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Beauty Product Review: Emjoi PediSmooth – From Claws to Polished Paws!

The first taste of the summer sunshine tells us we’re getting to the pointy end of the year when we start to worry about how our cellulite will look in bathers and we begin ditching tights and boots in favour of cute sandals.

And if you’re like me, the first showing of leg after a long, cold winter might look something like this:

Okay, maybe not that horrific. But many of us are familiar with our winter pedicures happening only when we can be brave enough to remove our bed socks.

For me, looking down at my freshly pedi’d feet makes me feel instantly more refined and less like a wild, spear-wielding cave woman. Painting my toenails has always been something I’ve done to relieve stress – there’s something about the methodology in achieving a perfect pedi and staring at the pop of nail colour as I paint it on brightens my mood no matter what kind of day I’m having. I’m a big fan of the home pedicure where I know every bit of equipment is hygienic on my tootsies, and I’m also a big fan of anything that makes my DIY pedi easier!

Now, I’ll save you some nausea by not showing you my “before” photos. Let’s just say my feet needed some lovin’ after months of being hidden inside socks, tights, boots and uggs. On a scale of “Fresh Feet” to “Wild, Spear-wielding Cave Woman”, I was probably at “Girl, That’s Nasty [Know What I’m Sayin’?]”.

Enter Emjoi PediSmooth.

This cute little gadget removes the effort of manually scrubbing your feet with a pumice stone at the push of a button.

The battery-operated PediSmooth has a natural stone roller that spins really, really fast and buffs away coarse, old skin with no effort or pain. The device is comfortable to hold and the roller is big enough to cover a good area, but small enough to maneuver over the natural curvature of the foot. For $29.95, you get the PediSmooth, two white “extremely rough skin” rollers, a pink “rough skin” roller and a brush to remove the build up of er…dust?

I find the PediSmooth does a good job at “polishing” feet. It definitely makes them smoother and you can see the difference after you’ve used it, but I find it works best if I use it after my foot file (*shudder*) to get ultra smooth and soft feet. That being said, I use the PediSmooth once a week just to keep things in check, and I’ve ignored the finer pink roller that is meant to be used for maintenance. All in all, it does a pretty decent job given the budget-friendly price tag, but my feet need a bit more oomph to get the results I like.

After my feet are buffed and fresh, I work some body scrub into my feet to really make them sparkle. My favourite is Soap & Glory’s The Breakfast Scrub (RRP $18.95 at Kit Cosmetics). It’s constantly selling like hotcakes at Kit, and probably because it smells like hotcakes. Seriously. It’s like rubbing your feet with warm pancakes, doused in maple syrup and butter and garnished with a big cuddle. This fine sugar scrub leaves skin all over the body super smooth and it’s great for feet because it can get right between your toes but rinses off easily, with no residue.

I pat off my feet, pop on some foot balm (I’m currently using QV Feet Heel Balm – I also smother it on at night and slip on some cotton socks) and prep my nails for some colour. While I was in Kit, I picked up this awesome shade of pink for summer called Let Go. It’s so perfect to add a splash of colour without being too garish!

The final result is a beach-worthy pedicure that will look smashing in sandals, all without the effort of those pesky pumice stones or buffers!

Emjoi Pedismooth is $29.95 and available through the Emjoi online store!

Tell me… what are your favourite DIY pedicure tricks and tips? Do you have a hero product to get your feet ready for exposure to the outside world? Leave a comment below!

Review by Gemma, our resident pedicure loving PR professional!

Be well,

xoxo

Beauty & Wellbeing Routine: Elizabeth Rose, Personal Trainer, Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach, Blogger at Life With Elizabeth Rose.

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

Hi there! I’m a personal trainer, nutrition & lifestyle coach, actress/model and a blogger – all of which keeps me very busy and active! I only moved back home to Perth in April after living away for 13 years mostly in Sydney, Melbourne, South-East Asia and New York. It’s a refreshing change of speed being back in Perth and I absolutely love the climate and lifestyle here ☺

My blog, Life with Elizabeth Rose, is very much from my heart and covers lots of lifestyle topics to do with health & fitness, business and personal development. The tagline on my blog is “Dream. Create. Live with joy” – I’m always dreaming big, creating things & trying my hardest to live my life with happiness…my goal is to guide my readers and clients in doing the same with their lives, with a strong focus on health and well-being!

