Love List ~ Feb 18

February 27, 2018 · 2 Comments

Love List ~ Feb 18

A new year is upon us and I have been busting to tell you all about some amazing new products that have been released! So many more innovative people making awesome things that are good for us and the planet.

♥ Hello Sunshine Natural Sunscreen

The amazing Alisa and Danni from 123 Nourish Me have released a cracking natural sunscreen and people are going crazy for it!! It’s got an SPF rating of 30 and also comes in a small wind-up stick which is perfect for the handbag, nappy bag or for the kids to take to school.

There are no nasty toxins here! Hello Sunshine is made with organic, quality ingredients that will not harm our families or our oceans and reefs.

It has a very subtle vanilla scent, goes on smoothly and sinks in without leaving a greasy white residue. I tested it out on my family and everyone is a fan, particularly the fair skinned ones!

Keep an eye on my Facebook and Instagram, where I will share a video of using it on the skin.

Get it here. PS get 10% off with the code: HELLOTEN

♥ Cheeki Leakproof Stainless Steel Lunchbox

This is what mums everywhere have been waiting for and wanting. A stainless steel lunchbox that is affordable and leak proof!!

This new one from Cheeki is double layered and has a silicone seal under the lid (which doesn’t touch your food) – genius. There are three variations: double stacked, regular and large so you can find a size that suits you.

Get them here.

♥ Fur Baby Pet Support Essence

Alisha from Naughty Naturopath Mum has just released her brand new blend and it’s all about supporting our furry friends.

If you are a long time reader, you will know we have a dastardly dachshund called Wilbur. Dachshunds tend towards being anxious, having loud barks and being notoriously difficult to train. We have had a lot of trouble over the years with continual barking – in his mind, he is protecting the family against perceived threats. That means he’s a great guard dog but even falling leaves can make him go crazy!

I have been testing the Fur Baby Pet Support essences for just over a week now and we are pleasantly surprised! We have been popping them in his water bowl daily and he was calmer over all. On several occasions when he got himself into a barking loop, we administered directly into his mouth (that was fun!!!!) Within five minutes he had settled right down and stopped barking. Woohoo! I am calling that a win.

If you want to try them out, they can also be used for settling traumatised and rescue pets, nerves and fear, travel, vet visits, loneliness, separation and any antisocial behaviours! Find them here.

♥ Eco by Sonya Face Compost Mask

Another gorgeous product from Eco Tan founder, Sonya Driver. This is a lush organic seven minute face mask made with superfoods and antioxidants.

It’s designed to cleanse, soothe, brighten and draw out impurities. I know my skin needs a little TLC right now, so this is just the ticket.

Get it here.

♥ WayCap Stainless Steel Coffee Pods

Australians use and throw away over a billion single-use coffee capsules every year!! Far be it for me to come between anyone and their coffee but man, that’s a lot of waste.

Well the solution is here – WayCap make reusable, stainless steel capsules for your coffee machine. They come with 4 interchangeable steel filters, for extra fine to coarse grinds, and are compatible with certain Nespresso machines.

Get them here.

♥ Cedar and Stone Oils

I am a sucker for essential oils and I am always keen to try out new brands and blends. All of these smell amazing but Namaste is my favourite. Maybe I am really just a hippy at heart because I tend to adore anything that has patchouli in it!! 😉

Cedar and Stone are a small Aussie owned business in Kingscliff in Northern NSW. They have such a funky vibe going on!!

Get them here.

♥ Wolf Stainless Steel Drink Bottle

I know many of you resonate with wolf energy and love wolves! This is a perfect way to keep that energy close to you. The same print is also available in a lunch bag and tote bag. Isn’t he magnificent?

Get them here.

Love List ~ October 2017

October 8, 2017 · 2 Comments

I haven’t done a LOVE LIST in forever.

Actually it’s been nearly a year to the day since I did the last one!

