Category: Beauty

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Moisturizing & purifying mask recipe for soft,smooth & clear skin

Hi guys, I have a beauty regime that includes weekend Spa D-I-Ys that begin with me soaking my feet in warm water and Dead Sea salts and followed later by giving myself a well-deserved facial at home. This is necessary because this gives me an opportunity to pamper and nurture my skin which every skin deserves.

So, set weekends aside for D-I-Y facials that allows you to rid your skin of dead cells, stress and tiredness by exfoliating, steaming, masking and toning your skin for a cleaner, smoother, youthful and brighter skin. People complain a lot about having dull complexion and the solution usually lies in the amount of time you spend to care for your skin. So by dedicating weekends to pampering your skin, you are sure to achieve better skin.

Here are my simple steps to weekend D-I-Y facials at home.

1. I begin by washing my face with warm water without soap. Usually, just by using cotton pads soaked in warm water to massage my face removes surface dirts.

2. Exfoliate your skin. I use my own natural products as I have sensitive skin. I usually scrub my face and neck with Ene Naturals Moisturizing scrub. I love moisturizers so most of my products moisturize the skin as they make the skin soft and smooth. After gentle scrubbing, rinse off with warm water.

3. I follow with steaming my face over hot steam. I would bring water to boil, pour into a deep bowl and after lowering my head – stay a few inches away from the hot steam – and then I cover my head with towel. With my face trapped in the steam under the towel, the hot steam is able to melt the fats and dirts deposited on my skin, especially those clogging my pores. Sometimes, I place fresh lemon peels in the hot water to help melt the fat on my face away. I usually steam for 15 minutes.

4. Afterward, I apply Mask. I have an Organic Mask that purifies the skin as well as treat acne and fight wrinkles. And since I am obsessed with having baby soft skin, I always add pure goat milk powder to the mask.

The Ene Naturals Organic Mask Powder is made of pure bentonite clay, African sandalwood, frankincense and rose. All of these ingredients have purifying properties which means they treat acne and blemishes and they also have anti-wrinkle properties as well. And then, I add goat milk into it. Goat milk contains alpha hydroxy acid which helps to strip the skin of dead cells as well as vitamins and anti-oxidants that nourish, moisturize the skin and treat wrinkles. So with these amazing benefits of goat milk and the Ene Natural Organic Mask Powder, I simply can’t let go.

So to make my moisturizing and purifying mask, all you need are:

1. 1 tablespoon of Ene Naturals Organic Mask Powder and

2. 1 teaspoon of Ene Naturals Goat milk powder.

3. Add a little water to mix into a paste and apply on the face and neck. Allow to dry and leave on for 15 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

5. The only toner I use on my skin is pure goat milk. Usually, I take just 1 teaspoon of Ene Naturals pure goat milk powder, add just a little water and with cotton pad, I clean my face and neck. I rinse off with warm water.

Do this weekly and you will be amazed at your skin. The result is a softer, smoother, brighter and younger skin.

You can order for any of these products on the online store on this website.

Cheers!

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Home remedy for pimples

Don't pop that zit because it can be dangerous. Zits wrongly popped lead to blackheads so rather than popping zits, here are a few tips to treating pimples.

1. Pimples are a sign of stress so rather than popping the zit, give your body a well deserved rest.

2. Pimples are a sign of poor nutrition so eat leafy, green vegetables and fruits like oranges that are rich in vitamin C and anti-oxidants that get rid of free radicals like pimples.

3. Pimples can also be caused by poor hygiene so rather than share your makeup tools with other people, wash your beauty tools like sponges and brushes regularly. If possible, use only disposables.

4. Pimples are also caused by hormonal imbalances which is why zits are expected during a woman's monthly period.

So rather than popping that zit, get an orange from your kitchen like I do.

This easy homemade facial
Cleanser recipe for treating pimples is easy and effective. Simply get an orange, squeeze out some juice into a bowl – you don't need more than 1 tablespoonful of orange juice. Soak it in a cotton pad or cotton wool and gently apply on the pimples or the area of skin where pimples are dominant. Allow the orange juice to dry on the pimples for a few minutes and rinse off. Orange is anti-oxidant rich that helps fight pimples and acne as well as brighten the skin. The juice will also help to dry out the pus substance in the zit.

