REESE ATOMIC

Q. What the benefits of coconut oil?

A. Let me start off with stated… I wish I got onto this sooner. But as they all say, better late than never.

So… what’s the big deal about coconut oil? Well, these are a good reason…

HEALTH BENEFITS	BEAUTY USES
Dandruff remedy Acne treatment Cold sore healer Boosts metabolism Fades Keratosis Pilaris Aids weight loss Heals cuts and scrapes Kills bacteria Curves food cravings	Frizz tamer Conditioning hair mask Anti-wrinkle eye cream Eye makeup remover Facial cleanser Lip balm Massage oil Natural deodorant DIY body butter Sunscreen Cuticle oil Bath oil Stops stretch marks Shaving salve/cream Skin moisturiser Softens and smooths cracked feet

So, as you can see it’s good for a multitude of things for both your health and very useful in all aspects of beauty.

But WHY is it so good?

Well… coconut oil isn’t the same as trans fat oils. Coconut oil (which, let’s face it… is fat – but a GOOD one) and trans fats (ie. BAD fat) don’t behave the same way. While trans fats are linked to a number of health problems such as cardiac issues, increased cholesterol and depression, coconut oil metabolises fats in the liver and instead of turning it bad fat which is stored and doesn’t move, it immediately turns it into fuel for our brain, heart and muscles.

It is recommended to have 1-4 teaspoons of coconut oil per day. If you’re starting off, it’s wise to start with one teaspoon and gradually work yourself up to four. One teaspoon will set you back approx. 120 calories.

But remember, combine this with exercise and healthy eating will also help in weight loss and adding coconut oil only boosts your metabolism and DOESN’T change it forever.

Add to things like salads (as dressing), cooked with some eggs in the morning, add to yoghurt, and smoothies. It can also be added to protein shakes, if you have them and straight off the spoon – just make sure it’s a flat teaspoon of coconut oil. Eaten straight from the jar it’s brilliant at curving your food cravings or that sweet tooth you might get after a meal.
I’ve heard you can add it to your coffee, provided that it’s extremely hot otherwise it will float (acts like a flavoured syrup) but I personally haven’t tried it in coffee.

The coconut I’m currently using is this…

Although there are many coconut oil versions out there, I went with the most common.

Coconut oil is a pretty soft oil. I remember when I first bought this, the oil was completely solid in the shelf but once I had it in my hands and carrying it around looking at other things in the health food shop it quickly melted around the sides leaving the centre much solid and opaque but quite soft.
When left alone it will solidify again. If you live in a warmer climate, your coconut oil could very well remain a liquid even though it’s on a shelf.

Things to note when buying coconut oil are:

Fresh-pressed – You want to make sure that you’re getting the ripest coconuts available
Virgin – Over processed products diminishes it’s quality

And when available, fair trade and organic isn’t bad either.

The one pictured I bought from a health food store in Kings Cross for $16.20 for a 414mL jar, which I think is great value.

The first day I bought it, I decided that I was going to try it out as a eye makeup remover and I can’t tell you how impressed I was. It didn’t sting, didn’t burn and removed all of my makeup effortlessly. Sure, it took two cotton pads per eye to remove everything, but I wear a lot of eye makeup anyway. I’m sure if I was just had my brows done, mascara and eyeliner I would have cleaned in one for both eyes.

I don’t think I’ll ever go back now that I’ve started using coconut oil, especially as makeup remover. I’m so impressed what it does health-wise and as a multi-function beauty product. BIG thumps up!

Have you used coconut oil? What is your favourite use for it? How do you like to eat it?

Hi everyone! Doing another tag today that has been circulating the beauty community.

1. Would you rather only ever wear eye makeup or skin makeup?
That’s easy, eye makeup. I very rarely wear skin makeup. I often feel like I don’t need it.

2. Would you rather cut off all your hair, or never cut your hair again?
Oh my! I don’t know? I think I’d never want to cut my hair again, but then again my hair is so thick that I don’t think I could handle it.

3. Would you rather always wear your clothes too big, or too small?
TOO BIG! Always wear clothing that is well suited to your body size. Besides, I think it would feel terribly uncomfortable if clothing would be too small, right?

