BRAHMAN HILLS | A WEEKEND IN THE MIDLANDS MEANDER

 The midlands has been a hotspot for us lately. For the past two weekends, we've had the absolute pleasure of traveling down to the countryside enjoying the peace and quiet outside of the city. If you haven't read about our first trip to the midlands this year, click here. 

The renowned midlands meander is such a great place to visit in winter. If you're a hopeless romantic, like me, then you will definitely enjoy this little spot in Kwa-Zulu Natal. With cozy fires, hot chocolate and delicious food, what more do you need ?! Nottingham Road hosts many beautiful wedding venues, hotels and fine dining restaurants. This time round, on our midlands meander trip we were lucky enough to stay at Brahman Hills newly renovated Springholm cottages. Located about 4 km from the main hotel of Brahman Hills, these little self catering units are a perfect hibernation spot. Each unit has a breathtaking view of a small dam on the farm and is nestled between, what seems to be, the endless midland hills. Each morning we enjoyed a delicious buffet breakfast at the Brahman Hills Cafe, which is the main restaurant at the hotel. The french toast with syrup coated bacon paired with an extra large almond milk cappuccino was to die for!

 On our second evening, we had the pleasure of eating at 89 Copper and enjoyed an intimate 5 course dinner and wine pairing. Situated in the cellar of the hotel, this restaurant is the perfect place for a romantic dinner date with your significant other. After a relaxing weekend, Brahman Hills spoilt us to a divine 90 minute full body massage and sugar scrub. What I liked most about the Brahman Hills Spa, is that they source all their products locally in the midlands with everything being Eco-friendly and biodegradable as well! Overlooking the endless midland meander, it really was the perfect place zone out and relax. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are looking for a weekend getaway, a romantic trip to the countryside or are attending a wedding in this area, then I recommend staying at the beautiful Brahman Hills!

TC

xoxo

ENVIRON FOCUS CARE RADIANCE+ RANGE | LET'S TALK ABOUT PIGMENTATION

As many of you know skincare is an important part of my daily routine. If you follow me on Instagram you will see how often I talk about skincare, the products I use and how to make sure that you "stay young forever." Making sure you look after your skin is vital, however, there will always be negative factors, such as the sun, pollution and stress that can contribute to effecting your skin. That is why, it is so important to make sure you use the right products for your skin type and the environment that you are surrounded by. 

I always thought pigmentation occurred in older people only, and that it was never going happen to me, at least not in my late 20s. But truth be told, our skin is not made of porcelain and unfortunately there is not a cure out there to prevent us from aging. That is why using the correct products for your skin is so important. Looking after your skin at a young age is really what every mother should tell their child. I know that it can be overwhelming to know what brand and what product to use for what skin condition, but luckily for you, I am here to save the day, well at least on the topic of pigmentation and dehydrated skin for now. 

When I started noticing that my skin was dehydrated and uneven, I knew I had to start focusing on preventing future pigmentation. Pigmentation is known to be a really difficult skin condition to target. The amazing thing about the the Focus Care Radiance+ Range is that you do not need to start using it when pigmentation is already present but you can also start using it when pigmentation has occurred, making it the perfect range for any aged skin. The 3 step Mela-Smart System, consists of 4 powerhouse formulations that work together to inhibit any formation of hyper pigmentation. Since I started using the Radiance+ Range, I immediately noticed and change in my skin. From having dark spots and uneven skin tone to more radiant even looking skin and that was in a matter of days. Who needs a snapchat filter now?!

The Focus Care Radiance+ Range consists of 4 products:

The Multi-Bioactive Mela-Prep Lotion focuses on giving your skin a brighter and more even complexion . The lotion retails at R360.00 for a 60ml bottle. The Vita-Botanical Mela-Fade Serums (A & B) consists of concentrated blends of vitamins and botanicals to help combat skin discoloration and essentially improve the appearance of your skin without needing to apply any fake filter or makeup. It's a win win!  These two serums are my favourite to use from the range. The serums combined retail at R990.00 for two 30ml bottles. Finally the Intense C-Boost Mela-Even Cream which is an intense vitamin C infused cream. It leaves your skin looking healthy and luminous with a radiant soothing glow. The C-Boost cream retails at R450.00 for a 25ml tube. 

I normally follow this routine by applying Environ's Vitamin A - Ionzyme moisturizer. My daily skin routine consists of the fabulously rich hydrating antioxidant Ionzyme Range which works as a STEP-UP SYSTEM which is a great build up product before using the Radiance+ Range. 

It may seem like a lot to apply on your skin, but the routine doesn't take me longer than 5 minutes and I feel the lasting effect all day!!

Take care of your skin!

Stay tuned this coming month for an exciting giveaway which will be going live on my Instagram!

TC

xoxo

**Sponsored Post

CLEOPATRA MOUNTAIN FARMHOUSE | THE PERFECT MOUNTAIN GETAWAY

Ever thought of going on a romantic gourmet getaway? Finding a beautiful hotel is one thing, but being able to combine that with outstanding food is most certainly a rare find. Cleopatra is a charming mountain farmhouse nestled in the beautiful Kamberg Mountains in Kwa-Zulu Natal. This past weekend, we had the absolute pleasure of staying in the most romantic setting surrounded by the countryside, eating phenomenal french inspired cuisine and spending much needed quality time out of the city.

Upon our arrival we were greeted personally by name by the most friendly staff, who welcomed us to our suite, which in fact was an entire cottage and the original farmhouse. In our cottage we had two lounges, a dining area as well as a spacious bedroom with a beautiful country styled en suite bathroom. The entire hotel is of course country inspired but the attention to detail that the hotel has put into every room is gorgeous. It is a cozy environment and a place that makes you not want to leave at all. 

