The old town in Nice

 My favorite part of Nice is the Old Town and it's beautiful farmers market and local restaurants. The first night we had an amazing dinner at a fish restaurant called Chez Freddy. I think might have been the best fish I've ever had.

To Travel is to Live

Just arrived back in Florence from a quick get-away to Nice, France, which is why I haven't been updating the blog these few days. I will post pictures from our trip in the coming days. In the mean time, here is a memory from last year when Joe and I went to Lebanon for a long weekend to see family and friends. We stayed at the White Lace Resort in Jbeil. I love Lebanon and can't wait to be back there in just a few days!

What's in your deodorant?

Do you know the ingredients in your deodorant? Take a closer look at the label and make sure it doesn't contain any of these nasty ingredients.

1. Aluminium compounds

The aluminium compounds used in deodorant, such as aluminium chlorohydrate and aluminium zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly, clogs your pores and therefore prevents sweating. However, aluminium has been linked with Alzheimers and can interfere with your esterogene levels and there are studies that linked the increasing deodorant use and rising rates of female breast cancer and prostate cancer in men.

2. Parabens

There's a reason why a lot of products are labeled "Paraben Free" these days. Parabens can be found in cosmetics and deodorants and is a synthetic preservative, but it is also one of the most harmful ingredients in our skin care products. Parabens can mimic the esterogen in the body and disrupt the hormonal balance which has been linked to hormonal cancers, early puberty in children, birth defects and organ toxicity.

3. Propylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol is a petroleum based material with a smooth consistency. It is a cheap way of softening cosmetic products to make them easier to apply to the skin. Studies have shown that Propylene Glycol, in large quantities, can cause damage to the central nervous system, liver and heart.

4. Phtalates

Another chemical group that is used in cosmetics, skin care and perfumes. Phtalates are used to dissolve other ingredients and create a smoother consistency. Phtalates have been linked with birth defects, disruption of hormone receptors and an increase in the likelihood of cell mutation.

5. Triclosan

Used as the odor killing part of deodorants and for it's anti-bacterial properties. Triclosan can also be found in antibacterial soaps, hand wipes and gels, but what a lot of people don't know is that it is also classified as a pesticide by the FDA and as a probable carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Needless to say, do we really need to put these chemicals on our bodies? Look for deodorants based on mineral salts with active ingredients, such as ammonium or potassium alum, which constrict the protein in sweat so that bacteria has less to feed on.

I have tried a bunch of different deodorants and have found one that works great all year around. It is a mineral deodorant from a brand called Finesse, you can buy it at any Eataly store or here

In Vino Veritas - Harry's Bar Firenze

Oh Harry's Bar, how I have missed you! Let's start off with a glass of rosé, the beef tartare and then move on to the "Sergio" pasta and the baked taglierini. 

I'm in love with the Coco....nut oil

It's no secret that I am addicted to coconut oil. I mean, I recently purchased a 1,2 kg container of coconut oil from Costco and I have already used half of it.

Coconut oil is almost 90% saturated fat, but don't worry, the saturated fat is mostly lauric acid which doesn't have a negative effect on the heart as other saturated fats found in meats and dairy products. Lauric acids also have antibacterial properties and antioxidants which will give your skin a healthy boost. 

 So I thought I would list a few of my favourite uses in hope of spreading some inspiration to you all. 

1. Cooking. The obvious one, use it as a cooking oil or even substitute butter with coconut oil in your favourite baking recipes.

2. Makeup remover. Apply some oil on a cotton pad and you get a gentle makeup remover that will erase all traces of makeup. 

3. Eye- and Night cream. If you are worrying about not being able to get rid of the excess coconut oil from the makeup remover routine I listed above, worry no more! Coconut oil is light enough for the sensitive skin around your eyes and does wonders for under eye bags and dark circles. And if you want to go a step further, apply some more oil to your face before going to bed for a maximum moisturiser. The antioxidants are great for smoothing fine lines and wrinkles and the antibacterial properties will clean your face from all impurities. 

4. Hair mask. Apply some oil to damp hair and leave in for 15-20 minutes to treat damaged and dry hair. Shampoo and rinse. This is also a great way to treat dandruff since the oil will also hydrate a dry scalp. I use this method for my Pomeranian as well which leaves his fur shiny and healthy.

5. Body oil. Dry skin? Just apply some coconut oil or if you are a DIY expert, make your own body lotion.

6. Shaving cream. Why use a normal shaving cream when you can use coconut oil that not only helps to get a closer shave but at the same time moisturises and soothes the skin.

