Peaches Geldof recently said that she wears bronzer to prevent her from looking ‘dead’ and whilst I don’t normally subscribe to what Bob’s daughter has to say about anything, on the matter of bronzer- I think the young lady has a point.

Bronzer is one of those products that I used to avoid like the plague- if not done correctly- bronzer can be so very very bad, and when you are on the paler side of life the thought of putting some kind of browny orangey colour on your bright white face is enough to make you keep your distance from it. Permanently.

But I have recently become convinced that bronzer would like to help me, that it would like to be my friend and I have come to realize that if done correctly this could be a very good thing for me and may even stop me from looking dead (right Peaches?!) So why the hell not? Let’s do it.

Now the selection out there is enough to make even the most hardened beauty shopper break into a cold sweat so for simplicity I have stuck to one brand (Nars) and have road tested three different forms of bronzing/illuminating- the powder, the illuminator and the cream stick.

1. The Powder

Nars Bronzing Powder (Laguna) RRP $72

The Good: You can just keep layering and layering and layering this stuff on because the pigment is so strong which means you can choose between subtlety or making it as dark as you desire.

The Bad: Application. Hard. For. Me. I couldn’t get it even or to look the same on both sides of my face so I decided to combat this by putting more and more on, and then blending it in to the rest of my skin was nothing short of an ordeal. I tried a smaller brush, a bigger brush, throwing the powder in the air and then walking through it, but I just couldn’t get it right.

The Ugly: If you are not utterly hopeless like me and have even only semi-decent application skills then this product will not be a problem for you at all and will bring you much joy and happiness. I, however, somehow managed to make myself look like this…

2. The Illuminator

Nars Illuminator (Orgasm) RRP $69

The Good: You’re thinking ‘hey this isn’t a bronzer’ and you’re right, you are, but for the purposes of this experiment I wanted to cover lots of different kinds (well three) and bronzer is SCARY to me, so I had to start with baby steps. Plus this product has been so highly anticipated that I wanted to get in on the action. I wanted in bad!

Now…was I expecting too much? I’ll admit I went to the Mecca store three days in a row before I could buy some (it was selling out at a record speed) so maybe having to wait made my expectations way high. And yeah ok, maybe I was expecting this product to miraculously turn me into a young Sophia Loren, so it would be unfair of me to feel like this was anti-climactic (har har har). But…

The Bad: They say you can use this over makeup or under make up and I imagined that it was going to be a highly versatile product in what really is an iconic shade but it just didn’t seem to make any noticeable difference to me. It’s like in an attempt to be multi purpose I just couldn’t make it serve even one purpose for me. It’s probably my own fault (ahem- my inability even to apply something as simple as a powder bronzer- ahem) but I just didn’t really know what to do with it. I tried applying it all over my face or just to certain areas but…frankly, I got no real pleasing results.

The Ugly: I need to do some homework. I either need help with this product or I think I better master the art of using a brush. Then I will go out and by some powder in the colour of Orgasm because it really is a great colour.

3. The Stick

Nars The Multiple (South Beach) RRP $89

The Good: Where have you been all my life you sweet, sweet multiple stick? (Maybe in South Beach?) This was love on first use. It’s foolproof, it’s the perfect size, you don’t need to use a brush (just rub it on in) AND it’s a really great colour. It’s the perfect mix of bronzer and illuminator so you don’t feel like you’ve had a bad fake tan applied to your face. Instead its subtle whilst still giving you a little bit of zing- just tipping you over from dead to very much alive and kickin’.

The Bad: Nothing.

The Ugly: See above.

You can get any of the products mentioned here at Mecca Cosmetica

Review by Adriane, fellow ghosty-faced make-up adorer and possible catalyst for my first bronzer purchase…gulp.

Be well,

xoxo

I have a little confession to make…..I am a pilates addict. It all started about 6 months ago when I started to have some trouble with my lower back so a friend with a similar problem recommended Pilates, I signed up and haven’t looked back.

Pilates for the uninitiated is a full body workout that uses precise movement, control, technique and strength. Pilates works from the inside out, giving you a greater understanding of your body. The focal point of each workout is on the core which is your abdominals, lower back and waist to give you strength, flexibility and lean muscle tone. The emphasis is on lengthening and aligning muscles rather than bulking and shortening.

