GIVEAWAY: Essentially Tessa Body Washes

Giveaway - Win 2 'My Treat' Body Washes from Essentially Tessa

Enter to win a Berry Cherry & Mango Magic Body Wash (400ml)  from Essentially Tessa!

Follow the steps below - good luck 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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REVIEW: Detox Bath Salts

Detox Bath Salts from Essentially Tessa

 

Since spring had started - I decided I wanted to change my lifestyle -  I've changed my eating habits, began exercising more, in an attempt in wanting to be a healthier person. I spoke to Tessa from Essentially Tessa about my lifestyle change and she suggested I use some detox bath salts that would help me in the process of becoming a healthier little lady.

Here's some information from Tessa about the salts:

" By producing copious perspiration, my DETOX AROMA BATH CRYSTAL formulation is one of the most effective methods of eliminating metabolic wastes through the surface of the skin. Therefore it is also excellent to ward off cold and flu symptoms; it opens the sinuses and eases muscular aches and pains including painful menstruation.

The crystals relieve pain by drawing acidic wastes (mainly uric acid) from the muscles and joints therefore it is also highly beneficial to sufferers of rheumatism and arthritis.

But my crystals have proven that it goes far beyond the chemical detoxification. From an energetic point of view, the addition of magnesium sulfate dissolved in a body of water creates a static, unified, electrical field. While you relax for 20 minutes or more in the body of water you neutralize excess electrical charges in the body, thus creating a magnetic balance. In practice this means that my bath crystals can counter the effects of low-level radiation, such as VDU stress or jet lag.

Furthermore the sea salts I have added -(yes you do not have to go the Dead Sea to experience the amazing  curative effects of the water – you can purchase it in one container)- contain the same elements as blood plasma, that is: sodium, potassium and chloride, which is excellent for the skin. My detox aroma crystal formulation is rich in minerals such as sulphur, bromine, iodine, magnesium, calcium and of course the all important sodium. Do not use soap during the bath as this interferes with the beneficial action of the salts.

To make my Bath Aroma Detox exclusively unique I have added a blend of aroma oils. This is not for the purpose of absorption of the beneficial elements of the oils; it is for the stimulating effect of the oils on the body. The aroma  oils will further encourage  the perspiration therefore assist the body in the elimination process while leaving the skin soft and well protected against harmful invasion of bacteria.

How often should you use the Detox Aroma Bath Crystals?

Use the bath crystals at least once a week, you will sleep deeply after the treatment and feel refreshed apart from losing a kg or 2 during the process. Remember it is water only, but water full of potential harmful metabolic waste.

Warning: do not use the bath crystals if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure or any illness related to kidney disease." - Tessa Biagio, Essentially Tessa

 

I love a detox bath after a hectic gym session - sweat baby sweat! I try use these bath salts at least once a week but never more than twice a week. It truly is a sweat session of note and you feel tired afterwards, but the next morning you will wake up with so much energy!

Remember to drink water before, during and after your bath to stay hydrated!

Click here to check out the Essentially Tessa Facebook Group

 

 

 



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Spring Care - Part 3

SPRING CARE

PART 3

 

 

 

Hello my Glam & Green darlings! I really hope you've enjoyed Part 1 and Part 2!

 

For Part 3, its a triple whammy that will consist of information from Essentially Tessa; Tip Top Nails and Balm Balm!

 

Enjoy xXx

 

 

 

 

Tessa, Essentially Tessa

 

IT IS SPRING
And like the season suggests we must have a spring in our step, a bounce in our walk and a song in our soul. Where is the magic that hides within Spring? Is it the warmth of the sun, the blossoms and the fragrance from honey suckle and jasmin, sweet pea and fruit blossoms, I am sure it is, but it is the magic and the wonderment of re-birth. It is the cycle of new beginnings. The magic is in the abundance of colour and in the power to create all this from hidden sources, the magic is hidden within expectation. We eagerly await the next cycle, summer. Summer will bring forth the cycle of ripening.

With winters cold season of hibernation behind us, we now shed the layers of clothing, and we want to feel the warm kiss of the gentle spring sun upon our skins. It is time to pack away the heavy Shea butter and cocoa butter lotions. (Use the winter left overs for when you have had a few too many hours in the sun, it will then re-hydrate the skin.)

