Posts belonging to Category 'Products'

Where to Find Local Honey in Perth.

The bee is one of the most important creatures on the planet: we rely on bees to pollinate around one third of the plants we eat, with ecosystems around the world depending on them for balance and survival.

One Perth local, Blaine Campbell, experienced their magic first hand. She cultivated a beautiful vegetable garden at home with one problem, there were no veggies! Her husband Tristan suggested a beehive for pollination, sending Blaine into a two year spiral of researching and reading beekeeping books before she ordered her first hive in 2010. Fast forward a year and her garden was laden with veggies and the pair launched Honey I’m Home, selling raw honey from their own and other Western Australian apiaries.

Honey possesses naturally occurring antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that promote healing and can reduce infections. This is measured on what’s called a Total Activity Scale, with high TA rated honey excellent for sore throats, mouth ulcers and even used for topical medicinal use. There is also evidence to show that consuming honey from your local area can help prevent hayfever (and that’s a big win in my ever-watering eyes!)

Honey is influenced by the surrounding flora, meaning not only that honey flavour can vary greatly depending on where it has come from, but the honey produced by a single hive can have a different taste from one harvest to another. “Being an apiarist makes you look up. Literally,” says Blaine. “You notice the flowers, how many there are, and where they are flowering. You look at the clouds and consider how that will affect your beekeeping day, the bees and the honeys they will make.”

Whilst global bee populations are being threatened by colony collapse disorder, thanks to our strict bio-security laws the Western Australian bee population is the healthiest in the world. It’s vital that we protect it, and one way to do so is to support our local apiarists. Imported honey is often not 100% honey, despite being marketed as such. It can include antibiotics, be mixed with corn syrup or other fillers. If you want to know exactly what you’re getting, as well as keeping those food miles to a minimum, nothing beats buying from the source!

“However the bees make the honey is how you will get it,” explains Blaine; the Campbells’ honey is 100% pure, cold extracted honey, without being homogenised, pasteurised, micro-filtered or blended.

You might also have seen Postcode Honey at your local gourmet supermarket. With the hive’s location apparent from the postcode emblazoned on the front of the jar, it’s clear how few food miles this honey has clocked. Postcode Honey was launched by John Faherty back in 2014 when he quit his day job to set up the business with a goal to represent every postcode in and around Perth. Though the number fluctuates seasonally, 75 different postcodes are currently represented. Head here for a full list of stockists.

I first discovered Small Batch Honey by chance – I parked my car out the front of their residence and saw someone rounding the corner in full beekeeping get-up. How could I resist grabbing one of the jars for sale on their doorstep? It’s worth a detour past their Mt Lawley abode, but make sure you bring cash to leave in exchange for your jar. Get in touch with Small Batch and request their address through their Facebook page.

For me, a trip to the Swan Valley is not complete without stopping in at The House of Honey. If I am hosting visitors to Perth then all the better – local honey makes an ideal souvenir or gift for them to take home! The House of Honey is an experience: you’re invited to taste a raft of different honey types, check out bees in action at their observation hive, as well as take a seat at the Sticky Spoon Café and refuel with afternoon tea where the honey ice cream comes highly recommended. You can even participate in a mead tasting, to spice up your valley wine tour.

Beautiful honeycomb is the specialty of Bayswater based business, Pure Naked Honey. As well as the goodness of the magnificent raw honey inside the comb, the actual comb part is highly nutritious itself – not to mention it looks great on a grazing board! Locate Pure Naked Honey products through their stockist map.

If you’re heading out of town, West Coast Honey in Gingin will delight you with free honey tastings and a live bee display. Take time out with a coffee and a slice of their layered honey cake, and if you are lucky enough to drop by when the plant is in action, you can watch the honey extraction process too!

Want more? Try More than Honey for honeycomb sections and raw honey jars, Sticky Goodness for unique products like honey jar wedding favours, and head to Bee the Cure Honey Map to browse your area for more small producers.

