NEW RELEASE! Aces&Bases (Piwi&Late)

Last week my alter-ego Piwi and her partner in crime John Late released a new re-make of the ever-so-awesome 90's track 'All that she wants' by Ace of Bass.

Click the link below to hear the track - Feel free to provide feedback, but please no haters!

Aces&Basses

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Facial steam - What is it really doing?

Since I started my adventure in natural cosmetics and remedies I have been giving myself a facial steam on a weekly basis. At first I didn't really like it and found it hard to relax breathing in this hot air under towel, but now I have learnt to really enjoy it and my skin has definitely seen the benefits.

Steam encourages the pores of the skin to perspire and breathe which allows moisture to seep to deeper layers of your skin. It relaxes muscle tissues, plumps those wrinkles, brings oxygenated blood to the surface of you skin and boosts circulation.

If you are feel like your skin is lacking some shine and glow I would really suggest doing a simple facial steam - I convinced my boyfriend to give it a go yesterday and he absolutely LOVED it.

Do not underestimate the STEAM..

Ingredients:
3 cups water
1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
Crushed fennel seeds
rosemary
lavender

A little bit of info about the ingredients...
Apple cider vinegar is used in this steam purely for its properties of bringing the skin to its natural pH level and leaves the skin nice and soft. Fennel seeds when used in a steam have hydrating benefits and also smell divine. Lavender for its relaxing aroma and has a natural calming effect on our central nervous system. Rosemary is known to have cell-regenerating properties as well antiseptic properties.

Method:
1. boil the water and vinegar together.
2. Take off heat and add fennel seeds and herbs.
3. Place lid on the pot and leave to brew for 5 minutes
4. Place a large towel over your head and shoulders, creating a tent with the pot underneath
5. Immerse your face in the steam (about 20cm away from water)
6. Stay like this for 10 minutes.
7. Cool your face off with luke warm water and pat dry.
8. Always a great idea to follow this with a face mask.

The face mask I chose after this facial steam was similar to my previous banana concoction which I thought was a great idea after a long weekend in the sun... My skin needed some extra hydration!

Ingredients:
1/2 Banana
2 Tbsp Cream
1 tsp Apricot Kernel Oil

Method:
1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Apply to face and recline as this face mask does not really dry and can drip if you are not careful!
3. Leave on for 20 minutes and then remove with a face cloth.

Happy steaming!

p.s If you have any direct concerns or are unsure whether this would suit your skin type please feel free to contact me and I may be able to suggest something more suitable :)

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Baby Bump Cream - Coconut and Apricot

I have a very close friend of mine (Sister from another mister) who is expecting her little baby girl to arrive in March.. You may remember I was knitting some bootees a few months back in preparation, you can see that here.

Since I have started making potions for the body I have been thinking over and over about making something that contains Vitamin E oil so that pregnant friends of mine may use this on their bellies during the incubating months.

Here is a recipe I made especially for my lovely Ona - However it is a very basic cream and I think all pregnant ladies would love this :)

This recipe makes approximately 2 small jars full.

Ingredients:

4 Tbl Apricot Kernal Oil
4 Tbl Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
2 Tbl Beeswax
2 Tbl Vitamin E Oil
1 Tbl Cocobutter
1/2 tsp Pure Lanolin
10 Tbl Water
2 tsp Vegetable glycerin
30 Drops Sweet Orange Essential Oil

Method:

1. In a double boiler over a very low temperature melt together the apricot oil, coconut oil, beeswax, vitamin E oil, cocobutter and lanolin. Once the beeswax has completely melted take off heat and leave to cool.
2. At the same time measure out the water and vegetable glycerin into a separate pot and also place on a very low heat and stir till the two ingredients mix together. Take off heat.
3. Now with both pots off the elements, let them cool for approximately 10 minutes. you will notice the oil mixture will start to go a cloudy colour.
4. In a food processor quickly scrap the oil mixture in place the lid on (but remove the centre piece), and set the processor to a slow speed.
5. The oil mix will start to thicken.
6. Slowly pour the vegetable glycerin mix through the whole in the lid and keep the processer on at a low speed.
7. It should all mix together and make a creamy white lotion.
8. Take off speed and add the sweet orange.
9. Mix through and then turn the processor on a slow spin for the last time.
10. Remove and scrap into jars.
11. Let the cream completely cool before placing the lids on.