You can find me at Fitness First Platinum in Subiaco for personal and small group training. I’m about to run a boot camp at Cottesloe Beach beginning November 5th. I’m really looking forward to it and can’t think of a better way to start the day!

As an introductory offer, mention this interview and receive 10% off your first 4 weeks of training ☺. Register your interest at liz@lifewithelizabethrose.com

Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I cleanse morning and night with Sukin Organics Cream Cleanser. I have very sensitive skin and find a cream cleanser to be the best! I haven’t used a toner for a few years now, and find my skin is fine without it!

I moisturize with Priori CoffeeBerry Natureceuticals Day and Night Complex which are both 98.5% natural. CoffeeBerry extract is nature’s most potent antioxidants to fight free radicals and the causes of skin aging, and it smells divine! If my skin is feeling particularly dry, I’ll add some Trilogy Rosehip Oil at night over my moisturizer.

For my eyes I use Aesop Parsely Cream Antioxidant Eye Cream…I’ve always used creams as opposed to serums for my eye area…I find my concealer goes on much easier too!

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

The Deluxe Skin Renewal Spa Treatment by Suzey Luong at Vanity Box! This is a superior boosting treatment incorporating a facial massage with a soothing balm and a replenishing mask that firms, hydrates and exfoliates your skin. It’s such a relaxing treatment and is like a natural botox! My skin hasn’t looked this flawless in years!

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

I go all the way up to Yanchep which is exactly an hour away from my place, so I can see the lovely Rachel Firmin who is from the UK. My Mum and Aunty see her as well, so it’s always a bit of a family affair! I love seeing Rachel as she always keeps up to date with the latest styles from London and she is so sweet and friendly and offers endless cups of tea.

Because she works from her home, having a cut and full head of foils costs me roughly half the price of going to a salon! You can contact Rachel on 0415049311.

Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

I’ve recently become an avid follower of Maria Hannaford’s blog, Econest, which is all about living life more sustainably! I love this easy and economical beauty treatment that Maria suggests…simply mash ½ an avo with a dash of milk and apply to a wet face – perfect as a skin conditioner and so simple!

Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

1. Coconut oil – this medium chain fatty acid has so many amazing health benefits! I cook with it and sometimes use it as a face and body moisturizer, hair conditioner and shave my legs with it! You can even use coconut oil as a base of a natural deodorant.

2. Priori CoffeeBerry Mineral Perfecting Foundation 3 – It has the best coverage and loving the fact the packaging is eco-conscious.

3. INIKA – all natural certified organic mineral blush in rosy glow…I love all their products!

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

I have a few!

1. Daily exercise is a must! I feel so much better after moving my body, even if it’s just a leisurely stroll outside in the fresh air.
2. Sleep! I aim for 7-8 hours but have been struggling with this lately! I’m terrible at falling asleep before 10pm but know I need to as I wake up so early! When I do get adequate sleep, the difference in my energy, mood and creativity is huge.
3. Nutritious, organic food and plenty of water! You are what you eat!
4. Taking time out for myself. I always feel so revitalized after a bit of “me time”.
5. Keeping a gratitude journal always makes me feel great! Every Tuesday I write my ‘LWER Tuesday’s Blessings’ with 5-10 things I’m grateful for on my Facebook page. I love it when people comment with their own gratitude list ☺

What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?

I’d luurve to do some kind of retreat in Ubud, Bali. I hear it’s amazing at Como Shambala, which advocates proactive holistic wellness, combining modern science with ancient healing.

I’d also love to do an Ayurvedic retreat at Deepak Chopra’s ‘Chopra Center’ in California.

Describe a typical day of eating for you.

I eat very closely to the Paleo Diet (and recommend this to most of my clients), which is a diet that closely resembles what our ancestors ate in the Paleolithic era. It’s basically very high in protein and good fats, with lots of low starch veggies, salads, nuts & seeds and fruits such as berries.

My day always starts with a tall glass of water with lemon juice, some powdered greens in water and a probiotic. I shower then for breaky I will always have some protein such as 2 eggs with smoked salmon and wilted spinach (no toast!).

Morning tea is usually a ‘mini meal’ which is basically a bit of what I prepared for lunch (I always make a little bit more so I have enough for a snack and lunch!), or my own trail mix of activated almonds, coconut flakes and goji berries.

Lunch is protein of some sort with either a salad or steamed greens. Kale is my favourite at the moment! So good for you!

Afternoon tea is usually one of my superfood protein smoothies from my Super Smoothie Collection, that I have post workout or a green juice.

