I'm very open and honest about using skincare that works for my skin and really testing products and nutritional supplements before recommending to others. The Eco by Sonya Driver skincare range was no exception. I purchased the full range and have tried them for about 2 weeks. I've never used these products before and I was not sponsored or paid to try these and recommend them to you, this is my honest opinion of the products. I have oily/normal type skin, which is prone to breakouts and can often see changes straight away in any skincare that I use.

I LOVE THEM!

So let me breakdown what I though about each of them...

Super Citrus Cleanser

The cleanser has a strong, pleasant citrus aroma that really awakens the senses, especially in the morning. It does a great job at removing make-up at the end of the day and doesn't leave your skin feeling stripped of all its natural oils. It doesn't need to removed with a cloth or flannel, simply use warm or cold water.

Super Acai Exfoliator

My least favourite product of the range. This does just as its name states, super exfoliates. This product contains magnesium salts which do a really good job at exfoliating the skin and removing dead skin cells. It smells super good, just like açai but if you're not used to exfoliating on a weekly basis then use a little at a time until your skin gets used to it.

Super Fruit Toner

This product smells AMAZING! Like pineapple and coconut. It's really hydrating after cleansing and is super easy to apply, you simply spray the mist over your face a few times. It's so hydrating that sometimes I've forgotten to apply moisturiser afterwards. This is def a fave of the range.

Super Fruit Hydrator

This moisturiser is nice and light, yet super hydrating. With my skin being quite oily, which means that deep down it's dehydrated so over-compensates by making more oils, my skin drinks this stuff right up. It smells divine, just like coconut and make-up is easily applied on top of it.

Glory Oil

This little beauty is the star of the collection. Known for being the beauty must-have in your skincare collection, I've found it super hydrating and reduces the amount of redness on my skin. Having quite bad acne scarring, along with deep pitted scars, this oil has been working magic on my skin and I've found the results in such a short amount of time really game changing.

Face Compost Mask

This mask smells like seaweed, and not really the good kind. Aside from the smell, it's packed full of antioxidants and nutrients that really helps to get rid of the nasties from your skin. I've actually used it as an overnight spot treatment too and in the morning the spots were gone! It's worth getting over the smell and reaping the benefits of this beauty.

Eye Compost

To be honest, this is the least used product of the range. I'm not much of an eye cream person and found the little Jade applicator to be a but hard for the sensitive skin around the eye. However, it smells much better than the face compost and it's blue colour lets you know where to rub it in. I won't be stocking this product on the website as I wasn't 100% satisfied with it.

So there you have it, my honest opinion about the Eco by Sonya Driver range. I hope this was helpful and insightful and it gives you some honest feedback before you purchase each product. We will be stocking the full range, so if you've managed to read to the end of this review then enter 'ECOBYSONYA' at the checkout for a discount.

Over the holidays did you find yourself overeating, drinking far too much and indulging in what would usually be 'treat' foods?

I can imagine the majority of responses to this would be a 'hell yeah!' and it should be wholeheartedly and without regret. Holidays are the time to enjoy all of the treats, relax with your friends and family and skip that workout. But this time of joy and bliss is simply that, a time to enjoy your downtime - a holiday. After all the holiday period is over, it's time to get back into your routine, establish new healthy habits that are realistic and maintainable to ease your way back into normal life once again.

Here are my tips for easing your way back into normal routine, with a healthy twist.

1. Eat wholefoods

When on holiday-mode there is an endless supply of snacks like cheeses, chips and dip, BBQs and more, but when your getting back into your daily routine it's best to stick to eating whole food that are unprocessed and unpackaged. Wholefoods are nutrient-rich and are exactly what your body craves after a holiday blowout. This is not me promoting a diet, but simply taking your eating back to basics by eating whole, real food that is in its true form. Think salads, grilled vegetables on the BBQ, corn on the cob, fruit platters, vegie sticks (carrot, cucumber, celery or capsicum) or a simple roast on the barbie.

2. Watch your portion sizes

Portion control tends to go out the door when your surrounded by cheese platters and snacks on demand in the holidays, so think about how much you're putting on your plate when you're back into your routine. A good rule for portion sizes is to fill half your plate with fresh vegetables or salad, a fist size of good a protein source, a small serving of carbohydrates and a good dollop of good fats on the side. If you find controlling your portions hard, look at eating from a smaller plate, this way you'll find that once finished, you don't tend to go for seconds and therefore don't overeat. Another good rule is to eat until your 80% full.