I had a bit of a break from posting this year while I was getting my health sorted out. Now that I am feeling a bit better, I am trying to keep up with posting once a week. Remember the days when I used to smash out three a week!?

Anyhooooo…. I have had so many things in that time that I have been wanting to share with you, so it’s a bumper edition this time around. I hope you enjoy it!

♥ Antipodes Juliet Cleanser

Antipodes is a gorgeous NZ natural skincare brand. This is the first time I have tried anything in the range and I love the cleanser so much. It’s a breeze to use and it leaves my skin feeling soft, clean and fresh. It combines exfoliating action into the gel cleanser so you are doing two steps in one!

My daughter who has blemish prone skin keeps stealing it too. I love that it’s in a big 200g size so it lasts longer and it’s affordable too.

Check it out here.

♥ Kinderfeets Kinderboard

How awesome is this!!! I need an adult one.

These stunning Scandinavian Kinderfeets balance boards are made from eco-friendly beech wood. They were created to help children develop a sense of balance, stimulate their vestibular system and gain a deeper awareness of their body and body parts. It can help improve mental focus and functional strength.

You can rock it. Balance on it. Push it. Spin it. Flip it and slide. Nap, relax and read on it. Use it as a play house for toys or as a bench seat. Let the kid’s imagination run wild with it!

Brilliant for kids with sensory processing disorders, on the spectrum or with special needs. These have been selling out around Australia so be quick if you are interested!

Find out more here.

♥ Mellow Deodorant Paste

The awesome peeps at Happy Skincare have released another in their Woohoo range of natural deodorant pastes. This one is a bicarb-free, essential-oil free version. It’s perfect for all you sensitive souls who react!

In their typically generous fashion, Aaron and Phoebe are giving away their new product whenever you order something over $50!

Check it out here.

♥ Lemon Canary Tea

With Pukka being taken over by Unilever (check out our convo on Facebook about it), many people are now looking for alternatives. Personally, I love buying things from small businesses that handmake their products – there is just that extra love and passion that goes into it.

I recently bought the sample pack of all the teas from Lemon Canary to see what they were like and I am not disappointed!!! Jasmin has hand-crafted an organic, loose leaf range of blends including Love, Mystic, Happy, Meditate (awesome chai), Grateful, Summer, Winter, Dinner Party and Australiana. The packaging is so gorgeous and they would make perfect gifts.

Check them out here.

♥ Tuff Stuff Stain Removing Soap

I bought some of this stain removing soap about 18 months ago at an expo and was wondering how I was going to get another one. Luckily Julie at Flora and Fauna is now selling them!

They are amazing! You just wet it and rub it on the stain – the mesh bag helps to get right into the stain as a scrubber and the stains just wash out. It even worked on a pair of my daughter’s work jeans that had some really black and greasy patches. Julie mentions that a lot of people are using it for nappies and reusable cloth pads. The Tuff Stuff is a great price and lasts ages.

Check it out here.

♥ Eco by Sonya Rosehip Sunscreen

Do you hate the ghost look when using sunscreen?? My hubby often walks around looking like something out of the Walking Dead much to the embarrassment of the teens. 😀

Sonya Driver from Eco by Sonya has a new sunscreen out that solves that problem. This non-zinc, non-greasy formula rubs in clear but sill has broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, a SPF30 and a water resistant rating of 3 hours.

Find it here.

♥ Lilypad Reusable Covers

The lovely girls at Biome sent me out one of these to try and I love it!! It’s a BPA free, food-grade silicone cover (inspired by lily pads!). You can convert any bowl you own to an air-tight sealed container for the fridge. It fits onto any smooth rim bowl or pot including glass, ceramic, wood, stainless and more.

You can even put it in the oven or microwave if you want to and you could even use it as a splatter guard. Whack it in the top shelf of the dishwasher when you are done. So brilliant.

Check it out here.