This is a delicious cream!

Enjoy x

Birthday celebrations

On the 11th of January it was the 25th birthday of fellow wolverine Kimberley !!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIMMY!

On the 11th we went on a fabulous boat cruise around the Auckland Harbor with a bunch of friends who could make it - It was a very eventful evening including ripping out a couple of moves on the disco dance floor.. photos below.

The weekend just passed, we decided to get away and celebrate Kimmys birthday outside of Auckland so we packed our bags & chilli bins and drove up on Friday evening to Kai iwi Lakes. We had a primo spot with a massive house looking over the lake. It was a perfect weekend full of fantastic food, sunshine, kayaking, golf and facials.

The ladies on the holiday were brave enough to try out some of my face masks! Photos and recipes below :)

Facials:

First of all the ladies all cleansed their faces with an almond and sunflower seed mix wetted to a paste with water, they then had a choice of 2 face masks depending on their skin type:

1. Banana smoothie face-mask

Skin type: Normal to dry/dehydrated skin

Ingredients: Buttermilk & Banana

Buttermilk helps to clear and brighten skin as it contains lactic acid which helps remove hyper-pigmented cells. And banana serves as a nourishing and moisturising ingredient, a non-abrasive exfoliant also with skin lightening action. It is good for all skin types especially dry skin :)

1. Deep cleanse mask

Skin type: Oily to normal skin

Ingredients: Almonds (crushed), sunflower seeds (crushed), rolled oats (crushed), almond oil & tomato flesh (seeds and skin removed). 

Almonds are high in emollients and work as a good exfoliant, also works as a gentle bleaching agent to even skin tone. Sunflower seeds are rich in essential fatty acids, emollients and nutrients - makes a good moisturiser and is very gentle, fantastic for exfoliation. Rolled oats are soothing to irritated skin and also makes a gentle abrasive base for the face mask. Almond oil (I use this religiously every day) is high in fatty acids and penetrates the skin well. Lastly tomatoes are high in anti-oxidants and are great on inflamed or blemished skin.

All ingredients used - the mixes can be prepared in advance!

Cleansing with an almond mix

Helping each other apply the mask

The girls relaxing as their masks work magic!

Even Porsche wanted to join in!  

Amazing meal prepared by Jess to top off a perfect day at the lake :)

More good food the next day

Thank you very much ladies! X

Sunday morning facial

After 2 nights out and 1 of them where I ended up being rather sick.. I decided that my poor body not only needed a bit of a detox but my skin was feeling tired and drawn so I decided to go about creating a morning facial.

It is very simple to follow and I found all ingredients already present in my house so I do hope those of you who like it will be able to re-create it easily in your own homes!

I would recommend this for all skin types but especially for those needed a bit of hydration after a hard week or busy weekend.

So the complete facial consists of:

Cleanser
Facial steam
Mask
Moisturiser

1. Cleanser
This is a very basic simple recipe but also acts as an exfoliant to the skin. This is not a cleanser to be stored but rather just make the amount you want to use and discard anything left over.

1. In a food processer whizz 3-4 whole almonds (raw), only pulse maybe 4-5 times as you have to be careful with almonds not to process them to a butter!
2. Put the processed almonds in a small mixing bowl and add 1 tsp of milk, mix until it makes a spreadable paste
3. Leave for a minute to thicken.
4. Massage into your face using your fingers for a couple of minutes.
5. Rinse off face and lightly pay-dry your face with a towel.

2. Facial steam
You can change the ingredients of this steam according to what you prefer and required for your skin. I am using Apple Cider Vinegar in this recipe as it helps to restore the natural pH level in your skin.

1. Boil 3 cups of water with 1/4 cup of Apple Cider vinegar in a pot.
2. Once boiled take off heat and add 3-4 lavender heads, 3 tsps of fresh rosemary, 3 sprigs of fresh mint.
3. Place the lid on the pot and let it brew for 5 minutes.
4. Get a large towel and place it over your head and shoulders so that it covers the pot also (creating a tent like structure), breathe in deeply and relax.
5. Stay like this for 10 minutes and enjoy the relaxing smells..

3. Mask
With this recipe I make up a great lot of the dried mix and just add 1-2 tsp of the mix with cream as I go. So just beware that this recipe makes a bit and can be stored in a zip-lock bag for months.

1. Whizz in the food processer 1/4 cup of rolled oats, 5-6 whole almonds (un-roasted) and 1/8 cup of sunflower seeds. Process till it makes a chunky powder - It does not have to be perfect!
2. Place the processed mix into a mixing bowl and add 2 tsp of finely chopped rosemary leaves and a small dash of cinnamon
3. Put in a zip-lock bag for storage
4. Mix 3 tsp of the mix with 1-2 tsp of cream so that it makes a spreadable paste - leave to thicken
5. Spread all over your face and neck and leave for 20 minutes
6. Rinse your face well!

4. Moisturiser
This is a very basic moisturiser which I use all day long - it is so refreshing through this hot weather and smells so good :) You can purchase Vegetable glycerin from Huckleberry Farms, this product is a carbohydrate derived from plant oils and helps to replenish the moisture in your skin.

1. In a jar place 1/2 cup of water, 2 tsp vegetable glycerin and 6 drops of lemon essential oil
2. Shake well and put in a facial spray container.
3. Every time you use this shake it well before spraying on your face.

Fresh and clean!

Strawberries!

It has come to my attention that Strawberries are more potent and useful than I originally thought!

Did you know that Strawberries have healing and drying properties? Well I didn't! It contains a very gentle exfoliating acid which can be used on your skin to get rid of dead-skin that may build-up - sounds grosse I know but very real on any face!

I also once read years ago in a women's magazine an article about Catherine Zeta-Jones allegedly rubbing strawberries on her teeth as a whitener. Turns out this is not a whole of rubbish and that strawberries do contain a bleaching property also which if used daily can help us all get rid of the fearful coffee stains!

Here in New Zealand strawberries are currently in season and you can pick them up so cheap from the supermarket or fruit store - So go spend a dollar or so and try this easy method - eating a few strawberries daily will also do you justice and is also an easy way to make sure you have your fruit intake!

So here I share with you 2 recipes; one a simple face wash for oily-normal skin and an easy strawbug-bleach-brush!

Strawberry cleanser:

This is not to be stored and just made as needed :) I have used Lemon essential oil as it contains acidic properties that help to eliminate oily conditions of the face and leave it feeling so fresh and so clean clean! Lemon also contains a mild bleach which if used regularly can help to even skin tone.


Ingredients
4-5 strawberries (make sure these are super ripe and easy to mash!)
1-2 drops of lemon essential oil

Method
Mash the strawberries in a small bowl
Strain through a small sieve or coffee filter
Taking just the liquid remaining add the lemon essence
Apply to the face and neck with a cotton pad and massage into skin
Rinse and pat-dry your skin - NEVER dry your skin vigorously as this is very delicate and can be damaged easily!

Strawbug-bleach-brush:

Ingredients
Strawberries

Method
You can work this recipe simultaneously with the cleanser and use the juicy pulp left over
Put some on your toothbrush and brush gently into teeth for 2 minutes
Rinse your mouth well

Let me know if you try these and have any feedback - I tried both for the first time today and really enjoyed them both. I found the Strawbug-bleach-brush a little strange to start off with but if it whitens my teeth and it is that cost effective I really have no complaints!

Happy cleansing!

Megan X

Here We Go Again

The organisers of Rhythm and Vines promised its 10th year anniversary was going to be the best yet. It was.

Actually, it was by far one of my most enjoyable New Year holidays to date which is funny because I really did not have any great expectations for RnV this time round. I mean I still had a good time the three previous times I attended,  I have just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible mainly due to lack of sleep, bad weather, camping situations and just generally being over it!

But now as I sit here at my desk looking out at the blue skies of Auckland which will surely turn grey when Friday afternoon finally get heres, I am wistfully dreaming that I could go back in time and do it all over again.

Driving down the beautiful East Coast at dusk

29 December

We woke up to a spectacularly sunny East Coast day and it was a unanimous decision to head to the beautiful Wainui beach (even my sun-phobic bf tagged along). On the way we checked in at “The Hub” where we collected our wrist bands and AWOP cards (a genius idea meaning we didn’t have to queue at the actual festival). After sufficient tanning we went back to our lovely rented house to begin getting ready for the first night of Rhythm. What an awesome night it was! We drunkenly wandered between all three main stages throughout the night absorbing the sights and sounds of Homebrew, Icona Pop, Disclosure, Flume, Kimbra, Netsky and Knife Party.

30 December

Tonight was dress up and our house decided to go as hippies. We searched the Gisborne Dollar Mart to find suitable headpieces, accessories and tops (don’t get me started about the tops) that fitted in with our theme. The rain clouds eventually parted and we hosted some drinks in our back garden before heading into Rhythm for night number two. To be completely honest my memory is a bit hazy from this night but I’m pretty sure I had a good time listening to Breakbot, Mark Ronson, Chase & Status and High Contrast before heading home to have a serious munch on way too many chicken nuggets.



Photo borrowed from news.com.au, no way I could get this myself!



31 December

New Years Eve was the most perfect, relaxing day of our holiday (until the evening that is). Not a cloud in the sky, the sun was on full show and our day was spent sunbathing and reading in shady areas of the garden. Four o’clock suddenly arrived, as did our eager friends who hadn’t been out the previous two nights, and it dawned on us that we better start drinking. Again. Before I knew it, we were making our way to RnV for the last time of 2012.

The festival was packed and everyone was on form. We watched Six60, P Money and The Presets before seeing in the New Year to fireworks and fire dancers with Swedish House Mafia’s “don’t you worry, don’t you worry child” acting as background music.

Krafty Kuts and A-Skillz kept us going with such a mean set, I seriously could have stayed dancing to them until 6am. We went for another wander between stages and listened to Dan Aux and Benga before making the journey home.

So sad to leave!

My brief description above does not do our holiday justice at all but I tried.

If you haven’t experienced Rhythm and Vines before I highly recommend putting it on your “To Do List”. Or if you are (were now) like me and feeling hesitant about going back, don’t be. There is little I believe the organisers can improve on. I did not have to wait in line once for a drink, there are huge choices of food available, plenty of places to sit and there was always a portaloo/toilet free.

Happy New Year everyone!

Megan's New Years resolution 2013

I am not one to make New Years resolutions only because I don't believe you should wait till the end of the year to make necessary changes that you see fit in your life. But after a conversation with some health conscious friends today I decided I could use the New Year as an excuse... it is always good to try new things - right?

So although I already started changing my lifestyle from about midway through last year I have now made a commitment to better living and taking care of my body the way it deserves!

To support this change I have adapted the 'Seven lifestyle keys' by Stephanie Tourles

1. Daily cleansing

2. Maximal nutrition intake

3. Regular consumption of pure water

4. Regular elimination of internal and external toxic buildup

5. Daily movement

6. Moderate exposure to sunlight

7. Sound sleep.

I truly believe the real beauty comes from knowing and loving your own body inside and out and this can be easily achieved using the 7 steps above.

Wish me luck people!

Let's all be natural this year!

"When you improve appearance, you also boost your morale. And we all function better and are more comfortable when we know we have presented our best to our critical selves and to the world."
-VIRGINIA CASTLETON

Happy New Year!

We hope you all had a wonderful and safe New Year celebration!

We apologise for the lack of posts but have been extremely busy running around the country visiting family and also attending festivals to bring in 2013!

I am off to Rotorua tomorrow for a bit of a tourist adventure which I am excited about as I haven't been to Rotovegas ince I was very little :)

This is my current reading material - A LOT of new recipes to be created and shared with you this year!

Please take care out in the sun and remember to plaster yourself with sunblock!

Love from all of us @ LWM!