Beauty Road Test: The Beauty Chef and More

 

I just got this one in before the end of March! One more Beauty review post, following on from my story on dry body brushing last week. I really have been trying a lot of new products over the past month to six weeks, here are some of the skin and hair care products. I am still aiming to be as natural as possible in my skin care, but find hair products a little trickier to manage. See more about that below. 

Mother Earth Aromatherapy Rehydration Facial Scrub

I picked this little jar up from a health food store in the Claremont Quarter a few months back when I noticed a huge gap in my skincare routine. I'd moved over and thought I would buy a facial scrub later. I looked at a bunch of natural brands, and wanted to try something inexpensive and locally made. This one by Mother Earth Aromatherapy also smelled the best. Made in Fremantle, the brand is described as being truly natural, made with the highest quality natural organic ingredients (no parabens or bad chemicals), love and care. I would say that a little goes a long way, so I will be using this jar for some time, and have found it to leave my skin smooth but hydrated and smelling of natural oils. It is specifically developed with dry and mature skin in mind- which doesn't really fit my profile, however it is a beautiful product to use. With daily scrubbing, the skin can retain more moisture, being up to 25% more effective. That's got to be good. 

The Beauty Chef Glow Inner Beauty Powder

I came across this powder in a health mag at first, then began to notice it pop up on Harper and Harley's Instagram, in Harper's Bazaar etc. Reading the story and philosophy behind The Beauty Chef founder Carla Oates, (find more here) I decided to give her Glow Powder a try. I have had it for a few months now and add it daily to my muesli, energy balls or smoothies. It is made up of twenty three skin loving super foods designed to assist with radiant skin. It tastes like Acai berries, is rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and amino acids. The unique natural fermentation process breaks down foods making them ready for the body to absorb allowing probiotics which colonise the gut and promote a heap of health benefits. It also contains prebiotics which encourage the growth of good bacteria. So basically the powder helps to create healthy skin from the inside out. There are no preservatives, colourings or flavourings, so it looks like a yellowish green colour, and tastes great.  

At $59.95 per 150g it seems like a bit to spend on 'powder' if you think of it that way, but, if you are anything like me and have bought a ton of different super food powders, minerals and supplements before individually, you will no doubt know how much these can add up to. By combining this formula in one, I can guarantee that I get a healthy dose of excellent vitamins, minerals etc in one easy container, without having to buy, store and open a bunch of different products. I prioritise looking after my skin, and would like to hope that the evidence is obvious. I love this product and highly recommend it to anyone who choses to look after their health and skin. 

Dr Browner's Magic All-One! Organic Lotion

Well, with a name like that, and packaging resembling something of a 90's hippy dream, it would be easy to overlook this item on the shelf. Needing a good natural body lotion, I really asked the lady at the health food store to recommend a few options. I absolutely go mad for lavender and coconut, so ended up choosing this one. The packaging and name may seem OTT but the product is great. I found this one in a health food store, so keep an eye out, or else find it here.

Peaches and Clean Fragrance Oil

Mario and I kept seeing the Peaches and Clean products around, and I was drawn to this natural oil fragrance so strongly I just had to get it. With a purse size roll on glass bottle, I can take it with me to touch up and feel fresh through out the day or night, and as it is entirely natural, made up of lavender oil, it is beautiful on the skin. From the same brand (also made in Fremantle) I bought Mario a bottle of the Beard Oil, which has worked wonders in keeping his beard soft and tameable between visits to his 'beard trimming guy'. So sophisticated! 

Burt's Bees Acai Rejuvenating Lip Balm

Full of all the good stuff, this Acai berry balm is good enough to eat, and actually hydrates the lips unlike the majority of unnatural lip gloss products which dry out the delicate lip skin. 

