Fruity Facts: Papaya, The Magical Fruit

Disclaimer: This photo is not mine

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and therefor the definition of beauty can be very different depending on where in the world you are. In Asia the belief of having white skin is seen as beautiful and that is why many Asians use lighter foundations, powders and even whitening remedies so they can become whiter. Papaya has been Mother Nature's answer to skin whitening for centuries and till this day, papaya is seen in many beauty skin whitening products around Asia. But what can this so called magical fruit really do for you?

Benefits: 

Compounds found in papaya helps break down and uses proteins properly. Papaya is known to help reduce inflammation for people with inflammatory medical conditions such as arthritis, asthma and can help prevent cancer. This magical fruit contains lots of enzymer and Vitamin C which is why it is often used to strengthen the blood for people who have a medical condition called Thrombocytopenia, which is a dangerous condition that can lead to internal bleeding. Due to high levels of Vitamin A, C and flavonoids, papaya is seen as a miracle or magical fruit. It helps keeping the skin healthy and wrinkle-free. And these nutrients work as antioxidants where they help to prevent free radical damage leading the cause of aging, and not to mention the fact that this amazing combo of Vitamins, antioxidants and enzymer is known to help whitening the skin.  

Papaya kicks acne mask:

Are you one of many who deals with pimples or acne scars? Then give this face mask a go. 

Papaya is a Vitamin C fruit which contains antibacterial properties that will kill off acne-causing bacteria from the skin. Papaya also has a deep-cleansing action that removes all the junk from clogged pores. 

What you need:

1/4 ripe Papaya, 1 tbs honey and 1/2 lemon juice.

Why?

The benefits:

Honey: Honey is known to hydrate and soften the skin. It gently exfoliates skin cells while preserving moisture. It contains antibacterial properties that kicks acne-causing bacterias, it helps fade blemishes and evens out discoloration. 

Lemon: Lemons is known to kill germs on the surface of the skin. It is also known to deep-clean the pores and refreshes the skin. It acts as a natural astrigent which will help tighten large pores. 

Directions:

Step 1. Mash the papaya into a lump free paste. 

Step 2. Add the honey and lemon juice and mix well.

Step 3. Apply the mask onto a clean face and let it sit for 15 mins.

Step 4. Rinse it off with warm water to loosen the mask and then rinse the face with cold water to close the pores. 

Papaya lightening and age-fighting mask

As soon as you enter your 20's, you should start protecting your skin for aging. Many things can affect your skin that can make you get pre-mature wrinkles and who really wants to be wrinkle? 

What you need:

1/4 ripe papaya, 1/4 cucumber and 1/2 banana. 

Why?

The benefits: 

Cucumber: Cucumbers are known to hydrate, moisturize, nourish and cleans the skin. It contains skin-lightening properties that helps fight against blemishes and acne scars. It is also known like Aloe vera to sooth and relieve inflamed acne and sunburns. 

Banana: Banana is known to smooth out the skin and reduce wrinkles. It also hydrates and moisturizes the skin plus it promotes glowing and youthful skin. 

Directions:

Step 1. Peel and blend all ingredients in a blender until you get a nice and smooth puree. 

Step 2. Apply it around your face though avoid the eyes and mouth. Let it then sink in for 10 - 15 mins.

Step 3. Then wash the mask off with warm water and then finish it off by washing your face with cold water to close the pores. Remember to pat your face dry with a clean towel.

Raw fruit Thai salad:

To freshen up a boring salad, try making a thai-inspired salad with fresh cut papayas, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, green beans and some red chili. Mix it all well and use coconut and fresh lime juice as a dressing. 

How to: 

Step 1. Cut the meat of the papaya in nice slices and mix it with two fresh tomatoes that have been sliced as well. 

Step 2. Peel one cucumber, 2 carrots, one little red onion and blanch some green beans and mix it all well with 1/2 red chili. 

Step 3. Make the salad dressing by mixing coconut milk with the juice from one lime and voila. 

Anyways that was all this time around. Do let me know if you tried one of the masks and hashtag me on Instragram with #FruityFactsWithShandra. So until next time - Ingat!

X❤️X❤️

Shandra.

