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

  

How to tell if an email is a scam

How to tell if an email is a scam [con, trick]?

By JOLI

"The operative word being SEARCH!"

There are still many people who fall for scams, cons and tricks?  We know this because the scam artists keep on coming.  They wouldn't do it if it didn't work.

Here are some basic helpful tips on what to look out for.

1) Does the email return address match the company/who they say they are?

The following email claims to be from Dr Nicolas Dean while the email address says Wilson Stevens @ hotmail (a doctor wouldn't use a hotmail address??).

2) Do the links in the message match the sender's details when you hover over the link?

3) Do your research before engaging in any type of interaction.

If you search 'bridal party scam' (see below) you'll find other people have similar stories to tell.  The operative word being SEARCH!

4) Be logical, think about it, ask yourself questions.

Referring to the above email:

a) How many grooms book 'surprise bridal parties'?
b) How many genuine people would book via an email?  They'd call to get answers straight away.
c) How many would know what type of treatments you offer, let alone how long these procedures take?

Note: the above email is a scam and the second time I've received a similar email (same details different people). How it works is they ask for a price, over pay you then ask for a refund of over payment (or cancellation).  You pay and their payment bounces.  Be savvy!

5) Do they give a business name or website?  Doe they have an ABN?  Is their business name registered?  Do they have reviews?

The following email claims to be from Pragya, an online marketing consultant, who works for a 'company' with over 130 designers.  Yet they give no company name or link to a bonafide website, with an aol email (instead of a company email address).

Even if they have a website check for other details (listed above).

6) Should the company emailing you know your name? Do they know who you are or do they use generic Dear Sir/Madam?

The following email is supposedly from Facebook (which it is NOT).  Facebook would know my name, and they would not have such a bogus email address, nor a link that does not link back to Facebook.  Fake Fake Fake!!!

Note: Some companies may not be a con or scam per se, thought they spam your email without your permission, which is against the law.

Spam emails can be reported to: report@submit.spam.acma.gov.au

  

Pure Ravishing Skin Serum - ALERT! BEWARE! WARNING!

Also know as:

Joli Skin
Jouliage Serum

JoliQue

Joli Skin Eye Treatment

This scam has recently come to my attention via emails I've been getting from the general public wanting JOLI to cancel their subscription and credit card payments.

At first I thought these emails were a trick themselves because JOLI don't take credit card payments, don't keep credit card details and don't hold people to subscriptions.  Also the people contacting me are not customers who've placed an order or subscribed to JOLI.

Then I received a letter in the mail, followed by a phone call and all became clear - once I'd put my PI hat on and did some investigative reporting.

Turns out there is a scam in play.  If you search for Pure Ravishing Skin Serum you will get loads of websites coming up offering you a TRIAL of the stuff.  Websites like Australia supplements, pure ravishing skin, supplements reviews, Australia fitness, online health markets, skin care beauty shop... along with adds on Facebook.  All boldly telling you RUSH MY TRIAL! and all the sites looking remarkably similar (see below exhibit A)... and ALL of them leave you with no way of actually contacting the 'company' offering the product.

 

The following image for Pure Ravishing Skin Serum, exhibit B, shows how the add appears on all sites...

 

But BEWARE!  They also 'sell' products under other names such as: Jouliage Serum & JoliQue - with the same image and RUSH MY TRIAL!  Enter exhibit C.

This scam has been linked to Delta Goodrem who's image they used with a link, leading people to believe the product is a genuine product made or endorsed by Delta.  Delta has since put the word out telling people it is a scam, to beware and NOT to click the link.  They use celebrities from different countries in this way to promote their scam.

The attached article outlines How it Works in a more comprehensive way (note the same imagery and details).  People sign up and receive a FREE sample and pay only $4.95 postage, they give their credit card details for postage payment, they are then billed monthly to the tune of $130-180 per month (because that's how much the serum sells for) - and you only have 14 days to cancel your trial from date of signup.  However, there is no company for you to contact to cancel your subscription!!!!

Now this scam is smearing my good name by saying the company selling the product is Joli Skin.

Will the real JOLI Natural please stand up

According to the details I've been able to gather: once you've clicked on the link and singed up an email is sent with  details such as: support@getjoliskin.com and there is a number to call where you get a help desk: 08 6117 3841.

