Wellbeing Journal
PLANT POWER
Plant based nutritionOne of the most beautiful and creative ways we can think about approaching the way we eat is to imagine a garden in full bloom. There is an abundance of colour, fragrance, height and shapes of plants and an incredible sense of power and life emanating from it. If we approach our diet with this philosophy we create this kind of richness in our health too. And plants in our life, just as we see in the flourishing garden, lay the foundations.VEGETABLESVegetables are the key to a nourished life. Most diets lack a strong presence of veges, there’s a sprinkling here and there when really, veges should be the most plentiful food source in our life. So the key to this is to look at our plate and before anything else goes on there, veges lay their ground. At least half the plate is full of non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, carrots, tomatoes, fennel, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower and more (of course) before any protein or starchy carbohydrates make a feature. When we look at our meals this way, we ensure our bodies receive the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals that nourish, protect and energise.Jurlique skin care uses vegetables such as fennel, carrot, horseradish and cucumber in their range so if we were to eat our way to rich beautiful skin too we might use these in:Roast fennel sprinkled with sunflower seeds and fresh herbsMoroccan carrot salad with fresh orangeCucumber water with mint and lemonZucchini noodles with tomato, basil and horseradish, olive oil dressingFRUITSWalking through the garden that is our diet, fruit plays a lovely healthful part in making the garden grow. Fruits are a bountiful source of antioxidants, fibre, vitamins and minerals that can protect our cells within and on our skin from ageing, damage and improve regeneration. When selecting and eating fruit, do so with just 1-2 pieces each day and eat for the season. This ensures our bodies receive the richest of nutrients for that time, climate and season and respond accordingly. Some in particular stand out to nourish and protect our skin. Life and our skin simply would not be the same without them!Avocado : a plentiful source of omega 3 essential fatty acids, try incorporating into smoothies, spread over toast or whipped together in my favourite Raw Chocolate Avocado Tart with antioxidants and healthy fats to boot!Sour and citrus fruits : The sour citrus fruits such as lemon, lime and grapefruit, also support the process of elimination and detoxification pathways via the liver.Berries : blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, goji berries in particular are known for their rich antioxidant supply which have long been touted to reduce the signs of ageing in the skin. They are low in fructose too making them a perfect burst of sweet without too much (naturally occurring) sugar affecting blood glucose and energy levels during the day.LEGUMESBeans and peas of the legume family are a wonderful means to up the plant nutrition, balance our diet and deliver sustenance to the body. Of all plants in the kingdom these provide the richest source of amino acids and proteins, which are the building blocks for growth and repair in our body. They’re also a wonderful source of fibre. The soluble fibre we find in chickpeas, lentils, kidney and butter beans just to start helps manage blood sugar and energy levels by slowing the rate at which glucose is absorbed into the blood stream, keeps our cholesterol levels in check and makes our digestive system churn and move. Think about combining and integrating legumes throughout the week by:Combining with quinoa, herbs, tomato and capsicum for a new take on taboulehSautéing with a dash of chilli to accompany breakfast eggsSlow cooking in a stew or nourishing soup with veges a plentyBlending into dips with tahini, turmeric, olive oil and lemon juiceNUTS AND SEEDSThese little beauties are a game changer in meals, health and eating for beautiful skin. With a focus on integrating raw nuts and seeds into our diet we invite wonderful nutrition in too, the primary being omega 3 essential fatty acids. These fatty acids are protective and nourishing for the skin, heart, brain, keep our appetites in check and contribute to the healthy production of hormones in the body.For some tolerating and digesting nuts is difficult so ensure you check in with what your body responds positively to. It may be no nuts at all (and that is often the case, so seeds are the next great alternative), nuts soaked overnight in filtered water to soften and begin the digestive process, or straight up, raw and good to go! Here’s a few ways we can incorporate them into our week:Linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds blended to a fine crumb and sprinkled across steamed vegetables, porridge or quinoaToasted sunflower seed crumb with baked apples or pears and a touch of yoghurtSmall handful of raw nuts and seeds as a snack during the daySpread of almond butter on celery and carrots sticks as a mid afternoon pick me upCombined in a heavenly raw tart base with dates, coconut oil and vanilla and filled with a soft delicious avocado mousse for a decadently healthy dessert – a recipe you will find awaiting to your delight just below.RAW CHOC AVOCADO TARTServes 12Base:1 cups almonds1 cups pecans1/4 cup rice malt syrup1/4 cup coconut oilpinch celtic sea saltFilling:2 cups avocado flesh1/2 cup cacao powder5 tablespoons rice malt syrup1/4 teaspoon cinnamonpinch sea saltTop:Cacao nibsFor the base:Combine all ingredients for base in a food processor and blitz to combine.