Unboxing: October's Goodie Box

Curiosity has always been a good trade of mine (According to myself), so when I saw that you can get a goodie box here in little Denmark, I could not resist to give it a go! If you are familiar with the Glam box from the US then let me tell ya, it's pretty much the same thing. If you don't know well then let me explain: A goodie box is a subscription where you get a box filled with beauty goodies monthly to try out with a little card that gives a description of each product.. 

The goodie box subscription cost 120 kr I believe but you also pay for the shipping, so it total you pay 150 kr. The good thing about this is if you for some reason are not satisfied then you can always unsubscribe. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, they shipped my GB in a cute pink box, and this time around the danish beauty store called Magasin contributed with some beauty goodies. So here are the little loves I received for the month of October:

Magasin Du Nord Eye Gel

An eye gel from Magasin's own beauty line. It contains creatin and cucumber extracts that helps rebuild and apply moist to the under eye. The tube has a rollerball applicator which makes it easier for you to apply the product onto your eyes, plus with the cooling effect helps your eyes from looking tired and puffy. 

L'Occitane Verbena Shower Gel

This little bottle of joy is a french shower gel for you to pamper yourself in the shower. It contains organic provenicale iron-extract and oils, which will make your bath smell heavenly and lemony. Your skin will be left feeling clean, super soft and just nice. 

Balance Me Restore And Replenish Face Creme

Balance Me is a prizewinning British brand that has a ton of beauty fans around the world. The creme contains hyaloron acids, peptides and omega acids which helps gives the skin a moisturizing boost and not to mention, it also helps to strengthen the skins ability to repair and rebuild itself. You can apply the creme day or night.

Real Technique Brush

I am sure most of you (if you watch beauty tutorials on youtube) know or heard about the brushes, but did you know who "invented" them? It was two sisters who had their own youtube channel and blog Pixiwoo.com that came with that idea to make this brushes, and now they are pretty much well known all over - the brushes I mean. This brush is a goodie since you can use it for either powder products, foundations, face powder or blushes. 

The Body Shop Oils Of Life Intensely Revitalising Face Oil

This is a new series from the Body Shop that came out a couple of months ago. The oil contains lots of seed oils which helps to make your skin silky soft and leaves your skin with a nice glow. You apply 1 - 2 drops of the oil and massage it onto your skin before you use any other moisturizer. By buying this product you help to plant seeds in the Cerro Blanco forrest in Ecuador. 

Karameju Konjac Sponge

Is a 100% natural sponge that helps balance the skin's pH-level and exfoliates and rebuild the skin. You use the sponge by letting it soak in water for a couple of mins and then rinse your face with it by using circular emotions, after use you rinse it clean and you should clean it properly once a month by letting it soak in hot water. 

Magasin Skønhedsserie All In One Cleaning Wipes

Cleaning wipes has always been one of my holy-grail since it helps remove makeup quickly when you're feeling too lazy to do it the proper way and let's face it, we sometimes do get too tired and lazy to do the long process of removing the make up, so cleaning wipes has pretty much been a gift from God for all people who are super busy or just lazy. And as many other cleaning wipes, Magasin's contain 3 steps since it acts like a cleansing milk, a toner and as a makeup remover. It contains extracts from chamomile tea and aloe vera, so your skin will be left feeling clean, fresh and soft. 

Anyways I will do a prober review of the products in the future so until next time - Ingat!

X❤️X❤️

Shandra.

Showdown: Trine's Wardrobe Argan Oil Serum VS. Lee Stafford Nourishing Miracle Oil

 Vs. 

There are a ton of different hair oils and serums on the market that all claims to be the best, but which is truly worth your money? I have bought two Argan oils from two different brands to see which is worth the hype, and for the past few months I've tried and tested both of them to see which is best so let's take a look. 

Argain Oil Facts:
Argan oil is a natural product that comes from the roots of the Argan tree, which only exist in the southern parts of Marocco. Argain oils are not greasy to the skin and the hair absorbs the oil easily. The oil is rich on Vitamin E, antioxidants and Omega 3 and Omega 9, which is vital for you to have healthy hair. Vitamin E helps rebuild the hair and helps reppare damaged hair. Omega 3 and Omega 9 improves the hairs strength and helps to heal the split ends.   

