Beauty Blog
Celebrating International Women’s Day
The 8th March is International Women’s Day. It’s a day to celebrate the achievements of women around the world whether they be social, economic, cultural or political. It is also a way of driving ongoing awareness and calls for gender equality. International Women’s Day originated in the early 20th century in the USA and Europe. Discussions about gender inequality had led to campaigns for change in 1908 and 1909 in the USA. At the same time, calls in Europe for women’s right to work, vote, to hold public office and for an end to discrimination saw the first official International Women’s Day taking place in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on the 19th March, 1911. In 1913, Russian women joined by celebrating their own first International Women’s Day at the end of February, and it was 1914 when the date moved to 8th March globally, and has remained so. Image credits: Poster 1, Poster 2, Poster 3. In the past few years in Australia, we have seen International Women’s Day grow in significance and celebrated with greater awareness; led by events, discussions, forums and campaigns for equality and to share in the success of women from all walks of life. Celebrating women’s achievements is something we care greatly about, so we asked a few people at our Sydney head office about what International Women’s Day means to them. Gloria - Social Media & Influencer Marketing Manager: “For me, International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the women in your life, and women as a collective. I believe that one day we won’t need IWD – not because it isn’t important, but because equality will simply be the norm. For now, it’s a reminder for us to collectively #pressforprogress.” Victoria - Commercial Finance Manager: “As a child I was always told ‘you can be anything you want to be’. I truly believed I could. Growing up and learning the harsh reality that not everyone is on board solely because I am female has been tough. For me IWD means hope. By championing and celebrating women, remembering the sacrifice and progress made so far we keep the momentum going so that one day in the future everyone really can be anything they want to be regardless of gender.” Lucia - Global POS Merchandising Manager: “International Women’s Day – now and then. Growing up in communist Czechoslovakia in the 80’s, the IWD was the annual party-led celebration of women who helped build the ‘happy society’. Being a child, I never thought much more of it than a day when we would march, women would receive flowers and students would bring small gifts to their female teachers. Unfortunately, the true meaning of the celebration was lost in the political propaganda. After the fall of communism, the holiday was such a strong reminder of the old regime in the Eastern block of Europe, it almost fell into obscurity. Fast forward 30 or so years, I now feel quite passionate about the IWD as an important reminder of women’s role in society. For me it’s the reminder that women everywhere still need to work on what should be considered normal – like equal pay and having the same opportunities as men. But IWD also makes me feel sentimental, thinking of my Mum and other great girls in my life and around me. Feeling quite proud of us. ☺” Eve - Consumer Services Representative: “For me, International Women’s Day is a celebration of diversity for women all over the world. Most importantly, it is bringing recognition to how far we have come – today, we celebrate that there are women leading countries, women who are saying ‘No, this is not ok’ and the ‘Me Too’ movement is shining light on so many issues that have never been spoken of before in many industries across the world. We are teaching little girls about empowerment and to speak up against sexual predators. I have friends who are the main breadwinners in the family now, and their husbands stay at home to look after the kids. This is a perfect example that it is ok for women to pursue a fulfilling career without feeling guilty. There is still a lot more we have to do and say for our international sisters, we must continue to fight for the rights of young girls and women who are exploited and have no voice and no rights. We must support women who have lost their husbands to war and left to work for the first time in their lives in order to support their children. Let's use our freedom and power to speak on their behalf – this is what we must do as women for each other to let them know that although we are far away, we hear them and we support them.” Victoria - Finance: “As a mother, it’s one of the most important days to celebrate women; to set an example to my daughter that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it. To empower women to be kind, honest and loving with themselves because the biggest change comes from within us. This is a day where we should not just focus on what needs to be improved in gender equality, but to acknowledge what women have achieved so far. Whether being a scientist involved in cancer research developing vaccines for women, outback community workers educating aboriginal communities, or to my friend who works in women’s shelters and sees everyday struggles caused by domestic violence. The message to young women all over the world, should be about being strong, naturally confident and to not be afraid to speak out because there is always someone willing to listen.” We wish you a very Happy International Women’s Day, and as Diane von Furstenberg is quoted as saying, “I’ve never met a woman who is not strong. They don’t exist.”
Travel Beauty Essentials: The Non-Negotiables For Every Suitcase
Whether you’re heading away for a lovely long weekend this Easter, or planning this year’s European sojourn, beauty products are always a crucial part of any travel packing list. At times, our travel make-up bag could be compared to the total pairs of shoes we pack. When total weight is all important, we need to determine the non-negotiables. Whilst in the planning phase, it’s worth researching the climate and environmental conditions to expect at your destination which will determine not only what you pack in terms of clothing, but also the best and most useful beauty products to have in your make-up bag. It’s here that you should also consider how you are traveling to your destination, and what products you’ll need for carry-on luggage - especially when it comes to long-haul flights. We recently interviewed beauty journalist Sigourney Cantelo, who shared with us that when it comes to beauty products she travels with her must-haves include, “Multi-use products such as a blush cream you can use on your lips or a highlighter cream that you’ll use on your eyes. A silk eye mask is essential and really good silicone earplugs.” Read the interview here. We also heard from travel blogger and photographer Aubrey Daquinag whose advice was similar to Sigourney’s, “I always think less is more and a product that has versatility always makes my travel beauty kit. Make sure your eyebrows and eyelashes are groomed and keep it simple with your base (always wear sunscreen!).” You can read more from Aubrey here. In addition to selecting the products you’ll use to stay hydrated (as well as lots of water) and comfortable on-board (here we’re talking about