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CALENDULA FLOWER SALAD
Did you know you can eat Calendula? Try this pretty salad for some healthy floral goodness:Ingredients1 cup mixed salad leaves, 1/2 cup fresh borage flowers, 1/2 cup fresh pansy flowers, 1/4 cup lilac flowers, 1/4 cup rose petals, 1/4 cup watercress, 1/4 cup calendula flowers, add Goji berries, chopped almonds and carrots too if you wish!For the dressing use; ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 pinch Himalayan salt, 1 pinch cracked pepper, 1 small pinch combined dried thyme, oregano and marjoram, ½ teaspoon honey mustard, ¾ cup grape seed oil, ½ to 1 teaspoon dark roasted sesame oil, 1/8th teaspoon tamari.Method1. Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently to combine.2. Place dressing ingredients in a jar with a screw–top lid and shake to combine.3. Drizzle dressing over salad and Enjoy!
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THE JOURNEY OF OUR PRECIOUS ROSA GALLICA FLOWERS
It takes an exceptional Rose to become an extraordinary extract. Discover the journey of the Roses that made it into our ultra luxe Fragrant Rose Hand Cream Limited Edition. It’s a story about liquid life force. Jurlique has always known that Nature is the most powerful beauty lab. The secret of the lush moisture and intense Rose scent of the NEW Fragrant Rose Hand Cream Limited Edition lies in the earth. THE STORY BEGINS WITH A ROSE BUD The pure essence of Rosa gallica flowers contained in the rich hand cream is drawn only from the best blooms of the season – the picks of the bunch. Hand-sown into the nutrient-rich soil of our organic Farm, each Rose plant is nourished by clear rainwater and sunlight of South Australia’s Adelaide Hills – the purest place on Earth. As the first organic Roses spring tenderly from the bush, they are gently hand-tended, raised to perfect bloom – Nature’s perfect Roses. PURITY IS THE ONLY PROCESS At Jurlique, everything is timed to Nature’s cycle. We hand-pick the best Roses only while they are at the peak of their natural power and take them to the botanical drying shed on our Farm, where fresh ingredients become purely concentrated, active extracts. Inside the shed, our Roses go through a meticulous three-phase extraction process to capture the powerful antioxidants and hydrating properties that live inside each petal. This painstaking process delivers a rich concentrated extract to deeply hydrate and replenish the skin on hands. NOT ALL ROSES ARE CREATED EQUAL Our Rosa Gallica is not just any Rose. Known as the Alchemist’s Rose, this Rose has been used medicinally for thousands of years – the pick of the bunch for its indulgent nourishing properties and the sweet fragrance that envelops the senses, lifting both the mind and the body. THE ULTIMATE GIFT OF NATURE We’ve simply blended the intense, active concentrate of Rosa Gallica into a lushly fragrant luxury hand cream, both a hand moisturizer and antioxidant-loaded, to deeply hydrate, soothe, soften and restore the skin while relaxing the senses. No artificial fragrances, parabens, silicones, PEGs or mineral oils or paraffin – just the pure liquid life force of red Roses, captured in a tube. We’ve also boxed it beautifully, into a luxurious gift for the skin and the senses. Give to someone special – or to self. An intense indulgence has never felt more necessary.