I signed up for a beginner’s course with Pilates Fitness Institute of WA or PFIWA. The classes are one hour lessons twice a week for four weeks, or once a week for an hour and a half for six weeks. All equipment is provided you just need to bring a towel and bottle of water. PFIWA have three locations in Perth; South Perth, Canning Vale and Myaree. The beginner technique class is a prerequisite before commencing any other class.

The class sizes are small, and the instructors are friendly and non-intimidating, they are always available to help you if you have any concerns. There is no age or fitness barrier and variations of each exercise are given for higher or lower levels of fitness or injury.

Initially I was pretty worried as my balance and flexibility is not the greatest, but it’s amazing after just a few short weeks how much I improved. When I started doing the standing spine roll (where you stand, feet should width apart and slowly peel each vertebrae down until can touch the floor with your hands) I couldn’t touch the floor, in fact I was no where near it. Now I can put my whole hands palm down on the floor.

You too can be this hot if you do pilates! (May or may not be an exaggeration)

After finishing the beginners course PFIWA offers several different hour long classes that you can do, which are:
- Full Body Sculpt
- Lower Body Sculpt
- Fitball
- Stretch and Core Balance
- Power and Sculpt
- Basic Sculpt

I walk out of each class refreshed, revitalised and realigned!

Pilates Fitness Institute of WA have locations in Myaree, Canning Vale and South Perth.

Cost : Beginners Technique Class $185
Contact: http://www.pfiwa.com.au for more information.

Review by Hannah, pilates lover and all ’round excellent lass.

Be well,

xoxo

Revive Day Spa, Mt Hawthorn

After visiting Thailand a year ago, I have recently become nostalgic for the hour-long-full-body-massage. Bearing in mind that these are around 20 times the price here in Perth, I browsed various internet sites for the best value I could find and ended up at Revive Day Spa, Mount Hawthorn early on a Saturday morning.

Upon entering I was ushered into a comfortable, dimly lit lounge area where I filled out a personal information sheet regarding any medical conditions and the like. I was then greeted by the massage therapist, taken to change into a dressing gown and slippers and taken into the massage room.

Covered by a towel I lay on a comfortable table surrounded by candles in a dark room. I noticed it was warmer here than at other day spas, where I was covered in goose bumps. The music was a sort of generic Chillout Mix with some questionable remixes; however it was a change from the usual ‘Sounds of the Jungle’ that day spas tend to play. The therapist started with a decolletage and scalp massage; then worked her way down my right arm, leg, foot and back up the left side.

As she concentrated on particular pressure points and muscle attachments, I could tell there was a background of thorough training in massage therapy. I was then told to lie on my stomach and was asked if there were any particular areas of my back to be focussed on – to which I replied ‘all areas’. This ended pleasantly with a hot towel placed on my back to remove the massage oil.

When the massage sadly came to an end I was asked to dress and escorted back to the lounge, where I was provided with herbal tea and a fruit salad. I was pleased to be given time to recover, as by this stage I was feeling extremely groggy yet very relaxed. The therapist saw me out and in my half-asleep state I tried to show my gratitude for what was a really enjoyable experience.

Revive Day Spa have two locations:

Shop 2 416-418 Oxford St Mount Hawthorn

Ph: (08 9201 0971)
E: mh@revivedayspa.com.au

&

295 Albany Highway Victoria Park
Ph: (08 9355 1199)
E: vp@revivedayspa.com.au

They provide a range of services from facial and skin treatments to nail care; as well as tanning, waxing, hydrotherapy and of course massage.

At $95 for an hour long massage they are reasonably priced in comparison to other massage services, and offer many spa/beauty packages that are great gift ideas. Their full range of products and services is available at http://www.revivedayspa.com.au

Review by Catherine; a young medical professional who knows the importance of massage, be it in Thailand or Mt Hawthorn!

Zumba!

I’d heard a lot about Zumba, from the advertisements on TV to the seemingly overnight explosion of people talking about it on Facebook, and now the appearance of a class at my local gym. The curiosity was too much – I had to go and see what the fuss was about, and of course to join in the ‘Cardio Party!’

