A Natural Summer

By Tammi Ireland

Summer is well and truly on its way, and with that comes everyone’s promise to themselves to put less processed foods in their bodies. But what about on your body?

My lovely housemates and I are on a health kick, rising at 6am every morning for a self-run Bondi Bootcamp in a bid to have a healthier Summer and make use of the sunshine.  Now – with thanks to Endota Spa – we also have a more natural pre-summer skincare routine.

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Endota are known for their delightfully-scented organic skincare products and spa offerings.  Our favourites? The Rosehip & Myrrh Face Mask and Kakadu Plum Face Mask (both RRP$35).

Beauty Q&A: Samantha Powell

By Tammi Ireland

Simple Skincare has just recruited Samantha Powell as their make-up and skincare expert. Sam has a wealth of knowledge having worked as a make-up artist for 15+ years with celebs such as Jen Hawkins, Rebecca Gibney and Miranda Otto.  We asked Sam a few questions on how to get clear, perfect skin, the simple way…

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Samantha Powell, 40, Hair & Makeup Artist

Why join forces with Simple Skincare?
I joined forces with Simple Skincare because their philosophy on skin and beauty is synonymous with my own. I believe beauty starts from within and I always strive to live a clean, simple, healthy lifestyle and the products that I choose to work with and use myself adhere to these principles.

Cleanse Without Dry Skin Afterward

By Tammi Ireland

One of the side effects to using some cleansers is dry skin.  However this isn’t just because of the types of cleansers you use, but also the amount. Clearasil have done extensive research to discover exactly what the perfect amount of cleanser for maximum results is.  All well and great for them, but it’s not as though we’re going to measure our cleanser each time we use it – in fact, cleanser use is probably the fastest step in a skincare routine because we just want to get that makeup off and move on to the skin serums and treatments.

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So it’s a good thing, then, that Clearasil have made a no-touch automatic dispenser that hands out the exact amount of cleanser required for optimum results – no less (for the skin not yet to be clean) and no more (for the skin to be dry afterward).  Introducing Clearasil PerfectaWash Automatic Face Wash Dispenser. Working via sensor, the machine dispenses the appropriate amount of cleanser.  My skin was visibly clearer within 24 hours, too – so you know the product inside stays true to Clearasil’s great reputation.  Available from all Clearasil stockists.

 

 

Combating Adult Acne

By Tammi Ireland

Adult acne can be one of the more embarrassing skin problems women are faced with.  We’ve past our teenage years, surely the acne should stay in the 1990s, too?  Hormones, weather and stress can all contribute.  Sadly, salon acne treatments can be expensive.  However, with a good  skincare routine comes clearer skin, and if that routine is acne-specific, all the better.

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Natio have released an adult acne range that starts from only RRP$9.95, in all major stores now.  The cleanser is a particular favourite of mine, thanks to its pure consistency.  The clear product is a little watery, but good in that you only need very minimal to lather and see results.  Best of all, I noticed it’s not stripping and I can still complete my skincare routine without dry skin at the end of it.  Built in Cleanser-Toner means eliminating another step, always a plus.  Check out the range at Myer, Priceline and pharmacies today.

‘The Beauty Night’ and why you must schedule one

By Tammi Ireland

Ladies, you have to agree with me there is nothing better than feeling sexy, confident and beautiful – just for you.  But how do you get that way if you’ve worked three different deadlines in a row, felt sick from lunch and been told some horrible news?  You schedule it!  Just like your dentist appointment or meeting your superiors, this is important, too.  Once a week is all I ask, and I’ll explain why it’s so great right now…

Tonight was my ‘Beauty Night’.  I try to schedule one a week or – failing that – one a fortnight.  On ‘Beauty Night’ everything gets done. And I mean everything.  Here’s my ‘To Do’ list…

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Obviously there’s no way I could (nor should) do all these on a daily basis, so scheduling one night a week to check everything off the list is not only a great idea, but also something to look forward to.  Because you feel AMAZING afterwards.

