Brushes

I absolutely love the look of bamboo and wooden item's, something about them just makes my bathroom look so nice and natural :) Recently Bodecare had a 2 for 1 deal on their website so of course I had to buy something. I had been eyeing of the Scalp Massage Brush (centre right) for a while now so I got that and the Natural Face Brush (far right) as a free gift. I also got a suprise when I opened my parcel, a Spa Headband. This was a nice parcel to get right before christmas.

(Left to right) Bodecare Styling Brush, Body Shop Cactus Body Brush, Bodecare Wide Paddle Scalp Massage Brush, Bodecare Natural Face Brush.



Bodecare Terry Towelling Headband

The Styling brush was one of my favourites for 2011 and even though i've only had the other's for about a week, they have quickly become favourite as well.

The styling brush is made from timber with synthetic bristles and is ideal for fine or short hair, neither if which I have but it still works great. $13.75.

The scalp massage brush has a timber handle and timber bristles with ball tips, and this is amazing. The first night I had it I literally brushed my hair the while time I was watching a movie. My arm was sore but it felt so good. $19.90.

The natural face brush is made from timber and goat's hair, and it is silky soft. It is recommended you wash the brush before first use and I would definitely say do it becausehe brush has an odd smell to it before it is washed. $13.75.

The headband is made from terry towelling and has a velcro tab. This is so comfortable to wear as it has a wide band and is soft. $10.50.

The body brush is one I have had for a while now which I got from the body shop. The bristles are made from cactus so it is a really firm body brush. I wouldn't recommend this particular brush for someone just starting out body brushing  as it can be quite irritating if you are not used to it, nor would I recommend it to someone with sensitive skin. Although I have been body brushing for years, I still find this one a bit too hard but it's not unbearable. $22.95.

For someone who is starting out with body brushing I would recommend the Bodecare Flexible Dry Back Brush and the Bodecare Detox Brush, both of the have soft bristles and are ideal for beginners. I would also suggest buying the Tea Tree Spray to clean the brushes with as they need to be cleaned and air dried regularly to remove  dead skin cells and any other buildup.

For something so simple, dry body brushing has amzing benefits. besides feeling good, it leaves you feeling refreshed, removes dead skin cells, soften's your skin, improves circulation, evens out and improves skin toneand texture and is even said to help with cellulite and detoxing. Dry body brushing should always be followed by some form of hydrotherapy like a bath or shower.

The quality of the Bodecare range is outstanding and I would honestly only recommend this brand, in saying that, i'm sure there are other good brands, but I think this brand ticks all the boxes.

When you order you also get a pamphlet that explains how to brush each part of the body, what direction, how many strokes etc. so you don't have to stress about not doing it correctly.

Bodecare can also be bought through Ikigai.

Weleda Skin Food

Like my addiction to balm's I also love to buy hand cream's. My hands get unbeleivably dry and I like to make sure I have hand cream with me everywhere I go. I actually got a free Kora Organics hand cream with an order a few months back and I fell in love with it, but my kids thought it would be hilarious to paint the couch (and themselve's, and the wall and the T.V.) with it so I won't do a review on it until I have bought another tube. I would definitely recommend it though, good stuff.

Anywho, I bought the Weleda Skin Food because I had read a good review on it somewhere and I thought that my hands deserved some extra special attention and they are thanking me for it. This stuff is incredibly thick which does take a bit of rubbing in but my hands feel like silk afterwards. I can't really describe the scent, it reminds me of freshly cut something but it does smell a bit fake, it isn't a bad smell though. I love to apply this to my hands and feet before bed because I really don't like to wake up feeling dry and this helps with that a lot.

I bought this from Love Lula, it usually cost's around $13 AUD but they have this thing where if you live outside of the European Union you can apply for a tax free account so you get a discount on everything. I ended up paying $11 AUD which you might think isn't such a big difference but every bit helps when you are doing big orders.

Water (Aqua), Lanolin, Peanut (Arachis Hypogaea) Oil, Sweet Almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) Oil, Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Beeswax (Cera Flava), Glyceryl Linoleate, Fragrance (Parfum: natural essential oils of Lavender, Rosemary, Sweet Orange) with Gum benzoin (Siam), Hydrolised Beeswax, Pansy (Viola Tricolor) Extract, Limonene*, Linalool*, Geraniol*, Citral*, Matricaria (Chamomilla Recutita) Flower Extract, Calendula (Calendula Officinalis) Flower Extract, Cholesterol

My love of Balms...

