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Searching for the feel-good factor? Introduce some positive energy into your beauty routine with a sumptuous pamper session to help keep you calm, cool, and relaxed as you plan your big day. Adding a little self-love will leave you feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and feeling youthful again. Besides, it’s really the little highlights that can make the biggest difference to our well-being!

Follow this guide and get your hands on these luxe products to turn your bathroom ritual into a full-blown pamper experience.

Bath-time bliss

‘Bathing is a brilliant opportunity to give your body what it needs, and your mind a moment to reset,’ says well-being expert Susanne Kaufmann. You can easily turn your bath into a pamper session with a few additions too.

So how would you like to feel while submerged in your porcelain throne?

Relaxed

There’s nothing quite like a long soak to reset the senses. It’s the perfect ritual before bed, helping you have a good sleep: a hot bath followed by being in a cool bedroom is known to help the body prepare for sleep and tricks you into feeling drowsy. Aid those sensations with Ceridwen’s Cauldron (R135, Lush), which nourishes your skin and helps you switch off.

Or, if you are feeling tense, don’t underestimate the benefits of a salt bath. It can help with any muscle aches and pains, leaving you feeling soothed. We love Earthsap Bath Soak in Milk & Honey (R75, Made By Nature).

De-stressed 

Feeling restless and anxious? Run a bath and choose products packed with calming ingredients, such as The Naturals Organic Bath Bombs (R320, yumm) or Dr Hauschka Moor Lavender Calming Bath Essence (R465, Woolworths).

As you soak in the scented bath, practise breathing deeply into your abdomen to relax and calm your mind. If you struggle to stay focused, it can help to imagine you are gently inflating your tummy like a balloon as you breathe in, then slowly deflating it as you breathe out. The warm water will aid those feelings of relaxation.

Upbeat

If you need a reboot, try adding a few drops of an uplifting essential oil – juniper is effective in stimulating a positive mood – try Soil Juniper Berry Essential Oil (R133, Faithful to Nature). Give your bath a sensuous twist by adding Jo Malone London Peony & Blush Suede Bath Oil 250 ml (R1 000, Edgars). And light a candle to uplift your senses – we adore The Aromatherapy Co Invigorating Candle (R199, @home).

Comforting Massage 

As well as treating skin to a pamper session, use your evening regime as a chance to unwind. ‘Turn your cleanse into a moment of mindfulness,’ says acupuncturist and facialist Annee de Mamiel. ‘Face massage helps you unwind, but it’s also a reminder to begin to switch off from the day. Plus it doesn’t cost a thing!’

Start by warming your cleansing oil in your hands and inhaling the essential oils. Choose something with a soothing scent, such as Bobbi Brown Soothing Cleansing Oil (R1 050, Woolworths). As you massage, you will increase circulation, boost oxygen and detoxify your skin. ‘You’ll be surprised how the texture, volume and radiance of your skin will improve in such a short time.’

Skin saviours

It’s the original emblem of what a pamper session should be!. A face mask is the easiest way to treat your skin and give you a bit of a time out. Just make sure you’re using the best one for your skin type.

Dry skin

Use: FILORGA Hydra-Filler Mask (R148, skinmiles.co.za)

This calming sheet mask contains aloe vera to soothe and hyaluronic acid to hydrate, giving your face a plump, juicy glow.

Sensitive skin

Use: Lamelle Serra Lipid Recovery Mask (R520, dermastore.co.za)

When sensitive skin flares up, leave this soothing mask on for 15 minutes, then swipe away any excess with a tissue to calm flushed, tight-feeling skin.

Feature Image: Unsplash 

Western Cape brides, can we have your attention! Finding your wedding day inspiration can be as easy as scrolling through Pinterest or meandering through your favorite bridal fair.

Each year, hundreds of bridal couples flock to the Cape Winelands Bridal Fair to soak up the ambience of the renowned and exclusive Winelands Bridal Fair.

This year is no different with service provides and products from across the Cape available for brides and grooms to peruse through. It’s also a great spot for those looking to speak to various experts needed to plan your big day and make it a success.

