The sweet, sweet product in question.

So. Summer’s coming. And you know as well as I do that it’s going to get freaking hot. And that sun is going to be beating down on your face like it’s nobody’s business. So let’s talk about what you are going to do to protect yourself…

I don’t really think I should have to say ‘wear sunscreen’ I think if you have any common sense at all you’ve got that bit by now. But, I do probably think it’s worth reminding y’all to wear it everyday. And here’s where things get a little tricky. Because Sunscreen is so thick it can be a bit rough on the skin on your face to wear it everyday, it can be a bit oily and it doesn’t really smell that great either, not to mention if its SPF 30 it can actually make your face look a weird shade of white (right guys?) so I understand if you’d think of skipping out on wearing it everyday.

Enter; Aesop’s Sage and Zinc Facial Hydrating Cream SPF 15 . Ordinarily I would not even seek out a sunscreen product like this (what’s the point?) but I was buying shampoo and they gave me some free samples. And I was really impressed. The texture wasn’t oily and the smell didn’t make me feel like I was at a sports carnival (interestingly enough the sage leaf/sandalwood smell that doesn’t do it for me in the shampoo really works for the sunscreen) and it has micronised zinc oxide in it which means it’s actually forming a barrier between your skin and the sun but it doesn’t cause whitening or clogged pores. Perfect for everyday use all year round. This is one product that moved from sample to staple in my life. And I’m so glad.

It retails for $43 for 40ml, which might seem a bit expensive but if you protect your skin from the sun now then you’ll save a ton later on. Think of it as an investment.

You can buy it from David Jones, Remedy in Fremantle or Leederville or if you like to do the online thing…

Adore Beauty Online Store .

Be well,

Adriane D.

xoxo

I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to balance my mind and body, chill out and de-stress in general. I’ve tried comedy nights, virtual reality therapy, ongoing yoga, sublime massage and more…!

Suffice to say that when Helen Walker from Walker Wellness contacted me to trial the ancient art of reiki , I was very keen to test out its supposed relaxing qualities, and funnily enough I just so happened to have it done on the day I had a job interview!

For those who don’t know:

“Reiki is a natural form of healing therapy. It uses non-invasive gentle touch. This form of therapy aims to increase energy levels and promote relaxation and wellbeing.”

For more detailed information I have found this to be an excellent & simple resource: Reiki @ Better Health Channel.

My session started with the gorgeous Helen answering any questions I had, then popping on some relaxing music and asking me to lie on my back, I was then covered with towels (very comfy!) and the reiki began.

Over the next hour and a half her hands moved lightly over my body, starting from the head, and stopping at various points to help release the energy stored in these places!

Throughout the experience I felt deeply relaxed and nearly fell asleep a few times (which never happens to me during treatments).

Afterwards I was advised to increase my water intake, the same as after a massage, and to note any changes I felt within myself.

I felt very relaxed and went in and smashed the job interview, funnily enough the woman interviewing me was a big fan of reiki too!

If you are looking for an alternative treatment that has been conclusively proven to assist with stress reduction and relaxation then I would definitely recommend giving reiki a go, especially with Helen, as she has a beautiful energy and is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about the practice.

Walker Wellness … for a healthy body, mind and spirit; naturally, safely, effectively.
Combined Therapies
Tel/Fax: 9293 7247
Mob: 0400 999 785

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

I have a secret to tell. And it’s kind of hard to announce it because im a self proclaimed beauty addict.

Up until a few weeks ago… I had never had a professional spray tan.

PHEW. There. It’s off my chest.

I decided an impending trip overseas was the perfect time to get bronzed and I booked in with Envy Makeup, tan and beauty bar, in Mount Lawley: http://www.envyonbeaufort.com.au/.

I was so nervous before I went that I spent days researching what I might need to do when I was there, what I had to do before I got it done and also the maintenance that was required. Heres what I learnt:

♥ Exfoliate. DUH. We all know this. So I scrubbed and scrubbed the morning of the tan, making sure no pesky skin cells were left hanging around. After the scrubbing though, my skin was awfully dry which of course meant I needed to moisturise. This posed a problem because I was told to have no products on my skin before a tan. No deodorant, no moisturizer, no perfume na da. Because I was getting my tan right after work this meant I had to be like this all day. Yuck. Moral of the story is, try and get to a shower before your appointment to avoid being product free at work.

♥ Secondly, don’t shave. I thought at the time, “Oh I’m so clever, I’m going to shave the morning of and that way I wont have to shave for a few days, thus keeping my limbs bronzed for longer”. WRONG. I got this weird dotty rashy thing from the tan seeping into my freshly shaved legs. So save the shave for after the tan, preferably when it has set.

♥ To maintain your glow once you have been sprayed, use a moisturiser with no Alpha-Hydroxy Acids, as this breaks down the colour. I used the Neutrogena Norwegian moisturiser and found it was super duper hydrating.

As you can see I really went to town on the research. So now it was time for the tan. Like I said, by now I was a tad nervous. Once i arrived I was greeted by my assistant for the session. She was very welcoming and immediately got into business. I was asked how dark I would like to go and Envy’s various shades and formulas were then explained to me. Envy specialise in formulas that have a low DHA concentration, creating a subtle tan, perfect for white gals like me.

