Julie Quach, Owner of Bathing Beauty Organic Apothecary.

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

I was born in WA, 27 years ago. I went to Curtin Business School and finished a double degree in Marketing and Communications. At the age of 21, I started my own business, and I have never looked back. I’m quite simple in the sense that I know what is important in life and I am realistic about my goals and direction. I’ve always had a passion for beauty, anyone who knows me can vouch for that! It only seemed natural that I used my degree as a base, and mixed in my passion, to help shape and create my life. Bathing Beauty Organic Apothecary isn’t work for me at all, it might sound really cliché but when you do something you really love there are no boundaries, just abundance.

Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Frankincense Facial Mist – $28

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

Ok, well as you can image my bathroom is FULL of product, and I am usually “researching” (aka testing) for new brands to put on the site. At the moment, these are the products I am using:

Both morning and evening, my skin cleansing routine consists of:

Cleanser: Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Frankincense Facial Wash
Toner: Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Frankincense Facial Mist
Serum: Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Purifying Palmarosa Facial Serum
Moisturiser: Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Frankincense Hydrating Cream
Eyes: Neal’s Yard Remedies White Tea Toning Eye Gel

When I cleanse I always massage from behind the ears and down to the clavical to drain the lymph nodes.

Neal’s Yard Remedies Honey and Orange Facial Scrub – $40

I also like to treat my skin at least twice a week using these two products interchangeably:

♥ Neal’s Yard Remedies Honey and Orange Facial Scrub
♥ Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Face Mask

As for makeup, one of my favourite products would have to be RMS Beauty’s Un-cover Up. This product is UN-BELIEVEABLE. This product is perfect for ladies who are after natural, dewy looking skin, without having to wear too much makeup.

My current primer is Alison Raffaele’s Age Response Primer. You have to feel it to believe it – it seriously gives you the MOST silky skin.

RMS- Living Luminiser, a cult product – $53

I always use RMS LIP2CHEEK- Smile and Rapture. RMS Beauty’s MOMENT lip shine, and the Living Luminiser are great for highlighting the cheeks also.

I don’t tend to use a lot of product on my eyes unless I’m going out. When I do choose to wear some colour, I always reach for the RMS Beauty Cream Eye Shadow SEDUCE.

♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without?

My weekly facial.

♥ And your favourite place to have it done?

I prefer to do them myself in my bathroom, only because I am very particular when it comes to my skin and products.

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

Hairloom in Osborne Park – Candice or Connie. They are super talented and beautiful people. They’re always traveling for work as they’re in high demand. Not many people know, but they are usually over east for fashion week, exercising their talents backstage.

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

My natural manicure for sure!

The Japanese Wash Cloth – $29

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

Not Fair, there are so many!!!

If I have to choose, I will go with these 3…

1. RMS Beauty’s Living Luminiser
2. Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Frankincense Hydrating Cream (one of Neal’s Yard’s best selling products)
3. Japanese Wash Cloth.

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

Exercise daily – it makes such a difference to your emotional state, I feel like ME when I work out. Its empowering and you can feel confident in anything. Mediation helps me to center and focus in the mornings. My days are very busy so if I don’t take a moment to just slow down I feel a little out of whack! Before bed try thinking about 5 things that you are grateful for, from that day. It can be anything! Even the smallest thing, as long as it has elevated you, it’s important to acknowledge.

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

Kefir, a probiotic rich food made from fermented milk.

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Normally, breakfast consists of kefir and oats or a Protein shake, and coffee at the office with my beloved nespresso! I eat a healthy big lunch around 1pm. I always make sure I have some protein with salad. A snack of fruit at 4pm keeps me going until my light dinner at 7pm. I really try and stay away from carbs especially at night, but I always treat myself to something sweet to cleanse the pallet!

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I’m up at 6am and I usually go to the gym. I’ll do about 45mins of weight training followed by 30mins of cardio. I’ll do this about 4 times a week. Pilates on Saturday. The 3 days of the week I have off I will just go for a 1hr run with my dog Kamajii.

Remedial Massage.

♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements?

I don’t take any supplements, and the only therapies I take part in are quite indulgent. This includes remedial massages (the only kind of massage I like!) and also I love Reiki, my fav place for that is up in the hills of Noosa, QLD. A Japanese couple do this treatment at their estate – amazing!

♥ How do you like to relax?

Take a bath or get a remedial massage, pedicure or read. I’m inspired by anything creative, and cooking to me is an art. Art of taste! So I love to visit subi markets and farmers markets to get my produce fresh and spend all day cooking whilst listening to music.

Thanks Julie, you were a pleasure to interview and have provided lots to look at and think about!

