Working from home, I usually prescribe to the same daily uniform: yoga pants and an oversized, el-cheapo fleece hoody. Not exactly glamour. But the kind folk at The Facial Company approached Wellness WA to review their Skype live video consultation service, sending me into a panic because, my god, I may have to brush my hair and slap on a decent top.

However, there was no need to work myself into such a frenzy as founder and beauty expert Darren Clark instantly made me feel at ease via Skype video. After a couple of technical issues, Darren proceeded with the 20 minute consultation, asking me my skin concerns. I have combination skin and no major breakouts and just wanted to look at preventing future breakouts and wrinkles.

Darren also asked me what skin care I was using. My answer: not much, other than a basic pharmacy cleanser and whatever moisturiser sample I find at the bottom of my drawer. I half-expected the hard sell on products stocked on The Facial Company’s web store, but instead was given honest feedback – that the glycolic acid in my current cleanser is an excellent choice in preventing wrinkles (woohoo!). He also suggested a couple of moisturiser options to hydrate my skin and gave informative advice based on what he could see through the video, darkness under the eyes, most likely caused from sitting in front of a computer all day.

This could be you! Lying in bed, getting your skin assessed. You may have to turn on the light though!

Darren also told me about a success story – an older customer who was fed up with her skin woes, testing a heap of products over the years that never seemed to work. In a last bid attempt, she contacted The Facial Company for a 20 minute consultation. Taking Darren’s advice, she tried a few different products and was so impressed with the results that she booked another consultation. She is now truly on the quest for skin perfection that she never thought was possible.

Obviously the great advantage to this system is that you don’t even have to get out of your pjs to receive solid, professional advice. I can see this as a perfect solution to those beauty lovers out there that live in rural areas, or people that may not have access to a big range of skin care products. Also, it’s perfect for guys that want to get into a skin regime without feeling intimidated.

To book a Skype live video consultation, the process is very simple:

♥ Visit the website facialcompany.com.au and click on the Skype live consultations link.
♥ Fill out the form, selecting the date that suits you best and submit.
♥ Pay your $10 (redeemable for any online purchase).
♥ And voila! A team member from The Facial Company will confirm your appointment with you.

You’ll also need to make sure you have a microphone, a web cam, sound, internet access and Skype (which can be downloaded for free). Too easy.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the service but I was really impressed with Darren’s feedback and he’s a lovely guy to boot.

Review by Jess – a chocolate doughnut loving, fashion stylist extraordinaire with an extreme penchant for olives.

Be well,

xoxo

Dear readers: this may well be the Mecca for acrylics! Could this be where my search for the perfect nails ends?

Studio One

U2, 1004A Beaufort St, BEDFORD, WA, 6052

Ph: 9370 2000

What: Permanent French acrylic refills, after 6 weeks’ growth.

This salon came recommended by a friend who has other beauty treatments done here. Imagine my surprise when I walked in and found one of my very first nail techs, who’s now running her own salon. I’d been somewhat lax about booking in to have my refills so by the time I actually went to Studio One, my nails were looking the worse for wear. Emma, ever the consummate professional, was very diplomatic and made a lot of sympathetic noises, like how hard it must have been to wash my hair. (Other acrylic-lovers will know what that’s like when your nails start to lift. They catch in everything!). I felt right at ease.

Service

Between us we had managed to mix up our first appointment but Emma quickly found an alternative spot on what must have been a busy Saturday. The salon itself is comfortable, sunny and faces out onto Beaufort St. (If you’re peckish, there’s a fantastic Indian restaurant next door!). Emma is charming and personable, so there’s no shortage of conversation!

Nail form

The shape was spot on – square without sharp edges. The nails look like a sheet of glass – thin and flat. The proportion of pink to white was also exactly right; that is, about two-thirds pink to a third white. The curve of the crescent is oval – which takes some getting used to, if you’re used to a more round shape – but nevertheless effective.

Technique

The application of the acrylic and creation of the shape is all done with a brush. Electric drills and emery boards are used (your own board is kept in a separate envelope for hygiene). Gel was applied to create a glossy look.

Time

1 hour.

Cost

$70.00 for refills. That’s double the price of some salons. However the products are high quality and non-toxic. (If you haven’t already done so, it’s worth researching the various health risks of the cheaper products. Ultimately, you pay for what you get).

Overall Rating

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ + 1/2 a heart! (4.5)

Review by Bron, whittling down the nail salons til she finds the pinnacle of acrylics.

