♥

Winter. Arch nemesis of the skin. Ruler of the dry patches. Creator of sensitivity. All round bad guy. Every winter it’s the same thing. I have a shower, cleanse my face and once im out my skin feels tight and sore. I then tone and moisturise only to still have the same symptoms. It’s a never ending battle and frankly I’m over it. However there is light at the end of the dry tunnel, a brand whose cape is blowing in the wind, a brand ready to step in and defeat winter…. its name, is Dermalogica.

I have been using three products from the Dermalogica range over the last two weeks. Using them in my daily (this is the key ladies, no slacking off!) routine has created the soft supple skin I yearn for in winter. I’m going to give you the hard out facts now, as I know I can lose some people when I start droning on about the technical side of skin care.

♥ Miracle Prod Number One: Dermalogica Gentle Soothing Booster.

This little sucker has wonderful ingredients in it like Raspberry, honey and flower extracts, all aimed at calming and soothing your skin. This little bottle of wonder is a concentrated, oil-free liquid, which you can pop onto your skin after toning and before moisturising. It’s kind of like a serum buuuuutt it’s not. Go easy on this one, only a few drops will do. After application my skin feels less tight and itchy. We are on our way to beating winter!

♥ Second wonderful product: Dermalogica Barrier Repair.

A waterless moisturiser that contains Oat and botanical actives, vitamins C, E and a million other wonderful ingredients. This moisturiser comes out of the tube clear, and goes on silky and matte. As its name suggests it forms a barrier between the big bad Winter and your skin. As it does have a matte finish, I like to pop a light weight moisturiser over the top.

♥ The third Winter fighting product: Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Masque.

This mask is for extremely dehydrated and prematurely aging skin. Sounds drastic, but that dry feeling you get after the shower? That’s your skin prematurely aging. To combat this, the mask contains Evening Primrose Oil and vitamins A and B. I loved this mask, it’s thick, creamy and oh so nourishing. I also popped a little of the Soothing Booster on before applying it just to give it a helping hand.

So there you are, three wonderful products all assisting you in the fight against Winter skin. With these three powers combined, you WILL beat the Winter beast and come out with soft, glowing skin. Cue superhero music!

Just a side note:
*If you are worried about congesting your skin with these extra prodz, just pop a scrub into your shower routine twice a week and don’t forget to cleanse!

Review by Jacqui, blogger, makeup artist and winter skin sufferer!

♥

Just being told that a product is organic is really not enough these days, so when I’m told a product is Certified Organic and Cruelty Free, I tend to stand up and take notice. This is the case with Planet Eve Organics, yummy Australian-owned skincare products that live up to their name, with an abundance of natural ingredients.

I was lucky enough to trial the Facial Cleansing Oil, Luxe Body Creme and Super 5 Eye Firming Gel.

The cleansing oil is PERFECT for all skin types, which is a rarity. As someone with combination skin, I felt the smooth and nourishing cleanser was moisturising my cheeks, while my nose and chin didn’t have that oily feeling that makes you think you just washed your face with a margherita pizza. The perfect balance!

The Luxe Body Creme is exactly that – luxe. With the combination of rose, shea butter, jojoba and macadamia, I felt like I was treating my skin to the love it deserves. The first time I applied, I was aware of the strong smell, but this seemed to grow on me over the week. While it’s a lovely scent of rose, I’d put off use until the morning if you have a sexy significant-other staying in your bed and you haven’t quite hit the ‘long-term and in love’ phase of your relationship!

The Super 5 Eye Firming Gel was definitely my fav, with some excellent packaging bonuses. The gel comes like a pen, where you simply click the end to produce the gel and then gently roll the cooling ball around eyes. This allows the opportunity to massage the delicate eye area while revitalising and firming the skin. The Super 5 are incredible ingredients: Acai berry, gingko biloba, acacia, aloe and rose. This combination is both anti-ageing (you’re never too young to start thinking about this!) and ideal after a big night out (more to my benefit!). This product has already taken prime position in my handbag!

Let us know which products sound good to you?

Do you have any Certified Organic & Cruelty Free favourites?

Reviewed by Ellie Swift, part-time music industry participant and writer, full time product junkie.

Be well,

xoxo

♥

You may have heard of super foods and a whole series of diets based around the fact that if you put these foods into your body then you are going to be better off. This is all well documented. BUT, what if you put these foods not into, but ON your body?

HMM-MM I JUST BLEW YOUR MIND A LITTLE DIDN’T I?

Probably not. In fact the idea of using super foods in skincare sounds like a good idea right? YES! In any case, enough of these questions to myself, because Dr. Nicholas Perricone has just created SUPER, a collection of products for the face and body, using super foods such as red algae, yoghurt, melon, acai berries and apples (among others) as the key ingredients.

Why super foods? The idea is that these foods contain an incredibly high amount of antioxidants and fight inflammation (which Perricone has linked to aging) as well as hydrating your skin and generally keeping it in good nick. These products look great, they smell very natural, they are affordable and they are the realization of a combination of science and nature that truly makes sense.

Wind!

On a personal note I found what makes this range stand out head and shoulders from the rest is that is has been created specifically with women under 30 in mind – the gentleness yet effectiveness of the anti aging component of the line is perfect. And on a more general note, the company’s manifesto in regards to sustainability is inspiring. All the packaging is made from recycled goods, the company does not test on animals, and they are a carbon neutral organization and, the coolest thing of all, The SUPER factory in America is completely powered by wind. COOLEST – get it? Because of the WIND!?