Got any local / organic honey recommendations or any burning bee questions? Let us know in the comments!

Article lovingly written by Claire Trolio. She sells nice things at her shop Ruck Rover General Store in Northbridge – check it out 🙂

My Three Favourite Cleansers this Winter.

When the weather starts to get chilly, my skincare tends to need a bit of a switch up in order to prevent dry & flaky skin. And it has sure been cold and rainy the past few weeks!

I currently have three cleansers in my kit that I wanted to share with you because they are all FANTASTIC, and I use them in different ways depending on how my skin is behaving on any given day. I would love to hear what your favourite Autumn / Winter / cooler weather cleansers are, so please leave a comment below to let me know!

ESK Hydroxy Cleanser

ESK, or Evidence Skincare, is a results-based, cruelty-free skincare range and I am absolutely obsessed with their Hydroxy Cleanser.

I’ve never experimented much with Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids (which are meant to be incredible for your skin, according to the likes of Zoe Foster-Blake and many others), and this cleanser contains both.

What does this mean exactly? Well, according to Adore Beauty, Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) are water-soluble, so they dissolve surface level dirt and some dead skin cells – revealing smoother skin below and assisting with reducing fine lines.

Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) on the other hand are oil-soluble so they can unclog pores (!!!) and assist with acne prone skin, making this cleanser a winner for many age groups.

Over a month or so this cleanser made my skin supppppper smooth, and dare I say it – better than ever? I use the ESK cleanser every evening and every second morning to dissolve away any dirt, makeup, pore gunk & dead skin cells and it is honestly working wonders – I think it may be the best cleanser I’ve ever used.

Highly, HIGHLY recommend giving this one a go if your skin is dull, ageing, or acne prone.

The Hydroxy Cleanser is $45 direct from the ESK website.

Antipodes Juliet Skin-Brightening Gel Cleanser

I’ve been using this one for a while now, and its yummy fruity scent is always welcome when I pop the cap. Packed full of kiwi fruit, Manuka honey, and grape extracts, this certified organic cleanser is more suited to oily skin types, and I tend to use it every second morning when I want to give my skin a more gentle cleanse or if I’m feeling a bit oily.

Highly recommended if you’re looking for a light, gentle, organic cleanser that is non-stripping and suitable for oilier skin types.

Available from Adore Beauty for $35.50.

House of Immortelle Gentle Cleansing Oil

Oil cleansers are all the rage at the moment, they feel amazing on the skin, are especially good in winter, and – most importantly – they deliver fantastic results.

My current favourite is this Gentle Cleansing Oil which has a grapeseed & almond oil base. I call this bad boy in when my skin REALLY needs some extra nourishing, or if I have a full face of makeup to take off.

The best way to describe it is that it really feels like you are nourishing each and every cell when you massage it into your face. Dirt, oils & makeup are all magically dissolved by the oil, and when you wipe it off with a face washer / flannel you’re left with ultra soft, beaming skin.

My favourite mini ritual on a Sunday evening is a deep oil cleanse, followed by the ESK cleanser, and finished off with The Ordinary Hyaluronic Serum to lock it all in. It’s a bit of a pick and mix routine, but one I currently swear by!

The Gentle Cleansing Oil is available from the House of Immortelle website for $29.98.

Looking forward to hearing what your favourite cool weather cleansers are!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

My Favourite Skincare Product of 2020 So Far.

♥ Check out that PUMP!

I don’t think I’ve ever been excited about a pump before. A pumpkin spice latte, sure, but a pump on a beauty product? No.

Biossance 100% Squalane Oil is the owner of this much-heralded – by me – pump, and the product itself is a triple threat as it’s an insanely nourishing oil that’s suitable for body, face AND hair, plus is shark-friendly and 100% vegan.

The pump is the perfect size for your finger to press, and delicate enough to allow precise distribution of this nourishing oil. Seriously, this bad boy is ergonomic. I honestly feel like thousands of hours have gone into the creation of this DREAM PUMP. I’m going to stop ranting about it now, because it’s honestly getting a little weird, but suffice to say once this bottle runs out I Will Most Definitely Be using it for any other oils that I have that happen to be housed in inferior packaging.

