Rain's deliciously good DIY scrub

One of my favourite home grown beauty brands that is good for the soul and the environment, has been Rain Africa. I have been a huge fan for their DIY scrubs for the longest time, and maybe the reason why is that I know that all the ingredients have been harvested sustainably and it's actually an affordable option that's easy to customize. I've purchased a scrub for my best friend before, she loved it and whips up a batch every so often.

Basically, as we age our skin becomes rough, uneven and dry. Exfoliation means that this rough outer layer is removed exposing the newer younger skin cells beneath.

The scrub is amazing because it's 100% natural, unclogs pores, keeps skin clean, reduces acne breakouts and helps prevent wrinkles developing. You can customise your own fresh scrub by selecting a base, a carrier oil, actives and essences. Mix the scrub ingredients in a small bowl to the desired consistency and fragrance level.

Here's a listing of ingredients, all natural and all delicious!

1: OilsVrgin jojoba wax
This is a light textured oil with deeply penetrating properties. The oil is closely resembles the skin’s natural sebum and contains organic rosehip oil. This oil has anti-ageing and tissue regenerating properties. 

Cold pressed avocado oil
This oil is a rich nutritious oil for dry dehydrated mature skin. It contains sweet almond oil which softens and smoothes the skin.

Grapeseed oil 

This oil is well known for it's repairing and rejuvenating properties

(My recommendation is the cold pressed avocado oil. I have dry skin and this really helps in smoothing out dry patches.)

2: Actives

Green tea, bran & almond
Almond is high in vitamin E & Omega oils & is an effective emollient & lubricant. Bran is a useful scrub medium and green tea contains polyphenols which are thought to improve health.

Apricot, loofah& ginger
Ginger’s healing properties are legendary along with loofah& apricot kernel it aids circulation. The active includes lavender, poppy & tea tree and has cleansing, antiseptic & anti-bacterial properties.

Rooibos, walnut & rosehip
Rooibos brings anti-oxidant properties, while Rosehip, which is high in Omega 3 & 6. The activator works well on stretch marks, wrinkles & skin blemishes

3: Essences

• Jasmine, rose & cedarwood  (for dry skin)
• Grapefruit, bergamot & ginger  (for oily skin)
• Basil, lime & mint  (for combination to oily skin)
• Lavender, eucalyptus & cedarwood (for normal to dry skin)

4: Bases

• African scrub  (medium)
• Mineral scrub (not for face)
• Detox base (detoxifying & lymph drainage)
• Cellulite base (legs & buttocks)

You can shop these products online at www.shop.rainafrica.com (bonus, you receive FREE SHIPPING for orders over R500) or find their stores in major national shopping centres like Pavilion, Gateway Theatre of Shopping or Ballito Junction (their newest addition in KZN!).

Try it out and let me know what you think about this natural and authentic scrub in the comments below!

Changes in my life

You may have noticed that I've gone off the grid for a while. This is definitely not for a lack of trying or being sapped of creative energy - rather, a few "challenges" I've had recently (bear with me here!). 

Social media is meant to be a platform for communication and collaboration but recently, it feels like every time I scroll through my feed, people are celebrating all the wonderful things going on for them. Trust me, it's not shaking my bones and I'm not the jealous type, but it makes you...hesitant... to write up a real, raw and truthful post. It's time to take a hit and reveal what's really been going on in my life. 

Some of my followers may have heard the exciting news that I have skipped ship from a fun and energetic Agency career and dipped my toes into the professional Corporate world. I couldn't be happier for the challenge, and the opportunities that have presented themselves over the last few years. It feels like this is what I have been building up to - a culmination of life experiences that land me smack in the middle of corporate utopia in my middle twenties. I didn't realise how scared of change I was until I was faced with it. Having to change my travelling patterns, swap out my entire wardrobe of workwear (no more sandals and summer dresses to the office) and facing my irrational fears like the chance that I would get hungry at work (I have a food addiction) and not know where to get a snack (yes, irrational I know). It meant a lot of unnerving stress. Stress about the unknown, whether I was "good enough", had I made the right decision. It was overwhelming and, as I have learnt now - completely unnecessary. 