Lotions made from macadamia and avocado oil are rich in nutrients and will keep the skin supple and well hydrated. But the best advice I can give for spring and summer is to use hydrosols.

Hydrosols, also known as floral waters are products from steam distilling plant materials, such as lavender, rose geranium and orange flowers. Hydrosols are like essential oils but in far less of a concentration. It is a bit denser than water because of the nutrients it contains. When a distiller brews flowers, he or she fills a large pot with water, the steam fills the pot, as the heat rises it fills the pot and causes the the glands of the plants to burst open and release the oils and essence of the plant into the steam. The essential oil however rises through a condenser and collects in a separate container.

 

Thanks Tessa, such useful information

ps: look out for a comeptition where you can win a prize from Essentially Tessa!!!

Cheri, Tip Top Nails

Why Nails Are the Biggest Trend in Beauty – Summmer 2012

From punk rock black to vampy red, the colour on your nails can often speak louder than many other beauty choices. Fast fashion has made ready-to-wear clothing trends inescapable, so importance has been placed on beauty and accessories when it comes to creating a cohesive head-to-toe look. Everything from the colour of your hair to the "it" shoes on your feet are reflective of the trend-centred society in which we live. In an economic crisis, shoppers often flock to beauty products as a more affordable luxury. In the past, nail colour was just another part of the beauty look on the runway, but recently, nail colour has become a marketable and very saleable part of the collection. To wit, Tip Top's seasonal lacquer collections are among the most coveted and typically move off the shelf as soon as they are released. Whether or not the varnish is designer or drugstore, the fascination with nails is just another step towards a complete personal style, all the way down to your fingertips. Nail design is limitless, which makes it the perfect way to accent anyone’s personal style. The main nail trends for this season are hot bright colours, pastel thrown in between, glitter and nail art It’s that time of the year gain which means the launch of the spring beauty collections, which in turn means the introduction of brand new nail colours. Pretty pastels, sunny brights and whatever covetable shades that fashion houses have dreamt up - these nail colours are the ones we'll be pairing with our new season sandals, and painting onto nails that will no longer be concealed by boots. For spring 2012, a floral palette is clearly evident with petal pinks, pretty lilacs and leafy greens abounding - everywhere there will be bold colours mixed and matched with soft pastels. These colours, prescribe one of the prettiest seasons for hands and feet in a long time. Colour Blocking will be a BIG trend this season, you can keep it simple within the same colour family or go bold and crazy—whatever suits your mood! Tricks for wearing summer trends: - If you love a colour but it is a bit too "in your face" when it's on your fingers then wear it on your toes. - You could also buy a clear glitter polish and put this over the top of the colour. - Try wearing a favourite colour of polish and wear the "tricky" colour on your ring finger only. Accent nails are ‘in’ - If you don't want to waste money on a colour that you may not like on your nails, pop a small roll of adhesive tape in your bag before you go shopping then wrap a little around the end of your finger and ask if you can paint the colour on the tape over your nail to see how you like it. - If there is a colour you really like, wear it! To show how easy it is to create Glam and Green nails that suit spring I bought these three polishes the other day from Clicks (R39,99)   Im officially obsessed with glitter nail polish to add a bit of sparkle!     A friend posted this picture the other day - also loving Tip Tip    Thanks Melissa for the photo   Thanks Cheri - some great tips!     Susan, Balm Balm     GET A SPRING IN YOUR STEP The birds are singing, the jasmine has started to bloom and your heart is happy because spring is (finally) here! Chances are your skin is moaning, sobbing and screaming after the long, cold dry winter.  The elements take its toll on skin in particular – low humidity, hot air, heat and almost no fresh air leaves skin feeling stressed, dry, undernourished and probably a little older <big sad wrinkled face> Paired with this is the stodgy food we tend to comfort ourselves with in the colder months.  Spinach salad or macaroni cheese?  Hmmmm.  Plus loads of coffee, tea or hot chocolate and very little water will leave your skin severely hydrated.  