♥ sprouts ♥

Today Wellness WA went shopping & picked up a few handy dandy bits ‘n pieces to keep us glowing & healthy during this silliest of seasons.

♥ Jojoba Oil

This stuff is a delight, but it’s pretty expensive as far as natural oils go. I bought a little 25 ml bottle by the brand Tri Natural which cost about $10, the good thing is that you usually only need a few tiny drops for most of it’s uses!

Gala Darling wrote an article on her experience with Jojoba Oil & it’s benefits, entitled Jojoba Oil is the Elixer of the Gods. She’s probably right.

♥ Sprouts

These little buddies have just been thrown back on my radar by the ever lovely Em of The Raw Kitchen. She grows her own sprouts (cool or what?) and apparently eats them all day long! From the photos I have seen she is a bastion of glowing skin & her energy is amazing.

Because sprouts are in effect still growing when we consume them, they retain a lot of active vitamins, minerals and enzymes – things that are lost during cooking / preservation. This is fabulous for you and your body.

Today I purchased a pack of alfalfa & brocolli sprouts. YUM. I previously made the grave error of buying a ‘salad pack’ which comprised of three sprout varieties, one being radish.

I absolutely cannot handle anything hot & spicy so this made me gasp for water repeatedly & randomly whilst eating. Not the best! Learn from my misfortune if you feel you may be the same…

♥ Avocado

One of my top culinary loves. I swear by this for glowing skin if 2 x avocados are eaten weekly. Unfortunately I don’t always get around to doing this, it’s something I’m working on!

Besides this, they are delicious and great for the heart, joints, hair…pretty much everything! If you are watching your weight don’t eat -too- many as they are quite high in (good) fats.

♥ Frozen Mixed Berries

Another favourite of mine. So delicious & so good for you. Most common uses for me are:

– on top of porridge
– in a vanilla or chocolate soy smoothie
– in a green smoothie

I plan to bake a mixed-berry pie one day soon when the heat calms down a bit!

So all this along with going for a nice evening walk tonight and drinking lots of water has put me in a good mood wellness wise.

I’m also reading this great book by the founder of Aveda at the moment.

In the morning I take about 20 minutes to quietly read from it while drinking a cup of green tea, I find it very relaxing; it’s a well written book on the concepts that inspire him & how to incorporate many small wellness ‘rituals’ into your day.

It’s lovely and I really recommend it.

I hope you enjoyed my little shopping list! Let me know if you’d like to read more.

Be well,

xoxo

♥

Diorshow Mascara & YSL Touche Eclat are two of the most coveted & adored beauty products that I can think of.

I own both of them & Touche Eclat in particular has earned me many, many, many compliments with it’s magical dark-circle reducing properties! The Diorshow mascara thickens & lengthens your lashes into the stratosphere. It’s gorgeous & relied upon by thousands of girls for pretty eyes.

SO IMAGINE MY DELIGHT WHEN DISCOVERING THAT BOTH OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOW SELLING FOR DEVASTATINGLY CHEAP PRICES?!?! Touche Eclat usually retails for about $90 but is currently being sold for $29.99. Um, ridiculous!

This is seriously the perfect gift for yourself this X-mas, the only problem is that you will want to buy more than one!

♥ YSL Touche Eclat No. 1 – Suited for light-medium skins with a pinker undertone.

♥ YSL Touche Eclat No. 2 – Shade 2 is suited for paler skins & skins with a yellow undertone. This one is my go-to.

For the absolute perfect way to apply this gem, check out: Zoe’s Blog!

Unfortunately the third shade, which is suitable for much darker skin is unavailable at this very special price.

You can, however, still participate in the magic that is Diorshow!

♥ Diorshow Mascara in Black Out – Also selling for $29.99, it says on the website that the usual going price is $39.99 but I’m pretty certain I’ve paid more than that in store, so it’s more of a bargain than it looks!

Alright! Just wanted to share these delicious bargains with you all. I seriously recommend purchasing them both!

Let me know if you do, or if you love these products as much as I do!

Be well,

xoxo

Given my interest bordering on obsession with the benefits of yoga there are lots of questions that are constantly being thrown my way. While I am always happy to help one-on-one, I thought it might be useful to answer one of the more common questions here!

I really want to get into yoga, what do I need to bring to a class?

There are a few things you may need that you might not have thought of, read on to find out how to construct your very own Perfect Yoga Start-Up Kit!

Note: Though most yoga companies provide the bare essentials for their classes, if they are very popular equipment may run out. The other benefit of having your own gear is hygiene, you’re the only one sweating on it & you know how clean it is.