Be well,

xoxo

Being a guy I haven’t really given much thought to “a proper salon” treatment for my quarterly haircut. It’s always been a “whilst I’m here” type thing. But maybe it’s the fact that I’m getting older or that I keep getting condemned for my bad haircuts. (Always relying on the excuse that the apprentice cut my hair, when really the blonde and pink strips should have been a giveaway that this would be a dire haircut). This brings me to the opposite end of the spectrum and a little salon in Fremantle called Nvmen.

It is nestled on the corner with an old blue/red/white striped pole out the front. Obviously a homage to the ol’ days of barber shop standards. With open doors I was told that my stylist would be a moment and to please take a seat. This place was charming with wooden floors and decor that actually matched. These were nice seats too by the way. The coffee table was littered with everything a man desires, to a certain PG rating of course. James May’s rather luscious hair put second thoughts in my head about the trim I was to receive, but regrettably the hippie era is over.

Photo of James May for reference !

I was first taken to the wash basins. I had my hair washed and my head massaged. The head massages are quite superior and with the added bonus of being in a massage chair, I was on my way to tinsel town. After which I just wanted to go back to bed, but that would defeat my Saturday morning trip. The lovely hairdresser led me to an old school looking barber chair. The only thing I can reference here is like the one in Sweeney Todd. Together we conversed on what style I would like and with the American Crew style guide book in front of me I spun around 10 times, closed my eyes and pointed at a picture that would shape peoples opinion of me for the next 6 months.

After conversations about travel to Vietnam and Cambodia we built some common ground, stabilised confidence in our rapport and the hair cut was finished. She then showed me the best way to style it when leaving the crib. All through the hair cut little seeds were planted at the wash, cut and style session – it prompted me to buy some product which I haven’t used in, oh my, at least 7 years and some shampoo. To be fair I had just run out of shampoo so I wasn’t just a sucker for blue eyes and a nice smile.

I guess the greatest confidence I have about the salon is after I finished I was quite surprised at how little the hair cut costs juxtaposed against the likes of some carbon copy salons. Please for the love of god don’t go to these chain built hairdressers, they smell of underpaid workers and pessimism.

All in all a new and good experience from one of WA’s oldest but still remaining modern barber shops. Indeed the NV of men. Gone are my days of taking tickets sitting down and wondering whether the Italian grease ball or the lop sided, multi-coloured rather flamboyant Avril Lavigne will be cutting my hair.

To get your hands on the nvmen brochure, click here!

NV Men Complete Grooming
33 Market Street
Fremantle WA 6160

Tel: (08) 9336 7171

Review by David, feeling the hair grow back by the minute.

A treasure-box of Sodashi goodies made its way to me many months ago and I haven’t stopped using the products since, so today I’m going to share the tiniest of rituals I like to indulge in and also quickly chat about the other bits I received.

Start with one pump worth of this creamy white cleanser in the palm of your hand, massage into the face with a bit of warm water and focus on any trouble spots as this is a great cleanser for those with acne prone-combination skin (like me!)

Use a muslin cloth or face washer to help get rid of any impurities / gently exfoliate the skin & rinse with warm water. I generally tend to do this step in the shower, but just make sure the water isn’t too hot or it will dry out your skin and irritate any pimples.

Rejuvenating Concentrate (RRP $65.30)

Next up, fill a basin / bowl with warm water and add 10 drops of Rejuvenating Concentrate, this stuff is magic for imparting radiance to the skin & it also helps with scarring and pigmentation! Zoe Foster is also a huge fan, can’t go wrong.

Soak a fresh muslin cloth / face cloth with the solution, squeeze out and apply to the skin. Repeat this step again & you’re ready to go!

So that’s my little ritual Depending on your skins current needs, you can then apply moisturiser if you wish, the one that is suitable for me (combination / acne prone skin) is the Balancing Face & Neck Moisturiser (RRP $109.30) and I really like it, not too heavy, not too sticky. Very nice for day time use!

The last of my goodies is the Blemish Treatment (RRP $101.20), this stuff is a bit sticky and squirts out of the bottle in a rush, so take care! I find it very calming for my pimples and it’s suitable for use under makeup as well, but I prefer to use it at night before bed so it can do its thing while I rest

I hope you enjoyed my little write-up! Do let me know if you have any questions about these products & I’ll do my best to help you out!

Be well,

xoxo

Having heard good reviews & keen for a stomach-rumbling-reducing Sunday morning brunch-date, one of my besties and I made our way down to Crumpet in Vic Park.

When we got there it was PACKED and we were very lucky to snare a table outside as a couple were leaving. Unfortunately their dirty dishes were left there for a good 20 minutes before we had to ask for them to be removed.

