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I’ve done it! I’ve FOUND it! My search is over. I’ve been on a mission to overhaul my skincare routine for some time now and now I think I’ve found the goodies I was after.
So, a little about me. Mid-30’s gal (I refuse to be more specific here), healthy, acne problems all through adulthood (not really disastrous acne, but enough to shake my confidence) and just coming to terms with the new lines and wrinkles that are appearing on my face.

I’m also at a point where I’ve started to switch over to organic and natural products, be it cleaning products, hair products, food and skin care.

So in regards to the skin care world, I wanted to switch to a certified organic range and this proved to be more difficult than I imagined.

So, ‘certified’ organic? You got it. CERTIFIED ORGANIC. There is a huge difference between an organic product and a ‘certified’ organic product and until I looked into it, I didn’t realise just how big a difference there is.

Anyone can claim to have an organic or natural product just by having one natural or organic ingredient in the product, but they can and usually still do contain a number of potentially harmful chemicals. To be ‘certified organic’ the product needs to be in its purest form, 100% chemical free, in other words no nasties and all the good stuff. How many times have you been tempted to buy a moisturiser or shampoo that has the words ‘Organic’ or ‘Natural’ plastered all over the label and snap it up believing you are doing something good for your wellbeing? We all do! It’s only now that I realise, anyone can plaster this claim over their labels, but scratch the surface and quite often you’ll find the actual organic or natural quota is miniscule, but because it exists in the product, they push it as a selling point. For the most part, we’re fooled by it!
So, in my mission to find a certified organic skin care range, I found Serenade Organic.

Yelo!

While basking in the sun, sipping a smoothie at Yelo overlooking Trigg beach, I saw a range of skin products perched on the shelf, nestled amongst the vintage aprons, organic muesli and environmentally friendly bits and bobs. They have a moisturiser (Nourish), a cleanser (Purify) and an eye cream (Restore). The packaging was lovely and was beautifully presented with testers. Being the ‘free sample’ whore that I am, I popped some of the moisturiser and eye cream on to give it a whirl.

♥ Travel Pamper Pack

I loved it instantly, but I wanted to see how my skin reacted to it over a longer period of use. To my delight, they had a travel pamper pack available which is a 10 day sample of 3 products for $29.95. 10 days was a great opportunity to trial it at a great price. So there began my new friendship with Serenade Organic. I took it home and used it that very night.

What first grabbed me, was the gorgeous fragrance. Natural fragrance, mind you! It’s like nothing else I’ve ever used. So hard to put into words, but it reminds me of being in the countryside. It smells like a flipping meadow! Not overpowering, but completely fresh and uplifting. I’ve been using Serenade for 6 months now and still it is the wonderful smell that gives me a lift every morning and every night. Friends will say, “Ooooh, you smell nice!” and the only thing I have on is Serenade.

So aside from the magical meadow smell, the texture and feel was the next thing to impress. Serenade has managed to get that perfect consistency of ‘not too gluggy’ and ‘not too runny’ with their moisturiser so it glides on beautifully and gives your face a feeling of firmness and invigoration. You don’t have to use a lot of it, so it lasts for ages.

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Then there’s the eye cream. My new best friend. I kid you not, I would marry it if only the laws would change to allow it. Every morning and every night this goes on without fail. In the morning, my eyes feel fresh and hydrated. Even after a big night! I wake up now with bright eyes that don’t resemble that of a badger.

Their cleanser is the other part to their trinity of wondrous products. Wonderfully soothing and doesn’t strip the skin like so many other cleansers can. Massaged into the skin and removed with cotton balls, removes all of the day’s impurities leaving my face fresh and clean, ready for moisturising. This cleanser has usurped all other cleansers that ever called my bathroom cabinet home.

I’ve seen on their website that they’re bringing out an Age Defy Facial Serum soon, so I’m eagerly awaiting the day that I can adopt that and give it a home. My age certainly needs defying and I love the word ‘serum’. Sounds like it has super powers!