Do try to be patient with the treatment of pimples and refrain from touching them to avoid infecting your skin some more with your non-sanitized fingers.

Tell me, do you have other home remedies for treating pimples that you would like to share?

Cheers!

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Why we are a bespoke natural skincare brand

So we create and stock a wide variety of natural skincare products for all different skin types and skin concerns; but we are heavily bespoke because the process of interacting with clients through free consultation and customizing unique products tailored to a client’s individual needs have actually helped us grow and expand pretty fast. Every client wants to be given that personal touch that is lacking in our fast-paced markets and especially in the area of skincare where clients have different skin types and skin concerns like allergies and what is tolerable.

Our bespoke natural skincare services begin with free consultation which allows us to gather information about the client’s past skincare regime, allergies if any and much more. At the end of the consultation, either we recommend one of our generic products or we customize. What I personally find interesting is that clients want the best for their skin and are happy when you meet their satisfaction.

Customizing skincare products sometimes can involve tweaking the ingredients in a generic product to suit the individual needs of a client or to create a brand new product entirely. Sometimes it is about changing the texture and packaging of our products. Take this one below for an example:

Ene Naturals, alpha Arbutin lotion, natural skincare brand nigeria
This product originally is a lotion in a jar and while the client loved the goodness that this product provides, she does not like lotions. So she had us change the texture from a light weight lotion to a much thicker cream in a tub.

Collagen lotion, anti aging soap and lotion, ene Naturals Collagen plus
Similarly, these two above have been tweaked as well. The Collagen+ Lightening anti aging soap originally comes in a tub and is made with goat milk while the cream is usually packaged in a smaller tub and made with goat milk as well. For this client, we switched the goat milk for pure coconut milk, changed some ingredients; packaged the soap in a 500ml jar rather than a 250ml tub while the cream was packaged in a 250ml tub rather than in a 100ml tub.

Bespoke services can be challenging but very exciting and positively challenging because your goal is a happy customer.

At Ene Naturals, customer satisfaction is our ultimate goal so if you want our bespoke services, contact us today for free consultation.

Cheers!

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The joy of processing organic turmeric

Shredded raw turmeric, processing fresh turmeric
From raw turmeric to shredded bits

I have a penchant for wanting to control the sourcing of all natural ingredients used in my natural skincare products. As a natural skincare brand, being sincere through and through in the quality of ingredients I use is very important to me and the reason why my brand is consistently rising at a healthy pace.

In the regard, I went to a turmeric farm to source fresh turmeric myself. I went through the rigors of sorting, cleaning, washing, shredding, drying, milling and packaging just because I wanted to give my clients the best natural products or ingredients that they deserve. The process of making turmeric powder is rigorous but I am happy with the final result.

Turmeric powder
Organically sourced turmeric

Turmeric powder is great for the skin, hair and general health. I use turmeric with warm water and honey to treat cough as well as use it in cooking. Turmeric contains anti-inflammatory properties so it helps reduce scarring, wrinkles, acne, rash and other skin issues. It can be used as an exfoliator (scrub), cleanser and mask.

You can purchase this product online from the organic store on this website.

Delivery available within Nigeria and world wide.

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Orange is my thang: MAC So Chaud lipstick review

So, orange is one of the colors that I adore because it uplifts my mood and brighten me up any time. So when I went shopping for MAC lipsticks, I bought So Chaud, which is a bright orange matte lipstick that feels creamy on application but remains matte all day. This lipstick is so long lasting that it can withstand food and drinks and still be stubborn to take off at bedtime.

It doesn’t leave your lips dry like most matte lipsticks but maintains a soft shine the entire day.

Orange matte lipstick
Loving this lipstick right now because with such strong lips, a nearly-bare face is just about right. This lipstick is worth having.
Cheers!

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MAC matte Stone Lipstick review

I recently purchased a set of MAC lipsticks recently and the matte Stone is my favorite for its taupe shade that is soft yet unmissable. I love dark lips and sometimes, dark lipsticks can appear too strong especially during the day so this MAC matte Stone is perfect – it’s a nude taupe that is like a softer, “mellow -down” dark lipstick that is so beautiful to wear. And I must say that it lasts all day long!

