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Hey guys, as some of you know I now write beauty pages for Xpress Magazine quarterly but was recently asked to do a fill in feature for the regular weekly issue. I decided to focus on the fact that beach and bathers weather is upon us and that it can be pretty scary!

If you’d like to download a copy of how it looks in the magazine you can do so: here (PDF version).

Otherwise read on for my top tips to beat the bikini body blues…

Summer is a comin, and with it, the promise of glorious sunny days and heat which can only be quelled by a trip down to the beach and a dip in the ocean followed by an icecream or bevvy. Sounds great right? You’ve picked out your adorable vintage inspired bikini online, stalked the postman for days and when it finally arrives somethings not quite right… suddenly you realise “I’M NOT READY FOR THIS NEAR NAKED PUBLIC DISPLAY OF FLESH!” and vow to spend summer indoors, dreaming of a snowy getaway.

But don’t give up hope just yet, if you’re in need of some guidance follow these tried and tested tips to beat the bikini body blues and reclaim the beach this summer!

IPL / SPL

Most people have heard of Intense Pulsed Light / Square Pulsed Light by now, but in a nut shell it’s a relatively quick and simple treatment that involves applying bursts of intense light to areas of the body to reduce hair growth (feels like a rubber band snapping on your skin, no worse than waxing).

It works incredibly well on bikini lines, legs and underarms and for those who are prone to ingrown hairs, is nothing short of miraculous (I used to be one of them and haven’t had an ingrown since)!

The real beauty of this treatment is in the freedom it allows you, with treatments every 6 weeks and a diminishing amount of hair each time, it gets easier and easier to slip into your bathers without any rogue hair worries. It works best on those with fair skin and dark hair, and is my number one tip for making summer easier.

There are plenty of places that offer these treatments, I’ve had great luck with: http://www.hairfree.com.au

Move Yourself

This one gets mentioned so much that it’s become more than a little redundant, there is a reason for the constant reminding though: IT WORKS! Exercising is the best way to burn calories and stress, plus get endorphins flowing around your body, all three of which will make you feel great and help you look good.

There are 54 million ways to get moving, from bikram yoga to bike riding, boxing to burlesque dancing – they will all help you get a toned tum and bum, plus improve your posture so that you stand up tall as you take your first tentative steps onto the sand this summer – just don’t burn your feet! Once you’re at the beach, you can even take it a step further by getting into some frisbee, beach volleyball, jogging along the shoreline with a pup… or you could take the unconventional approach and go for a swim.

Full Body Exfoliation

It’s time to put TLC’s “No Scrubs” out of your mind and allow yourself to enter the wonderful word of exfoliation. There’s something about having every inch of your body scrubbed that makes for feeling completely physically and mentally cleansed. It’s a great post-winter ritual that will leave your skin free of built up dead skin cells and able to get rid of toxins more efficiently. It will also make you look all smooth and glowy, which will help ease the pain of taking the majority of your clothes off. So make like a snake and shed that winter skin, you can have this done professionally at a day spa, purchase a cheap body scrub or make your own out of sugar and olive oil.

To (Fake) Tan or Not to (Fake) Tan…

So far we’re free of pesky hairs, feeling the benefits of exercising up a storm and have smooth glowing skin – so what next? The divisive topic of tan vs no tan of course!

Now I’m going to optimistically assume that everyone is onboard with me when I say: actual sun tanning is a Pretty Silly idea given we live in Australia and are unfortunately in peak hour public transport style proximity to our good friend the ozone hole, which means we are in the top four countries most at risk of skin cancer. So no sun baking okay? Yes? Great.

So now there are two choices: summery glow vs au naturale. Being of the more ghostly persuasion myself, I’m all for embracing the skin colour you born with. The advent of shows like Mad Men and all of those fancy historical films with beautiful “english rose” types has made being a fair skinned lass as equally acceptable on the beach as having naturally darker skin, so if you’re giving the colour of soy milk a run for its money then you can by all means EMBRACE IT without fear of social exclusion.

Both dark and pale skin needs to be covered up with cute hats, clothing when possible, protective sunglasses and lashings of sunscreen, or my favourite, Invisible Zinc.