Live music, wedding dress designs, and a win-4-your wedding lucky draw!

Interested? Make sure you grab your tickets via Webtickets or when you enter the expo.

  • Cost: R100 per person
  • Date: 30 – 31 July; 09:00 – 16:00
  • Location: Klein Joostenberg. R304 Muldersvlei, Stellenbosch

Feature Image: Dear Heart Photos / Instagram 

When the news surfaced that Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker had gone lowkey with their wedding (a simple courthouse ceremony with a guest list you could count on one hand) people began to speculate that something bigger was in the works.

Ellen von Unwerth

And, as internet sleuths often are, the suspicions were right!

Little under a week since their original wedding, the pair celebrated their married status with an incredible Italian wedding bash on Sunday, 22 May, at Castello Brown, Portofino, as per Page Six.

As expected, the Kardashian-Jenner clan all attended, with brother Rob Kardashian’s attendance still in question.

NINO/GC Images

Kourtney’s dress saw a magnificent mini Dolce & Gabbana wedding number, with a veil longer than the hem, inspired by a tattoo on the back of Travis’s head, accompanied by gloves and white heels. Travis played the perfect pairing with his black suit, also by Dolce & Gabanna.

Ellen von Unwerth

Kourtney later swapped the vision of white for a striking black dress again featuring matching globes and a Virgin Mary emblem in the centre of the dress – something many have likened to a copy of a similar dress sister Kim wore in 2017. But hey, if it goes with the energy, let it prevail!

@kourtneykardashian

More wedding details reveal that Kris Jenner was reportedly getting down on the dance floor, Travis gave a heartfelt speech with his new wife by his side, the clan’s union of children from their respective sides were happily present, and the internet’s most fascinating couple, Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly were also in attendance, as per E!

Picture:Ellen von Unwerth

While planning your wedding can be a time that’s filled with cake tasting and venue scouting, it can also be a time that’s filled with pulling out your hair and stress eating. Planning your impending nuptials can be a stressful affair, but it doesn’t have to be!

If you’re hoping to look back on your big day and smile with contentment and not sneer at the thought of all the stress you were under, check out these helpful tips.

Manage Your Expectations 

You can use Pinterest and photos to inspire you, but your wedding won’t look exactly the same. There are so many different factors at play when you see those images on the internet: Where in the world was it taken? Is it even a real wedding, or a staged shoot? Are those flowers available in SA? So whatever you do, make sure you don’t get upset or stressed when things aren’t perfect – you’ll just ruin your day.

Come Prepared and Avoid Wardrobe Malfunctions

You or anyone in your bridal party might need a hook-and-eye closure, so be sure to carry spares, needle-nose pliers, and a sewing kit. Just one lean over into the gin table and pop! Disaster.

Stick to your Budget 

It’s your wedding and it’s all very exciting, but you have a budget for a reason. Don’t set yourself into years of debt, or sell your prized pony. Set a budget for your wedding and download a wedding-planner app on your phone. Stick to it, and you’ll be glad that you did once the confetti has settled.

Don’t let your self-consciousness get the best of you

“I wish I had known how beautiful I looked.” Make sure this is not something you say four months, or years, later. Make choices that are your own when it comes to your dress or suit, and on the big day, rock it. Don’t worry about the fat roll you think is there, or the laugh lines under your eyes. Enjoy the moment; it goes quicker than you think.

Put your own spin on it 

Listen to your mom, best friends and Aunt Joanna. But whatever you do, do it your way.

Don’t go cheap on certain things 

Food poisoning for all your guests? Not fun. Blown-out or unflattering wedding photographs? You’ll regret that. While everything else lasts for the one day, you’ll have those pictures forever, so you want to get your money’s worth.

Don’t nitpick on the details

Months of planning, crammed into four or five hours, which are so charged with emotions and tears, you might not even notice that small calligraphy initials on the stem of every rose… Don’t stress about every little thing while planning your wedding and on the big day. Such a cliche, but words that couldn’t be more true.