4. If you were given $1000 to spend, would you rather buy clothes or makeup?
Awh, only one or another? I’d like to spend it equally between the two.

5. Would you rather wear lipstick as eyeliner, or eyeliner as lipstick?
Lipstick as eyeliner. I think it’s easier to pull off.

6. Would you rather wear MC Hammer pants or Biker Shorts in public?
MC Hammer pants because MC is the man!

7. Would you rather never be able to fill in your eyebrows or only fill them in using a Sharpie?
Never to fill them again. I’d rather not to make a fool of myself with Sharpie brows.

8. Would you rather never pluck your eyebrows, or never shave your legs?
Never shave my legs. I’m pretty lucky the hair on my legs aren’t very apparent.

Answering the same questions, which would you rather?

Q. What are some beauty tricks you suck at?

A. There are so many things I don’t do very well. Where do I even begin!

READ MORE

I love finding tags and memes to include on my blog because I find that you get to know me a little better and I’m not so “textbook”. I copied from Natalia’s video on her YouTube channel, which I recommend everyone subscribe to immediately because she does some great reviews on there and is also part of the Lipstick Republic Beauty Squad family.

If you’ve done this tag or plan on doing it, please let me know so I can check yours out.

Enjoy!

SKINCARE
How many times do you wash your face daily?
Twice a day. In the morning, when I wake up and in the evening, usually in the shower. I often do my five minute skincare routine in the evening, which I highly recommend everyone doing.

READ MORE

Hey everyone! Here is a small beauty haul I did the other day…

I can do individual product reviews on any of these products; please let me know in the comments if you’re interested.

READ MORE

What Five beauty products could you not live without?
1. Sunscreen. Living in Australia, you can’t afford to not use it everyday.
2. Liquid eyeliner. I use one from Models Prefer. It’s thick and lasts all day.
3. Bright pink lipstick. My favourite is #69 from Inglot.
4. Lengthening mascara. Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara by Bobbi Brown.
5. Floral perfume. Like Vera Wang’s Lovestruck.

What’s your daily skincare regime consist of?
Morning: cleanse, sunscreen, moisturiser, primer and makeup.
Night: exfoliate, cleanse, rosehip oil, moisturiser.

What does your daily cosmetics regime consist of?
Eye primer, a basic neutral eyeshadows, liquid eyeliner, mascara, lip balm and a bright pink pout.

Favourite Beauty treat?
LUSH bath bombs. Once every two weeks or so for about an hour with my iPod in my ears with the latest issue of Grazia magazine.

What’s your favourite beauty store?
Inglot.

Favourite Premium and Budget brands?
Premium: KORA Organics, Aēsop and Urban Decay.
Budget: Essence, Revlon and Inglot.

And Hair Care?
Premium: Toni & Guy, O&M and Aēsop.
Budget: Organix, Schwarzkopf and Salon Only.

What Fragrances do you wear?
‘L’ by Gwen Stefani is my signature scent. I also wear Vera Wang’s ‘Princess’ and Lovestruck. Occasionally I wear ‘Love’ by Harajuku Lovers.

What’s your “every girl must own one” item?
A hot pink lippy. Everyone can get away with wearing it. I don’t care what anyone says.

And finally, best beauty tip?
Your face ends at your boobs, so don’t neglect applying skincare to your neck and décolletage.

Last month I really got into DIY art and beauty products. So to get inspiration I flicked through many different blogs for inspiration and came across this one…

This blog has it all! Fashion, DIY, beauty, art, food and decor, and it inspires me to make this website into something just as great.

So, if you’re into that stuff and love it just as much as I do – CHECK IT OUT! It is truly inspiring!

I love coming across beautiful blogs like this. It’s nice to know that there are some beauty bloggers who don’t follow trends and chase after the newest beauty cult buy.

When I started this blog I only had one objective: everything that was to be featured on here was going to be beautiful, healthy, animal-friendly and when and where I could, organic.

So it should come to no surprise that I fell in love with this blog: The Flaxen Owl. Owned and run by a woman named Hayley who buys natural and organic beauty products.

If you’re interested in natural, organic and cruelty-free products, you can learn a thing or two from The Flaxen Owl. I sure did!