Pumps aside, the other thing I love about this oil is that there are no preservatives, it’s 100% squalane, and at 100ml it’s extremely generously sized so you can go bananas and not scrimp on slathering your face and body with it.

Many forms of squalane are derived from shark livers, yes really, and as someone who tries to live a cruelty free life to the best of my ability I have absolutely NO interest in that, and hopefully you feel the same way. Biossance claims to save over 2 million sharks per year via their sugarcane-derived method of squalane extraction and frankly I’m here for it.

I like to use this product in the evening post-cleansing and exfoliating. I spend some time slowly massaging it into my face after a warm shower, then massage my breasts, hands, elbows, feet (pop on some socks after for extra benefit) and any other dry spots. Due to how lightweight this oil is a little goes a long way, which makes it even better value for money. And did I mention the glow? How could I not. You’ll wake up in the morning with perfectly plump, hydrated skin – and knowing it’s from a product that’s 100% natural will only make you even happier about it.

For me, this oil is now a must-have in my nightly routine. Find it online at sephora.com.au for $50 AUD.

How a Cult Skincare Company Transitioned to Being a Fully Vegan Brand.

Medik8 is a brand I’ve known about for some time now, having first come across them at Mi:skn Clinic, where their products are used post-Omnilux (you can read more about my experience with that here!). Having always been a high-end, cosmeceutical brand since inception, I assumed that Medik8 being 100% vegan was probably out of the question, however they have always been cruelty free which is hugely important to me.

Recently, Medik8 made the transition to becoming fully vegan – and I wanted to dig in and find out more behind the decision & what exactly was involved, so we spoke to Director of Research at Medik8, Daniel Isaacs. Read on to discover more about the brand’s fascinating journey!

Can you share a little bit about how Medik8 started and the story behind the decision to create the business?

Medik8 was born out of a passion to deliver the benefits of serious skincare science without needing to compromise on the demand for ethics, transparency, sustainability and beautiful textures and fragrances found in natural brands. Elliot Isaac’s mission (founder of Medik8) was, and still is, to demystify the anti-ageing skincare industry with his trademark CSA Philosophy of ‘vitamin C plus sunscreen by day, and vitamin A by night’. This simplicity plus the end of choosing between results or experience is the secret to Medik8’s success.

What was behind your decision to transition to a 100% vegan skincare company?

Over the last 5 years, veganism has become a growing movement. This lifestyle extends way beyond just a diet. It involves what cosmetics you use, what household products you buy or the clothes you wear, to name but a few. In the UK alone, the number of vegans has quadrupled over the last four years. The reasons why are clear; according to The Vegan Society if the world went vegan, it could save 8 million human lives by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds, and avoid climate damages of $1.5 trillion.[1]

With consumers becoming increasingly conscious of whether a product has been derived from an animal byproduct or not, vegan beauty products make it simple and provide a guilt-free moment of indulgence. You can also rest assured that Medik8 do not test on animals nor ask others to test for us. This includes finished products and products within development or production, as well as ingredients used within our products. We are animal lovers and look forward to the day when animal testing is banned worldwide forever.

Vegan beauty is a no-brainer. Better for the planet, 100% cruelty free and often of higher quality, vegan products are exceptionally easy to swap to and you don’t lose any efficacy with the product.

Were you driven by your customers / social media to make the change?

We have always had a huge Vegan following and always listen to our fans, but ultimately this is something close to our hearts and at Medik8 we wanted to take full responsibility for our actions. We understand that having a beauty regime filled with vegan skincare is beneficial for the planet and your skin.

What is the process involved for Medik8 in transitioning to being a fully vegan brand?

We conducted a full audit of all our products in 2018 and discovered that only 5 of our products were not vegan. This was due to some legacy formulas containing ingredients like yoghurt. We then set ourselves the goal of making every single Medik8 product completely vegan by the end of 2019, which we have achieved.

