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I was thinking about all the products that I’m using at the moment, so thought I’d do a little post so everyone can check out what my current faves are!

♥ Dermalogica Pre Cleanse – $65.50

Rubbing this peculiar oil type liquid over my face prior to jumping in the shower, is reported to be good for dissolving dirt, makeup and helping shift blackheads. The interesting part, is that when you go to wash it off, the oil magically turns into a milky emulsion and leaves no trace of oil AT ALL. This is a fantastic first step to removing makeup, and also good for days when you’ve been sweating up a storm and need some extra power in your cleansing routine.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant $83.50

Ah, hello hero product! I previously talked about Daily Microfoliant here, but this powdery dream has continued to keep a highly-coveted spot in my bathroom. If you can I’d suggest trying to source a sample of this stuff, it smooths out any bumps on my skin with ease and I find it helpful with minimising breakouts. I can definitely tell when I’ve not been using it, as my skin tend to break out a littler more (AKA, right now! Need to get back into it with regularity!)

♥ Ren Rose Wash – $46

This cleanser is so beautifully rosy scented, that it just feels like you’re doing something good for your skin when you use it. For a gel cleanser it’s pretty impressive, as it doesn’t dry out my skin. Enjoying this for those two reasons… I use it with:

♥ Clarisonic Mia – $149

I’m not sure what I did before this came along. When I use it, my skin congestion, tone and brightness is about 75% better. No word of a lie! At $149 it’s a bit of an investment, but oh-so-worth it. If you’re in Perth you can head down to Bella Hart in Subiaco for a free instore trial (very handy).

Any of these look good to you?

Be well,

xoxo

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Back when I was 14 and used to squeeze lemon in my hair for the sun-kissed look and tried mum’s facemasks out for size, slices of cool cucumber over the eyelids was the next step for ultimate beauty afternoons. I’m not sure the lemon or the anti-aging mask worked on my wee self, but the cucumbers always had a soothing element that did some good on puffy eyes.

When the Yes to Carrots range came on the market, I signed up for the Cucumber variety designed for sensitive skin. I’m always wary of rich and creamy products after a particularly nasty rash was encountered after a face cream trial – which means I always end up going for the “sensitive skin” products just in case.

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I’ve been using the Daily Gentle Cleanser ($14.95) and Daily Calming Moisturiser ($23.95) for a month now and have had great results.

To be fair, I’m in the latter stages of pregnancy and my skin has been pretty good to me since the second trimester so this has had a positive influence. However, the cleanser does a thorough job despite being “gentle” and there has been no residue on my facial towel while drying my face. The moisturiser is gorgeous and you only need a small amount as it goes far. The only issue is, I have to leave it longer than usual to put on my make up over the top in the morning as it doesn’t sink in as fast as my usual moisturiser. On the plus side, my skin feels hydrated all day long and I don’t see any flakiness after a day a made up face in an air-conditioned office. The sweet almond oil and aloe inclusions are supposed to provide a healthy glow and I do feel it provides a lovely, plump look once it’s settled in.

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I also got to try the Calming Body Wash ($12.95 for 500mL), which is so refreshing in the summer heat. It’s also not a particularly feminine smell so I’ve gone through it at an alarming rate and my husband smells suspiciously cucumbery upon exiting the bathroom each morning…

Have you ever tried any of the Yes to Carrots products?
Cucumbers over the eyes?
Love to hear your thoughts!

Written by Lisa O’Neill, slowing down a little more every day but still trying to keep the healthy glow alive!

Be well,

xoxo

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I felt really lucky to be selected to attend the Perth Online Media Media event (#POBM) as one of the writers of Wellness WA. As you may know I contribute by writing articles about things that I am most passionate about, that is; exercising around Perth, cooking delicious food and treats to make yourself feel good and look pretty.

