Simply Earth Essential Oil Recipe Subscription Box

For centuries, people from different civilizations have used essential oils as a means to cure ailments and concoct lotions and potions for their beauty rituals. We still do that today, and with more knowledge about the use of the different oils, it is easier than ever before to incorporate essential oils and reap their benefits in our daily lives.

I have dabbled in using essential oils for natural remedies and making body scrubs as well and it is something I still do today. Moreover, I know about you but I love a nice smelling home especially at this time of year - be it a seasonal candle burning, a reed diffuser or said essential oils.

Experimenting with essential oils has become much easier now with the introduction of Simply Earth and their Essential Oil Recipe Subscription Box. They sent me the December box which took a little over a month to reach me since it's from the US, but it's sooo worth the wait! Let me introduce you to Simply Earth first and then we'll get to the fun part and there's also a discount code for you all should you wish to give the box a try yourselves.

Oh and there's more! Their website is a treasure trove for essential oil enthusiasts as you can also purchase the oils individually and there's even a free downloadable e-book about essential oils! 

About Simply Earth

As I said, Simply Earth is a monthly subscription box which makes having a natural home and handmade products easy and fun! Each box comes with 4 full-sized essential oils, 5 - 6 recipes as well as some ingredients and little jars to get you started. Each box costs $39 and is worth $150.

December Box

The Simply Earth December Box contains:

- Clove Essential Oil

- Patchouli Essential Oil

- Peppermint Essential Oil

- Breathe Easy Essential Oil Blend

- Bath Bomb Shells (can also be used as mixing bowls)

- Goat Milk Powder

- Citric Acid

- 6 recipe cards

- Small jar

- Labels to stick your finished products

I chose to make the Vanilla Mint Lip Scrub first since it's a very easy product to make and most of the ingredients could already be found in my kitchen, the rest were included in the box! I will be sharing a video of how I made it in the coming days so watch out for it!

How You Can Subscribe

If you wish to subscribe, it's easy! Just log on to simplyearth.com, click Get Started and sign up! If you would like to receive a Big Bonus Box and a 20$ gift card, don't forget to add my code LARAFREE at checkout!

Simply Earth is a fun and easy way of incorporating essential oils into home-made gifts for your loved ones or personal use so I guess you could say it's the box that keeps on giving ;) And if you love the box so much, there's always the option of gifting one to a dear friend you know will enjoy it!

PR Sample

Erba Vita Aloe Vera with Anti-Oxidant Fruits - The Natural Way To Detox

Ridding our bodies from unhealthy, toxic substances is something that has been practised for a long time and among all the different substances and super-foods advocated to help this detoxification process, Aloe Vera almost always makes an appearance - be it masks, drinks or lotions.

Today I want to share with you my latest find from Erba Vita, the Aloe Vera drink. Enriched with anti-oxidants from 5 super-foods, this is the perfect way to rid your body of toxins right from the beginning of your day or before you go to bed.

Let's have a look at the benefits of Aloe Vera, it's actions and what can be achieved upon regular consumption of the Erba Vita Aloe Vera juice. First of all, the Aloe Vera sourced by Erba Vita is of regulated origin since it's cultivated in its natural habitat at non-GMO plantations where no pesticides or artificial fertilisers are used. Skinning of leaves is done manually after harvest and all leaves originate from plants which are at least 5 years old since these would contain a higher amount of active ingredients. The juices obtained are then cold-pressed and do not undergo any thermal processes of any kind.

Scientific and clinical studies have shown that Aloe Vera aids in purifying, detoxifying and depuration of our bodies. It also aids our digestive system and it also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent within this same mechanism and other parts of our bodies.

Erba Vita have combined all the benefits of Aloe Vera together with 5 anti-oxidant super berries to produce the Aloe Vera juice I will be talking about in this blog post. The five berries are goji, noni, açai, bilberry and mango sourced from all over the world, all of which have exceptional antioxidant properties and further help our bodies to break down lipids and help in metabolic functions. Antioxidants offer protection against free radicals and since Aloe Vera has bio-activator functions, meaning it causes an increase in bio-availability and absorption of anti-oxidant vitamins such as Vitamins C and E which occur naturally in all the fruits in the juice mix, they are in perfect synergy.

The juice comes in a 500ml opaque PET bottle which helps prevent compromisation due to light sources. It comes with a small cap which you can use to make sure you are taking the right dose. The juice has a purple colour and has a sort of berry taste but it not sweet - I'd say it's an acquired taste. It is recommended to take the Aloe Vera juice once or twice daily as required. I prefer to take 1 capful right before going to bed as it further helps the body to de-toxify during sleep.

I've been taking this Aloe Vera juice for about a month now and it did help with my otherwise difficult digestion but not only. Detoxifying my body has helped with breakouts too. At first, I had some pimples here and there on my face but that's a natural process the skin goes through when ridding itself of toxins but now my skin has started to clear up and it looks brighter as well.

One last thing, this is a food supplement, not a replacement and hence, it should complement a healthy diet. Erba Vita Aloe Vera with Anti-Oxidant Fruits is available in all pharmacies.

