Rahua Haircare

Rahua (pronounced ‘Ra-wa’) is a luxury organic haircare range based on the benefits of Rahua oil, used for centuries by the Quecha-Shuar tribe in the Amazon.  The women of the tribe credit the oil as the reason for their thick, lustrous hair and the aim of the range is to improve hair strength to enable growth with less breakage.  

The key to Rahua's outstanding performance is its molecular structure. Unlike other botanical oils that simply coat strands, the extraordinarily small Rahua oil molecule deeply penetrates the hair's cortex – bonding and repairing it – while simultaneously smoothing the hair's cuticle. There are no silicones in the formulations, no lauryl sulphate, no parabens, no synthetic ingredients, and all products are suitable for vegans.

The Rahua shampoo, £27 is great for dry/damaged/frizzy/thick hair, while the Rahua Voluminous Shampoo, £27 is for all hair types and great for thin, oily and limp hair. One of stars of the range is been the Rahua finishingtreatment, £38. This is a great product to use after you blow dry and flat iron your hair. A little goes a long way and it provides a subtle sheen and helps keep the ends looking healthy and polished. This really felt luxurious. The Rahua range is a beauty favourite of Gwyneth Paltrow & Megan Fox!

Shop here for: Rahua

Kahina Giving Beauty

“I strongly believe in the possibility of connecting with people from other cultures and creating an environment in which the little things we do throughout or daily lives positively affect the lives of people around the world. Even in something as seemingly inconsequential as our choice of skin care, it’s about a consciousness of the decisions we make every day.”  
- Katharine L’Heureux, Founder of Kahina Giving Beauty 

Kahina Giving Beauty mission is to promote truly healthy skin and to support the wellbeing of women on a global scale. Its Argan oil comes from the South African Argan forests in Morocco and its harvested and pressed by Berber women in argan oil cooperatives.  In these cooperatives, women of all ages work together to make money.  Some of the women simply help bring in money to help their husbands, others are widows who must support themselves and their children.  

Kahina founder, Katharine Phillips L'Heureux, was inspired to start Kahina after a trip to Morocco where she discovered the effectiveness of pure argan oil and how these cooperatives work. Kahina Giving Beauty gives a whopping 25% of their profits to the Argan oil cooperatives for educational and women's right programs.  Many of the women are learning to read and write through these programs, including how to write their own name.

The Kahina boxes and bottles are recyclable and purposefully simple and modern, yet they have meaning.  The scrolly design on the outside of both are the actual signatures of Berber women who work in the argan oil cooperative in Morocco. 

THE KAHINA RITUAL

Step 1: Cleanse AM & PM

KAHINA FACIAL CLEANSER, £45: A gentle daily cleanser scented with neroli to eliminate impurities without stripping skin of its natural oils, and formulated with argan oil, willow bark extract, and papaya extract.

Step 2: Tone & Refine AM & PM

KAHINA TONING MIST, £38: A bioactive mist to tone, refine, and refresh, with antioxidant-packed white tea and argan leaf extracts, cleansing willow bark extract, soothing aloe vera, and alfalfa extract which encourages cell turnover and renewal. Rose flower water and aloe vera soothe and calm.

Step 3: Nourish (Argan Oil / Serum) AM & PM 

KAHINA ARGAN OIL, £74: A multipurpose, vitamin- and antioxidant-rich oil for face, body, and hair. Ideal for normal, combination, oily, acneic and sensitive skin types, argan oil hydrates, heals, calms, and nourishes. Argan oil absorbs easily to give skin a radiant glow.

KAHINA SERUM, £77: Ideal for mature, dry, and sun-damaged skin, our restorative and rejuvenating Serum is a blend of oils rich in antioxidants and vitamins including argan, coffee, pomegranate, seabuckthorn, and carrot to counteract the aging process and heal skin.

KAHINA BRIGHTENING SERUM, £65: A lightweight serum with seaweed, white lily, and spirulina to even hyperpigmentation caused by environmental exposure, aging, and post-acne marks. Apply Brightening Serum immediately after Toning Mist and follow with Argan Oil, Serum, and/or Facial Lotion as desired.

Step 4: Hydrate & Protect AM (& PM if extra moisture is desired)

KAHINA FACIAL LOTION, £54: Our light, daily moisturizer combines high concentrations of organic argan oil with hydrating sodium hyaluronate, beeswax, and organic shea butter.

Step 5: Treat & Firm (Eye Serum & Eye Cream) AM & PM

KAHINA EYE SERUM, £67: Revitalize and smooth the delicate skin around the eyes. Collagen-boosting peptides combine with botanical extracts and argan oil to stimulate blood flow and increase lymphatic drainage to minimize eye puffiness, and brighten dark circles. This lightweight solution is quickly and easily absorbed to optimize results.

KAHINA EYE CREAM, £67: A rich blend of botanical extracts firms and strengthens the eye area, enhancing moisture retention, combating loss of elasticity and softening fine lines and wrinkles. Antioxidant-rich argan oil and white and green tea extracts fight free radicals that contribute to contribute to cellular damage and aging. May be layered over Eye Serum.

Step 6: Detoxify, Revive & Renew

KAHINA ANTIOXIDANT MASK, £64: Moroccan Rhassoul clay, extremely rich in collagen-building silica and other trace minerals, is combined with healing argan oil to deep cleanse, gently exfoliate and hydrate, while superior antioxidants acai and pomegranate extracts blend to reverse signs of aging. For best results use 1-2 times weekly.

