Rose Water as Toner

Back in 2010 - 2011 when I did my make-up artistry degree, I was given a big bottle of divine smelling rose water from my tutor and told that it works as a fantastic toner.

 

I'd never really toned or done much else than cleanse my face with simple, plain water and cheapie moisturizer and my skin was always fine... so needless to say I was slightly sceptical.

 

That same bottle found home in my bathroom after that, never being put to use. Last night however, while unpacking some bathroom boxes I hadn't gotten around to doing yet, I hauled it out. Curious, I poured a bit of the rose water onto a cleansing wipe and applied it over my skin.

Instantly my skin felt soothed, revitalized and wonderful.

 

I decided to give you all a little bit of info about the benefits of rose water and using it as a toner... because I really enjoyed using it last night!

I hope you enjoy my little lesson for the day!

Rose water is quite literally a by-product of rose oil, distilled from fresh rose petals being put into water.
It has many benefits, from anti-aging qualities and tightening the skin pores. It also works as a fantastic moisturizer.
It is a brilliant cleanser, (I discovered this last night after my reular routine of splashing some water on my face...) it removed any excess make-up and dirt that I couldn't remove alone and was surprised by how much it did!

Make your own rosewater (which is far more pure and beneficial than what you can buy in a pharmacy) by simply putting rose petals into a jar with water and leaving it in the sun for a few days. This also looks really pretty outside your house or on a windowsill too so it's a win-win.

Rose water for hair is also a surprisingly great concept. Rose water is extremely nourishing for the scalp and works at strengthening the root hairs. It promotes hair growth, (and if you're a regular reader you'll know I'm a woman on a mission regarding hair growth right now!!!) and can even be used as a natural form of hairspray! It assists with the prevention of hair loss and can EVEN work as a great conditioner, as it stops dry and frizzy hair from entering the picture.

I'm quite sold on rosewater, I'm not sure about you... but just in case, here are a few other great uses for rosewater that I discovered online to win you over:

• Drinking Rose Water - works as an anti-depressent and a (mild) sedative. Mix rose water syrup into a cup of creamy, cold milk and enjoy as it boosts your body with all of the essential vitamins it contains as well as the anti-oxidants, tannins and flavonoids. It assists with tension and nerves, which I am going to have to try as I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks.
• Medicinal Uses - Rose Water has many healing qualities and works as an anti-inflammatory as well as an anti-septic.
• Eye Mask - for tired, puffy eyes, place a cloth dipped in rose water over your eyes and rest while it works its magic.
• Acne - Reduce the redness and swelling of acne by placing rose water on the troubled area.

 

Let me know if you try this amazing idea out!

 

J

 

Europe Tour

Hello Lovely Ladies & Gents,

Sorry that I have been so scarce this past week – but I have great reasoning!

My travel plans have finally been set in motion! My plane ticket back over to the great big jungle of London has now been booked and I have found my absolute dream Contiki  tour which I am in the process of booking as I hurriedly type this out to share the news!

Now that it has become reality and it is just a matter of weeks to go, my nerves are starting to kick in.

It worked out to be a lot more pricey than I had ever bargained for and I have yet to figure out how on earth I am going to afford nearly three weeks in London on top of a 21 day camping euro tour! It’s mainly food that is the biggest concern. Obviously I am slightly gutted not to be able to go and splash around in Primarks and Topshop but some sacrifices need to be made in order to live the dream.
I’m going to travel NOT shop. This is not a shopping trip; it is a trip of exploring, going on an adventure! It is a trip to see a small slice of the world and to find the independence that I just couldn’t muster up when I tried to go back to London at eighteen years old.
I have been given a second chance – and I am going to do everything I possibly can to make the most of it.

Along my journey I will see London, Paris, The French Riveira, The Swiss Alps, Florence, Rome, Venice, Munich, Prague, Berlin and Amsterdam!