travel clothes, high quality earplugs or noise cancelling headphones, scarf, travel pillow, toothbrush and eye mask!) whilst flying and during your trip, we’ve compiled the below list of make-up essentials for every travel bag: Travel size make-up products - Smaller, lightweight travel size products are perfect for packing into any suitcase or travel bag. They’re easier to fit into small spaces, and some will last for the exact duration of your trip, so can be binned before you head home. Travel size products are often found in make-up kits or gift sets, and quite often come with a handy travel size make-up bag too. You can check out our Complexion Essentials Starter Kit here. This kit features the award winning Natural Mineral Cover as well as a selection of our good for you complexion must-haves such as the Airbrush Mineral Primer, Liquid Mineral Concealer and Mineral Bronzer. All products featured come in a travel size. Foundation & Concealer - Generally when on holiday, we prefer to go for a lightweight natural make-up look, and to use a foundation product that includes SPF protection. It’s for this reason that BB Cream’s are often the best choice for the foundation that you pack. Take for example our Sheer Glow BB Cream. It’s an all-in-one BB cream that delivers sheer to light coverage, instantly enhances the complexion and includes SPF 8 protection. The Sheer Glow BB Cream formula contains active natural ingredients and the non-greasy silky texture is enriched with moisturising Aloe Vera and Desert Date Oil to benefit the skin. You may prefer a loose mineral powder foundation such as our best selling Natural Mineral Cover - it’s feather-light formula is composed of skin nourishing ingredients such as Jojoba Esters, includes SPF 15 and it delivers sheer to full coverage with a satin radiant finish. For touch ups on the go, an alternative you can take in your travel make-up bag is the Pressed Mineral Cover, composed of moisturising ingredients such as Avocado Oil. This pressed mineral powder foundation delivers medium to full coverage with a matte finish, and lasts for up to 8 hours. Concealer is a worthy addition to both your carry on and travel make-up kit. Some of the key benefits for using concealers include refreshing tired looking eyes, camouflaging dark circles and skin imperfections plus disguising blemishes. A stick concealer like our Flawless Concealer is a great product to include in your carry on bag. The Flawless Concealer is a long wearing concealer that expertly disguises dark circles and pigmentation. It’s creamy full coverage formula offers a satin matte finish and comes in an easy-to-use stick that delivers just the right amount of product. Highlight & Contour - We all love to add definition and radiance to our facial features, and highlighting and contouring products are the perfect way to do this. These versatile make-up essentials can quite often be adapted to use in other ways making them perfect to have in your travel make-up bag. The Touch of Glow Highlight Stick is one such product. The glide-on cream-to-powder texture is composed of 100% naturally derived ingredients including Kakadu Plum and Quandong. It’s available in three shades and our suggested application is directly to the cheekbones, along the eyebrow arches, or to the upper and lower eyelids and blend in with fingers. You can also use the Touch of Glow Highlight Stick to add a natural glow to your shoulders and collarbones, as an eyeshadow or blush, on the lips for a little colour, or by applying to the centre of your eyelid to make your eyes appear bigger and more awake. You may also like to check out our Contour Palette which comes with a handy mirror making application quick and easy. The three matte shades of the Contour Palette each create perfectly sculpted features in three quick steps; Contour: To shape and define the contours of the face Bronze: To warm up the complexion Highlight: To enhance features with a soft luminosity Eyes - When it comes to eye make-up to have on hand whilst on holiday the easier to use the better! When selecting an eyeshadow it’s a good idea to avoid loose eyeshadows that could spill all over your bag, and to look more towards selecting neutral shades which you can use for both day and night looks, plus to match most outfits you wear. Each of the Natural Illusion Eyeshadow Trio’s come with three shades, and you can select from the Nude, Rose or Smoky Trio sets. Click here to discover more about the Natural Illusion Eyeshadow Trio in Rose. The feather-light formula of this eyeshadow trio is enriched with active natural ingredients including Sweet Almond Oil and Desert Lime to create smooth and even colour with each application. The set also comes with a cruelty-free double ended brush. Another compact size eyeshadow (with mirror) you could pack for your trip is the Natural Illusion Pressed Eyeshadow. Available in 12 shades and three finishes (matte, satin and sheen), the richly pigmented texture of this eyeshadow blends effortlessly onto the lid and provides smooth and even application with each sweep of colour. You can also use your eyeshadow as a blush or highlighter. Mascara is one of those basic beauty products that instantly adds volume and definition to the eyes, and can be quickly applied any time of the day to make your eyes pop. Mascara allows you to accentuate your eyes, and it’s possible to layer your mascara to go from a day to dramatic night look in no time at all. Our Allure Defining Mascara is a vitamin enriched mascara that creates length and definition thanks to its unique flexible brush and buildable formula. It’s also enriched with Pro Vitamin B5 to condition your lashes over time. Make-up Brushes - Aka ‘The Tools of the Trade’! Once you’ve finalised all of the make-up products you’ll be packing, you can decide on the best mix of brushes for you. Maybe you’ll select just a couple of must-haves (especially if they are travel sized), or instead to pack a brush set. Two of our cruelty-free make-up brushes are the Kabuki Brush and the Travel Brush. The Kabuki Brush is a multitasking tool that adds a polish to all powder and bronzer applications creating an airbrushed finish. The Travel Brush instead is a retractable make-up brush (great for keeping bristles clean in your make-up bag), suitable for all powder formulas with short, tightly packed bristles that effortlessly delivers an airbrushed finish, on the go. If you think you’ll need more than a couple of multitasking heroes to create your holiday make-up looks, another option to consider is a make-up brush set. Our 7 piece Essential Collection Brush Set is a collection of cruelty-free versatile rose gold make-up brushes encased in an animal-friendly faux leather zip bag. Perfect for home or travel, the zip case makes for easy organisation and storage of your brushes and Nude by Nature make-up favourites. The brushes included provide you with the professional tools you’ll need to create a flawless complexion, to contour your key facial features, and to add colour and definition to your cheeks and eyes. The 7 brushes within this collection are: Kabuki Brush Powder Brush Concealer Brush Eyeshadow Brush Eye blending Brush Eye definer Brush Lip Brush Now all you need to do is get to the airport on time, passport in hand and out of office message on. Enjoy!