I have an absolute obsession with balm's, I can't stop buying these handy little tubs of goodness :)

The two most recent one's i've bought are Figs & Rouge Rambling Rose Balm and Balm Balm Rose Geranium Balm.

I LOVE the Figs & Rouge balm. It smells amazing, is 100% organic (certified by the Soil Association), and it makes my lips so soft. Plus the cute little tin is a bonus. I also use it on my knees and elbows and it is great. The only thing I don't like is the taste, but i'm fairly sure this balm isn't for consumption so that's no negative reflection of the product itself, and it shows that the product has no artificial flavourings/scents in it.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parki Fruit Butter, Cera Alba, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, *Citral, *Geraniol, *Linalool, *Citronellol, *Limonene (Organically Produced)

* (Naturally occurring component of essential oils)

Next is the Balm Balm...balm (hehe). I like this but it's not a favourite. It is a good balm but I find that it does get a little drying sometimes, especially on days I haven't drank enough water and it is also certified by the Soil Association. The rose geranium smell is really overpowering and actually started giving me a headache the first few times I smelt it but i think i'm used to it now, or the smell is fading. Another thing with this balm is the texture has become gritty. I don't know why or how but it has little solid bits in it and although they do melt down, it does take a bit. I wouldn't say this is a bad product but I personally woudn't buy it again.

 Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Beeswax, Organic Aloe Vera & Organic Calendula Oil, Organic Rose Geranium Essential Oil.

Eczema

I just wanted to do a real quick post on these two products that have been really good with my son's eczema, he get's it really bad and besides coconut oil soothing it, these are the only two products that have actually helped at all.

The Neways Hair and Body Wash was sent to me by my mum, who is a distributor, when I told her about my son's eczema, I can't really say if it helped heal the eczema but it certainly didn't irritate it or make it worse so I am going to keep using this product I think.

Ingrediants: Water (aqua), cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, sodium cocoyl apple amino acids, sodium lauriminodipropionate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, polysorbate 20, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, robinia pseudoacacia flower extract, chamomilla recutita (martricaria) flower extract, sodium laurate, diacetin, citric acid, maltodextrin, algae extract, viola odorata oil, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, artemisia vulgaris extract.

The MooGoo Eczema & Psoriasis Balm is an amazing product, I only bought this the other day when S had a big lump that looked like a gigantic spider bite, come up on his foot. I tried a few things and nothing made any difference to it, so the guy at the local health food store gave me a tube of this to try. After just 3 applications the lump had started to soften and wasn't as inflamed  or blistering anymore, so naturally I bought it. I have also applied to dry heels and it works well on them too.

Ingrediants: Matricaria recutita (flower extract), Centella Asiatica (herb tincture), Sage Oil (dalmation), Aloe barbadensis (leaf juice).  Purified Water, Sweet Almond Oil, Emuslifying Wax, Olive Oil, Olive Squalene, Allantoin, Vitamin E.

Neways hair and Body Wash

MooGoo Eczema & Psoriasis Balm

2011 Favourites.

I saw this over at The Flaxen Owl and wanted to share my favourites that I have come to love since starting this blog in September.

I'll start with my favourite skincare products:

Homemade body oil (coconut oil, clary sage oil and lavender oil)

Avalon Organics CoQ10 Firming Body Lotion

Kora Organics Recovery Eye Gel Treatment

Sunspirit Rose Hip Oil

Organic Surge Super-Intensive Daily Moisturiser

Natural Instinct Natural Face Scrub

Organic Surge Gentle Cleansing Lotion

Pukka Organic Rosewater

Makeup:

Kora Organics Tinted Day Care Cream

Vapour Organic Beauty Aura Shimmer Stick - Intrigue

rms beauty Lip2Cheek - Muse

Fig & Rouge  Organic Balm - Rambling Rose
Couleur Caramel Eye & Lip Penci - White

Couleur Caramel Mascara for Long Eyelashes - Brown

Josie Maran Natural Wonder Powders

Hair:

