Another lovely product from Australian Bush Flower Essences Love System, winners of the of the Natural Health International Beauty Awards 2015.

Researched and developed by Ian White, an Australian Naturopath and Herbalist. The Love System was created by Paul Loveday who spent 7 years developing this healing line of skincare.

The scent of this Calm & Clear moisturiser reminds me of an exotic natural eau de cologne I used to wear, which must have also contained the beautiful neroli. The natural fragrance of the essential oils gives me a warm feeling and brings back nice memories for me.

Designed for those who are always under pressure and feeling the stress of life, this cream will help to calm your emotions. For me it gives me a very pleasant feeling when I use it, it has a calming effect and helps to put me in a positive frame of mind.

Not being a morning person myself, it helps to uplift my mood and gets me ready for the day.

It’s a grounding scent, when I looked at the ingredients I noticed that it contained patchouli,  which is my favourite essential oil.  Don’t worry, it’s not over- bearing, it’s just a hint which helps to lift the spirits.   

It’s also the perfect moisturiser for winter and summer, it’s great for blemish prone skin.   It absorbs into skin rapidly and works nicely under make-up.   I think the texture of this moisturiser is perfect for young or mature skin.

The healing bush flower essences it contains, are Black-eyed Susan, Boronia, Bush Fuchsia, Crowea, Jacaranda, Little Flannel Flower and Paw Paw.  

It also contains the skin saving ingredients aloe, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, olive leaf extract, papaya essence and many other anti-aging  ingredients.   

Completely natural and doesn't contain any nasty chemicals.

I combined using this cream with the Calm & Clear spray mist, which I used to set my make-up as well as an aromatherapy treatment.

Available at Chikii.

I've been searching high and low for some basic DIY soap recipes and came across this fantastic article from Elephant Journal containing a step by step recipe and a guide to essential oils.

Australian Bush Flower Essences have given me the chance to try their gorgeous organic Love System Calm and Clear Skin and Space mist which is designed to clarify, tone and nurture your skin with soothing botanical bush essences and essential oils. It's a relaxing and calming spray mist to use on your skin or can be used to freshen the room.  I love spraying it in my bedroom in the evenings and onto my pillows to relax my mind and help me sleep.     

When I first sprayed the mist into the air, the scent of essential oil neroli stood out to me and I love neroli.  It’s an uplifting scent  which combines very well with other scents.    

The bush flower essences it contains are - 
Black-eyed Susan, Boronia, Bottlebrush, Bush Fuchsia, Crowea, Jacaranda, Little Flannel Flower and Paw Paw.

Some of the essential oils are -  lavender, neroli and patchouli, 3 of my favourite oils and they blend so well together.    

This mist is designed for those who find it hard to wind down, who worry a lot and have a lot of ‘mind chatter’.   I found that it eased me into a nice sleep.  Some days I also carry it with me to work when I’m feeling mentally fatigued or run down, the crisp light scent helps me to think more clearly.   It has the ability to help me relax, but also clear my thoughts.
The spray also soothes skin, as it contains aloe, chamomile, arnica and echinacha.  I have also been using the mist to set my make-up in place!



I have been using this with the Calm and Clear moisturiser, which I have found to be a light and lovely cream for daily use and helps the beautiful aromatherapy scent to linger on my skin even longer. 

This spray is a great example of how nature can be worked into skincare and emotional health without having to turn to products containing chemicals to help you look and feel better.    

The Love System range are the winners of the Natural Health International Beauty Awards 2015, which is pretty impressive!

The Organic Calm and Clear Spray mist is available at Chikii.

While beauty issues such as acne, wrinkles, dark patches, cold sores and hair loss may seem easier to cover up than resolve, correcting them can be as easy as understanding the cause and getting back to nature says holistic health expert and coach, Tyler Tolman.

Tolman, who runs an in-demand juice fasting and healing retreat in Bali, shares his top tips on treating common beauty woes – naturally.

Acne

Cause: Pores becoming blocked with bad bacteria and oil. Can be due to toxins in the liver, bowel or colon; hormone, nervous system or digestive imbalances; and the body’s inability to eliminate waste.

