How To Leave Your Hairdresser

Also from Notebook magazine- February 2010 edition:

I always go: I need to check when I'm free and then I'll phone you guys for an appointment :-)

Exfoliation Article

I read this article in Notebook magazine about exfoliation. Thought you beauty and some non-beauty readers would like to have a read as well: (Pages are clickable to be larger)

What do you think?

Cookies n' Cream Cupcakes

I got the inspiration to make Cookies n' Cream cupcakes from here (the middle one is the cookies and cream cupcake). The cake bit was a chocolate cake recipe with some broken up pieces of Oreos. The icing bit was a mixture or cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and some finely crushed Oreos.

By itself

Cupcake and oreo biscuit- I don't like oreos by themselves but mixed in with ice cream is delish!!

For people at work because baking is no fun when you have to eat it all!

Quite happy with the cupcakes overall and wouldn't mind trying this again :-)

Current WIP

It's been forever since I posted up a sewing/crafty type of project. I must admit it has taken a back seat but I'm trying! So this is my current WIP:

Cutting out lots of squares for my next quilt.

The "theme" for this one will be Aussie handprinted fabrics. I had a collection of handprinted fabrics made by Aussie artists. The fabrics were like a sample of the print, not purchased in meters. I also didn't want to cut them up, make something and never see them again. So I decided to make a quilt where I can still enjoy the prints and it's something useful.

At the top of the pile, you can see Mollybirds by Kristen Doran and at the bottom is a little peek of Aunty Cookie's fabric with other's throughout the pile. I'm going to get a some more fabric from the Ink & Spindle store but if you know any other handprinted fabrics or you produce them, please email me or leave a comment and I would love to add your print to my quilt!

I've even got one of my own in there that I lino printed when I was in primary school. :-)

L’occitane deodorant

In my search to find an aluminium free deodorant, I found L’occitane Olive Tree Gentle Deodorant. It sells for $26.95 and from the site, it claims not to contain aluminium salts, parabens, synthetic colourants and fragrances. Looking at the ingredient list, there is no aluminium. However there are a lot of other names I can’t read.

I thought the product smelt ok, not too strong or pungent. It wasn’t effective against sweating but then again, sweating is part of the human body processes. As gross as it may sound: my sweat didn’t smell bad. It smelt like the product, not like body odour.

I stopped using this (because I found a better one) but I urge people to try an aluminium free deodorant. Just to be on the safe side.

I would love to know what deodorant you guys use - with or without aluminium- and if it is effective at all. I guess it's always one of those things you don't talk about!

Invisible Zinc ESP SPF 30+

Changes to my skincare routine and what I slather on my skin has been largely due to reading The Green Beauty Guide as well as Feeding Your Skin.

In The Green Beauty Guide, the author mentions using physical blockers rather than chemicals in sunscreen. At the time, I was only using a light moisturiser with SPF. Sunscreen was just too thick and smelly and white so I never bothered adding the extra layer. So I decided to pick up a bottle of Invisible Zinc at Priceline. I haven’t looked back since.

The one I chose was the Invisible Zinc ESP SPF 30+. It uses zinc particles which is a physical barrier so it doesn’t soak into your skin. The active ingredient is only zinc oxide and the preservatives are: diazolidinylurea, phenoxyethanol. It comes in a cream formulation but the original box I have discarded so I can’t seem to find other ingredients on the bottle.

This ESP comes in 2 sizes – 30mL and 50mL. So far I have only been able to find it in a 50mL pump bottle. The 30mL is available online though. The 50mL bottle is large and round. Very cumbersome to travel with as it takes up a lot of space. I wish they would streamline the packaging a bit more. Does it really need to be so wide??

The actual cream does not smell like sunscreen. Well, maybe a tiny insy bit. But it is gone when applied to your skin. It’s quite a thick consistency and you do have to work it into your skin. I only use this in the morning either by itself or over a moisturiser. Surprisingly, my skin has not reacted to it unlike conventional sunscreen. In fact, it might’ve even cleared up my skin.

I really love the product. One must ALWAYS use an SPF! I would definitely repurchase once I run out. However, the only gripe I have is the silly packaging- like the REN cleanser- just streamline it! Makes it so much easier to travel with. And a very minor annoying thing- sometimes when you press out some product, there is a dried out bit that comes out as well. I haven’t found a way to prevent it and it’s slightly a bit gross.

La Mer Eye Cream

I had been using this eye cream for about 6 months until I decided to give it away. It didn’t fit in with my natural skin care line. I also paid a fair bit for this cream- something like $200-300 and surprisingly I wasn’t sad to see it go.

First of all it’s green. So not the fluoro green but a pastel green tinge to the cream. Looks a bit gross but then I got used to it. The guy instructed that I warm the cream with my ring fingers and then gently dab around my eyes. Followed that. Didn’t see any difference. So for me, it’s a big hoo-ha about nothing.

I also didn't like that it was in a pot. A most fiddly pot as well. Spent a lot of cash for it but at least I’m not lusting over it now.

A Quick Noodle Dish

This dish used the lemongrass and chilli pork from here. Then I added udon noodles and bean sprouts to get this:

Yum yum! Very quick and easy idea for lunch or dinner

Gourmet Sandwich

This is my version of a "gourmet" sandwich without having to pay $7+ for one!

Sandwich comprised of: toasted homemade wholemeal bread, roast beef, cheese (I do realise it's the plastic cheese), mayo, spinach/rocket leaves mix, tomato and carrots.

All eaten messily in my house :-)

Crayfish Mornay

In Denham at the Old Pearler Restaurant, I got to taste crayfish for the first time. And it was delish!!!