So I grabbed a girlfriend and we both went off to see if Zumba really did live up to the hype. I can officially say – it did! We went on a Tuesday night, and it was very busy. I’d estimate there were probably about 70 people there.

We went to the class in Warwick, however there’s Zumba available all over Perth (log on to http://www.danzaloca.com to find a class near you). There is also Zumba Gold, a low impact class for people recovering from injuries or the elderly. Danza Loca run 66 classes across Perth and more are opening up all the time so you are bound to find one nearby! It costs $10 per class, and you get a 20% discount when buying a 10 lesson card.

Zumba is marketed as being suitable for all ages, which I think is a really big point of difference from other classes that do not advertise this fact.

As our instructor -Tass – walked in… I thought “If that’s the sort of body you get from Zumba, then I will definitely be coming back!”. Tass started the class with a bit of a pep talk about what to expect from Zumba and an overview of the moves that we’d be doing during the class. It’s a mix of meringue, salsa, cha cha and – which sounded really exciting as I’ve got a dance background and always wanted to try something a bit more exotic than jazz! Tass explained the importance of enjoying the class and getting into the moves – his motto seemed to be “free your mind, and your ass will follow!” and it dawned on me what we were in for.

The music started and we launched into the first routine, which was fantastic and definitely broke everyone into a sweat. The class then hit full pace and we were jumping, shimmying, meringue-ing and (most of all) laughing all the way through. The entire class is set to a soundtrack, featuring some songs that I recognised and some that I did not. This was great as it really helped to maintain the energy in the class, and Tass didn’t really need to shout out instructions as he was up on a stage at the front demonstrating.

The best part for me was how easy it was to pick up the moves, there were some people there who were Zumba experts, and some Zumba first-timers, like me.

The main focus of Zumba is the cardio aspect of it, however there is lots of oblique twisting as well, which I found to be quite beneficial and I was definitely sore the next morning.

The class goes for 55 minutes – there’s 10 minutes of warm up and explanation, then 40 minutes of actual Zumba-ing. This is more than enough to get you feeling like you’ve had a great workout! At the end, there was a 5 minute cool down and stretch, which was also done to the Zumba music.

I left feeling energised but not exhausted as is often the case after a fitness class. I would highly recommend Zumba, although it’s popped up really quickly it’s definitely not one of the fad classes that we’ve all seen come and go. It’s a great hour class, grab your friends and make an evening of it!

Review by Amy S., Zumba convert!

Website: http://www.danzaloca.com
Facebook: Look up – Zumba with Danza Loca
Email: maestro@danzaloca.com
Phone: 0402092900

Be well,

xoxo

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

Thalgo Extreme Comfort Cream was first recommended to me by my sister who referred to it as a ‘miracle cream’. Now, I’m pretty cynical at the best of times (especially when I hear that overused ‘miracle’ word) but I’m a big fan of moisturizers and an even bigger fan of the discount that she was going to get me, so I gave it a shot. It retails for around $87 a pop, but you can get it for $65.25 (www.getprice.com.au) which you might think is pretty expensive for 50ml, HOWEVER, take it from me…it is definitely worth spending your hard earned on.

Allow me to go into more detail, this is one of those ‘a little goes a long way’ kind of products and from the very first time you use it you really do get the sense that the good people at Thalgo have packed as much stuff in there as possible. Now, what I refer to as ‘stuff’ Thalgo calls ‘Omega 3 and 6 and restructuring oils’ but you could tell me that ‘whales tears’ and ‘the sneeze of a wizard’ were in there and I would believe that too.

The point is the repairing ability of this product is like nothing else that I have ever used. It’s quite a thick cream (which I really like even thought I know that’s not to everyone’s taste) and it’s really hard working. For example if I have a month where I switch to a cheaper moisturizer and then switch back to the comfort cream I notice the difference in about two days. My skin feels more even in tone, is less prone to breakouts, is smoother, softer and better hydrated for a longer period of time… everything you want your skin to be.

Now – once when I was espousing the virtues of this moisturizer, a friend of mine had two very good arguments that may have crossed your mind, so I will recount this conversation for you now:

Her: What do you mean fewer breakouts? It’s not a cleanser…that’s impossible.