Two weeks into my new job, I fell ill with a serious case of Influenza A. I went to bed with a slight cough and woke up the next morning with severe muscular pains, a chest on fire and a fever through the roof. Uncontrollable nausea and a general air of "I'm going to die". I was admitted into hospital that morning and spent a few days in a cold, sterile ward. It's during this time that I had to face more irrational fears (you can tell by now that I don't do well with any form of stress) like needles, washing my hair with a drip attached to my vein, spending a whole weekend without my husband (we're basically inseparable when we're at home together) and overcoming the incessant bouts of nausea and feeling ever so sorry for myself. The night before I could be discharged from hospital, my Doctor let me know that if I could go the night without a spike in my fever, I would be free to go home the next morning. Home to my own bed, wardrobe and bathroom - I wanted OUT! I was dosed with medication, happy with spending one more night and freedom was just a few hours from my fingertips. I could almost feel it. 

At midnight, I was overcome with cold. Shivering in my bed, squirming under the sheets trying to get warm - this torture lasted two hours. I refused to ring the bell to alert the nurses, telling myself that I needed to last the night without a fever to go home. I was adamant I could fight it on my own, that I would fall asleep "soon" and it would be morning. After finally coming to terms with the fact that the fever wouldn't break on its own, that I needed help and perhaps one more day in hospital wouldn't kill me - I called for the nurses. They were kind, inserted  new medication into the intravenous drip and let me sleep. Before drifting off, I remember thinking, why did I spend hours suffering when help was literally a single bell away. The next morning, I was discharged anyway and made it to attend Trevor Noah's comedy show at the Durban ICC (more about that later). You could say - it all worked out in the end. 

Perhaps if there's anything I learned over the last two weeks:

- Stop stressing over things that you have no control over. 

- Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It's almost impossible to feel positive when all you're perpetuating is a cloud of negativity. 

- Ask for help - the consequences be damned. 

- Family over everything - I couldn't have done this without my husband and parents by my side. They're my emotional strength, my care givers and my greatest supporters. I owe them all a lunch or two. 

Right now, I'm in a positive & happy space. I'm ready to challenge myself creatively and share a little more - the negatives AND the positives. You'll be hearing a lot more from me, that's for sure. 

Love, 

Yo Homi 

Magical Meringues Recipe

Made from whipped egg whites and powdered sugar, meringues are light, airy and very sweet. Follow this easy recipe to make perfect meringues - or use it as a basis for other desserts such as pavlovas or lemon meringue pudding, or simply as a treat on its own. So easy to make, and an inexpensive recipe to demonstrate. For an extra special touch, place meringues in an attractive glass jar for your next Sunday afternoon tea and catch the compliments!

Makes approximately 50 small meringues

•  3 large egg whites
• 210g castor sugar (250ml or 1 cup) 
• 5ml vanilla essence (1 teaspoon) or 1 vanilla bean pod, scraped
• 5ml white vinegar
• 30ml boiling water (2 tablepoons) 
• 10ml baking powder (2 teaspoons)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 100 degrees. 
2. Line baking trays with baking powder, do not grease (do not use greaseproof paper).
3. Using a clean, dry bowl of the electric food mixer, whisk egg whites until a soft peak is formed. 
4. Add sugar spoon by spoon, slowly whisking all the time. 
5. With the last teaspoon of sugar, mix in vanilla essence, or the vanilla bean paste and whisk well. 
6. Add boiling water and whisk again for 5 minutes. 
7. Lastly, add baking powder and whisk for a minute. 
8. Place mixture into a piping bag which has been fitted with a nozzle. 
9. Pipe onto prepared baking trays.
10. Bake for 60 minutes. Switch off the oven and leave in the oven, if possible, for a further 30 minutes. 

My tried and tested tip is to make the meringues smaller so that they will cook slightly quicker! Using a disposable piping bag makes for easy cleaning up after so you have less washing up to worry about and more time preparing for guests. 

Try this out and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Love,
Yo Homi

Mo Magic: Moments of Wonder

Following the success of his 2016 theatre tour, taking the experience of magic to audiences
across the country, and recently returning from Las Vegas and Hollywood, magician extraordinaire
Mo Magic is set to intrigue, astonish and entertain Durban audiences with his brand new
theatre show titled “Moments of Wonder”.
 

In this 90 minute interactive performance, Mo Magic takes the audience on a journey to the
impossible with his world-class magic, mystifying mentalism, incredible illusions and family
friendly comedy.
 

