Frida Kahlo Exhibition

When I heard about the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW I was beyond excited. I ventured up to Sydney with my friend Ella for her birthday (she coincidentally shares the same birthday as Kahlo, might I add) to view the exhibition and wander around the rest of the gallery. 

Although the exhibition was both Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's works, I think we were all there for Kahlo... And the people in charge at the Art Gallery seem to think so too considering the gigantic Kahlo panels hanging outside the building.

very very low quality, mi dispiace

On the walls was a timeline of Kahlo's life and I slowly read my way through the entire wall, taking in piece by piece. I had some knowledge of Kahlo and her life before viewing the exhibition, but reading it in detail shaped a new appreciation for her and her artworks. She continues to be an inspiration for many people today, including myself, not just for her artistic skill but also for her positive attitude and perseverance during difficult times.

The exhibition features not only a collection of Kahlo's works, but photographs, letters, quotes and film. 

Page from Frida's scrapbook

The exhibition runs until 23rd October 2016, information and tickets can be found here.

Sukin; Australian Natural Skincare

I am a big fan of skincare. I love moisturisers, facial cleansers, lotions, scrubs; you name it and chances are I will have plenty of it on my shelf at home. I'm obsessed. When I found out about Sukin, I knew I had to try their range. Natural skincare appeals to me because I want to do my part for sustaining the earth and I like knowing that the products I'm using have been made in a non-harmful way. Their packaging is minimalist and stylish, and I love the green and white combination. The vast range is affordable, 100% vegan and all of the products smell incredible! Sukin's focus is to create 'skincare that doesn't cost the earth' and I think their endeavours to do so have been a wonderful success.

They achieve their focus through:

• Recyclable packaging
• Plant-based ingredients rather than harmful chemicals
• Natural formulations: Biodegradable and won't harm waterways
• Not using microplastic beads in scrubs
• Not testing on animals

The facial moisturiser is a staple in my everyday routine as I put it on before I go to bed, leaving my skin soft and nourished. I think it is so important to support cosmetic companies that are natural and environmentally friendly, as looking and feeling good while using ethical products has never felt better. It is so refreshing for a company to be honest and open about their sustainability practices and the ingredients used in their products, as many companies nowadays try to conceal this information from consumers. 

I would highly recommend Sukin to anyone seeking a good vegan skincare company that produces high quality and affordable products, without damaging the environment on the way.

You can visit their website here and read more about their company here.

Have you used Sukin products before? Do you know any vegan cosmetics worth trying? Let me know in the comments below! 

xxx

Adventures: Minnamurra Rainforest

The other month I went to the Minnamurra Rainforest located in Budderoo National Park, which is around 20 minutes west of Kiama. It seems rather odd to have lived so close to it for all of my life but never actually visited. It was a great day walking around the forest (one of my favourite places) despite my realisation for how unfit I am... I think I stopped on more than half of the benches there for a sit-down and snack break but that was fine because I had more time to admire the view.

The Falls Walk is 4.2km return and the time suggested is 1-2 hours however I feel as though my walk was towards the longer end of the spectrum. The walking track grade is 2, meaning that 'no bushwalking experience is required, the track is a hardened/compacted surface that may have gentle hill sections and occasional steps'. Perfect for me! (Even though I still struggled, if I'm real with you).

I suggest packing water and food because there is nothing more I wanted to do when I reached the waterfall than sit down, relax, and eat. The waterfall really is worth the (hard work) walking, even though it isn't spectacularly gigantic or anything, it is still really nice. I'd love to go when it's raining one day because I think it would be incredible. I love the rain and I think the rainforest would look so beautiful and lush.

I am so glad I didn't bother straightening my hair or anything because it went frizzier than usual! It also got a bit chilly so I'd advise not to wear anything that will make you too warm or too cool. At some parts of the walk I wished I wore my jeans because my legs were freezing, but at other times I was glad to have worn my shorts because when you reach the hills you really start to warm up and break out a sweat. I also took my polaroid camera and sadly only one photo out of five developed. I'm not quite sure why; the lighting was on the correct dial but nevertheless I wasted a lot of films that day (and film is expensive) so if you're wanting to take photos when you go then don't just rely on your polaroid!

This post is a part of a new series, Adventures, where I will talk about places I've been to, what I did there and share photos. I'm looking forward to sharing more adventures with you! 

xxx