Disclaimer: Talk about knickers & bikini lines ahead. You have been warned!

So! I’ve wanted to try permanent hair reduction/removal for quite some time now, I’m tired of shaving, & waxing is a recipe for ingrown hairs! I was lucky enough to organise a complimentary bikini line SPL (Square Pulsed Light) session at my local Hairfree Centre in Booragoon & if you read on, there’s a special deal in it for you too if you decide to try it out!

There’s a lot of information about IPL / SPL hair removal, which I wont go into here as I’m not an expert, but I recommend you read the following information if you are interested in exactly what goes on during permanent hair reduction:

♥ What is SPL?
♥ FAQ’S

I’m asked to fill out a fairly detailed form on my medical history & skin type, as well as sign a disclaimer. Marissa Pica, the owner of Hairfree Booragoon, is my qualified therapist and shows me into the room where the treatment will take place.

She runs through how the machine works, the life cycle of the hair and why it takes a series of treatments to become ‘hair free’, as well as answering any questions I have & leaves me to prepare (ie. get down to my knickers!)

The treatment room is pleasant enough, with a radio playing (for distraction from the imminent pain, or so I thought), lots of towels and very clean – with a sheet of soft paper on the bed to keep things hygienic.

There is a lolly to be enjoyed & a pair of protective glasses as the Square Pulsed Light can damage eyesight, I close my eyes during the treatment as well to be safe!

The machine hums pretty loudly and I have to admit it makes me a bit nervous.

Marissa draws some lines in white chalk on my body to indicate the boundaries of where we will be removing hair, applies a cool gel all over the areas to be treated (the same stuff they use for ultrasounds) & I prepare myself for my first ‘shot’ of the SPL machine…

It is so much less painful than I expected! In fact, it really only feels like the slightest ‘prickle’ for each shot, 30 seconds on each side of the bikini line and it’s all over! I’m lucky as I have very fair skin & dark hair, which is optimal for SPL, so I think this added to the ease of the treatment.

Afterwards I’m shown the baby wipes, tea tree moisturiser & tissues if I need them & left to re-dress.

I’m booked in again for 6 weeks time, the hairs should begin to fall out within 3-14 days and it’s recommended that you shave any area you’re having treated the day before you come in. No waxing or sun exposure prior / after the treatment either.

I’m really excited about the prospect of being bikini ready with no effort during Summer & the thought of banishing ingrowns forever fills me with COMPLETE JOY!

Now, back to you!

If you’d like to try SPL on ANY area of the body at Hairfree Centre Booragoon, mention ‘Wellness WA’ to receive 50% off your first treatment!!

That’s a pretty special offer, if you’re interested in the extended bikini treatment which I had, it is $95, so you’d receive 50% off that.

Please note the offer is available at the Booragoon centre only 🙂

SPL is suitable for use on almost all areas including: lip, chin, neck, underarms, brazilian, bikini line, legs, back, abdomen, chest, buttocks & about 1/3 of their clients are men.

I’ll continue updating about my experiences as I have more sessions, in the meantime if you have any questions please leave them in the comments & I’ll do my best to help you!

Hairfree Garden City

Riseley Corporate Centre
Suite 7/135 RIseley Street
Booragoon WA

Ph: 1300 669 767

E: gardencityhairfree@gmail.com

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Look, I know we’ve been banging on about the Luxe Aveda Concept Salon, Booragoon like our lives depend on it, but when you’re onto a good thing… can’t help but share the love, y’know?!

I decided to tame my scruffy brows last week as they were getting very upset with me and threatening to call Eyebrow Protective Services. My underarms were in a similarly dismal state as I’ve been growing them out in order to be able to wax ’em. Hate shaving. Love having smooth underarms for weeks on end.

A friendly phone convo later and I was booked in for that night. Upon arrival I was given an Aveda Comforting Tea, a warm, sweet licorice beverage, and told I’d either love it or hate it due to its strong taste! The jury is still out on this one, while I didn’t hate it, I’m not a big licorice fan.

The tea in question!

Once in the treatment room, which was pleasantly lit (not too bright, not too dark), my amiable therapist asked me how I wanted my brows (just a tidy up, thanks!) and got to work.