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WHAT IS BIODYNAMIC FARMING…AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
At Jurlique, the ingredients that go into our skin care products aren’t your average ingredients. We use healthy, powerful plants that are carefully chosen for their skin-benefitting properties – and they’re all grown on our biodynamic* farm in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills. We believe biodynamic* practices enable us to grow the purest, best quality herbs which are hand harvested at a time when they’re full of life and vitality. These herbs are then utilised to make extracts that form the basis of Jurlique products, meaning you get the best from each ingredient we use. And it’s not just your skin. We believe by following biodynamic farming techniques, we’re harnessing all the positive, living energies from Nature, as well as farming in the most sustainable way possible. The plants and herbs we grow are nutritional for the skin, enriching for the soul and good for the planet. WHAT IS BIODYNAMIC FARMING? Biodynamics is an all-encompassing approach to farming and uses the sun, moon, stars and planets of Earth to bring about balance and healing, treating the farm as a living organism – one that’s self-contained and self-sustainable. Biodynamic principles were first introduced by Austrian philosopher Rudolph Steiner in 1924. Interested in spirituality as well as social and education reform, Steiner founded anthroposophy – an educational, therapeutic, and creative system which seeks to use mainly natural means to optimise physical and mental health and wellbeing. In the early 1920s he was invited to host a week-long lecture series for European farmers who had witnessed a drop in their soil fertility and, concerned about the future of agriculture, sought help to improve their land. Steiner argued that this decrease in soil health was the result of synthetic pesticides, which were first introduced during the industrialisation period. Although these synthetic pesticides treated the plant and at first yielded impressive results, they caused the health of the soil (and later, crops) to plummet. Steiner told these farmers that the soil must be looked after through using herbal remedies and encouraged them to look to the cosmos before planting and harvesting crops. THE BIODYNAMIC CALENDAR Unlike conventional farming, biodynamic farming is guided by a specially-created biodynamic (or astro) calendar. This calendar is based on the moon/planet positioning and – a bit like your horoscope – indicates what work should be undertaken when. The calendar shows when to plant, cultivate or harvest various crops based on both the phase of the moon and the zodiacal constellation the moon is passing through, and depending on whether the crop is the root, leaf, flower, or fruit (or seed) of the plant. All these constellations have different energies: air, water, fire and earth. When the moon passes over Aries, Leo and Sagittarius (the fire signs) the days are warm, influencing fruit and seed formation. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn (the earth signs) promote root growth, as the root is drawn into the soil. Gemini, Libra and Aquarius (the air signs) favour development of flowers, substance and colour through the moon’s influence over the air, and when the moon passes through Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces (the water signs), it promotes vegetative growth because of its influence over water. It’s an age-old, yet pioneering, principle that goes back much further than Steiner’s time. It’s a hark back to centuries gone by, when synthetic pesticides didn’t exist, and the only reliable calendar was the moon and stars. HOW DOES BIODYNAMIC DIFFER FROM ORGANIC? An organic system grows plants that are nutritionally good for your body, but a biodynamic system takes it one step further. Biodynamics treats the land holistically and follows the belief that astrological influences affect phases of planting and harvest, which is where the biodynamic calendar comes in. Organic farming is defined by its use of organic fertilisers. Biodynamic also adheres to these principles but while organic permits imported fertilisers, biodynamic requires that a farm produce its own fertility as much as possible through the rotation of crops, with no outside inputs. It also enriches the soil through using ‘biodynamic preparations’, which are placed in the farm environment to encourage the plants to be spiritually good for the body and have the highest vital life force energy when harvested. WHAT ARE BIODYNAMIC PREPARATIONS? When Steiner established his biodynamic principles, he came up with nine ‘preparations’, which are made from herbs, mineral sources and animal manures, with each preparation designed to address certain plant health concerns. Turned into field sprays and compost, it is these preparations that aid fertilisation – rather than synthetic, chemical-driven fertilisers you’d typically find in conventional farming. These preparations are used on the farm to harness, activate and enhance the energy of nature into the whole farming system. THE BENEFITS OF BIODYNAMIC FARMING The benefits of biodynamic* farming are endless. Firstly, it’s ecologically and environmentally sustainable as essentially, the farm looks after itself in one full circle – and nothing harmful goes into the Earth. By ensuring the soil is healthy, we protect the local environment and produce high-quality crops. By being guided by the moon, biodynamic* farming allows the crops grown to be the best that they can be. Just like the moon has an influence on tides, it also influences moisture in soil. As the moon approaches our farm, it pulls moisture up to the surface of the soil where it can be best utilised by crops and helps with planting seedlings. As the moon moves away from the Earth’s surface, root crops can benefit from the lower water level into the soil. This, in turn, helps seeds germinate, speeds plant growth rates, and produces more abundant harvests. You may see our products all over the world, but our biodynamic* farm is our heartland and we’ve stayed true to our artisanal roots. We will always put more back into the earth than we take out of it. *Certified biodynamic by the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia. Jurlique’s products and farm are not certified of affiliated with Demeter® USA or Demeter International.
