Video: My favourite Hair & Body Products

Hey guys, I made a little Video:
 

One thing upfront:

This is in no way a sponsored post. All products mentioned are my own favourites that I keep buying again and again. I get asked A LOT about what I am using and while I know that what works for me might not necessarily be your cup of tea, I am happy to share my thoughts and recommend the things that I genuinely love to use myself.

I hope you enjoy...

I have been meaning to record videos for ages, but then this wonderful pregnancy popped along and changed lots of plans. Also, it does feel a little funny, talking to the camera all by myself, trying not to make a total fool of myself. Ah well.
My pregnancy brain also made me forget to use my external mic, so the sound isn't as good. Same with my posture...(don't get me started, but I am close to 37 weeks pregnant after all...)
Let me know what you think!

5 Tips For Healthy Shiny HAIR The Six Week Bridal Beauty Prep

Photo by Luisa Brimble of Liv Lundelius

Do you want shiny locks and healthy hair for your wedding day (or just in general?) ? Here are my top tips on how to keep your scalp and hair naturally beautiful, enhance hair growth and prevent damage.

1. Deep Condition Once a week apply a deep hair conditioning treatment. You can use pure Coconut Oil if you are a purist or on a budget or you can use a luxurious store bought hair treatment. Always go for a toxin free hair product range! If you use coconut oil do this on a day off and sit in the sun, which will activate and heat up the oil. Protect your gorgeous skin in the sun though (with a natural zinc sunscreen) and be careful not to get burned before your wedding day. The trick with washing out oil treatments is to apply shampoo before wetting your hair then rinsing with water and then using a 2nd shampoo. Lather and rinse well. The use your regular conditioner.

2. Nourish from the inside Hair is protein discharge, and adding good quality protein to your diet will help encourage growth. Consuming enough healthy fat can aid in improving overall shine and texture. Eating more kale (vitamin C and Silica) berries (more C), onions, leeks, garlic or scallions (sulfur), mushrooms (zinc), almonds, brown rice (vitamin E), sunflower seeds (pantothenic acid – B5), and shitake mushrooms (copper) and a wide variety of antioxidant herbs like ginger, rosemary, and turmeric root, could benefit hair growth and make hair even more gorgeous! Eat WHOLE eggs (ALWAYS ORGANIC & FREE RANGE) . They contain biotin, folate, silica, and B-5, which are all universally known for helping promote lustrous hair.

3. Keep it natural Certain products can clog the hair shaft, and that will impede new growth. Many products contain alcohol, which will strip your hair. Choose natural, green products instead. I am a big fan of the John Masters Organics line because he uses a lot of essential oils and plant-based ingredients. I also love the Yarok Styling Products. If you are after a real super luxurious treat you can't go past Rahua products.

4. Be Gentle Many people break their hair when it is wet and most delicate by brushing to hard. Buy a high-quality professional hair dryer and use it at the medium setting, or don’t blow dry your hair at all. Use a wide comb or detangling brush and slowly work your way up, start at the ends. When using heating tools like a dryer, flat iron, curling iron, or hot rollers, be sure to use natural products for heat protection. Stay away from damaging heat tools if you can.

5. Protect! Braid your hair loosely or tie with soft ties to avoid any breakage, especially if you have dry or chemically treated hair. If you color your hair it's a good idea to wear a hat in the sun. It will protect your hair colour from fading or changing colour.

Liv's Holiday Edit & Inflight Beauty Essentials

When you read this I am holidays! We are on a three week Europe trip, on the hunt for the latest in design, organic luxury makeup & skin care we are in Copenhagen & Stockholm to discover the beauty secrets of Scandinavia while enjoying plenty of fikas (the swedish culture of coffee breaks throughout the day!) And also to catch up with family and to spend precious time together.

Here are some of the items I packed in my personal beauty bag for the holidays: Intelligent Nutrients Lip Care - Lip Delivery Antioxidant Gloss in Pink Hibiscus so yummy, healthy, hydrating and just enough colour. Eco Minerals Coco Eyeshadow - the perfect brown shade to be used as eyeliner, brow powder or eyeshadow. LiliLolo Eyeshadow Palette- a beautiful palette of neutrals in a very travel friendly small compact Carol's Beauty Tanning Oil - An all organic oil for a beautiful natural tan, the sunny days in Europe are far and few between, so I can do with a little help. Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Body Cream, very hydrating but also pretty, it contains a little bit of Mica for a healthy sheen, very lovely for the legs. W3ll People Narcissist Foundation Stick concealer & foundation in one in a stick, perfect for travel! Ere Perez Almond Oil Mascara in black- My go to Mascara. Zuii Organics Eyebrow pencil - This one is new for me, it has a great shade and is precise to apply, without the need of a sharpener.

the list goes on.... I am not the best in traveling light, ooooops!

Long flights are pretty though on the skin, mine gets very dehydrated, red and dry, sometimes even flakey. It's important to drink enough water when flying, and to stay away from alcohol and caffeine if possible. In addition have established an in flight beauty routine a few years ago. While the products I use change the ritual stays the same. Look out for products designed for dry and deydrated skin, night cremes, oils and hydrating masks. Collect samples or see if your favourite brands sells travel size products. Many brands to offer little sample sizes which are perfect for your inflight beauty routine. Otherwise you can always get small plastic containers and fill up your own. I just did a MUJI run and stocked up on some more. Of course please make sure all your products are under 100ml each and will not exceed 1liter in total, so they fit into a clear plastic bag.

