Jasmyne Tea

The Beauty Products Every Foodie Needs

I find that as I get older, I learn to fully appreciate the more luxurious, sensual things in life; long gone are the days when I'd buy the cheapest things because it meant I could have more of them. However, as someone on a modest wage, I usually can't afford the $945 Alexander McQueen dress that I've had my eye on. So in keeping with my budget, I tend to splurge on more affordable beauty products in an effort to feel pampered - this is particularly important when one has a stressful job.

Now, over the last couple of years or so I noticed an odd trend in the types of scents I was buying. I started off with the same old jasmine, rose and lavender scents because I though to be feminine, one had to smell like a plant's reproductive organs. I slowly started going for scents I actually liked, but it wasn't until the other day that I realised (after a shower) that my bathroom smelled like my pantry.

Yes, apparently I like to smell like food.

With that little personal discovery, I decided to share my absolute favourite beauty products with the world. Here you'll find awesome products that actually smell like what the labels describe, but more than that: they actually do the job they're meant to. So, in no particular order:

P & S Pure Glycerin Soap (Lemongrass, Mandarin, Frangipani, Raspberry, Apple, Lemon Myrtle) - $5.00 each

The Perfume & Skin Care Company is based out in Robertson, NSW, but there is also a store in Berrima, which is where I obtained these beautiful soap bars. The single-note scents are pure and strong, and they're incredibly accurate - there's no trace of the usual soapy, astringent scent one normally gets. The soap gives a lovely lather, and doesn't dry out my skin, which is something I always have a problem with.

P & S Ginger Milk 10 mL Roll On Perfume - $23.50
P & S Lemon Myrtle Body Wash - $19.50

The Ginger Milk perfume is my all-time favourite perfume oil - a little dab on each wrist and you're immersed in a spicy mixture of invigorating ginger and soothing, sweet vanilla milk.

MOR Italian Blood Orange Roll-On Perfume - $19.95
MOR Marshmallow Roll-On Perfume - $19.95

These little vials contain the most luxurious scents I possess. The Italian Blood Orange is a stimulating perfume, whilst the Marshmallow variety is soothing and sweet, and actually smells like marshmallow!

The Body Shop Chocomania Body Scrub - $29.95
Banana Shampoo - $17.95
Banana Conditioner - $17.95
Strawberry Body Polish - $16.95
Earth Lovers Watermelon & Eucalyptus Shower Gel - $14.95

I do love a company that supports fair-trade and is against animal testing - and it's always a bonus when the products are amazing too. Special mention for the limited edition Chocomania body scrub - it's really hard not to scoop up a handful and eat it!

Evodia Coconut & Lime Body Mist - $23.95
Evodia Coconut & Lime Hand Lotion - $17.95

Found in Myers and David Jones, one whiff of this body spray and you'll think you're on the beach, sipping a cocktail served in a coconut. The hand cream has the added bonus of leaving your hands beautifully smooth and not at all greasy.

LUSH Flying Fox Shower Gel 250mL - $21.50
LUSH Turkish Delight Shower Smoothie - $32.95
LUSH Ultrabalm - $7.90
LUSH Dragon's Egg Bath Ballistics - $5.95

LUSH products are made from fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, which are bought only from companies with no connections to animal testing, and they use minimal or recyclable packaging. I particularly enjoy the Turkish Delight Shower Smoothie - it smells like I should be stepping out of the shower covered in a dusting of sugar!

 

Perfume & Skin Care Co.

Shop 4, 74-76 Hoddle Street
Robertson NSW 2577
Phone: 02.4885 1377
http://www.perfumeandskincare.com.au

MOR Cosmetics

e-boutique: http://www.morcosmetics.com
Enquiries: +61 3 9600 4599

The Body Shop

http://www.thebodyshop.com.au

Evodia Australia

http://www.evodia.com.au

LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics

http://www.lush.com.au
Phone: 1300 587 428

Truly, Madly Tim Tam (Sponsored Post)

There are certain things that people say they love, but what they really mean is that they really like it.

So obviously you know that's NOT what I mean when I say I love Tim Tams.

Seriously. Tim Tams and I have had a lengthy, tumultuous affair for many years, born of a fierce and passionate love of the chocolate-coated crunchy biscuit with chocolate-cream filling. I remember when I was young it was the in thing to bite off both ends of a Tim Tam and use them as chocolatey straws to suck up our tea or milk, and I still do it even now.