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8 WAYS TO LIVE MORE SUSTAINABLY
It’s no secret that we’re in the middle of a climate crisis but with the likes of Greta Thunberg and other climate activists advocating more sustainable living, our collective eco-consciousness is also greater than ever. And living a more sustainable life is easier than you think – with just a little effort and a few small changes, you can create an eco-friendly home and help do your bit for the environment. Here are eight simple ways to go green at home. 1. CONSERVE ENERGY This is an easy one to do, and all it requires is a change in habit. Our top energy conservation tips include turning off lights and appliances whenever you’re not using them, hanging your clothes to dry rather than using a tumble dryer, and reducing your use of air conditioning. 2. EAT LOCAL Importing food may offer more variety but it also means greater air travel and therefore, greater air pollution. Eat locally-sourced produce when you can – it hasn’t travelled as far, plus it supports local farmers and producers. 3. BE WATER-WISE Droughts happen all over the world and are especially frequent in hotter climates. Save water by installing water-efficient showerheads, taking shorter showers and waiting until you have a full load of washing before using the washing machine. If you have plants or a garden, collect rainwater to water them, rather than using a tap. 4. SAY NO TO SINGLE-USE PLASTIC According to WWF, the average Australian uses 130kg of plastic a year – and up to 130,000 tonnes of plastic makes its way into our waterways and oceans. Ditch disposable and single-use plastics such as straws, cutlery, bags and bottles and swap them for reusable alternatives. Once you get in the habit, you’ll soon be reducing your plastic use in no time. 5. USE REUSABLE CLOTHS We’re all guilty of using paper towels and cotton pads in the home but after one use, they go straight in the bin. Switch to reusable household cloths instead and use reusable pads or muslin cloths to remove your make up, washing them whenever you need to. 6. RECYCLE Paper, glass and metal can all be recycled so rather than sending your used goods straight to your waste bin, put them in the recycling instead (if you’re unsure and want to know what packaging is recyclable, check with your local council). Most Jurlique packaging is recyclable and we’ve partnered with TerraCycle to make it easy - when your product is finished, simply drop it off at a participating boutique, or send it for free via Australia Post. Find out more here. 7. USE ESSENTIAL OILS TO CLEAN Typically, cleaning products can be toxic and harmful to the environment. Not only are essential oils great for diffusing and creating a peaceful atmosphere at home but they’re a great chemical-free alternative for cleaning, too. Lavender Oil can be used to freshen up clothes and bed linen, too. Rather than using a scented fabric softener, add a teaspoon to the wash for fresh, naturally scented fabrics. 8. GROW YOUR OWN HERBS Herbs are easy to grow (and maintain) at home, even if you don’t have a garden. Start off with planting pre-potted herbs for ease and make sure you keep them somewhere that has drainage (if not, they’ll drown), like a window box with a reservoir at the bottom. Water them every day and keep them well trimmed. If you’re new to growing, woody herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage are more resilient than others so generally last longer and survive hot and cold locations well. TAKE A MOMENT TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER
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9 WAYS TO USE LESS PLASTIC
It’s no secret that we all consume a large amount of plastic – a lot of which is single-use. Although convenient and readily-available, this reliance on plastic is harmful to our land, plants and wildlife. A 2016 study found that 32% of the 78 million tons of plastic packaging produced every year goes into our oceans; the equivalent of pouring one rubbish truck of plastic into the ocean every minute. We can all do our bit to reduce the amount of plastic we use and throw away, just by changing a few habits - here are 9 easy tips to use less plastic. USE REUSABLE STRAWSDid you know that half a billion straws are used every day around the world? Refuse them altogether or swap disposable plastic for stainless steel or bamboo straws that can be washed and re-used instead. USE REUSABLE GROCERY BAGSApproximately one trillion single-use grocery bags are used around the globe every year (that’s almost two million every minute). Invest in sturdy, non-plastic bags to hold your shopping that you’ll use again and again. Lemons in string grocery bag TAKE YOUR OWN CONTAINERSDo you buy take-away lunch at work, university or when you’re out and about? Take your own stainless-steel container with you and ask them to use that instead of the disposable containers cafes tend to use. SAY NO TO DISPOSABLE COFFEE CUPSIt seems we’re a world obsessed with coffee – we use 16 billion disposable coffee cups each year. But they’re coated with plastic to laminate the inside, which means they can’t be recycled, plus they all come with plastic lids. Buy a reusable cup that you can keep in your bag or on your desk for whenever you need it. Reusable coffee cup next to pot of coffee BUY A REUSABLE BOTTLEPlastic bottles play a huge part in our overall plastic waste, with more than 480 billion plastic bottles sold worldwide in 2016. Cut down on your contribution by buying a reusable glass or stainless-steel bottle you can refill. USE BEESWAX FOOD WRAPSDo you use cling film to cover your leftovers? Once used, it goes straight to landfill. Beeswax wraps make a great alternative – they’re easily mouldable meaning you can use them on different bowls and jars and can be rinsed clean and used again. Good Housekeeping has a good DIY to make your own beeswax wraps. FIND YOUR NEAREST BULK FOOD STOREEver walk into a supermarket and feel overwhelmed by all the plastic packaging used to store food? Find a store that sells loose fruit and vegetables, or a bulk food store that allows you to take your own containers to stock up on dried goods like grains, pasta, nuts and seeds. CHOOSE PLASTIC-FREE CHEWING GUMSynthetic plastic is used to create chewing gum, which is what makes it so ‘chewy’. It’s also water-insoluble, making it difficult to break down – bad news for our environment (and bad news for those who use it on a regular basis). Try swapping to a plastic-free chewing gum to reduce your plastic waste. SWAP YOUR PLASTIC TOOTHBRUSHAccording to HuffPost UK, it can take hundreds of years for a plastic toothbrush to break down – so imagine how much plastic we’re adding to the environment if we all change our toothbrush every few months? Seek out an alternative, like a bamboo toothbrush, which takes around six months to fully compost. Two bamboo toothbrushes in glass jar At Jurlique, we’re committed to doing our bit for the environment too. Discover how by reading about our sustainability initiatives.