Dinner is either oven baked salmon with veggies or chicken and salad.


And finally for supper I have herbal tea and blueberries with 2 tablespoons of organic full-cream greek yoghurt or occasionally 30g of dark organic chocolate such as Loving Earth’s ‘luvju’ coconut mylk raw organic chocolate…yum!

I get emails all the time from women wanting guidance on what to eat. I know it can be confusing and frustrating trying to decide what to cook and which foods to buy, so I recently put together two 7 day meal plans to help shape your bod for summer! They are available for sale on my blog: click here! For the next 48 hours I’m running a special price of $17 (down from $27) for Wellness WA readers if you use the code “LWER” when you purchase!

Describe your fitness routine.

I train with weights 3 times a week, practice yoga twice a week, and do interval training (HIIT) 2-3 times a week, plus I’m about to give pole dancing a go for a bit of fun! I like variety and my body does too ☺

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

I have an entire drawer in my kitchen that is filled with supplements! At the moment, I mostly take fish oil capsules, Vital Greens, a pre & probiotic, mega B and magnesium.

I’m a bit of a fan of alternative therapies, and have experimented with many in my pursuit of tip top health! I’ve been to naturopaths, homeopaths, Ayuvedic practioners and I’ve tried kinesiology and colonics, to name a few! I’m currently seeing a GP who specializes in nutritional medicine at Health Quest in Melville, and just had my first hair mineral analysis…I’m very interested in finding out the results!

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

Oooh how I love relaxing! My fav ways include practicing yoga at Tamara Yoga, meditating, getting a massage/facial, or simply enjoying some quiet time at home watching a dvd.

If you have any questions about Elizabeth’s fantastic routine, please leave a comment below!

Make sure you check out her blog too!

Be well,

xoxo

Beauty & Wellbeing Routine: Renee Kendall, Perth Pilates Instructor.

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

I love to be fit and healthy both physically and spiritually. I devote my time to learning and teaching others about health and fitness and how they can help to be the best person they can from the inside – out. My number one passion is Pilates (my business is Renz Pilates!).

Whilst working in London as a personal trainer in 2005 I learnt of Pilates. Within a few months of returning to Australia I commenced training with Polestar Pilates to master the method and learn to teach others. My style of workouts have since been a fusion of Pilates and personal training.

Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I am LOVING Miranda Kerr’s Kora Organics range and have been since December 2012. I use my Cream Cleanser day and night, followed by Purifying Day and Night Cream for my face and the Recovery Eye Gel Cream for my eyes (Miranda recently recommended to try the Vitamin Enhanced Lip Balm to act like a hydrating mask for the eyes too, which I agree is divine) and the Enriched Body Lotion for my body. After my long days of teaching and training it is nice to enjoy the Hydrating Mask for my face and the lovely Rejuvenating Foot Balm for my tootsies. I am trialling a couple of new organic sun creams too but haven’t found a favourite yet (welcoming any suggestions?)

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

Following a run, I love rubbing my body gently with moist beach sand before swimming in the ocean allowing my skin to enjoy a natural exfoliant. I enjoy this at every sandy beach in the world I visit.

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

Karri Steele – uber cool, but sad she has just moved to Melbourne.. Aveda Subi: Nikki, Kylie & Danni – I just love Aveda – seems to work so well with my hair.

Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Sleep. There is a reason it is called beauty sleep. Make the time and reap the benefits.

Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

Right now: KORA Organics Cream Cleanser, Recovery Eye Gel and the Hydrating Mask

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

A positive attitude – always have honest and positive intentions – sometimes actions are perceived by others in a different light, but if you know you are acting with good intentions I believe karma always returns positive energy to you.

And sweat, laugh and move: dance, walk, run – whatever makes you smile.

♥ Chiva Som

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

Internationally: Chiva-Som, Thailand and Reethi Rah, Maldives.
Locally: Bodhi Day Spa, Wembley.

Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Everyday is different, it depends on my mood and what I have scheduled for the day but generally..

Kickstart the day: Always a Spirulina and Vitamin C drink.
Smoothie: I will make either green smoothie made up of whatever greenery is in season – mixture of kale, spinach, celery, zucchini, spirulina mix, avocado & cucumber, or kiwi and cacao nibs, bee pollen, maca and filtered water and goji berries to serve OR a chocolate smoothie made up of raw cacao, chocolate vegan protein powder, almonds, frozen berries, bee pollen, spirulina mix, maca and filtered water.
On the weekends maybe a frozen banana-rice milk smoothie with lots of yummy extras and an egg white omelette with veggies.

