Would You Pay $299 For A Cleansing Pack?

Since the addition of extra free to air TV channels infomercials have exploded.  There are at least 4 shopping channels dedicated to bringing wears into the privacy of your lounge room 24x7.  

Shopping channels and infomercials are widely popular hence their existence and growth.  With those enthusiastic and bubbly sales people excitedly telling you all about the benefits the products will bring to your life.

Watching one such channel, a lady proceeded to apply some shiny liquid to her heavily made up face for the purpose of showing how well the product worked.  They liquid was referred to as a liquid cleanser and was applied and rubbed all over the face and eye area to remove makeup then washed away with a damp cloth.  Her skin was left beautifully clean.

The pack (called the Ultimate Pack) included facial oil, serum, moisturiser, cleansing balm and eye cream, plus a cleansing cloth and cosmetic bag.  5 products, cloth & bag.

 The price was $299 plus $11.90 postage and handling.

The pack above contains a lot of oils; not sure what's in the cleansing balm yet balms are usually oil/butter based. It's quite heavy for the skin and I'd not like to use that on my oily skin. Where's the non oil based cleanser, where's the toner, the exfoliate?

Let's compare that to JOLI Natural Skin Care

Face Pamper Pack $123 ~ listed in order of use

Facial Wash with gentle scrub

Enliven Facial Scrub 

Cleansing Toner - organic

Lime Eye Cream

Skin Serum

Moisturiser of choice - base on skin type

6 products (no cloth or bag), $8 flat rate postage.

Gel cleanser to remove grime. Gentle exfoliate. Purify the skin. Plump the eyes. Anti ageing followed by cream protection.

Perfect. All the things you need for all skin types.

Does the skin care you're using now come customised to your selected skin type?

Does the skin care you're using now come custom scented? Or unscented if you wish?

JOLI Natural Skin Care products do and you can contact JOLI for a consultation.

  

Being A Natural Goddess

#jolinatural #naturalskincare #idoitnaturally #keysborough #madeinmelbourne #myproductsyourway

 
If you've arrived at this blog it's very likely you're a natural goddess (or god) yourself and you're interested in living as natural a life as possible.

As you can see by those above hashtags I am ALL ABOUT NATURAL too!  Just about everything I do is as natural as can be, as sustainable as can be, as environmentally friendly as can be (within the constraints of modern living).

We only have one earth and we need to look after it!

We only have one body and we need to look after it!

What we put in our bodies and what we put on our bodies are equally important, don't you agree?

I started my company JOLI Natural Skin Care because my family were having adverse reactions to skin care products and I wanted something far more natural that we could use.

eczema on face

perioral dermatitis

eczema on body

Even before then I was into home cooking and cooking from scratch, into gardening and not using pesticides and other synthetic chemicals (made from petrochemicals - aka crude oil).

Natural living was always something I'd been doing without thinking about it, long before I started learning about the hazards of the 8,000+ man made synthetic ingredients (chemicals) used in our skin care, cleaning, gardening, food and clothing products.

Once I started JOLI Natural (#myproductsyourway) my natural living got broader as I learned more and more about the chemicals we come into contact with on a daily basis, as well as all the many other ways we abuse our planet and its inhabitants.

My BIG WHY is to reduce the amount of chemicals people come into contact with throughout their lives!

I have written blogs and made videos about green cleaning.

Natural beauty is an obsession of mine and it's rare to find an iffy product in my collect (it does happen though - I get them as gifts).  I'm also teaching my children this way of living, educating them on the importance of looking after our planet and our bodies.

Clean eating is also important.  When I met my husband he cooked with jars of sauces and I said, "No need for those sauces I can make them by scratch".  Then proceeded to show my then boyfriend my culinary skills.  I'm not the worlds best cook, yet I can put together delicious, wholesome meals.