Hailing from this gorgeous part of the world…

So there you have it! I can’t rave about this stuff more (actually I could, but you must surely get the point by now – it’s amazing!). I also love the fact it’s a W.A. product created in one of my favourite parts of the state – Yallingup. I’ve since bought the travel pamper pack for gifts for 4 of my girlfriends who are all interested in making the switch to certified organic and we are all in agreement. Jackpot!

Website: http://www.serenadeorganic.com.au
Email: hello@serenadeorganic.com.au

Review by Sheridan Crofts, music quiz master & certified organic convert!

Be well,

xoxo

♥

Does anyone remember those fairy shops that you used to visit for birthday parties when you were little? They were such magical places, always playing calming music, they smelt incredible, everything looked all crystal-y and beautiful and you got a feeling while you were in there that a very special secret had been bestowed upon you and that you were in fact an ACTUAL fairy. And that this was the secret. The secret you must take to the grave.

Well there is now a skincare range that has bottled that special feeling. It’s called AEOS (Active Energised Organic Skincare) and their three phase skincare range (Renew, Rebalance, Replenish) uses ‘spagyric tinctures of crystal energies together with the waveforms of colour’ to create products that will make your outsides look good and your insides feel harmonious and nurtured. ‘Crystal energies’- that’s JUST like the fairies!!!

Random drawing of fairy for extra emphasis.

Ok, let’s put the pause on the fairies (BUT ONLY FOR A MOMENT) and talk about the nuts and bolts. Despite having an inbuilt magical aura about them, do these products work? I tried the AEOS Gentle Exfoliant and the AEOS Energising Conditioner from the Renew and Rebalance lines respectively and I am pleased to say that despite the amount of times I have mentioned the f-word in this article they really are very well researched, very seriously good products.

AEOS Gentle Exfoliant (blue) 30ml – $59

The exfoliant contains Spelt, in the form of the Aura-Soma biodynamic oil which contains a high concentration of Vitamin E and leaves your skin feeling moisturized after giving it a gentle scrub. My skin had been feeling really dry to the point where I could actually feel dry patches emerging (ew) and after three days of using this they were g-o-n-e. To my delight!

AEOS Energising Conditioner 30ml – $89

The real winner though is the Energizing Conditioner. This. Smells. Amazing. It smells purely magical and fairy-like (THEY”RE BACK) and I just can’t get enough. Putting some of this clear lightweight liquid on after washing your face feels like putting on a layer of contact, the kind you cover books with, on your face. That’s how smooth it feels. Seriously contact was the only analogy I could use that comes close to how smooth it feels. Except not plastic, of course.

These products just feel so special that you want to cherish them so it comes as no surprise to me that on the back of each bottle it says ‘made with love and intention’, it just gives you a warm feeling inside. Like the fairy shops did when I was little, at last I can have that feeling back!

Available online via http://www.begenkishop.com and from Karma Living (there is a store in the Claremont Quarter shopping mall) stores nationally.

Please also visit their website to read about their awesome bio-dynamic farm where they grow most of their ingredients. That are then handpicked by fairies. Probably.

Review by Adriane Daff.

Be well,

xoxo

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Feeling your belly blossom with a growing baby is an indescribable privilege I’ve been granted. There isn’t a day that goes by without a zing of excitement about who that bump will turn out to be.

However, despite the wonder and excitement, my body is throwing all sorts of wicked challenges my way. Discovering an aversion to my favourite vegetables (keep sweet potato and broccoli far, far away), the now-passed morning sickness (welcome second trimester!) and watching my muscles fade as a softer look wraps around my body.

There are certain things that you can do to make yourself feel like the lady you once were; manicures and pedicures, making the most of the lustrous condition of your hair (one of the pros, less hair shedding!) and taking care of that stretching skin.

Some believe certain body types are doomed to stretch marks no matter what, but I’m not taking my chances. It’s better to prevent rather than cure, right? So I sought out a couple of reputable brands to nix those squiggly lines before they branched out across my already stretching body.