If you have any questions please leave a comment below

Be well,

xoxo

Lumikello provide(d) Scandinavian spa treatments & wellbeing services.

I’m sad to say that Lumikello is closing down in a couple of weeks, it’s close to my apartment and I experienced a massage treatment that was very different from those I’ve tried before. It reminded me why I review in the first place, because there are so many different and unique experiences to be had… and I want to help you find the best ones!

The good news is my masseuse, Kelly, will continue to run a mobile service after the closure, so I can continue to reach cloud-9 on a regular basis.

Massages are one of my favourite things. Love ‘em. Can’t rave enough. The feeling of pure relaxation that’s experienced afterwards can’t be beaten. This one is no different and I swear I left feeling like I could float out the door on a little white cloud, and slide into bed. Unfortunately I don’t think they make personal clouds yet, maybe one day?!

Snuggling stomach down into the table and placing my head in the hole, I notice a couple of rock crystals on the ground below – a lovely touch which I haven’t seen before. This gives me something nice to focus on when I’m not almost dozing off!

This is where I’m headed…

The highlights of the treatment for me were:

♥ Warm oil drizzled onto the particular body part about to be massaged – O M G! I realise this sounds a little like a food recipe, but it was a very interesting feeling… and extremely enjoyable

♥ Again, the crystals were great.

♥ The touching at the end of the massage, now reading back that sounds sketchy, but what happens is spots like your shoulder and leg, are touched at the same time gently. It feels very grounding and it’s one of my favourite parts of massages when it happens!

♥ Not a highlight per-se, but I find it really interesting that most masseuses have well kept feet and toenails! It makes sense, cos you are face down looking at the floor, so the feet are in view. Kelly had nice feet!

After the treatment there was no way I wanted to leave the little cocoon I was in and go home, but unfortunately I had to.

I felt fantastic and if I could, I would get two of these massages a week!

Kelly suggested I try the lomi lomi massage next time, and I might do that.

My relaxation massage at Lumikello was $80, which is what Kelly also charges for a mobile massage:

Kelly Hutchinson
0438 820 015

Email: kellyhutch20@hotmail.com

I’m really disappointed that Lumikello is closing down, but am happy I got to experience it at least once.

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

Kate Bevilaqua!

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

– Completed a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education at UWA followed by a Diploma of Education
– Began teaching PE and Health to year 8 – 12s at Christ Church my first year out and remained there for 8 years
– During that time I played netball and was determined to take that as far as I could despite the constant reminders that I was too short!
– During my netball off season my cousin Wesley convinced me to try a triathlon as a means to keep fit!
– Eventually enjoyed triathlon so much more and quit netball! The culmination of 3 different sports, swimming, cycling and running keeps it interesting and it also has a great social/community feel about it!
– After a few years of short course racing, my coach eventually convinced me to give an Ironman a go and after qualifying for the Hawaii Ironman, my first 2 attempts and finishing 3rd as an amateur at the World Champs I obtained my Pro license and have not looked back since!
– 4 years later I have quit my job and am a full time professional triathlete who spends 6 months of the year in Perth, and the other 6 months in Boise, Idaho in the USA
– Most recently I finally won my first Ironman in Busselton, Western Australia and it will be a moment I will never ever forget!!

Invisible Zinc 4 Hour Waterproof Sunscreen SPF30+

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

– First thing in the morning I am usually swimming biking or running, I will never leave the house without moisturiser, followed by Zinc on my face and lip balm on my lips.

– Zinc I either use Invisible Zinc or the skin coloured Sun Zapper Zinc stick you can get in Coles. It is perfect for those long, long days out in the sun.

– Moisturiser I use L’oreal day cream with suncream and an age perfect night cream.
– Lip Balm, every type of Blistex you will find in my drawer.
– Cause of all the swimming I have a leave in oil treatment for my hair because I don’t like to wash it every day!! I love to use Moroccan Oil.

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

Massage (if you can call this a beauty treatment!) Once a week! My masseuse, Mark Eden, definitely knows how to keep me going strong! But otherwise i recently had a facial with my mother which I hadn’t done in years and was amazed how great my skin felt afterwards. Would like to make this a regular part of my beauty routine!

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

I have a local hairdresser, Avant Garde in South Perth that I have been going to for years and it is so easy when they know you and your hair and I don’t have to always explain why my hair is in such bad condition after all the swimming and sweaty training! I can just sit there and relax and she knows exactly what I want!

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

A good facial mask or scrub! Once every week or 10 days! Gets rid of that dead skin and makes my face feel fresh again at least for a little while! I use Anew Clinical Micro – exfoliant.

So many to love!

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

– Blistex Lip Balm
– Sun Zapper Zinc Stick
– Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse

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

Sleep!! I think sleep is highly underrated! Let’s be honest! How great do we feel and look (no bags under the eyes!) when we have a good night’s sleep! Lucky for me sneaking in an afternoon nap is something I try and do as much as can!

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

Bikram yoga, I have heard so much about it but haven’t found the time yet to do it! Definitely on the “to do” list!

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

I will usually eat a couple of pieces of toast with peanut butter before swimming training in the morning. This lasts a few hours and by the time I get home I am ready for my real breakfast of oatmeal with cinnamon, blueberries, banana, and maybe some more peanut butter and almond milk. This fills me up for the rest of the morning and I don’t need to snack. Lunch is usually a roll/sandwich of chicken or egg and salad. Otherwise sushi is also a popular choice. After snack varies between an apple, yoghurt, muesli/protein bar depending what is on the training schedule. Dinner is a protein (chicken, steak and salmon are my favourites) and salad or vegetables.

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

Well fitness is my life so there is not a day that goes by (well very few anyway!) when I am not swimming, cycling or running! I usually have a day off every 10 days and a sleep in is absolute bliss!! Generally I will swim 6 times a week, run 5 times a week and cycle 4 or 5 times a week. If I am feeling up to it and try and get some core and strength work in but if I am tired they are the sessions that I will skip for a nap instead!

Fish oil!

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

Besides massage I am strong believer in Acupuncture/dry needling. I will have a session every couple of weeks if time permits to get rid of that tension in certain areas. With all the exercise and training I do I have been taking iron supplements to help prevent feeling too fatigued but also religiously take garlic and fish oil tablets so I don’t get sick!!

Thanks so much to Kate for taking time out of her very busy schedule to share her routine with us! Please leave any questions and comments below.

Be well,

xoxo

Photo of Chakra Balancing Treatment by Sodashi

As soon as I read about the 90 Minute Sodashi Chakra Balancing Treatment on the Bodhi J website, I knew we had to be together.

“Deeply meditative, this experience aims to bring the chakras into alignment through a fluid combination of massage, specific essential oil synergies and beautiful crystals. Working subtly on the energetic body with profound effects, this truly unique experience leaves you feeling calm and in a state of harmony, resulting in an increase in wellbeing and spirituality.”

Yes please. Now, as you can imagine, one prerequisite for this treatment is a mind that is at least 2% open. Energy therapies are a relatively new player in the game and as such are often viewed with a skeptical eye.

I can’t say for certain they work, all I can let you know are my experiences, and after this treatment I felt on cloud 9 for about 3-4 days after!

Check out Chakras for Beginners for a little more info before reading on!

Going to the day spa can be a very intimate experience, we allow ourselves to be touched and comforted by people we usually don’t know, this treatment specifically requires you to be completely undressed (although your modesty is certainly preserved at all times), however disposable underwear is made available for those who might not feel so comfortable going au naturale!

♥ So after taking it all off, I’m directed to a beautiful eco-bathrobe. It’s all about the little things, and these unique robes are made of flax and are very low in pesticides, herbicides and fungicides! Pretty impressive and really comfortable, they are also available to purchase for $130.

♥ A quick test is done to see which of my chakras are imbalanced, turns out my 3rd (emotions) & 5th (communication) chakras could do with a bit of work!

♥ Before each chakra (from the base of the spine to the crown of the head) is gently massaged and worked on, I’m asked to inhale a Sodashi scented oil (see above) that corresponds to and will help to balance that particular chakra. It is incredibly relaxing and the scents are divine.

♥ After each point is worked on, a beautiful crystal is placed on my skin.

♥ I have to note at this point that I’m not someone who falls asleep easily, but I found myself dozing off at least twice!

♥ Once the back is done, the front is worked on (again, modesty preserved).

♥ The treatment finishes with a relaxing rest in the lounge area, some fresh fruit, tea and chocolates

The whole thing was AMAZINGLY relaxing. I walked out of there on a cloud and stayed there for 3-4 days. As someone who is very busy and always searching for ways to reduce stress, I found this to be one of the more effective treatments I have tried in a while!

If you have the moolah, the Sodashi Chakra Balancing Treatment weighs in at $185 for 90 mins, then I would highly recommend you high-tail it down there before even finishing this article.

If not, start wishing upon stars or putting away a dollar a day because this treatment is definitely worth your hard earned.

I wish I was back there right now! *dreams*
Contact Bodhi J

42C Grantham St (Cnr Nanson St)
Wembley, Western Australia 6014

ph: (08) 9387 5152
fax: (08) 9387 4548

admin@bodhij.com.au

Ever had your chakras balanced?

Would you like to? Lets chat!