Winter Skin Good Bye with Eco Tan

This Winter has been feeling extremely long. I am still sipping hot tea next to the heater while typing this, so I guess it's safe to say that I have gotten used to the mild temperatures here in Australia. I am even getting a little bit pale.Naturally I am a medium skin tone, tanning very easily and I do get pretty dark during the Summer months. My skin is yellow toned and I feel it looks best sun kissed. I believe all skin tones are beautiful from the fairest milkiest white to the darkest chocolate brown, and of course we all suit our natural skin tone. As makeup artist I observe skin tones constantly as it's important to find the right colour match when applying makeup. My yellow skin can get a little sallow in Winter so I do prefer a little bit of a tan glow.

I am quite low maintenance (for someone working in the industry) with my personal beauty routine and really like products that work and a beauty routine that I can do at home. While spray tans are super popular here in Sydney (and thank goodness there are now certified organic self tan options available!) I prefer a quick DIY job in my own bathroom.

Self Tanning at home So I was very intrigued when I heard about Winter Skin by Eco Tan. Winter Skin is a lotion in a pump bottle, which is a body moisturizer with a hint of buildable self tan. It's THE solution to just warm up your skin, super easy to use. It has no stinky fake tan smell and keeps the skin hydrated. I simply exfoliate with the Extreme Exfoliating Glove in the shower and use the Winter skin as I would my usual body moisturizer and then wash my hands thoroughly. Done! If your knees, elbows and feet are dry make sure you exfoliate and hydrate them before using any self tan. This one is pretty foll proof though, as the colour is just a believable little hint of tan. No need for a tent or cleaning the bathroom afterwards, just a quick and easy thing to do. It can be used a few days in a row until you achieve the desired colour. Love it! It really helps as well to even out the skin and I feel ready to expose my legs now that Spring is around the corner.I might need a bottle for Summer to even out any tan lines before the wedding...(I will let you know if I do and if it works!) I think this is great for beginners, anyone with very fair skin, or people like me that find it too stressful to go for beauty appointments. If you however want a deep professional spray tan, Eco tan actually has professionals that can do this for you.

Why Organic? If you know me or have read this blog before you know how passionate I am about anything organic. To me it's the best lifestyle to ensure we can sustain this beautiful planet in the future. Organic food and cosmetics protect the environment, the animals and also our own health as humans. Of course I could go on and on why it is so important, but chances are you know this already. Otherwise I might write up a separate blog post.

Of course I all for the quality certified organic ingredients throughout the whole Eco Tan range. It has been tested in Australia to be toxin free and it's also vegan. I recommend this range to all my brides, if they are thinking about getting a fake tan for their wedding day. Of course always book yourself a trial appointment for a tan before the wedding day,so you can confirm the right colour and also make sure you don't have any allergic reactions. Now we can all get a truly healthy glow! In time for Spring...

A date with the bathtub- Weleda Time Machine

The nights are still pretty chilly over here and having worked some late nights lately as well as doing quite some intense yoga sessions, my muscles were in need of a soak and massage.

I haven't even used our bath tub since we moved into our apartment almost a year ago. When I lived in Berlin years ago the bathtub was the place to find me on days off and cold winter nights. I almost forgot how good it feels to have a bath! While the bathtub brings back memories I stepped even further down memory lane by using a beautiful Weleda bath milk. Weleda is one of the brands my hippie parents used when I was little and that I have adored all my life. It's the go to green beauty brand for everyday essentials. We lived in Germany and my Mum who is a Naturopath has always been into organic and green beauty products. Weleda has just brought out a new Arnica Muscle Soak, that called my name. It actually smells of an Swedish Sauna to me, which must be due to the birch, rosemary and lavender used. Where I grew up in Northern Europe saunas are very popular and are part of our culture. By the way: Did you know we recently visited Northern Germany, Denmark & Sweden? If you are interested in Scandinavia and our adventures check out our personal blog here. It's our personal project about happiness, photography and travel but mostly all the small things that make life so wonderful.

But back to my wonderful bath experience: I feel bathtime is one of these special pampering times that are so important for self care, just like meditation or exercise. I think I will continue to have baths until Spring arrives! I soaked for a little while in the warm water before bed and had my bed already warmed up with hot water bottles. I can't even remember a thing, I passed out as soon as I snuggled up. Highly recommended!

"Skin Food" is another hero product by Weleda a healing intensely moisturizing balm, soooooo good for feet, elbows or dry hands! It's one of these cult beauty products that has had no reason to change formula since 1926. It has a huge celebrity following as well and is a staple in many professional makeup kits, including my own, especially during the Winter months. Free from parabens, artificial preservatives, colours and fragrances. Skin Food is not tested on animals and is suitable for vegetarians. (this one is not vegan it does contain lanolin)

Weleda is one of the brands that takes green beauty to the next level, they grow most their ingredients in their own biodynamic organic gardens. Exotic ingredients they usually buy from sustainable fair trade projects, ensuring there are no sprays or pesticides used. This way they ensure that they are able to use only the highest quality ingredients while making sure they are sourced in a way that is ethically, socially and environmentally responsible. Extra green smoothie points from me there ;)

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.

Unique, Artisian & Holistic: Miskin Organics

Sometimes you stumble across an indie skincare label and everything about it feels right. This recently happened to me with the lovely line of Miskin Organics, an Australian made organic skincare line with a holistic approach. The minimal apothecary bottles, pretty photography and inspiring quotes on their website show the love for detail that goes into the products. Everything is very chic and minimalistic. But before I keep rambling on I better tell you about the actual products and my experience with them:

The Smooth Cleanser is a real winner, I have already mentioned and recommended it here. Suitable for all skin types it melts onto the skin and emulsifies into a milk on contact with water. It removed all makeup with ease and leaves my skin very soft and hydrated. I am a fan of cleansing balms and love the ritual of using a cloth or my Magic Mitt by Jane Iredale, it feels so good at the end of a long day.

I also tried the Detox Face Mask, which was a very intensely purifying treatment, I recommend this to everyone struggling with breakouts or congested skin. You have to mix it with water into a paste first, which is not the most convenient ready to use application, but I found it was well worth it. It's a really amazing natural alternative for problematic skin.

Do you have a sweet tooth? Then you can't go past the lip balm with chocolate and honey. Safe and edible and ultra moisturizing.

Last but not least to my absolute favourite in the line: The Silk Body Oil it doubles as an all natural fragrance with it's beautiful exotic scent of the Monoi de Tahiti oil. To me it smells of Summer and holiday and it makes me very happy. Beside that I personally LOVE the smell, it was one of the best textures in body oil that I have tried, it absorbed beautifully leaving the skin silky smooth with a lovely sheen. I used it as perfume, body moisturizer and hair treatment and will certainly get myself the larger bottle next time. I am currently on the hunt for all natural perfumes and this is so far my favourite.

Of course Miskin Organics does not test on animals and all products are filled with only the highest quality ingredients.