You may recall me mentioning in a previous post, that we have decided to make travel a priority for 2017. I think it is one of the only ways Grant and I can remain sane in all the chaos. Travel to Croatia, which has been on our wishlist for a while, is now becoming a reality. [Read more…]
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Vichy Summer Loving
Vichy
Summer is by far my favorite season! I love spending time outdoors, especially after a long cold winter. The feeling of sun on your skin is sheer bliss but it is so important to remember sun protection! Regardless of your skin type you need protection against the damaging effect of UV rays.
Investing money in a good sun cream, is as important as spending money on good skin care. Vichy is one of my favourite sun protection brands, which I have been using for years! I was excited when they sent me a few products from their latest Capital Soleil range to try!
As summer has officially arrived in Cape Town I thought it would be a great time to share a few Sun Protection Facts & Tips, as well as a chance to win a fab Summer Hamper!
Sun Protection Facts & Tips:
- Use plenty of sunscreen, even if it is cloudy. Your sunscreen should have a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 and be a “broad-spectrum” sunscreen. This will ensure you are protected against the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.
- Apply your sunscreen 20 to 30 minutes before going outside. Remember to reapply regularly, especially if you are swimming. No sunscreen product can truly be waterproof, most are water-resistant or a specifically formulated for use in water.
- Check the expiration date of your sunscreen, as the active ingredients in sunscreens can lose their potency, so if it is old throw it out!
- Do not rely on the SPF in your foundation to protect your face, use an additional sunscreen specially formulated for your face. Using a specially formulated sunscreen for your face is ideal, especially if you exercise outdoors, as they are usually targeted at sensitive skin, which will reduce the risk of breakout.
- Cover up! Wear a wide-brimmed hat or peak cap, to protect your face and sunglasses which filter UV Radiation. If you are spending long periods of time in the water, then a second skin with Ultraviolet Protection Factor {UPF} of 30 or higher is a good idea, especially for young children. If you are going to be at the beach for a few hours, then be sure to take your sun umbrella along for added protection.
- Pick your sun-time carefully! The sun is most intense between 10am and 4pm, so preferably spend time out doors in the early morning or late afternoon.
More about the Vichy Products I have been testing…
One of the products which I have really been enjoying is the Vichy BB Tinted dry touch face fluid SPF 50. I have really struggled to find a BB cream, which agrees with my sensitive skin and I was so impressed at how wonderful this cream feels on my skin feels! It’s BB tinted formula enhances and illuminates the complexion of the skin. The reinforced UV protection system protects against harmful UVB and UVA Radiation. My skin does not feel greasy or sticky thanks to the dry touch formulation. I use it on my face when I run and I have had not break outs or bad reactions to it! YAY! It also gives you great coverage and wonderfully “tanned” skin! It is the “ideal tan revealer” The formulation is paraben-free, hypoallergenic and resistant to water. RRP R279 for 50ml.
I have also been using the The Vichy Spray SPF 50+, for my body, when I run. I prefer to use a higher SPF factor when I am outdoors for longer periods of time. The Vichy Spray SPF 50+ contains Mexoryl, which helps protect against sun damage, brown-spots and sun-induced premature skin ageing. It is recommended for all skin types including sensitive skin. What I love about this protect is the light-weight, non-greasy application. My skin does not feel sticky after applying it, which can so often happen with higher SPF sunscreens. RRP R340 for 200ml.
As I mentioned we are giving away a fab Summer Hamper! The hamper contains the Vichy BB Tinted dry touch face fluid SPF 50, a fun Beach towel, a pair of Vichy flip flops{size 3-4} & pretty sun hat! To enter please leave a comment telling me what you love most about summer and follow the additional steps on the Rafflecopter entry form below. {Please ensure you read the *Terms & Conditions below carefully, to ensure you comply with all the entry criteria}
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Terms & Conditions:
- Entries are open from 7th November 2014 until the 19th November 2014 the winner will be announced on the 21st November 2014.
- Enter using the Rafflecopter form, as per the instructions above. You must complete all the steps:Leave a Comment, Like said FaceBook Pages, to validate your entry, failure to do so will declare your entry invalid. Tweet about the competition.
- To ensure that your entry in processed correctly (please use a valid email address). Your details will only be used to validate your entry and inform you, if you are selected as a winner.
- Prizes may not be exchanged for cash.
- This competition is only open to South African residents.
- By “Liking” you enter and agree that this promotion is in no way associated with, administered by, or endorsed by Facebook; and acknowledge a complete release of Facebook by your participation.
Disclosure Ranking:2
On My Travel Wishlist Réunion Island
As you know, I am an avid traveller, but I do not get to travel nearly as much as I would like! I have found the best way to curb my wanderlust, is to have a Travel Wishlist. Last year I shared an article on My Top Dream Destinations, I have already ticked Thailand off the list, which we visited last year and I am hoping to be able to explore Italy later this year! A destination not too from home I am dying to explore is Réunion Island. [Read more…]
Confessions of a Blogger Lauren from The Travel Manuel
Today on Confessions of a Blogger, we are featuring the lovely Lauren from The Travel Manuel! I actually know Lauren personally and we managed to connect in Koh Samui, while we were travelling in Thailand, last year 🙂 Lets find out a bit more about the blogger behind the blog!