If you send an email to the above address you get a response saying:

Thank you for contacting Customer Support.

*In order to cancel the account, please confirm ALL the following primary information on file below:*

ZIP CODE
Shipping Address
First and Last Name
Contact Phone Number
The last 4 digits on your Credit Card used.*

Thank you,
Joli Skin Customer Support

How would you rate my reply?
Great    Okay    Not Good

Contact Us
(Australia)        (AU) 1161-3906-89917
(New Zealand) (NZ) 1164-688-06440 
(Ireland)           (IRE) 11353-1890-810855 
(Toll Free)        (US)  833 501-4632

Other information gathered from emails sent to customers by this 'company' are:

EPURCHASEBSRGN. COM INTERNET Ref-071001236402 $4.95 and CQCHELPDESK. COM ITERETRef -  071001247977 $4.94 for postage of Pure Ravishing Skin face cream and

Joli skin serum.

... purchase will appear as "eserviceps.com" on your credit card statement.

> Questions?

> Contact us at +61 8 6117 3841 or 

> Support@getjoliskin.com

Shipments are sent from Fulfillment House, PO Box 4008.  As far as I can tell Fulfillment House is a distribution warehouse (kind of like Australia Post or FedEx), and they distribute products for other companies in a way that is difficult to trace back to the original sender.

There is little information to be gathered from these sources and the company in question is practically untraceable (hence why people are coming to JOLI Natural Skin Care for answers) and the payments piratically unstoppable.

Also: people are having adverse reactions to the cream this 'company' is sending out!


THE TAKEAWAY IS:

1) Do not fall for this scam off of a FREE trial and do not click on links!

2) Research a company/product first and look for reviews and an official website/contact details.

3) JOLI Natural Skin Care having nothing to do with this scam.

4) I have reported the scam details to authorities and hopefully something can be done about this.

5) If you have fallen for this scam already, CANCEL YOUR CREDIT CARD, and get a new one - because once they have your details they are HARD* to get a hold of.

*People are coming to me for answers which tells me people have been unable to locate, find or contact the company in question.

PLEASE HELP me spread the word by sharing this article and my YouTube Video with others on all manner of social media.  Let's shut these criminals down!

*      *      *

This has been an investigative report by JOLI Natural Skin Care - a legitimate Australian skin care company.

  

Return Address

Front of eye cream jar

Product ingredients

Directions for use

Flu Shots: Yes or No?

Before I start I need to point out this is conjecture, supposition, theorizing.  I'm not an expert on the subject and I have no data to back up any claims.  I'm simply going to share some thoughts and examples and let you ponder what is said.

I've always been suspicious of flu shots, I tell you that straight up.  Well not so much suspicious but dubious.  Dubious about us not being strong enough to ward off viruses.  Considering we've been able to overcome illness naturally and this is what has made humans stronger genetically.  Why is it suddenly we NEED flu shots?  [I think #2 is a major reason why companies push flu shots]

1) We're told taking antibiotics makes strains more resistant and our bodies less able to fight off viruses - thus making super bugs.  Therefore wouldn't it stand to reason that letting our bodies get the virus and fight it off naturally, strengthens us?

2) We've become a nation of workaholics and heaven forbid anyone should take more than a day or two off.  "Sick?  Here's some antibiotics to help you get back to work in one or two days instead of taking a week off to fight the virus and actually rest before returning to work."

3) Last year there was a flu epidemic.  Hundreds of people caught the flu, including my children and I, and it was really, really bad.  Some people lost their lives.  This made those that 'sell' flu shots tell us how important it is to get your flu shots... However, what if people taking flu shots every year is what is causing the flu strains to become so much more virulent?  What if the common flu is becoming so virulent because of the flu shots and this will end up causing a Super Flu that wipes out a vast many of us?

4) Flu shots cost money so somewhere along the line someone is pocketing big $$$$ on us getting sick, or in this case trying NOT to get sick.  Big pharma are making a killing off our fear of getting sick, which, ironically, is the very thing that causes our genetics to become stronger. 