I won’t have any extra spending money for souvenirs’ or to do a lot of the optional activities like the cabaret show in Paris for example (that show is nearly R1000.00 alone!!!) literally everything I have saved has got to go towards food and some of the optional tour guided activities that I’d be more interested in - and I have to be clever about it too. I can’t go and indulge in a Big Mac here and there; everything I eat has got to be cheap and cheerful. I have to wave goodbye to my fellow contiki group while they go and view museums etc and save my euro’s for the things that truly interest me such a Gondola ride in Venice (21 Euro’s) etc etc etc…

57 days and counting…

I feel like a swarm of frantic, confused butterflies have just been released in my stomach. I’m a cocktail mixture of excited, overwhelmed, nervous, scared and just f***** happy! I’ve been shaken AND STIRRED!

Has anyone else done a contiki tour before?

Does anyone have any packing advice? Things you never thought you’d need until you got here? Need all the advice I can get!

Hope you are all having a gorgeous weekend.

J

 

 

What To Do When You're Alone on Valentines Day

Another Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I'm starting to wonder what the hell I am going to do.

As a hopeless romantic, unfortunately Valentine's Day is quite an important day for me. If I was with someone I would need to get dressed up and go for dinner with them. I'd spoil them silly with Valentine's gifts and really become a sucker for the money making holiday. It's just who I am. I love to spoil people and make people feel special.

Luckily I've been avoiding the shops so I haven't had a chance to see all the lovey-dovey cards and gifts. I haven't seen specially put together menus at fancy restaurants or even heard my friends speaking about their plans. I guess I'm blocking it out a bit.

I know how silly it is to think this way - but on a day that every couple in the universe is feeling more in love than usual and getting spoiled, you just can't help but feel a little envious.

Thankfully I am working until 7pm on Valentine's Day so at least the first few hours of the dreaded holiday can be spent focusing on work. I do however work at a spa... and we have just compiled a romantic package to share with the one you love.

Valentines Day. A Spa. Couples roaming around the front desk clinging onto each other in disgustingly sweet adoration.... ugh.

Call me the Grinch of February but I am not excited for this.

I've decided that after work on that day I am going to have a bit of a 'love-myself' pamper session.

It is going to involve face masks, a really delicious creamy pasta, a tub of lemon sorbet, a box of my favourite white lindt chocolate, a bottle of Rose, a pile of romantic films (so far I have chosen The Vow, The Lucky One, PS I Love You and The Time Travellers Wife,) and most likely a box of tissues followed by a rather decadent hour long bubble bath.

I'm hoping for rain... so that I can be completely and utterly cliche and put on massively oversized jumpers and sweat pants.

While I'm cooking my dinner I'll most probably be singing along to David Gray and while watching my movies I'll be snuggled up with my cats.

Well - that's the plan for now.

I don't think I could really bare the thought of going out, even if it is with friends. I don't want to see couples.

This all sounds extremely over-dramatic and it is. It's not that I'm not comfortable with being alone. I am. I enjoy having the time to myself... but for some reason Valentine's Day just pulls at my more sensitive heartstrings. I'm a romance novelist. Valentine's Day is one of the days I live for. I get inspiration for my books by the big romantic gestures. Now I'll have none. I'll be alone. So I'd rather just stay in a wallow in self-pity.

 

I'm sure it isn't going to be all that bad.

To be honest I'm actually really enjoying my own company and having quiet nights in since I've been single. It isn't as scary as I once thought it was.

I'm just being mellow-dramatic.

 

What are your V-Day plans?

It's a Beautiful Day to Create

Over the course of the weekend I have been trying to enjoy the revelry of song writing.
A few years ago, when I was much younger, I used to be pretty good at it. It used to be easy for me to pick up a pen and some paper and to pour my emotions onto a page – whether they be happy or sad. Nowadays however, I think I am too concerned about perfection and I cannot help but be disappointed in myself.
Whatever happened to the Jade that said, “Not all writing can be good. You need to collect and treasure the bad because it helps you to both recognize and appreciate the good when it comes around.” Can you imagine how boring it would be if we only ever read and wrote good work?! But I guess it is like ‘they’ say, “It is far easier said than done.”
I could easily sit and scrutinize my writing from its very first breath. I barely give it a chance.