My name is Lauren Manuel McShane and together with my husband, Vaughan, we form a travel journalism duo who traipse around the world telling stories through writing, photography and video. We are 29 year old Capetonians currently based in Mersing, Malaysia and loving life here. I don’t think we will ever stop travelling but we both agree that there is no place like Cape Town.
- When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? When I first moved to Seoul, South Korea to teach English, I began to scribble all my thoughts, stories and discoveries of everyday life on pieces of paper, then notebooks and finally on a blog. I guess I always enjoyed storytelling, but together with a love of photography and travel, a travel blog became a great way for me to share my adventures.
- Do you blog fulltime or do you have a 9-5 as well? At the moment, I juggle the blogging with a mentoring job. Luckily it’s a wonderful job where I get to mentor local teachers in rural Malaysia. Before 2, I am assisting them with their English and how to teach English and for the rest of the day I am writing and doing social media.
- Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? Together with my husband, we run thetravelmanuel.com. We hope to inspire anyone and everyone to escape their comfort zones and explore the world either on short vacations or long term travel. We use various mediums to give people a glimpse of God’s beautiful creation all around us in South Africa and worldwide. We also give tips and guidelines on how to make the process and preparation of travel smoother.
- Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? Learning how to manage, fix and develop a website is the tough part as well as keeping up with social media and editing. The writing I love and while there are some days when I am not in the mood, most days I really HAVE to write.
- What have your biggest blogging challenges been? When I first started, it was learning on how to build my own website and navigate my way around plugins and widgets when everything was so new to me. Also trying to regularly publish new content whilst marketing the site on social media was extremely time consuming. Luckily my husband and I now balance the work load and he is very technically minded and opts to do the things I really don’t enjoy. Team blogging is the best!
- What do you love most about being a blogger? I love having a platform to share the lessons I have learnt through travel with others. It enables me to share the beauty of the world with people who may not have the chance to travel and it connects me with fellow travelers who are moved with the same wanderlust as I am.
- Do you have any blog related or social media pet peeves? {things that other bloggers or social media peeps do, that really annoy you} I love most things about travel blogging other than the competition ~ everybody wants to be a travel blogger ~ And blogging cliques. But hey, a little competition is a great motivator.
- What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? It inspires and enables me to travel more which is the greatest education and mind opener of all. I often learn more about myself and humanity while travelling than I do at home. I have always loved variety and been repelled by routine, so travel blogging feeds my need to do something new and different with each day. It has open doors to a freelance way of life where I am my own boss.
- If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? The greatest advice I ever received about my blog was to just start. It doesn’t need to look perfect to begin with. Most great projects never do. Start small and slowly improve various aspects of your blog, making sure it is user friendly. However make sure your content is of a high quality. Keep posts short and impactful, readers of the web hardly linger for too long.
- In three words tell me what blogging means to you: Travel, storytelling and expression.
Thanks Lauren for sharing a bit more about your life and blogging journey with us! You can find out more about Lauren and connect with her here:
Blog link: http://thetravelmanuel.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetravelmanuel
Twitter: @thetravelmanuel
Instagram: @thetravelmanuel
If you would like to be featured on Confessions of a Blogger, then please email Fiona or leave a comment below.
{ Beauty Favourite } Dermalogica Precleanse Wipes
You may remember me blogging about the new Dermalogica Let the experts love your skin campaign and my recent visit to Dermalogica on Wembley, where I had my skin professionally mapped. Along with the Dermalogica products recommended for my skin, I received a pack of the new Dermalogica Precleanse Wipes to try out.
Some of you may already know about the regular Dermalogica PreCleanse, a deep-cleansing oil, which melts away impurities and make-up from skin. Dermalogica believe that, to achieve ultra clean and healthy skin, you need a Double Cleanse regime, which begins with PreCleanse. Double cleansing is particularly beneficial if you wear a lot of make up.
Dermalogica PreCleanse gets rid of excess sebum (oil), sunscreen, waterproof make-up, environmental pollutants and residual products that build-up on skin throughout the day.To help provide on-the-go cleansing, Dermalogica have developed their handy PreCleanse wipes, which do the same job as the regular PreCleanse, just with added convenience.
The PreCleanse wipes are ideal for beauties who need to freshen up during the day and perfect for popping in your travel bag. I wish I had these on my trip to Thailand last year, there is nothing worse than the feeling of grimy airplane skin, after an over night flight!
The wipes are formulated with skin-softening Aloe and Apricot oils, conditioning Rice Bran and Vitamin E. They are gentle enough to be used around the eye area and even remove waterproof mascara. The PreCleanse wipes contain no artificial fragrances, colours or parabens.
I must admit there are evenings when I feel far too lazy to do a regular double cleanse and have been reaching for the PreCleanse wipes instead! They really do leave your skin feeling clean but not over-cleansed and dry. The PreCleanse Wipes are a definite Beauty Favourite for me and will most certainly be something I will be repurchasing!
Beauty Tip: Use tepid water for cleansing the face. Hot water can dry the skin and cause damage to it. Cold water does not effectively dissolve away dirt and grime.
To find out more about these and other products please visit the Dermalogica SA Website.