♥

I’m terribly naughty with my hair, going 6 months between cuts, nay, TRIMS even and generally throwing it back into a messy pony at every opportunity. Tsk tsk.

Not this year though! The times they are a changin’.

I contacted Jasmine from Penny Quill (Open since August 2009) on the recommendation of a darling haired friend, she offered me a complimentary hair cut & colour so I could test them out, how can a girl say no to that?

I’m nestled amongst a skull with a protruding cactus, ornate tables / mirrors and a gigantic stack of magazines in which Rolling Stone sits comfortably between Oyster & Vogue.

That’s the vibe of Penny Quill – rock & roll meets high fashion. It’s not for the faint of heart, tucked secretly away behind Holdfast Tattoo, you’re likely to run into all sorts of pierced, inked up creatures on your way through the tat studio to the tiny hair salon and your lovely hairdressers Ryan & Jasmine themselves have an array of colourful images etched about their bodies.

So if this makes you feel uncomfortable, best to pop down to your local non-confronting hair salon and listen to 94.5 (who am I kidding, I love that station).

Jas dyes my hair a deeper shade of chocolatey brown using their hair colour brand of choice, Revlon, and I look forward to lustrous locks while reading my current book of choice – Lessons of a Lipstick Queen by Poppy King.

There’s another beauty secret that lurks among the halls of Holdfast & PQ… a secret club of sorts, perhaps. Intrigued? You’re going to have to ask about it when you head down there!

Le hair is washed, cut & blowdried, leaving me with more of a fringe than I’ve had in a while, many split ends lighter and a more shiny bouncy chocolate brown colour!

I’m a fan of Penny Quill and I think it’s great that alternative places like this exist within our busy little city.

For a unique hair experience pop on down & tell them I sent you!

Prices start from $80 for a ladies cut & $70 for a tint/semi depending on the length.

Opening Hours:

Tues-Fri 10-7
Sat 10-4

(by appointment only)

Location: 626 Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley, Perth 6050

Phone: (08) 9227 7740

Email: enquiry@pennyquill.com.au

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

Be well,

xoxo

♥

Here’s a delicious smoothie recipe that is one of my favourites and that I whipped up on this quiet Friday night at home! I’ve had a big week, so there’s nothing better than relaxing at home, schmoozing around and making plans for the weekend (Farmers market! Body Balance! Yes!) while indulging in some decadent tasting but fairly healthy snacks!

Ingredients:

1 x banana (preferably frozen if you prefer a thicker ice-cream like consistency, yummo)
1 x cup of frozen blueberries (they also make your skin glow, bonus)
1 x teaspoon of wheatgerm (I keep this in the freezer to maintain it’s freshness)
1.5 x cups of chocolate Vitasoy

Method:

Pop em all in the blender, blend on high for a minute and do the crocodile rock around the kitchen because your DELICIOUS AWESOME SNACK IS READY!

CROCODILE-ROCK-NOW, WHEN YOUR FEET JUST CAN’T KEEP STILL!

Aside from that, Tonight is going to involve lots of organising in the Wellness WA office & replying to e-mails. Very productive.

My gorgeous writer Kelly-Anne had a fantabulous beauty mega-spree this evening so expect to hear all about THAT in the very near future – this is me being jealous, right here.

Be well,

xoxo

♥

So I like to do little updates to let y’all know what wellbeing related things I’m upto and perhaps provide a little inspiration every now and then!

In the past week I have converted three people close to me to the JOY, MAGIC & WONDER (!!!) of smoothies containing spinach!!

With a combination of persuasiveness, persistence & the fact that the smoothies are, in fact, flippin delicious, three friends of mine overcame the deeply ingrained hurdle of spinach being a bland dinner vegetable & emerged on the other side amazed at the spinach + fruit combination.

One friend said, and I quote:

Person one and I sipped on tangy raspberry + spinach + banana + wheatgerm + little bit of apple / pear juice + water, while person two and I substituted raspberry for frozen mango, which made the smoothie really creamy & delish.

I’m going to keep a tally of how many people I convert!

In other stomach rumble inducing news, I’ve recently discovered and become addicted to THESE:

CHIC NUTS SICILIAN HERBS & GARLIC FLAVOUR!

I’d been struggling for a while to find a good alternative to chips. Whats super crunchy & dry, still a little bit salty and not as terrible for you as shoving 3 packets of chips into your hungry gob daily?

These babies pass the test. With flying legume-based colours!

They’re an all natural wholefood, contain 24% protein, lots of iron & fibre, are low G.I, probiotic AND super low in fat (4 grams per 50g with less than 1 being saturated). Pretty amazing if you ask me and way better than chippies!

You can find out more about them at http://www.chicnuts.com. I picked up my packet from Woolies. Great company, great idea & their customer service is fantastic as well.

Try these few tidbits out and if you have any fantastic ideas for healthy snacks be sure to send them my way!

Be well,

xoxo

Diet by D’Zyne

It’s often thought that dietitians are for those people who already have a health problem. Seeing a dietitian for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity or being underweight is common because it can be a way to manage, change or prevent a condition without the use of medication.