After our gorgeous day of pampering, eating raw food from The Raw Kitchen and meeting all the lovely girls, I finally had time to delve into my massive goodie bag. There were so many amazing products to choose from but I managed to pick 5 favourites. Here’s why they made the cut:

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1. A’kin Instant Radiance Facial Masque

This product was first given to me by Annette to trial and before that I had never tried any A’kin products before. I love this 100% natural botanical product and how it takes no time at all for this product to take effect. Apply on face, leave for 5-10 minutes then rinse! The masque is light and if your skin is looking a bit tired and dehydrated then I recommend it, it brings instant results for me. I even took it with me in my travel beauty bag on my recent international trip for pick-me-ups after a long haul of flights.

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2. Palm Beach Coconut and Lime Candle

At the moment, I am currently obsessing over the range of Palm Beach candles. Actually before I received this sample, I had already bought myself the bigger version in Wild Peony. It makes my room smell like a fresh bunch of flowers. The coconut and lime scent is just as good. Perfect size to sit on my tiny bathroom bench, and I love showering with a gorgeous tropical fragrance in the air!

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3. Echolife Cold Pressed Certified Organic Rosehip Oil

For those of you who don’t use or own any form of serum, I recommend this organic cold pressed rosehip oil. I’ll admit though, I had never tried rosehip in the form of oil before receiving this sample. I tried it after cleansing and exfoliating, then I placed two drops in the palm of my hand and gently pressed it on my face before bedtime. When I woke up, my skin appeared more smooth and hydrated, a winner product and a new step in my beauty regime.

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4. OPI Samoan Sand

Big fan of OPI and their colour range, but I have to tip my hat off at them once more, Samoan Sand is the perfect colour for my skin tone. It’s the natural look without being too pink, and corporate enough to wear in the office. I feel like this is going to be one of my go to colours when I don’t know what to wear on my nails.

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5. Bobbi Brown Lipstick in Salmon

Ah, as a recent convert to Bobbi Brown, this colour is perfect for summer, otherwise described as a pale peach, it’s just that right amount of splash of colour to add to your outfit. I love the feel of their lipsticks that contain Vitamin E, C and bees wax, it doesn’t feel dry and the colour has incredible staying power.

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And last but not least, a snapshot of my beauty haul. (Flowers not included!) I’m sure I’ll have new favourites next week when I finish going through them all!

Reviews by Kelly-Anne, graphic designer & beach lover.

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I love trying new skincare and when the chance to try something that claims to be “Nature’s Botox Alternative” I got a little excited. Since turning the big 30 last year I’ve been more attentive to products with anti-ageing ingredients to keep me looking as young as possible!

The Lapurete range is said to target all signs of ageing including; expression lines, sagging skin, age spots, dryness, eye bags, dark circles, enlarged pores and UVA damage. Whilst I certainly don’t have all these skin concerns I figure prevention is better than a cure!

Okuru plant being harvested

The magic ingredient that Lapurete use is Okuru, a plant grown in Africa that has been used for centuries for it’s nutritional and healing benefits. Lapurete’s research has found that the peptides contained in the seeds can minimise expression lines in a similar way to Botox, without the need for injections!

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The Protective Day Crème that I trialed contains the Okuru plus Sweet Pea and Marine extracts to increase firmness and elasticity of the skin. The crème itself is light and pleasantly fragranced. It seemed to moisturise and hydrate my skin well without making me too oily. I would say it’s suitable for most skin types, except really oily. Whilst I don’t have any major skincare concerns such as fine lines and sagging I did find that after using daily it did seem to brighten my complexion, freshen and smooth my skin. The two bonuses for me were that it contained UVA defense (if you’re outside for long periods I would still wear a broad spectrum sunscreen!) and it had no nasty ingredients such as parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, and petrochemicals (a super plus for me!).

The full set of Lapurete prodz

Whether it lived up to it’s claim of being “Natures Botox” I’m still not sure yet. Maybe I need to use it a little longer, or fingers crossed it’s because I don’t need botox yet. But I know that I would rather try a topical cream that costs way less than expensive and invasive needles first.

