5 MINUTES WITH NATURAL BEAUTY,
VANESSA BOSHOFF: TV HOST, WILDLIFE NATURALIST, PRODUCER and WORLD TRAVELER
I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT … my incredible family. I was blessed with creative and lovely souls around me. I am the eldest of 8 children, and each on of my brothers and sisters teach me something new. My mother is a true example of strength and beauty. Without them, along with my loving husband and my happy little son- I would not be myself.
I RELAX BY … going deep into nature. Whether it is the dark forests of the jungles or the rocky summit of a mountain or far below the surface of the oceans, I find my peace in those wild places. Just listening to nothing but the sounds that nature brings or my own breath takes me away from any stress I may have. I am so grateful that there are places still we can go and get back to nature.
I LIKE TO … explore the farthest reaches of this small blue planet. I think that this wondrous world has so much to offer, and I love to find new places, experience new people, taste fantastic foreign flavors and see wildlife run in the wild. From diving with hammerhead sharks in Cocos Island to tango classes in Buenos Aires, riding wild ponies in Mongolia to surfing in Australia- this world is a magical playground!
I THINK BEAUTY IS … all around us and within everyone of us. Beauty is something we are all born with; we just have to remember to embrace it.
MY FRIDGE USUALLY CONTAINS … … a plethora of spicy sauces! I have an addiction to spice, the ones that make you sweat, your eyes water and the taste lingers on your tongue a painfully long time. My favorite is Nandos PiriPiri sauce- extra spicy from South Africa, but I like to experiment and make my own as well. I keep fresh veggies handy, and all sorts of fruits and meat. Luckily in Panama all of the veggies and fruits are fresh, organic and local. And bags of Chiriqui Coffee – a must have for my every morning at home! At home we play a game, “Where in the World do you want to go to Dinner?” and we pick a country to look up a recipe for dinner so we can create and eat somewhere exotic (or close to home) every night. I make sure to keep the fridge stocked so we can travel with our tastebuds somewhere new every day.
MY EXERCISE ROUTINE IS … never set in stone. I walk in the jungle every morning to the sounds of howler monkeys and parrots, but I love to work up a sweat in the garden or swimming in the ocean. To me; the best exercise is hard work- working hard to accomplish something with your hands and being able to see what you’ve done afterwards, whether building a stone path, stacking wood or creating a thatched beach house.
MY FAVOURITE BEAUTY TREATMENT THAT LEAVES ME LOOKING AND FEELING NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL IS … a coffee scrub facial followed by a mango moisturizing mask at my favorite Panama spa, GreenBeautyWise. The smells themselves are aromatherapy and you leave feeling sparkly and refreshed. On a daily basis I use Ahava Dead Sea Minerals skin care, which I feel livens and balances my skin. Skin care is the most important especially if you are outside as much as I am. Even before I have my morning coffee, I have my SPF on!
MY NUMBER ONE BEAUTY TIP IS … smiling. No matter where you are in the world, a smile brightens everything. A true smile lightens even the darkest spirit, and nothing is more beautiful then happiness.
