Can Your Lipstick Heal You?

This post if part of the Sense-sational Challenge set by Litebeing Chronicles for the month of November.

A few years ago I was going through a very bad time personally and a friend invited me to a crystal workshop. I was curious and it sounded like something fun to do with friends. It seemed like a good way to distract me from, or maybe let me wallow in my issues for a few hours.

It was a comforting space – sweet-smelling, warm and peaceful despite there being about 20 other strangers in the room. I think there was gentle music playing in the background. Even if I had just sat there for a few hours with my friend I probably would have felt better about things. As it happened I proceeded through the workshop reflecting on my difficult situation. At some point in the workshop, the facilitator looked at me and said something along the lines of ‘You need help with being grounded.’ She suggested some stones I should keep around me. I bought one and have kept it near me ever since. I carried it around in my handbag for years. It’s grey and shiny and has a subtle way of catching the light. It feels cool and smooth in the palm of my hand and it reminds me of that day and how far I have come.

I don’t think it was a conscious decision that I needed to be more grounded but if I look back I have developed a preference over the years for anything that changes my focus from what I am obsessing about in my mind to the present moment. There are many grounding exercises out there to choose from. My favourite method is anything including the African bush at sunset but most of my sunse­­ts currently involve homework and traffic. Methods aligned with mindfulness seem to be the most accessible and encourage awareness of what one is sensing or feeling in the present moment – even if it’s uncomfortable shoes at the end of the day and frustration that the traffic lights are out.

I read recently that studies have shown that during times of economic hardship, sales of cosmetics increase. This got me thinking about my lipsticks. They not only look and make us feel gorgeous, but they often smell and taste delicious and my favourites are the ones with that satisfying click when you close them. You can hold them in your hand and feel their texture on your lips. I also find I tend to choose a colour depending on my mood or what I want to achieve that day. That’s a grounding kit all-in-one! And best of all you can keep it with you all the time. Am I saying that lipstick can heal you? No. You can heal you, but a new lipstick just might help keep you in the moment while you’re on your way!

The next post in the Sense-sational Challenge can be found here.

Go-To Exfoliators

Exfoliation is one of the best things you can do for your skin:

• It helps to remove dead skin cells leaving brighter, smoother skin
• It assists with acne – by keeping pores from becoming clogged with dead cells and sebum
• More importantly for me these days it prevents the dull and dry skin that can come with ageing. Skin naturally renews itself but as we get older the renewal process slows down so exfoliators help to restore more of a youthful, dewy look.
• After exfoliation, hydrators, skin masks and those all-important anti-ageing serums can be more effectively absorbed by the skin.
• Exfoliation also helps reduce pore size – which is one of my biggest skin concerns.

I have from time to time forgotten these feisty beauty friends and they are considered by the beauty industry to be one of the most important things you can do for your skin. In my view exfoliation is a ticket to the game, ladies. So, despite our busy lives, let’s make sure we have this one covered!

I prefer physical exfoliants to chemical exfoliants. My skin is very sensitive and in my experience they tend to be kindest to my skin, and deliver more. A word of caution though – we are not talking scrubs that effectively sandpaper your cells off – my advice is to stay away from those. I am talking about gentle exfoliators – these are powdery or creamy exfoliants that work gently and effectively – sometimes called micro-exfoliators. Save the scrubs for the rest of your body. Rather spend a bit more money on a quality product that will provide the right result. Most of these type of exfoliators have lower concentrations of chemical exfoliants anyway so you will still get some of their benefits too.

The exfoliant I use most at the moment is Esse’s Microderm Exfoliator. It smells lemony-heavenly and leaves my skin so soft, without causing any trauma or redness. Its major ingredients are calcium carbonate and kaolin to improve circulation and remove dead skin cells and impurities. It also contains a high concentration of rooibos which is an anti-oxidant and helps to detoxify. I use this directly before Esse’s cream mask. These two friends are what organic pamper evenings are all about for me right now.

Best place to buy is www.faithful-to-nature.co.za or Fruits and Roots in Bryanston.

Next up – Dermalogica’s Daily Superfoliant. I rate this as probably one of the best investments you can make for your skin – especially for ageing. I have only used this once but plan to be using it a lot more in future. It exfoliates admirably and it contains niacinamide which is one of the less well-known anti-ageing ingredients – it helps reduce pore size and limits the damage (ageing) caused by UV exposure and environmental pollution. It’s super-smoothing powers are as yet unsurpassed in my experience.