What would you rather do?

Check out the full Okuru range at www.lapurete.com.au and at major pharmacies.

RRP is $59.95.

Review by Hannah L, smoothie-ing her way to good health!

Be well,

xoxo

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When Annette first contacted me to tell me about Pure Poppet, a range of play make-up for children, I must admit I nearly jumped for joy.

With two young girls under the age of 8, make-up and face-painting are huge in my house and even though I know there are so many harmful chemicals in most over-the-counter cosmetics there are more times than I’d like to admit that I just give in to the “just let them have fun” …

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My girls’ eyes lit up from the moment they unwrapped the parcel, which I must say arrived in record time, especially considering it was the week of Christmas, the packaging is bright, colourful and everything a little girl could want for.

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Obviously they wanted to play around with it straight away and I needed little convincing, so armed with their make-up kit and a room full of dress ups they went to work on turning themselves into beautiful princesses.

The colours included in the kit were 5 little pots of powdered colour, purple, pink, blue, green and yellow – all bright and shimmery, application sponges, 2 lip balms and a floral water spray.

Being mineral make-up the powder was slightly messier than the traditional block make-up but nothing a dustpan and a broom couldn’t take care of.

The best thing about it (from a mum’s point of view) was how easy it was to remove that night, warm water and a facecloth and it was taken care of in less than a minute.

My only regret is that I forgot to take photos of the little princesses.

A week later we decided it was time for the face-painting test. As seasoned face-paintees I was slightly apprehensive that my skills would be mocked, or at the very least elicit looks of disappointment, so I spent the first five minutes explaining to my darling daughters that mummy is NOT a professional face-painter and it’s NOT going to look the way it does when they have their faces done by the proper face-painters. I was also very clear that only simple designs would be accepted.

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Thankfully my 8 year old requested suns and a flower and my four year old a caterpillar on one cheek and the butterfly it turns into on the other.

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With a little bit of water mixed with the powder the face-painting was much easier than I expected and smiles were experienced by all, my husband even asked if I was expanding into a new line of work!

It did wear off a little quicker than traditional face-paint, which in my opinion is actually a good thing. And again, the best part to me was the ease of removal.

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I also really like that the emphasis is on play and fun, rather than needing make-up to be pretty.

Price: The cost for the kit is $39.95 plus postage, which is great as these pots will last for ages. Available from the Pure Poppet website.

I’d love to know how you feel about the chemicals in your child’s play make-up, is it a big concern to you? Or do you think it’s not that big a deal?

Review by Chizelle S Salter, Mother of 3 beautiful girls, Writer and Hostess of Chizelle TV

Be well,

xoxo

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For someone who runs a website like this one, I really am quite abysmal at getting my hair cut and maintained to a pleasing standard. Massages, exercise classes, buying my lunch and restaurant dinners seem to drain the majority of my “extra money”, while my hair gets left being swooped up in a simple high pony tail day after day, only occasionally being privy to a hair straightener.

This year, I’m determined to make an extra effort to have “babe hair” more often than not, so with that in mind I headed down to Element Aveda Concept Salon in Subiaco for a cut, colour, blowdry & style AKA a complete overhaul. I had a 60′s themed night out planned too, so I was especially excited to have my hair styled.

When I phoned up to book the appointment I was a bit nervous, as I always am with hairdressers, but the guy who answered the phone was great and managed to book me in with Bree, the Creative Director for my whole sesh. Note to the uninitiated: seeing the Creative Director usually costs a bit of extra moolah, luckily for me it was worth it in this case!

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With my long scraggly mop in tow, I was greeted with cups of Aveda tea (so yummy once you get used to the unique taste!), hand massages and the signature “blue oil massage”. Bree and I decided to go with a chestnut colour, which has the gentlest of red tints to it, similar to my own hair colour but just a bit more oomph. Love the colour, but next time I think I will be a little more daring!

