Making Love Naturally & DIY Fanny Spray

Making love is a very natural thing and it doesn't cost a lot to do. A fun activity to do on a budget. I'm sure many of you will agree when I say foreplay is the bestest part.

Foreplay noun - sexual stimulation before intercourse.

Every couple or person has their own preference when it comes to foreplay, some like a lot, some like a little, others like role play or fun flirty games such as strip poker, spin the bottle, or even doing a strip tease.

These games can be played in a few ways. Instead of stripping during poker the winning hand might ask the losing hand to do something to them, for example give them a kiss, rub their shoulders, massage their ankles. This game can start off quit humble, leading to something much more awakening.

What ever the type of foreplay and love making you like there are a couple of products JOLI sell that are perfect for the job.

Massage oil for 1. With eight different custom scents to choose from you are spoiled for choice and it goes without saying that foreplay and massage oil go hand in hand.

Massage Oil - JOLI

Soothing Slave for 2. Yes that's right. Is there anything this salve can't do! The salve can be used for clitoral stimulation - yes I said the 'c' word ;)

Soothing Salve - JOLI

Skin Serum or Cuticle Oil for 3. Either of these products can be drizzled over breasts for a gentle massage and if need be, because you're out of massage oil, they can also be used on genitals.

Luscious Body Butter for 4. How nice would it be to have someone to rub moisturiser into your body and for you to reciprocate. Maybe they rub the butter on your your shins, your ankles, your belly. I'm in heaven thinking about it and this butter his perfect and sensual for all over body use. Not suitable for face or genitals.

Just to name a few: though I can't forget to also add Moisturising Lip Balm and regular Lip Balm. There might also be other products you've tried yourself that we could add to the list - feel free to share if you have.

I encourage you to get in the bedroom and fool around with the products listed above, maybe add some other products to the fun flirty list.

Foreplay can be a very under rated part of love making. Using JOLI products can make it all the more tempting to enjoy!

NOTE: responses may vary from person to person, test small areas first and stop if these items aren't doing it for you.

DIY Fanny Spray recipe ~ aka home made Vanilla Perfume
You will need:
125ml spritz bottle
100ml water
25ml vodka
5 drops vanilla scent
4 drops jasmine scent
Coffee filter paper or paper towel
Funnel
Glass jar (big enough to hold 125ml)

- Place all ingredients into a glass jar, shake well and place on bench top or counter to sit for two weeks. Shake daily. The alcohol in this recipe helps the scented oils amalgamate into the water. It also acts as a preservative. You can leave the alcohol out: if you do so you may have to shake contents before each use and the perfume won't last as long - store in the fridge to keep it longer.
- After two weeks place a funnel over your spritz bottle, place filter paper over funnel and pour in jar contents. Filtering helps remove excess oil particles that haven't amalgamated.
- You can have a play around with different oils and scents. Maybe you'd like to try coconut and lime.

- This perfume can be used to spray toilet paper before you wipe, or after wiping to clean and scent. It can also be used to spray onto groin or undies to freshen up the area.

  

Clearing Out The Crap

It may surprise you to know that I wasn't always a natural skin care guru! Once upon a time I used the same dodgy stuff (i.e. chemical filled rubbish) as everyone else.

Once upon a time I was as naive as the next person when it came to personal care products being FULL of harmful chemicals. Without giving it a second thought I simply purchased these items and used them because: 1) TV and people told me to and 2) No-one advised me they weren't safe.

It's a simple mistake that many of us make. The TV commercials make it look all so enticing. Our friends use the products and swear by them. Our mum's give us products to use in our teens and we continue to use them as adults. Then we pass the same things onto our friends and children to use.

Much as teens and young adults (and even older adults) are doing today I was simply unaware of the dangers of chemicals in skin care. Chemicals in products was not discussed among friends or on TV. Even today with more hype about it than ever before there are still billions and gazillions of people unaware that the products they're using are harmful to themselves, the environment and their loved ones. (And some people don't want to know about the dangers that lurk in their beauty products because it's easier to stay in the dark).

The above picture is of me cleaning my bathroom cabinet out a couple of years ago - and to be honest I really didn't have a great deal of nasty stuff, thankfully. Then again one could argue that even one harmful product is one too many.