Autumn Beauty Essentials
When Autumn hits, so generally does dry skin. If you’ve updated your skincare regime to combat the effects of dry skin; including showering with lukewarm rather than hot water, using a heavier moisturiser daily and hydrating by drinking plenty of water, we’ve also got a few tips relating to make-up essentials to help you create your favourite looks for the cooler seasons and for your skin to feel great. Autumn is the perfect time for warm make-up looks in plum, burgundy and rusty coloured shades to match the season. It’s also the time to consider using slightly different make-up products to the warmer months when we deal with conditions like humidity and the hot sun, prefer wearing lighter weight make-up and our skin is also naturally more tanned. Here’s Our List of Autumn Make-up Essentials: Primer: The perfect beauty product to ensure your make-up lasts all day in all conditions and goes on smoothly. Primer can also help you add moisture to your skin. Our Airbrush Mineral Primer is a silicone-free primer that creates an even, luminous base for application of your make-up. It’s packed with active natural ingredients such as Kakadu Plum known as being the world’s richest source of Vitamin C plus the moisturising Vitamin E which is also rich in antioxidants. To read more about primers, click here to read our recent blog post. Liquid Foundation: Staying with the hydrating make-up products theme, it’s a good idea to go with a liquid foundation in Autumn, to help add moisture and to provide extra coverage than you need in Summer. Another tip is to change your foundation shade, as we are naturally darker in the Summer months when we are tanned. Our Liquid Mineral Foundation is a sheer liquid foundation composed of 100% naturally derived skin nourishing ingredients, and it delivers a dewy radiant finish. The hydrating formula helps fight visible signs of ageing and improves your skin’s natural radiance with each application. Concealer: As our Summer tan fades, unfortunately skin imperfections and dark circles become more visible. For this reason concealer is an important product to have with you during the cooler months - really, at all times - it’s such a handy make-up product! As per your foundation selection a creamy liquid concealer composed of moisturising ingredients can help avert dry skin during Autumn. You can try our Liquid Mineral Concealer for example. It’s been created to cover dark circles, puffiness and hyper-pigmentation. It’s suitable for all skin types and composed of active natural ingredients including Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E. We recently published a blog post about the benefits of concealer. Click here to read the post. Illuminator & Highlighter: Our skin can feel a little dull during Autumn, so it’s nice to be able to use a make-up product specifically for adding radiance and a luminous sheen to brighten the finished look. Two products that are perfectly suited to providing dimension, warmth and a natural glow are illuminators and highlighters. Each create a specific look with highlighters used to deliver a concentrated area of intense colour, whilst illuminators are used across the face to add a beautiful sheen to the skin. The Nude by Nature Soft Focus Illuminator is a light-reflecting liquid illuminator that instantly illuminates and adds a gorgeous luminosity to the skin. It is composed of 100% naturally derived ingredients including Jojoba Oil and soothing Colloidal Oat Extract plus can be used as a base or applied over make-up. One of our most popular highlighter products is the Touch of Glow Highlight Stick. It’s a versatile, easy to use product available in three shades. The glide-on cream-to-powder texture is created using hydrating ingredients such as Vitamin E and Desert Lime. Eyes: Finally, we’re on to eyes! Eye make-up is such a brilliant way to brighten up your Autumn look. It’s a good idea to start with an eye primer to create an even base for your eye make-up. You can discover more about our silicone-free Perfecting Eye Primer here. A great way to add colour is with eyeshadow. You may debate creating a plum, olive or darker earthy eye. Check out our Natural Illusion Pressed Eyeshadow which comes in 12 shades and three vibrant finishes; matte, satin and sheen. The richly pigmented and silky smooth texture of this pressed eyeshadow blends effortlessly onto the eyelid providing a smooth even application. You can use it alone for a wash of colour, smudged along the lash line for a smoky look or apply it precisely along the lashes for natural definition. An alternative eye palette to discover more about is the Natural Wonders Eye Palette. One palette with 10 shades, and inspired by Australia’s diverse natural colours, the richly pigmented luminous shades are perfect for creating an endless array of Autumn day-to-night eye looks. Like all Nude by Nature products the Natural Wonders Eye Palette is composed of 100% naturally derived ingredients and cruelty-free. Another way to add definition to your eye make-up look is with an eye pencil. A brown shade is perfect for an Autumn eye. Here we recommend you try our Contour Eye Pencil which is a creamy glide on eye pencil that comes in six shades to complement every eye colour and in two different finishes, matte or sheen. The key ingredient is Macadamia Oil; with benefits including skin softening and soothing. Finish your look off with mascara and you’re ready! Whether it’s a day or night look, the Allure Defining Mascara is a unique vitamin enriched mascara with a buildable formula to create intense definition and length, naturally.
