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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m a wife to a very busy husband (Channel 7 Sports Presenter, Basil Zempilas) and mum to a very busy little bee, my 15 month old daughter Ava. I also have a blog called Absolute Amy which I started a few months ago. I cover everything from recipes, beauty, travel, motherhood, fashion and lifestyle.

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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I start my day with a gentle cleanser, I just started using Q Silica which recently won a Best Overall Skincare award in the UK. It’s made from all natural ingredients which I love. I then use Garnier BB Cream which is essentially 3 products in 1. It provides a light coverage, sunscreen and moisturiser and creates a really subtle, fresh glow. I then use concealer for under my eyes, Australis Killer Curves mascara, MAC Blush in Desert Rose and Lancome Juicy Tubes lip gloss in Melon (Available on StrawberryNET).

Before I go to bed, I use La Prairie eye cream and Seven Wonders Argan Oil serum which contains antioxidants and Vitamin E , I’ve just started using it and have been very impressed with the results. I wake up and my skin feels super smooth and hydrated.

♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

I really love to have my nails done, I don’t quite feel dressed or ‘finished’ if my nails aren’t polished. I usually head to Stylish Nails in Mount Hawthorn to get them done.

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

I go to Le Chic in Nedlands, Ranj and Mackenzie are both amazing colourists and stylists. I always leave completely happy with my hair. They’re the best!

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

I absolutely love using Lavender oil, which you can find in the local supermarket. It has so many uses; from sprinkling a few drops onto my pillow at night, to popping a few drops onto a warm flannel to soothe my skin. I always take this with me when I travel as it can be used on bites and stings, as an antiseptic, and a few drops in the bath creates an immediate day spa sensation.

♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

It’s so difficult to narrow it down to just three! I have to say that I have used Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat under my eyes since I was about 17. It’s the ultimate concealer for dark circles.

I also couldn’t live without lip balm, I have quite a collection but I have to say that Lucas Paw Paw ointment is my favourite.

My third product would have to be The Body Shop’s Japanese Cherry Blossom Shower gel, the smell is out of this world! It’s so clean and fresh and yummy and it also has great sentimental value as I used it when I was in labour with Ava, so it brings back wonderful memories.

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♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

It might sound predictable, but I try to get enough sleep, eat well, fit in some exercise and drink lots of water. If I’m feeling tired or run down, bronzer and a big smile usually helps me look and feel better.

♥ Pool view at Gwinganna Health Retreat

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)

I would love to go to a beautiful health retreat, even for a weekend. I have it on my list of things to do.

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

I start my day pretty early, sometimes around 5.30am and I usually make myself a coffee. I then have either a bowl of oatmeal with honey or share some toast and fruit with my daughter. Lunch is generally a sandwich, veggie slice or rice crackers with cheese, avocado and tomato. Afternoon tea is fruit and cheese with my daughter and I usually cook a healthy dinner for my hubby and I, something like Tuna & Veggie Pasta or a stir fry. Every night I indulge in a Whittakers coconut mini slab, I love chocolate and have found that it’s pointless to try and deny myself – it’s all about moderation and I really look forward to my little treat after dinner.

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♥ Describe your fitness routine.

As much as I’d love to, I don’t get time to go to any classes or the gym, but I do make an effort to walk to the local park at least a couple of times a week with my daughter. That as well as housework seems to keep me pretty fit. I would love to fit in a yoga class, I did pregnancy yoga with Ava and it was just amazing – it really helped with my breathing for childbirth.

♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

I take a multi vitamin every day, and also see a chiropractor every 6 – 8 weeks.

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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

I love having candles scattered through my house and will burn one every night as away to wind down. I also love to have a cup of lemongrass and ginger tea every night, it’s so delicious and soothing. On the weekends I indulge in a glass of red, which is always a great way to relax!

Thanks to Amy for taking time out of her super busy schedule to share her routine with us!

If you have any questions, please leave them below 🙂

Be well,

xoxo

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The idea came to me out of the blue. Since I don’t drink much alcohol (how boring! ;)) and can’t participate in Dry July, why not start my own version and see if anyone else wanted to take part? The result was Green July!

So what exactly is it?

We all know that eating greens is good for us, so this July, we’re going to drink them. Every day! I will be aiming to have 1 green smoothie every day of July in order to boost my health and happiness, and I’d love you to join me. I’ve previously done a week long challenge which resulted in me feeling absolutely incredible, so I want to continue on and see what happens.

I couldn’t be happier with the response so far – over 280 people have signed up to drink a months worth of green smoothies, yippie! To help us out, I’ve created the Wellness WA Green Smoothie Database with all the recipes we’ve posted on here to date, and we will also be posting green smoothie recipes throughout the month – as well as bringing on some special guest bloggers!

Sign up here if you’re ready to watch your health & wellness SKYROCKET with me! 🙂

If you have any questions please leave them below, or on the event page!