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Be Genki creator Samantha Sample developed an all-natural body oil through a new brand Be Naturallyou after pregnant friends begged for a stretch mark elixir. After extensive research, the Body Oil ($38 for 130mL) is now a blend of avocado oil, flax seed oil, apricot kernel oil, wheatgerm oil and essential oils of mandarin, lavender, neroli and frankincense. The resulting blend boasts properties that nourish skin, promote regeneration of scarred skin, helps skin retain elasticity, moisturizes and is good for eczema and psoriasis.

The smell of the oil is pure relaxation and the lavender stood most prominently. The long-necked bottle meant the oil rushed out and surprised me on the first go, resulting in my palm covered in the slightly green oil. The oil was fabulously moisturising and kept my skin well hydrated. The strong scent meant I didn’t want to wear it during the day as it was close to overpowering my perfume, but at night it was perfect for rubbing in after a warm shower and the soothing smell was lovely to fall asleep with.

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At a much higher end price bracket, L’Occitane’s Almond Supple Skin Oil ($64.95 for 100mL) was recommended by a friend so I had to give it a go. The handy pump top means I controlled the amount a lot better and the oil was lighter in texture. The smell is delicious; sweet and a hint of almond, you could almost wear it as a light perfume but I wear it alongside my daily spritz of Bvlgari Rose. The moisturising component is also excellent although perhaps not as long lasting as the Be Genki oil.

With the combination of these two beauties, I have a day and night combo going on and am yet to see the dreaded effects of stretch marks. And let me tell you, it’s not just the belly that expands and there are a few other bumps getting vigorous attention from the body oils. But the belly rub is definitely my favourite… and I’m pretty sure it’s the baby’s too.

Article by Lisa O’neill, Freelance Journalist and super cute anti-stretch mark crusader.

Be well,

xoxo

27! Flowers c/o my lovely boyfriend and the wrapped gift on the left is actually from Kikki K and called “Be Happy: 170 Ways to Transform Your Day”!

Alright so there is a photo of me on my birthday, I don’t post heaps of them up here because I am a bit shy about doing so.

It’s been a bit quiet here the past few days due to birthday preparation, so I wanted to share with you just what I’d been upto this past weekend of celebration – yep I dragged it out the whole three days to make the most of it! So come join me on a vaguely stalkerish account of my weekend … 😉

Friday

I kicked off the weekend wellness style with an incredibly relaxing bath which seriously felt like any worries were dissolved as soon as I sunk in. I have found the most incredible shower/bath wash which makes me feel like I’m at the day spa every morning and night. It is that good and a teeny tiny bit goes a long way, you’ll get tonnes of bubbles in the bath, and if you use a loofah a tiny pump gets you sudsy in seconds.

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The name of my new love is Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash and its concoction of essential oils including sandalwood, lavender, lemon and eucalyptus manages to both soothe a weary mind and pep you up in the mornings too. It’s a pricey little peanut at $71.50 for a 473ml pump bottle, but if you have the bucks to spare this is incredible for giving you an easy peasy day spa experience whenever you hop in the shower!

After the dream bath, my boy took me to The Curry Tree in Nedlands for an indian feast, the food took a long time, but was yummy when it finally arrived. There was also a fireplace which was a dreamy addition on a chilly night.

Saturday

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Subiaco Farmers Markets ahoy! We did the usual rounds, saw a heap of pups (my favourite part!) and ate some treats.

Breakfast was an innnnncredible combo of muesli, warm stewed apple & natural yoghurt from Food Well Thought, for $5 this is an absolute must in my farmers market experience. TRY IT! You will be amazed.

My other favourite is the 100% organic and preservative free dried apple crisps from the Spring Valley Orchard in Donnybrook!! The crisps are $4 for a generous bag and are absolutely delicious, if you’re looking for a healthy, crunchy snack then seriously look no further. I hadn’t had these before and I’m definitely going back next week to stock up. They also sell a variety of non-dried apples which are equally delicious.

