Kitchen Beautician: Coconut & Rose Body Scrub

Few things smell better than coconut and rose so let’s combine them, shall we? In this Kitchen Beautician DIY, I'm making a “Spring Time Scrub” to help you exfoliate and get your skin super soft for the coming summer months. Bathing suit season is just around the corner and nobody wants to be the ashy girl! Here’s my new favourite way to get rid of dry skin caused by winter dryness:

You’ll need: a mason jar, coconut oil, raw cane sugar, almond or jojoba oil and one fragrant rose (here I used sterling silver roses because they’re my favorite AND they’re one of the most fragrant roses ever.)

1. Use a small mason jar or any clear jar with a lid, (can purchase from Smart & Final). You can also buy them online if you can’t find them in the store. These ones are about £11 for a dozen, so they’re under a pound each!

1. Start by putting a large scoop of coconut oil in the bottom of the jar. You can get coconut oil at any health food store or major supermarket. It’s an “oil” but at room temp it’s more like a butter consistency and has a white paste-y texture.

1. Next, pluck your rose petals and put them into the jar on top of the coconut oil.

1. Add your raw sugar. If you can’t find raw cane sugar, brown sugar is a great option! The coarser the better.

1. Add your almond or jojoba oil on top of the sugar. I like jojoba oil best, which you can also find at health food stores or vitamin stores, because it’s the closest thing to our own natural oil and it absorbs really nicely into the skin. But almond oil is great too because it doesn’t take away from the scent in this jar.

1. Wait a minute for your oil to seep down to the flower petals and then top it off with a little more almond or jojoba oil. Last but not least, put your lid on and let it sit so the oils can soak into the flower petals.

When you (or the person you’re giving this to as a gift) are ready to use it, take a spoon and mash it all up. The coarse sugar will break up the rose petals and they’ll continue to break up as you rub the scrub on your skin. The smell is INCREDIBLE, and if you’ve had a hard week (or even if you haven’t) this is a decadent way to start the weekend! This scrub can have a shelf life of one year, but I wouldn’t imagine you’d ever leave this jar of magic sitting for that long.

NOTE: all measurements are subject to the size of your jar. I broke it up into thirds– in other words, everything should be equal parts and each layer should take up 1/3 of the jar.


Will you get DIY-y???


Saskia XO

Slim Tip: Why Break The Fast?

We’ve heard it a million times over: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But how many of you actually believe this old adage? Well bloggers, it’s time to embrace this saying because it might just be the key to overcoming your diet woes.


Breakfast literally means, “breaking the fast” since it’s the first meal you eat after sleeping, and therefore fasting (unless you sleep walk and eat… which sounds scary) all night. After this “fast,” we need to nourish our hungry brain and body with nutrients (a.k.a. breakfast).


According to various articles I have read, breakfast has many health benefits. Based on the Mayo Clinic’s article, Healthy Breakfast: Quick, Flexible Options to Grab at Home, those who eat breakfast are more likely to consume more vitamins and minerals. Breakfast eaters also experience “better concentration and productivity throughout the morning” along with a more positive mood. But most importantly, those who eat breakfast typically eat less fat throughout the day. Starting out your day with breakfast will stabilize hunger and cravings later in the day. Eating breakfast helps prevent binging, eating too many sweets and making unhealthy diet choices because your body is stabilized with the appropriate fuel.


So what does this all mean for your waistline? In a nutshell, eating breakfast will control your appetite while also revving up your metabolism, which will help burn more calories throughout the day.


I usually have an egg white veggie omelet for breakfast. If you would like, I’ll do a post with the recipe!

In the meantime, what do you usually have for breakfast? 

(8 exams down, 6 to go!) Saskia XO

Mismatched eyes: OUI ou NON?

From afar it looks like a fun use of Spring colour! Look a bit longer and you’ll notice she’s wearing two different colours on her eyelids. And somehow she pulls it off! Very interesting… I'm sort of on the fence about this daring look. If you keep it in the same family, like a teal and an aquamarine, it’s doable, but what’s the message? That you love breaking the rules and march to the beat of your own drum? I can respect and admire that. Anything is better than vanilla or cookie cutter I guess… but would people think that we have lost our minds if we were to  suggest it for the red carpet?! Most of them! What do you all think?

Will you dare this mismatched-eye look?

I've been waiting for this my whole life!I appreciate the creativity, but it's not for me...Never in my worst nightmare.

Vote

Instant Hair Bowe

There aren’t enough bows in this world if you ask me and thanks to these little gems being a girly-girl just got a whole lot easier! 
Remember the top photo from when Lauren Conrad wore her hair in a bow on Jimmy Kimmel? It looked like such a  fun hair style to create, but it actually takes a long time to get the hair formed into a perfect bow shape, especially if you have thick hair. Many of you asked if there was a quick AND easy way to get the look. Well, wish granted! These bows were made to clip right in. You can put your hair half up, in a ponytail or in a bun and finalise the look with a hair bow in your colour. I think these are pretty amazing… and may or may not have just ordered one of each colour for my kit?! Moreover, they look realistic, charming and elegant and really help to embrace the dainty, girly girl trend of this S/S '12!
They'll be selling like hot cakes soon!!!


Will you purchase a clip in bow?





(7 exams down, 7 to go!) Saskia XO

S/S Chic Trends: Prim and Proper

To mark the beginning of this amazing weather (24degrees!), I've pulled some super cute outfit ideas to help reinforce what trends are hot this current S/S'12. 

• I j’adore this “Prim + Proper” trend in particular. It’s perfectly tailored, accessorised and thought about; I love pairing two hues of blue, a bow belt and a pop of yellow nail polish....leaving the outfit oozing with feness and summer romance.
• Pastels are also a brilliant stamp by keeping them cool with pairing black tights with floral shorts and a comfy knit sweater. Whether you’re going to grandma’s or hanging with friends, there’s sweetness to this style.
• For anyone celebrating or with plans this weekend in cooler temps, take note with particular attention to super cute floral pants (and lavender blouses with pink blazers). Black flats tie in perfectly with the pant, the buttery yellow bag is lovely and the matte red lip adds enough spice and sensuality to complete the look.
• Anyone can wear this trend, with pastels, nude tones or even a pop pallet; it's versatile and affordable!

Are you a fan of the trend?


(4 exam down, 9 to go!) Saskia XO

Fragrance 411: The Spring Scent

They don’t say April showers bring May flowers for nothing… Spring is in full bloom, which means it’s time to change up your perfume regiment by going seasonal.


Like clothes and accessories, perfume should be seasonally relevant as well. So lighten up and opt for a scent that’s sweet or floral for a fresh springtime finish.


My favourite fragrance for this time of year is Marc Jacobs Woman. It smells like gardenia, which I love. The floral blend is lighter than the perfumes I tend to wear during the autumn and winter. I think it’s nice to lighten things up when the weather warms, don’t you?


A few other great perfume options for spring include Prada Iris, ChanelChance, and Kai Eau de Parfum.


What’s your favourite spring scent?




Saskia XO

Mani Monday!

I have found yet another use for those lovely DIY nail stickers. Here’s how I created a plaid party:

1. Paint your tape with 3 or 4 different colours. Cut into strips. Do a couple different widths.
2. Paint your base coat. We used an off white vanilla colour.
3. You’ll want to start building from the inside corner and move outward. Over lap one vertical and one horizontal strip.
4. Now do another set of stickers out from that set.
5. Keep going until you get to the opposite corner.
6. Use cuticle nippers to trim the excess sticker.

Always apply a top coat over tape stickers to avoid to peeling!

Happy working!

(Three exams down, 10 to go!) Saskia XO