Source

Whether you're a fan of the original Tim Tam, or prefer the newer versions like Turkish Delight (my personal fave), there's a Tim Tam for everyone, and now there's an ad for everyone too!

Arnotts have launched the 'Truly, Madly Tim Tam' campaign, and you can be a part of it! Simply click here, watch the ad on Youtube and follow the link beside the video to get your very own personalised ad!

This is a Rocketfuel sponsored post.

The Launch Of Kylie Kwong's Oxfam Fair Trade Tableware Range, Woollahra

We’re in the Tim Olsen Gallery, Woollahra. The walls are a stark white, making a wonderful backdrop for the rich, tawny imagery of the “Highways and Other Recipes” exhibition by Luke Sciberras gracing the walls. My boots echo on the polished hardwood floors as I walk over to a large table in the centre of the room; the tableware set resting here is the reason for this entire event.

We’re at the launch for Kylie Kwong’s new tableware range that she’s designed in conjunction with Oxfam Australia and that has been produced by one of Oxfam’s fair trade partners in Vietnam. The set includes a rice bowl ($14.95), a soup bowl ($21.95), a small ($6.95) and large plate ($14.95), soup spoon ($5.95), teapot ($49.95), teacup ($10.95) and a coffee cup ($10.95). Kylie, who has a background in graphic design, stated that she wanted to design a range that reflected the Asian background of its origins and that also conveyed a connection to sustainability and the earth – thus the colours of the range were chosen. The outside of each piece is charcoal, the inside is a mossy green, and the hand-painted lotus design is a dusky pink.

Kylie says: “As part of my inspiration I looked towards the symbol of the lotus flower. To me the lotus flower is such a deep and meaningful symbol, which represents femininity, spirituality, and the importance of nature and the environment.”

The first hour of the launch was dedicated to mingling and admiration of the set, and I met a few bloggers I hadn't met before, including Simon Food Favourites, Wholesome Cook, Mish Delish and Fig & Cherry (and apparently Food Guru was there, but I didn't have the pleasure of meeting her). Delicious, dainty canapés were served throughout the launch, prepared by Kylie Kwong's restaurant Billy Kwong:

   
Kingfish Sashimi, Crispy Prawn Wontons, Balmain Bug Wonton, Japanese Pumpkin Canape

Eggplant Canape


Scallop Canape with XO Sauce

Beef Brisket

Ocean Trout on Wonton Skins

My favourites were the crispy prawn wontons and the eggplant canape, but all of it was wonderful and I really look forward to the day I get to visit Billy Kwong.

Oxfam Australia Executive Director Andrew Hewett and Director of Trading Nadine Silverberg

Soon enough, it was speech time. The speeches were all short and sweet, and served to introduce exactly what Oxfam Australia's role in the project was, some background information, and the development process of the tableware set.

Andrew Hewett said: "We've been working with communities for nearly 60 years... and we've learned that simply giving handouts is not the answer, we need to find ways to provide people with skills and resources to help them create their own solutions to poverty and injustice. This project epitomises what we're about, it's helping people help themselves."

Followed by Nadine Silverberg: "Raising awareness of fair trade and the benefits of fair trade is absolutely key to [helping people help themselves]... As a renowned chef and restaurateur, as well as a fair trade ambassador, we knew Kylie's profile and credibility would be a huge boost to the fair trade cause... I'd like to reiterate how much this project means to workers and their communities in developing countries around the world. Our vision is to make fair trade as accessible as possible, so it becomes an everyday choice for Australians - not just for food, but for everything for their home... We've seen increased interest in fair trade products here in recent years, especially in coffee, tea and chocolate, but many Australians don't actually realise that you can buy everything, from crockery to vases and jewellery to toys, that's made under fair working conditions, and for which workers receive a fair price."

Kylie Kwong

Kylie's speech was last: "When Oxfam Australia approached me to design a range of tableware, I absolutely jumped at the opportunity. I realised that this project could bring together my passion for cooking, my love of art and design, and my advocacy of a better deal for producers in developing countries... At its simplest, fair trade is about guaranteeing a fair deal, allowing people the opportunity to trade fairly, to give them the ability to invest in their children's education and their communities, environment , their health, their safety, their future.