Let's compare the pros and cons here:
Pros: Trine's wardrobe's Argan Oil serum is paraben free and perfume free. It claims to repair split ends and chemically dried/ruined hair, but can also be used for normal hair to make it shinier and smoother, which is all true. The packaging is simple with a pump, and it has a cute label that explains how to apply the product. As a bonus it is a lot cheaper compared to other Argan oils since this baby only cost 99 kr.    
Cons: The only con about this product is the fact that it's very liquidity, so if you have it in your bag, you will have oils coming out from the bottle.

Pros: Nourishing Miracle oil from Lee Stafford is rich and moisturizing for the hair. It contains ingredients to help rebuild and repair damaged hair. The Nourishing Miracle Oil treats the hair and helps give the hair a natural glow and makes your hair silky smooth and straight. You can use this product on wet or dry hair, where you only apply a little on the hands and massage it on the ends of the hair.  
The packaging is cute and small and has a pump, which is convenient since it makes it easier to apply. 
Cons: Sadly this has perfume, so if you're not a fan of the smell of Argan Oils, then you shouldn't buy this product since it does leave your hair smelling like Argan, plus this fella cost 150 kr. 

So in my conclusion I would def pick the Trine's Wardrobe's Argan Oil Serum again. Not only is it cheaper but it has the benefits of being paraben and perfume free.

X❤️X❤️

Shandra. 

September Favorites ♡

Hi again anyone and everyone! So I am back with a new monthly favorite. As you can see, I haven't been that active lately on this blog since mid September. I do apologize for that but life has just been pretty hectic so yeah.. Anyways let's just get to the point. Here are my favorites that I've pretty much been lovin' from August to September - Enjoy. 

Beauty Favorites:

1. The first thing that I've been lovin' since I stumbled upon it a couple of years ago is this Benefit Cosmetic's They're Real mascara. I simply love love LOVE this mascara. Its packaging is super slick but it's the mascara brush that makes this baby a favorite of mine. They're Real Mascara is known to lengthen, curl, volumize, lifts and separates the lashes, so if you have short tiny lashes like myself, then I suggest you should give this goodie a go. I know it's a bit pricy but quality over quantity when it comes to mascaras. 

2. My second favorite is the makeup remover called Micellar Cleansing Water by Garnier. I have tried so many different makeup removers but many of them just felt very oily and even some would sting my eyes, so I was on the hunt for a one that didn't. And I can honestly say, this goodie right here will from now on until forever be my favorite makeup remover. It's a cleansing water that helps remove dirt and makeup. It helps to reduce the feeling of a dry skin and gives the skin moisture and leaves you feeling fresh. 

3. The next thing on my favorite list is the Konjac Sponge. It's a sponge that is gentle to the skin but and helps clean the skin efficiently. 

4. The last thing I have been loving beauty-wise is the beauty scrub from Palmolive called Feel Glamorous. It is part of their Aroma Sensation collection. I can't really describe the smell besides saying it smells sweet. They say it contains berries, dragon fruit and vanilla. It contains little pearls or bubbles that helps to exfoliate the skin hence why it's called beauty scrub. It lives your skin feeling super fresh and the smells stays on your skin. 

Books Favorites:

5. The book that I fell in love with is called #GirlBoss by Sophia Amoruso, the ceo and founder of the famous Nastygal clothing brand. It's pretty much like a self-help book that tells how Sophia ended up becoming a millionaire and a long the way, she tells funny episodes from her life and some tips to help you. I can honestly say that she pretty much became my hero after reading this book. I have taken the tips she made into account and have seriously learned a lot by reading her book. I can only suggest you to read this amazing book, and I am sure you'll understand why I love it so much. 

I'll give you one of her tips. Many people today always buy and spend money they do not have but you have to be smart with your money. Would you rather spend 200 dollars on some shoes that's going to get ruined anyways or would you rather put them on your account? As Sophia says "Money on the bank looks better than money on your feet". I have started using this quote every single time I'm about to buy something that I in reality do not need.  

Anyways that was all this time around. I do hope you enjoyed my little blog post and until next time - Ingat!

X❤️X❤️

Shandra.