Shop here: Kahina Giving Beauty

 

Get the Oscars Look

Get The Look: Jennifer Lawrence at the Oscars 2013

We loved the look of the Best Actress - Dior Haute Couture and Chopard jewellery. 

Jennifer’s flawless skin and subtle smokey eyes keep her makeup look fresh and young, perfectly apropos for the occasion. Here is how to re-create her look with natural mineral makeup:

Inika Foundation, £26.55
RMS Lip Shine, £17
Lavera Soft Eyeliner, £9.50

Shop here for: natural mineral cosmetics

Organic Burst is a premium, ethical company dedicated to using high quality organic ingredients which provides effective and beneficial results to your body and mind. It embraces organic standards, supports local people and aims to provide long-term wellbeing. Here we catch up with Organic Burst founder, Ekaterina.

- So tell us a little bit about the story behind Organic Burst?

Organic Burst is a friendly ethical UK brand of superfoods with health benefits ranging from immune system boost to weight loss. I got an idea to establish the brand when working away in the City of London. With a hectic lifestyle and not much time on my hands I fell in love with the amazing health effects of superfoods but discovered that very few people knew about them. Superfoods are whole foods rich in a wide variety of nutrients. They have incredible stories behind them, engraved in the cultures of the Inca, Aztec and other tribes.

My wish was to make superfoods widely known beyond the circles of health gurus. Needless to say I quit my City job to set up Organic Burst. I have done large amount of research on superfoods and studied nutrition. Together with a team of nutritional experts we selected the Organic Burst range to offer the majority of benefits people nowadays are after: Organic Burst Maca is great for energy and hormonal balance, Wheatgrass alkalises and cleanses the body and skin of toxins; our Acai is fantastic anti-ageing supplement and also helps boost metabolism; Spirulina helps balance sugar and nourish the heart and nervous system, Baobab helps digestion and immunity. It was absolutely key for us to establish the brand on an ethical foundation – thus we source from producers in the regions where harvesting superfoods boosts local communities and helps preserve the environment. I am a huge believer in everything pure and organic hence all our products are Certified Organic by the Soil Association and are completely free from additives or fillers.

 - Where do you see your brand- and yourself- in 5 years from now?
Let’s start with myself as that one’s easy – I’ll be continuing to show as many people as possible that nutrient dense and wholesome foods don’t only bring on stronger health, but can actually change lives. As for the brand, I hope it will continue to grow at the same pace then as it is now – taking our message of a healthy, vibrant and fun lifestyle to millions more people around the globe. With Organic Burst, you’re not just buying a simple product off the shelf – you are making an active decision to take control of your health and change your life forever.

 - What do you wish you’d known when you started?
It may sound odd, but some of the best decisions we’ve made at Organic Burst were because we had no prior knowledge to taint our vision.

- What is the most challenging part of your job?
All of it! If it wasn’t, then I wouldn’t be doing my job right. Many people these days may associate the word “challenging” with something negative. Is climbing a mountain challenging? Of course, but it’s still a whole load of fun. Getting our brand out to the masses through 16 hour days, 7 days a week, is a huge challenge - but if you ask anyone at the Organic Burst team, we’re having a blast of a time doing it.

-  What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? 

To be sincere and consistent in everything you do.

- What are your everyday beauty essentials? 
I believe in "beauty from within" therefore first and foremost I make sure I get the right nutrients in my body. I take Organic Burst Acai for its antioxidant and skin-nourishing effects - it is 10-30 times higher in antioxidants than red wine and has a high content of oleic acid that's very moisturising. I take a teaspoon of Organic Burst Wheatgrass in a glass of water before each meal - it improves the digestion and alkalises the body leaving you feeling light after each meal. In between meals I take our Spirulina with water and fresh lemon juice - it's great to cleanse the body, balance sugar and keep the desire to snack in check. 

- Who do you admire and why? 
People who are not afraid to follow their dreams despite public opinion and social constraints. Richard Branson is definitely somebody I look up to very much. 
  

- If you would treat yourself to one thing this month it would be… 

Bodhi Desert Rose Face Oil or Pai Skincare Rosehip Oil – I heard both are fantastic. 

Shop here: Organic Burst

Kjaer Weis cream blush

Our hero product for instant glam - As seen in Vogue UK this month, Kjaer Weis luxuryorganic cream blush offers a hydrating formula that enlivens skin with a beautifully fresh glow and a youthful sunkissed look. It has a lovely, gentle Madagascan vanilla scent.

The unique Kjaer Weis refillable system is both environment and purse friendly! The blusher and refill are available in 5 shades of loveliness.

 Shop here: Kjaer Weis Cream Blush, 38 and Kjaer Weiss Blush Refill, £19.

Jurlique Polish Body Scrub

A brilliant start for a body cleanse routine: 
The Jurlique Hydra Control Perfect Polish Body Scrub combines a fresh, herbal-scented shower gel and a satisfyingly gritty scrub in one.

Winner of a Best of Beauty 2012 RED Magazine Award, this rich, foaming body scrub gently exfoliates and polishes the skin with natural particles to help revive and soften dull, dry skin. 

Use it in the bath or shower, massaging a generous amount of the Jurlique Body Scrub onto the body with a focus on dry areas, rinse well. Use 2 to 3 times a week for perfectly soft, silky skin all-year round.


Shop here: Jurlique Hydra Control Perfect Polish Body Scrub (£15).