I cannot wait to get started and I really hope you will join in the fun x

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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♥ A Basic Green Smoothie Recipe – if you’re new to green smoothies, let this be your introduction! Apple juice (not too much, and as high quality as you can afford), baby spinach, banana, frozen fruit (berries or mango).

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♥ Magnificent Energising Morning Smoothie – frozen banana, blueberries, apple, spinach, pepitas, vitamin b.

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♥ Stuart Watkin’s Green Smoothie – Spirulina powder, chlorella powder, protein powder, himalayan crystal salt, maca, cayenne pepper, ayurvedic herbs (a unique smoothie for experienced smoothie makers!)

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♥ Avocado, Apple & Berry Smoothie – avocado, apple, frozen berries (any kind but I used mixed), flaxseed oil.

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♥ Green Smoothies – A New Kind of Beauty Therapy – article on green smoothies for skin health as well as a recipe: pear, apple, avocado, grated ginger, spinach.

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♥ Double Whammy Banana and Blueberry Smoothie – vanilla soy milk, bananas, frozen blueberries, spinach, wheatgerm.

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♥Friday Night Smoothie Delight – Chocolate soy milk, banana, frozen blueberries, wheatgerm. Note: spinach not in original recipe but can be added and still be delish! 🙂

♥ Blueberry, Banana and Cashew Butter Smoothie – bananas, frozen blueberries, organic cashew butter. Note: my original recipe doesn’t mention spinach, however a handful or more of baby spinach or greens thrown into this would be a great idea!

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♥ Mango/Raspberry and Spinach Smoothie – Frozen mango or raspberries (not both, though it could work, let me know if you try it!), spinach, banana, apple & pear juice, wheatgerm.

♥ Q & A: Green smoothies on the go AKA How long will my green smoothie last? – a question we get asked a lot here, check out how to make the most of your smoothies throughout the day!

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Beauty & wellbeing crushes is BACK, and this time I have some superb treats to share with you. Let’s dive straight in!

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♥ Sodashi Brightening Marine Mineral Face Mask – $110

If you’re craving softer, brighter, plumper skin, then this new mask from Sodashi is hard to look past. Any day that a Sodashi package shows up in the mail is a good day, and this mask takes the cake in terms of excellent results! It’s one of those products that will make you want to endlessly touch your skin after you’ve washed it off due to how silky it’ll be feeling. Yum!

I’ve been using this prior to any big event (Going out to dinner with friends… I’m taking liberties with the terms ‘big’ and ‘event’ here!) and loving the results. Contains seaweed, spirulina, several varieties of clay and rosewood oil. Radiance almost guaranteed 🙂 Available from Peachy Clean.

♥ Random picture of Miranda Kerr for no other reason than she looks much better in gym wear than I do!

♥ Joining the Gym

I have been enjoying the gym SO MUCH since joining and noticing lots of small and exciting changes in my body! There are some fantastic yoga classes, and the equipment is top notch. I have started a light weights routine to try and gain some strength and put on a touch of weight, as well as doing lots of hill walking (for calf definition) and even a few sauna and steam room stints – which are resulting in some seriously glowy skin afterwards! I’m excited to continue on and develop my muscles & peace of mind. It’s been a great decision and I’m loving getting back into it 🙂

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♥ Grown Haircare

I was recently sent a few samples from Grown to test out, I love their ethos of ‘Botanical Beauty‘ and I’m very much enjoying the Damask Rose, Chamomile and Lavender Stem Conditioner in particular. The shampoo smells great, but I find my hair needs quite a lot of it to get the smooth clean feeling that I’m usually after. That said, my hair is a difficult beast, so I’d recommend both of these to anyone to give a go if you’re looking to give silicone-free haircare a go. Plus the bottles look just gorgeous in the shower!

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♥ Mecca Lit From Within – $40

I’m all for naturally derived glowing skin (think green smoothies, tonnes of water, exercise, steam rooms and rosehip oil), but sometimes we need a little extra help. And lately for me, there has been a LOT of extra help needed. I’m blaming the change of seasons!

If this sounds like you then FEAR. NOT. I’ve been mixing Mecca’s Lit From Within into my foundation/tinted moisturiser combo and have been receiving a lot of compliments on my skin since doing so. You can do this, and then also use an extra bit to highlight certain areas of your face to give it even more of a glow. I am really, really diggin this. My only qualm is that it contains carmine, which is a dried, ground up insect (sometimes this stuff is even found in yoghurt!), so I would much prefer to find a highlighter which doesn’t contain it. However it is doing some wonderful things for me at the moment, so I am putting up with the beetles until further notice! Leave me a comment if you have any alternative suggestions!

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♥ Cheeki Water Bottle/Smoothie Transportation Device

I was lucky enough to be sent a Cheeki stainless steel water bottle to trial recently, it came at the perfect time, as I was searching for something that could safely transport my green smoothies on the journey from my apartment, through the perils of public transport and the walk to school. This kid did the trick!

