December Beauty Inspiration: Miranda Kerr

I don't know many women who haven't thought to themselves, "Gosh, I wish I looked like Miranda Kerr!" And who can blame us? The stunning model stemming from country New South Wales, Australia has had nothing short of an astonishing career, but still maintains the down to earth personality she is envied for. From becoming the first Aussie Victoria's Secret Angel to budding entrepreneur with her organic skin care brand Koraorganics, it makes me excitably wonder what she could possibly achieve next.

Miranda's top beauty tips:

• Stay hydrated. (This is the key to her beautiful, glowing skin.)
• Use organic skin care products. (She swears by her line, Koraorganics.)
• Meditate regularly. (So that's why she is so down to earth!)
• Maintain dental hygiene. (Yes, we can all have teeth that pearly white.)
• Use coconut oil to treat your hair. (Organic, check.)
• Drink Noni Juice daily. (What's a celeb without a juice obsession, am I right?)

Image courtesy of: Instagram/Miranda Kerr

Myth: I Don't Need to Moisurise if I Have Oily Skin

Busted!

This is the biggest beauty lie ever which I unfortunately succumbed to when I was younger. As a consequence, my skin became an atrocious disaster zone which I'm still in the process of fixing.

Here's a little lesson on our skin:
 
When we hit puberty, a hormone (Androgen) causes our sebaceous glands (the glands which produce sebum/oil) to hit overdrive, which leaves some of us with open-pored, oily and acne prone skin. Some are lucky to grow out of this once we reach adulthood, but if you're anything like me and super unlucky, the production can stick around for the long haul. In adulthood, our skin overproduces sebum when it becomes dry. It's so important for everyone to realise that oily skin and hydrated skin are NOT the same thing! 

Oil DOES NOT equal hydration!

So, what makes oily skin worse?

Using cleansers that are too harsh and not moisturising are the two primary culprits for out of control, oily skin. Even just one of these can cause a vicious cycle of sebum overproduction.

How do I fix it?

• Find a gentle, hydrating cleanser which contains salicylic acid as it helps reduce sebum production.
• Moisturise on a daily basis with a lightweight moisturiser. It may take some time for your skin to develop a healthy cycle of sebum production.

The Lowdown: Exfoliation

Exfoliation: If you haven't heard of it, now is the time to learn. It should be an imperative part of every person's beauty routine, it's basically the secret to glowing skin!

Why?
The top layer of our skin is made up of 'dead' keratinised cells. These cells can make us look flaky, dull and rough, without necessarily being dry. To help our complexion look smooth and fresh again, we need to gently remove these dead cells and reveal new ones hiding beneath.

How?
We can exfoliate our faces by using a gentle scrub. These can be purchased just about anywhere or you can make one at home yourself. Here is a recipe for a scrub that exfoliates as well as treats acne and blackheads. The rest of our body can be exfoliated with a special glove (pictured). Use one of these in the shower with your favourite body wash, applying in a soft and circular motion. Need a little extra power? Combine the use of an exfoliating glove with a body scrub, hello new cells!

Depending on the condition and type of your skin, I recommend exfoliating 2-4 times per week. If you have sensitive skin, you will need to be extra gentle and exfoliate less. Those with dry skin, probably up to four times a week and people, like me, with combination/oily/normal skin should exfoliate 3 times per week.

Body Shop Exfoliating Glove $8.95

The Result?
Fresh, radiant, & glowing skin. Boost the benefits by moisturising daily, even if you have oily skin! I can't stress this enough. Beauty begins with the most basic of care. Cleansing, exfoliating and moisturising are three super important, but so simple, ways of taking care of your skin.

St Ives Fresh Skin Invigorating Scrub Review

I fell in love with this a few years ago and use it 3-4 times a week (every day is too harsh). I have oily/combination skin which is prone to blackheads and acne, and this helps keep them at bay. It smells amazing and my face actually FEELS clean after using it. I can’t complain about the price either ($9.99), so impressed.

I wouldn’t recommend using this if you have sensitive or dry skin as it can be quite harsh, the Green Tea scrub would be a perfect alternative. This is perfect for people with normal, oily or combination skin.

How to Determine Your Skin Type

I can’t stress the importance of knowing your skin type. Why? Because not every product suits every face. This is why that foundation your bestie wears looks perfect on her but leaves your face looking greasier than a Kentucky Fried Chicken piece. There are five different types your skin can be: normal, oily, dry, sensitive or combination. Which one are you? Find out below.


Normal:

• No or few imperfections (redness, blemishes, discolouration)


• No real sensitivity to most products


• Small pores (barely visible/invisible)


• 'Radiant' looking - smooth and clear


• Neither oily nor dry

Oily:

• Shiny, dull appearance


• Enlarged pores (quite visible)


• Prone to acne, pimples, blackheads


• Tip: Don’t over-wash your face and use a gentle cleanser. Stick to products that are noncomedogenic as they don’t clog your pores. Moisturise daily - our skin overproduces oil when it’s dehydrated, don’t skip this!

