When an invitation to a free macaroon making workshop is extended your way and when said workshop is held at the (fancy) 15 on Orange hotel, you say “Yes, where do I sign?”

I’ve looked forward to this workshop since Heather sent us the invitation – so much so, that I had mixed up the dates and trotted off to a whole weekend earlier. I had just passed N1 City mall when I thought I’d better check my phone for more details and a reminder saying “Macaroon workshop next weekend” popped up. My pride then lead me to Canal Walk where some window shopping was done instead.

Prior to this workshop, I had never tasted a proper macaroon in my life but I knew what the whole concept behind it was – whipped egg whites and sugar… right? WRONG! But let me start at the beginning.

I felt like a real life Alice in Wonderland – all confused, flustered and wondering where the hell I am but when I finally stumbled into 15 On Orange, it was as if I entered a new dimension. THERE ARE COUCHES…. IN THE LIFTS!

I gaped at the majesty of the rich décor and the attention to detail and … THERE’S A SHOE SHOP!

But… just for a moment… lesbehonest…  

I don’t remember much of the details of the macaroon making process – I believe there was champagne and a guy called Katlego who knew his champagne pouring ish.

But Leana’s issues aside and why you should attend a macaroon workshop at 15 On Orange

The thought of making something as finicky as macaroons, terrifies me and I’m sure it terrifies dozens others too. But once you’ve seen it being made and once you’ve tried it under the supervision of the professionals, it somehow feels much less daunting.

This is also a great activity for the girls. Pop the champagne, snack on some goodies and laugh at your first macaroon attempts with your best friends. At R295 per person, this macaroon workshop is a giveaway and guarantees to be educational and fun.

Here are just a few pictures that I took on the day. Also make sure to check out Lauren’s post and Klets & Kook’s post. (These are the only ones I know of right now, but more will come).

x x Leana
Hipstyler, Pretty and Ginger

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In my first BWB goodie bag, I was spoiled with 2 Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams. The only other C & E product I ever owned was a lavender perfume that I won… I gave it away. 

So it was Karmically fated and hella funny when Ginger plundered my stash and stole the Iris variant, leaving me with a Lavender scented C & E product once more.

When body and bath shopping pops onto my ” to do” list, Crabtree & Evelyn is not on my list of shops to visit. BUT… after awarding the hand cream a fair shot, I must admit that I’m not opposed to it.

What I like about it

You can look at any one of their products and know that it’s a quality product. The quaint packaging sparks a sense of nostalgia and wholesomeness. Though I’m not overly fond of the processed smell of lavender, this hand cream hit a happy medium for me. BUT, the Iris is the nicer smelling one of the two. It’s not greasy at all and it really makes your hands feel baby soft.

What I don’t like about it

The price. 100g goes for a whopping R330, which is the main reason for my lack of C & E products. They do, however, state that the hand cream is award winning .. so, I suppose R330 for your share of an award winning product might not be THAT bad.

You can check out their online store here to check out more products. They have a free shipping promotion currently running for orders over R1000.

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Oh so Heavenly is definitely one of my favourite South African brands and here’s why:

They are always evolving and while you want a “predictable and dependable” brand in your home, you also want them to change with the times. The other day when I was shopping for a baby shower (I can spend 100s of Rands on baby stuffs) I saw the OsH Mum & Cherub range for the first time. Nope, having kids is hardly a new thing, but up until a short while ago, OsH only focused on bath and beauty products. 

Think about this: the women/ladies that started using OsH when the range became available at Clicks, have since turned into mommies and if they’re anything like me, they would have shown tremendous brand loyalty over the years. To top it off, this aqueous cream smells DIVINE! And, it’s not just for babies either! Use it to remove makeup, moisturise your feet or even moisturise the tips of your hair. I got this one in my Bloggers Who Bless goodie bag.

For the mums, OsH has even thought of those pesky stretchmarks that haunt us during pregnancy. It’s worth a try!