(Photo courtesy of Bonnie Savage, Oxfam Australia)

"Designing the range I actually found quite difficult. As a cook I feel much more at home designing and making what goes into kitchenware - while I may seem able to articulate the essence of what it is I'd like to capture, I struggle to translate this into visual terms... I particularly loved [Henry] Matisse's cutouts, and that is what lead to the idea of the separated lotus petals. I wanted the colours to be of the earth... to act as a subtle reminder of the importance of sustainability, and to reflect a sense of groundedness that fair trade brings to communities.

(Photos courtesy of Bonnie Savage, Oxfam Australia)

"Several months later we travelled to Hanoi to meet with my producers, to check on the development of the range, and to see first hand how fair trade benefited the community. When we arrived at Hanoi, the first samples were ready for us to look at... We all liked the colours, we thought they worked well, but I was not completely happy with the lotus image; it looked a little clunky, and not quite how I imagined it... The one thing I couldn't help but notice about the Master Painter was that he had absolutely exquisite almond-shaped eyes... On the final day, I grabbed him in that bossy 'KK' way I have and that so often gets me into trouble, I dragged him into the washroom... I pointed to his eyes in the mirror and said "Master Painter, I want my lotus petals to look like your eyes... I want your beautiful face on every piece of my range.

"My Oxfam tableware range will be available in Oxfam stores as of the first of October, and I sincerely hope that you will support me in this collaboration with Oxfam; together we can make a real difference in the lives of everyone at Mai, and to those fair trade producers everywhere."

JasmyneTea attended the launch as a guest of Oxfam Australia. I'd like to thank Raina Hunter (Oxfam Media Coordinator) for the invitation, Billy Kwong for the delectable morsels, Kalleske Wines for donating their lovely organic wine, and Tim Olsen for such an amazing space.

Oxfam Australia

http://www.oxfam.org.au/

Billy Kwong

355 Crown St
Surry Hills, NSW
2010

Phone: (02) 9332 3300

http://www.kyliekwong.org/BillyKwongs.aspx

Kalleske Wines

6 Murray St
Greenock, SA
5360

Phone: (08) 8563 4000

http://www.kalleske.com

Tim Olsen Gallery

63 Jersey Rd
Woollarha, NSW
2025

Phone: (02) 9327 3922

http://www.timolsengallery.com/pages/home.php

For The Girls: Flying Bird Botanicals' Cacao

With the colder weather ahead, I'm stocking up on soup ingredients, warm clothing, and most importantly, hot chocolate (and ok, ok, I know hot chocolate isn't JUST for the ladies, but I know a hell of a lot more women who drink it than men!).

I've spoken before of my love of Etsy, and so in my quest to find the perfect hot chocolate to chase away the chill I thought I'd try this site to see if I could order some in.

In my cyber-travels I found Flying Bird Botanicals, a company that specialises in tea, cacao (hot chocolate), body products and products for babies and nursing/expectant mothers. All products are 100% organic and fair trade, and they carry products I've never seen before, so I ordered a couple of tins of cacao to try out.

Cacao Vanilla Rose and Cacao Chokola - $12.75 US each

According to the website, all of their cacao is made with "only the finest heirloom peruvian and ecuadorian cacao and lightly sweetened with only raw sugar infused with whole vanilla beans". 

The Vanilla Rose variety features raw sugar infused with rose petals and vanilla beans, and this is the one that I tried first. I slowly heated 2 cups of milk to 2 tablespoon of powder, as per the directions on the tin. After a couple of minutes of stirring it was ready, so I poured it into a mug and gave it a go. The richness and the bitterness of the cacao comes through strongly, but is then tempered by the mild sweetness of the raw sugar. The vanilla is tasted next, and then the whole bouquet is finished with the fragrant rose petal, which rounds the mouth full out and is reminiscent of the rosewater element in turkish delight. When tasting, it becomes apparent that the ingredients can only be of high quality.

The Chokola variety is a far more traditional blend of spices and cacao, and is not for the faint of heart. I combined this one with cream instead of milk, and the result was a thicker, richer concoction. The cacao in this mixture tastes and smells a little more medicinal, but it definitely goes with the spicyness of the cinammon, all spice, and cardamom. It's an invigorating cup, and would be my first choice when I come home in the middle of July, cold and wet.

This company is based in Washington, USA, but they do ship to Australia. I, for one, am going to order again to try some more of their products.

Flying Bird Botanicals

www.flyingbirdbotanicals.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/flyingbirdbotanicals