INFLUENCER PROFILE: Sigourney Cantelo - Beauticate
Firmly established as one of Australia’s most well known beauty journalists, Sigourney Cantelo worked in the publishing industry for many years, before founding her own beauty website Beauticate. With topics including Product Reviews & How To’s, Beauty News plus Interviews with inspirational women - Beauticate is a website packed with fascinating beauty content and a place for both beauty junkies and for those wanting to learn more about make-up. We sat down recently with Sigourney, and chatted about her life, experience and Beauticate: NBN: Has the beauty industry always been something you’ve been fascinated by? Sigourney: Yes, Mum was also a journalist; a news reporter and presenter. She had the most epic collection of make-up and she always used to come home with some new tip or trick she’d picked up from the makeup artists on set. This was where I first realised the transformative power of cosmetics. I really saw this come into play when, as a magazine journalist, I would meet readers and hear them talk about their products. Later, I did some volunteer workshops with Look Good Feel Better - the program that helps women with cancer use cosmetics to combat the devastating effects of chemo and radiation. Nowhere is “Makeup Power” more evident than in those workshops, and seeing the women light up when they feel confident again. When they see their features coming back to life in the mirror - it’s amazing. NBN: You created your website Beauticate a couple of years ago now. Congratulations on how well it’s going! Are you able to share a bit about how Beauticate came about? Sigourney: Thank you! I was working in magazines at the time and saw a gap in the market for a clean and polished beauty website that was both thoroughly researched and highly credible. I also loved sticky-beaking in other people’s beauty cabinets so I dreamt up a way to justify that! I started profiling inspiring and influential women in their homes and asking them about their beauty rituals. This became the “Who’s” of the site. The “How To’s” are the tutorials and videos that break beauty into simple but comprehensive concepts. And it just grew from there. NBN: For anyone keen to work in the publishing and beauty categories, can you share any tips for how to succeed. Sigourney: Be enthusiastic. Do an internship or write and submit pieces to publications you love. Be hungry for information and collect stories that you like, and try and work out why you like them. Read everything about topics that interest you, and then write as much as you can. Practise! And start to hone your aesthetic. Start a blog or Instagram account and photograph things you love. Curate imagery and write magnetic captions. Then put yourself in front of the people you admire and ask them if you can help in any way. Talent gets noticed and people who go that extra mile always stand out. NBN: Can you let us know any of your objectives and plans for 2018? Sigourney: I’m working on a redesign for Beauticate, a shop and also another website - a sister site to Beauticate. But first we have to do a back end migration to a new content management system. It’s a long process but it’s going to be gorgeous in the end! NBN: Have you spotted any beauty trends that you think are going to be really big this year? Sigourney: I think the natural and organic segment is only going to continue to grow. The more we learn about what certain ingredients do to our skin and the planet, the more we seek to use purer alternatives. The trend of personalising and customising products is also really interesting, and we’re seeing more brands come up with ways to give consumers choices when purchasing or allowing them to monogram or choose their own packaging. NBN: What do you think are a couple of the most important beauty products that every Aussie woman should own? Sigourney: Sunscreen - obviously - since our ozone layer is such a problem. It also means that we are experts at sun protection. A mineral makeup is an excellent option because of the natural sun protection that zinc oxide contains. NBN: Do you have a favourite Nude by Nature product, and why? Sigourney: Tough question! It would have to be the Flawless Concealer. I love the size of it, the texture, the coverage and the beautiful packaging. I have one in every handbag. The Touch of Glow Highlight Stick is a close second. NBN: When you’re chilling out, what’s your favourite social media platform to scroll through? Sigourney: We’re renovating our home so lately I love to get on Pinterest! Insta Stories are fun too - when done well! NBN: How about other blogs and social accounts or influencers that you follow and love? Sigourney: Celeste Barber, Violette_Fr, my friends sites - The Grace Tales and Sugarmamma TV plus Megan Hess, Chriselle Lim and Pat McGrath. NBN: What’s on your travel bucket list? Sigourney: A whole lot of spa experiences. The onsens in Japan, hamams in Turkey, rhassoul masks in Morocco and the “leg spa” in Capri. All completely justifiable research! NBN: Do you have any tips when it comes to beauty products to pack when travelling? Sigourney: Mini sizes and sachets. I never take full size products. Clear zip up bags so you can see everything and find it quickly. Multi-use products such as a blush cream you can use on your lips or a highlighter cream that you’ll use on your eyes. A silk eye mask is essential and really good silicone ear plugs. I personally like the Macks brand. And, a lavender mist to spritz your pillow and help you sleep on the plane and in the hotel. NBN: Lucky last question! As a Sydney-sider, what do you think is a quintessentially Sydney place or thing to do? Sigourney: My favourite way to start the day is to do a beach or harbour run followed by a plunge into the water. The Bondi to Bronte walk is always spectacular, or a soft sand run at Balmoral Beach is pretty gorgeous too. A stretch on the sand and then a swim in the water is the best way to recharge and greet the day. NBN: Thank you very much, Sigourney!
The Top 5 Benefits of Make-up Concealer
The ever trusty, multi-purpose concealer. Oh, how we love thee. Whether it’s the everyday make-up bag or travel kit, concealer is a beauty essential that we have with us 24/7. It’s told that the first concealers were used in the 1920’s as make-up to camouflage burns, birthmarks and varicose veins. Following this concealers were also created for famous Hollywood actresses keen to look their very best on-screen and similarly, they were after a product that could hide skin imperfections, fine lines and to brighten their skin. These days depending on what you are trying to achieve, concealers are found in a few different forms - liquid, stick, crayon, cream or cream-to-powder. For example our Flawless Concealer is a stick concealer providing a creamy full coverage with a satin matte finish, and it’s perfect for camouflaging dark circles, pigmentation and imperfections. The top 5 key benefits for using make-up concealer are considered as being: Works with foundation to provide additional coverage to achieve the appearance of a smooth, even skin tone Refreshes tired looking eyes To disguise puffiness, blemishes, scars and imperfections Camouflage pigmentation and dark circles Lighten dark areas A few lesser known and further great ways concealer is used include: As a highlighter over cheekbones, brow, chin and nose bridge To prevent lipstick from bleeding; either by priming the lips with concealer, or by adding a little concealer above the lip line As a base before applying eyeshadow Hide tattoos and birthmarks When it comes to applying make-up concealer there are different thoughts around whether concealer should be applied before or after foundation. Our suggestion is: If you are using a liquid foundation, use concealer following application of your foundation. If instead you’re using a powder foundation, apply your concealer first. At Nude by Nature we have two make-up concealers; Liquid Mineral Concealer and Flawless Concealer plus the Concealer Brush. The Liquid Mineral Concealer is a fragrance-free creamy liquid concealer enriched with FloraEsters which helps reduce fine lines and dryness plus Vitamin E, Jojoba and Shea Butter. This good for you concealer blends seamlessly into the skin to instantly cover dark circles and imperfections plus highlights to refresh tired looking eyes. It’s available in three shades (light, medium, dark) and the recommended tip for application is to use fingertips or the Concealer Brush to apply the Liquid Mineral Concealer onto the skin. The Flawless Concealer was launched in August 2017, in conjunction with the Flawless Liquid Foundation. This long wearing easy-to-use stick concealer expertly camouflages imperfections, pigmentation and dark circles however feels like a second skin due to pigments that act in seamless affinity with the complexion. The concealer is suitable for sensitive skin, and is available in 8 shades. Formulated with 100% naturally derived ingredients including Bamboo Powder for a soft focus effect and the antioxidant rich Kakadu Plum to benefit the skin. Our application recommendation is to apply the Flawless Concealer directly to the skin and to blend with fingertips or the Concealer Brush. If you’re after the perfect concealer application tool, our Concealer Brush provides precision smooth application and blending for all concealer formulas. Like all our make-up brushes, the Concealer Brush is ergonomically designed for the best control and as we are proudly cruelty-free it’s made of ultra-soft high-quality synthetic fibres. For further details about our Concealers and Concealer Brush click here. What’s your top concealer tip?
