My Love affair with @BiodermaFr Micelle Cleanser

 

I loved watching Bill Nye the Science Guy when I was just a wee little one. In fact Bill was the reason I asked for my very first camera at the young age of 8 going on 9.

I felt so lucky when I opened my presents on my 9th birthday and Dad had bought me my very first real camera. Back in the old days when camera’s didn’t have SD cards. I loved my first camera and still have the first photograph I ever printed….fond childhood memories.

Unfortunately as much as I loved watching Bill, my science took a turn for the worst and did not make it to my list of subjects I chose to take to Matric so when I say I am in no way scientifically inclined, you can believe me when I say the closest thing I know about chemistry is my everlasting obsession with television series chemistry. Start a conversation with me about Ross and Rachel  or Mcdreamy and you will have me hook, line and sinker.

 

I do however make up for my lack of scientific knowledge with my audacious insatiable curiosity and when it comes to products that I use on my face, I do like to know a little about the chemistry and science behind the products.

 

Recently I discovered a product that has now become a non-negotiable addition to my makeup kit both personally and professionally. There is a certain je ne sais quoi about this product. For those of us who are not quite well versed in French, here is a short French lesson:

je ne sais quoi
[zhuh nuh se kwA] Show IPA
French.
  an indefinable, elusive quality, especially a pleasing one: She has a certain je ne sais quoi that charms everybody.

Don’t say I don’t ever teach you anything. Lol. The product I am referring to has literally changed my beauty regime. You see, I have extremely sensitive skin, so much so that I burn in the shade thanks to my porcelain fair skin tone. My love and passion for all things beauty has undoubtedly resulted in my obsession with purchasing the latest and greatest cleansing products that promise to be gentle and effective, that clearly state “suitable for sensitive” skin. I can honestly say since my early years experimenting with makeup on Saturday nights, I have tried countless makeup removers and skin cleansers.

You can read about the product that I now evangelize about regarding face wash here but this post is to introduce you to a French sensation, a cleanser that is so pure and gentle , once you try it, you will never look back.

I have finally found a product that not only removes my makeup which includes water resistant makeup, it gently cleanses my skin as well and the best part about it is that there is no need to rinse afterwards unless of course you want to.

 

As a professional makeup artist, clean water for cleansing clients faces is not always readily available on sets and this product works perfectly for these kind of situations. It is also suitable for contact lens wearers as well as people who have extremely sensitive skin. Its water base make it refreshing and since it’s a micelle solution, it works wonders as a cleansing solution.

I approached Dr. Buzz to help me understand what a micelle solution is.  Many molecules do not like being immersed in water, for example oils, so the molecules sit above the water.

However a micelle solution has some molecules that like being immersed in water and some that do not so when you use the cleansing solution, the cleansing molecules will open up and do the cleansing part all whilst being immersed in a water solution.

This is what makes this cleanser so effective and gentle. Not only is the Sensibo solution gentle and effective, it is the perfect companion for travelling or after a late night out when washing your makeup off is the last thing you want to do. Keep your solution handy next to your bed with some cotton pads and you won’t ever need to go to bed waking up looking like a panda bear.

 

This awesome solution is available from Clicks pharmacies and Dischem as well as leading pharmacy’s nationwide. Price wise, this product is quite reasonable and a full size bottle should last you a full month using it at least once a day as you don’t need a huge amount for the magic to happen. The perfect eye and makeup cleanser, skin refresher and cleansing solution, I’m not surprised this product comes from a French lineage.

 

Till Next Time

Au Revoir

xoxo

 

 

A proud South African moment with @JoburgStyle @BainsWhisky #ReaderEvent

I am not a big drinker so when I received the invite to @JoburgStyleMag reader event with @BainsWhisky I knew I had to bring along a guest who’s palate is a lot more adept to whiskey than mine. Who better to join me than my scotch loving Dad.  Although Bain’s Whisky (note the spelling is not whiskey which is American but rather it is spelt correctly as this whisky comes from SA) is not a scotch, Dad was the perfect person to try this whisky that was voted as the best grain whisky in the world in 2013. A major accomplishment and proudly South African.

Image courtesy of Joburg Style

 

Rand Lords was the perfect venue for this majestic brand of whisky with the full 360 degree view of the Johannesburg city skyline on the 22^nd floor of the South Point Towers. We were treated to an informative presentation given by whisky lover and expert Andy Watts who tantalized our taste buds with the promise of vanilla and toffee notes. A blend that is gentle on the palate with the perfect amount of sweetness achieved by using American Oak Casks infused with Lignin and Lanolin to achieve a totally natural sweet taste. Take the sweetness and oiliness of Jack Daniels fused with the smoothness of Jameson, add at least three years maturation time and the result is a light, palatable, sweet, smooth, pleasant surprise that is  Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky.

The secret behind Bain’s Whisky is where it is produced. In Wellington, 45 minutes from Cape Town on the banks of the Berg River. We learnt that the climate of the Cape make this a perfect place to distill whisky as the alcohol dissipates at a quicker rate than our Scottish counterparts who live in a cold climate.

Who knew that the legs of the whisky are not referring to appendages that can run away with us but rather how thick or thin the viscosity of the whisky is. Whisky can be judged by its aroma, its colour and its legs but most importantly it should be paired with complimentary food items to really capture its essence. Bain’s Whisky pairs well with cashew nuts, cajun flavorings, smoked chicken and salmon. We were delighted to enjoy food pairings that complimented the taste of Bain’s.

Whether you like your Whisky on the rocks, straight or with a chaser, according to the experts there is no wrong way to enjoy your whisky however when doing a tasting, it is best to serve the whisky with the same amount of ambient temperature water to ensure the aromas’s are released and the maximum flavor can be enjoyed.