Nevermind the fact that your digestive system is crying out for live food like fresh fruit and vegetables. Remember the golden rule of health – balance your acid/alkaline levels.  Disease and chronic conditions can only survive in highly acidic environments.  If your system is alkaline and perfectly balanced...cancer doesn’t have a chance!  Just like your skin, your pH balance is so important. Don’t forget about your digestive system – it’s the first elimination route for toxins, your skin being the second.  Live food for live bodies.  Dead food is for dead bodies. Opt for colourful living food and your skin will glow from the inside out.  Colourful food means it’s packed full of antixodants.  The more colourful your plate, the younger you’ll look.  Beige, brown & white makes for wrinkles and sagginess.  (Did someone say macaroni cheese?) 5 WAYS TO GET A SPRING BACK IN YOUR STEP 1.       Eat alkaline food. Take Omega 3,6,9 supplements or Flax Seed Oil.  You’ll notice shinier hair and glowing skin in no time.  If you suffer from severely dehydrated skin and you drink 2 litres of water a day, you may be suffering from a lack of natural oils in your diet. 2.       Scrub:  but be careful...your skin shouldn’t get the same treatment as your potato bake dish after a rugby braai!  Only scrub once a week or once every two weeks (depending on how thin and delicate your skin is)  3.       Moisturise:  Get a good antioxidant serum for your face, a good (paraben-free) body moisturiser and a balm that can double up for hands and feet.  Above all...keep it simple!  4.       Hydrate:  Stay away from energy drinks, or hydration fluids.  Just drink good old-fashioned water.  Don’t be fooled by marketing...they are packed full of sugar, artificial colorants and other nasty ingredients that will just rob your body and your skin of precious health.  5.       Ease up on the chemicals:  Be aware of what chemicals are in your make-up (switch to a mineral or organic type if you can) our beauty products are absolutely laden with horrific ingredients, some are made from animal by-products, and some contain heavy metals which are extremely toxic for human life.  And most block your pores and can cause breakouts.  Side Bar* Ahem...what’s alkaline? Alkaline foods are all citrus fruits (lemon is amazing) – it may sound acidic, but when it hits your body it immediately turns neutral.  All fresh fruit and vegetables are great alkaline foods. Eg:  fresh green salad  with a variety of seeds, veggies, sprouts and a home-made salad dressing made from lemon, olive oil, vinegar (a little) Commercially sold salad dressings are full of RUBBISH!  So what’s acidic? You guessed it.  All meat, fish, chicken, wheat, dairy, sugar.  You’ve heard it all before.  Eg: A deep-fried corn dog with chips and a coke.  Really?  Somebody actually covered a Vienna in batter and then deep-fried it?  Maybe don’t eat that.  Ever.   Our Spring Skincare product recommendations: The more natural and organic your skincare route is – the less make-up you use.  You might say that you could tell – but I haven’t used foundation or base since I’ve switched to an organic skincare regime.  I simply use mascara, eyeshadow and sometimes if I look a bit pale I use a bit of light bronzing powder.  LESS IS MORE! Thanks Susan!       Wow! What great information! Thanks ladies, and thank you to those who contributed to Part 1 and Part 2 !   For more info on the brands featured in today's post, click below:   All Essentially Tessa posts   All Balm Balm posts   All Tip Top Nails posts   Let me know what you've thought about these posts! I'd love to know!   Look out for my next post as I'll be announcing a competition *yay*       xXx The Glam Green Girl



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Glam and Green Autumn Care - Part 1

Autumn Care for your body & skin Part 1

As the southern hemisphere starts to experience colder weather, it is important to remember that the change in seasons also brings a change in our beauty routine. I've asked a few Glam & Green people from different brands to contribute and give information on what we should do for our skin and bodies in Autumn as well as winter.

Keep a look out as this is only part 1

hope you all enjoy xXx

My first contributor is Tessa Biagio form Essentially Tessa, as some of you may remember I've asked Tessa to contribute to a post before - Lovely Lavender - this is what she had to say about taking care of yourself in Autumn:

The glorious coloured leaves are covering the earth in a carpet of orange, red and gold.  The sun comes up a bit later and sets a bit earlier, yes it is officially autumn, and we feel the slight nibble of autumn's teeth on our skin.