Influencer Profile: Aubrey Daquinag - The Love Assembly
Aubrey Daquinag is an Australian travel photographer, creative and author. We met with Aubrey recently to chat about what’s happening in 2018, how she started her blog The Love Assembly, a few of her fave beauty tips and travel destinations plus about her gorgeous new book. If you scroll through Aubrey’s blog The Love Assembly or Instagram feed, you’ll be filled with wanderlust in no time at all! The Love Assembly is centred around travel, beauty and lifestyle stories each featuring Aubrey’s beautifully shot imagery. Her chief motivation is in Aubrey’s words to, “inspire and motivate young women to live a more creative and curious life.” Next step in achieving that goal is the launch of her book, ‘Wander Love: Lessons, Tips and Inspiration from a Solo Traveller’, being released this April. Nude by Nature (NBN): You created The Love Assembly a few years ago now, starting as a blog, and you’ve since gained a great social media following. How did you start out; with blogging and writing? Aubrey: I took my love for photography and creativity to start The Love Assembly, to feature individuals and friends in the industry that were pursuing something that they loved as a career, hence the name. What began as an escape from the 9-5 working world in marketing and communications in late 2012, was the beginning of an ever-evolving journey into building a community and creative space where like-minded people were able to connect, engage and be inspired. It evolved into travel and as a photographer I landed The Love Assembly’s first sponsored trip with Countrylink Australia (just one month after launching), eventually partnered with Condé Nast Traveler in New York in 2014 as the first contributing Australian travel and style blogger, have showcased my travel vlogs across public screens to millions of viewers in the Philippines and have since been collaborating with global brands from International Tourism Boards and Airlines to Beauty, Finance and Tech. I loved what I was doing so I just never really stopped doing that and it has organically grown to what it is today. NBN: You travel constantly...do you have any top secret places you suggest visiting in 2018? Aubrey: I definitely think you need to visit Palawan Island in the Philippines for an island escape. It has been quickly receiving so much attention with top travel publications I have read and both written for but it is still very underrated compared to its nearby South East Asian destinations. Cheap too! Your dollar will definitely go a long way. Tulum in Mexico also requires a visit for an ultimate bohemian chic holiday and Morocco for a completely different world - filled with so much history, culture and patterns. NBN: And for yourself, what’s on your own travel bucket-list? Aubrey: Turkey is top on my travel bucket list. The otherworldly photographs I‘ve seen of hot air ballooning in Cappadocia just look like something out of a dream. Plus I think - actually, I know - I’d be like a kid in a candy store shopping through the markets there. NBN: Do you have any tips when it comes to beauty products to pack when travelling? Aubrey: I always think less is more and a product that has versatility always makes my travel beauty kit. Make sure your eyebrows and eyelashes are groomed and keep it simple with your base (always wear sunscreen!). I don’t bother with open brushes because I feel like it just gets dirty, but a compact travel brush with lid is perfect. Sculpt and highlight for a natural glow, and always pack a bright lip - a bold red is my top pick - for when you need to spruce yourself up for a night out. NBN: Do you have a favourite Nude by Nature product? Aubrey: I love the Touch of Glow Highlight Sticks! Really easy to apply on the go, and they give you that extra little bit of glow that still looks natural. NBN: What are a couple of your top beauty hacks? Aubrey: I like a look that’s effortless and natural, and truly believe less is more. Because I travel a lot for work (and leisure too) I’ve limited my beauty kit to pieces that have versatility, such as a cheek tint that doubles as a lippy. NBN: You’ve just launched a book called ‘Wander Love: Lessons, Tips and Inspiration from a Solo Traveller’ - Congratulations! Can you tell us about the book and what it’s all about? Aubrey: Yes - thank you so much. I’m super stoked for it to finally be here and to be able to hold it in the flesh. It feels very surreal as I’ve been working on it for the longest time! WANDER LOVE takes my world of travel, photography, brand projects and life lessons around the world, and presents it in a colourful and inspiring coffee table book.It gives you an insight into the wanderful world of The Love Assembly that I’ve created from scratch for myself and answers questions that everyone is always curious about. It features my travel photography and wander love guides to six destinations that my heart has wandered to, with yours waiting to do the same.There are fun tips on how to stay stylish while on the road, how to upgrade your travel photography skills when you’re travelling solo (or find that perfect insta-hubby while you’re on the road!), and how to barter like a boss when you’re treasure hunting at markets around the world.Then it eventually gets deeper as you reach the later chapters where I share personal travel stories and life lessons I’ve learnt, helpful travel advice for solo female travellers, and I take a look deeper into the essence of travelling creatively, curiously and mindfully.Wander Love is the perfect mix of style, substance and travel adventures to inspire your own. You can discover more about the book here. NBN: What are a couple of your top tips for solo travellers? Aubrey: Your comfort zone is a safe place. But growth never happens in there. Feel the fear. Do it anyway. All we have is now. Be present and embrace the moment. NBN: When you’re chilling out, what’s your favourite social media platform to scroll through? Aubrey: I’m very visual so Instagram and Pinterest are my absolute faves! NBN: How about other blogs and social accounts or influencers that you follow and love? Aubrey: My ultimate favourite is French photographer, illustrator, author and blogger Garance Dore. She’s just real, funny and super chic. She also has the same birthday as me! NBN: We love her too! Thank you so much. Wishing you all the best in 2018.