5) Genetically, living in close proximity to each other and animals has made the European bloodline strong (and many Australians are of European decent).  When Europeans first came to Australia and America it was our germ strains that wiped out a vast many First Nations people, because they'd never come into contact with the vast majority of bugs we picked up from living alongside animals and live stock.
In fact each culture/country has built up it's own superior abilities to combat prevalent illnesses.  For example Africans are more likely to have sickle cell which helps stop them getting malaria, we go to Africa and die from something that doesn't kill them as readily as it kills us.
Australian Aboriginals have other genetic strengths handed down from generation to generation that we (new comers) don't have.
The point is getting sick makes us stronger!

NOTE: One could argue that the flu shots still make us sick and therefore make us stronger... however, I'm still debating that it could actually be making things worse (see point #3).  Keep in mind flu shots are synthetic man made substances with all manner of dubious ingredients... vs catching a natural virus.

6) Beware bad reactions.  Have you spoken to people who've had bad reactions to flu shots?  I have and some of the things that have happened to people is quite shocking (though rare), and most likely wouldn't have happened if they'd just caught the flu regularly.

• One person was vomiting for days, so much so they had to go on medicine to stop the purging.
• One person fainted at the place where the flu shot happened and was out for 10mins.
• Seizures.

7) Flu shot aren't nearly as necessary as vaccines such as polio and measles.  The flu is not a major public health threat (... yet... see point #3).  We can fight and get over the flu naturally!!!!

Experts might state stats about how flu shots help a vast many especially those not in positions to fight the flu: elderly, children etc.  That being said, those who are strong and able to fight the flu should be able to go through the process safely and come out stronger.  Don't you think?

There might be stats that show that flu shots are making some of us stronger while those not taking flu shots could be less likely to be able to fight off some Super Flu bug if it comes.  To me the whole thing smacks of Big Business and intervening with nature just so people won't take time off work.

What are your thoughts?  I would love to hear from you!
  

10 Things You Can Do to Feel Fabulous!

Quite often we wait for some special event, party or outing to doll ourselves up and feel a little bit special.  I say; don't wait for that special event do it now, just because you want to and it makes you feel good.  Do it just for fun, when you're vacuuming, doing dishes, visiting a friend, going for coffee, reading a book...

1) Wear that lipstick. 

2) Put on those shoes.

3) Wear that favourite dress / outfit.

4) Put a flower in your hair.

5) Do that fancy hair-do.

6) Paint your nails.

7) Wear that nice bra and nickers.

8) Decorate yourself with a scarf, necklace, bangle, earrings...

9) Dance to your favourite song.

10) Cook that fabulous meal.

  

DIY Natural Hair Spray

This guest post is by Jodie Wakefield who lives in Perth with her husband, two children and dog and is passionate about creating a low-environmental-impact life.  

I stumbled into my passion for all things eco-friendly from an initial interest in improving the health of my children.  Having suffered with exhaustion, poor gut health and innumerable food intolerances myself, I was determined to steer my son in a different direction when he began displaying similar symptoms.  (Insert hours spent on webinars, reading books and blogs; too many naturopath appointments to count and a pantry newly stocked with organic, crazy-sounding ingredients.)  Despite absolute commitment, no improvements to health were enjoyed until I began eliminating environmental toxins from the home – the final piece of the puzzle.  From this, the whole family began to reap the rewards of better health, restorative sleep and reduced allergy symptoms.

And I have not looked back!  My house is now cleaned with tox-free products, the family enjoys a diet crammed with wholefoods, beauty routines have been simplified, and many, many hours saved with this lifestyle change.  

With new-found energy I am currently directing my attention toward environmental issues and tackling the ‘war on plastic’ with vigour.  You can follow me via facebook (https://www.facebook.com/greenbeyou) and my blog (https://greenbeyou.wordpress.com/) where I share information (successes and failures) and welcome collaboration for all things sustainable.

Looking for a DIY hairspray that is tox-free, easy to make, works like a charm, brushes out, saves money and time when compared to store-bought items and gives you an excuse to keep vodka handy?  Yes please!