After Take Off 1. Tie your hair back, apply a little natural oil into the ends to lock in moisture. I use Miskin Organics Silk Oil. 2. Remove any traces of makeup with gentle cleansing water with cotton buds. 3. Spritzing with a hydrating face mist I use La Mav Rose Hydrating Mist, spray into hands and pat into the skin. 4. Applying a layer of night time moisturizer or a clear hydrating creme mask & eye cream and let it sink in. Use a second layer and let it dry. You can leave this on during the whole duration of the flight. May Lindstrom's famous The Blue Cocoon is perfect 5. Apply hand balm (the Z'kin One has saved my hands many many times!) & lip-balm and enjoy your flight!

If you are on a very long flight, feel free to repeat the procedure, when you wake up.

One hour before landing: 1.Refresh the skin with a gentle wipe of cleansing water again. You can do this in the bathroom. 2. Use hydrating face mist as above. Apply day cream of choice. 3. Use a concealer where needed. I use W3LL people concealer stick. 4. Apply a tinted lipbalm or gloss and you are ready to roll.

Bye Bye Dry Hair: Natural Hair Styling with Yarok

I am always trying to use the most cutting edge, luxurious and quality products from around the world in my kit to create effortless & natural hairstyling. My latest discovery is Yarok from NYC. Developed by editorial stylist Mordechai Alvow, this line really works. A completely natural, green hair care and styling line developed for health- and fitness minding New Yorkers that were after professional results in the founders high-end salon in NYC's Chelsea. Since it has been used backstage at several fashion shows on New York Fashion Week's catwalks. While the range is fairly small, I was able to create all looks that I imagined with the few Yarok products I tried. I quickly learned that you only require a very small amount for these products to work, as they are packed with quality ingredients and rich botanical oils. Most mainstream hair products can damage the hair with frequent use and many models have extremely damaged hair due to the frequent styling. I know hair stylists that have dermatitis and skin other problems due to the exposure of harsh ingredients in hair styling products, so Yarok is a product range many have been waiting for.

Yarok is super gentle on hair and scalp and every product nourishes and protects the hair. My hair is very long and can get pretty dry at the ends, so I really loved how moisturizing the products are. All the packaging is sleek and minimal and the all the products have fun names, which describe what they do for your hair. I am already quite a fan of their FEED YOUR ENDS leave in conditioner, which doubles as heat protection. The FEED YOUR ROOTS mousse which gives an instant root lift is perfect to create volume for fine hair. The FEED YOUR HOLD hair spray creates natural hold and is perfect for setting any look. And then there is FEED YOUR DO a styling whip, perfect for short hair cuts or to texturize and enhance strands in longer hair. All products have a very beautiful uplifting smell, which is subtle enough not to be overpowering or to interfere with other products. I find these products perfect for personal and everyday use and also as hair stylist for all normal hair types. Especially for sensitive scalps and dry hair this is revolutionary. I have not yet tried them on challenging hair types, high humidity locations etc. and I will keep you up to date on how they perform under extreme conditions. I am also excited to try out the treatments and masques and other hair care products in this line soon. Read here how to create the Wild Braids look, that I have created for White Magazine. Yarok is available in Australia via one of my favourite luxury organic beauty stores: I Am Natural Store

How to get the Look - Luminous Beauty for White Magazine

Photo by Scarlet & Sage, Hair&Makeup by Liv Lundelius

I just received the latest issue of White Magazine and as usual it's packed with beautiful inspiration, and honest articles on love, relationships and marriage. For this issue I was asked to create a series of bridal beauty looks and hair trends for brides. Here on the blog I share with you a little How-to on how I actually achieved these looks, together with the products used and recommended products.

Luminous Blushing Bride This look focuses on soft, radiant blush balanced with a subtle eye and lip.The only colour I used here is a radiant soft pink on the lips and cheeks. Skin: Apply Inika Truly Organic Liquid Foundation with a soft kabuki brush. It's a great product but a very limited colour range. It won't mask the skin or lovely freckles while still evening out the skin. Use a high coverage concealer only to cover redness or blemishes for an invisible flawless finish. I applied Inika Light Reflect on top of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose and cupid's bow. Use ILIA translucent powder only through the t-zone to keep excess shine at bay at the very end. Eyes: Start with evening out the eyelid with a hint of a tinted eye-primer or foundation. Apply a dab of Inika Creme Eyeshadow in Pink Cloud to highlight in the inner corners and apply a Jane Iredale Peach Sherbet Eyeshadow. Draw a thin line with Jane Iredale Jelly Gel Eyeliner in Brown along the upper lash line. Enhance your eyelashes by curling them and coating them with Longest Lash Mascara. Apply the mascara right on the roots of the lashes to give that framing effect and a luscious thick lash line. Brows: Fill in eyebrows softly with Jane Iredale Bitty Brow Kit and hold in place with Pure Brow Fix gel. Cheeks: ILIA Multistick in "All Of Me" to the apple of the cheek and warm into the skin using fingers Lips: Ilia Karma Chameleon Lip Crayon adds the perfect pop of colour leaving the lips looking moisturized.

Wild Braids Prep the hair with a heat protecting texturizing product and blow dry your hair to get a great shine and voloume. I used Yarok Feed Your Roots Mousse and my H2D Hair dryer. Part your hair in the center and just behind the ear. Start braiding one large section from the front and secure the ends with an elastic. Wrap the section across your forehead where you wish to place it and secure with Bobbi Bins. Repeat on the other side and place just above your first braid. Braid the last 2 sections and pin in place so the head is evenly covered. Now start messing the braids up! Gently pull sections in the braids to create more texture and an uneven modern look. Spray with hair spray to enhance shine and hold style in place. A great natural spray is Yarok Feed Your Hold Spray

All looks are created with 100% luxurious, toxin free and/or organic beauty products that create professional results, while being good for you. I feel these looks are so versatile that they easily go beyond bridal and could of course be worn by anyone. I hope you enjoyed and I stay tuned for the next looks!