Look Good Feel Better: Helping Empower Cancer Patients
We are very proud of our partnership with not for profit charity Look Good Feel Better. We have been supporting the charity since 2016, and help by raising awareness, fundraising and partnership support, along with product donations. We sat down with General Manager of Look Good Feel Better Carol Kavurma to chat about the charity and their workshops. Nude by Nature (NBN): Can you tell us a little bit about Look Good Feel Better. Carol: Look Good Feel Better is a free community service program dedicated to teaching cancer patients how to manage the appearance related side effects of their cancer treatment. We do this in a group workshop environment and we hold workshops for men, women and teens. This year we have approximately 1,000 workshops scheduled in about 180 venues right around Australia. Our workshops cover skincare, make-up and headwear, and we provide tips and tricks to help with the appearance related side effects so that might be redness, that they experience with chemo or discolouration, sallowness and dark patches. We teach them how to use colour correctors and concealers to manage that. Of course, a big concern is hair loss for many patients so we teach them how to draw on eyebrows and in our headwear segment we demonstrate with hats, scarves, scarf styling, turbans and wigs and they are able to have a play with the options that are available for them. It’s all about building everyone’s confidence and that’s exactly what happens. It’s goosebumpy. You walk in and there’s this group of patients that have never met, they’re really quiet and they don’t know really quite what to expect. By the end of it they’ve swapped numbers, you can’t stop them chatting and you’ve got to kick them out of the room because it’s been booked by someone else after us. NBN: So it’s not just metro, it’s regional as well? Carol: Yes, close to half of our venues are in regional areas. In addition to the workshop program we also have what we call our home-delivered Confidence Kits which are for patients who can’t attend a workshop for health, travel or personal reasons. We send them a Confidence Kit full of all of the cosmetics and skin care that they would receive in a workshop as well as a booklet and an instructional DVD which Clint (NBN Global Brand Ambassador) is in, and so they can follow the steps and use the products at home. Obviously, it’s not the same as being at a workshop because it’s lovely to be in that group environment but it’s something we can do for those patients who can’t get to a workshop. NBN: Is it a whole day? Carol: The workshops run for about 2½ hours, and it’s lovely. As much as we talk about the appearance related side effects, we see a change in outlook in our workshops so we’re helping to make a difference inside and out. Participants are sitting in a room with people who are going through exactly what they’re going through. There’s no judgement and nobody needs to pretend like they may at home for their friends and family. They can just be themselves, and a lot of times we hear from them and they tell us it’s the first time anyone’s seen them without their wig or their hat on and it’s amazing that participants are comfortable enough to take them off in our workshops because they feel safe. NBN: That’s a very quick thing to create. If you think about 2½ hours - that they feel that comfortable in a room full of strangers to be doing something that they can’t do in front of their own family. That’s massive. Carol: It’s pretty amazing. NBN: How did Look Good Feel Better start? Carol: It started in the USA in 1989 thanks to an oncologist who had a patient who was pretty depressed; she didn’t want to come out of her room at the hospital. He had a friend who worked in the cosmetic industry and so the oncologist asked, ‘Is there any way you could arrange for a makeover so she can feel better about herself, and leave her room?’. So they did that, and they saw the power of it as this patient was happy and laughed for the first time in weeks and they thought, ‘This could actually be something we can do’. LGFB came about thanks to that oncologist and his friend and the American cosmetic industry. The program was brought to Australia a year later in 1990 thanks to the Australian Cosmetic industry, and in that time we’ve seen over 130,000 patients in our workshops in Australia. We rely heavily on volunteers to help run the workshops and we have 1,300 around the country who deliver the workshops for us. The majority of them are trained beauticians, make-up artists and hairdressers however if people come on-board and want to volunteer, and have the time and passion then we have no problems training them up. NBN: 130,000 patients since 1990 in Australia. How many people is that per year? Carol: We see between 8,000-10,000 in a year. NBN: Have you ever had people who’ve attended a workshop becoming volunteers? Carol: Yes, we do - we find previous participants, who have recovered do sometimes come back and become volunteers with us. NBN: Do you have any stories that you can think of that, or times that have stuck in your head where you’ve thought to yourself, ‘We’ve really made a big difference’, to that person or a family? Carol: Yes, we’ve got thousands of stories. I think one that’s definitely stuck with me was a participant Courtenay, who had come to a workshop and loved it and started working quite closely with us on various media opportunities that came up. We had also asked her to speak at our annual fundraising gala, Dream Ball. Unfortunately, Courtenay became sick again quite suddenly and passed away. Her husband Troy is probably one of the most incredibly brave men I’ve ever met in my life, and he decided that he would honour Courtenay, and speak on behalf of their family at Dream Ball. He gave the most incredible speech and there was no fanfare, no production. We just had a photo of their family behind him and he spoke. It was incredible. I’ve organised a lot of events in my time and this is the only time where you could hear a pin drop. Troy shared their story and I’m still so humbled by it. We made such an impact on their family and for him to do that, with no expectation from us. Troy said, “Courtenay was always positive, strong and unrelenting in everything she wanted to achieve...Look Good Feel Better re-ignited that spark in her at one of her lowest moments...I'm not sure without it that our kids or I would have as many positive, heart-warming and loving memories of the last year or so with Courtenay”. NBN: NBN have been partnering with you guys for about two years. What do you see as being the most valuable parts of our relationship? Carol: Oh gosh, what don’t we see as being valuable! Honestly, I can’t thank NBN enough. We’re so grateful for your all encompassing support and there’s no expectation back. It’s really obvious to all of us, to the staff and the volunteers that you really believe in what we do, 100%, and that’s why you’re supporting us. The stock donations with each patient who attends a workshop receiving a Natural Mineral Cover, and the financial support are incredible but everything else that you have helped with like the Christmas parties for our NSW volunteers, and skilled support from the team like Vicki’s assisting with some planning and modelling, filming of our instructional