Mid morning snack: I usually teach privates and classes from 6am through to lunch time, so don’t have much time for snacks. I drink lots of water and green tea in between sessions.

Lunch: Huge, super colourful salad (always changing, but as long as I can put in as many bright delicious colours as I can get my hands on) sometimes with chicken, tuna, salmon or beans of some type.

Mid afternoon: Either celery or raw zucchini with my home made hommus.

Dinner: I go out a lot for dinner, so when I order I try to stick to steamed veggies or as clean as possible. This is the one meal I am usually eating with my friends or family and I try not to be too strict amongst others as I often get reminded to be a little crazy and “try the tempura prawns!”

After dinner treats: This is definitely my weakest point of the day. I LOVE chocolate treats. Over the years I have learnt so much about chocolate and the cleanest, healthiest ways to enjoy it. I now make my own organic chocolate with lots of special treats inside (like goji berries or cacao nibs). Right now I am working on mastering a Bliss Ball recipe (raw cacao, freshly sprouted nuts, coconut oil, etc) so much goodness packed into the cutest little ball! My boyfriend provides great feedback – so we are getting very close to mastering the perfect recipe.

Describe your fitness routine.

One thing about my fitness is that there is definitely no routine about it. I obviously do Pilates everyday. I workout a lot with clients and if I have had a day where I haven’t had much of an opportunity to move, I will get in a short run along the beach or river to pick the heart rate up or do any of the following:

♥ Dancing – I love teaching Xtend Barre at Pure Moves in Cottesloe and I am quite often dancing around my home with Tracy Anderson, and if I am out with my girlfriends we will pretty much always be making a dance floor appear out of no where!

♥ Yoga – I love Twisting Fish in Claremont

♥ Surfing – Not as much as I would like at the moment, but when & where ever I can

♥ Jacobs Ladder and Kings Park – to really pick up my cardio

♥ Boxilates – one of my new favourite classes I have designed at The Hurt Locker in Claremont

♥ Walking – either on my own or this is a great time for a girly catch-up with my friends

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

Some would say my super green smoothies are alternative or the spirulina I take is a supplement, but these are what is normal for me. I have tried various supplements over the years and I think they all have their merit – as long as they have good clinical research with substantiated claims and can prove the efficacy of the product they are worth trialling.I have really enjoyed Reiki in the past and currently I am enjoying a bit of an acupuncture phase.

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

As crazy as this may sound, I am de-stressed when I am teaching or working out. I find both of these to be quite meditative for me. When I am teaching I am 100% present and focused on my client – there is no time for any other thoughts to make my mind busy. Running is also a great time for me to clear my head and process my thoughts. I love yoga in that I am very focused on sort of surrendering myself to the universe and allowing my body and mind to move either my thoughts or body in whatever way it can.

And to relax, obviously a full body spa treatment will nearly always do the trick!

If you have any questions about Renee’s amazing lifestyle, please leave a comment below! 🙂

Check out where you can take a class with her at Renz Pilates!

Be well,

xoxo

Beauty Product Review: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence!

After having my facial at Endota, I started thinking about a lot of steps I skip in my skincare routine. Because I MISBEHAVE and sometimes don’t do the right thing by skin. However, I do enjoy complaining about it, loudly, and on the Internet.

In the facial I had my therapist use a toner on me, ok no big surprise there. But I had slacked off in that department. And I feel really bad that I slacked off because I had a bottle of SK-II sitting on the shelf at home waiting for me. (Bracing myself for the backlash here) This product has CULT STATUS and I can’t believe I hadn’t started using it sooner…but you see there was one problem…

SK-II is the kind of product your boyfriend looks at and says ‘what’s that bottle of water for?’ and you say ‘ITS NOT A BOTTLE OF WATER YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE SECRET WONDERS OF BEING A WOMAN‘ but inside…I did not know what to do with this bottle of water. There were no instructions in English, only a few lines on the back of the bottle in Japanese…(and my year 9 level understanding of this language was not going to cut it). So I turned to the Vogue Forum, which is where I go when I have any of life’s big questions, and don’t-you-know-it those Voguers knew what the heck was up. Use it like a toner GUYS!