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HOW TO MAKE A CHRISTMAS WREATH USING AUSTRALIAN BOTANICALS
Think of a traditional Christmas wreath and think of the large, dark green wreaths made up of pine, holly and cedar leaves that tend to grace our TV screens over the festive period. But pine cones, berries and wintery leaves don’t exactly scream an Australian Christmas, so this is the perfect time of year to try something a little bit different. At Jurlique, we love our botanicals (both as ingredients in our skin care, and in our interior décor) so this Christmas we’re going to be using Australian plants to create our very own door wreaths. For an easy DIY project this season, follow or guide to making your own wreath. YOU WILL NEED: • Wooden or wire florist ring • Scissors • 4-6 varieties of different Australian native foliage (we like wattle, eucalyptus and bottlebrushes. Make sure they’re sturdy so they won’t wilt) • Florist wire • Wire snippers • Ribbon or jute twine, for hanging STEP ONE Snip your foliage to into pieces about 15cm in length and bunch each type of foliage together (if you want a thicker wreath, use two cuttings of each type of foliage). Arrange them so that each piece of foliage can be seen and tie the base of the foliage to the florist wring using florist wire. STEP TWO Create your second bunch of foliage and lay it over the base of the first so you can’t see the ‘ends’. Tie it in place using florist wire and repeat until the whole wreath is covered. The size of your florist ring and how thick you want your wreath to be will determine how many bunches you need. For a 14-inch ring, you’ll typically need about 12 bunches. STEP THREE Now that your wreath is complete, tie your ribbon or twine onto the ring in between the foliage to hang on your door, or anywhere else in your home. Mist your wreath with a small amount of water every couple of days to keep your foliage alive. If you’re making your own wreath this year, tag us on Instagram – we’d love to see your creations! And if you’re still looking for gifts - whether it’s stocking fillers or something more extravagant
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WHAT ARE BIODYNAMIC PREPARATIONS
At Jurlique we grow most of the botanical ingredients that we use in our skin care products on our biodynamic* farm in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills. We use healthy, powerful plants that are carefully chosen for their skin-benefitting properties, using biodynamic* practices which we believe enable us to grow the purest, best quality botanicals possible. We believe that by following biodynamic farming techniques, we’re harnessing all the positive, living energies from Nature, as well as farming in the most sustainable way possible. The plants and herbs we grow are nutritional for the skin, enriching for the soul and good for the planet. There’s a lot that goes into biodynamic* farming (read our guide to biodynamic farming here) and a lot of the work goes into biodynamic preparations. The preparations are placed in the farm environment to enrich the soil, encouraging the plants to be spiritually good for the body and have the highest vital life force energy when harvested. When Rudolph Steiner established biodynamic principles, he came up with nine ‘preparations’, which are made from herbs, mineral sources and animal manures. Turned into field sprays and compost, it is these preparations that aid fertilisation – rather than synthetic, chemical-driven fertilisers you’d typically find in conventional farming. These preparations are used on the farm to activate and enhance the energy of nature into the whole farming system. Earth, Atmosphere, Cosmos THE NINE BIODYNAMIC PREPARATIONSBiodynamic preparations are numbered 500-508 and are all used for different reasons. 500 and 501 are considered the most important for maintaining the health of the soil, whilst 502-506 are placed in the compost. When added to each compost row in a specific order, it encourages a balanced process and to addresses certain key elements for plant health. Prep 507 is sprinkled over the compost bringing warmth to the heap. 500 HORN MANUREHorn Manure 500 is the first to be used and usually applied twice a year. Fresh cow manure is buried in autumn and dug up in spring. It’s then mixed with water and sprayed to the base of the plants to feed the soil (think of it as a superfood). Use of this preparation encourages:• Healthy humus formation• Mineral retention and availability• Improved crumb structure• Beneficial soil microbes, including nitrogen fixers• Soil animal life, increase of earthworms• Improved absorption and retention of water• Fine, highly developed, robust root systems• Improved nutrient uptake 501 HORN SILICAHorn Silica 501 is the original biodynamic atmospheric spray and is made from ground up clear quartz crystal and buried in the ground over summer. Horn Silica aids photosynthesis and increases the quality of the final product, including its ripeness, sweetness, flavour, fragrance, shelf life and dry fibre content. Like 500, this prep is mixed with water to be sprayed over the crops and soil, using a stirring method that increases oxygenation and, we believe, draws cosmic influences into the water. Biodynamic farming 502 YARROWYarrow remedies weaknesses in flowering and fruiting and strengthens the plant against insect attack. The radiant energy of this preparation affects the whole of the compost, enabling it to enliven the soil. Yarrow also attracts a lot of good bug life to the farm, including ladybirds which eat the aphids off our Roses. 