This salon uses hot wax for both the eyebrows & the underarms, which is a personal absolute must, my sensitive skin threatens to disown me if strip wax / a wax roller comes within 50 metres.

I’ve previously had my eyebrows burned at many salons and I have to confess I was initially a little worried, as she left the wax on my brows a considerable time longer than is usually appropriate for aforementioned sensitive skin. Not to worry however, the wax they are using must be very gentle as there was no post-wax trauma. Yay!

Plucking to remove any missed hairs is always appreciated and I was pleased with the attention to detail.

A bit of tinted moisturiser was applied to counter any mild redness, always a winner since no-one wants to walk around with their “Hay guys, whats up?! Just been waxed lol!” bare face on show to the world.

To the underarms we go! This was painful as I’d been shaving for a while between waxes, an absolute no-no if you want to minimise teeth gritting & cursing. That said though, I am a wholehearted advocate of underarm waxing. Do it, it will change your life!

My therapist was knowledgeable and answered many questions I had about Aveda products & gave me advice for the pesky beginnings of an ingrown hair that was casually hanging out under my arm (all fixed now thanks to her exfoliation suggestions).

After all this, I was given a scalp, shoulder, back & mini arm aromatherapy massage… I believe this is complimentary with all treatments. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Does your salon offer this type of freebie? If not you should seriously reconsider your loyalty as it ended my experience on a high-note and all I did was get some pretty standard waxing.

Aveda Blue Balancing Oil was inhaled during the mini-massage

When it came time to leave, I had an embarrassing incident where I realised I’d lost my ATM card & had no way of paying. The staff handled it with ease, looking after my purse as I ran to my car to search for it and happily taking a credit card payment over the phone (THANKS MUM) when that search proved fruitless.

I was also given a $20 voucher to use on my next treatment valued over $70 within the next 6-weeks, as a part of signing up as a new customer.

I really enjoyed my time here and my eyebrows & underarms are at peace with me once more.

Aveda products are available for purchase in-store, or online at StrawberryNET!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Southern Crossfit – Better Than Yesterday.

It is fair to say that we are self confessed Crossfit addicts, more accurately we are Southern Crossfit addicts!

We know what you are thinking “What on EARTH is Crossfit?” We know this because it was precisely what we thought before we started our love affair with the program! So before we get into the actual review here is a bit of an explanation about Crossfit.

Crossfit is a strength and conditioning program that is sweeping the world and gathering dedicated followers wherever it goes. Each day in a Crossfitter’s life they will encounter a different workout (Workout of the Day or WOD). Exercises contained in these workouts vary from running, push ups and sit ups to weightlifting and gymnastic based movements. Each session, or class, held at the gym is led by qualified instructors that provide motivation and feedback and assist with completing the workout correctly and safely whilst still pushing you to achieve a new personal best time or weight. Every workout can be scaled to meet your current fitness level which means that literally everyone can complete the workout regardless of prior experience, fitness level, previous/existing injuries or limitations.

Now, when we first heard this we would be lying to say we weren’t nervous and worried about what sounded like a fairly full on exercise program. The biggest step was putting on our workout gear and heading down to our first session at Southern Crossfit. We have never looked back! Southern Crossfit (or SXF as it is commonly known by its flock of members) embodies all that Crossfit stands for. The three owners and trainers are dedicated to each and every member’s fitness goals and the community this creates amongst its members and trainers is social, motivated and most of all fun! Southern Crossfit is one of many Crossfit gyms across Australia and is located in Willetton, Western Australia.

Our typical day starts with checking what the WOD (Workout of the Day) is on the website, this is either a very good idea or bad idea depending on the workout but we learnt very quickly that the ones that look hard or sometimes even impossible are the better ones to attend as you get the most out of completing them. WOD’s vary day to day, week to week and month to month, you will find it very hard to get bored. When it comes time to leave work it’s off to the gym (“the box”). Classes are held in the morning and afternoon at various times but we personally prefer the afternoon/evening classes as we are certainly not early birds!