I learnt a little more than this though, such as, you can put about 5 drops into your palm and apply it to your face with your hands or put it on a cotton wool ball and apply it that way. Apparently if you want the product to last longer…go for the hands. I also learnt that you could keep it cool in the fridge for an added indulgence. Sweet!

The secret ingredient is….Cate Blanchett…HAHA- just kidding gang, although I think her perfect face sure helps sales, but really the secret ingredient is Pitera. After much research into yeast our friends over at SK II discovered that it was Pitera that was keeping the Japanese sake brewers hands so soft and supple, and they thought we better chuck this on our faces quick smart.

And honest to goodness it is good. I use it as a toner (as we by now have well and truly ascertained) before applying a moisturizer and have been using it twice a day (I rub the leftovers into my hands like Mr. Burns to get the most out of every drop) and I have really noticed some truly great results. The product is supposed to target; firmness, wrinkles and spots but I have seen a dramatic difference in the texture of my skin. Like, a serious difference.

My skin was so dry it was like a crusty salt lake and (ready for this visual image) this bottle of water has restored the moisture and texture of my face back into a bountiful ocean (salt lake > water > ocean). It just feels so smooth and re-hydrated. It fits in perfectly with the rest of my skincare regime and I really enjoy using it. It is expensive but I also do really think it’s worth giving a go, even if it is only once because I haven’t spoken to one person yet who has had a negative experience.

Actually, if any of our readers have, leave a comment…I honestly would love to hear your thoughts because, I know for me, this innocuous looking bottle of water has given my skin a winter resurrection! Rejoice!

So do tell, have you tried SK-II Facial Treatment Essence?

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence is available in David Jones & online at Adore Beauty!

Review by Adriane Daff.

Be well,

xoxo

Beauty & Wellbeing Crushes: Vegan Chocolate, Organic Muesli, Iridology & Steam Rooms!

Crushes are abound this week! And I’m excited to share with you the top 5 things that are making my body sing with delight, as always I’d love you to share what’s making YOU go yay this week – so please leave a comment below and share the good feelings!

Organic Muesli & Coconut Water for Breakfast

I’m not much of a cold cereal girl. Give me porridge or a green smoothie and I’m good to go. So I’m not sure what drew me to this organic muesli when I spied it on the shelf, but I knew it had to be mine. With all organic ingredients and not a preservative in sight, I was very happy to discover that it is also incredibly tasty. Sulphite free dried apricots, raisins, coconut, sunflower seeds, almonds and pumpkin seeds are all added goodies which make this super delicious. My breakfast this morning was a triple whammy of organic goodness, with the muesli + C coconut water + soy milk all being of non-pesticide origin.

As an added bonus this brekky made me feel awesome and gave me lots of sustained energy. It’s a keeper!

Eskal Raspberry Vegan Chocolate

Sweet baby hound dogs this stuff is delish. I’m always on the hunt for healthy chocolate alternatives; and this raspberry dark chocolate treat definitely does the trick. So much so in fact that the three blocks that I was sent for consideration all managed to disappear within the space of a week… “Dark chocolate is good for your health!”. The bitter-sweetness of the chocolate, mixed with the crushed up bits of raspberry make this my latest fave. YUM!

Iridology and VLA and Naturopathy Consultation at Endota

Things got a little Frankenstein-y when my current naturopath, Marnie Downer, ran the verrrry interesting VLA test on me! I learned that for optimal health and wellness I should put on 4 kilos (!!!) – 3 of them muscle, 1 fat. I also found out that my cells were all nice and plump, which is a good thing. And that my cellular age is 26 (I’m currently 27.999), but we can get this down even further if I get my muscle mass up. Marnie operates out of Endota Spa Perth CBD & also a clinic in Mt Lawley. I will be doing a more thorough review soon, so stay tuned!

Sauna and Steam Room

One of my favourite parts of going to the gym is heading to the steam room and sauna after I’ve taken a yoga class, completed my mini weights routine or done my Couch-to-5K session! I absolutely love, love, love the glow that my skin gets afterwards, and I find that it completely relaxes me and I feel great for the rest of the evening. The only thing is that I’ve found I don’t sweat in the sauna! I don’t know why, maybe I am not staying in there long enough. Any sauna experts care to share their tips? Everyone else in the sauna is sweating up a storm and I’m there dry as a soy bone. Enlighten me if you can! 🙂

Thanks for reading about my crushes, I would LOVE to hear yours! Please share your current joy snippets in the comments below.

Be well,

Annette

xoxo