Our Ultimate Recovery Intense is a rich, restorative cream for dry, compromised and post-treatment skin. It used to contain silk serica (derived from the silkworm), which we replaced for allantoin. Allantoin is a natural component in comfrey root, which helps to support natural wound healing, speeding up skin renewal and softening the skin.

Advanced Night Restore is a deeply hydrating cream that works while you sleep, featuring an intelligent moisturisation complex of ceramide, fatty acids and (non-vegan) cholesterol. We now use a combination of synthetic cholesterol and a plant-derived form of cholesterol called phytosterol. Phytosterol gives structure to the plant’s cell membrane the same way cholesterol does for our skin. They both function similarly in enhancing the skin’s natural lipid barrier to lock in hydration.

Balance Moisturiser uses a high-performance blend of prebiotics and probiotics to rebalance the skin’s natural microbiome, promoting a healthy-looking, radiant complexion. While the probiotics were previously based on fermented milk-derived lactobacillus, they are now obtained from the fermentation of plant-based lactobacillus extracts – 100% vegan!

We also removed beeswax from our White Balance Overnight Repair and replacing it with vegan emulsifiers, plus removing non-vegan yoghurt extract from our Surface Radiance Cleanse.

What would you say to other businesses considering making the switch?

As a brand we have a responsibility to our planet and our customers, we believe everyone should be taking the steps to better themselves and be transparent with their consumers.

Thanks to Daniel for taking part in this interview with us! If you’d like to find out more about Medik8, hop on over to their website, Facebook or Instagram.

Beauty & Wellness Crushes: Light Illusion Vegan Foundation & Personal Training.

Flower Beauty – Light Illusion Vegan Foundation – $13.99

Drew Barrymore’s brand new vegan ‘Flower’ beauty range, available from Chemist Warehouse, has hands down been my beauty find of the past 12 months. I’m absolutely OBSESSED with the Light Illusion foundation – my shade is Porcelain. After years of spending $50-$100 on foundations, I am floored to have found something that’s cruelty-free, vegan, a perfect match to my skin tone, generously sized (lasts approx 2 months with daily use for me) AND just $13.99?!?!

The Light Illusion Foundation range has 15 shades and is WELL worth the effort to pop into a Chemist Warehouse and see if you can find a match. My skin is notoriously hard to match and I got one first go, so miracles do happen.

I feel like I’m in a dream I don’t want to wake up from. I pray this foundation never gets discontinued because it is just that good, and it’s saving me a tonne of money. And don’t even get me started on the lipsticks – more info on these coming soon!

♥ My Personal Trainer, Amy Richards

Dragging myself out of bed in the wee hours of the morning in order to better myself has never, and I mean never, been my forte, but I know I’m at my physical and mental best when someone is kindly forcing me to do exercises that are specifically tailored to my body and goals. Enter twice weekly 7am / 8am personal training sessions with Amy Richards for the past 6 months or so.

Now I will be the first to admit that I’m probably not anyones “ideal” personal training client. I don’t like working out very hard and often adopt the mindset of “well, I’m out of bed at a ridiculous hour so anything else is a bonus, I’ll just take it easy”. I’m also a mild whinger but trying to be better – haha. Anyway, since seeing the lovely Amy since June 2019 – once a week at first, and more recently twice a week – which is when I have really seen results ramp up. In this time I have gotten much fitter and stronger, seen a dramatic improvement in my body shape & tone (hi perky butt, hi fitting into old clothes), as well as improved mental health.

For anyone who has health & fitness goals on their 2020 to-do list, and perhaps like me has a bit of trouble with personal fitness motivation, I would highly recommend seeing a PT at least once a week – and can definitely recommend Amy! Check her out here.

I’d love to hear what you are crushing on at the moment! Hop on over to our Instagram page and let me know, or leave a comment below!

Be well,

xoxo

Annette