Me: Yeah but if I put it on first in the morning (under makeup) then it acts as a really good barrier between my skin and any makeup which stops my pores from clogging.

This has no scientific proof it just seems to make sense to me. And…

Her: I HATE thick moisturizers in the evening you feel all sticky before you go to bed and in the morning you look all shiny.

Me: Stop putting so much on.

Case closed. Seriously, try this stuff because the only thing it is missing is an SPF…and a wizard’s sneeze.

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

If you would like to go in and buy some Thalgo Extreme Comfort Cream in person you can get it at:

Le Beau Day Spa (Kardinya) Phone: (08) 9331 1122

Duncraig Beauty Centre (Marri Road, Duncraig) Phone: (08) 9447 8860

The Beauty Gallery (Woodvale) Phone: 08 9309 5677

Review by Adriane, 25, upcoming actress extraordinaire, likes plump skin & jam donuts.

Be well,

xoxo

I don’t think I’ve posted this recipe before, and I’ve had a truck load of people wanting to dip their toes into the wonderful world of these murky looking smoothies!

Green smoothies are one of a few things that make me feel on top of the world, full of energy & song. I cannot recommend them highly enough! Don’t be fooled by their sour looking appearance, they are actually pretty sweet and taste just like a regular berry / fruit smoothie (minus the milk!).

So, without further interference from me, here is a super basic recipe for a green smoothie from which all other recipes of mine stem from!

♥ 1/2 x cup of apple juice
♥ 1 x cup of water
♥ 1-2 x cups of washed, fresh baby spinach (you don’t generally want to use regular spinach as the taste is bitter / stronger)
♥ 1 x decent sized banana or 2 x small bananas
♥ 1/2-1 x cup of frozen fruit (your choice: blueberries, mango, raspberries… they’re all good!)

Get all that whizzing around in your blender and soon you’ll be be a convert, I 99.9% guarantee it.

If you would like some extra tips for experts, check out this Vogue Forum Green Smoothies thread for inspiration galore!

Let me know if you decide to try a green smoothie, otherwise you can come round to my joint and I’ll whip you one up PERSONALLY! Probably not actually, but I have converted a fair few skeptics this way!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Juice Beauty- The Organic Solution

Most of us know the benefits of eating organic food such as less exposure to harmful pesticides and chemicals, but what about skincare? When you think that your skin absorbs up to 64% of what you put on it you probably want healthy ingredients in your skincare too. I’ve gradually been getting rid of as many nasty chemicals in my life, everything from cleaning products to shower gel has been changed and that’s when I stumbled upon a brand called “Juice Beauty”.

Juice Beauty was created in California by Karen Behnke a wellness entrepreneur whose mission was to create authentic organic beauty solutions to people worldwide. Juice Beauty contains no parabens, propylene, butylenes glycol, petroleum, sulphates, artificial dye and fragrances. What the brand does do, is contain is high grade certified organic ingredients, support local organic farmers, use solar power, and package its products using recyclable products and soy ink.

I’ve been using two products from the Juice Beauty range, the Cleansing Gel and the Nutrient Moisturiser.

The Cleansing Gel contains cherry and lemon juice both full of potent antioxidants, alpha hydroxy acids and vitamins A, B and C. This is combined with soothing sugar and coconut to gently remove impurities whilst protecting the skins natural barriers. This cleanser is suited to skins that are oily/combination, a great summer cleanser if you are prone to an oily T-zone like my skin. The cleanser has a light citrus smell which for some may take a little getting used to.

After cleansing I smooth on some Nutrient Moisturiser, a jar full of certified organic grape juice, vitamin rich carrot extract and nourishing essential fatty acids. This cream although designed for dry/mature skins actually works really well with my skin which is prone to dehydration in the cooler months. It’s rich in antioxidants and hyalauronic acid which nourishes and protects skin. Once warmed in hands and applied to skin, it is absorbed immediately for fresh, hydrated skin.

I only have one negative with Juice Beauty, it’s made in the US and not in Australia. Now if only I can find a comparable company in Australia! My search continues…

Reviewed by Hannah.

http://www.juicebeauty.com

Available at selected David Jones stores and online retailers.

Be well,

xoxo