Lavera Volume & Shine Styling Mousse

Desert Essence Coconut Conditioner

Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Perfect Hold Hairspray

Desert Essence Coconut Shampoo

David Babaii for Wildaid Bohemian Beach Spray

Bodecare Slim Line Styling Hair Brush

Other:

Weleda Skin Food

Faulding Epsom Salts (from Coles)

Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Blemish Stick

Hilde Hemmes' Herbals Arnica Medicinal Cream

Riddells Creek Organic mint Mouthwash

Deo Nat Natural Crystal Deodorant Stick (from Healthy Life)

The Fig and Rouge balm is actually a lip and skin balm, but I use it as a lip balm. It is a great product and the smell is amazing.



Beauty start's within...

Today I felt like doing a post on beauty from the inside, because we all know that if you don't eat well and look after yourself, you won't look so healthy on the outside. This is especially true for me. I have really begun to notice that if I go even one day where I don't get my two litres of water, my skin is so dry, my lips crack and my skin just looks completely dull and blemished.

I used to think that I looked fine when I was drinking everyday and eating crap but now that I have started looking after myself, I realize I didn't look so good at all.

Anyways...I just wanted to share a few tips that most people would probably know, some may not, but they are tips that have helped me tremendously.

For starters, warm water with the juice of half a lemon first thing in the morning is amazing. Not only does it  help with your morning bowel movements, which you may not beleive, actually has a lot to do with how your skin looks, it helps with bloating, and is a great morning detox. The fibre in lemon's mops up fat in the digestive tract, helps you fell full and reduces the amount of fat your body absorbs. So put it on your food also.

The most obvious is get your 2 litres of water per day. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, you may not need as much, or may not feel as thirsty for it, but your body needs the right amount of water to function properly as it is around 60 - 70% water. If you don't get enough water you could suffer from headaches, loss of concentration, tiredness, and dry skin, which is not a good look. It also makes your eyes look dull.

Water is great, I know it taste's boring but I recently came accross a recipe on pinterest that is AMAZING! It is like drinking a salad and actually makes me feel as if I had just eaten one.

Fill a jug or jar with 2 litres of water, add 1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced, 1 lemon sliced and a handful of mint leaves. Let it sit stand in the fridge overnight and voila! you have you delicious and incredibly refreshing, 2 litres of water ready for when you wake up.

Everyone knows about the fruit and veg so I won't go on about that but it is something I really struggle with, well the veg part anyway. I do love vegetables but they just don't taste as good unless prepared in some way, so I just juice them. I'm not getting the fibre I need from them in juice form but at least I am getting the vitamins and minerals so that's something. I also make sure I eat some form of lean protein everyday, usually salmon or tuna, your body needs that a lot as well.

I have already done a post on coconut oil so I don't think I need to go there again but if you struggle finding ways to incorporate coconut oil into your diet, try putting it into green tea.

I aim for 3 cups of green tea daily as that is what is recommended, and I add a teaspoon of coconut oil into each cup which I read on a post on the Kora Organics Blog. It is basically like drinking oil for the first few sips but you get used to it. It's to in one, can't complain with that.

Another thing is Dry Body Brushing. I absolutely love doing this. You really can start to notice the changes after a week or two and each time I do it, I fell energised instantly. The skin is actually the largest organ in the body so you need to look after it, because it does a lot more for you that you may think :) Dry body brushing helps get rid of dead skin cells making the skin look refreshed, it helps improve circulation with helps with the metabolic process' so that is why it is beneficial to weight loss and cellulite. I love buying my Dry body brushing products from Bodecare, because it is an  Australian brand and the products are great quality.

Exercise. Something I think about constantly but really dislike doing. I am a very lazy person when it comes to exercise, I do walk everyday, I don't have my license so I guess I have to, and I am one of these people who cannot sit still and do nothing. I do spend a lot of time at the computer for my study but I try to always sit with good posture as this burns 10% more calories than when doing nothing, and I try to stand when I can as this burns more calories too but as far as actual exercise goes, I generally say tomorrow every day. I have started making more of an effort lately as summer is here and I want to feel comfortable in a bikini this year so I have been doing the workout on the Nike Training app. I am honestly so surprised this app is free, it is incredible and the workouts give me better results than I got from the gym. I also love doing yoga and pilates, when I am motivated. Yoga helps alot as I fractured my spine when I was younger and it helps strengthen my core so my back doesn't ache so much. I do try to do cardio and weight's each week as they are both essential in my opinion. It helps that I have a partner who is obssessed with working out :)

That is all I can think of for now, they are the main things I concern myself with everyday in terms of  my body and looking good, all these products I try and review are just bonus'.