Feature Image: Pinterest

“The devil is in the details,” and boy, can planning a wedding sometimes feel like taking a quick trip to hell if you don’t have the right support. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how stressful planning your impending nuptials can be, but with so many details to think about, some things can slip through the cracks. 

One detail that’s not always necessary, but that’s great to include if you’re looking to have your guests “ooh” and “ahh” is the centrepiece. An interesting fact is that a table centrepiece is often overlooked by brides and planners. 

Who wants to talk over a ginormous centrepiece, right? But despite a few cons, a table centrepiece is a fantastic way to elevate your wedding theme, adding a little je ne sais quois to your already incredible event. 

Go big or go home you say? If you’re looking to add a little drama to your wedding – with decor, that is – adding a tall centrepiece can be a great way to add that pop you’re looking for. 

Take what resonates and toss what doesn’t! Here are a few tall centrepiece ideas that will steal your heart as they have mine:

A drama that’s subtle

Picture: Endless Exposures

A dramatic centrepiece that offers a subtle touch. Bridal couples looking to keep things simple when their guests sit down will certainly love this minimalist geometric design. Keep it elegant with gold and floral trimmings. 

A reception by candlelight 

Picture: Carly Rae Weddings

There’s something cosy yet alluring about a candle and flame. After all, don’t all romances start after an intimate candlelit dinner? This amazing design keeps things simple, using levels to add a subtle drama that’s not too much while the addition of greenery and flowers beautifully tie things together.  

A whimsical addition 

Picture: Chillie Breeze

I love the idea of bringing nature into the mix, and this tall centrepiece is certainly perfect for nature lovers looking to bring the outdoors inside. Wisteria can be a great addition for bridal couples looking to add more romance to an already romantic setting. The best part? Your guests will definitely be able to see and talk to each other. 

Keep it traditional 

Picture: Jaine Kershner Photography

Looking to make a statement but hoping to keep it traditional? This floral design, which is mixed with classic white blooms and pops of purple and pink will provide a striking arrangement while allowing you to stick to something more traditional. 

Fancy grass 

Picture: Elizabeth Wells Photography

I have a confession to make. I’m a little obsessed with pampas grass. There’s something so subtly elegant and fancy about it… it must be the feather-like texture that this plant offers. Nonetheless, it can be a gorgeous addition to your guests’ table. Similar to this design, all you need is a tall stand and as many pampas grass as you can dream of. They’re also pretty affordable to purchase, so we’re winning! 

There’s nothing wrong with simple

Picture: Creative Nook

Sometimes it’s okay to let your gorgeous venue do all the talking. This simple table centrepiece adds a little light and romance and ensures that the decor does all the talking. While there’s nothing wrong with going big, this design proves that simplicity can often speak louder.

Feature Image: Elizabeth Wells Photography

After a year and a half spent publicly professing their love for each other, Machine Gun Kelly went down on one knee and popped the question. 

Megan Fox took to Instagram to share a clip of the proposal with a beautiful caption that celebrated their journey together. 

– he asked me to marry him. And just as in every lifetime before this one, and as in every lifetime that will follow it, I said yes,” she posted. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYpcFruB2UB/

In the clip, the rapper turned actor proposed under a towering banyan tree as a shocked Fox knelt down beside him. 

“In July of 2020 we sat under this banyan tree, we asked for magic” she wrote. 

While the proposal was simple and intimate, the engagement ring was a bit more ostentatious. The breathtaking emerald and diamond engagement ring has a deeply personal meaning as Machine Gun Kelly revealed on his Instagram. 

While a traditional sparkler may have one stone that takes centre stage, this one has two and is a custom piece that features Kellys birthstone (diamond) and Foxs (emerald). 


Also Read: 6 Unique engagement rings that will wow your soon-to-be fiancé!


 

Check out the gorgeous piece below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYpdvOgJ4eP/

Picture: Kevin Mazur

Pamela Anderson is a married woman. The former Baywatch star secretly tied the knot with her bodyguard Dan Hayhurst on Christmas Eve, a representative for the star confirmed to CNN.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Anderson said she married her beau on the property she purchased from her grandparents 25 years ago.