They keep the good and don’t tease us with “limited edition” bollie! I like to know that the products I love will be there the following month when I want to buy a top up! I was introduced to the Beauty Sleep collection when I was 21 years old and I loved it so much! Till today, I can still get my favourite pillow mist (the Beauty Sleep mist) at my nearest clicks. It’s an aromatherapy blend which consists of Lavender, Orange and Patchouli which are famous for relaxation and uplifting your mood and it really makes you sleep so much better. The mist in the picture below was sponsored in my Bloggers who Bless goodie bag.

Their products are really gentle on the skin and also kind to sensitive lady parts too. Sorry, I had to say it. I remember the days of bland baths – sis! But then came OsH 2 phase bath silk and my world changed forever.

They offer GREAT quality for money, for example, their hand serums. Where can you find a serum for less than R30? But don’t be fooled by the price, because the serums are fantastic. A couple of squirts really soak into the skin to moisturise and rejuvenate your hands and it smells amazing!

They have the most amazing scents with the best names like “Everyday Detox” (amazing), “Girls’ best friend” and “Bye Bye Stress” and that’s not the end of it. They have something for everyone. My latest faves are the BB Beautiful moisturiser and the Radiance Boost Hand cream. If you need any motivation to venture into the OsH ranges, let it be the amazing scents. Also, try the Hoola Hands hand sanitizer! Oh my Heavenly!

They are against the testing of animals and only use 2 animal by-products called Kanolin and Hydrolysed keratin which, I suppose, aren’t that bad. You can check out the whole story about their policy here.

What’s new?

I’m looking forward to trying these awesome body washes for myself. Just look at the lovely pink packaging!

x x Leana

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I got a lovely tub of Victorian Gardens Rosemary and Jojoba hair masque in my Bloggers Who Bless goodie bag.
 

I thought I’d give my hair a much deserved break from the chemical stuff and try out the NATURAL Victorian Garden hair masque. As I’ve said, Victorian Garden is a natural skin care company – music to my ears! Given the choice between a designer brand and a natural brand, I’ll take NATCH over DESIGN any day. The reason for this, is my intrigue around the manufacturing of natural products. Here, Victorian Garden is quite unique.

They have combined the forces of biochemists, Aromatherapists and Phytotherapists to create the most awesome natural (and closest to 100% organic as possible) beauty products – straight from the GARDEN.

The Victorian Garden Jojoba hair Masque

If you’re not an herb lover, you may not like the smell, but for someone with a keen appreciation of natural products, it was a real treat for the senses as the tingle of peppermint invigorates you.

I applied a scoop (using my hands of course) of the creamy masque and worked it through my hair (which was so dry that it sucked up all the goo). I left it on for a couple of minutes before jumping into the shower and from there it was the normal “wash and condition mission”.

What you need to know about my hair: It’s highlighted and extremely dry. I go through conditioner like there’s no tomorrow and even tubs of Sunsilk hair treatments don’t last very long. I’ve invented a “hair smoothie” which consists of 4 different conditioners, hair oil and the Sunsilk treatment but even this concoction fails miserably.

After using the mask I could feel a significant difference in my hair and I noticed even that my hair stayed wet for longer. You might have heard that conditioners lock in moisture. I’m not sure how literal it can be taken or to which extreme the moisture gets locked in but as true as Bob… my hare was lekker nat.

It has now been 3 days since I used the masque and I washed my hair last night…. WITHOUT HAVING TO USE A DROP OF CONDITIONER!!! *High 5*

I always wait at least 3 weeks to see significant results though, so I’m expecting luscious locks by the time I walk down the aisle at my friend’s wedding this month.

Thank you to Heather De Bruin from Bloggers Who Bless and Victorian Garden for this amazing product! You can order yours here and also make sure you follow them on Twitter here. We also got a 20% discount voucher and I’m definitely going to take advantage of this offer and splurge on a fragrance…. YES THEY HAVE FRAGRANCES TOO!

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