♥ Free Gut Health Video Series

Cyndi O’Meara from Changing Habits has teamed up with Kirsty Wirth from Kultured Wellness to bring us a free four part information series on gut health. I am in the midst of my own gut healing adventure and I am starting to discover that bad gut health is the the cause of so many health issues. It’s not just poor digestion, it’s fatigue, brain fog, mental health and more. It all comes back to the gut!

I have registered and got my spot and can’t wait to learn more from these amazing ladies. When you sign up, they also give you a free ebook with healing gut recipes. Winning.

Check it out here.

♥ Aroma Leather Bracelet

This is on my Christmas wish list!! They are a leather and stainless steel aroma diffusing bracelet. A stylish and safe way to wear aromatherapy oils without touching your skin. There is a felt pad in the stainless steel locket bit that you put a few drops of oil on.

Find out more here.

♥ Low Carb Healthy Fat Cookbook

I’m not a Pete Evans fan in particular, but I do like his recipes! Having to do months of gut repair and a strict diet, I was getting really bored with it but some new recipes have really helped keep me motivated. You definitely don’t have to be attempting to lose weight or be on a low carb diet to enjoy this book. The recipes are just simple, family friendly type food (that just happens to be low carb and high fat).

I have made a few things already and everyone has been impressed. I usually pop the photos on Instagram if you are interested – but be warned, I don’t do fancy styling or anything, I just take a quick photo before we eat!

Check the book out here.

That will probably be my last love list for the year now as I gear up for my Christmas Gift Guides – which really are a love list with more of a gift giving focus. Let me know if you have something that would be perfect for a Christmas gift!

What Are The Best Natural Sunscreens?

October 23, 2014 · 64 Comments

What are the best natural sunscreens?

It’s a question that comes up again and again from my readers, so today I have a list for you of the best natural sunscreens in Australia.

I am sure you are aware that regular sunscreen is in fact, full of toxic ingredients that are detrimental to your health and the environment. I won’t bore you with the science but if you want to read up on the studies, two great resources are Dr Peter Dingle and Nicole Bijlsma who explain it really well to us non-scientists!

“Despite the fact that more people use sunscreen than ever before, the rate of skin cancer continues to rise. Research conducted by the Environmental Working Group in 2011, revealed that the great majority of sunscreens do not protect against both UVA and UVB rays and in addition, may contain chemicals that affect our hormones, damage the skin and in some cases, actually increase the rate of skin cancer.” Nicole Bijlsma

I have some qualms about using any sunscreen at all, considering that even the natural ones can contain nanoparticles. Then we have the new research telling us that sunscreen interferes with our Vitamin D absorption. It’s really quite confusing!

It’s probably a good idea to do your own research and read up a little more to decide what is best for your family. These are some things we do to balance the risk of sunburn with the beneficial effects of the sun.

♥ Avoid the sun in the hottest part of the day. Living in Queensland, it’s sunny most of the year round, so it’s really easy to get burnt quickly. If possible, we do our outside stuff before 10am or after 4pm.

♥ Cover up. Hats, t-shirts, longer-sleeve shirts, rash vests, sunglasses and umbrellas all come out if we have to go out in the hottest part of the day. Finding shade is also a good idea!

♥ Use coconut oil. It has a natural SPF of about 7, so use it with care. According to Bruce Fife “one of the oldest uses for coconut oil is as a sun screen / suntan lotion. Islanders have been using coconut oil for this purpose for thousands of years. In the tropics where the climate is hot, islanders traditionally wore little clothing so that they could keep themselves cool. To protect themselves from the burning rays of the hot tropical sun they applied a thin layer of coconut oil over their entire body. This would protect them from sunburn, improve skin tone and help keep annoying insects away.” Carrot Seed oil also has an SPF factor, but it is a little smelly!

♥ Use natural sunscreens. Sometimes we just need extra protection for things like all day sports events and a good natural sunscreen provide that additional coverage.

This is the list of some of the best natural sunscreens in Australia.

Like skincare, sunscreen is a personal thing and depends on a lot on your skin type. So, try out a few until you get one that is just right for you!