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For the cut, I wanted quite a bit off, but still a longish side fringe and the ability to make it a lil wavy. Check, check, check. Bree delivered all this and more and was fun to talk to. I ended up with an Alexa Chung-esque long bob with waves which I digged, and she even gave me a mini lesson on how to create GHD waves on my own… which I’ll try soon!

The whole experience was about 2 & 1/2 hours, and everyone was super friendly, I was kept hydrated and…THERE WAS A PUG IN THE SALON!

This certainly was a plus for me as I am wild about pups.

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I purchased the Aveda Brilliant Hair Spray ($39.95) which makes hair super shiny, gives a medium hold & contains black tea, certified organic chamomile, aloe and more! I found it kept my waves in well throughout a night of 60′s dancing!

So without further words…

Tah dah. New hair.

The total cost for my wash, cut, colour, blowdry/style & Brilliant Shine Hairspray was $265.

I will definitely be back!

Element Aveda Concept Salon
17 Rokeby Rd Subiaco WA 6008
(08) 9382 3004

Do you like the short hair or the long hair?! Love to hear your thoughts!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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Have you, like me, made a New Year’s resolution that involves getting healthier, fitter and avoiding stuffing your mouth with sugar/junk/fun stuff?

If so, here’s a product that can help satisfy those pesky cravings for a Cadbury family block just by licking your lips.

Jane Iredale does lovely make up that is kind to your skin and packed with loads of ingredients that are easy to pronounce (a great sign you’re not working with nasty chemicals).

Now Jane Iredale has combined two of my favourite things: natural skin care and chocolate.

The Chocoholicks Lip Palette is packed with natural ingredients like avocado oil, shea butter, cocoa extract and jojoba seed oil.

Everything about these little beauties is so “sweet”! As the box says: “révélez votre sensualité” or “unwrap the decadence”. Oh I will, Jane, I will.

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The Chocoholicks “bar” I got had some classic chocolate combinations:

♥ Chocolate & Blood Orange – A coppery tone
♥ Chocolate & Espresso – A reddish brown which would look hot over nude lips on olive skin
♥ Chocolate & Berries (drool) – A plum tone
♥ Chocolate & Chilli Pepper – A pinky red tone for the snow queens out there

They come in a handy purse-friendly palette with a lip brush so you can smother on the good stuff wherever you are.

What I loved about these was that they smelled so true to the real thing! Each flavour was so distinct and scrumptious before they’d even hit my lips.

Each colour is unique with a bit of sparkle. The shimmer is noticeable but doesn’t look like you’ve dipped your lips in glitter. However, if you really hate the grainy feeling shimmer glosses give when you rub your lips together, these probably aren’t the glosses for you.

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While the colours are technically sheer, over a nude pencil they work a treat, (I’m currently loving the look of the Bobbi Brown Lip Liner in Sandwash Tulle). I also found each flavour gave my lips a little zing which felt refreshing!

The palette contains colours suited to most skin tones. Considering I’m pastier than Casper, I wasn’t sure the rich browny orange tones would work with my skin. For me, a sheer slick of Blood Orange and Chilli Pepper suited me best, while Espresso and Very Berry would probably suit darker and/or warmer skin tones.

No matter what your flavour is, these glosses will get you through the new year with a lip-smackingly natural pout!

Available from Adore Beauty – even better, it’s on sale for $35 down from $50 as at posting! Yippee!

Review by Gemma Clark, member of Chocoholics Anonymous and lover of all things deliciously natural.

Be well,

xoxo

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Body grossout is the best kind of high school fun – remember that scene in The Breakfast Club where Ali delights in shaking her dandruff out onto her notebook?

As a high schooler, I myself would take great joy in ignoring the ineffectual ramblings of my teachers and focusing on more mesmerising activities, like pinching my thick black girls’ school uniform stockings and watching bits of dead skin come through the stockings’ porous fabric. Nothing pleased me more than watching the tiny white particles explode and mingle with all the dust already in the air.