7. Itch relief and after-sun oil. If you have an itch, bug bite or a rash, apply some coconut oil to sooth the irritated skin. You can also use it as an after-sun oil to calm sun burnt skin and moisturise.

8. SPF. Since natural and zinc oxide and titanium dioxide based sun blocks can be hard to apply on the body I recommend mixing it with some coconut oil. Coconut oil  has a natural SPF 4 which makes it a perfect ingredient to your sun block, however I do not recommend using only coconut oil as your protection. 

9. Frizz tamer. To tame your frizzy hair, work a little bit of coconut from the middle of your hair to the ends.

10. Energy boost. A teaspoon of coconut oil will give you the extra energy you need during the day. Add some to your water, smoothie, spread it on a toast or simply as is.

So there you go, instead of buying different types of beauty products get a jar of coconut oil, just remember to always buy unrefined coconut oil!

Ivy at the Shore

Before leaving to Florence we had lunch at my favorite lunch spot in Santa Monica, Ivy at the Shore. The location is amazing, right on Ocean Avenue and the food is to die for. The lobster pizza is a must and nothing beats the banana split. 

Lazy Saturdays

Pants here

Blouse from MQ (Adlink)

New Orleans

Took a small trip to New Orleans to meet up with my mom and sister. It was my first time there and I loved it! Amazing food and everyone were so nice. I loved being able to walk through the town and explore by foot. We saw the french quarters and took a tram to the garden district and looked at the beautiful houses and the nature, even walked through one of the cemeteries.

One of my new favorite restaurants in the world is Galatoire's and is located on Bourbon Street and was founded in 1905. We had the most amazing dinner there and I can't wait to go back some day! This is a definite must if you ever find yourself in New Orleans!

Orange

Shoes from Schutz on Canon Drive, Beverly Hills. 

This color is not available online but you can find the same model here

Beauty and the chemical Beasts

Ok... Maybe a bit dramatic title for this post, but Hey! Let's be real for a moment. 

Do you really know what is in your beauty products? The things you put on your skin to make you feel better and beautiful, might not be so beautiful after all.

Don't get me wrong, I ain't telling you to throw all of your makeup out and raid your refrigerator for beats and vegetables to color your face with... although you could use some coconut oil as a highlighter or lipgloss or even as a gentle makeup remover... But now I'm jumping ahead of myself.. I'll save the hundred uses of coconut oil for another post!

Two years ago I was starting to feel like my skin was ageing way too fast, I have always loved makeup and I would use it on a daily basis. My skin was extremely sensitive and if I had one too many pieces of chocolate my skin would break out within minutes. My sister, who is in the research and lab industry, told me about the ingredients in makeup and beauty products and how they affect our bodies. To stop using makeup completely just wasn't an option for me, not because I'm vain and insecure, but because I actually enjoy playing aroung with makeup. I used to be one of those girls who walked in to Sephora and bought a lipstick in every color available and eyeshadows in shades I probably would never wear out in public anyways. 

So, I did some research and found a ton of makeup brands and online stores that sold eco-friendly, cruelty free, 100% natural beauty products. And I discovered products in all price ranges, from economical to luxury brands. 

The reason why I am so passionate about this subject is simply because I have seen the difference and the change in my own skin. That dewy, glowing skin that we all yearn for is achieved when we start using products that make us beautiful not only on the outside, but also on the inside.

The skin is our biggest organ and absorbs anything you put on it into your blood and body.

The average woman uses 12 beauty products a day containing around 168 ingredients.
I'm going to write more about ingredients to stay away from and the beauty products I love, but if you want to check the beauty products in your makeup bag right now, check out the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and their easy product search browser where products are ranked on a scale from 1-10, 1 being low hazard and 10 being high hazard.

Intro

    Photo by Hanna Magnusson

Hi everyone!

This is my very first post for my new blog. I have had a few fashion inspiration blogs in the past but nothing that I actually put an effort into keeping updated and current to what was going on in my life.

Since the time difference between my friends, family and I vary between + - 10 hours, keeping in touch can be hard and frustrating at times. I try to keep everyone updated with everything but I thought this blog might be a good way to express myself.

Most of my friends know how passionate I am about clean, safe and natural beauty products and I believe that everyone should be aware of the amount of chemicals and dangerous ingredients that are allowed in beauty products. I like to think that if you wouldn't eat it, you shouldn't apply it to your skin. Unfortunately people tend to forget that the skin will absorb the harsh ingredients that are used in most products.

But, since I don't want to bore you all with information about dangerous ingredients in beauty products, I'll mix it up with posts about my travels, lifestyle and fashion.

Hana