However it’s not just the unwell that can make the most of dietitians. Seeing a dietitian can greatly improve your general well-being. As Jo-Anne Dembo, Accredited Practicing Dietitian from DIET BY D’ZYNE says

“Your body is like a car, and if you try to use cheap oil as fuel, then your car is not going to work efficiently.”

The same goes for your body, you have to make sure your body gets all the nutrients it needs to work properly and look after itself. If you don’t feed your body the right foods, it can rebel against you. You might not see the effects immediately but you will in the end.

The simplest way to improve your diet, is to pick good foods, fruit and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, foods with a low fat content and your proteins too, eat small meals and eat often. A little of everything and not too much of anything. If you’re eating well and are doing a regular amount of physical activity (don’t chicken out, work up a sweat) then you are allowed to treat yourself occasionally. Whether your treat is some chocolate or a small plate of pasta is up to you.

Don’t get your hopes up though, just because you’re seeing a dietitian doesn’t mean change will be easy! There’s no secret pill and you won’t walk out having lost 10 kilos, you have to do as you’re told. That being said, they won’t cut out all the things you like, leaving you with carrot sticks for every meal. Small changes can make a big difference and it’s not as hard as you might think.

To touch on the vegetarian, vegan and raw diets, if you’re thinking about changing to one of these or have already, it would be good to see a dietitian. To live a healthy life, you do need to make sure you are getting enough of all the essential vitamins & minerals. If you’re not eating correctly you can miss out on these, but this goes for everyone and is possibly even more relevant to those who don’t eat many fruit and vegetables. Remember, a healthy well balanced diet is just the start, if your focus is on a lifestyle approach, you will see results. To get the most out of your life and your body it’s a great idea to see an Accredited Practicing Dietitian.

Changing your diet, while simple, can pre-empt health issues for the long term and also make you feel wonderful in the short term. Changing to a healthier diet can have different effects on people, you could get more energy during the day, you could lose weight and your skin could clear up. So not only will you start feeling better, you’ll start looking better too.

If your family has a history of health issues, looking at diet early on can delay or lessen the effects of those.

To find a consulting Accredited Practicing Dietition, check out the DAA home page http://www.daa.asn.au, call 1800 812 942 or search the Yellow Pages.

E: nationaloffice@daa.asn.au

(There is a search function on the website to find dietitians in your area!)

Article by Liv Bambola!

Roll up, roll up! I’m here to announce the EXTREMELY FORTUITOUS WINNERS of the Safire Natural Skincare Competition and what better way to celebrate than with a picture of a small mouse-like creature in a tea cup?!

That’s right, there is none!

The first prize (randomly drawn) of a Safire Spa Gift Box (Value $230) goes to CASSANDRA. Congrats miss! Cass said that price was a major factor because she’s a student & how it works comes a close second as she has sensitive skin. Hope this helps you out in both departments Cass!

Second prize (randomly drawn) of a Safire Starter/Travel Kit (Value: $105) goes to CAMILLE BARTON who said:

“I usually buy things that my friends have bought and reccomend, this allows me to try the product as well.”

Congratulations girls, I’ll be in touch & your prizes will be winging their way to you soon!

More competitions to come in the near future, if you or your company / brand is interested in sponsoring a giveaway get in touch with me at info@wellnesswa.com.au.

Be well,

xoxo

There’s a little salon on Preston Point road in Como which is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. It doesn’t look like much on the outside but once you’re inside you are in for a treat!

The salon offers a huge range of services and treatments from the standard waxing and massage to specialist skin treatments including IPL Photorejuventation, Omnilux Light Therapy, Microdermabrasion and Glycolic Peels. They also offer an extensive range of skincare products which include Priori, MD Formulations, Decleor, and the organic Ilcsi and Judith White range. There is a solution for every skin.

I had wanted to try Microdermabrasion for quite a while, so I bit the bullet and made an appointment for a Thursday morning. I arrived 10 minutes early as requested and filled out the necessary forms about my skin, skincare routine and health. All the staff are well trained and educated in skincare and the products that they use.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Microdermabrasion, it has a gentle suction feeling to it and the results are great. It’s best done in a course to get the full benefits. My skin felt smoother, was more even and looked more refreshed. The treatment which includes a facial takes 60mins. The rooms are relaxing and filled with gentle music. My therapist was fantastic, took me through a detailed skin analysis, and explained all the products she was using and why. I got a little hand and foot massage during the facial and walked out of the room feeling like I was walking on air.

This salon is now somewhere that I visit regularly; it fulfills all my skin and beauty needs in once place.

Where
Corner Labouchere Rd., & Preston St, Como

Phone
(08) 9368 0829

Website
http://www.skindeep.net.au

Article by Hannah Lee: “I’ve been interested in health, beauty and fitness for as long as I can remember. I’m a self confessed beauty spa addict who is always on the lookout for new things to try. I’m currently obsessed with microdermabrasion and Omnilux light therapy. I work as a nurse, which allows me to educate people about all things health and wellness, something I’m passionate about!”

Be well,

xoxo