Yeah.

Check this line out at Kit right now. And if you are reading this and you happen to know me guess what you are getting for your next birthday/Christmas presents for the next five years? Sorry to ruin the surprise but these guys are good all over.

Article by Adriane Daff, dream babe extraordinaire.

Be well,

xoxo

♥

Brr brr brrr! The past week has been the chilliest in FOREVS. Cold mornings and nights, mixed with an assortment of sky drops lets us know that winter is well and truly ready to swallow us up, forcing a frantic search for stockings, coats and lots of layers.

The week has been equal parts stressful and opportunity filled for yours truly. I’ll soon be gracing the pages of a quarterly mag, my first foray into non-online writing (nervous indeed!) – more details to come when it’s out!

I hope you are rugged up as you’re reading this, maybe sipping on a hot tea? Bliss! Okay, so here are my beauty and wellbeing crushes at the mo:

1. Timezone Two Player Basketball.

Preferably played with a date or significant other, so you can tease them when you, a small lass with no interest in balls that fly into baskets, win by a generous amount. Oops, that’s me! But really, this is a fun way to get your heart-rate up, engage in some competitive bonding and have a laugh. Loser buys the winner a fruit smoothie!

Aussie Moroccan Oil Alternative!

2. Seven Wonders Moroccan Oil Haircare

It’s difficult to find a beauty lover who hasn’t heard of Moroccan Oil before. Offering shine, softness, easy breezy hair management AND a reduction in drying time, Moroccan Oil has had the world at it’s feet for some time now.

BUT, wouldn’t it be great if there was an Australian made, Perth owned version of this? Yes, it would. And there is!

I got to try the Seven Wonders Moroccan Treatment Shampoo, Conditioner and Oil – it has a sweet, nutty smell which I loved and it’s completely free of sulphates (woohoo!) and parabens (yippeee!). Plus it contains certified organic argan oil, the magic ingredient.

Being free of sulphates means that they don’t lather up as much as conventional hair prods, but it’s BETTER FOR YOU! And that’s the most important thing. If you’re a lover of Moroccan Oil, I suggest you test out this brand next time. Support local business and give your hair a rest from a couple of the haircare bad guys.

♥

3. Hot Lemon Water

Cold weather means hot drinks are even more excellent than usual. I’ve never been a coffee drinker, but even if you are, maybe you could try this alternative next time you’re choosing some hot liquid to warm you up? Alkalising, detoxing, yummy and cleansing, it ticks all the boxes! I had me some hot lemon water this morning and felt so great afterwards. This tradition will continue. Join me?! xo

♥

4. Coconut Water

Another drink I’ve been loving is coconut water, specifically the Beyond Coconut Water because it’s packaged in a glass bottle, which is better for you than plastic bottles and cardboard containers. I’ve taken a fancy to eating baked beans on toast with a bottle of coconut water post-personal training sessions and I feel like it helps me rehydrate, feel great, and the bbontoast are just a delicious source of protein to help my lil muscles recover quicker.

Ultra Tiny Link Love:

♥ http://www.just-a-minute.org/ – such a radical little way to bring yourself some peace in 60 seconds during the work day. I tried it and felt much calmer. Love!

♥ Cashew, Coconut Pudding Brekky Recipe – de.lic.ious.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

♥

I don’t know about you, but I’m the kind of person that doesn’t have any trouble eating my two portions of fruit per day. In fact, if there was some kind of disease you got from eating too much fruit I’d probably be riddled with it. Very little makes me happier than an overflowing fruit bowl of colourful delights!

As we head into the cooler months, it’s easy to forget about beautiful sweet fruit and replace our portions with stodgy (READ: UNHEALTHY!) snacks. As a pescetarian and lover of fresh food, I’ve recently begun embracing the yearly food calendar. A website that is truly wonderful, if you enjoy fresh food, is http://www.seasonalfoodguide.com. It’s even categorised by states so you can specifically select the freshest food grown in WA. Could it be any easier?

Stewed yumminess!

Pears, while not very exotic, are my first example of delish autumn fruit to enjoy regularly. They’re versatile as they fit perfectly in my handbag for uni and also taste INCREDIBLE stewed for dessert with a little bit of cane sugar and cinnamon, YUM!

♥ The glistening rubies of the fruit world! ♥

Pomegranates are another beauty. Similar to passionfruits, these fruits have the most spectacular colour (perfect for aforementioned fruit bowl) and the little juicy red seeds almost explode in your mouth. Pomegranates are delightful on their own, or in fruit salad or juice. They are also is incredibly good for you!

The unique looking custard apple!

While at a recent dinner with a couple of girlfriends, I was introduced to the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture of the custard apple. While I’d heard about this fruit from the apple family, I wasn’t aware of how amazing it tasted, nor did I realise that it would become my current addiction (I go through food phases faster than Paris Hilton goes through BFF’s). While it can be a bit pricey at around $5, it’s better for you than a block of chocolate and will leave you feeling just as warm inside. Depending on where you live, you can purchase these babies from the Herdsman, Fresh Provisions and the Boatshed.
As someone who reaches for comfort food as the nights become chillier, I have vowed to remember that Summer is not the only time of year to indulge in fresh fruit and veg. If you haven’t already, add one or all three of these Autumn gems to your fruit bowl for a little extra zest. Your body will love you for it!

Written by Ellie, a lover of all things fresh and soon to eat her way around Europe!

Be well,

xoxo