Kevin Murphy Shimmer Shine

While visiting Me. Style salon a couple of weeks back I mentioned not liking hairspray and needing a sea salt style spray to hold my wavy hairstyles. This Kevin Murphy spray was recommended as the right product to retain some of the styling shape- without that coated in sticky, dry spray feeling, and contains a shimmery powder which picks up light. Now, it isn't a 100% natural product, but as I said, finding GOOD natural hair products seem to be harder than finding natural skincare, so I am adopting a bit of a mixed bag in my beauty kit. Kevin Murphy products do not contain parabens or sulphates and use renewable and sustainable resources where ever possible. The Shimmer Shine Spray contains Baobab seed extracts (from the African Boabab tree, which contain vitamins A, D and E), bamboo extracts (which prevent irritation, and damage to the cell structure), essential fatty acids, vitamins A, C and E as well as Immortelle (derived from the Helichcrysum plant, rich in antioxidants to stop sun damage to the hair). It is a non-oily formula, I like the hold it gives my hair, and the shimmery part is pretty cool too. Overall, this is a lot better than using hair spray for me, and is less strongly scented and heavy with chemicals than that of some other sea salt sprays I have tried in the past. 

That is it for March, and I still did not get to my cosmetic products photographed, and ready to share! Stay tuned, and by all means, please share any other beauty or hair care finds in the comments below. 

xx Jenelle 

Beauty: Dry Body Brushing

I vowed to post one 'Beauty' post per month this year, but in the last month to six weeks I have tried a whole heap of products to share, so this month I have more for you. For those of you who have read my other beauty reviews and stories you will know I try to use products in my skin care routine which are as natural as possible. I am finding that this is easier to do with skincare, but not as easy when it comes to hair care and cosmetics. More on cosmetics and hair in the next post, but for now, having good skin is like having an excellent canvas. After all, the skin is our biggest organ.

Dry Body Brushing
I recently picked up a bamboo dry body brush, which had been on my list for a long time to try. I got this one for under $20 at the local health food store, but you can also order them online (eg here). As long as the bristles are made of a natural fibre, you are onto a winner.

Why Body Brush: 
Well, it opens the pores to release toxins, promoting circulation to activate the lymphatic system assisting it to process the lymph fluids. Basically this means that those toxins can be processed through say the liver and the waste can be eliminated properly, rather than sticking around. This is why you must brush in a circular motion from left to right starting from the feet, moving upwards toward the heart- the same direction the lymph fluid travels. The lymphatic system does not have its own 'pump' like the heart does, so stimulating it through muscle stimulation via exercise and massage help get it working. Brushing also helps stimulate circulation. If you have bad circulation you may experience varicose veins, water retention and fatigue. By massaging the skin the brush stimulates blood flow which in turn activates oil and sweat glands moisturizing the skin.

Body brushing is known to help target cellulite as well, which is caused by lack of blood flow and lymph drainage leading to fluid retention and toxin build-up in fat cells. This build-up stiffens the septa (connective tissue) which then pushes down fat leading it to break through the dermis giving the dimple like effect which no one wants. It also probably goes without saying that using the brush exfoliates the skin to prevent ingrown hairs and remove dead skin cells, naturally leading to smoother skin with a more even tone.

How to brush:
 Brush in a circular motion from left to right, starting from the soles of the feet moving up toward the heart- likewise from the palms along the arms to the heart. Don't brush too hard, then jump in the shower/ steam room and later moisturize with a good oil like coconut. Rinse the brush with hot water regularly to get rid of dead skin cells and make sure that the brush is left to dry properly. You can also spray a little Tea Tree Oil spray once a week to kill off any bacteria.
I recommend brushing in the morning, showering then moisturizing with a good natural moisturizer or coconut oil. It is a calming way to start the day- weather you do it for a few minutes or up to 20. I guess the main thing is that it means you are spending time massaging, invigorating and caring for your body, which is a positive promotion of self love and appreciation.

If you don't feel very comfortable in your own skin, (at least this is how I have felt in the past), learning to look after it, and yourself is a really important step into letting those body hangups go. Now, don't get me wrong, you aren't going to suddenly have a Miranda Kerr like body, but it is a good step toward that glowing, healthy skin. Trust me people notice. If you have ever had someone notice your tan (lack there of or faux) it is evidence that healthy glowing skin does not go unnoticed.