Themed around the concept of wonder, he points out that we as humans experience “wonder”
on a daily basis in different forms e.g. whilst watching movies, listening to music, spending
time with loved ones and whilst watching the sun rise or set. He takes a number of these scenarios
and creates magic with them, putting his own spin on them, and shares these moments
of wonder with the audience. The magician does not want to give too much away and would
rather the audience experience the magic for themselves in his latest theatre production.
Mo’s passion for entertaining with the art of magic has attracted the attention of magicians
worldwide. In February 2017, he was featured as the cover story for international magic magazine
“VANISH”, the world’s largest magic magazine read by over 100 000 magicians worldwide
. This is the first time a South African magician has been awarded the accolade. Other
international magicians to be included on the cover include, Criss Angel, Uri Geller and Paul
Daniels. When asked about his continued success, Mo says, “The art of magic has the ability to
bring joy, delight and wonder and I am very thankful to entertain with through my presentations
and illusions. There is nothing else I’d rather do. It’s one of the ways for me to contribute
to the world and I love it!”
 

An honours degree graduate in electronic engineering, Mo resigned from a lucrative career as a
project manager, in 2010, to pursue his passion for the art form. His prime hit TV series was
very well received nationally and is currently being rebroadcasted by the SABC, weekly. When
asked about his performance preference, the magician says “I love performing the art of magic
on TV and live, however I believe that the audience enjoys the live experience more as they
are present and are able to participate in the experience. TV audiences enjoy the show as an
observer whereas in the theatre, members of the audience have the opportunity to join me on
stage and participate in the magic.”
 

“Moments of Wonder” will run from the 9-12 March 2016 at the Elizabeth Sneddon theatre
(UKZN campus), then moves to the Hexagon theatre in Pietermaritzburg (UKZN) from the 30
March - 1 April. Mo’s previous theatre productions (“Amazing You!” in 2012 and “Mo Magic” in
2016) were sell out successes and tickets for this run of “Moments of Wonder” are limited.
Book your tickets early and be part of the magic. Tickets start from R100 and are available at
Computicket, Shoprite & Checkers
 

Performance Dates & Times: Thursday 9 Mar, Friday 10 Mar, Saturday 11 Feb: 8pm
Sunday 12 mar: 3pm (Matinee)
Running Time: 1h30min Tickets at Computicket: R100, R120 & R140
 

No under 6s
No admittance after start of performance
 

Press & Show Queries: bookings@momagic.co.za
Online link for bookings via Computicket: http://bit.ly/2kORjsB
For online publications, kindly include bookings link and social media links below.
 

Mo Magic
Web: www.momagic.co.za
Facebook: Mo Magic www.facebook.com/momagicfanpage1
Twitter: Mo Magic www.twitter.com/momagic
Instagram: momagicsa www.instagram.com/momagicsa

Rising comedic star in Durban: Kamz Govender

The first time I saw Kamz Govender live was on stage at the Pavilion Hotel, Durban. The show was promoted by Masood Boomgaard, and R100 for 10 live acts including Rory Petzer and Mo Vawda? No brainer - this was too good an opportunity to miss. Kamz stood out of the crowd, and it might have something to do with his witty sense of humour, complete deadpan expression and clever play on words. It was at this point I knew, I'm definitely a fan! 

Speaking to Kamz, he decided to take up stand-up comedy, which he considers an art form, because it runs in the family. His mother, Anasia Govender is an entertainer and they've both inherited quick wit and humour from his grandfather, a one liner specialist. Kamz had entered a comedy competition in February 2016, progressing through to the Finals and he describes his journey since then as "a life changing journey". 

Kamz writes all his own material, making use of puns and catch phrases. He believes that the real skill in his art is the ability to write your own jokes, and infuse a lot of your own personality in your work. He believes inspiration can be found anywhere and everywhere, from friends, places, sometimes out of absolutely nothing and feels comedy subjective - it's all about your perspective. 

I've noticed recently that stand-up comedy is fast growing in Durban and Kamz confirms that this is true. "We're building more and more platforms for new and experienced comedians to work at their craft, and there are many companies helping us along the way like 031 Entertainment, The Agency and On Fire Comedy. To be honest, without the guidance of Carvin H Goldstone and Neil Green, I would not be where I am today. They are really taking Durban comedy to great heights!" says Kamz.