MAC matte Stone
Nigerian makeup with gele, Nigerian jewelry design
The lipstick on me; perfect with Nigerian traditional dressing & beautiful Jewelry by Ola

This lipstick might be matte but the texture isn’t like other matte lipsticks that are dry. Rather, this one feels soft and moisturizing to touch and when applied, it doesn’t feel dry at all. While I had the lipstick on, I ate, drank and put the lipstick to test all through the day. I was pleased to find that the lipstick was still on. And before bed, I had to use makeup remover to wipe it off as just mere water wouldn’t do the job.

My verdict? I will give this lipstick 4.5 out of 5. I love it so much. 

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Store drug makeup for women of color

For us women of color, we don’t just buy makeup products based on how good the commercials are but its suitability to our skin texture and skin tone. One of my frustrations with mainstream makeup brands is that they do not understand the black skin which is why many-a-times, they offer limited shades for dark skin while their product textures or formulation simply do not work on our skin. 

Black women turned to ethnic or makeup products for women of color because they best understood our skin. Fashion Fair was my first introduction to makeup and then I have used Black Opal, Iman and Flori Roberts. My favorite still remains Flori Roberts because of its formulation which makes one look effortlessly youthful. Ethnic or makeup for women of color fill our pores better for better coverage. Some mainstream brands, even the designer brands fail to understand that black skin has more density as such, it takes a lot of series of applications for the foundations or powders to fill our skin which is quite frustrating.

Over the years, I had also fallen for Mary Kay makeup products because of its ‘no-makeup’ finish that gives one the natural feel and look without feeling heavy on the skin. Mary Kay still remains my go-to makeup brand for the everyday look.

Recently though, I decided to go beyond my all time favorites listed above to try out two drug store brands – Cover Girl and Maybelline. Sincerely, if I hadn’t seen the Queen herself – Queen Latifah on Cover Girl, I probably would had never used the products because seeing the Queen gave me the assurance that Cover Girl had put my black skin into consideration. Queen Latifah gave me the confidence to go to a drug store and buy Cover Girl makeup products. I was glad to find that I wasn’t disappointed at all.

Cover girl ready set gorgeous, cover girl makeup

The second drug store makeup brand I almost cannot do without is Maybelline, thank God for its Dream Matte mousse. In all honesty, had Maybelline not developed this soufflé, next to flawless, light weight, buildable coverage dream matte mousse foundation, I would never had bothered to use Maybelline products. My only initial challenge was finding the perfect shade for my complexion but ever since I bought the caramel shade, I have been so happy 😊

Maybelline dream matte mousse foundation, Maybelline fit me powder
I guess for women of color, sometimes we need to step outside our comfort zone to find what works. And thank goodness that the makeup industry is changing to be more inclusive as one tend to find brands with much more diverse shades than ever before. 

So, go give a drug store brand a try! 

Tell me, is there any drug store makeup you love?

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No more drama

Purple eyes, day time makeup, simple makeup, nude lips, simple makeup, easy makeup
While it may take an hour or more to create a makeup look, it can be quite daunting for the vast majority of women who want to look beautiful and fabulous within a few minutes. This is where I come in. I do not think that you need to spend hours sculpting your face simply because you want to create silhouettes that are naturally not there. If you have a beautiful skin, then you need not spend hours layering makeup on your face.

This look that I created is simple, minimalist and done in a few minutes. 

To start with, you do not need to draw your eye brows too strong. Just make sure they are neatly groomed. Secondly, you don’t need blush all the time, especially if you are a black woman! 😀 and lastly, you do not need contouring. 

Quick & easy tips:

1. Always use a concealer. It keeps your face fresh and bright.

2. Use a powder foundation because it’s quick and gives medium to full coverage. It’s easy to apply, not messy and gives you foundation and powder combined. 

3. Use bronzer on your cheek bones to give your face a healthy shine. 

4. Apply a shimmer eyeshadow with high pigment because it stands out easily and lasts the whole day. You need not contour your eyes. I used Labelle eyeshadow palette. I lined my eyes with a felt tip liner, which is easy to apply. 