3. Alcohol in moderation

I know this might be a hard one for some - myself included - but the easiest way to get back into the swing of things is to reduce your alcohol intake, so your liver can take care of ridding the toxins built up in your body. Adding alcohol to the mix only slows this process down, so be sure to choose water as your main drink and limit your alcohol intake for the first two weeks after holidaying. 

4. Set some goals

If you've set yourself a goal to get fitter, run a half marathon or simply exercise every day for 30 minutes, then go you! Goal setting is such a great way to get on the wagon to become a healthier and fitter version of yourself. When starting out make sure you take baby steps and don't overdo it, as this is what can result in lapses. So if you're goal is to exercise every day for 30 minutes, then perhaps do alternate days of walking and resistance training, or maybe you want to throw in a fitness class in there. Small, repetitive and actionable steps will help you reach your goal.

5. Don't overdo it

You might want to implement five new healthy habits when you get back from a holiday, but the reality is you'll only overwhelm yourself and your body with all these new changes, so it's best to stick to a new habit every few days or each week to ease your way into it. Start off with healthier eating by choosing whole foods, then the next week start exercising on alternate days, the next week add in super smoothies for your breakfast or reducing your portion sizes. Easy does it and it's so much easier to add in a few things here and there to make sure your body adjusts accordingly.

But also remember that if you fall off the wagon - get back up again! Here's to healthy habits and routines!

C x

So you've probably seen a bunch of advertising and marketing for collagen products out there, I certainly know I did before I jumped on the collagen wagon - but what is it exactly and how do we benefit from taking it in supplement form?

So as per I did my research on this so-called magical beauty powder before I splurged and made the purchase, as some brands were extremely pricey and I wasn't sure if it would all be worth it. So I put my nutrition textbooks to good use and began my research on this hot topic and turns out it really is a magical beauty powder that everyone could benefit from taking!

Essentially, collagen is the main structural protein found in skin and other connective tissues, and is widely used in purified form for cosmetic surgical treatments - I mean let's be honest, lip fillers was the first thing that came to mind when I heard about people taking collagen, but that's not all it is. Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body and it's available in your muscles, skin, skin, blood, bones, cartilage, and ligaments.

Collagen is a building block (also known as amino acid) that:

• promotes skin elasticity and can reverse the signs of skin ageing
• holds together your bones and muscles
• protects your organs
• provides structure to joints and tendons and can ease joint pain
• helps to build muscle and burn fat
• reduces the appearance of cellulite and plumps out damaged skin
• improves digestive health

The good news is that your body produces collagen, however the production does slow down with age - typically as we reach our 20s. Lifestyle habits can also bring collagen production to a stand still, which includes smoking, sun exposure, an unhealthy diet and even certain health conditions. When we see a decline in collagen production in the body, we start to see wrinkles, saggy skin and joint pain.

However, there is more to collagen than this. Collagen is imperative to a healthy gut, as it's found in the gut's connective tissue and helps to support, strengthen and repair the lining of the digestive tract. A healthy gut results in a healthy body, mind and spirit. This is where the source of all disease and inflammation typically starts because of our modern lifestyles, stressors and diet, so aiding your body in maintaining a healthy gut is the perfect place to start.

So how do you get your daily dose of collagen? Well there are plenty forms of foods such as bone broth, gelatin and our favourite supplementing with hydrolysed collagen peptides - try our favourite Nutra Organics Collagen Beauty Powder - this is super easy to add into your smoothies, hot drinks, baking or simply add to water.

When taking collagen, your body doesn’t tell the collagen where to go, instead it distributes the collagen to the areas of the body that need it. So taking collagen supplements works much like exercise — it’s difficult to target a specific need, but increasing your intake still has its benefits.

When I first started taking collagen, I personally saw results after taking it for 3 weeks and now will continue to use it ongoing. I noticed that my 'ice pick' acne scars filled out and my skin on my face became plumper, my nails became much more stronger and now I have white tips whereas I've never had them before. I've also found my hair much more stronger and luscious and I've had less recovery time after workout sessions. So it's been a big A+ from me, but everyone's results are different.

If you've been on the fence about taking collagen and can't justify spending a lot of money on other brands, then give the Nutra Organics Collagen a go (you can buy it in two different sizes) - what do you have to lose?