These little guys are the secret ingredient!

This salad, rocks my world on a regular basis. There’s not much else to be said except for the fact that it is FREAKIN’ amazing.

Check it:

♥ 1 x tin of 4 bean mix
♥ 1/2 x ripe avocado
♥ 1 x best quality tomato you can find (most recently I’ve been enjoying some hydroponic wonders from the Subiaco Farmers Market)
♥ As much reduced fat fetta as you like, I tend to cut about an inch thickness off and chop that all into lil bits
♥ A generous sprinkling of dried cranberries

Mix that all together and you have my favourite salad. You can also add spinach if you like, my housemate is keen on balsamic vinegar with it & I’ve often topped it off with sesame seeds.

So simple to make, so good for you and SO TASTY (most important bit!)!!!

Do you like this salad? Discuss.

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Let me introduce Bee. She is 25, nutty, cat obsessed, and a genius with scissors.

Stepping into Bee’s salon, Peggy Sues, was a very different hair experience for me. Walking through Last Chance Studios, then through a kitchen and up a winding staircase (careful not to step on the sleeping kitty!) makes you feel as though you are visiting a friend, not a hairdresser which is always a good thing!

Once seated and robed Bee and I have a chat about what I want and within 5 minutes of talking we both come to a decision… Mermaid hair*. Otherwise known as hair with lots of layers, swish and length, mermaid hair is something I have always longed for and Bee is just as excited as I am about achieving it.

She gets straight into the washing and cutting, (no messing around here) and a short while later I am a very happy lady with pretty mermaid hair. We decided not to redo my balayage, as once the layers were cut in, the colour popped out any ways. This saved me from wrecking my hair with more dye and also saved my pennies! Bee even gave me a quick lesson on how to style my new do at home. Very nice.

If you are after a salon that is comfortable, kitsch, friendly and fun then Peggy Sues Is for you.

If you prefer mood music, cups of tea and white walls then look elsewhere. Bee was previously employed with Circles Subiaco and she charges extremely low prices for the level of expertise offered.

CASH TALK.

Student Cut+Blowdry- $50
Cut+Blowdry- $60
Mens – $25
Cut,Colour,Blowdry – from $150
Blowdry- $45
Hair Up – $80

(Prices current as of December 2010)

Review by the lovely fashion/beauty blogger April Rose.

Sheridan Crofts, The One Thing Music Quiz.

♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

I run a music quiz business called The One Thing Music Quiz. It’s something I started from scratch a few years ago and I’m loving it! It’s taken a lot of hard work but there is nothing more rewarding career-wise to work doing something you love and have complete passion for. I provide and host music quiz nights and music quiz activities for pubs and private functions. Sure keeps me busy, but it’s fun and challenging.

Ella Bache Special Eye Creme 30 ml RRP $73

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

Well, I do the usual stuff eg. moisturise morning and night, eye cream morning and night and exfoliate twice a week.

Masks would go on once a month or so. I’ve long had an issue with hormonal acne (booooooo) so I don’t like to aggravate my skin by going overboard with what I use. I’m at a stage now (which horrifies me) where I’m moving into the world of anti-aging products so I’m changing the products I use to get the pesky fine lines under control.

Moisturiser: ROC Complete Lift Day Cream and ROC Complete Lift Night Cream
Eye Cream: Ella Bache Special Eye Creme (Available online at StrawberryNET)
Cleanser: Ella Bache Lait Exotique and when I’m lazy Neutrogena Make-up Remover Wipes (Available online at Ella Bache. I have dark eyelashes, but a blue/black tint makes an amazing difference. I like to go make-up free when possible, so this gives my face a little glam without having to go to the effort of laying on all of the make-up. Bit of gloss, concealer, powder and tinted-up eyelashes and I’m ready to go!

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

I’m very fortunate to have a wonderfully talented friend who does my hair privately so I haven’t visited a salon for eons. I do love the salon experience, but I love spending time with my gorgeous friend more! Colour, snip and gossip!

Ella Bache Revitalisant, 110 mls, RRP $56

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

I LOVE Ella Bache’s Revitalisant. I would marry it. It’s a good price for what gets a similar result to a complete facial. It goes on like a mask and it gives your skin a jolly good exfoliation. My skin feels deliciously smooth and fresh afterwards, lovely. (Available online at StrawberryNET)

Chanel Aqualumiere Lip Gloss

♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

1) Ella Bache Creme Intex No. 2: I’ve been using this since I was a teenager. For problem skin, it’s a dream. I pop it on at night and it dries up any blemishes over night.

2) Chanel Lip Gloss: I only just discovered this a year ago and I’m converted. It’s so smooth and luxurious, doesn’t taste artificial and it’s Chanel! (Available online at Calvin Klein ‘Summer’ edition One fragrances. They release a new one every summer and I’m the first in line for one. It’s perfect for day wear, smells fresh and citrusy and I always get so many lovely comments about it. Aaaaah.

♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

No secrets, but I would NEVER go to bed with make-up on. Big no-no. Oh and drink loads of water. Loads and loads.

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)

Yoga is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, but I have a lot of trouble clearing my mind enough to get the benefits. I’d also love to spend a whole day at a day spa to unwind, but they cost so much and I can’t justify the expense. Maybe one day when I’m rich! One day…

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Oh dear. I try, I really do! First things first, I always start the day with a fruit and yoghurt smoothie. Banana, berries, orange juice, almonds, LSA, Greek yoghurt – blend, blend, blend and down the hatch. Maybe I’ll have Vegemite toast too, if I’m still hungry.