Clean living... is more difficult, though we give it a good crack.  Our bin rarely needs emptying because we either recycle the majority of what we use or compost.  That being said, plastic is increasingly hard to get away from.  More and more products are coming pre-packaged in soft plastic and while this can be red-cycled it's not ideal.  Plus I'm not really sure paper (cutting down trees) is any better?  Anyone care to share some information regarding this?

Clothing is also an issue because it's hard to know how and where something is made.  There are certain chains I steer clear of in this regard and prefer to go opp shopping and recycle my clothing.  What green brands do you know of?  Bamboo Village is one place I like to support.

Tell me what other areas and ways are there to live green?  What ways do you live green and do your bit to save the planet and yourself?

***

P.S. This is the final post for this blog site. If you wish to keep in touch you can do so via the following options. Thank you for being part of the JOLI tribe xo

  

Long nails: natural vs enhancements

Have you tried just about everything to grow your nails?  Have you found that no matter what you do your nails end up breaking and you have to cut them all short again, and begin the process again?  Did you end up resorting to nail enhancements (also known as false nails)?

If you're like a great many women (and men) resorting to gel or acrylic nails you will probably have noticed they tend to look thick and chunky and really unnatural, yes?  What's the point in getting nail enhancements if they look fake (IMO)?

Most nail technicians will tell you nails are NOT tools!  Don't use them as tools.  That being said you don't want nails that are too thick that you cant do everyday things like: scratch your nose or ears, or peel that sticker off.

At the JOLI Natural Beauty Salon we do things a little differently.  Our motto is:
We want to make your false nails look as natural as possible. 

Let me take you on a nail journey to best explain.

nail art on short natural nails

Often I have to cut my nails short because one broke, then two (admittedly I am rough as guts on my nails)... then I cut them all and start the growing process all over again ... wahhhhhh!!!!!

nail art on medium length natural nails

Starting the growing process again by eating nuts daily and applying nail polish and cuticle oil on a regular basis.  Have you found any foods (or things) that help your nails grow long and strong?

 nails growing long after eating nuts & applying cuticle oil

 
I can and do grown my nails long (eating nuts helps; you can see the effects of this in the whiter part at the base of the nails), and they tend to look good.  However I eventually have to clean the bathroom, kitchen or car (poor me) and next thing I've broken one or two nails at the base, then my hands look silly because 1 or 2 nails are short while the others are long... and the process starts all over again.

I can repair these nails but the repairs are temporary until the break grows out enough that it won't be painful if the nail tip comes off.

natural nails - coffin shaped

A rare moment when all my nails are growing very long and none have broken ... yet.  When one breaks the whole look is ruined (and I always break my nails right at the very base) and I have to either cut all my nails or try to repair the nail.

gel nails with white tips

Every so often I will get frustrated with the process and do nail enhancements... because I can't seem to keep my nails all long, all of the time.

In the above image, I used white nail tips applied to short nails with a natural gel overlay.  Even though the white tips don't look natural notice the slim C-curve (the very tip of the nail) and the slim shape of the side walls.  I want to create a real as possible looking nail shape.

acrylic nail enhancements that are too thick/chunky

To give you an idea of the difference between real looking false nails vs fake looking false nails... these are nails I had done by another nail technician.  The C-curve is noticeably more thick (the nail tips) than my gel application (above) and you can tell by looking at these nails that they're not my own natural nails.  It's too obvious!

acrylics by another technician - fat looking nails

Note the chunky wide looking nails (left to right), they look unnaturally broad and unattractive.  Though she did an amazing job with the nail polish.

nail enhancements - coffin shaped - by another technician (not too bad looking)

nail enhancements (them vs me)

The above image gives you another look into the difference between how I do nail enhancements vs how others do them.  Even though the bottom R/H image you can tell by how white the tips are, they're not natural, the width and the thickness of the nails (in both bottom pics) look more natural than the two top images.

The point being, I covet long nails.  I always have!  I've wished to have long strong nails ALL of the time and am envious of those who can and do grow their nails long, and have long nails all the time.  However, even though I can grow my nails (by eating nuts and applying cuticle oil) they always break, one here, one there, because I am rough on my nails.  I eventually get disheartened and resort to nail enhancements.