Nowadays, I have the increased body self-consciousness one lacks as a 16 year old: the thought of dry, scaly legs certainly doesn’t delight me in the way it did back then, in fact, probably quite the opposite! I pretty much always have a pump pack of affordable moisturiser in my bathroom I slather on my pins post-shower to avoid scaly legs. I like moisturisers that are not too thick so they spread easily and absorb quickly, so you can pull on your leggings without them sticking mid thigh to your slimy legs. As you can see, I equate keeping my skin hydrated with light moisturisers – I had not, until recently, considered using a body oil for the same purpose.

Rosehips!

I recently trialled Busby’s Pure Tissue Oil, a mix of grape seed oil, rose hip oil, vitamin E and avocado oil, and am definitely more appreciative of the beneficial properties of oil, in my case, in the place of a moisturiser.

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I tested it on my legs (dehydrated skin) for just over a month, and also used it on my chest area in the hope of reducing some minor stretch marks. The oil comes in a pump pack (which made me happy – I don’t have enough ‘getting ready’ time to put aside for a screw top! The packaging is fully recyclable, too) and is really light – I would say it absorbs just as fast as my regular body moisturiser. While it does leave a nice sheen on your legs, it’s not a slimy one, nor one that soaks into your pants – it soaks into your skin only.

After using the oil for over a month, post-showers, the condition of the skin on my legs is pretty great – taught, smooth to the touch, hydrated. As to the stretch marks, I’ve experienced only a minor reduction in their appearance – but perhaps upping the application to twice a day or more might be more effective.

Something definitely worth noting in regards to the Busby Pure Tissue Oil is that it’s super natural: it’s not tested on animals, contains no animal derivatives, no artificial colourants, no parabens, no petrochemicals and no preservatives. I am a regular user of Bio-Oil, which I have found very effective in reducing a problem blemish area on my chin, as well as tightening up and reducing cellulite on the skin on the back of my thighs. However, for its many great properties, Bio-Oil does contain mineral oil, which is a petro-chemical derivative and is harmful to the skin. The Busby oil, however, contains no petrochemicals or mineral oils, so it’s definitely worth looking into as a substitute for Bio-Oil if you’re a fan of the latter.

Busby Pure Tissue Oil is $17.95 for 100ml and is available at most pharmacies or call 1800 655 841 for stockists in your area.

Review by Danielle M, editor @ The Thousands Perth City Guide.

Be well,

xoxo

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QV Skincare have done something marginally wonderful in recent years: they’ve branched, and reinvented, and started to carve out a place for themselves beyond the moderately daggy babies-and-skin-problems niche.

QV Purifying Mask

This mask is a creamy, very pale brown, smells faintly of clay (surprise) and is one of the maybe three masks I’ve ever used that didn’t immediately have some stingage as it went onto my skin. It’s so mild I can actually layer it on right up to the edge of my nostrils, i.e. one of my really sensitive areas.

It does this thing, initially that makes me squirm like an idiot – it tickles. Luckily this stage passes fairly fast, and when it dries, you’ll have a vision of your older self when you look into the mirror. It dries sort of translucent, but hugs into your wrinkles and dries you out. With this mask on, I can guarantee you’ll look older – but not bad enough for it to immediately register that you’re wearing a mask. This mask has spooked the bejesus out of my boyfriend, lets put it that way.

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I find it’s best removed with a wet flannel – lukewarm water is fine, warm would be nice in winter – and be prepared to rinse that poor towel within an inch of it’s life. Kaolin clay clings to material like you would not believe.

The mask seems to operate primarily as a neutralizer – on my oily, blotchy and occasionally pimply skin, it calms, de-oils, reduces inflammation and leaves my skin soft and smooth. In drier gals, it seems to add some moisture and plump up the skin. It’s also so incredibly hypoallergenic you could use it every day, and wetting your face beforehand will ensure you need very little for a lot of effect. Awesome stuff.