I think I have realized that writing needs to be like strumming on a guitar.
Every chord has a colour and each generates a different emotion. You need to listen to what emotion each chord evokes and tell that story however it feels.
If it is a major chord then it is usually a positive feeling whereas if it is a minor chord it is more emotional, deeper.
A writer knows what colour a word is. It is a dictionary written in their heart and constantly surging through their veins.
Give your words the chance to mix into the colours of a beautiful sunset and enjoy the process of creating.

January Favorites

Many of my more regular readers' will know that about four months ago I went through a pretty nasty break-up. Almost together for two years - ring shopping, marriage talk, baby banter, living together, getting pets together... no one thought it would come to an end. 

When it did though and the time came for me to leave the cottage, pack up my life as I knew it and start afresh - I felt pretty raw. 

I remember driving around one afternoon listening to the radio when a song came on and literally every single line felt like it was meant for me in that moment, (don't worry - it's not Taylor Swift...) 

Pink - Try.

That song has really helped me to see the positive side of things. It reminds me that I need to get up and try. It reminds me that just because the burn hurts, it doesn't mean I'm going to die. The lyrics may be simple but all in all the combination of the melody, the words, the piano... it all equals up to exactly the message I was needing from it.

If you are busy going through a break-up then give this a listen. I hope it helps you the way it helped me.

These are some of the other things that I got up to this month:

I found a really great new foundation from The Body Shop. My usual Woolworths Foundation ran dry and they didn't have my colour in stock when I went to buy a new tube so I went on a bit of a hunt.
This is the first time that I have tried The Body Shop's Foundation and I'm so impressed with it - think I may have converted!

Along my hunt for new base I also decided to visit the sale trays and pick up a cheap mascara. This was only R15.00 from Foushini and to me it really does the job just as well (or perhaps even better,)  as some of my previous mascara's that cost + R150.00

I started to learn a card game called Kings and Assholes. 

How you play Kings & Assholes:

Divide the pack of cards between your players (works really well with 3-4 people)
The person who gets a Three of Diamonds starts, placing that card down on the table facing upwards. Working clockwise, the next person can play a single card on top of that three as long as it is a higher number. (Suits do not matter).
You cannot play another three on top of a three however, it has got to be higher.
In this game, two is the highest card and can close the round off. If someone places a two on top of the pile then you turn those cards over and start again.
The first person who finishes the game with no cards left in his / her hands wins and therefore becomes the King.
From there, the remaining players battle it out. The person who finishes with the most cards left becomes the asshole.
This means that on the next round, the asshole must give the King his / her highest card and the King gives the asshole the card that he or she doesn't want.

After the first round you can start playing doubles, triples etc (if you have two or more cards with the same number,) this helps you get rid of your cards faster.
If you cannot play when it is your turn then you can choose to skip your turn.

I find this game really fun and addictive. Give it a try!

I took Kyle's Jeep for a bit of a spin... it was awesome!!! This day was just magical. We'd gone to a family gathering entailing cocktails and a fully clothed swim in the lagoon. Thereafter I begged just a little to drive his car, (which I am hopelessly in love with to say the least!) I may even be coming around to the idea of automatic vehicles...

Chantelle used to be featured in my blog back in 2010 when I first started it, in posts such as:

http://bohemianmuses.blogspot.com/2010/06/and-so-ends-very-interesting-month.html

http://bohemianmuses.blogspot.com/2010/07/1-german-1-brit-and-2-south-african.html

and

http://bohemianmuses.blogspot.com/2010/07/more-pointless-ramblings-of-no-body.html

which, looking back at those few posts makes me feel like quite the alcoholic! Just to clarify that this is not the case, I am not that bad anymore, (I say confidently while you stare at a picture of us depleting a jug of strawberry daiquiri.....)

We've had a few pretty great night's out this month and reconnecting with her has been lovely.