There is also no queue system for getting a table and we were told they couldn’t keep track of who got there first, which is understandable but disappointing – perhaps they didn’t realise how popular their little cafe was going to be as there were lots of people turning up only to leave due to no available seating.

So grumpy stuff out of the way! I ordered the ‘Omnomlette‘ ($12) – hands down the best named breakfast food I’ve eaten to date – which was free range eggs, mushrooms, spinach & brie omelette drizzled with EVOO, as well as a decent-sized freshly squeezed orange juice ($6). My counterpart had the Mushies on Toast ($11) & an OJ as well.

It was a hard decision given the many healthy sounding choices, including a vegan brekky (although unfortunately it was more expensive than any of the dishes with meat, which was surprising as it didn’t contain any out of this world ingredients). There were also various smoothies to choose from and some delicious sounding porridge.

My meal was amazing, a perfect breakfast and kept me going through the afternoon of window shopping! My girl thoroughly enjoyed her mushies as well

Despite the few negatives, I’d definitely return to Crumpet, there are a few really cute cafes opening up in Vic Park, it seems to be turning into the hip new spot!

Location: 8/885 Albany Hwy, Victoria Park

Phone: 9355 0901

Tues – Fri: 7:30 am – 3:00 pm
Sat & Sun:8:00 am – 2:00 pm

I’ve also planned to introduce more free-range eggs into my life, I feel I may not be getting enough protein and this could be a good way to go about it! I’ll keep you posted

Be well,

xoxo

I love wholefoods and the opportunity to buy in bulk! I’d long known my Northie friends were being well serviced by Angry Almond in Nedlands but I yearned for something a little closer to home… it’s hard living South of the River in Perth y’know!

The discovery of Loose Produce in Como therefore was like a birthday, Christmas, Easter & any other gift-receiving holiday that exists, all thrown at me in one glorious “HURRAH!”

The great thing about Loose Produce is the attention to detail that goes into presenting their many, many wares.

Nutritional information, origin & a detailed list of ingredients are presented on the majority of their products, so if you’re like me and read more backs of packets than books – you’ll be right at home.

Those with a naughty sweet tooth will be thrilled with over 50 choices of bulk lollies, while the slightly healthier sweet lovers among us will be happy with the wide range of dried fruits including blueberries & goji berries. Our baking friends will marvel at the loose cake mixtures, sprinkles and bread mixes available for sale!

Gluten-free products are well-signed as are organic options, with an “I’m organic!” sticker to help you navigate your way to chemical free wonderland.

A really novel setup they have going is the “Jar Exchange Program” whereby people with jars they no longer need can bring them down to the store and those who would like to use them to fill with produce can do so!

There’s a dedicated Asian section, pasta, herbs & spices, organic fruit & veg, organic meat and so much more… you’ll just have to go down there to check it all out!

The only thing I would change is quite nit-picky; as I’m a vegetarian I’d prefer that the cold meat (which is spread out across two fridges) be contained to one fridge so the other products that are sharing space with them have less chance of being contaminated by the meat. Aside from that, I love the whole place!

Loose Produce is a pantry organisers dream, little jars to pick up and fill with all manner of tasty delights.

When you take your presumably many choices to the counter, you’re met with Larabars, vegan cookies and more snacks than you can poke an organic stick at. Just try saying no.

LP also run a variety of workshops which you can browse on their website and often have reflexology and kinesiology experts visiting the store.

Loose Produce

2 Hobbs Avenue, Como
Western Australia 6152

Ph: 08 9474 9100
Fax: 08 9474 9100

Email: keryn@looseproduce.com

Be well,

xoxo

I received a gift voucher for a treatment of choice at Bodhi J Day Spa in Wembley as a birthday present. My friend has recently had the Indian Head Massage there and said it was excellent, however I felt like something more indulgent. I decided on a full body scrub, the Lemongrass Body Glow.

Bodhi J is a piece of paradise set unassumingly on Grantham street in Wembley. Entering into the foyer, I had no idea of the beautiful décor that was behind these doors.

I was led into a large room which had nice subdued lighting, two round spas and two tables. I felt like I had been transported to the finest day spa in Bali. The little touches the room like the frangipanis, the aromatherapy oils burning along with the dim lighting made you feel instantly calm. I was left to undress, given some lovely green disposable underwear and a sarong, and got ready for the treatment.