DVD, photography - the list goes on… NBN: It’s our pleasure. Carol: I’ve been working in charity for a long time and it’s the dream to work with a company who just absolutely believes in you and supports you with everything, and it’s not just about making a financial donation. You’re really invested in what we do. You can see it. Every time we come to your office everybody knows who we are, and you’re doing little fundraising activities with each other. It’s amazing. I think every charity would want a few Nude by Nature’s! NBN: I’ve had a little bit to do with a charity which is for a very rare form of cancer, called NETs or neuroendocrine cancers because my brother had it. So everything you’re saying it’s just like, ‘Yes, I totally get it’, because I know from them how hard it is and how hard you fight to get every dollar. Carol: Definitely. There’s a lot of amazing charities out there and for us, literally every dollar we receive goes straight back into the program. It costs about $1,000 to run a workshop and we need about $1.3 million a year to run our program. Any additional funding we receive means we can put on more workshops. NBN: What’s up for 2018? What’s big things are you planning? Carol: We’re going to work as hard as we can with the community and health professionals to spread the word about Look Good Feel Better so we can help more patients in our workshops. Plus, of course focus on our major fundraising campaigns, including Feel Better Month in September, to ensure we can support the patients we will see. NBN: Yes, to continue supporting even more patients especially when they’ve been through so much, and they feel like absolute rubbish to actually be able to get off the bed and be part of a workshop... Carol: Yes, to feel like themselves again. That’s what they say; ‘I feel like myself again’. And the other big thing is that they don’t want people to look at them like they’re cancer patients. NBN: Especially if you lose your hair. I can’t even imagine. It would be such a hard thing to get over mentally. Carol: I was chatting to a previous participant last week who said ‘For me, I just couldn’t stand it when I’d be walking with my kids and people would look at me with pity, and look at my kids with sadness. That got to me so much. I used to not even want to leave the house’. It was that pity. She didn’t want people to feel pity so when she came to the workshop she felt confident and empowered and could face the world. It’s one thing you can have control over. There’s so many things you don’t have control over when you’re going through cancer treatment. You’re in the hands of healthcare professionals who you have to trust but our workshops teach you how you can have some control with your outward appearance. NBN: Positivity. It makes a big difference. So, if people want to volunteer. What do they need to do? Carol: They just need to go onto our website. There is a Volunteer tab, where there’s a form that needs to be completed, and then we’ll be in touch for a phone interview and a criminal record check as it’s a requirement for the hospitals. We also ask prospective volunteers to observe a workshop so they know what to expect. NBN: That’s brilliant, and it comes back again to the patients and the impact LGFB is making personally to them. Carol: It’s pretty amazing. When you’re seeing it at every workshop; the difference that you’re making and you’re not ever wondering if it’s good or bad, was it worth my while. You can see it. NBN: Thank you so much for your time, Carol. It’s been wonderful chatting with you. Discover more about Look Good Feel Better - https://lgfb.org.au
National Tree Day: How You Can Help
National Tree Day was started by Planet Ark in 1996 as an initiative to encourage the community to reconnect with nature and build a better future for the next generation. Since then, it has contributed to the planting of over 23 million new plants, making it the largest community nature care event in Australia. This Friday the 28th July on National Tree Day, by planting a tree, being conscious of our carbon footprint or by simply going outside to reconnect and care for nature – here is the impact you can have on the environment: Clean the air: Planet Ark refer to trees as the ‘lungs of our planet’ due to the way they naturally absorb pollutants and filter new and fresh air for us to breathe. Climate Change: Excess carbon in the atmosphere contributes to climate change. Trees and plants are known to have carbon storing properties while releasing the fresh oxygen back into the atmosphere. Biodiversity: By getting together with your local community, school or workplace to plant a tree this National Tree Day, you are creating the opportunity for community diversity and interaction that brings people of all ages, cultures and gender together. Create Homes: Trees and plants provide humans with shade and wildlife with a home. Particularly in urban areas, trees provide shelter and a place of inhabitance for species such as birds and squirrels. Create Beautiful Streets: As the seasons change, so do our trees. This creates a natural ambience for urban streets and open areas full of trees which adds character through the transition of seasons. Each tree also has their unique and native traits that can add colour and shape to even the dullest of areas. How You Can Help Bring a Tree Home If you’re at home this National Tree Day, you can help by planting a tree in your backyard, balcony garden or indoor terrarium. We recommend choosing a plant with care instructions that suit your lifestyle and the area in your home you would like to nurture your plant. Once you have planted your new shrub, make sure to register your activity with Planet Ark. Trees At Work Having natural features and plants around the office not only adds life to the office, it also reduces airborne bacteria but it has been proven to increase workplace productivity. Here are some ways you can bring nature indoors in your workplace: Introduce a vertical garden or indoor pot plants Host a plant giveaway for people to take home or to their desks Encourage staff to bring in their own plants from home Host a social outdoor lunch or staff meeting in the garden or park Organise a morning or afternoon tea inviting staff to bring along nature-themed treats or to make a donation to Planet Ark Hold a green mufti day and ask staff to wear green clothing or accessories to work and make a donation to Planet Ark Hold a native plant sale for staff and other people in the building Rearrange desks or offices so that staff can see the outside world from their workstation Host a raffle to raise money for Planet Ark Simply send a staff email to encourage others to get involved in National Tree Day Add the National Tree Day banner to your email signature, website or social media channels Volunteer At a Local Tree Day Site There are public Tree Day sites that take place over the weekend, to find one near you simply talk to your local Landcare Greening Australia or Conservation Volunteers Group or council to see how you can participate. Otherwise, you can always volunteer at the local school’s Tree Day site to give back to the community. To find out more about how to get involved with your community on National Tree Day, visit the Tree Day Planet Ark website or download your Tree Day Getting Started Guides here.