If you can’t bear to get bare without a little extra colour confidence, then a spray tan is the best way to go. My pick is local brand Aussie Bombshell, who are currently taking the state (and Australia) by storm with their extremely natural looking sunless tans. You will still need to apply sunscreen though, no getting naughty and slacking off thanks. Yes miss.

These four suggestions should get you well on your way to bikini body confidence, all you need now is a warm day, your favourite beach and the all-clear from the lifeguard that there has been no shark sightings for quite some time. And that bevvy I mentioned earlier. Enjoy!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

In the summertime when the weather is fine, in the summertime when the weather is fine, in the summertime you got yoga you got yoga on your mind!

I have previously undertaken holistic personal training / private yoga classes with Stuart Watkins and can wholeheartedly attest to them being rejuvenating, inspiring, calming and grounding. You will feel excellent after a class.

Do yourself a favour and get down to one of these if you can, the first class started yesterday and they will be ongoing until further notice, but do get in touch with Stuart before attending to confirm.

Namaste!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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Just hearing the name “Jurlique” takes me back to my teenage years, where I yearned so strongly to be able to afford to buy their products from Myer and relished in the 2ml sample of the now discontinued ‘Moor Mud Masque’ I found in a showbag from an unknown womens expo.

The packaging has had a facelift since then though, a natural one of course, but the products are still as widely coveted as ever and I am thrilled to be able to write about three of Jurlique’s glorious beauty children which landed on my doorstep recently.

♥ Jurlique Daily Exfoliating Cream

How is your current exfoliant treating you? Is it harsh, scrubby or scratchy? Does it leave your skin red or dry? If you answered yes to any of these questions it’s time to get something a little more soothing onto your face to buff away your tired and dull skin cells. Daily Exfoliating Cream works a treat and is made primarily of oats, ground almonds and honey to sweep away dirt and debris.

I’ve been using this daily and really enjoying it, just make sure you rinse well as sometimes almondy-oaty bits can get stranded on your face!

TIP: Make sure you focus on your forehead & t-zone when exfoliating, so many peeps focus on the cheeks since it’s what we see on TV/in magazines but the other areas are usually in need of more scrub-a-dubbery.

♥ Jurlique Jasmine Body Care Lotion – $44

This moisturiser is creamy and dreamy. I had a revelation when I smelt it, it reminded me of some flowers that grew at my house and that I LOVED sniffing growing up. A quick google led me to the truth – they were jasmine flowers! I didn’t know I liked jasmine prior to using this, now I know I LOVE it! I use this at night before bed all over my legs, to guide me into a childlike slumber.

Childhood jasmine flowers, I’m so glad I found you! Lets never be apart again. – xoxo a

♥ Jurlique Purely Age Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream – $90

Whilst I’m more often than not mistaken for someone of a much younger age (not complaining!), I’m still a big fan of this “age defying” cream. I usually find myself applying it in the evening before bed and can instantly notice that my skin feels much smoother and plumper, I just want to keep touching it, but of course that is Very Naughty and so I try and control myself. I found it also makes a good base under makeup, though I would only do this at night as there’s no SPF included.

The smell is very pleasing to my olfactory nerve as well, which can only help when you’re pressing something into your face. Yep, press! The jar specifically states that pressing the product gently into the skin will yield you the best results and I’ve become quite a fan of the pressing method, which is new to me.

I’d certainly recommend this for anyone wanting plumper, firmer skin, whether it works on wrinkles as well I can’t currently say – maybe I will know in a few more years!

So concludes the tale of my three new loves.

Do you like the sound of any of these? There are so many other Jurlique prods that I want to try, but I can’t choose what to go for next!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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Nestled between an organic pizza shop (!!!) and a yoga school, Being She is a cute little beauty & gift salon on St Brigids Ave in Scarborough. I headed down there on a gentle spring day to take part in an exciting sounding treatment called the “Wildflower Holistic Facial“, which seemed like the perfect way to coax my skin away from winter dullness and transplant it firmly in the new season.

On the drive out to Scarborough I found myself noticing plenty of little flowers growing by the side of the road, which I thought was a good sign (even if they were just weedy dandelions, they were still pretty!)