 Dry:

• Dull looking


• 'Tight' feeling


• Red & flaky


• Small pores (barely visible/invisible)


• Less elasticity


• More visible lines/wrinkles


• Tip: Take shorter showers as prolonged exposure to warm water will dehydrate your skin even more. Use gentle cleansers that are soap free, these won’t dry out your skin as much. Moisturise twice a day and reapply as necessary.

Sensitive:

• Red, itchy, usually dry


• Prone to rashes


• Highly irritable


• Broken capillaries


• Tip: Find what triggers your skin’s sensitivity, most of the time it’s certain beauty products or food. Once you find the triggers, avoid them like the plague!

Combination:

• Enlarged pores (visible)


• Prone to blackheads


• Oily, shiny T-zone (forehead, nose, chin)


• Rest of face usually dry


• Tip: Refer to oily skin/dry skin tips

No matter your skin type, you must, and I mean must make moisturising and sunscreen application part of your daily routine. Find moisturisers that are best for your skin type. I know it can be a lengthy process of trial and error but your skin will love you for it - and who doesn’t want skin that behaves?!

Image Credit: CitrusClear

Coconut Oil: Why You Should Be Obsessed

Not obsessing over Coconut Oil yet? Here’s why you should be:


Not only is it a super-food and smells like paradise, it’s amazing for your skin and hair too.


I use it as a daily moisturiser. Even if you have oily skin, you can too. Our skin overproduces oil when it’s dehydrated, so it’s essential for ALL of us to moisturise no matter what our skin type is.


Coconut oil reduces inflammation and helps repair damaged skin tissue so it’s wonderful for treating acne.


Give your hair a natural treatment by combing Coconut Oil through your hair and leaving it in for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly (I recommend shampooing twice) and dry/style as normal. Shine is restored instantly!


Are you sold yet? It’s available in most supermarkets and health food stores in the cooking oil section. Make sure you buy organic!

Your Guide to the Perfect Fake Tan

Summer is set to arrive here in Australia and we all want that gorgeous glow without the consequences of suntanning (if you’re still doing it, stop!). Here’s some tips to avoid a self tanning disaster.

Proper Preparation is key!

Exfoliation: I can’t stress enough how important it is to exfoliate before tanning. Exfoliation removes any dead skin cells to prevent ugly patches and ensure an even colouration. Invest in a good exfoliating glove and body scrub and use these both together.

Hair Removal: Make sure you shave at least 12 hours prior and wax 24 hours prior to tanning. Any sooner and you’re more likely to irritate your skin as it is quite sensitive after hair removal.

Moisturise: Pay particular attention to areas that are prone to becoming dry, such as elbows and knees. Moisturising will help prevent any blotchiness. Make sure you let it fully sink in before tanning!

Other tips: Wear gloves (unless you want Oompa Loompa hands!) and carefully apply Vaseline to your eyebrows and hairline if you’re tanning your face. This will prevent those dodgy patch marks appearing where you really don’t want them!

Choose Your Weapon.

There’s tonnes of different kinds of self tanners available now, but it’s completely up to you what type you use. Spray, gradual, lotion, gel, mousse - yes it can be a little overwhelming if you’re new to this!

With different types comes different shades. This will depend on the colour of your skin and the kind of tan you want. If you’re a beginner, I suggest using a gradual tan with the lightest shade that’s the next step up from your current skin colour.

Maintain that Glow!

To make sure your tan lasts as long as possible, make sure you stay hydrated. That includes drinking enough water and moisturising daily.

Don’t shower for at least 6-8 hours after tanning, otherwise you may wash away all your hard work.

DIY Cookie Dough Foot Scrub

This smells delicious and leaves you feet (and hands) soft and exfoliated with a scent of freshly baked cookies.

• 1/2 cup brown sugar


• 1/2 cup white sugar


• 1/4 cup olive oil


• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract/essence.

Combine all ingredients, soak your feet for 10 minutes, give them a scrub and rinse. So good you will want to eat it!

Why Kiwi Fruit Could be Your Skin's New Hero

If you haven’t tried Kiwi fruit, you’re definitely missing out. It’s delicious and nutritious, and it’s also great for our skin.

The Natural Exfoliant - Kiwi fruit is super high in vitamin C so it’s great for repairing any skin damage and it also evens out your skin tone. Mash and apply to your face, leave on for 10 minutes, lightly scrub & rinse with warm water.

Got dry skin? Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 egg yolk to the mashed kiwi mask.

Got oily skin? Add 1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt, 1 teaspoon of honey and one teaspoon of oil to the mashed kiwi mask.

DIY Acne soothing & blackhead clearing face scrub

Mix 2 tablespoons of organic honey, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of cinnamon and one tablespoon of sugar.

Apply to your face, leave on for five minutes and gently scrub while washing away with luke warm water.

Voila!