Fruity Facts: Vitamin B and stronger hair and nails

Disclaimer: This photo is not mine

Are you having problems with damaged/thinned out hair and nails that keep on cracking? Well then it's probably because you are lacking one of Mother Nature's beauty secrets - Vitamin B! Vitamin B is a group of vitamins that dissolves through water, meaning you need to take them on a daily basis through what you eat for your body to stay healthy (especially your hair and nails). Every single vitamin that is in that little group is also important for your brain to function properly.

Vitamin B:
Benefits: But what does these suckers do? Vitamin B repairs and rebuilds the skin and strengthens hair and nails. Vitamin B is also important because they help create DNA and is therefore very important for pregnant women! You can get Vitamin B though fish, nuts like almonds, vegetables such as potatoes, oats and in some fruits.
Lack of Vitamin B: A lack of Vitamin B can cause headaches, sleepiness, congestion problems, depression, skin diseases, lose/thinning hair and even weakening the nails. So ladies, we all know men are attracted to girls with pretty hair so make sure to get your Vitamin B. 

Green diet:
Try to have a green day once a week where you only eat veggies and fruits. Your body will be re-loaded with energy and your body will thank you for it. 

Green juices:
Green smoothies and juices have become very popular these couple of years but have you ever wondered why? Let me tell you, green smoothies and juices stimulates the lever and helps it rinse out any toxic you might have in your body. Drink the juice between 6 am to 12, since that's the time where the lever releases all the toxic the most. 

Detox Cosmo:
What you need: Blender, spinach, cucumber, iceberg lettuce, celeriac, one lemon and 10 grapes, ice cubes and ginger.
Step by step: Blend a handful of spinach with iceberg lettuce, add 1/3 cup of cucumbers and 2 celeriac, then add 10 pieces of grapes and add a bit of lemon juice. After that you add a bit of ginger and blend it all with a handful of ice cubes until you get a nice consistency. 
- This juice will help stimulate the cells and remove all the toxic you might have. 

Anyways, so that was all this time around. I hope you enjoyed another of Mother Nature's secrets and until next time - Ingat!

X❤️X❤️

Shandra.

Fruity Facts: Vitamin A and keeping your skin young

Disclaimer: This picture is not mine

Hellew again, lovely!
Okay so I have always been a fan of Mother Nature and her beauty secrets so I thought why not share her secrets with you? Many people think that beauty is something that you buy - all kinds of cosmetic companies claims that their products will make you beautiful and look younger and we are all guilty in falling for their traps and buying their products but .. Beauty is something that starts on the inside of us (yes I know that sounded very cliche but it's true). If we eat well and treat our bodies well, our beauty will shine through and we will get prettier skin and feel better about ourselves. So I will from now on be posting a series called Fruity Facts that tells you which food products that will help you enhance your beauty. All from which which food contains what vitamins and it's benefits, what you can do with the specific food wether is creating a delish meal for yourself or a drink and beauty tips and tricks where you can use that specific products and hopefully it will inspire you to eat and treat yourself better. Remember; It's not all about the make up, ladies. 

I am sure many of you don't really know much about the Vitamins that we are told by our parents and doctors that we should take on a daily basis and most of you probably don't even know the benefits each Vitamin contains, so I am here to sit you guys down and tell you and who knows? Maybe this will inspire you?

Vitamin A:
Benefits: Vitamin A is very important to our body in general, it helps to improve our vision, our immune system, our DNA, our skin and helps us to grow. Vitamin A helps our skin to improve and helps our skin to be elastic and staying firm. It pretty much helps us to keep looking young.
Lack of Vitamin A: If you lack of Vitamin A it can cause you night blindness and blindness.
Food with lots of Vitamin A: Food such as fat fishes like salmon and makral and lever but also in vegetables like broccoli, carrots, white cabbage, cabbage, tomatoes, spinach but you will also find Vitamin A in egg yolks and mango.   

Skin Glow Smoothie:
Take a piece of mango and chop if off and blend it in a blender with goji berries. Add a pinch of salt, some milk or soya-milk and a bit of vanilla powder it you want it to be a bit sweeter and lastly add some ice cubes and blend away. There you have it, a smoothie that will help your skin to keep on looking young. 

Anyways so that was all for today's post. Hopefully you learned something new and please do take a picture and #Fruityfactswithshandra if you decide to try out the smoothie. I would love to see it ❤️


X❤️X❤️
Shandra.