When I do this I want my nails to look at natural as possible so I'll do my own, instead of going to a technician because they tend to make the nails too thick and chunky.

How about you?  Do you get nail enhancements?  Do they look close to your actual nail shape?  Do they look as natural as possible?

If you have long nails, what do you think the key is to having them long and what's the key to keeping them long?

Share your nail stories below.

P.S. you might have noticed I said the previous blog was the last on this site, however, I have unpublished posts I've written (such as this one) that I'll still publish.

Pet friendly skin care

Did you know that cancer in pets is on the rise?

One of the main reasons for this is pet food and all the rubbish they put in.

Another reason is pet care products such as shampoos and conditioners etc. containing the same hazardous ingredients human skin care products contain.

What products are you using on your pets right now?

Are they safe?

Do they contain hazardous ingredients?

It might surprise you to know that JOLI's Soothing Salve can be used safely on your pets for a number of skin conditions - and is perfectly safe if your pet decides to lick the area.

We used Soothing Salve on our beloved dog (below) when she had fly bite and it soothed her itching and helped heal the area and keep the flies at bay.

If you're not using natural skin care on your pets... make the switch TODAY!

Subscribe to JOLI's newsletter In The Raw between now and the end of November 2018 and you'll go in the running to win a Gift Pack - in time for Christmas!

Gift Pack contains: 

Heavenly Bath Milk > 3pack Bubble Truffles > Handmade Soap > Bubble Cupcake > Bath Ball - all beautifully presented in a reusable gift box & cellophane with ribbon.

  

Spring is here! It's time to spuce up the energy around your home.

Let me start of by saying how much I dislike cleaning.  I try to daydream to make the chore somewhat enjoyable.  I try to think of the benefits: the house looks better, I'm moving, being active, I'm good at it.  Still it is not something where I say, "Woo hoo, have to clean that today."

SPRING is here:

It's time to start opening windows and doors and getting a cool breeze flowing through the house.  Time for a good dust of the cobwebs and a nice cleansing of the house.  By cleanse I mean things like moving stagnant energy from areas of the house, there are spots where the breeze doesn't really hit and the area can become stagnant.  These are the areas you want to refresh.

STEP one - setting the scene:

Open windows and doors in a cross ventilation.  This allows a breeze to blow in from one end and blow the dust out of the other end of the house.
Light some candles, the flame burns dust it comes into contact with which I've always thought helps eliminate the dust.  I could be wrong, though either way, the light flickering is a nice touch. 
Remember to keep safe!  You don't want to set the place on fire.

STEP two - dusting & smudging:

The smudging part is optional and can be as easy as lighting an incense stick and moving around the house with it.  Letting the smoke into those breeze-less stagnant areas.
When dusting get yourself a good natural duster.  I find bird feathers work well and if you feel bad about purchasing bird feathers look around locals parks for some really good, large fallen bird feathers.  Attached them to a long thin piece of wood and you're good to go.

STEP three - working in a team:

Spring cleaning is a big job and you don't wan to to it alone (or all in one hit).  My husband and I work as a team doing different parts.  He opens doors, I light candles and smudge.  I walk around the house dusting, leaving a light on in each room I've completed so he knows which rooms he can vacuum.  Then he turns the lights off in each room when he finishes vacuuming.  This way we know which rooms are complete and we're not doing the whole house by ourselves.

STEP four - reward yourself:

When you're finished it's time to sit down with a nice bevvy and relax for a bit.  Sit back and admire your work, or sit outside in the garden getting some vitamin D.  Have a chat to each other.  Doing house work together can actually be a nice quality time thing, kind of like an internal date.

 

What about you? How do you refresh the stagnant air in your house and do you and the family members work as a team?

  

How To Treat Sunburn

Can you remember the last time you got sunburned?  How long were you in pain for?  How long did your burns take to heal?  Did you blister and peel?