According to Kamz, some of his favourite comedians to watch perform (and some of my favourite too) are Carvin H Goldstone, Neil Green, Mfundo Ndovela, Andrew Hughes, Daryl Williams, Dillan Oliphant, PrinsVR and Dalain Olive. 

Follow The Agency SA on Facebook to find out about their upcoming shows. Support local and these rising stars!

Love, 

Yo Homi

Travel Diary: Paternoster

 

My husband and parents planned a quick get away to the Western Cape this month and I couldn't wait to get my teeth into everything that the beautiful city of Cape Town had to offer. With suggestions on where to go and what to do spilling over from friends and family, we whittled our options down and made sure visiting the little town of Paternoster was on our "MUST DO" list.

The idyllic fishing village on the West Coast, approximately two hours away from Cape Town, is located between Saldanha Bay and St Helena Bay. We stopped at quaint padstal's (loosely translated from Afrikaans to mean "road stores") which stock home made bread, refreshments, arts and crafts and quirky gifting. It's really easy to while away the time browsing and chatting to store assistants. We found that they were really friendly & helpful - which sort of resonates with everyone that we met along the way.

The laid back, stress free living of village life quickly rubbed off on us. We had lazy dinner over the terrace at the Paternoster Lodge, a 4 star rated hotel, while the sun set and festivities began. The next morning, waking to ocean breezes and a brilliant sunrise - we headed to the beach and watched the fishermen come to shore. 

There isn't much to do, except fish and relax on the beach. There are a few craft stalls and independent stores, filled to the brim with hand made jewellery, pottery, beauty products and home ware items. 

There are loads of holiday accommodation available throughout the year and what I would imagine to be the perfect wedding destination to get away from the crowds and traffic, leaving you with lasting connections with your loved ones. 

Check out some of the photos below and see for yourself. 

Lavender blooms in abundance outside a picture perfect holiday accommodation.

St Helena Bay boardwalk onto the beach. The ocean is a sparkling aqua, all year long!

White sandy beaches, anyone?

Paternoster Lodge, our hotel accommodation with a view.

Love,
Yo Homi

BombSquad heads to the Zando Cape Town 10s!

Local rugby team, BombSquad will be heading to Cape Town to participate in the upcoming and hugely popular Zando Cape Town 10s. The event is one of the premier lifestyle and social sport events in South Africa, having recently won the 2016 Discovery Sport Industry Award for "Best Lifestyle Experience".

It is the brainchild of rugby legends Bob Skinstad and Robbie Fleck and long-standing mate Ron Rutland. Founded in 2008, starting off as a rugby only tournament the event has since evolved into a multi-sport event, with the addition of Netball in 2013 and Beach Volleyball in 2016 and now Dodgeball for 2017.

The rugby component of 10s is billed as the biggest ten-a-side rugby tournament in the world, designed for fun but still underpinned by national and international rugby federation rules. The event has, over the years, featured some of the world’s greatest International rugby legends including Jonah Lomu, Carlos Spencer and Christian Cullen, as well as other global sporting stars such as Graeme Smith and Justin Kemp.

2017 will mark the 9th consecutive year of the event. The 2016 Cape Town 10s event had 100 rugby teams, 40 netball teams and 40 volleyball teams, from all over South Africa and abroad, taking part.

The Cape Town 10s is not just about the sporting action, it is also one big jol featuring some of the country’s biggest and most popular music acts as well as hosting Africa’s largest beer tent. Thousands of fans and squads gather from across the globe to play their favourite sports and to experience the vibe of 10s that is underpinned by fun, friendships, sports and a couple of cold ones.

Marcel Pillay, affectionately dubbed "Skelton" after William Skelton - Austalian rugby player, says

"It's overwhelming, but it has been an interesting journey to get ready for this event in terms of on and off field training. Everything has fallen into place and now we're looking forward to the event this week. We're hoping to win our competition while having fun at the same time, meeting old friends and hopefully making some new ones along the way. Cape Town as the host - we couldn't have asked for a better venue! Just be ready because the Bombsquad lads are going to be in town so if you see us running, try and keep up." 

 

Follow their journey online and keep up with some of their sponsors.

Twitter: @BombSquad10s
Facebook: BombSquad Tens

Love,
Yo Homi