PS. Hayley, I love your work! ♥

What is your most inexpensive product?
Probably Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm. Around $6 and is so good for your lips.

What is your most expensive product?
Pretty much anything by MAC. It’s so expensive in Australia. Lipsticks are $33!

What beauty item do you have the most of?
Lip balms, hands down! I have them all over the house and places I regulate, like my boyfriend’s house, office desk and work desk. And it varies a lot.

What beauty product do you have a love/hate relationship with?
Tinted moisturiser. I use KORA Organics Tinted Moisturiser and I love it because it has sunscreen in it but at the same time I don’t like the tint in it. The tint is fine and works well with my complexion but just sometimes it gets on my nerves.

What has been the hardest to find?
OCC nailpolishes! OCC doesn’t ship nailpolishes to Australia and there aren’t many online stores that stock OCC, let alone their polishes. Someone please ship OCC to Australia!!

What is your biggest beauty pet peeve?
There are a few but I can’t stand girls who over-puck their eyebrows. I don’t get it. Thin eyebrows makes you look older. So a beautiful 17 year-old girl with thin eyebrows can easily look 37. Also I can’t stand when girls wear heavy eye makeup and a bold lip colour. One of the first rules of makeup is to not over do it; pick either your eyes or lip to make a statement on and make the other subtle. So, if you’re going for a smokey eye, dull down the lips with a nude. Or have light makeup on the eys and brighten the lip. Not both at the same time.

What are your most delicious beauty products?
I like the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream. I find that it smells like cupcake batter. Other than that I love anything that smells like watermelon.

What beauty product can’t you get enough of?
KORA Organics. I swear by the entire skincare range. I particularly love the daily hand cream, the lip balm and the purifying day and night cream.

What beauty product use the most?
Lip balm. I always feel the need to have something on my lips.

What beauty product do you neglect due to laziness?
It’s not due to laziness, but because due to having a bad memory – sunscreen. There have been sometimes I’ve forgotten to apply it because I’m in a rush or something, but I normally do wear it. It is extremely important to wear especially when you live in Australia.

What beauty routine do you find the most challenging?
Getting waxed and my hair cut/coloured. Again not because of laziness but to find the time to get down to the salon to get all that stuff done.

What beauty routine are you guilty of not doing properly?
Foundation. I can’t do it to save my life. Lucky for me though, I don’t need to wear it most of the time. And because I don’t have to wear a lot of foundation I haven’t really bothered to learn how to perfect it.

What beauty product gives you the most confidence?
A really nice eyeliner. Doesn’t matter if its liquid or pencil, it just has to be good and something I can work with and won’t melt off my face.

What beauty product do you swear by?
KORA Organics, Burt’s Bees and a really good lipstick. Good skin, good treatment and some colour. Can’t go wrong there.

What beauty product do you insist on having in your makeup bag?
There’s a few. Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, a lip liner and a lipstick. Also, a small travel case of makeup wipes aren’t bad either.

What attributes do you find most attractive about the opposite sex?
This isn’t really a ‘beauty’ question, but I’ll still answer it. I’m going to sound so weird when I say I love guys with nice straight teeth. So many of my friends don’t understand it but dental hygiene is a must for me.

What is the one product you can’t live without?
A good skincare range. I can live without the colour and the grooming, but unlike the makeup my skin is something that I’m going to be living in for the rest of my life, so its best to look after it.

What beauty product is your most loved?
Besides my Burt’s Bees, I love KORA Organics Daily Hand Cream. I can’t get enough of it. The smell, the texture and how it makes my hands feel afterwards. Love.

What item would you most like to receive as a gift?
I’d love to get some OCC nailpolishes. Particularly Pool Boy. Also the Naked2 palette by Urban Decay.

What beauty product do you wish you could pull off?
A nude lipstick. Any sort. Pinky nudes, peach nudes… I wish I could pull any of them off but I can’t. Kinda sucks when you’re entire face is monotone.

What beauty attributes do you wish you had?
I don’t really wish I had anything. I mean, I work with what I got. But I would love a pretty beauty mark like Marilyn Monroe or something like that. And NO, getting a Monroe piercing is not an option because I hate surfave piercings.