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It’s all in the products you use – ‘Beauty Night’ is not the night to skimp on products. On ‘Beauty Night’ it’s the best of the best.  Here are my must haves, working down the ‘To Do’ list:

Green Tea is not just for drinking

By Tammi Ireland

I love a cup of warm green tea in the morning.  It wakes me up, does wonders for my skin and has no milk so doesn’t leave me feeling heavy with every sip.  But recently I discovered something else to do with the magic green leaf (not that one, silly) and it’s a little more topical.

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St. Ives have released a Green Tea Cleanser (gel) that I have been using twice-daily for the past month, and my gosh can I notice the different.  Much thicker in consistency than other gel cleansers, the St. Ives Green Tea Cleanser (RRP $9.99) has a light shade of green that easily smooths and holds onto the skin while cleansing (others often slip right off once they hit water).  It takes off makeup like a dream, including stubborn lipsticks, and it doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight or smelling of fragrance.  Most of all, it cleans the shit out of my pores and I’ve got less blemishes because of it.  St. Ives Green Tea Cleanser? You can stay.

Adult Acne – No One Wants It

By Tammi Ireland

Three months ago, my skin decided to revolt against the relative-perfection it had provided me throughout my life and burst out with adult acne on my forehead.  Goodbye top knots, hello Cousin Itt hair waves to cover anything above my eyebrows. But I love my top knot and acne at this age just.won’t.do.

Cue frantic search for any possible clearing agents.

Don't do this. Ever.

While I quickly eliminated the (already minimal) breakout-inducing foods from my diet, I looked into the best topical product to reduce redness and bumps.  PHYT’S Certified Organic Skincare came to the rescue with their Creme S (RRP $71).  Specially formulated with sulphur for breakouts along the forehead and temples, Creme S smells like it works (read: not like flowers) and that’s because it does.

DIY: Natural Skincare

By Marian Rubock

As mentioned in earlier articles, your skin is the largest organ in the body. To put this in perspective, the skin of an average adult weighs approximately seven kilograms. It is vital to the structure of our body and it is important to make sure we nurture and nourish our skin.

Maintaining a good skin care regime is essential for healthy skin and assists in reversing the ageing process. Medical grade products or cosmeceuticals have a number of benefits in comparison to over-the-counter skin care products as they are designed to affect not only your top layer of skin but also the deeper layers. As we age it is the deeper layers that thin and therefore using skin care that treat these areas is a must for healthy skin.

Get back to nature.

When selecting anti-ageing skin care, it is vital to bear in mind that products containing all natural ingredients will reduce toxins in the body. Continual use of products that are petroleum based (i.e. sorbelene), or high in chemicals are detrimental to the condition of your skin and will leave pH levels unbalanced whilst also affecting its quality and appearance. Although these products may provide temporary improvement, they will ultimately age your skin usually through dehydration.

Acne: Why We Get It & How To Get Rid Of It.

By Marian Rubock

Acne is said to be the most common condition that can affect our skin. Nine out of ten people suffer from acne and it can dramatically hinder self-confidence and self-esteem.  Today, around ninety percent of teenagers suffer from this skin condition and it can continue well into adulthood, as was the case for me.

There are many different causes with lifestyle, physical and emotional stress, lack of regular exercise and eating highly processed foods (including dairy and alcohol), contributing to and perpetuating the instance of acne.  It can also indicate underlying conditions in your body such as anaemia (deficiency in the number of red blood cells), or Helicobactor infection (bacterial infection in the stomach), especially if it occurs on your chest and back.

Fatigue, poor sleep, sluggish digestion (such as constipation), bloating, and sugar cravings are all signs that your body is out of balance and if left unattended, will impact your skin.

Say NO to this Acne...

For every problem, there is a solution. The skin is an amazing organ which has the ability to heal itself – it just needs the right tools and removal of the stresses to help it on its way.