Here is a list of chemicals to look out for. If your personal care (and cleaning products) contain any of these ingredients it's time for a fresh start! Aside from skin care, if you want to know of other safe brands to use let me know and I'll be happy to give advice.

When did you first learn about hazardous chemicals in skin care?
Have you done a clean out of your bathroom cabinet to rid yourself of these badies?

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DIY Home Made Bread & Dip 3 Ways

There is something about a really good anti pesto platter that makes me salivate at the thought of it.  Especially if it's home grown organic produce.  Olives, dips, freshly baked bread, grapes, dolmades...  I could go on...

One of my favourite and Oh So Simple bread recipes is Beer Bread.  Made with 375ml beer (any type) and 2 1/2 cups self raising flour.  Told you it was simple!  All you do is mix the beer with the flour really well, pour into an oiled bread tin and bake for around 35mins at 180c.  After 35mins, drizzle some olive oil or butter over the top and bake for another 10mins.  You can also add olives, capers, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, capsicum and other tasty foods to the mix before baking.

Homemade bread & three dips

Hummus Dip

400gm chick peas (soaked over night) or tinned chick peas
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons chives (finely cut)
salt & pepper to taste (optional)

Drain the chick peas.  Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix into a paste.  Add more olive oil and/or lemon juice if mixture is too thick.
Serve with crackers or smeared on home made pieces of bread.

Parsley Pesto

I have loads of parsley growing in my garden and this is a simple recipe to make good use of that fresh parsley.

A good handful or two of parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 handful of pine nuts
1 handful of grated Parmesan cheese

Wash the parsley well and shake off excess water.  Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix into a paste.  Add more olive oil and/or lemon juice if mixture is too thick.
Serve with crackers, smeared on home made bread, tossed through cooked pasta or as an accompaniment to any dish as a side, sauce or paste.

Olio Aceto

In a bowl drizzle equal portions of Balsamic vinegar and olive oil (about 1/2 a cup each).  Make sure it's a good brand of vinegar and oil.  If it's not a nice tasting brand it won't taste that good.
This is a really good dipping liquid for home made beer bread.  You can also add some chilli for a bit of spice.

  

Decolletage ~ A Neglected Body Part

Emily Symon plays Marilyn Chambers in Home and Away. She is 44 years old and for all appearances looks to be in her mid 30's. She is a stunning woman who has looked after her skin well, she barely looks a day older than when she first appeared on Home and Away.

Emily Symon

Like the rest of us, Emily will become prone to those creases we get on our decolletage above our breasts. Sadly these creases are a natural part of aging and tend to show our true age regardless of how well we've looked after our skin. Primarily because our decolletage is a very neglected body part. It's also one of those body parts we should look after the most!

How often do you ponder your decolletage? How often do you do anything beauty related to yours? Is it some long forgotten body part, sparing only a thought about what necklace to wear to cover it, or what top to wear to expose it? Or do you think of your decolletage and pamper it often?

look after your decolletage

Your decolletage is one of those body parts, like your hands and elbows, that shows your age long before your face does. Take notice of how many older ladies you know who have lovely skin, yet the skin on their neck and decolletage is wrinkled, dry and neglected. Consider also our decolletage is quite often, if not all the time, exposed to wind, sun, water - which has a dramatic ageing effect.

Here are some easy pampering tips for you to indulge in to keep your decolletage looking its best.

1. Exfoliate your decolletage frequently. Every 2nd or 3rd day or at least once a week. This ensures the dead cells that build up on the surface of your skin are scrubbed away exposing fresh radiant more youthful skin.

2. Apply Toner to your decolletage, either in a spritz or dabbed onto a cotton ball and wiped cross your skin. Toner tightens and refreshes your skin and cleans away daily grime. Do this often!

3. Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise! Very important. Cannot stress this enough! Moisturiser your decolletage (and neck) daily, even twice daily with a suitable moisturiser such as Whipped Cream to keep those creases at bay. Before bed is also a good time to moisturise this area.

4. When going out for a special occasion or a night on the town dust some silver mica (or mineral makeup powder) onto your decolletage. The sparkle gives you a glowing youthful look with a touch of glamour, and helps disguise the creases.