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♥ QV day cream with SPF 30+

Oily ladies have a perpetual issue – sunscreen. Because we have to wear it, especially us Australians, especially us ultra pale motherland Australians. And sunscreen, by design, is oily. And because it’s loaded with zinc oxide (the bit in sunscreen that does the sunscreening) which blocks the pores it can cause breakouts, blackheads, and make your poor face sweat horribly. And no one wants a sweaty face. No one.

I’ve been battling the sunscreen issue for years now, and seem to have sidestepped it totally by just not going into natural light between 10am and 4pm, but I know it’s not addressing the issue, and ultimately I need a sunscreen. I have met the occasional marginally successful foundation with a 15+, which is probably fine for most parts of the world, but for Australia? You really need to start at 30+.

So QV’s day cream with SPF 30+ is a small miracle. It’s not 100% there – I do need to point that out – but it’s damn close, doesn’t irritate or break me out, and leaves no white cast. And it doesn’t interfere with my makeup application, and in fact I struggle to put on makeup properly without it. It leaves just the right amount of slip on my skin for easy application, and a little bit goes a long way. For those with facial sunscreen issues, I’d suggest giving this a whirl. It’s a cheap gamble and I guarantee that at the very worst, nothing bad will happen. Bless these baby-friendly products.

If you’re in the unenviable position of being sensitive skinned, or excessively anything (oily, dry, you know), I can’t stress how much it’s worth paying some attention to QV and their Face line. And even if you’re not – sometimes you need a basic scentless, cheap, stable product, and these are totally that.

Surely I’m not the only oily-as-sin pale lady? How have you coped with your skincare as the months have gotten warmer?

Review by Suzanne from Don’t They Know Who I Am? A highly silly and irreverent beauty and skincare romp. Come and visit Suzanne for indie, drugstore and high-end cosmetics and skincare. And the occasional unrelated rant. Or else follow on @HogSandwich for daily tomfoolery!

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There’s a lotta love to be had for products that have more than one use, not only do you save money and time, but you also save on precious bathroom bench space, something which is worth an increasing amount these days!

Here are my three current favourites:

♥ Jane Iredale Antioxidant Spray

Packed full of antioxidants and smelling like delicious oranges/tangerines, this product has a lot more uses than just pepping up your face on a hot day.

♥ Sets mineral makeup, of which Jane Iredale produce some pretty awesome varieties.
♥ Use to wet brushes to use with eyeshadow and make liquid liner, genius!
♥ Spritz over hair to control static.

The great news is that you can do all of this while smelling like summery citrus fruits. RRP $39.

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♥ Essential Kit Multipurpose Wonder Balm

This stuff beats regular paw paw balm any.day! It’s certified organic, smells absolutely amazing – kinda like a chocolate orange, and 100% of the ingredients are from a natural origin. Plus NO animal testing or animal products and it’s made in Australia! SIGN ME UP It even tastes yummy… should you accidentally (or not so accidentally) lick your lips.

Can be used for…

♥ Lip balm, smoothing eyebrows, giving your cheeks a highlighted glow, moisturising nails & cuticles, a thick body moisturiser, smoothing flyaways, soothes dry heels, protecting cuts, shaving… AND under wetsuits on long swims apparently!!!

It’s fast becoming a staple and comes with me everywhere. So much love! RRP $22.95.

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♥ Tisserand Ethically Harvested Lavender Oil

I’ve only just started to really get into essential oils and candles, but have always had a soft spot for lavender. Ah, quell-er of stresses, easer of sleeps! It’s always been good to me, and I’ve recently discovered that it has a lot more uses than I initially thought, lets have a look:

♥ A natural way to take the sting out of burns
♥ Super successful zit zapper – have been hitting this one up a lot lately, and it’s working!
♥ 6 drops on a damp flannel to help a headache
♥ Disinfectant for cuts & to help new skin grow
♥ And of course, a few drops on the pillow to de-stress & help you fall asleep

What are your favourite multi-tasking beauty & wellness products? Share with us below!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo