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♥ My Diamond Days

I’ve been talking about the benefits of meditation a lot lately, here on Wellness WA, as well as going on about it to my friends a LOT! I’ve also been creating a few little morning rituals for myself – 2 sets of sun salutations followed by a couple of minutes meditating, and it’s incredible how much better I feel on the days that I do this.

If you’d like to start meditating but are not sure how, then you need to check out My Diamond Days, a delicious program which gives you access to a large variety of high-quality guided meditations that you can listen to on your computer, MP3 player or smart phone whenever you want. My Diamond Days sends you a daily email with a new guided meditation, so you never get bored, and there’s such a big variety of meditations that if you’re not so keen on one, then you can easily go through the archives to find one that suits whatever you need at that point in time.

I like to listen to mine before bedtime using their mobile app, that 5 or 10 minutes helps calm my mind and ensure a great nights sleep. Highly recommended! Find out more at www.mydiamonddays.com

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♥ Style Your Hair

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend the launch of a brand new smart phone and tablet app that promises to make the downtime between appointments at the hairdresser less of an ordeal. Enter – Style Your Hair.

Promising to teach you how to whip together a salon-worthy hairstyle in just a few minutes with its easy to follow videos, this app was created by two of the award-winning hairdressers from local salon Chilli Couture.

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There are 67 videos in the paid version ($2.99) and there is also a free lite version which gives you a taste of the program! Available for both iPhone & Android products, this is one to check out if you need a little extra help keeping your follicles in check.

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♥ 2 x Yoga in a Row

While I’m not quite at the level of the lass in the picture above… I’m a pretty big fan of yoga. You might know this by now. If you ever want to have a chat about yoga, get in touch! I’m lucky enough to go to a gym that has fairly plentiful, high-quality yoga offerings available, in fact it was the deciding factor in me signing up! One such yoga offering comes on a Sunday afternoon in the form of two yoga classes in a row. Most people attend one or the other, but there’s a few of us who’ve cottoned on to the fact that each class is different and that double yoga = double the benefits.

I can turn up frazzled and stressed, and walk out of class two hours later with a significantly lighter mind. A cheaper option is to do two different yoga DVD’s in a row – both are sure to have different focuses, and you’ll get a double hit of stress dissolving goodness. Let me know if you try it!

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♥ AEOS Beauty Body Shower

This organic/biodynamic body wash contains the gem & crystal essences. Yep. Amethyst, turquoise, emerald, quartz and more. AEOS stands for Active Energised Organic Skincare, and these guys know how to make some truly great, and very natural, products.

“A gentle cleansing wash for the body, containing a blend of organic and biodynamic essential oils, plant extracts and the energies of gems and crystals. Rich in rosemary, white birch and gardenia to leave the skin feeling fresh and soft, whilst the scent of lemon myrtle transforms your showering ritual in to a refreshing and uplifting experience.”

I’ve been enjoying using this in the mornings, and even though I don’t really know how the whole gemstone/crystal thing works, I can’t help but think it makes my mood a little more sparkly. Available for $18.50 from Be Genki Shop.

What’s making your beauty & wellness world spin this week? Share your crushes below, I’d love to hear them!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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♥ FAB Facial Radiance Pads

These babies are a chemical exfoliant, in an incredibly handsome jar (First Aid Beauty has gorgeous packaging. I appreciate such things). They're intended to be used after cleansing, but as a glycolic product, ultra ultra sensitive types might want to let a bit of time lapse after cleansing before using these. They clarify and brighten and are a joy to use in hot weather since the pads are generously saturated with product. Keep in fridge for optimal awesome. Available in David Jones stores & on the First Aid Beauty webstore (US Site)

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♥ Face of Australia Illuminators

It's hard to downplay the awesomeness of this range (there's four shades) – mixes well with standard moisturisers for a bronzey glow, a tiny bit lends a glossy blush to the cheeks, and the sheer size and value for money factor is astronomical. There's more in these illuminator tubes than most foundations, and at just over $12 a pop they are truly epic. I highly recommend mineral foundation (loose powder) with a dash of this on the cheeks – optimal effect with minimal layers on the skin, which is all for the best in sweatier months. Check it out here.

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♥ Cucumber Slices

It's old, and is likely the absolute first thing your first ever Dolly magazine told you to do. Of course, you could also use teabags instead (I heartily endorse peppermint teabags), and if you've got the time, a cold flannel across your whole face is going to do some pretty wonderful things in terms of de-puffing, de-redding and forestalling your summer lethargy.

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♥ Echolife Facial Mists

While Kosmea's Rosewater Mist is a popular favourite in summer, in terms of value for money I have to hand it to the Echolife range of sprays. There are four types, made to address different skin concerns – Lavender, Rose, Tea Tree and Witch Hazel. I'm a big fan of the lavender, and the 250ml bottle invites more liberal usage than Kosmea's dainty little spray bottle.