Mother’s Day Gift Ideas 2017
Mother's Day Gift Ideas Our mums do so much for us, so when it comes to finding the perfect Mother’s Day Gift, it’s important to make it count. But it’s not just mums that deserve to be treated and pampered on Mother’s Day this Sunday 14th May, it’s a day to celebrate all the mother figures in our lives – whether it be a gift for grandma or to a new mum, here are some Mother’s Day gift ideas to make her day extra special. Skin Kind Cosmetics Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to introduce mum to skin-kind cosmetics that enhances the appearance of the skin while providing anti-ageing and long term skin benefits – making it the gift that just keeps giving. Nude by Nature’s range of mineral cosmetics is made with the powerful active natural ingredients, vitamins and essential oils that are suitable for all skin types, including sensitive and mature skin. SHOP NOW We recommend our limited edition Deluxe Mother’s Day Collection $119.95 (Valued at $318.45) which includes the essential complexion products and brushes, Nude by Nature’s award winning mineral foundation, best selling eye and lip products as well as the limited edition Deluxe Soy Candle and Bucket Bag at an online exclusive price that saves you over 62%. This Deluxe Mother’s Day Collection is the ultimate way to pamper mum with a versatile collection of make-up products and beauty tools that allow her to curate her own look while experiencing the skin nourishing benefits of our naturally derived make-up. Our brushes are also made of ultra-smooth and high quality synthetic fibres which are durable, easy to clean and hypoallergenic even for the most sensitive skin. One of the main ingredients found in Nude by Nature’s mineral powders is mica, which contains light reflecting properties that bounces light off the skin to minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to give the skin the flawless airbrushed appearance that mum will truly love. What’s more, the Deluxe Mother’s Day Collection also features a limited edition Luxe Coconut & Lime Soy Candle and Grey Canvas Bag all perfectly boxed and delivered to her door. SHOP NOW The Mother’s Day Collection $59.95 ($154.80) is a great Mother’s Day gift option for busy mums that are constantly on-the-go. This limited edition collection includes the Complexion Essentials Starter Kit complete with our best selling mineral powders in a travel friendly zip bag, Essential Collection Brush Set also complete in a luxe brush bag and the Smoky Eyeshadow Trio and Definition Eyeliner to complete the look. These purse friendly make-up items are long lasting so mum can enjoy flawless airbrushed looking skin all day while she multi-tasks through the unpredictable Australian climate. Not only will she look great but she can also feel guilt-free when using our 100% animal cruelty-free cosmetics. Mother's Day Breakfast They say how you start your day will determine your mood for the rest of the day. Start mum’s day on the perfect note by surprising her with a delivery of fresh flowers and a hamper of her favourite foods. Whether you’ve hand picked her favourite foods or whipped up a home-recipe, mum will appreciate such a thoughtful surprise. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day so why not spend Mother’s Day breakfast with the most important woman in your life. Handmade Gifts One of the simplest ways to make Mother’s Day memorable is a personalised gift. Whether it be a hand written card, handmade scrapbook or a photo-book you’ve created and printed online, it’s something that mum can keep and cherish forever. The older we get, the more responsibilities we take on which means we don’t get to spend as much time with mum as we used to. This Mother’s Day, show mum that you still cherish every moment with her by creating a special scrapbook or photo-book filled with all the precious moments you’ve shared together Relax And Unwind Encourage mum to take a break from her busy life by planning a mother and daughter day to relax and unwind together. If your mum enjoys the outdoors, pack your own picnic hamper and enjoy a nice lunch, afternoon tea or some wine and nibbles at a park, lake or secluded beach. If she’s up for a day trip, you could book a fruit picking or wine tour and spend the day making new memories with mum. For some much needed TLC, pamper mum with spa treatments and massages at a day spa. It’s the perfect way to remind mum that she deserves to let her hair down. We hope you enjoyed some of our simple Mother’s Day gift ideas. What will you be treating your mum to this Mother’s Day?
Why Mineral Make-Up is Better For You
Mineral make-up, as the name suggests, are cosmetics made from crushed minerals and other naturally-derived ingredients. True mineral make-up. such as Nude by Nature, is free from synthetic, controversial and potentially irritating ingredients commonly found in traditional make-up. This is just one of many reasons why people are making the switch to mineral cosmetics. Keep reading to learn more about why mineral make-up is better for you. The major benefit of using mineral make-up is that it’s good for your skin. Mineral cosmetics such as Nude by Nature, do not contain fillers or controversial synthetic ingredients such as parabens, chemical dyes, silicones and other film forming ingredients that can clog pores and prevent the skin from “breathing” naturally. This can prolong existing skin problems as well as cause skin irritations such as redness, blemishes and acne. In addition to this, Nude by Nature mineral make-up is also formulated with the most powerful Australian-native extracts, vitamins and essential oils to improve and enhance the appearance of your skin for beneficial long-term effects. Mica is a mineral found in a range of Nude by Nature make-up. This ingredient contains light-reflecting properties which bounces light off the skin to minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This creates an “airbrushed” effect resulting in healthy and more youthful looking skin. Kaolin Clay is another natural ingredient found in Nude by Nature mineral foundation. Kaolin Clay is a non-drying, soothing clay that absorbs excess oil and helps draw out impurities. It’s soothing properties make it great for all skin types including sensitive skin and even those with oily or problematic skin. Due to it’s finely milled texture and lightweight formulation, mineral make-up will mimic the feeling of real skin when applied. This, together with its natural pigment content, allows you to build to your desired coverage without it looking and feeling cakey. Instead, you’re able to build your foundation to your desired level of coverage and still achieve a natural skin finish which enhances and evens out your skin tone. The unique combination of zinc oxide, iron oxide, titanium dioxide and kaolin clay in our powder foundations (such as the Natural Mineral Cover and Pressed Mineral Cover) is soothing on the skin which makes it suitable for all skin types and common skin problems such as acne, eczema and rosacea. This is why some cosmetic surgeons will recommend mineral make-up to their patients after invasive procedures such as chemical peels as it’s free of synthetic ingredients and possible irritants and has a calming effect on the skin. Two major ingredients in mineral foundation are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide which are commonly found in sunscreen. These ingredients along with mineral particles, work together to help reflect the sun’s ultraviolet radiation away from the skin. These natural sunscreen ingredients provide key anti-ageing benefits, especially for those that use make-up daily. By applying your mineral powder on top of sunscreen, you will enhance your protection and help catch any spots you may have missed. Traditional make-up, as mentioned earlier, usually contains additives and fillers which can cause it to feel heavy or uncomfortable on the skin. Nude by Nature products on the other hand, are formulated without synthetic ingredients or preservatives like Talc, Silicon, Phthalates, Sulphates, PEGS, Siloxanes, Triclosans, Phenoxyethanol or Parabens which makes it not just good for your skin but ultra-lightweight. Almost like you’re not wearing make-up at all. It’s important to remember that not all mineral make-up is created equal. Nude by Nature is 100% naturally derived mineral make-up, without bulking fillers such as talc, or synthetic ingredients such as silicones, siloxanes or parabens which can sometimes even be found in products marketed as “mineral” so still read the label to ensure you know exactly what you are buying.