A unique and beautiful trait about Cleopatra is the attention to detail and intimacy the hotel provides its guests. Not only is Richard Poynton the owner of Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse, he is the man behind the amazing food that is served at the hotel. The evening of our arrival we enjoyed a phenomenal 5 course dinner inspired by Richard's love for french cuisine, along with our choice of wine from a extremely well stocked wine cellar. Not only is the food and wine delicious, the experience of the dinner is educational as well. The staff know every wine and the history that goes with it. Each dish that is served is explained in detail, making the experience as a whole one to remember. 

The following morning Marc and I decided to go for an hour hike around the farm in an attempt to burn off the night before's dinner. 

Over indulging is an understatement, but most certainly worth the calories. After our hike we enjoyed a beautiful set up farm style breakfast buffet as well as a three course breakfast consisting of fruit, eggs Benedict and smoked haddock which was outstanding. There is plenty activities to do at the Cleopatra other than just indulging in divine food. The hotel has recently opened it's own spa called Copper Pot, which I think is a great additional treat for guests. One can go hiking, mountain biking, fly fishing and horse back riding in the area. A breakfast picnic hike is also offered to guests who want a bit of a change of scenery. 

 

 

 

 

If you want to see more on our stay, head over to my Instagram page and click on the Travel Highlights to see what we got up to. 

Click here for more information on Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse.

TC

xoxo

HELLO RECOMMENDS | BISTRO 407 INDABA HOTEL

Long time no blog. I think you guys may have thought I had stopped blogging. Life has been a little hectic at the moment and unfortunately time ran away with me! I suppose that is no excuse to not keep you updated on what has been happening in my world. Of course the gram has somewhat been kept up to date, so if you don't follow me on Instagram, and thought I might have dropped off the face of the earth, click here and see what I've been up to!

In other news on my most recent media trip with Hello Joburg magazine, I stayed local by visiting one of the most traditionally "African" inspired hotels in Johannesburg, the renowned Indaba Hotel Conference Centre & Spa. The Indaba Hotel is located about 15 minutes outside of Sandton City and although it has been around for many years it was starting to become old fashioned and neglected. In January this year, the hotel underwent a much needed renovation, renovating their reception area and two restaurants, namely the Epsom Terrace and Bistro 407. Currently the hotel has slowly begun renovating the rooms as well which are starting to look very chic and modern!

If you are looking to treat your other half or merely just want to over indulge yourself on some fine dining, then I highly recommend visiting Bistro 407 located inside the hotel. The menu is simple yet elegant and compliments the wine menu well which I am a huge fan of. 
From Inverroche gin tasting to a 6-course degustation dinner with wine pairing, the night was nothing short of delicious. Dinner included, smoke sirloin, chicken samosas, risotto, Scottish salmon, lamb noisette and a delicious creme caramel. Every course was paired perfectly with a wine that complimented the taste of each meal very well. I am no connoisseur but I must say the Rupert and Rothschild  Classique was the winner. (I may have had more than two glasses of this one) along with many others but it was worth the mild headache in the morning. 

 

TC

xoxo

TOP 5 MASCARAS FOR 2019

Kicking off the year with my first blog post being about my Top 5 Mascaras for 2019! 

I've tried and tested many mascaras in my lifetime thus far and it is safe to say that I know my top 5 favourite mascaras and that is why I am sharing this news with you! Finding a good mascara is not easy that’s for sure. I have wasted a ton of money on mascara that has either been dry, useless or irritated my eyes.  

Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder and mascara is somewhat based on preference, just like wine is based on what excites your taste buds, I still think my list of top 5 mascaras will become your top 5 favourites as well.

In no order of preference, here are my top 5 mascaras for 2019:

Smashbox – Full Exposure Mascara

Lucky for me, Smashbox sent me a very nice Christmas present last year with a bunch of their limited-edition Holidaze Collection products. In the parcel was this mascara and yes, I was persuaded to love the products immediately with the brightly coloured tribal packaging of their Holidaze Collection. At first, I was not convinced about the mascara because the mascara brush is HUGE, literally the biggest mascara brush I have ever owned haha. However, to my surprise this was honestly the best thing that I’ve applied to my eyelashes. A big brush really makes the world of difference.

Bobbi Brown - Smokey Eye Mascara 

The story of how I came in contact with this mascara was actually rather funny. I attended a Bobbi Brown event for a launch party and was blessed with a goodie bag of sample size Bobbi Brown products. In the goodie bag was a tiny, and I mean tiny, tube of Bobbi Brown’s Smokey Eye Mascara.

I tested it out and was instantly hooked but before I bought it I used the tiny tube for every occasion and I never wanted it to end. I eventually put my big girl panties on and bought a decent size version of this mascara!

LÓreal - Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

The king of makeup, Sir John, introduced me to this mascara last year. I then hurried to the shops to buy it! From the moment I tried it, I was hooked. It really is Voluminous and your lashes are most certainly in Lash Paradise.

Too Faced - Better than Sex Mascara

The name says it all! Yes, it has been the most raved mascara of the last few years! I know it may not be new and yes I may be late to the mascara party but OMG this Too Faced mascara is the bomb.com!

Jennifer Lopez x Inglot - Viva Las Lashes Mascara

Last but not least and also voted by Cosmo as one of the best mascaras, is JLo’s collab with Inglot where they produced this beauty of a mascara. The bristles on the brush are the total opposite to the Smashbox's Full Exposure mascara, but my oh my, does it give you a full set of serperated lashes! Love it!

TC

xox