PR Sample

Pink Fashion Show Takes Flight for the 5th Consecutive Year!

Last week, I was on the most fashionable flight ever courtesy of the Pink Fashion Show! Picture this: fellow passengers dressed to the nines, a check-in desk where our boarding passes were checked by Air Malta crew, the captain announcing the brands and video footage from an aeroplane; all this truly set the scene for Pink Magazine's 5th Anniversary fashion show take off.

In simulating the airport setting at the Intercontinental Arena, the Pink Fashion Show went back to its first ever edition which took place at the Malta Aviation Museum. This year, the show featured winter collections and accessories from Charles & Keith, Cortefiel, Gerry Weber, Furla and Oltre, Lilly Mae, Noos, O’hea Opticians, Orsay, Pedro del Hierro, Samsonite and women’secret.

Opening the show was none other than the fabulous Sarah Zerafa wearing a dress by James Dimech made out of 100 copies of the last two issues of Pink magazine and 48 triangular folds from the editorials to create the collar, whilst the tail had the folds fixed in place by hand with hot glue and stitching. Sarah was also the face of the fashion show and killed the catwalk each time she walked out on it! Brava!

Most of the collections favoured the tailored look with co-ordinated checked suits and lush coats, small bags that pack a punch and statement yet elegant shoes. I also liked the loungewear from women'secret and look forward to hitting the shops to check out all they have to offer especially the newly opened Charles & Keith.

O'hea Opticians - Photos by Justin Ciappara

O'hea Opticians - Photos by Mark Soler

Cortefiel - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Cortefiel - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Furla & Oltre Cortefiel - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Furla & Oltre Cortefiel - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Furla & Oltre Cortefiel - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Gerry Weber - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Gerry Weber - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Gerry Weber - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Noos - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Noos - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Orsay - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Orsay - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Pedro del Hierro - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Pedro del Hierro - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Pedro del Hierro - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Charles & Keith - Photos by Justin Ciappara

Charles & Keith - Photos by Justin Ciappara

women'secret - Photos by Justin Ciappara

women'secret - Photos by Justin Ciappara

women'secret - Photos by Justin Ciappara

The hair on the models was styled with a modern take on the classic chignon by Wella Professionals, with the collaboration of Cutting Edge, D Salon, Gloss, Head & Jam and Unistyler hairstylists. Make-up was done by Chris Attard and his team using products from Guerlain to achieve a very natural look.

Wedding Beauty Prep | Getting my skin in tip-top shape ahead of the big day!

Hey all :) I'm back today with a rather lengthy one. I am planning to start a wedding series here seeing that our wedding is now less than 6 months away and most of the things are now booked. Maybe something along the lines of a timeline of sorts, tips for future brides-to-be, where to shop, etc so do let me know in the comments if you're interested in such posts.

For the first post that has to do with our wedding, I decided to go with a rather concerning subject - our appearance on the day. I'm sure all of you make an effort to look your best every day but I think we can all agree that we want to look our absolute best on our wedding day. I'm not saying you should completely transform yourself for the wedding - otherwise, you'd be risking your partner not recognizing you but there are a few tweaks and lifestyle changes we can all employ to look our very best on the day, and why not, maybe even adopt this new routine?!

I will start with my favourite, skin care! So, I invite you to grab a mug of tea, sit comfortably and read through.

This is perhaps one of the most important things you should take care of all year round not just ahead of special occasions; but since the focus will be on you and your partner, it is worth investing in your skin, now more than ever. I have only added a few treatments to my existing skin care routine, and you can click on the product names for more in-depth reviews. Here I'll be sharing my new routine to maybe inspire you to do the same!

My morning routine is quite simple actually, I use La Roche Posay Micellar Water Gel to freshen up my skin for the day and then I follow with rose water, eye contour cream and moisturiser with SPF.

For night time, it's a bit more complicated. I have recently delved into double-cleansing - I basically use a makeup remover which is usually oil-based to dissolve all my makeup and dirt my skin would have picked up during the day. I use either the Nivea Double Effect Eye Makeup Remover or their new MicellAIR makeup remover. I am currently using up the Double Effect so I can fully switch to the MicellAIR which doesn't leave an oily residue on my skin and is just as effective at removing waterproof eye makeup and liquid lipsticks.

I then follow with Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance Cleanser* to make sure my skin is thoroughly clean and free from all traces of makeup. This also works to prevent breakouts. Once a week, I treat my skin to The Body Shop Vitamin C Liquid Peel which leaves my skin feeling bright and fresh. It's important to keep in mind not to use Vitamin C peels excessively though and only use at night time for your skin will be really sensitive to sunlight.

Twice a week, I use La Roche Posay Ultrafine Scrub which is perfect for my oily/sensitive skin. I have repurchased this countless times just because it is the best scrub I have ever used!

Of course, I try to compliment my basic skin care regime with more intensive and specific treatments as well such as the newly launched Hyalu B5 range* from La Roche Posay, The Body Shop Seaweed Oil Control Overnight Gel and Glamglow masks.

I have also been taking Imedeen Derma One Skin Care supplements which help increase collagen and moisture levels, helping my skin maintain a youthful look.

I am currently incorporating some new products from Uriage, namely their AGE Protect range* and Payot's Techni Liss*, both of which protect against the ageing aggressor of the 21st Century - blue light from our technological devices.

I need to test these products further to be able to provide an in-depth review, so keep your eyes peeled for that if you're interested!

Let me know what topic you'd like me to cover next in this series :) I hope you have found this post useful and do let me know your feedback regarding the products if you try any of them :)

Products marked with *are PR samples

From the Catwalk to the Street - Part 2

Remember my collaboration with Caroline from Diva Inside a couple of months ago? No? Go and read Part 1 here then come back to see today's post ;) If you do remember it, buckle up for Part 2!

Again we partnered up with another three local designers who have just showcased their latest collections last May during Malta Fashion Week & Awards. This time we chose Ritienne Zammit, Gabrielle Fenech and Maria Cutajar.

Ritienne Zammit - Atronymic

All three looks we chose for this shoot are right up my alley; they are all something I would actually wear but my absolute favourite was definitely this dress from Ritienne Zammit. Ritienne takes inspiration from our country's history and heritage and this collection was no exception. It aims at putting some Maltese surnames' history out there and being the history lover that I am, I always enjoy her collections. The dress I chose for this shoot has the 'Grandmaster print' and represents the surnames of Debattista, Vella, Mallia and Degabriele among others. Apart from the originality and edginess, the craftsmanship, high quality of materials and perfect stitching execution make Ritenne's collections very sought-after; and in fact, I already own a couple of pieces from her.

Catwalk Photography by Bernard Polidano

Back to the photoshoot, this dress ticks all the right boxes and I love the wavy shape of the skirt which gives it a playful look while the light blue details balance out the heaviness of the print. The exquisite print-matching of the different parts of the dress is so satisfying to look at and even though it is quite busy, it can easily go with so many shoe and bag options. In fact, I could pair it with over 5 pairs from my shoe collection alone (I only took 3 with me for the shoot). I kept the accessories to a bare minimum and only paired dark mustard tassel earrings and my Versace sunglasses which complemented the gold buttons at the front and the tonality of the main print.

Gabrielle Fenech - Ruby Carol

I had missed Gabrielle's presentation during Malta Fashion Week because I didn't attend on the night, but I remember seeing the pictures and I immediately liked her work. Of course, my favourite outfit from her Ruby Carol collection was the one I chose for this shoot. The off-white and dark red tones and the design at the front of the shirt instantly reminded me of the robes worn during the Roman era, thus I paired a chunky gold cuff and nude heels with it all. I love the open-back detail on the shirt but I have to say that the PVC skirt wasn't exactly comfortable to climb up stairs in. It is still something I wear though and to give it more of a modern edge rather than keeping with work-wear vibes, I opted for an ear cuff instead of traditional earrings.

Catwalk Photography by Steven Muliett

Maria Cutajar - Dejjem F'Qalbna

Lastly, another elegant look. This time courtesy of Maria Cutajar. I chose this gilet from her 'Dejjem F'Qalbna' collection on which the detailing and craftsmanship is exceptional. Maria has come a long way from the first collection she debuted in Malta and I only have words of praise for her latest works.

Catwalk Photography by Bernard Polidano

I styled the gilet with a pair of black shorts and a lace bodysuit, allowing the little eyelash lace details on the sleeves to peep through from under it. I also added a felt hat for that something extra and my favourite heels, the Gianvito Rossi Plexi pumps which have to power to take any look to the next level. The material on the gilet is perfect for the transitional autumn period - it's not too light, not too heavy and the colours are just something everyone can easily incorporate in their wardrobe.

Hair & Makeup

This time round, I left my hair in my hairdresser's hands - Francesco from Hair & Beauty by Cher. I have been a client of his for a veeeerrrryyyy long time now and I still amaze myself at how he always manages to come up with something new each and every time I visit! This time we went for a low bun since all of the outfits I was wearing featured a high neck. I love sleek, pulled back looks and this has got to be one of my favourites to date :) Thank you so much!

As for makeup, we chose Daniela from Melita Health & Beauty. We went for a natural look as the outfits were quite bold and she used Shiseido makeup which has just been re-branded and you can find most of the products at Melita too. My favourites were the foundation, where she used the Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation which offers medium to full coverage and doesn't oxidise, a neutral hued quad from the Essentialist Eye Palette range and the ModernMatte Powder Lipstick and  LacquerInk Lip Shin which helped the lip colour last for hours on end!

That's it for our collaborative shoots as regards this year's edition of Malta Fashion Week! Which look was your favourite out of the six we styled? Which local designer is your favourite? Oh and go check out some exclusive behind the scenes footage thanks to Taz and don't forget to subscribe to his channel.

Photography by Taz Gardner unless otherwise stated
Hair by Francesco Agius Risiott at Hair & Beauty by Cher
Makeup Daniela Ebejer at Melita Health & Beauty using Shiseido
Location Talbot & Bons Boutique Bed & Breakfast, Gudja