“This is where my parents were married and they are still together. I feel like I’ve come full circle,” she told the outlet.

For her big day, Anderson wore a vintage beige blouse paired with a blue satin corset and blue tulle skirt. She accessorized with a polka-dotted white Valentino veil.

This news comes less than a year after Anderson reportedly married producer Jon Peters in a private Malibu ceremony on January 20 2020, a fact she later disputed. 

This is the star’s fifth marriage. Anderson previously married Tommy Lee in 1995 but divorced in 1998. She married second husband Kid Rock in 2006 but they split a year later. Third husband Rick Salomon came in 2007 but their marriage was annulled in 2008. She then remarried Salomon in 2014 but they split again in 2015.

Picture: Instagram / Joanna Delaney

Summer is big for wedding season and even though many weddings are being postponed, you may still need to send a gift to the happy couple.

It’s been a cash-strapped year for everyone and 2021 is looking much the same. If you’re wanting to send your friends well wishes and a nice present but don’t want to break the bank, have a look at a few of these cheaper present ideas.

The Wonderbag – R679 

A great addition to any home wanting to cook more consciencely.

Le Creuset Calm Collection of Espresso Mugs – R789 

Le Creuset is always a favourite and the Calm Collection is incredibly versatile.

Sagaform Wine Decanter – R 2 Litre 

Great for the wine-loving couple that takes their grapes seriously.

Simple by Yotem Ottolenghi – R585 

The perfect starter cookbook which works for those who love to cook and those who are just getting started in the kitchen.

AeroPress Coffee Maker – R795 

Every new home needs to be able to make some decent coffee. While a big coffee machine may be out of the budget, the AeroPress gets the job done for less.

Carrol Boyes Ripple Wine Glasses -R595 

A perfect touch of class to any dining set.

Google Home Mini– R999

A great little addition to the family to make life even simpler.

Picture: Unsplash

The summer season is light, bright and airy. Instead of attracting more heat, reflect the sun’s rays with a sweet pastel suit.

Grooms tend to play it safe with their wedding suits, opting for the traditional black or navy suit. While this is a tried-and-tested success, it’s also a bit boring. If you want to take things to the next level, go bold with a colourful suit.

Pastel shades are great because they aren’t as in your face as a primary colour. It’s a fun way to inject personality into your outfit, and these shades tend to complement garden weddings very well.

Here are some men looking perfect in pastels:

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Picture: Pexels

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip will celebrate their 73rd wedding anniversary in November, and it has taken so many years to uncover a secret about their marriage or more specifically the Queen’s wedding band.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFGGpo2Di5Y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

It is common knowledge that the Queen, like Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, has a ring made of Welsh gold. Most British royal brides wear rings fashioned from the same nugget of Welsh gold which came from a Welsh mine, Clogau St David’s at Bontddu. This gold is more valuable than gold from Australia or South Africa.

While there is only a sliver of the original gold left over, the Queen owns a large nugget of 21 carats Welsh gold which is held by the Crown Jewellers to be used for the royal wedding rings of today. Sarah, Duchess of York, Duchess Kate, and Duchess Meghan Markle all sport wedding bands made from this nugget.

Her engagement ring was made from a tiara that once belonged to Prince Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.  It was a gift from the Prince, who had the tiara taken apart and reassembled into a three-carat solitaire with five smaller diamonds.

An unknown fact about this ring, however, is that it had a secret inscription inside of it. It is so secret that only the Queen, Prince Philip, and the inscriber know what it says.

The inscription was chosen by Prince Philip in 1947.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnVux4Wg4Hi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

In the new biography, ‘Prince Philip: A Portrait of the Duke of Edinburgh’, London-based royal expert and biographer Ingrid Seward explains: “At least Philip didn’t have the expense of a wedding ring, as the people of Wales supplied a nugget of Welsh gold from which the ring as made.

“She never takes it off and inside the ring is an inscription. No one knows what it says, other than the engraver, the Queen and her husband.”

Picture: Instagram / The Royal Family