Being She uses the Heritage Healers range exclusively. If you haven’t come across it before you’re in for a treat, organic and holistic wildflower essences which work inside and out to balance the skin and and promote wellbeing – Bliss!

The experience begins with a quiz to find out your ‘persona‘ (you can take the test online, here) which will determine some of the products used, as well as flower essence drops placed under the tongue at various points throughout the facial to help balance you internally!

I was a water babe, so took a mixture of Goddess Grasstree, Macrozamia and Purple Nymph Waterlily. The combination of these three essences helps to overcome vulnerability and sensitivity, balances out male and female energies, stimulates nurturing and caring qualities and overcomes emotional dependency. Sounds good!

Throughout the next hour my face was cleansed, moisturised, exfoliated, massaged, masqued, hot toweled and my arms massaged. What a wonderful day to spend a spring saturday morning!

I found this video on the Heritage Healers website which takes you through exactly what happens during the Wildflower Holistic Facial, handy!

I believe the true test of character of a good facial is how your skin looks the next day, and I’m happy to report that upon first morning peer into the mirror my skin looked clearer and the few pimples on my chin had gone down about 50% in size!

This facial won me over.

BeingShe also have a range of other interesting treatments, such as oxygen facials, Divine Goddess Facial (!!), Chakra Energy balancing & threading, among much more!

Location:

178a St Brigids Terrace
SCARBOROUGH
WA 6019

Web: http://www.beingshe.com.au

Email: beingshe@westnet.com.au

Ph: (08) 9341 3630

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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

Hello! My name is Lavida Rose. I facilitate private workshops in stress transformation, emotional resilience and lifestyle enhancement. I love food. I love animals. And I never get the two confused. Philosophically, I love any form of elevation and expansion. I love creation. I love reverence.

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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

My daily beauty routine starts with compassion, followed by a preferred 5am start (exceptions happen!). To me, beauty begins with how we relate to things, people, animals and the environment around us. I like to get the most out of the day which motivates me to get an early start. Beauty begins with how I feel and think, then, I add on a few basic extras like home grown lemons, fair trade coconut oil and nourishing food.

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♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

I can’t live without the beauty treatments created and shared by mother nature; sunshine, fresh air, waterfalls, natural phenomena, the ocean, mountains and hills. The choices are too competitive to have favourites!

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

Me! I always have a pair of scissors handy and most anything else which is used at a hair-dresser; would be a no go for me, I prefer to be chemical and pollutant free.

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Ooh that’s a close call between organic coconut oil and raw organic lemon. I cleanse with fresh lemon juice (gradual dilutions are best on sensitive skin) and I do most everything else with coconut oil; moisturize, condition my hair, brush my teeth and eat!

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

– My own unlimited supply of Niulife Fair-trade Organic Coconut Oil

– Home grown organic lemons
– Organic Rosehip Oil

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

Heart consciousness and an open mind, these two things make a big difference, as does, connecting with natural elements, like sunshine and fresh air!

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

This would definitely include travel to experience something exotic in another country, like natural hot springs or a mud bath or a waterfall massage.

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

A typical day of eating for me; is all about conscious consumption. Being aware of both energy lines in which food is prepared and produced and enjoying taste, texture and composition. My Eat-style is all about wholefoods (food that comes from the earth and stays that way until you buy it). My eat-style is also all about simplicity. It is about having a clean and clear palette and consciously enjoying everything that I swallow. I don’t eat anything which endured any suffering and I don’t eat foods that have been altered. A typical day of eating for me is … nonstop pleasure!

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

It starts with moving, sedentary lifestyles are best left to meditating gurus. If there’s music I will dance (sometimes even if there isn’t music I still dance), I love stretching (so, yoga is a practice that meets me at 5am), Inner strength is an essential part of my fitness routine, so my abdominals always get daily attention. I also walk, hike, swim and run (but not all at the same time). Our bodies thrive on oxygenation and circulation, how about sending all that heart energy around your own physical universe?

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

No, we have access to everything we need, everything else is just entertainment.

♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

Quality connections with people, nature, art and creation.

Thanks to Lavida for sharing her inspiring routine. If you have any questions please leave them below 🙂

Be well,

xoxo