From the left: Shaun, my ex. Me and Lucien. 

This was the first day in roughly three months that my ex and I were able to be around each other without any awkwardness. Although we have broken up, we'd still like to develop some sort of a friendship. It has been really difficult to be around each other and mainly things end up in heated arguements and one of us has to leave but I am hopeful that we'll be friends one day.
We have a close friendship group and in a small town like Knysna it is impossible to not bump into each other when we go out so I think we're doing as best we can to make it work somehow.

If I could choose somewhere else in the Garden Route to live - Plettenberg Bay would be right up there. The entire atmosphere is so different - I feel like I've just stepped into the OC every time I go there.
Amie, Alle and I found a little wooden bar right on the beach after our hike at Robberg and enjoyed a drink or two in the gorgeous Summer sun.  

 

 The hike to Robberg was amazing. It always is. I cannot even count how many time I have done it - complete hiking addict!

 Spent some time at Pili Pili beach bar for the first time in over a year, caught up with old friends, made new friends and just let my hair get salty, my feet get sandy and my life get happy again. 
Very therapeutic for the soul.

These were some of my favorite ensembles of the month. Almost everything I am wearing from these shots is Mr. Price clothing.
The lace white dress was just R99.00 which I bought over a year ago and the floral summer dress was R69.00 which I bought this month.
Then there's me in a plain black tee, with holes in the shoulders. This wasn't expensive at all and I bought it a few days ago along with those gorgeous blue heels for R169.00. The skirt is from Edgars and is already about four years old.
My most expensive outfit of the month was my pink look for a dinner date at Emily Moon. See the previous post for info about this outfit!

This is a photograph of my brother and I underneath the gazebo at my new house. My folks and I moved in on the 25th January. It is but a 30 second walk from the beautiful ocean and it is just perfect. I finally got my white-picket fencing :)

I've been in hibernation mode recently as well. I haven't really gone out and seen my friends, joined in on barbeques or movie nights. For the first time, I've been comfortable with just having time to myself and enjoying my own company... and my cats.
Great - now I just sound like a crazy cat person. Which I probably am...

Anyway, I learnt how to make chocolate face masks and I woke up to the smoothest skin!
This is the recipe I used:

• Half a cup of cocoa powder
• Half a cup of honey
• Two tablespoons of besan (besan works better for oily skin. I'm a combination but as its summer I chose besan over oatmeal, which is better for those with dry skin).
• Three tablespoons of curd (also advisable for oily skin, whereas for dry you could use cream).

You mix these ingredients together in a blender until it forms a thick chocolatey batter then leave it to set for five minutes. Apply to the face and leave on for 15-20 minutes, the normal amount of time for most face masks. Wash off with lukewarm water and pat skin dry with a towel (this was the messy bit for me!).

Cons of a chocolate face mask:

• It smells absolutely divine and you'll be craving chocolate like mad!!!

Benefits of a chocolate face mask:

• Skin becomes glowing, soft, firm and smooth

Last night, to finish the month of January off, I invited my oldest friend in Knysna over for a farewell dinner. This is us looking rather haggard and make-up-less in our pjs for our night in.
This was both a highlight and a big lowlight in January.
Saying goodbye is never, ever easy but she is moving on to bigger and better things and I wish her all the best for her exciting future in the big concrete jungle better known as Johannesburg.

Here's my blog post written a few months back, based on how to handle saying goodbye to someone close to you:

http://bohemianmuses.blogspot.com/2012/03/saying-goodbye.html

It truly has been a fantastic month and some really special memories have been made.
The first month of the year and already I can tell that this year is kicking 2012 into the past and helping me move on to better and more exciting things.

Over the next eleven monthly favourites posts that I will be doing there will be many containing travel pictures from all over... I plan on doing my infamous Euro tour and perhaps see a bit more of Africa too such as Mozambique.
I have great plans for 2013 so keep updated and travel with me through this amazing journey called life.

Wishing you all a glorious February.

J