My judge for the evening ended off by stating that he would indeed buy this whisky and found it to be very soft and pleasant on the palate. Enjoy your Bain’s with ginger ale for a lighter refreshing drink or on the rocks as a night cap. Either way, an impressive blend that continues to make SA proud.

Image courtesy of Joburg Style

I am pleased to announce that since drafting this post, my Dad has purchased a lovely gift set of Bain’s Whisky for my husbands birthday gift and my husband has taken a strong liking to the whisky as well. This is definitely a lovely gift to give and since Fathers day is fast approaching,  don’t youthis stylish square bottle and great tasting whisky would be a lovely way to spoil our SA Dads.

 

Till Next Time

Xoxo

My Healthy Lifestyle Kick Start

If you are anything like me, the idea of dieting can make me run a million miles in the other direction but I have finally found a recipe for success. I don’t believe in dieting for the mere fact that diets generally tend to stop us from eating certain foods and I really do believe in eating things that we enjoy in moderation. I used to be very good at the moderation thing until this year when I kind of threw away all the good habits and replaced them with awful eating habits.

I have finally reached a point where I was able to be honest with myself and have taken the necessary actions to kick start my healthy lifestyle into high gear. I have been searching for an affordable, simple detox program that I could do that would help me kick my sugar addiction and get my metabolism working again. Most detox programs are overly complicated and use a lot of very expensive ingredients that are not readily available so I am very pleased to say that I took Mom in laws advice and have been following the cabbage soup diet for the last 7 days with my husband who is being so supportive of my efforts to get me back to my normal weight and healthy lifestyle. My husband has lost 4.5 kg in the 7 days and I have lost just over 2 kgs. We have both also been doing a bit of exercise in the mornings to boost the initial wight loss. There is nothing better in cold winter weather than a hot soup that is not only delicious but healthy as well. Another added benefit is that you don’t have to think about meals for 7 days, its all laid out for you here.

I know what you are thinking….cabbage…..gross! That is the reason I have never tried this before but when I looked at the recipe more closely, cabbage is only a small part of the ingredients that go into what has turned out to be a very yummy, easy to make vegetable soup. You can adjust the recipe to your taste by keeping a few important key ingredients present and adding a few flavorful things except for salt. NO SALT

I always prefer using fresh ingredients as they taste better and I know exactly what I am putting in my soup but in some cases you can use some tinned veggies.

Stay away from corn, beans and bananas as they are high carbohydrate fruits and veggies unless otherwise stated in the 7 day eating plan that is shown below.

Ingredients 

• Half head of hard cabbage chopped
• 1 Bag of Spring Onions / 3 large white onions chopped (I mix the spring onions with the white onions)
• 400- 500 g of fresh baby tomatoes chopped (Or two cans of tomatoes)
• No more than 4 stalks of celery chopped
• 2 Green Peppers Chopped
• 500 – 750 ml of water
• 1 Vegetable stock cube

Additional Flavors

• 1 Clove of Fresh Garlic Crushed
• 1 tsb of freshly grated ginger
• 4 slivers of red chili
• 1 tsp of mixed herbs
• 1 shake of cayenne pepper
• You can add carrots if you like (I don’t as I prefer to eat carrots raw)

Method 

1. Boil water and add the vegetable stock in a large pot (Divide into two pots if your pot is small)
2. Add the chopped ingredients to boiling water
3. Boil for about 10 minutes
4. Simmer at medium heat for two hours
5. Using a blending stick, blend and serve hot
6. Refrigerate or freeze for later use

7 Day Eating Plan from http://www.cabbage-soup-diet.com/eating-plan/

Remember: This diet should only be followed for 7 days at a time, with at least two weeks in between.

Day One:

Fruit: Eat all of the fruit you want (except bananas). Eat only your soup and the fruit for the first day. For drinks- unsweetened teas, cranberry juice and water.

Day Two:

Vegetables: Eat until you are stuffed will all fresh, raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. Try to eat leafy green vegetables and stay away from dry beans, peas and corn. Eat all the vegetables you want along with your soup. At dinner, reward yourself with a big baked potato with butter. Do not eat fruit today.

Day Three:

Mix Days One and Two: Eat all the soup, fruits and vegetables you want. No Baked Potato.

Day Four:

Bananas and Skim Milk: Eat as many as eight bananas and drink as many glasses of skim milk as you would like on this day, along with your soup. This day is supposed to lessen your desire for sweets.

Day Five:

Beef And Tomatoes: Ten to twenty ounces of beef and up to six fresh tomatoes. Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water this day to wash the uric acid from your body. Eat your soup at least once this day. You may eat broiled or baked chicken instead of beef (but absolutely no skin-on chicken). If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for beef on one of the beef days (but not both).

Day Six:

Beef and Vegetables: Eat to your heart’s content of beef and vegetables this day. You can even have 2 or 3 steaks if you like, with leafy green vegetables. No Baked Potato. Eat your soup at least once.

Day Seven:

Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juices and vegetables: Again stuff, stuff, stuff yourself. Be sure to eat your soup at least once this day.

Day 8 and Beyond:

The Cabbage Soup Diet is not suitable for long-term weight loss. The Diet is a low-fat, high-fiber diet that will help you get into shape fast before you embark on a more moderate long-term eating plan. Many struggle in long-term plans due to lack of willpower. If you need that extra push in the right direction to not only lose those extra pounds, but keep them off for good.

I would love to hear from you if you are planning to try the cabbage soup diet and let me know how it goes for you. I love reading your comments and thoughts.

Till Next Time

Stay Healthy

xoxo