For fitness inspiration and motivation I always go to pinterest. The best motivation I have found so far. Fitness Inspiration

For health reads and other similar things I go to the Kora Organics Blog.

And for interesting articles on health and nutrition I love to visit these sites:

Natural News This website has everything from cancer breakthrough's to truth's about immunisation, to health foods.

Stumble Upon Just type nutrition or health or whatever else in the search box and click stumble. I have found some amazing articles doing this.

Any questions, please ask and I will try to answer them as much as possible.

Desert Essence and Deo Nat Reviews

The last month or so I have been using these two products and let me just say, I do not think I will ever  favour any other shampoo and conditioner or deodorant, EVER.

The Desert Essence Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner are the most amazing smelling products I have ever smelt, so much so that I literally wanted to squirt the whole bottles in my mouth the first time I used them. Yep, they really do smell that amazing. The shampoo has a really sweet coconut scent, and the conditioner has a more creamy scent but still really sweet.

As for how they work on my hair, I have never been happier with natural hair products. The coconut ones in particular are Nourishing For Dry Hair, and nourish they do. My hair is so soft that  I am getting those little fly away's around my hairline and normally that would bother me but I really can't complain, my hair is looking healthier than it has in a long time. I especially love using these after my coconut oil hair treatment because the coconut smell just stay's in my hair.

Desert Essence Coconut Shampoo $6.03 from iHerb.com 

Water (aqua), rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract*, arctium lappa (burdock) root extract*, achillea millefolium (yarrow) extract*, hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) leaf extract*, foeniculum vulgare (fennel) seed extract*, sambucus nigra (black elderberry) flower extract*, aloe barbadensis leaf extract*, sodium coco-sulfate (coconut derived), decyl glucoside (coconut and corn derived), propanediol (corn derived), coco-glucoside (coconut derived), butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter*, coco nucifera (coconut) oil*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, cannabis sativa (hemp) seed oil*, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil*, dehydroacetic acid, glycerin, hydrogenated coco-glycerides (coconut derived), sodium chloride, potassium sorbate (fruit derived), lauryl glucoside (plant derived), benzyl alcohol, citric acid, stearyl citrate (vegetable derived), fragrance (parfum).

*Certified organic

100% vegan, wheat & gluten free

No: Parabens, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, phthalates, artificial colors, silicones, EDTA, glycol, or petroleum-based ingredients.

Cruelty free and biodegradable: No animal testing of raw materials or finished product. No phosphates.

Desert Essence Coconut Conditioner $6.03 from iHerb.com

Water (aqua), olea europaea (olive) leaf extract*, urtica dioica (nettle) leaf extract*, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract*, cetearyl alcohol (coconut derived), behentrimonium methosulfate, coco nucifera (coconut) oil* butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter*, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, caprylic/capric triglyceride (coconut derived), dehydroacetic acid, cetrimonium chloride, benzyl alcohol, glycerin, potassium, sorbate (fruit derived), citric acid, fragrance (parfum).

*Certified organic

100% vegan, wheat & gluten free

No: Parabens, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, phthalates, artificial colors, silicones, EDTA, glycol, or petroleum-based ingredients.

Cruelty free and biodegradable: No animal testing of raw materials or finished product. No phosphates.

Deo Nat Natural Crystal Deodorant

 This deodaorant has only one ingrediant and that is 100% natural mineral salts.

* No perfumes, preservatives or alcohol,

* Kills odour producing bacteria

* Non-allergenic - will not sting or irritate

* Does not stain clothing

* Does not clog pores, is not absorbed through skin,

* last's up to one year.

I like this deodorant because it is just salt. No scent's or anything else that could get annoying, it doesn't completely stop me from sweating, but, the only time I do sweat is when im walking and the temperature is in the 30's, even still, my sweat doesn't smell bad, it doesn't smell like anything at all. 

I bought this from my local Healthy Life and it cost $8.95.