After I picked my colour I was taken into a little room with a booth similar to a shower. Your assistant will ask you if you would like to go nude, wear underwear or a disposable G-string, I chose to wear a g string and no bra… In about 4 minutes my assistant was back, she didn’t bat an eyelid at my exposed state which immediately put me at ease.

Just before starting my lady gave me a cream that I applied to my bumpy bits to prevent streaking. Make sure you slap that cream on; don’t be shy like I was or you will streak!

I was then asked to stand with my arms spread in the shower while the tan was applied with a device similar to an air brush. 5 minutes in I was already glowing!

After I was sprayed I then received a dry down with warm air from the air brush and I was left to dress.

My experience was professional and comfortable, pretty good for a first time I think. My tan lasted 36 hours on a plane (plane trips dehydrate you which in turn can reduce your tan!) and by following the tips I mentioned earlier, my colour lasted a total of 8 days!

No longer do I shake in fear at the thought of a professional spray tan…. I am now addicted.

Address:

Shop 8,
595 Beaufort Street,
Mount Lawley,
WA 6050

Tel: ( 08) 9328 8322

Fax: (08) 9300 5466

Email: admin@envyonbeaufort.com.au

Web: http://www.envyonbeaufort.com.au

Review by April Rose, spray tan convert.

Be well,

xoxo

Breaking out is not hard to do.

Especially when kit kats, Vintage Cheddar and Onion Red Rock Deli chips & toasted sandwiches have been flying down your throat at hyper speed.

Whoever said that what you eat is unrelated to the state of your skin must be giving Pinocchio’s nose a run for his money by now.

So I’ve been slipping up, I admit it, I’m far from perfect! But the past week has seen a big effort to get back on track.

RRP $58 AUD, available at Mecca Cosmetica

Yesterday I tried the REN Jojoba Microbead Purifying Facial Scrub. I’d previously been using a cheap and cheerful teenage staple, Aapri (which is a bit rough for my skin), and felt like I finally graduated when the thousands of tiny smooth REN jojoba beads glided easily across my face and got down to work.

The scent of this product is really mild too, despite having peppermint and juniper oils doing their dance in there, which is nice.

Post-exfoliating, my skin felt VERY smooth and even a tiny bit tight, but the tightness soon passed. It really felt like a breath of fresh air and if my cells could smile, they probably would. I now realise that temporarily forgetting about the wonders of exfoliation was a grave error.

DEAD SKIN CELLS: BE GONE!

My skin still feels smooth and more glowy today!

In addition to re-discovering a great exfoliant, I’ve been smashing frozen berries in smoothies (bought a 1kg bag of blueberries – so excellent!), eating lots of avocado, drinking 2+ cups of decaff green tea a day plus heaps of water and generally trying to clean up my diet by eating more wholefoods and cutting out dairy / chippies (weaknesses!).

My skins been on the naughty mat for a while now, hopefully these changes will get it behaving again!

Do you change your diet when your skin plays up?

What’s your favourite exfoliant?

Be well!

Annette

xoxo

When Skatt first opened a couple of years ago, I am sure I’m not alone when I say that I thought it was a bit of a gimmick. The bright pink, imposing building on a seemingly quiet, conservative Mount Hawthorn street screamed “different”.

However, I put my opinion on their choice of décor aside and went along to get the “Refresh Facial” which is $65 – on the cheaper side for a facial – which was the first positive.

When I arrived, I was taken through to a treatment room by the therapist. Unfortunately she didn’t tell me her name, and I forgot to ask at the end…must always remember to do this in future!

The treatment rooms at Skatt are located at the back of the building, the hair salon is at the front and is the first thing you see as you walk in.

The treatment room was fairly small but heated to a pleasant temperature and they had some ‘chillout’ music playing over the speakers which added to the atmosphere nicely.

The therapist began with a skin analysis which involved a magnifying light-dealy that she shone onto my skin. She talked me through some positive and negative points about my skin which I really liked, and she recommended ways in which I can improve the appearance of my skin.

The very best bit about all this was that she did not try to sell me anything! Skatt use Dermalogica products which I think is great – and even better that they don’t try to push them onto the clients as I believe that is the first way to turn off any clients from potentially returning in future. Other salons could do to take notice of this.

Next, my skin was cleansed twice, exfoliated, masqued and moisturised. On the website it states that extractions are included, but this was not part of my treatment – I suppose I just didn’t have anything to extract that day!

The entire facial took about 45 minutes and was of extremely high quality. I was so impressed by my therapist and her manner throughout the entire treatment, she had a slightly firm touch which I think is good in a facial and her hands were warm too which is always a plus!

The “Skattwalk”: a focal point of the salons

I have nothing but praise for Skatt and the team, in such a competitive market it is difficult to be outstanding however I believe this is exactly what they have achieved. I will definitely return and encourage anyone looking for a new beauty salon to do the same.

To add to the praise – a couple of weeks later I got a letter in the mail from Skatt containing a card for $40 off my next treatment! Fantastic – I’ll be heading back this week.

Skatt are located:

Mt. Hawthorn at 165 Scarborough Beach Road

Ph: (9443 6500)

Claremont at 52e Old Theatre Lane, Bayview Terrace

Ph: (9385 3123).

Web: http://www.skatt.com.au

By Amy – 20 year old face care novice who is now addicted to facials.