Solution: Cut out refined sugar, deep fried and processed foods – keep the diet as ‘natural’ and plant-based as possible. Add in lots of leafy green veggies, avocado, raw nuts and seeds, extra-virgin olive oil, berries, onion, garlic and vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts — these help to detox excess hormones, which can help with acne control.

Increase water intake to help purity the blood. Aim for 1L of water per 22kg of body weight each day – add organic tea or fruit to your H20 to mix things up. Also try squeezing lemon juice into warm water and drinking first thing in the morning. This will help cleanse the intestinal tract and give you essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, which help calm inflammation.

Adding one tablespoon of alkalising apple cider vinegar to water and sipping throughout the day can also help return an acidic body to an alkaline state.

Wrinkles

Cause: Skin getting thinner, dryer and less elastic. Dehydration and a lack of ‘good’ oils; lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet and excessive UV exposure; genetics; and ageing may all be contributing factors.

Solution: Try Guasha, a form of skin exfoliation (more about this below), then moisturise with coconut oil, which has a natural SPF of 5-7, or organic rose hip oil.

Keep hydrated and eat more whole, raw foods – especially Avocado! Rich in antioxidants, avocado is beneficial in preventing aging symptoms and the glutathione in avocado can boost immune systems and encourage a healthy nervous system. Avocado oil is added in many cosmetics because of its ability to nourish the skin and make it glow. I recommend using avocado straight on the skin, let it set for at least 20 minutes, then wash.

Hyperpigmentation and dark patches

Cause: Caused by increased melanin production, as a result of excessive UV exposure; hormones during pregnancy or from the contraceptive pill; and toxins or imbalances in the liver.

Solution: A great remedy is skin cleaning such as dry brushing or Guasha.  Used by Ancient Asian, Greek and Egyptian civilizations, Guasha opens up the skin and rids the body of toxins and bad bacteria.

To make Guasha, simply mix aluminium free bi-carb soda with triple distilled vodka. Rinse off in the shower then apply a tablespoon of the mixture onto a loofah or in your hands and scrub your entire body, including your face (be gentle at first), then rinse it off completely.

Once you’ve exfoliated the skin, apply lemon juice directly to the dark areas and lie in the sun to soak up the Vitamin D.

Cold sores

Cause: Herpes simplex virus. Outbreaks can be caused by a weak immune system; cold or infection; stress; poor diet choices; and extreme hot or cold to the area of infection.

Solution: Improving your general health and immunity is a good start. Selenium is one of the most vital and potent antioxidants for protecting and healing the immune system – try including more brazil nuts and sunflower seeds in your diet. 

I recommend a daily CABALA (carrot, apple, beets, apple, lemon, and apple) juice. It contains a variety of natural colours, including three different apple types (red, green and yellow) and is super for fighting viruses and infections.

For a topical treatment for herpes lesions, apply a dab of hydrogen peroxide, H202 (make sure you buy the 35% food-grade stuff) directly onto the sore, five or six times a day, over a couple of days. It will kill the virus to the core.  Lavender oils can help too, as well as consuming garlic, which is one of nature's most powerful tools in fighting infections.

Hair loss and poor condition

Cause: Stress and anxiety; iron deficiency; hormone changes; poor diet; and kidney imbalances can be contributors.

Solution:  Stress plays a huge role in the health and condition of our hair, as it creates acid in our bodies, so I recommend taking time out for meditation, yoga, regular exercise – and sleep!

A lot can be told from the colour, texture and shine in our hair as these factors are directly attributed to how healthy we are on the inside. So completing a water or juice fast can help detox and heal you from the inside out.

Consuming a diet of clean foods, such as raisins, bean sprouts, walnuts, spinach, carrots, and bok choy can all assist in hair loss prevention and hair growth.

To help treat all of these beauty conditions, Tyler recommends juice fasting. This act helps cleanse and detox internal organs and redirects energy, normally used for digesting food, into healing the body.

Visit Tyler’s website to sign up for his FREE 7 day online juice fast – www.tylertolman.com.