Beauty Advice

The shiniest nails you have ever seen awaits!   While we all love a good mani-pedi, the pandemic has put a bit of a pin in many of our beauty plans. Getting up close and personal with strangers at the nail bar doesn't seem like as good of an idea as it did a little over a year ago, which has led to many of us giving DIY manicures a go. This is certainly a great way to express creativity and can even be considered a form of self-care, but it also exposes us to ending up feeling like one of those expectation vs reality memes. That’s why today we’ll be exploring how to get the perfect at home mani-pedi with the help of our famous Total Care For Hands & Nails Kit.     What You’ll Need For an Indulgent Home Manicure:  Origani Total Care For Hands & Nails Kit  Nail Brush  Cuticle Tool (optional)  Nail treatment (optional)  Your preferred nail polish if a colour coat is desired – or go A-La-Naturale!    Where To Start Your Home Manicure:  The first thing you’re going to want to do is give your hands a thorough wash with a nourishing soap such as our Origani Face & Body Cleansing Bar. This will ensure you have a nice clean canvas to get started with and can help protect you from infection if you’re the type who likes to push their cuticles. This is also the stage where you’ll want to use your nail brush to remove any dirt or debris that has found its way under your talons.     Caring For Your Nails:  Step 1. Understand The Correct Manicure Process Now your hands are fresh and clean, it's time to give your nails a little shaping. Our Total Care For Hands & Nails Kit includes both a nail file and a buffer block - for the first step of the process, you’re going to want the file. Believe it or not, there is a right (and a wrong) way to file your nails, and we're not just talking about how to achieve certain shapes. For example, you’ll want to file from the base to the centre rather than simply running the file across the whole edge. And you should NEVER run your nail file backwards and forwards no matter how tempting this may be as it can cause fairly significant damage. Decide on which shape you feel best suits your hands (or mood) and gently sculpt your nails to match.  If you’re the type who likes to push their cuticles back, it’s time to grab your cuticle tool and gently relocate them to your desired position.      Step 2. Buffer Your Nails Next you’re going to need your nail buffer. This multipurpose tool is fabulous for smoothing, stimulating and polishing your nails. You will note that this beauty accessory has three different types of buffer, this is because there are three stages to achieving that perfect shine.   The first step is to use the dark grey buffing panel to remove ridges and stains. This buffing panel should be gently rubbed across your nails in a single direction avoiding the tips.  Next, you’ll want to take the light green buffing panel and draw it rapidly back and forth across the top of your nails. This will assist in stimulating circulation underneath the nail which will in turn promote faster, stronger and healthier growth.  The final step is to polish your nails with the white buffing panel. This is where the magic happens. Watch before your eye, the shiniest nails you have ever seen sans nail polish!      Step 3. Time To Paint:  If you’re looking to level up your mani-pedi, now is the time to add a pop of colour. Start with a nourishing base coat to give your nails a little extra love (and your colour coat something to stick to) and then follow these tips to get that just stepped out of the salon look.  Note: If you used a clear nail treatment in the previous step, this will generally replace your base coat.    Step 4. The Finishing Touches:  Now your nails are shaped and coloured, it’s time to add the finishing touches and show the rest of your hands some love. This is where you get to play with the skincare portion of your Total Care For Hands & Nails Kit.   Our Nourishing Cuticle Oil is perfect for moisturizing your nails and contains plant extracts to give your talons a natural boost. This treatment should be applied over the nails and tips of your fingers and massaged in until all absorbed.   Once your cuticle oil has absorbed, you can slather our Hand & Nail Perfection Cream over the entirety of your hands to provide all day protection and hydration.. You can also re-apply the Hand & Nail Perfection Cream any time that you feel the need.   So there you have it, the perfect at home mani-pedi with the help of our Total Care For Hands & Nails Kit. If you post your masterpiece to the gram, be sure to tag @origaniskincare so we can see your wonderful creations! 

The short answer is, to some degree, yes. We are all fatigued from this global crisis talk. It is dreary and worrying and mood-killing. Yes, on top of all the new restrictions, our skin is becoming more sensitive! So how can we keep our skin healthy and beautiful? Mandatory mask wearing Origani is Australian born, and we are proud to be. In Australia we have been rather fortunate overall...except our little home-town Melbourne is struggling a little. With the number of cases on the increase, it’s now mandatory to wear face coverings when out and about, including when undertaking daily exercise (with the exception of running) according to the Department of Health and Human Services Victoria. Whilst there are certain medical and practical reasons meaning a mask sometimes cannot be worn, protecting your skin isn’t one of them! So to help you out, we are focussing on what we can do to ensure our skin doesn’t suffer from hiding undercover all day. According to Professor of Dermatology at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in America, Dr. Adam Friedman, skin may experience irritation after long days of wearing face masks, as sweat, oil and condensation from your own breath creates a warm and humid environment, which can lead to irritation, clogged pores and breakouts. We know this even pre-coronavirus from studies on the effect of evaporative cooling of respiratory protective devices on skin temperature, thermal sensation, and comfort (1993, John B Pierce Laboratory). To combat this, you should: Dispose of or wash your face mask - masks should only be worn for a short period before they become somewhat ineffective. If you are wearing a disposable face mask, make sure you dispose after every use. Or if you have a reusable face mask, pop it in the wash! It is important not only in protecting you from COVID-19, but in preventing bacteria build up. Opt for a tightly woven, natural fabric like cotton, as supported by dermatologist, Noelani Gonzales. You can even reuse old t-shirts to create the inner barrier in a homemade mask. Avoid synthetic materials as they are more likely to make you sweat. Create a skin barrier - by applying moisturiser before putting on your face mask, you can decrease friction between the skin and mask, lowering the risk of dry, cracked skin according to Dr. Craig Kaffet,  dermatologist. Just make sure you use non-comedogenic products, and wash your face mask after each use! We recommend our Dermassure Clear & Calm Matte Comfort Moisturiser if you have a more oily to combination skin type prone to breakouts. For a further breakdown on how to protect your skin from while wearing a mask, read more here. Origani is an Australian luxury organic skincare brand. We proudly formulate and produce cruelty-free, certified organic, vegan skincare and makeup. Sustainable Luxury Without Compromise.