5. Keep your decolletage covered up as much as possible - either high collared clothing, a scarf etc. - to limit the exposure to the elements and only exposure your decolletage on special occasions.

Do you have any decolletage tips you'd like to share with us. Please comment below. AND remember the reactions buttons x

  

Body Image Guest Blog ~ You're Too Skinny

'You need to eat more, you're so skinny, I wish I was tiny like you and, you can have some of my fat' These are comments I hear on a daily basis. Exhausting just reading them is it not?

Crohns Disease is my daily affliction, it does not matter how much I eat. I am aware that I am anorexic. I wish I was at a healthy weight. And, sure cast  your extra weight my way, I would most definitely welcome it! 

These utterances  do not upset me as much as the actual glares and stares. I have heard larger ladies often speak  of the 'looks' they receive, tinier ladies also receive them, and they are just as injurious to our self esteem. The remarks and looks of disgust take an emotional toll on a person after a period of time. SO much so,  that for myself, I was agoraphobic for 4 LONG years. I did not want to egress from my home. I felt disgust and compunction at my body and the glares would  only confirm the hateful feelings and thoughts I was having towards my body and self. 

If a person is underweight or overweight, I think we should want to uplift them, mawkish them if you will! 

I am underweight, this does not mean I hate food (in fact, I love food with a passion), it does not mean that I do drugs (which is one of my personal favourite surmises) nor, does it mean I have a mental disorder. It simply means I have a disease,  one that I have little to no sovereignty over.  I am still the same person on the interior, even if my exterior looks as though I have an eating disorder!

I am thankful  for my disease (most days), it has made me a stronger person, made me 'slow down' what was a fast paced life, and really internalise and think about what is favourable for myself. 

I think you will find most people with a weight issue have a genuine underlying medical condition and cannot control their weight and mentally torture themselves enough, that it is not warranted or needed by others surrounding them. 

If someone is overweight or underweight, does it really matter? Does it affect your life? Is it your place to look on in disgust and an invitation for you to make judgements? No, it most definitely is not.

Just like an overweight individual might feel disgust with themselves, so do tinier people. A simple smile, or kind word, can change that persons day, from one of despair and utter hatred towards themselves, into making them believe in themselves and that it is going to be a magical day. 

Remember, everyone is beautiful, and true beauty runs much deeper than any external appearance.

~  Amanda Williamson

You might also like Guest Blog "Negative Self Talk" & "Body Dysmorphia

Environmentally Friendly Menstruation

The curse, that time of the month, on your rags, Mr Red, flying the red flag, your 'friend' has come to visit, Aunt flo, iron drain, rivers run red, girlie time, red mayo, girl stuff, painter is in the house, riding the crimson wave, on the red, the red dragon, the red man, monthlies, out of action, have my girlies, 'it', fell on an axe, Mr P, ovaries exploding, I'm not pregnant this month.

What do you call your period?  I'm sure us women have a list of names we've given to our monthly cycle.  Feel free to share your names with us by leaving a comment on this blog.

A little while ago I read an article asking "Are you still using tampons and pads?"  The article talked about the chemicals in these items, as well as the costs and the waste.  Not environmentally friendly AT ALL!  Not to forget to mention these items are taxed as a luxury and the amount of money we spend on these items over our life time is crazy - roughly about 6-10K.

Of course it got me thinking of green alternatives.  So I purchased a Diva menstrual cup and reusable pads.  I got the menstrual cup from eBay (around $40) and the menstrual pads (around $11-$15 each) from yourcheekymonkey.com.au and greenchickadee.com.au - though I found out after I purchased the cup that greenchickadee also sell them.
All items are washable and reusable so I can continue using them for a number of years which will save me a fair whack of money.

How do these items perform?

The menstrual cup plugs and catches discharge much like a tampon - without the toxins.  If you do leak occasionally - the menstrual cup becomes full or it wasn't inserted correctly - the reusable pads catch leaks.  The cup worked surprisingly well.  I thought it was going to leak all over the place, it doesn't.  There is a slight trick to inserting the cup (they come with instructions) and I put it in too far once, that was awkward and painful.  When first inserted each time it would feel obvious and sometimes feel like it was going to fall out (though that could just be me), however after a while I would forget it was there and all would be fine.  I did do some slight exercise too and the cup held up well.