When we arrive at the box we get to catch up with everyone, discuss workout times and the impending workout. “The Box” or the Southern Crossfit gym is a large building in the industrial area of Willetton. This is not your usual gym. You will not find mirrors here or treadmills, instead you will find sand bags, pull up bars, gymnastic rings and a second level dedicated to teaching technique and most importantly stretching after a workout. For us, joining the gym has always been the same, there is the worry about how you are perceived, the meatheads in the corner always vying for the best position in front of the mirror so they can grunt as they lift dumbbells and the heavily made up gym bunny who seems to be able to run for miles without sweating! Southern Crossfit is different, very different. It seems to attract the genuine, the friendly and the dedicated amongst us. Every new member is quickly made to feel very welcome and just like Cheers, Southern Crossfit is the place where everybody knows your name. Everyone is there for the same reason and this resonates throughout the gym when members stay behind to cheer on the next class or arrive early to cheer on the other class. We have never experienced anything like it!

First we are run through a warm up that makes sure we are fully prepared for the workout as well as a run through of the workout itself and how each movement can be performed. Yesterday’s workout was 3 rounds of an 800m run and then 21 Dumbbell Push Presses with the recommended weight for the dumbbells being 20kg each arm for men and 15kg each arm for the ladies. This is to be done in the quickest time possible. During the explanation the trainers come around and ask if you have done the workout before and if so what weight. They tend to ask what you feel like you can do and will tell you to stick with it or try for a higher weight if they know or think you can challenge yourself a bit more. We went with 5kg and 7.5kg respectively based on previous workouts (which are logged each time we do a workout in our log books. Very handy!). Before you know it the countdown to start the clock is on and we are lined up at the start of the run (runs are performed around the surrounding areas with 100m, 200m and 400m marked on the side of the road for reference. This is excellent as getting out and about in the fresh air is very rewarding on the hots days and refreshing on the cold days).

3, 2, 1 and we were off for our first 800m run which was two laps to the 400m mark. Today’s trainers, Hayden and Cheng, keep spurring us on by telling us our times as we head off on the second lap and offering words of encouragement. Once we are done with the first run it’s into the gym to do the Push Presses. These are tough but the trainers keep us motivated and help us with technique as we go through and the music is up to keep us going. Two more rounds to go! Second round of any three round workout is tough but we push through. The final round, we are nearly there! We always find that little bit extra in the final round and end up finishing with good times. Finished! There is smiles and heavy breathing all round but we feel great for having challenged ourselves.

After the workout its time to pop our times and weights used down in our log books and head upstairs to compare workout stories and congratulate each other on a job well done! The stretching area is fitted out with a padded floor to make it more comfortable and uses special equipment to help get into every muscle. The trainers demonstrate each stretch and can also be quizzed if you have any sore spots from previous workouts during the week. A single class takes 1 hours including warm up, skills instruction, workout and cool down.

Every time we leave the gym it is with the knowledge that we have achieved something. We both live north of the river and travel to Willetton especially for this gym. There are many Crossfits around Perth but this one is our home. Each class can be compared to a group personal training session as the attention paid by the trainers is meticulous and helps you improve greatly with hints and feedback.

Crossfit as a program extends far beyond just going to the gym as well. There are many competitions, affiliate gatherings (where all the Perth gyms meet up and workout together) as well as the world wide Crossfit games! It is such a flexible program that many refer to it as a sport. We prefer the WA based competition but both hope to give qualification for the Australian Games a shot next year, who knows what we could achieve in a year!

Southern Crossfit (the gym) turns one year old in July and we have enjoyed being part of this amazing community during its first year. We look forward to seeing you down there too! As Southern Crossfit’s mantra suggests the only thing you can be is “Better than Yesterday”.

Web: http://www.southernxfit.com
Address: 10 Whyalla Street, Willetton WA, 6155.
Phone: (08) 9259 0003
Email: info@southernxfit.com

Imogen and Astrid
xo

My hair smells like rosemary and mint, but not because I’ve been rollin’ around in the vege patch. I’ve just come from an amazing experience at Luxe Aveda Concept Salon in the Garden City Shopping Centre.