Best place to buy is www.zestbeauty.com or stocked by most beauty salons. *UPDATE: http://www.zestbeauty.com seems to have great prices but my order never arrived. Zest Beauty has kindly offered to refund me.

I recently got a bottle of The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution as a gift. It is packed full of several chemical exfoliants, including a high concentration of glycolic acid. I know I mentioned earlier that these are not my favourite. This berry-coloured wonder did sting the first time I used it and I must say that I still tend to use aloe vera afterwards to calm things down. But by the next morning my skin is hydrated and smooth and the benefits continue for the better part of a week. Collagen and hydration are two big words for me where beauty is concerned – and yes, you guessed it – research shows that glycolic acid is a major player in both areas.

Best place to buy, in my opinion, is www.bay.one.

So that’s pretty much it for my favourite exfoliators. But I have so much more to say about the wide range of ingredients in exfoliation products – come back soon for more!

Beauty in the Berg

Last week-end we went to visit friends who have moved to the Northern Drakensberg. They have bought a resort that they are slowly refurbishing. This is our second visit and it’s so much fun to be a part of their plans and to see, with each visit, the latest changes. We stayed in the Farmhouse for the week-end which has been newly refurbished and I just love it. The rustic stone walls contrast with freshly painted modern colours so beautifully – it’s simple yet comfortable and roomy and Jessica’s touches here and there made me feel like coming home.

I met Jessica at my son’s first birthday party. At that stage she had a daughter almost the same age as my son. For both of us the post-birth and new mom dust was starting to settle and it was the right time to make a new friend. Our families have since formed a firm friendship and have been just a play-date apart ever since.

The views at Ledges Retreat are fantastic and the quiet and sense of peace is always so welcome just 350 kms from the Johannesburg traffic. There are mountain biking rides and hikes from their doorstep. Best of all, the kids run off to the river – safe and sound, and we hardly see them until they are hungry. Until then I get to hang with my friend and do what we do best. We drink lots of tea by day and a few things stronger by night and in the words of Mark Nepo, ‘dump all our heart’s pockets’!

All Out Adventures and the Tower of Pizza (not the leaning one!) are just a hop and a skip away when we need an outing.

I took some awesome pics of the Farmhouse and a few stunning views that I just had to share.

To book B&B or self-catering, contact Jessica at Jessica@ledgesretreat.co.za and be a part of their new chapter! You can also check out their website.

Dermalogica and Skin Health

I highly recommend Dermalogica products for their efficacy and know from experience that they won’t disappoint. It’s not surprising that most beauty salons in South Africa stock their products. In fact they are known as ‘the professionals’ choice’ according to the Sorbet website. I have used several of their products over the years but this blog post is mostly about the products I used in my 20s when my biggest skin concern was congestion and breakouts.

What struck me after spending some time on the Dermalogica website is their belief in skin health above beauty. Their vision is ‘a product line free of common irritants and ingredients that could cause breakouts’. This really makes sense to me. A major cause of breakouts is skin irritation which is something I didn’t understand as a teen. So many acne remedies I tried didn’t address the issue of skin irritation – most of them completely dried out my skin and often increased irritation too.

As Livestrong.com explains ‘skin irritation is the real cause of acne. Dead skin cells are shed abnormally, and they combine with excess skin oil, also known as sebum, to block hair follicles. The blockage causes irritation and swelling that turns into a pimple. Bacteria often grows in the area and complicates the problem.’

It would have been great if I had discovered Dermalogica as a teen – they have lots of awesome products for acne. As it happened I only discovered Dermalogica (and the all important: exfoliation) in my twenties but I was still dealing with congestion and break-outs at that point. A beautician recommended the following products for me:

• Special Cleansing Gel
• Daily Microfoliant
• Skin Smoothing Cream

I used these three products and pretty much nothing else for many years and had my best skin years to date.

You can use Dermalogica’s online speed mapping tool to get a personalised product prescription or consult a skin professional who is trained on Dermalogica products.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant is still one of my favourite products for exfoliation and is so gentle it can (and should) be used every day. I also use the Daily Superfoliant every now and then because it’s great for ageing skin. The Skin Hydrating Mask and Multivitamin Power Recovery Mask (for signs of age) are excellent masks that can be used with best results after exfoliating. For an extra spritz of hydration I like the Multi-active Toner.

I also love their skin kits which are a great way to start a new skincare regimen.