As the cycle of seasons experience a change so do we go through a bodily change. Autumn is the time for cleansing and preparing our bodies for the cycle of re birth in spring. This is the time to make sure the immune system has a clear pathway to function optimally. If we take in consideration that our blood travels about 19 000km a day, isn't it worth the reflection and the understanding that we could assist the inner functions of our marvelous bodies.

In the words of Barack Obama: "Yes You Can!" we can assist our bodies. Your skin might feel a bit drier, due to the atmospheric change; the wind might cut a bit deeper, leaving our skins flaky and patchy, especially elbows, knees and hands. Remember the traveling blood and its 19 000 km journey around your body? It travels to feed and to nourish every organ and every cell. How can you make the feeding more efficient? By skin brushing. You remove the dead skin by brushing every day, you assist the lymphatic system by stimulating its laborious quest to rid the body of toxins. By doing so you improve the condition of your skin as well as the function of your immune system. And remember the skin is your first defense against the invasion of harmful bacteria and viruses. By keeping the skin glowing, healthy and free from excess dryness you protect your inner organs, your inner army of defense.

Autumn is the time to focus more on oil based lotions and creams, the thin layer of oil that you massage into your skin is further protection against harmful invasions, and if it is enhanced with aroma oils you will not experience the dreaded cold and flu symptoms. The best way to apply this precious oil is to first skin brush, preferably in the morning, this will further the course of protection,  massage the immune and skin strengthening oil into the body, then you should take a warm shower. The heat of the shower will help the oil to penetrate deeper into the body, giving our blood the change to absorb the protective qualities of the aroma oils.

So as the leaves fall, as the cold creeps closer and closer, remember, skin brush every day, use a good quality, preferably enhanced with aroma oils, body lotion or better still, body oil. Keep warm, instead of an electric blanket use a hot water bottle to warm up your bed. Keep healthy! 

Tessa has some really wonderful products that are so well priced - go check her facebook page and get in contact with her, Tessa will create products specifically for you and your needs

Ps: Tessa is making an amazing natural hair oil soon-cant wait to do a post on it soon!

My second contributor is Tanya du Bois from Naturals Beauty

- here are a few tips from her and the products she suggests using:

·         Avoid using harsh soaps

·         Add hydration by using a serum first – our Sweet Orange Wrinkle Banisher is wonderful under the Essentials Collection night cream

·         When washing your face use lukewarm rather than hot water

·         If you use a gel cleanser in Summer switch over to a Milk cleanser for the Autumn and Winter months – it’s a lot richer and more moisturising to your skin. I highly recommend our Essentials Collection milk cleanser if you are moving over to Milk

·         Exfoliate! Exfoliation will remove dead skin cells and allow new skin to grow. When exfoliating your body use circulation motions starting from the feet up towards the neck area. Exfoliation should be done twice a week. After the 2^nd exfoliation apply a hydrating masque for 15 – 20min. Stay away from clay based masques as these will draw moisture from your skin

·         Your feet and hands require extra attention as they have less oil glands than the rest of your body. After your bath or shower, go over your feed with a foot file. Then, before bed, smear your hands and feet with a good natural body butter (our avocado body butter is perfect for this). Cover your feet with socks and your hands with gloves. This will lock in the moisture overnight leaving you with silky soft hands and feet!

Tanya recommends the following:

Milk Cleanser

A creamy lotion that gently cleanses the skin and removes impurities and make-up. The anti-aging properties of the polyphenols (apple extract) and the omega oils (avocado oil) will moisturise, smooth, hydrate and refresh the skin. Sutherlandia and Cucumber keeps the skin healthy and improves skin radiance.

Hydrating Masque

A hydrating and purifying masque which will remove impurities from the skin, soothe, moisturise and nourish it. Chamomile extract have calming and protective properties. Anti-oxidants provided by Rooibos extract and Vitamin E to keep skin healthy and younger looking. Ideal for all skin types.

Use weekly. Apply a thin layer. Leave on for 20 min. Rinse with warm water.

I'll will be posting a review on these two products soon - so keep an eye out for the review

click here to see what products Tanya has on her website

I really hope you lovely people enjoyed this post and that you're looking forward to the rest ~ leave me a comment, dying to know what you think ;)

xXx

The Glam Green Girl

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