For ages I’d been using dodgy old water and juice bottles to cart around my morning smoothie extras, but they were always too small and sometimes leaked. Not the best. I’m super happy with my new stainless steel bottle and can’t believe it took me so long to try one out, I use it every day at school & at the gym and it inspires me to drink lots more water too. Love + recommend it! I preferred a the plain silver version, but Cheeki has a range of more colourful options too!

QUESTION TIME! Do you use a stainless steel water bottle? What mask are you currently loving? Recently joined the gym too? Recommendation for a carmine free highlighter? Talk to me about it below! 🙂

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

My bio reads something like this: Freelance beauty editor in charge of the beauty pages of Good Health magazine; PRIMPED.com.au contributor; proud creator of The Happiness Cocktail; health and wellness whiz; incessant tweeter; lover of pinning. My real life reads something like this: All of the above plus a loving wife to the world’s most amazing man; international happiness seeker; adorer of family, friends and all things furry; mad cook.

♥ Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation available on StrawberryNET

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I do try as many beauty products as possible so that I can honestly talk to my readers and share my opinion, rather than play make-believe. But right now I start the day with shu uemura mamachiyo skin purifier cleansing oil, Dr. Spiller Aloe Sensitive Cleansing Milk and QV Daily Moisturiser. I then apply sunscreen (I like Invisible Zinc), a mixture of Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua and Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Foundations, creme blush, mascara, and eye shadow (my current obsession is Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Tortoise Shell Palette. It’s amazing!). At night I remove all my makeup with the shu cleansing oil and Bobbi Brown Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover, before cleansing again, and popping on Dr. Spiller Sensitive Beauty Night Cream and an eye cream. Phew! It never seems that much when I’m doing it, but looking back…

♥ Siam Cabana

♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

It’s a toss up between a facial and a massage. I love the Omnilux Light Therapy Treatments that come with the Priori Facials I get done at the Spa Universe headquarters in Sydney. If you want to try one, give them a call and they’ll let you know where the nearest salon to you is. For a quick weekend unwind, my husband and I go to Siam Cabana in Bondi for Thai Massages. If I’m really suffering from stiff neck syndrome, I head to Glenn Walmsley in Double Bay for some myotherapy – he is a magician.

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

Unfortunately I’ve never been to Perth, but in Sydney I’ve been blessed with some great hairdressers. Brad Ngata and Barney Martin are both wonderful, as well as Hamish Glianos from PEOPLE Hairdresser in Surry Hills. If you’re on a budget, I highly recommend Suzie from Sudu Hair in Sydney. Super high quality without the price tag. WIN!

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

You really can’t beat a strawberry, honey and oat mask made in your kitchen and slapped on your skin. It’s a super quick way to temporarily add zing to your skin, and best of all, it’s chemical-free.

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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

My electric toothbrush – dental hygiene is so important. My eve lom lip balm. Bronzer. Of any variety.

♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking/feeling great?

It’s not all that secret now that I blog on The Happiness Cocktail, but I am a firm believer in feeding your skin from the inside out. So, I follow a wholefood diet with lots of fruit and veggies (plus whole grains and high quality meat), try to eat a large amount of raw as well as cooked food, and keep my system alkaline by drinking barley grass and wheat grass everyday. I also love liquid chlorophyll and young baby coconut juice. YUM!

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♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)

Ha! This is a tough one because I have tried so many of them. Oh wait, I’d love to dive into a freezing pool in the Swiss Alps like they did on The Biggest Loser. That looked so, erm, refreshing. No seriously, it looked kind of wild.

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Wake up to a glass of wheat grass powder and water before sitting down to green tea. I then have a bowl of fruit with nuts. About an hour or two later I’ll have a small bowl of muesli, then have lunch (lots of greens), snack if I’m hungry, then dinner (more greens, and protein, and yumminess), elegantly finished off with couple of pieces of dark chocolate (for being so good).

♥ Beautiful Centennial Park

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

It varies. Constantly. I live in a suburb called Centennial Park which, as the name suggests, is a giant park in the middle of Sydney. It would be sacrilege to live so close and not utilise it, so I’m often seen walking or running around there. I also do boxing with my best mate, yoga, and keep my mind fit through meditation.

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♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

I know it’s super controversial but I get colonic hydrotherapy every now and then. I’ve done my research and I go to an amazing place with well-trained staff who know exactly what they’re doing, and it makes me spring out of bed and have whiter-than-white eyes. It works for me. I also do a 3-day juice cleanse maybe twice a year, and meditate as much as I possibly can. On top of that I take Omega 3 supplements and a probiotic.

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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

Meditation is an obvious one for me, but I’m also blessed with a husband who is incredibly calm and lovely, so just being around him instantly makes me feel like everything is going to be OK. I love catching up with friends over a few glasses of red, playing with my 3 month old niece, laughing LOTS and planning holidays – because what’s life without an adventure in the pipeline?

A million and one thanks to Yaz for sharing her beauty & wellbeing routine with us today! I feel super privileged as she has been one of my ‘blogging idols’ for some time. If you have any questions for her please leave them below and make sure you check out The Happiness Cocktail for lots of yummy inspiration!

Be well,

xoxo