– Numero Uno! Most importantly you will want a great quality yoga mat. There are mats of varying thickness, you’ll want to choose one that is thick enough to provide some comfort on a hard surface, as well as being non-slip so the mat doesn’t slide around all over the place when you are trying to practice your yoga.

Think about your personality when buying a mat as well, there are plenty of colours to choose from so pick one that will inspire you to be zen, be active or be healthier. My pick are these gorgeous mats that come in an amazing array of colours!

– Next, you’ll want some clothes, though I’m sure there’s naked yoga somewhere in the world, it’s best not to risk it. Maybe a review for another day?!

This is really a personal preference; tight shorts, baggy shorts, track pants, legging style workout gear, singlets, t-shirts – you can really take your pick! Be sure to take the weather into account when choosing what to wear, however make sure you bring a light sweater or blanket along to pop on at the end of class for meditation because your body loses a lot of heat during this time.

For cheap & cheerful opt for K-Mart, Best & Less or Target. If you have money to burn you can head to Lulu Lemon which is a new yoga & sportswear store just opened in the ENX100 building in the city!

– An eye pillow is your next stop. These are FANTASTIC! My favourite types are lightly scented with lavender for extra relaxation and usually filled with rice or seeds to delicately rest on the eyelids, block out light and soothe.

This one looks great: Barefoot Yoga Silk Eye Pillows – with Flax Seed & Lavender Scent!

– You’ll want a water bottle, staying hydrated is super important during yoga so this is a must have! Sure you can grab a plastic bottle from the supermarket, but with health concerns about plastic bottles abound it may be nice to have your own reusable one (stylish, environmentally friendly & good for you!)

This is one of the most popular and well reviewed water bottles on the internet and free from lots of nasties, so well worth a look: CamelBak BPA-Free Better Bottle

– For women and men with long hair, don’t forget to bring a hair tie. Yoga can have you in upside down, inside out poses that you might never have expected and hair can get in the way and be annoying.

– Deodorant. This is most certainly an essential! We’re all working together in a fairly small room usually and while our classmates are generally nice people, we don’t like them enough to endure their body odour. Please don’t forget this!

On the same token, don’t use strong (or any) perfume before coming to class. It spreads throughout the room and can be overpowering. Stick to a neutral deodorant and save the perfume for hot dates 😉

So these are your absolute basics! Depending on different yoga styles (for example, Iyengar) you may need some extra equipment, but it varies from class to class and your instructor can let you know.

Remember that you don’t need to go out any buy any special shoes or socks for yoga because it’s practiced barefoot.

The only other thing you’ll need to bring is a desire to quiet your mind and get a little bit more strength and flexibility. Sorted!

Be well,

xoxo

The birdies that hover over my shoulder telling me little secrets have revealed that a brand new LUSH store has opened its doors in the center of Perth city!

This spells excellent news for those of you who:

A) Love Lush but live nowhere near Garden City, Booragoon which is where the only other W.A store is currently located.
B) Enjoy the smell of sugary-sweet goodness wafting out through the streets, enticing you into the store… yum.
C) Love having luxurious baths, facials, scrubs and treats as much as I do!
D) Are looking for an excellent Christmas gift for your girlfriends, Mum, Sister, secret santa, even boyfriend!

Here are my picks for the silly season!

Let Them Eat Cake Lip Balm – $9.95

Tastes & smells like Christmas cake, bonus points for being vegan. This will result in many tasty mistletoe kissies!

Christmas Eve Bubble Bar – $6.50

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house… people were relaxing in jasmine & ylang ylang scented splendour after taking a bath with this baby. Sparkles included for that extra bit of magic. Sip on some egg-nog whilst bathing to complete the picture.

Secret Santa – $9.50

Oh no! What to buy the faceless name from accounts whom you’ve never met but managed to somehow be allocated for SS?! Never fear, everyone will love this little treat. A cute pudding scented santa bath bomb & snowflake soap. It even comes with a finger puppet! You really can’t lose in the cute & cheap stakes!

Bathtime Favourites Gift – $54.95

And now for the star on top of the tree, the piece-de-resistance, cherry on top of the best Chrissy cake you ever tasted. This my friends is the ultimate Christmas gift and topping my present list this year! 9 delightful bath bombs in all their multi-coloured glory. It even comes with a special tin. Better than biscuits? You bet.

Would love to hear your picks for the season, check out the Lush Website!

The new Lush store can be found here –

Shop 19,Plaza Arcade, 650 Hay Street, Perth
Ph: 08 9325 8974

Be well,

xoxo