I'm kicking myself because I got sunburned even though I wore a long sleeve top and hat and thought I was protected.  Sadly my neck was not covered and got cooked to a cripsy.  Boo hiss!

The temperature was 25 and overcast, the sky covered with grey clouds.  There was a 5 minute walk to the parade which I watched in the shade.  Then a 10 minute walk to the fairground where I sat under the shade of a beautiful large old tree, and some standing around watching a bird show for around 5 or so minutes.

All up only around 20minutes of sunshine... yet enough to cook me :-(

Here are steps on how I treated my sunburn and healed quickly with as little pain and discomfort as possible.

Day 1 - (technically night 1) Applied Whipped Cream Moisturiser to my face and neck because I could feel my skin was dehydrated and desperately needed a good drink.  My neck was super red and sore to touch and I felt miserable and foolish. 

Day 2 - Applied Soothing Salve in the morning, the afternoon and before bed.  I had to pat the lotion on very gingerly because rubbing and touching my skin hurt badly.  Especially my trapezius muscles.

Day 3 - Applied Whipped Cream Moisturiser as a cold cream mask to my face and neck and let it sit for 15minutes to soak in and deeply hydrate my skin.  Moisturising richly in an attempt to starve off fine lines and wrinkles that can come from being sunburned. 
Before bed I applied Soothing Salve and could already rub the lotion into the front of my neck and trapezius without discomfort.

Day 4 - By this stage the pain had gone away and I could easily apply Soothing Salve to the area before bed.  The red had already faded to a light tan colour.

When my skin was fully healed, around day 7, I began applying Enliven Facial & Body Scrub to exfoliate the area and gently removed the tanned skin (the tanned neck looks funny next to my pale body and face).

In future I plan on wearing a summer scarf to cover my neck instead of thinking I'm covered up enough and it's not that hot so I should be ok.

When did you last get burned and how and what did you do to treat it?
  

I Don't Have A Green Thumb part 2

In part one of I Don't Have A Green Thumb I touched on how nature has their own way of flourishing - with some useful How To Be A Green Thumb tips.  In this blog I'll focus on

WATERING

~ Follow Nature

Nature is good at regulating itself and a good thing to follow and pay attention to.

If it rains outside water your indoor plants, they'd be getting a drink if they were outside in their natural environment.

If it rains for more than one day give your plants more water, but not too much.  A good water on day one (generally around half a cupful of water for medium plants, depending on plant and pot size), lessening the amount each day depending on how big your plant pot is.


~ Heat Waves

If you had a really hot day where you've just about died of heat exhaustion and sat around all day because it was hot to move it's a good idea to give yourself and your plants a drink.

None of us can survive without water!

When watering your plants outside, use water you've collected from those rainy days in containers around the garden and from rinsing dishes.  This saves on having to use water from the tap and is also a great way to use up those containers that gather water (and mozzie larvae). 

P.S. dogs like to drink rain water so you're also looking after your pets.


~ More Needy

Concentrate on newly planted plants and those looking like they're keeling over.  Good healthy looking plants can be ignored, up to a point.

Well established plants can generally go without water for up to 3-7 days without your watering them - or never in some cases.  Generally well established plants are good at finding water sources themselves and don' necessarily need your help.

NOTE: If a plant died or is dying this means it's time to plant a new and different plant there: one that can thrive there, whereas the other one wasn't suited to that spot.

healthy garden

  

Me and bread, we're not friends.

Meaning I'm not friends with bread; I cannot bake it to save myself.

The closest I've come is beer bread, though that's a crumbly moist bread and hard to make slices out of .

Other breads I try come out hard as rock and for all my life I've never been able to leave anything to rise.  Nothing has ever risen for me.  I've tried different yeasts and different temperatures of water and different ovens and different cool places to rise.  Nothing.

I've followed recipes and asked those who can bake how they do it and I still can't get a nice plump, fluffy loaf of bread.

How about you?  Do you have a fool proof bread recipe?

Beer bread with olives and 3 dips