503 CHAMOMILEChamomile stimulates the calcium processes in relation to Sulphur. It also contains homeopathic Sulphur, which allows it to attract other substances. It keeps the plant healthy by warding off harmful effects of fruitification. When added to compost, a more stable nitrogen content develops, enlivening the soil and stimulating plant growth. 504 NETTLEThis preparation carries the influence of potassium, calcium, Sulphur and iron, in relation to activity in the soil, making the compost heap inwardly sensitive and receptive. It helps the soil develop an intelligence to accommodate the plants which are growing in it. 505 OAK BARKOak bark has a high calcium content. It acts as a mediator between the plant and the living Earth and stimulates calcium processes to prevent plant diseases. 506 DANDELIONDandelion contains silicic acid and draws in influences of the cosmos. The potassium – silica relationship in the dandelion is transferred to the compost. The dandelion prep gives the soil the ability to attract silica from the cosmos and sensitises the plant to its environment so that it can attract what it needs. 507 VALERIANValerian helps the compost to attract the force of phosphorous-activating bacteria within the soil. It is used for frost protection and to stimulate flowering. Like Yarrow, Valerian brings good bug life to our farm (it’s also great food for our bees). 508 HORSETAILHorsetail is a harmful weed in South Australia, so we used Casuarina as a replacement, which has been approved by Biodynamics Agriculture Australia. Mixed with water and turned into a spray, this helps strengthen the plants to fight fungal diseases and can clear mildew on fruit. To find out more about biodynamic* farming, read our guide here. And to see our farm and biodynamic preps in action, discover our farm tours in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills.*Certified biodynamic by the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia. Jurlique’s products and farm are not certified of affiliated with Demeter® USA or Demeter International.
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HOW TO DECORATE YOUR TABLE FOR AN AUSTRALIAN CHRISTMAS
If traditional Christmas images are anything to go by, this season is all about cold weather, mulled wine, roast dinners with all the trimmings and, if we’re lucky, a snowfall large enough for building a family of snowmen and women. But that couldn’t be further from an Australian Christmas, where hot weather and sunshine are the order of the day, so we asked Adelaide-based stylist and Fashion Editor of SA LIFE, Emma Riemersma, for her top Christmas table setting ideas – the Australian way. Bouquet of flowers next to candlesticks on dining table CREATE A TONAL PALETTEBefore you start, Emma recommends that you think about your colour palette for the table. “Establish and palette and be tonal or pick one bold colour to add amongst your white and neutrals. I’m inspired by fashion trends so if you want something contemporary, see what colours they’re using together in stores or magazines. If you’re unsure, walk through a homeware store that you find inspirational, or through a garden to see what colours you’re inspired by.“Here we’re going for a light palette so instead of going for everything white, make it tonal to add interest. When you make it tonal, you can use shades that complement each other without looking too ‘matchy’. Woman placing vase of flowers on dining table USE AUSTRALIAN NATIVE BOTANICALSHere at Jurlique, we love our botanicals. Not only do we believe in their powerful skin care benefits (which is why they form the basis of our products) but we’re firm believers that they bring a lot of joy and can boost your overall wellbeing (read our article on how plants can boost your skin health for more). For this table, Emma used botanicals growing on the Jurlique Farm, including Lavender, Yarrow and Black Elder, with a sprig of Holly in the place settings for a subtle Christmas feel.Emma recommends: “Use local foraged things or Australian native plants, especially for centre of the table and place settings, to support local growers and be more sustainable. If you’re unsure, go to your local market and chat with the stall holders to get their advice on what to pick.“For Christmas, it depends what palette you’re going for, but I love native flowers – King Proteas are really stunning and dynamic. If you want that Christmas feel without being overtly Christmassy, add a touch of Holly in either a small vase or on a place setting.” Woman touching place setting of holly and lavender wrapped in linen napkin CHOOSE TABLE SETTINGS THAT MEAN SOMETHING TO YOUFor this table setting, Emma used her grandmother’s silverware, as well as crockery that reminded her of times spent travelling through Spain and Portugal. “Christmas can be a lot of work, so make it as lovely and enjoyable as possible. Don’t style your table a certain way or use pieces because you think you should, do it because it means something to you and because you like it.”Feeling extra festive? Read our DIY guide to creating a Christmas wreath using Australian botanicals.
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