A palliative care ward is the last place I expected to learn a lesson in beauty. Being a ward where people came to die, I expected lessons in love, lessons on the importance of family and on living a life well lived … but a lesson in beauty? Well, it seemed so irrelevant. Somehow banal. But sometimes you just have to take life lessons where they are offered to you and not ask too many questions.

In retrospect, twenty-four years old was atrociously young to be working in a palliative care ward as a therapist, but that’s where I found myself soon after I landed in London. It was a brand new ward and an exciting opportunity to build up a therapy practice from scratch. I couldn’t wait to start.

Many years on though, I still remember when Violet first arrived on the ward. Hushed tones explained that it had been decided that aggressive treatment was to cease and that now we were to make her last few days comfortable. She was 92 years old.

It was uncanny, but everyone on the ward used the adjective “beautiful” when describing Violet. While her colour palette had faded and the packaging was a little crinkly, you could see that in her day she would have been a heartbreaker. The kind of woman that made wives cling possessively to the arms of their husbands when she walked by. The yummy mummy who was the effortless envy of the school run. And boy, could she make you laugh. Wit as sharp as the needles she no longer had to endure and shrewd insights into the colourful collection of characters who inhabited her new, antiseptic scented home, still live with me today. She was beautiful, inside and out. And, it seemed, she had unfinished business.

Late one afternoon, Violet confided to me that her daughters had been warring for years and it was destroying her more than it could ever destroy either of them. She would not be able to find peace in the afterlife until her daughters found peace with each other. So after much deft negotiation, both daughters were brought to her bedside at the same time. It was the first time they had been in the same room together for 15 years. Violet showed the strength of a thousand oxes as she brought her daughters’ simmering pain to the surface, held them close while they wept, then gently washed away their hurt. It was hard to watch. But it would have been harder if she had passed away without giving her children a sense of peace. I know. I’d seen that happen too.

A few days later, I remember shaking the dew drops off my heavy winter coat as I arrived early at work… and I instantly felt it. Someone had died. It was simply a matter of who. Sure, death was an occupational hazard of working on a palliative care ward but still, every time it happened I felt a palpable jolt of shock. Every. Single. Time.

I walked tentatively to the nurses station and stared wordlessly at Jan, my favourite nurse of all time, who was pacing anxiously with the phone to her ear. She put her hand over the receiver and whispered “It’s Violet. I’m trying to get the Doctor. But she has already gone. Her family are on their way. Please go and be with her.”

I timidly opened the curtains to her cubicle, walked over and put my hand gently over her thin, soft fingers. I looked into her pale face and remembered thinking “you’re not beautiful anymore Violet.” And it was one of those moments where you are jolted by your own audacity. How could that be my first thought? At that moment? Surely there were a thousand other more appropriate, more transcendent thoughts that could have crossed my mind at exactly that instant. But it was true. Somehow, Violet wasn’t beautiful anymore. I had been wrong in my assumptions about what made everyone sigh wistfully about her breathtaking beauty. I suddenly realized it wasn’t just the aesthetic features of her face, because they were still there. It was the spirit that had left her only moments before, that had tricked our minds into thinking she was more “beautiful” than her physical attributes alone dictated. It was a disconcerting thought, on many levels.

As much as anyone else I know, I have, and still do, spend a fair amount of time kowtowing to the “gods of beauty”. I allow a personal trainer to mercilessly torture my body, I paint my face in pretty colours most mornings and I regularly bind my feet into sparkly, metatarsal breaking contraptions. To be beautiful. But the one thing I learned from Violet is that if I truly want the world to see me that way, then I have to show my soul just as much discipline, and nurturing, as my body. Because in a very confronting and tangible way, I learned that when we look at someone and label them as being beautiful, that sometimes it can be an optical illusion. One minute Violet was beautiful, the next minute, she wasn’t. Because the thing that had made her beautiful had peacefully slipped away just moments before I arrived. She had, in passing, proved that in life she had epitomized the proverb she had whispered to me on the day before she died: “Beauty without virtue is like a rose without scent.” Not the kind of lesson one would expect to learn on a palliative care ward, but one that has stayed with me since it left Violet.

WORDS: Misha at theblingbuoy.com