5. Skip the blush and brush on defining lip color that expresses your personality. I used a combo of Mary Kay beach bronze lip gloss and Labelle nude lip cream.

And voila! You are good to go! 

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Two ways to be Nude 

Nude makeup is in now, which is quite interesting given that we spent the last couple of years creating dramatic makeup looks from intense facial contouring to intensely dark and dramatic eyes and lips. This year, Nude is wearing a new look: either you are bare-face with bold lips that express your personality or mood, or your lips are bare with minimal makeup. Drama is so last season.

For my two Nude looks, I deliberately used my natural brows without excessive grooming and neither did I wear a blush. For the eye makeup, I wore absolutely nothing in the first while a simple purple eye shadow from my Labelle palette was just enough. I didn’t even contour my eyes. Minimalism is the new trend. 

Milani matte fearless, revlon plum lipstick
For this look, I blended two of my favorite shades of dark lipsticks- plum. I absolutely love all shades of plum because plum is quite agreeable when it comes to wearing dark lips and it works well with any skin tone. For the look above, I combined Milani matte fearless lipstick with Revlon Plum lipstick to create a matte-cum-moisturizing lipstick that is neither dry nor glossy.

Milani matte fearless lipstick, revlon plum lipstick
Labelle eyeshadow, Labelle nude lipstick, Mary kay beach bronze lip gloss
For this look, I used Labelle purple shadow from the eyeshadow palette, and for the lips, I used a combo of Labelle Nude lip cream and a dash of classic Mary Kay beach bronze lip gloss for added shine. 

Nude lip gloss, Mary kay beach bronze lip gloss, Labelle nude lip cream
Both looks were pretty easy to create without contouring or blush. And both are great for day time looks as well. 

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Lipmania: Labelle liquid lipstick 

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Hi guys,

I recently created a new section of my blog called Lipmania which is dedicated to lip makeup only. I love lipsticks a lot so I will be reviewing all things lips – lipsticks, lip glosses, lip liners and all forms of lip makeup.

My first review is on U.K. Based Instagram sensation – Labelle UK. I have used their matte lipsticks in the past so I decided to try the liquid lipsticks in shades of Brownie & Nude.

The texture is creamy, moisturizing and with minimal shine. This is a long-wearing lipstick so you need not worry about taking drinks. It’s brush tip makes for easy application and it’s coverage is exceptional.

Check them out on Instagram at labelle_uk 

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Staying true to myself: Why I quit the makeup biz

I got into the professional makeup business because I felt it was another way of expressing my creative side. I also enjoy using my hands to create things but over the years, my love for makeup dwindled. I think my early loss of interest began when more and more women became obsessed with contouring and creating makeup looks that made them look other than themselves. So the more requests, the gutted I became.

In my bid to maintain my identity which is purely naturalistic as well as keep my business, I started by ridding what I considered artificial out of my lifestyle like permed hair or weaves. I practically skinned my hair and started to grow my natural hair from scratch. I embraced organic living but yet, I felt as though I was betraying myself because in reality, am not obsessed with makeup. To make the task of balancing my personality with my makeup career even more challenging, my husband who fell in love with my natural beauty never liked the idea of women relying on contouring or makeup that altered their natural beauty. After years of struggle and with me developing my organic skincare brand – Ene Naturals, I quit my career as a professional makeup artist.

Looking back the years now, I am reminded of how I had always wanted to stay true to my natural self and living organically. For my wedding nine years ago, I wore cornrows on my hair against the wishes of my relatives; only my mum understood my desire to stay natural. She’d always tell me how uniquely different I was, which was true because I have always been averse to modern trends and society norms or society ‘madness’.

I wore cornrows at my wedding 9 yrs ago

Looking back to my blogging history, I had always written more about quick and easy makeup and makeup that accentuates one’s natural beauty.

These two makeup look still some of my favorites 


 I do love makeup; I particularly adore lipsticks but I don’t want a makeup look that makes me look other than myself – I am not ashamed of my natural beauty. So, I like Alicia Keys, is embracing my natural beauty.

So from this moment on, I remain a beauty and makeup blogger of a different kind – the organic, naturalistic beauty and makeup blogger.

I think it’s important one stays true to oneself. 

Love yourself; be good to yourself.