Combine body brushing, or exfoliation in general (remember my last post testing out the fun natural coffee scrub Frank?) with drinking water throughout the day, eating healthily and regular exercise and you are looking after yourself. Probably don't scrub if you have weak skin (I am NOT recommending this to anyone who is suffering from sunburn, or say my Nanna who has super weak skin), to prevent unnecessary damage.
Respecting yourself is a really valuable place to start in gaining respect from others, and encouraging this of others toward themselves too.

xx Jenelle

Funkita Swimwear

Read The Sign Swimsuit by Funkita

At the beginning of January, Funkita launched its latest collection, We The People, and asked me to pick a piece to road test and share on the blog. I did, they sent it and it went missing. Months later, the package was found somewhere in my workplace (I had everyone looking!), now passed the summer expiration date and long passed the collection launch. Incidentally I did not wish to go back on my word, so decided to go ahead and shoot the story. Luckily it coincided with a warm afternoon while I was staying at a hotel with a decent pool. 

I previously talked about Funkita on the blog back here. This suit is a sporty one piece perfect for lap swimming, and general training. The print is a sailor inspired design, complete with anchors, an octopus, a walrus or two and all sorts of themed type. As with the last pair from Funkita, I find the print a little too busy (I am not much of a print person), but love the blue and white and quality of the suit. This is certainly an excellently made and designed suit perfect for swimming workouts. It is modestly cut and an excellent suit for wearing to a gym pool. 

Designed for full support and no fuss training, the cut is higher across the chest, with double bind shoulder straps, and modest rear coverage. The fabric is chlorine resistant, and feels soft- almost like a cotton. This classic cut is available in a huge range of prints and colours. This one is $84.95, and is obviously designed to be worn regularly and last for a long time. I would suggest going one size up, as the Funkita pieces are on the smaller side. 

As I said with my last swimsuit blog post- find that one here, these shots were taken with the same respect to the garment and treatment as I would my regular outfit shoots. The images are only altered to enhance the lighting, not to shrink my size (which I have no doubt you can tell, I am 30 after all!) and similarly not intended to simply 'show off' my skin. As someone who had previously relied on my genes for a slim figure, I regularly work out and am noticing muscle tone developing as well as strength. At the moment I am working with a personal trainer and spending time using power plates- which I love. I could not stress enough how much better I feel for the effort, or how much fun it can be. Our bodies are meant to move after all. I have also revisited figure skating of late, something I spent a lot of time doing growing up, and love it. I think I will have to share a story about the type of training I have been doing (with JP Active- find them here), and perhaps may shoot some of the ice rink fun. 

xx Jenelle

Shots by Mario Recchia

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Check In

Catch up days/ mornings are nice. Just checking in with to do lists and those 2014 resolutions I posted about a few weeks ago. :) 

My exercise training has been fun, so far I am mainly boxing and doing other cardio, stretches and a little yoga. I love that I can take out pent up aggression boxing, and it channels into something beneficial. I was planning to give myself this month of January to build up some strength doing PT before I try out some different activities. The list of activities to try is long! I have bought a bunch of Scoopon passes to go ice skating and indoor rock climbing (but am waiting for the school holidays to finish so I can go- kid free).

Some friends and I are going to try aerial yoga classes. Not sure what to expect, but it is worth a go.

As you can see from my flatlay here, I have recently gotten into Women's Fitness Magazine. There is a lot in each issue, from food to fitness and well-being. I think there are a number of similar magazines on the market, but this reads as modern and not too 'over fifty'. (Sorry guys!)
Also pictured in this flatlay of sorts is my fave new perfume, Kikki-K 2014 diary, Missoni home towel, Ecoya Christmas soy candle and Green Smoothie Co personalized sachets.

I love the flexibility of the pre-made sachets from the Green Smoothie Co, I can take one along with a few fresh ingredients to work with me and make sure I get a good dose of vitamins and minerals. I got one mixed pack so I could try one of each blend. I must say I love them. I haven't often made a cacao blend but the Crazy for Cacao sachet, combined with almond milk, fresh strawberries and banana was really good. Probably more natural sugar than I need, but a nice treat. I also loved the Super Booster blend. Iv'e been making green smoothies for a while now, but with these I tried some of the Green Smoothie Co recommended recipes. It was the first time I had blended an avocado into the smoothies, which makes them a lot creamier in texture, but I found the avocado flavour to be a little over powering. If I stick to a quarter of an avocado per smoothie, it's all good.

xx Jenelle

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