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♥ Klorane Dry Shampoo

Plenty of other dry shampoos have sprung up in its wake, but for me Klorane is still the best. Summer is a rough time for hair – you can be freshly washed but still saturated at the roots within an hour, and things like a rough dry towelling and some dry shampoo will do wonders. And also save you having to rewash and blow dry your hair, as blow drying in summer is a torturous and miserable endeavour. Klorane have also recently released a version of their dry shampoo with nettle to address oilier scalps (hoorah!) so those who have written off dry shampoos in the past would do well to reinvestigate!

Do you have a crush on any of these products too, or some crushes of your own? Leave a comment below and share the crush-love!

Crushes by Suzanne from Don’t They Know Who I Am?

Be well,

xoxo

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The first taste of the summer sunshine tells us we’re getting to the pointy end of the year when we start to worry about how our cellulite will look in bathers and we begin ditching tights and boots in favour of cute sandals.

And if you’re like me, the first showing of leg after a long, cold winter might look something like this:

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Okay, maybe not that horrific. But many of us are familiar with our winter pedicures happening only when we can be brave enough to remove our bed socks.

For me, looking down at my freshly pedi’d feet makes me feel instantly more refined and less like a wild, spear-wielding cave woman. Painting my toenails has always been something I’ve done to relieve stress – there’s something about the methodology in achieving a perfect pedi and staring at the pop of nail colour as I paint it on brightens my mood no matter what kind of day I’m having. I’m a big fan of the home pedicure where I know every bit of equipment is hygienic on my tootsies, and I’m also a big fan of anything that makes my DIY pedi easier!

Now, I’ll save you some nausea by not showing you my “before” photos. Let’s just say my feet needed some lovin’ after months of being hidden inside socks, tights, boots and uggs. On a scale of “Fresh Feet” to “Wild, Spear-wielding Cave Woman”, I was probably at “Girl, That’s Nasty [Know What I’m Sayin’?]”.

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Enter Emjoi PediSmooth.

This cute little gadget removes the effort of manually scrubbing your feet with a pumice stone at the push of a button.

The battery-operated PediSmooth has a natural stone roller that spins really, really fast and buffs away coarse, old skin with no effort or pain. The device is comfortable to hold and the roller is big enough to cover a good area, but small enough to maneuver over the natural curvature of the foot. For $29.95, you get the PediSmooth, two white “extremely rough skin” rollers, a pink “rough skin” roller and a brush to remove the build up of er…dust?

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I find the PediSmooth does a good job at “polishing” feet. It definitely makes them smoother and you can see the difference after you’ve used it, but I find it works best if I use it after my foot file (*shudder*) to get ultra smooth and soft feet. That being said, I use the PediSmooth once a week just to keep things in check, and I’ve ignored the finer pink roller that is meant to be used for maintenance. All in all, it does a pretty decent job given the budget-friendly price tag, but my feet need a bit more oomph to get the results I like.

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After my feet are buffed and fresh, I work some body scrub into my feet to really make them sparkle. My favourite is Soap & Glory’s The Breakfast Scrub (RRP $18.95 at Kit Cosmetics). It’s constantly selling like hotcakes at Kit, and probably because it smells like hotcakes. Seriously. It’s like rubbing your feet with warm pancakes, doused in maple syrup and butter and garnished with a big cuddle. This fine sugar scrub leaves skin all over the body super smooth and it’s great for feet because it can get right between your toes but rinses off easily, with no residue.

I pat off my feet, pop on some foot balm (I’m currently using QV Feet Heel Balm – I also smother it on at night and slip on some cotton socks) and prep my nails for some colour. While I was in Kit, I picked up this awesome shade of pink for summer called Let Go. It’s so perfect to add a splash of colour without being too garish!

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The final result is a beach-worthy pedicure that will look smashing in sandals, all without the effort of those pesky pumice stones or buffers!

Emjoi Pedismooth is $29.95 and available through the Emjoi online store!

Tell me… what are your favourite DIY pedicure tricks and tips? Do you have a hero product to get your feet ready for exposure to the outside world? Leave a comment below!

Review by Gemma, our resident pedicure loving PR professional!

Be well,

xoxo

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We are lucky to live in an age where so many of the world’s natural secrets have been revealed. With super foods, unique vitamins and minerals, an abundance of yoga and fitness possibilities, luxurious hair treatments and tasty facial scrubs we are now able to incorporate these secrets into our lives to help us become the best possible version of ourselves. Silica is a secret I’ll pass on to you. It is a scientifically researched ingredient for healthy skin, hair, nails and connective tissue and I was lucky enough to try it in many different forms over the past month.

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♥ QSilica Capsules (Vegetarian)

I started taking these capsules during a warm and wonderful trip to Bali. A month later my skin still feels smooth, with no blemishes and has a tanned glow. It is difficult to say whether this is completely due to the benefits of the QSilica capsules, or a little owing to my normal skin care routine, however I have definitely noticed that my skin is smoother and more resilient to the changing weather. In the hair and nails department I haven’t observed a drastic difference (this could be to only taking them for a month so far), but my nails and hair still feel healthy and strong (hair perhaps a little frizzy due to wind, but sadly Silica can’t fix this ladies!).

