, right? Isn't that what we are all after.

My skin is happy most of the time. A good diet and overall health & happiness contribute to that. But to keep my skin happy it's important to use toxin-free, natural skincare.

An Australian brand I have been keen on trying is Happy Skincare.

They just send me their Cloud 9 Deep Cleansing Balm & Raindrops On Roses Hydrating Toner.
Both products have a great, clean ingredient list. Both contain MSM which is a form of sulphur, naturally derived from Algae which has multiple benefits to the skin, including brightening and clearing acne.

The cool part is that the Cloud 9 Cleansing Balm is not a one trick pony.
You can also use the Cloud 9 Deep Cleansing Balm as a

• Hair treatment to tame the frizz
• Cuticle treatment for sexy nails and
• Foot balm so your tootsies always look good in a pair of heels
• Barrier cream when you're out battling the elements (perfect for snow season and winter cycling)

The cleansing balm is a great makeup remover and smells fresh.
You can use it with water as a cleansing milk or as classic balm cleanser by massaging the product onto dry skin and then removing it with a damp cloth.
The packaging is no fuss and great for travel. Nothing luxurious, no glass but practical.

The Hydrating Mist is a lovely rose water-based product. Great for refreshing makeup or skin during the day but also as part of your skincare regime. Ahhhhh! So refreshing.

I really love their Dilo Oil too, which I have featured previously. It's a super healer!

Happy Skin creates lovely no-fuss products with clean ingredients.

All certified vegan, cruelty-free and with mostly organic ingredients.
My verdict: Definitely worth a try!

Quinoa Water Foundation - Revolution in Natural Makeup

Ere Perez just keeps launching new great products.

I am a fan of Quinoa as food, you know those delicious little grains packed with nutrients?
Faye loves them too and they are a staple in our kitchen. Until now I haven't thought about it as a skincare or beauty ingredient, but this new foundation has changed that.

As the name suggests, the Quinoa Water Foundation is as light as water.
It comes in a glass bottle with a dropper, which reminds me of serum foundations.
It's great for all skin-types and I find it very suitable even for warm and humid weather given its featherlight texture. I am trialling & testing it in the windy, cold Winter weather here right now and am still very impressed.  It certainly helps to lock in moisture and it's perfect for everyone that doesn't like the feel of makeup on their skin. You can not feel this product, it's so light and really blends into the skin

The finish is smooth and natural. It's not dewy or glossy nor mat. Just like healthy skin.
The coverage is light and buildable. You can layer it for more coverage. I would describe it as light coverage though. Perfect for your everyday wear. Really good for sensitive skin or skin prone to breakouts.

The application is easy peasy.
It's recommended to use the multipurpose brush, but fingers do also work well. Yay!

Thank you Ere, for bringing out another vegan, cruelty-free, toxin-free product that works!

Gentle Toxin-Free Baby Products

You already know how much I loved the Edible Bubba Range.

Sadly it has been discontinued for the moment. The kept the best selling Bottom Creme, through which you can now get under the Edible Beauty range here.
(Use Code Liv20 at checkout for 20% off)

I am really happy to have found other great, gentle and toxin-free products for Faye.
She loves playing in the mud these days and just water doesn't cut it anymore at bathtime.
Oh, you should see her little feet and toenails...
Generally, though, I am a firm believer in less is more and it's best to not use too many cosmetics on little ones. So: Always try water first and with young babies water & a natural oil like Coconut is enough in the bath. Read Faye's first bath and newborn bath setup here.

The Weleda Calendula Range is ace, especially the cream bath ist extra gentle and hydrating, so soap bubbles here, which means no drying, yay! This is our daily (or twice daily) bath go-to product. I also adore the smell. It's very aromatic but mild. Faye seems to really like it for her night time bath and the Calendula helps to heal all her little scratches from exploring.
It's hydrating enough, so I don't use a lotion afterwards.

Ever so often I give her head and feet a wash with the Shampoo & Wash, but she does not need this often. She is a toddler now though and walking and eating has allowed for a whole new level of messiness. Some days her breakfast ends up in her ears and hair and requires a bit of shampoo...but that's another story.

Faye does take 2 showers and 1 bath every day. There is no way around it.
They are rather short and we only use a small tub, so it's not a huge affair or use of water.
I am so grateful that it's warm here in Sydney and that she loves water, so I am not worried about keeping her warm afterwards. (Update: Now that it's Winter time and Faye has turned 1, she only takes daily night time baths. The occasional morning shower and only sponge baths/wipes in between. Her eating skills have advanced)

We also tested the Envirocare Bubble Bath Products. They are great fun, as they do make a few bubbles, but they are still don't have any harsh detergents. Perfect for bath time fun and also when Faye really needs a scrub down. We tried the regular and sensitive one. They are pretty much the same with the small difference of having essential Chamomile Oil in the regular one for a little calming aromatherapy benefit. Both don't have a strong smell and are perfect for the most sensitive noses. If you don't want your products to smell of anything, these are for you. The packaging is very practical and super cute with the kangaroos. The 500ml are also very generous and will last a long time. No drying, no sensitivities. A really great, clean and Australian brand!

 

The Best Natural Highlighter Review & Tutorial

Edible Beauty has done it again! They launched another fab new product.

I had to tell you all about it and made a little video tutorial to show you how I like to use it.
Hopefully, this is helpful let me know if you are having any questions.

I have an exclusive 20% Off special for my readers!
Use Code LIV20 at checkout over at the Edible Beauty Website for all skincare.

 

and just like this....we are off for a family holiday to Hawaii!

Catch you all soon and feel free to follow along on Instagram! Mahalo!!!

Scout Organic Makeup Chubby Pencil Love

Scout Cosmetics is an Australian Organic Makeup Brand with clean ingredients and I was intrigued by all the chubby pencils.

Pencils with cream products are just SO easy to use, perfect for real people, mums, travellers and others having a life to live and not hours to spend on their makeup.

But even as a pro-artist these products come in handy and are quick to sanitize with a sharpener and won't require brushes.

I tried the Pure Colous Lip Liner pencil in Pink which doubles as a beautiful Eyeshadow Pencil and Lipstick. Acutally, you can use them on the cheek too, if the colour is suitable.
The Eyeliner Chubbi Pencil and the Corrector Pencils were a real hit too. The texture and pigment are fantastic in all of them. Definitely professional quality. They are easy to blend and have a good staying power for a cream product. All these products are vegan too!

This was my first time trying Scout Cosmetics and I will totally be happy to try out more from this range and recommend it!