A blog dedicated to natural skin care, chemical facts, home made DIY recipes, product information & reviews and other interesting, healthy, good for you, tidbits. Enjoy!
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?
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
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? GreatOkayNot 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.
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.
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!
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...
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.
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.
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
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.
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?