Here is my DIY hairspray recipe which I have fine-tuned over several years of use:

INGREDIENTS & METHOD:

• In a saucepan, bring to the boil 2 to 3 roughly chopped lemons in just enough water to cover them.  Optional: add sprigs of rosemary* for the essential oil benefits. 
• Once boiling, reduce heat to minimum and simmer for 15mins. The water quantity will reduce significantly. 
• Leave to cool in the pan.
• Add 1tbs of vodka. (This helps reduce frizz and delays the natural urge for your hairspray to grow bacteria: see below for storage). 
• Strain the liquid into spray bottles and store in the fridge.

STORAGE: Because the hairspray is made with real lemon juice, it is best kept in the fridge for freshness and will then last months.  You may wish to fill two small bottles and keep one in the freezer until you’ve used up the first bottle.

APPLICATION TIPS: The hairspray has a strong hold (more lemons = stronger hold) and will dampen hair on application.  Best results are achieved by blow-drying / straightening/ curling the hair after applying the hairspray and then a very light spritz once styled.

FINAL STEP: Be gorgeous!

*NOTE by JOLI: stinging nettle can also be added for it's health benefits on hair. Rosemary encourages hair growth and helps restore colour (plus it smells nice).  Nettle also helps with falling hair and dandruff.

  

The Many Faces of JOLI

I wanted to write this blog to show you that there is so much more to JOLI (aka me) than natural skin care.  While natural skin care is a big part of my world, living naturally in many other aspects is also important to me (and for my family).  Like all people I am multifaceted and have numerous talents, in fact I could say I'm a veritable Martha Stewart of the natural world. 

When I'm not making natural skin care I'm making hot chilli sauce.

When I'm not making hot chilli sauce I'm growing my own produce.

When I'm not growing my own produce I'm making home made snacks.

When I'm not making home made snacks I'm preserving foods.

When I'm not preserving foods I'm cooking wholesome meals for my family.

When I'm not cooking wholesome meals for my family I'm singing.

When I'm not singing I'm teaching my children to cook.

When I'm not teaching my children to cook I'm growing my own herbal teas.

When I'm not growing my own herbal teas I'm making a home for my birds.

When I'm not making a home for my birds I'm making art.

When I'm not making art I'm being a good mother.

When I'm not being a good mother I'm making DIY videos.

When I'm not making DIY videos I'm educating people about chemicals in skin care.

When I'm not educating people about chemicals I'm playing Queen of The Nile.

When I'm not playing Queen of The Nile I'm struggling.

When I'm not struggling I'm having a breakout.

When I'm not having a breakout I'm dancing.

When I'm not dancing I'm colouring in with my children.

When I'm not colouring in with my children I'm living naturally.
  

Bath Time, It's A Ritual

For many having a bath is a luxury.  Many don't have the time or the freedom (children) to indulge in a long hot soak in the tub.

I'm no different to many in that regard.  When I do have a bath it has to be planned just right.  I.e. hubby must be home to mind the children or I wait until the children are in bed so I can enjoy my soak uninterrupted.

Baths maybe a luxury that I don't get to indulge in often, however, when I do get the chance to have a bath I make a point of making it a Beauty Queen ritual.  I use this time to fully indulge and relax and rejuvenate my mind and body.

I start with:

1) Stretch.  Yep, firstly I warm up my muscles in the hot water then I stretch any stiff body parts.  Moving in warm water helps the body be supple, without jarring joints and muscles.

2) Face. Then I clean my face while the water is still fresh and clean.

3) Hair.  I was my hair next, then soak for a bit letting the soaps, butters and oils I've added to the water do their thing (i.e. moisturise my skin).

4) Body.  I like to rub Luscious Body Butter or Massage Oil over my body so richly moisturise.

5) Feet.  Lastly I do my feet, soaking the heals, pumicing the hard parts of my feet, then moisturising.  Then I hop out because by now I'm grodied up the water... * wink

How to use Rose Bath Bomb or other:

1) Slowly lower the bath bomb into water in your hand.  Don't let go.  Watch it fizzing and releasing all the goodness within.

2) Move the bath bomb around water and watch it disperse in the water.  If it has some colour to it there will be a nice trail of colour.

3) Drop the bath bomb in and enjoy.  That is: enjoy your soak in the bath while the oils/butters/clays etc. in the bath bomb work their magic on your skin and senses.
  

How My Depression Gets In The Way

On a date with hubby and too down to smile... :(

For the past several weeks I've been struggling to want to get out of bed, to face the world, to get the work done, to exist... to smile.