The part I found trickiest to deal with is having to clean the cup. Once I had removed and emptied the cup over the toilet, I would have to waddle over to the sink with my pants around my knees (great imagery!) to wash the cup thoroughly, before waddling back to the loo to reinsert the thing.  Like I said, that was a bit tricky.

The pads were slightly tricky in that they don't stick to the knickers like over-the-counter ones and thus move a bit here and there - backwards, forwards and sideways.  However, leakage was minimal so this wasn't a major issue.  I recommend wearing the pads with very tight underpants that will hold the pad firmly in place.

All up I'd say it's slightly more complicated than using mainstream pads and tampons, though this is partly due to us being so accustomed to 'easy' options.  Both items worked very well, I didn't have any big spillages and, actually one thing I would say is, I didn't wake up in the middle of the with that "Oh oh!" feeling of having leaked all over the bed.

Have you made the switch to going green for your period?  Share your story with us.

P.S. - Changing the menstrual cup in a public toilet is slightly awkward.  They make a suction sound when being removed and this echos through the toilet, plus you can't go over to the counter to wash them in front of everyone (well maybe some could...), so it's a matter of tipping out the contents and reinserting.

  

DIY Easy Tonic Water For Skin

This simple Tonic Water can be used for a number of things.

1. If you don't have any toner on hand use this tonic water.
2. To give your arm pits or 'good bits' a quick spruce.
3. Wipe over your Deodorant to refresh the surface of your roll on bar.
4. Give your feet a quick once over to freshen them up.
5. Cleanse your hands.

I'm sure you can find a number of other general uses for this tonic water. 
The essential oils chosen have antibacterial properties.

You will need:
125ml bottle
125ml water
4 drops of tea tree OR orange essential oil.

Fill bottle up with water and add essential oil.  Shake well before each use.

TIP: store your tonic water in a spritz bottle (above) so you can spray your face, as an aftershave lotion, under your arms, your chest, your groin, shoes, feet, and even your Deodorant roll on - for antibacterial properties.

  

Clearing A Breakout

For the past week I've set myself a strict routine of exfoliating, cleansing, toning and moisturising nightly (exfoliating every 2-3 days) whether I wore makeup or not. I'd gotten lazy and was thinking I it didn't matter if I cleansed and moisturised daily. But trust me when I say it does matter!

Good skin begins with a great skin care routine.

1. Started off dabbing some Whipped Cream on my face, rubbed the cream in, left it for a few minutes before washing it away with a wet face washer - use warm/hot water not cold. This is to clean away the makeup.

Use moisturiser to remove makeup

2. Did the same for my eyes using Fluffy Lime Eye Cream. Giving myself that punched in the eyes look (always attractive).

Removing eye makeup with Fluffy Lime Eye Cream

3. Exfoliated using Enliven Facial Scrub. This alleviates flaky skin, removes dry dead skin cells and clears the pores of potential blockages.

4. Cleansed using Facial & Body Wash. The essential oils in the cleanser (I use oily blend) control oil secretion and kill bacteria - a very important part of tackling blemishes and wounds on the skin.

5. The most important step is the one most people forget, ignore and don't do: TONER. A highly underrated step. Using Purifying Cleansing Toner rinses the skin clean, removes any left over residue of makeup and cleanser and closes pores, very important for having clean and clear skin.

Purifying Cleansing Toner - JOLI

6. Applied Skin Serum to affected areas to heal the skin, wounds and scabbing. Very important as this reduces scaring and wound/blemish time.

7. Moisturise to hydrate the skin and stop those pesky dry flaking bits of skin.

8. Lastly applied Fluffy Lime Eye Cream around my eyes to ward off crows feet.

9. Ok... lastly I applied a dash of lip balm because I love soft glossy lips and like to feel a dash of glamour.

Done!

If you're suffering through bad looking skin... try this daily routine for two weeks and see the difference it makes to your skin. Then keep your fabulous routine going!

* Note: Steps 1 & 2 were only done to remove makeup. When not wearing makeup move straight on to step 3 if you prefer.