Then it’s the coffee. I like STRONG coffee, but I limit it to one cup a day. I LOVE to cook, it’s my favourite thing to do aside from my business so I bake, I eat, I bake some more and I eat some more. Sometimes healthy, sometimes indulgent. I generally eat quite well, good wholesome, home-baked food. But being in pubs 4 nights a week, I succumb to pizzas and chippies quite regularly too. I don’t like to watch what I eat to the point where life isn’t fun. You gotta live, right? I do need to cut down on my chocolate intake though. I know this. My dentist does too.

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

Oh stop. I’m pathetic at the moment. I used to have a personal trainer. I used to swim. I used to go to the gym. Now? Verging on bugger all.

I walk 2 – 3 times a week, sometimes with a hound, sometimes with a friend. I’ve just bought a bike so I’m starting to ride places. I’m going to go back to swimming which is something I was once very good at. That’s the plan anyway. With having my own business, I’ve found this has been the first part of my life to really take a backseat, but I really need to make it a priority again.

Inner Health Plus!

♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

I pop a Vitamin E, fish oil and Inner Health Plus tabbie every day. Vitamin E for my skin, fish oil for my Omega 3’s and Inner Health Plus for my friendly bacteria.

You can catch Sheridan at her music quizzes 5 nights a week at various pubs around town, check it out here!

Be well,

xoxo

♥

I’ve always been a little bit hesitant to get into the world of leave-ins and leave-ons. Conditioners, masks all those things that I like to wash off or out so they wont just hang around on my skin or in my hair collecting dirt, weighing everything down and perhaps even causing breakouts.

But when the Origins Overnight Mask came into my life I was won over by the glorious smell (delicious fruity apricoty, but not sickly), texture (light and leaving no residue) and the fact that it promised to instantly quench my skin’s depleted moisture. I gave it a go. The best thing was I didn’t feel like an oil slick when I went to bed and the next morning it feels non-existent – which is exactly how I wanted it to feel.

So far, I haven’t seen a noticeable change in my skin, but this product (by its own admission) is more of a maintenance or long term kind of thing- replacing the moisture you lose during the day and repairing your skin’s barrier… and if you think about it, who doesn’t want to use a product that does that?

If you were looking for a leave-on mask I would definitely encourage you to give this a go to see how you like it. You can use it as often as you desire, but you could also use it as little as twice a week, meaning that it doesn’t need a big commitment from you and it could be a good inclusion to your general beauty regime if you like to change things up every now and then.

Delish

Ed’s Note: Or if you want your skin to smell like beautiful, fresh apricots… this ones a winner!

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask is available from Kit Cosmetics for RRP $45.

Review by Adriane Daff.

Be well,

xoxo

♥

Hiya! Okay, we’re going to change the format of this a tiny bit! First up will be all the posts from the previous week, then after that will be all the wonderful little snippets I’ve come across, that way if you’ve missed out on something you can check it out 🙂 Hopefully this is helpful for everyone, hope you have had a wonderful crazy weathered week! xx

♥ Product Review: Rodial Anti-Aging Snake Venom Range – a review for those serious about anti-aging.

♥ Beauty & Wellbeing Routine: Elly Squire / Clare Cupcakes, dancer for Sugar Blue Burlesque. Ooh la la! Clara is a cutie.

♥ Eyebrow Waxing Vows – following a bad eyebrow burny experience (the poor things are peeling as we speak…eww!) I devised these vows to be repeated to any new waxer you think of allowing near your little face caterpillars.

♥ Personal Trainer in Perth, a Diary: Part One! – follow me on my journey to get fitter and stronger!

♥ Blueberry, Banana & Cashew Butter Smoothie – One word: yes.

♥ Wellness WA Christmas Wishlist! – Don’t know what to get for someone? Don’t know what you want yourself? Want to shower me with gifts? This article can help you with all three!

♥ The Importance of Having a Delicious Body Wash that Makes You Feel Amazing – I think it’s very important to treat yourself as kindly as possible, and this is one little way.

♥ Walking Meditation, have you tried it? – Sarah Wilson gives us the lowdown on this interesting form of meditation.

♥ The Taste of Effort – seriously interesting! More research into the old adage that the harder something is to achieve, the more we appreciate it.

♥ What Are You Affirming? – a pretty lengthy article on one woman’s experience with affirmations, a lovely read.

♥ One of the Worlds Best Kept Beauty Secrets – what is it I wonder…?!

♥ What is a Self-Healing Acupressure Pranamat? – I’m about to find out on Monday, as I’m picking up my long awaited pranamat from the post office! SO interested to see how it goes!

♥ Feed Your Brain: Part Three! – if your brain could talk, what would it want you to be eating? Get some help here!

♥ Tips for Preparing for a Big Night Out – some ideas I hadn’t heard of here before!

♥ 100 Ways You Can Start Loving Yourself Right Now – such an excellent article, MUST READ!

♥ Give Yourself the Gift of Self-Worth, Self-Love & Self-Gratification this Holiday Season – another beautiful article by Sam from Be Genki.

That’s it for another week!

Be well and take care,

Annette

xo