♥ [credit]

Next on the b’day agenda was some time with a girlfriend and fellow Wellness WA writer. We hit up Boubar and they kindly let me have an item from the breakfast menu even though it was way past brekky (avocado, tomato, rocket and fetta on sourdough – YUMM) – WINNERS! This, along with a freshly squeezed OJ, a few choice pressies from my friend and some great chats made for the perfect afternoon.

For dinner I rounded up some more friends and headed to Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant in Northbridge, the satay “chicken” sticks (mock meat) with rice have been my long time favourite and it’s all I ever order. If you’re a vegetarian and haven’t been here try it out! The service can be bizarre at times, but it’s cheap and delicious!

Prior to the feast we all headed to the EP launch of local band Mezzanine, which one of my besties plays in, and it was a great night!

Sunday

One of my fav places for brekky lately has been The Pearfect Pantry in Wembley, who have been making some waves recently with promoting their oddly situated little cafe via social media. It’s worth a look, as they have MANY vegan options for brekky and lunch, as well as vegan biscuits & cupcakes at times too! Meat and cheese lovers are not to fear though, as there is a wide selection of other goodies to choose from too.

I had the vegan black bean, avocado and cashew-nut cheese with fired whole wheat tortilla (SO SO SO SO SO GOOD)!

To round off the weekend I had a picnic and invited a bunch of good friends, the food was delicious, the sun shone for a bit and there were two adorable doggies present. Dreamy.

So that’s my weekend 🙂 I hope you had a fabulous one too, and I would love to hear about any wellness activities you got up to if you’d like to share!!!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

♥ Photo by Paul Monaghan/Ohhtography

I love tea. This can be proven by the following fact: currently there is a dodgy kettle in my apartment, every time my housemate or I switch it on it cuts the power to the rest of the house. The tea love is so strong, that it constantly overrides this knowledge of said dodgy kettle and I continue to try and try, failing every time and shutting off the power (which gets annoying after say, one time).

THANKFULLY, a new kettle is on the way. But for now I’m considering taking a step back about 25 years and boiling some water on the stove to make a delish cuppa.

I have been slowly incorporating more organic into my life lately, the idea that I’m putting a few less pesticides into my body is a good one, therefore I’m going to share with you my absolute fave organic teas today, and hopefully inspire some new pesty-free crushes in you too!

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♥ Endota Organic Teas

I have a giant crush on Endota, while we haven’t been lucky enough yet to have this day spa chain in Perth (though I am promised it will be here early 2012 in a CBD location!), their organic philosophy and natural, earthy treatments give me a brain buzz when I read about them!

I got to try two of these beautiful tea babes, lavender and rosehip – plus check out the box! Tea with a ribbon? Already got my heart. Having never tried LAVENDER tea before, I was pretty excited to get brewin’ late one winter night after a stressful day. It was a delicious soothing sip, and the rosehip tea? Fannnn-tastique, as always, rosehip is so good for you and really tangy & tasty. There is a generous amount of tea packed into the box as well, but you will need a teapot with strainer or some kind of infuser as it’s loose leaf.

My pick is the T2 Small Mesh Tong, it serves me well.

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♥ Clipper Decaffeinated Green Tea

I’ve previously written about this tea. Lurve lurve lurve! It’s decaf so you can drink it at any time of the day or night. My daily ritual is to turn up to work, boil the kettle, brew a cup of this and then settle into my day. I will usually drink 1-2 cups per day, but if you drink 3+ you will see incredible benefits to your skin.

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♥ T2 Organic Teas

T2 also has a new range of organic teas which I’ve checked out a few times and I think it’s great that they’re expanding their range to incorporate more organic. They have a beaut looking lemongrass & ginger tea that will soon be vying for space on my already overflowing shelf – delicious and purrrfect for keeping sniffles at bay!

In closing: tea is a total babe who can make you feel amazing for minimal bucks, certified organic tea is even better so if you haven’t already got some in your life, I reckon you should jump on the ideas above, or seek out some other varieties and organically warm up with some delish liquids! x

What are your favourite teas?

Do you have any organic? Let me know! I love to chat tea 😀

Be well,

Annette

xoxo