Hope you have a blessed Christmas!
Month: December 2013
Summer Hairstyles
Here are a few hairstyles I will be rocking this summer!
What is your go-to hairstyle this December?
{Aromatherapy Thursdays} Jojoba Oil
Jojoba Simmondsia chinensis (pronounced Ho-HO-Ba)
Jojoba oil is technically not an oil, but rather a wax. It is the botanical extract of the seed of the jojoba tree. In cold temperatures, it becomes solid, so in winter here in the Free State, I had trouble getting in out of the bottle in the evenings! It was all worth it, tough. This wax (or oil, whatever you call it) is said to be closest to the oil human skin produce (sebum), so it is great for balancing your skin, especially if oily skin is your problem. It is also non-comedogenic, so it won’t block the pores. What I like about Jojoba is that the oil is very stable, so it has quite a long shelf life and does not become rancid quickly. Which is good for people like me with too many oils on the shelf.
Uses:
- Can be used for acne as well as sunburn skin
- Use as a facial moisturiser. Some people complain of shininess, but I haven’t experienced the same problem. The oil absorbs without leaving it greasy, and makes it baby soft!
- Make-up remover. It even removes mascara. Does not irritate the eyes, and is also non- allergenic.
- Men can use it as a shave prep. It can prevent razor burn!
- Can be mixed in with conditioner to promote shine. It moisturises the scalp and can prevent dandruff.
Warning – Jojoba Oil is not to be taken internally!
I get my oils from Natural Oils (www.naturaloils.co.za).
Sources:
Hoare, J. (2010) The Complete Aromatherapy Tutor: A Structured Course to Achieve Professional Expertise. GAIA: London
Ryman, D. (2007) Secrets of Youth & Beauty: Aromatherapy for Natural Rejuvenation. Rodale: London
{Review} Tip Top Nail Polish FLASHBACK
I have been looking for a certain colour of nail polish for the last few years, and just couldn’t find it. I emailed various companies (including Tip Top), but none of them seem to have the colour I wanted. And then last week, while browsing in Clicks, I saw this Tip Top colour…it was the one I was looking for! The colour is so beautiful and feminine, and I only needed to use one coat.
I have had it on for a week so far, and no chips! (This could be to the new Essence Quick Dry Drops I used, who knows! But Tip Top usually wears well)
What is your favourite colour this summer?
{Travel} Magoebaskloof!
Last month me and my partner did some fieldwork in Magoebaskloof (he’s a botanist :)). Here are some of the pics from our travels!
The view was amazing! During the day, the mist would come over the mountain and it felt like you were in another world!
I don’t know whether it’s all the rain and plants, but there were so many creepy crawlies! There were spiders and ticks everywhere. And let me tell you, the mosquitoes in this area are ferocious!
This one is still a baby, but I came home with three bags of avos!
{Review} ZAO Natural Lipgloss
Last week Natural Beauty Africa sent me one of their ZAO lipglosses to review. The colour I received was 004 Natural Brown, and it came in a cute cotton pouch.
First thing I noticed was the beautiful bamboo casing. This is one of the things that makes ZAO different. When your lipgloss (or eyeshadow, lipstick, concealer etc) is finished, you don’t need to buy a whole new one, you just buy a refill! This minimizes packaging for a better environment.
The lipgloss gives a bright, glossy finish without too much colour. You can use it over your lipstick as well to give a subtle gloss. At first I thought the brown won’t look nice on my lips, but the colour seems to blend into your lips and you are left with a nice “sparkle”.
It does seem to be slightly less sticky than your normal lipglosses and did not dry out my lips. It is enriched with cocoa butter, so not only will you look good, but you will do your lips favour as well! I also liked the fact that there is not much of a smell. Personally I don’t like strong fragrances right under my nose, and I lick my lips constantly so I can be assured I am not ingesting all kind of weird chemicals and perfumes.
The retail price is about R200 and the colours available are pink natural, beige natural, brown natural, red orange, burgundy natural, and transparent.
ZAO have a range of cosmetics including: Mineral Touch Eyeshadows, Eyeliner, Mascara, Lipstick, Conceaer, Mineral Silk Foundation, Compact Powder and Make-up Brushes! All of these come in beautifully designed bamboo packaging which you can buy refills for when yours is finished!
Natural Beauty Africa also stocks the Eco-Cosmetics Mineral suncare range. I used these sunscreens last summer and I can safely say they worked! It was so nice having a great time on the beach without worrying about the sun OR the nasty ingredients in other sunscreens.
You can buy it all from their Online Shop and make sure you add some freebie samples to your cart!
Have you tried ZAO yet? What do you think of the brand?
Taste.Explore.Live 