Laying face down I was asked to inhale a scent from aromatherapy oil to relax me. I was then given a firm soothing massage with a scented oil. My therapist knew what she was doing – long firm massage strokes on the back of my legs, at just the right pressure. After the oil, the lemongrass salt was rubbed into my body. The smell was amazing. Once my legs, back and shoulders were done, I turned over to have my stomach, the front of my legs and feet as well as my décolletage oiled, massaged and scrubbed.

Then it was time to be rinsed. I was expecting I would have to go to another room to shower, but the bed I was on was actually under a bath and I was rinsed off with a shower head that was attached to the wall. That part was a littler surreal – I felt like a big baby being hosed down, but none the less it was still all very professional.

The therapist left me to dry off and lie on the table next to me. I was then moisturised from neck to toe whilst getting a nice soothing massage at the same time . I got dressed and was then led to a waiting area. There was a herbal tea, some fruit and a chocolate were waiting for me. Here the therapist spoke to me about some of the products that were used on me during the treatment. They did have these for sale at the spa, but I was not felt at all pressured into buying something – I simply got an explanation and a price list and was left to enjoy my tea and strawberries in peace.

After that it was back to reality unfortunately. The whole process took just over an hour and a half and it was harsh to walk out of this beautiful oasis back onto old Grantham street.

Bodhi J is definitely worth a visit for absolute indulgence and an escape to paradise – if only for an hour.

Lemongrass Body Glow is $95 for 60 mins.

42C Grantham St (Cnr Nanson St)
Wembley
Western Australia 6014

Phone: (08) 9387 5152
Fax: (08) 9387 4548
Email: admin@bodhij.com.au

Review by Yvette Coyne.

Peaches Geldof recently said that she wears bronzer to prevent her from looking ‘dead’ and whilst I don’t normally subscribe to what Bob’s daughter has to say about anything, on the matter of bronzer- I think the young lady has a point.

Bronzer is one of those products that I used to avoid like the plague- if not done correctly- bronzer can be so very very bad, and when you are on the paler side of life the thought of putting some kind of browny orangey colour on your bright white face is enough to make you keep your distance from it. Permanently.

But I have recently become convinced that bronzer would like to help me, that it would like to be my friend and I have come to realize that if done correctly this could be a very good thing for me and may even stop me from looking dead (right Peaches?!) So why the hell not? Let’s do it.

Now the selection out there is enough to make even the most hardened beauty shopper break into a cold sweat so for simplicity I have stuck to one brand (Nars) and have road tested three different forms of bronzing/illuminating- the powder, the illuminator and the cream stick.

1. The Powder

Nars Bronzing Powder (Laguna) RRP $72

The Good: You can just keep layering and layering and layering this stuff on because the pigment is so strong which means you can choose between subtlety or making it as dark as you desire.

The Bad: Application. Hard. For. Me. I couldn’t get it even or to look the same on both sides of my face so I decided to combat this by putting more and more on, and then blending it in to the rest of my skin was nothing short of an ordeal. I tried a smaller brush, a bigger brush, throwing the powder in the air and then walking through it, but I just couldn’t get it right.

The Ugly: If you are not utterly hopeless like me and have even only semi-decent application skills then this product will not be a problem for you at all and will bring you much joy and happiness. I, however, somehow managed to make myself look like this…

2. The Illuminator

Nars Illuminator (Orgasm) RRP $69

The Good: You’re thinking ‘hey this isn’t a bronzer’ and you’re right, you are, but for the purposes of this experiment I wanted to cover lots of different kinds (well three) and bronzer is SCARY to me, so I had to start with baby steps. Plus this product has been so highly anticipated that I wanted to get in on the action. I wanted in bad!

Now…was I expecting too much? I’ll admit I went to the Mecca store three days in a row before I could buy some (it was selling out at a record speed) so maybe having to wait made my expectations way high. And yeah ok, maybe I was expecting this product to miraculously turn me into a young Sophia Loren, so it would be unfair of me to feel like this was anti-climactic (har har har). But…

The Bad: They say you can use this over makeup or under make up and I imagined that it was going to be a highly versatile product in what really is an iconic shade but it just didn’t seem to make any noticeable difference to me. It’s like in an attempt to be multi purpose I just couldn’t make it serve even one purpose for me. It’s probably my own fault (ahem- my inability even to apply something as simple as a powder bronzer- ahem) but I just didn’t really know what to do with it. I tried applying it all over my face or just to certain areas but…frankly, I got no real pleasing results.

The Ugly: I need to do some homework. I either need help with this product or I think I better master the art of using a brush. Then I will go out and by some powder in the colour of Orgasm because it really is a great colour.