Do you remember back in the day when we were looking for excuses to stay at home, snuggled up watching Netflix and eating chocolate? We know we’re guilty of taking that for granted! At Origani, we encourage taking time out for yourself - undertaking a self-care routine is important for your mental health, not to mention your skin and body. That’s why we have taken the time to slow down a bit, bring ourselves back to basics, and enjoy a bit of self-care with our five senses.   #1 See You might be lucky enough to live in the countryside with a big backyard and plenty of surrounding greenery, or you might be stuck in a concrete jungle. Either way, it is important to let your eyes bathe in beauty. Immerse yourself in something positive, preferably away from the screens. We recommend flicking through old photographs of loved ones and beloved places. Perhaps now is the time to sort out that photo album you have been meaning to? And don’t forget, look at the sky and appreciate Mother Nature. When you can (if regulations allow), feel the ground beneath your feet, and appreciate the blue above. Fresh air is indispensable. #2 Smell Did you know that our emotions are largely generated by what we smell? Smell is such a primal sense, it has the power to transport your mind back in time. With the ability to lift our spirits, soothe us and shift our mental state, it is no wonder candles and oil-diffusing have been a comforting trend of late! You might slide into the DMs of your favourite day-spa and ask them what their signature scent is, or order a few online to find a new favourite! Alternatively, couple the sense of smell with a warm bath by adding in a few drops of your favourite essential oils. Don’t have a bath? You needn’t miss out. Simply place a few drops of essential oil into the base of your shower cubicle, the steam will send the aroma into the air and you’ll soon be transported to a state of calm - only a couple of drops is needed, we don’t want you to slip! We recommend also using our Body Exfoliating Salt Scrub Summer Lychee for aromatic benefits, and as an added bonus - your skin will be supple, smooth and rejuvenated! #3 Taste Self-care at home sometimes means eating that cookie batter before you even bake it. Having said that, wholesome, homemade, micronutrient-packed food is going to keep you feeling your best. Our team at Origani can attest to the uplifting pursuits of cooking and baking during lockdown. We recommend playing with your porridges by trying plant milks and adding nuts and seeds to your tastes. Add in some fresh berries to make it Instagram worthy! Make your morning meal into a routine, and make every breakfast a positive start for your body and mind. #4 Hear Lockdown is a strange time, it’s both noisy and silent. The news can overcrowd our head, and if you live alone, the silence might be taking over. It’s important to adapt to your own situation. Daily practice of silence, whether through daily tasks or meditation will help provide a state of stillness. And when you just want to get out of your own head, put on some positive tunes and have a personal party! Make and share playlists with your friends, and practice those moves for when you can get back out and hit the dance floor. Dancing has the added benefit of making you sweat - a bonus for your skin! #5 Touch This is a time for self-nurture and care. A daily self-massage, or if you’re lucky enough to have a partner around, a back rub, can go a long way. Pick up a massage oil (or sesame oil) for a warming, hydrating massage that will soak your body and skin in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. You can add a few drops of lavender oil to turn the relaxation up a notch. Never forget the value of a weekly facial massage. Use a cleanser (try our Erda Daily Glow Toning Cleanser) to begin melting away the stress, oil, and grime, followed by a gentle exfoliator to prep your skin for the main event: your face mask. And don’t worry! Not those blue disposable ones! During lockdown, opt for a creamy face mask rich in hydrating extracts, try our Erda Pigmentation Correction Green Apply Clay Mask. Most masks should be left to dry on your face for about the length of an episode of your favourite Netflix sitcom, so sit back, relax, and feel the impurities being drawn from your pores. Follow with a facial massage which will assist with lymphatic drainage, leaving your skin feeling taut and smooth. Use your hands and slowly knead your skin upwards from your chin to your cheekbones to ease away tension. Finish with a hydrating product such as our Dermassure Clear & Calm Flaxy Serum to give yourself that healthy glow. It’s no easy feat being in lockdown, but by slowing down, appreciating what’s around us and practicing basic self-care, we will get through this in a more calm and balanced way. Stay strong and mentally healthy xx   Origani is an Australian luxury organic skincare brand. We proudly formulate and produce cruelty-free, certified organic, vegan skincare and makeup. Sustainable Luxury Without Compromise.