I had been feeling pretty good for a couple of months then all of a sudden, without notice, I came crashing down and haven't been able to shake this mood.

It's how I've always been and as much as I don't like being this way there isn't much I can do to change who/how I am.  I can do as many positive things as I can to try and move through the feeling but I'll never be like those shiny happy people who manage to face the world day in day out.

It's one of the reasons I work for myself, because it isn't acceptable (yet) for an employee to ring work and say, "I can't come in today because I'm struggling to get out of bed."  "Can't adult today!"  We can have migraines, colds, flu, death in the family etc. yet we cannot call up and say, "I have depression... can't come in."

My depression gets in the way of friendships, outside work, my relationship, my children...

Friendships are affected because sometimes I just can't face people, can't face answering the phone, talking to people, seeing people.  During these times I hide out for days and weeks.  For the most part I can fake it.  I can go out with friends and fake smile and try to laugh at their funny jokes and stories yet inside I'm dying a little from the struggle of having to 'act' and wishing I felt joy.

Work (home salon) is hard because my energy affects wanting to see clients, especially if it's a procedure that requires lots of conversation.  I pretend to be fine and cheerful with clients yet I worry that my inner feelings can be sensed.  I have weeks were I can barely function because I can't crack a smile... and (thankfully) I find the Gods are in my favour during these times and usually don't send clients my way when I'm sad.  My mood swings can be too extreme for me to function.

It affects my children in that I won't go to their school for interviews or organise play dates if I'm feeling low.  And quite often I avoid people simply because they won't understand why I'm suddenly being antisocial and unable to interact with them or be cheerful.  I'm too hot and cold and people don't understand that and take it personally.  Instead I shy away and avoid letting people get too close.  For example, I bumped into a school mother in the supermarket where I was hiding my sadness behind sunglasses.  She happily approached me all talkative and I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.  I did my best to hide my mood yet I could tell by her expression that I was failing big time!  She didn't understand my lack of genuine happiness, probably assumed I didn't like her, and stopped being my friend.

It affects my relationship because my husband probably thought he was getting someone 'normal' (what ever that looks like) only to find he has a woman who will mope around for days/weeks/months and struggle to get out of bed some days.  He has often said he wishes I'd get a 'real' job... because he thinks me working outside the house would make me feel better/less sad/less time to think and be down.  If only it were that easy.  I've worked outside, in 'real' jobs, and it was torturous pretending to be fine.  I would be happy and jovial one day then sad and withdrawn the next.  People would wonder why I was being 'off' or 'quiet'.

This is why I sell online!!!!  I can still be down from behind my computer screen and get the job done.  No one needs to see my sad face or feel my sad vibes or even know I have depression.  I can still reply to emails and questions and do online things without it affecting my lovely customers.  I might struggle to get out of bed but it's rare that I won't get an order done because of my depression, mostly because making products is a flow activity for me which can help with my moods.

In saying that, I've been making and selling natural skin care for years and the fact that I'm still yet to make a livable income is one of my biggest depression triggers. I can't help but feel that when I'm finally successful i.e. having daily orders, I'll feel better because I'll be doing an activity I love. Unlike how it is now where I get up, check for orders, have so few and feel really down - like a giant loser who is wasting her life away. Worse still, I've no way of gathering orders because so little of what I've tried and am trying is working (I feel like I am largely ignored and irrelevant - why am I bothering, what's the point?). No wonder hubby wants me to get a 'real' job... he thinks I'm wasting my time on this work (trying to save people from toxic chemicals) and that's it's pointless and leading to nothing but 'failure'.

It's hard having depression and failing at my work, and having a husband who comments on that failure, reiterating how I'm already feeling...

I don't have suicidal ideations so much as I often just feel like I could disappear (quit social media, close the website, go off into the wilderness etc.) and no one would care.  I have family that have lived past 100 and I move between wondering how old I'll live to, and how long I want to live.  My children keep me alive because they need me and would be devastated if I was gone... and yet I have days where I feel like I can't do this anymore, what's the point, no one cares anyway etc. etc.

Do you have depression?  How does it affect your life?  How do you deal with your mood swings when they happen?  How do you cheer yourself up?