3. The Stick

Nars The Multiple (South Beach) RRP $89

The Good: Where have you been all my life you sweet, sweet multiple stick? (Maybe in South Beach?) This was love on first use. It’s foolproof, it’s the perfect size, you don’t need to use a brush (just rub it on in) AND it’s a really great colour. It’s the perfect mix of bronzer and illuminator so you don’t feel like you’ve had a bad fake tan applied to your face. Instead its subtle whilst still giving you a little bit of zing- just tipping you over from dead to very much alive and kickin’.

The Bad: Nothing.

The Ugly: See above.

You can get any of the products mentioned here at Mecca Cosmetica

Review by Adriane, fellow ghosty-faced make-up adorer and possible catalyst for my first bronzer purchase…gulp.

Be well,

xoxo

I have a little confession to make…..I am a pilates addict. It all started about 6 months ago when I started to have some trouble with my lower back so a friend with a similar problem recommended Pilates, I signed up and haven’t looked back.

Pilates for the uninitiated is a full body workout that uses precise movement, control, technique and strength. Pilates works from the inside out, giving you a greater understanding of your body. The focal point of each workout is on the core which is your abdominals, lower back and waist to give you strength, flexibility and lean muscle tone. The emphasis is on lengthening and aligning muscles rather than bulking and shortening.

I signed up for a beginner’s course with Pilates Fitness Institute of WA or PFIWA. The classes are one hour lessons twice a week for four weeks, or once a week for an hour and a half for six weeks. All equipment is provided you just need to bring a towel and bottle of water. PFIWA have three locations in Perth; South Perth, Canning Vale and Myaree. The beginner technique class is a prerequisite before commencing any other class.

The class sizes are small, and the instructors are friendly and non-intimidating, they are always available to help you if you have any concerns. There is no age or fitness barrier and variations of each exercise are given for higher or lower levels of fitness or injury.

Initially I was pretty worried as my balance and flexibility is not the greatest, but it’s amazing after just a few short weeks how much I improved. When I started doing the standing spine roll (where you stand, feet should width apart and slowly peel each vertebrae down until can touch the floor with your hands) I couldn’t touch the floor, in fact I was no where near it. Now I can put my whole hands palm down on the floor.

You too can be this hot if you do pilates! (May or may not be an exaggeration)

After finishing the beginners course PFIWA offers several different hour long classes that you can do, which are:
- Full Body Sculpt
- Lower Body Sculpt
- Fitball
- Stretch and Core Balance
- Power and Sculpt
- Basic Sculpt

I walk out of each class refreshed, revitalised and realigned!

Pilates Fitness Institute of WA have locations in Myaree, Canning Vale and South Perth.

Cost : Beginners Technique Class $185
Contact: http://www.pfiwa.com.au for more information.

Review by Hannah, pilates lover and all ’round excellent lass.

Be well,

xoxo

Heath Daly & Emma Gilbert

On Sunday I attended a public lecture (Cost: $15) held at La Tropicana cafe in Fremantle, it’s a lovely setting for a talk and holds a mish-mash of chairs, cushions & health interested folk.

Heath Daly, our charismatic host, runs The Raw Kitchen Cafe & Smoothie Shop in the Freo markets, as well as being a practicing naturopath, homeopath & former lecturer at the Australian College of Natural Medicine! We’re in good hands here.

As is the case when you stumble upon someone with a profound passion for something, I found myself effortlessly absorbing everything Heath had to say as he passed on his knowledge during our captivating and inspiring, yet never evangelical, hour and a half lecture.

These were the topics covered:

- The mineral deficiency causing a major public health concern in Australia (Iodine!)
- Raw seaweed and why it’s the number 1 supplement for the modern age
- The single best way to increase energy (and it isn’t a supplement or exercise!) (Sleep 10 hours a night, go with your circadian rhythms ie. wake up before the sun, sleep before midnight)
- The best immune booster known to science (Vitamin D / sunshine!)
- The power of groups – Introducing the Detox Train (This will be covered more in the next lecture)

The other big tip he gave us was to drink 2 glasses of water ever morning upon waking to clear out toxins & refresh the brain. I did that this morning and I have to say I do feel more ‘alert’ than usual, but of course I’ll do it for a few days to see if I really notice a difference

I seriously enjoyed Heath’s lecture and so did the other 30 or so attendees from what I could tell!

There will be many future lectures & I’ll definitely be there. If you are interested please contact heathdaly@gmail.com for more info & upcoming session dates

Be well,

Annette

xoxo