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♥ REHYDRATE Energising Facial Mist

I recommend this product as a must have this summer. The light energising facial mist contains silica and aloe vera to aid in calming the skin. I used this in Bali and it became part of my group’s routine to spray this on our faces as we collapsed in our seats after a long day and ordered a fresh mixed juice. Just like the juice it will help refresh and cool you down on a scorching day!

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♥ REPAIR Strengthening Hand and Nail Cream

This is a fantastic hand cream to smother on your hands at night and massage into your well-deserving cuticles.

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I found it perhaps a little too thick to use as an everyday hand cream as it left my hands feeling slightly sticky (only slightly!) but after I used it for the week my hands did feel smoother and cuticles much healthier.

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♥ REMOVE Makeup and Grime Cleansing Gel

This light gel was the perfect end to a long day and maximised the results of taking the Silica capsules for my skin! As I don’t wear a lot of make-up, this light gel worked wonders to cleanse, tone and freshen my skin leaving it feeling clean and smooth. After massaging in rose hip oil and settling down with a herbal tea (Spiced Red Fruits by The English Teashop is my current fav, tastes like hot jelly crystals) my skin has been the best it has in years.

Tell me… have you tried silica for skincare before? I would love to hear anyone else’s experience with this wonder mineral, so leave a comment below!

Written by Jade Jurewicz, new lululemon educator and summer daydreamer (bring back sunshine, mango smoothies and the beach!)

Be well,

xoxo

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♥ ‘The Cure Is…’ Movie

Curling up with a hot cup of herbal tea I couldn’t wait to view this wellness themed film! ‘The Cure Is…’ is an amazingly inspiring film that explores how our thoughts can shape our health and the relationship between the mind and the body in the fight against disease.The film explores the power of positive thinking and optimism, the power of affirmations and forgiveness, the importance of love and self love and presents an amazing discussion on the conscious and sub conscious mind. It finishes with a great discussion on nutrition; the advantages of eating minimally processed wholefoods and concept on eating foods ‘peacefully’.

The underlying message of the film is that the cure for any disease is in you- your own mind! What you do in your own life, what you do in your kitchen, how you exercise, how you think, how you act. If you take care of yourself and do what’s right, you will live a healthy life and you will manifest health. I love it!

The first 30 people to click through this link will get to view the movie for free, if you’re interested in wellbeing it’s a must watch! Check it out here!

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♥ Rawsome Desserts

There is no name better suited to these amazing raw desserts, because that’s what the truly are, awesome! Rawsome is a small raw dessert business run out of North Fremantle. You would never guess it, but all the desserts are sugar free, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, egg free, soy free, and most are vegan. Dessert junkies rejoice!

♥ Photo from the Rawsome Facebook page – YUM!

Providing raw versions of all time favourites such as choc mint slice, lemon meringue pie and cherry ripe, one delicious bite and you’ll be hooked- I swear! Available at Precious Organics in Myaree, Manna Wholefoods in South Freo and Yelo in Mt Hawthorn, in my opinion these are truly the BEST raw desserts in Perth. Combo boxes of raw goodies are also available weekly for $60 (you get approx. 15 treats) and can be ordered directly through the Rawsome Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/gorawsome). My top pic is definitely the banoffee pie… OMR (OHMYRAW) so good!!!

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♥ Lush’s I Love Juicy Shampoo

Mango mango the magical fruit, the more you wash your hair with this, the more you’ll want to eat it (not that I tasted :P). A fruity concoction of mango, kiwi, pineapple and papaya, the I Love Juicy shampoo smells like a bag of lollies and a tropical cocktail got together and made a baby. It made my hair smell delicious for days! Prices start at $10.95 for 100ml. Another mango-y product from the Lush range is the luscious bath melt. Can’t wait to try!

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♥ Coyo Coconut Yoghurt

I probably spent around 20 minutes staring through the refrigerator door trying to deceide what flavour to get when I spotted this at my local health food store 😛 Available at Precious Organics in Myaree and Manna Wholefoods in South Fremantle, I am SO excited that this is finally available to us in the West! Coyo is a coconut milk based yoghurt, so good for those who are lactose intolerant, vegan or trying to avoid dairy.

It’s a little pricey (around $13 for a 400g tub), but is definitely worth every indulgent mouthful! Incredibly smooth and creamy, a little goes a long way. I’ve been adding to my smoothies (see below) and eating straight from the tub with a little massive spoon. Your brain will be telling you to PUT THE COYO DOWN and step away…. your mouth will be telling you otherwise…

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♥ Green Smoothie Love

This is my latest creation. My green smoothie crush will never die 😉

Ingredients:

♥ 1 cup almond milk
♥ 1 cup coconut water
♥ ½ cup frozen mango
♥ 2-3 Tablespoons of CoYo
♥ Handful of spinach (or any other greens)
♥ 1 Tablespoon of MILA (similar to chia seeds. See here for more info)
♥ Vanilla + Cinnamon to taste
♥ Ice

Directions:

Blend. Drink. Bliss!

What’s making your wellness soar this week? Leave a comment below with your own wellness crushes and share the love! X

Crushes by Kavisha, self confessed ‘health foodie’ who believes a little dessert is good for the soul. She is currently studying for her Master of Wellness at RMIT University and blogs at Style My Coconut.