I booked a hair appointment at the salon after hearing many raves. They use all Aveda products with their treatments; and their motto follows the art and science of pure flower and plant essences. Before going in, I let the staff know over the phone that I would be requiring a brand new head; a new colour, cut and style and blow-dry. An experience with my previous hairdresser from a salon that shall not be named, had scarred me almost 6 months ago, but I was ready to go back and face my fears and begin a relationship with a new hairdresser.

As soon as I sat down, I was asked to close my eyes and choose from four different scents in a bottle. As she lifted each scent up to my nostrils, I made a mental note to remember each scent as I wanted to pick the best one. I picked the one called ‘energy’. She placed a few drops in her palms and gave me a wonderful scalp and head massage- heavenly – and it was then I knew that I was on my way to star treatment. All of this, before the consultation.

They really took the time to really listen to what I wanted and gave me some advice to find out what was the best for my hair to give it a dose of healthy and a spoonful of shiny. I chose a sexy dark brown/black shade and said goodbye to my fading highlights and the transition from sunkissed summer to rich chocolate winter hair began.

As I sat in the chair for the dye process, I was given a tiny cup of the Aveda tea to drink that tasted like sweet licorice, a nice touch. 20 mins later and after waiting for the dye to do its thing, I was brought over to the sink where I received another head massage after a rosemary and mint shampoo. The same sensation when you place a mint in your mouth was all over my scalp and it was invigorating, I had never felt anything like it before. It felt tingly but in a good way, and lasted for 2 minutes. It was doing some brilliant things to my scalp let me tell you!

As for the hairstyle, they trimmed up my split ends and the layers at the back, also a few short layers at the front that really brings out the shape of my face. Then the blow-dry which gave my hair bounce and showed off my layers.

The result: A healthy head of hair and a fantastic experience with some tender lovin’ care from the Aveda ladies; muchos gracias, now I can say my dream of looking more like a dark-haired goddess came to fruition.

That’s not where it ends though; afterwards I was given a client file, yes my very own client file! And some tempting offers for when I collect points for each treatment I book. I also purchased 1 litre of the colour shampoo and conditioner to go with it to take some care of my hair when it’s off-duty.

All up for the colour, cut & style was $185, a reasonable price at any well-known salon, only this time I got the little extras that were well worth every penny. Service means everything, take note, other hairdressers, you have some fair competition here.

THANKS LADIES AT LUXE AVEDA CONCEPT, I’ll be seeing you in 6 weeks.

Aveda products are available for purchase in-salon, or online at StrawberryNET!

Reviewed by Kelly-Anne, waiting impatiently for her next tingly scalp experience!

Be well,

xoxo

Gourmet Pie

Once again, the lure of Manna Wholefoods was too great to resist, so I met up with a friend for a lovely Sunday afternoon of delicious food and drink.

It’s excruciatingly difficult to pick anything to eat there, as a vegetarian I’m used to choosing between 1-3 options at any given restaurant, whereas here there are almost TOO MANY choices!

I settled on a Spinach & Potato Pie from the Perth brand Gourmet Cookies & Pies, it was delish. I’ve long been a fan of this brand for healthy pies & also their heat-and-eat lasagne is TO DIE FOR. Also they are 100% vegetarian and pretty healthy, I highly advise you to check them out!

To go with this I fabricated a concoction of blueberry, banana & almond milk (wild, I know) & the staff were happy to make it up for me. Twas very tasty and I will have again!

After leisurely eating, we went back in and I purchased a Coconut Juice w/Blood Orange (like last time!) & some fair trade, organic, decaff green tea…in unbleached tea bags – bit of a mouthful!

All this yummy food combined with some sunshine = a pretty excellent way to wind down the weekend. My friend also brought me home-made pumpkin soup & biscuits. Could I even ask for more?!

After all this, I’m brimming with energy and feel fantastic so I had to jump on the computer and let you all know how good I feel after nourishing my body with such great food!

Okay, I’m done now!!! 🙂

Manna Wholefoods & Cafe

274 South Tce
South Fremantle
WA 6162

Ph (08) 9335 7995

Be well,

Annette

xoxo