by Annette @ Wellness WA | Sep 14, 2011 | Food, Wellness Tips
♥
Hello hello! It’s that time again where I get to share with you my top crushes for the week in the hopes of inspiring you to maybe develop a lil crush all of your own. This week it’s a mixed bag with some yummy, healthy treats, Perth born beauty prods and a bit of a spruik of our latest comp. Let me know if you have any questions, as always I’m happy to chat 😀
♥ Stove Cooked Porridge
My love of porridge is well known (to me), but would you believe that for all these years I’ve been microwaving it? Every morning, into the microwave for a quick, hot and tasty breaky. Last week I decided to do something I’d never done before… cook the porridge on the stove. Now I realise this might sound a bit lame to any domestic kitchen goddess babes, but for me it was a revelation. The porridge turned out so much thicker and creamier and about 2.5 x more delicious! I threw in some frozen blueberries and stirred in some nut butter – dreamy.
Porridge is really good for calming your nerves, beating stress and providing you with sustained energy to take on the day! Porridge lovers put yo hand UP!
♥
♥ Home Roasted Almonds
Here’s another one that makes me feel a bit silly. I only just discovered how flippin good roasted almonds are. After spouting my love to all and sundry, a work colleague of mine suggested I roast my own at home. Mind blown, again. I just don’t think of these things! She recommended popping a tray of almonds w/skins into the oven at 180 degrees, just when cooking something else or on their own if you want.
I roasted my nut babes for about 12 minutes until the skin came out looking split, as in the above picture. It was all I could do to stop myself scoffing the whole tray. I am now totally converted and have been cooking up a small tray each week to take to work as a trail mix with dried cranberries. Super delicioso. Have you tried roasted almonds?
♥
♥ AEOS Crystal Nail File
If you’re tired of those scrappy emery boards and the rough powdery feeling they leave on your nails, you’re going to rejoice at these new crystal nail files from AEOS!
“Metal files and emery boards tear the nail as they file, leaving rough, sharp edges. The crystal file glides across the nail tip so you can quickly and easily shape your nail to a flawless, smooth finish. Crystal files seal the nail tip as you file, preventing water, dirt and debris from seeping into the nail tip.”
The files will last you a lifetime due to the crystal not being able to harbour any bacteria. I find that pretty amazing! So long as you don’t lose it, you’ll never have to buy another nail file again. I’m a bit of a slacker when it comes to my nails, but I’ve been using this file whenever I spot a jagged edge and it’s been serving me very well indeed.
The AEOS Crystal Nail files are available for $22 from the beGenki online shop, and come in an AMAZING array of beautiful colours that you’ll want to whip out everywhere you go!
♥ Becca Butter Balm SPF 20 – $40
♥ Becca – Halcyon Days
Two of the new Becca products from the Halcyon Days Collection have been making a big impact on me these past few weeks. The Butter Balm (pictured above) immediately transported me to summery, beachy days when I first tried it – I was honestly in the best mood all afternoon after applying!
Perhaps it’s that the balm is brimming with nourishing ingredients such as shea, cocoa, avocado and jojoba butters and vitamin e, or maybe it’s the tahitian vanilla and honey mixed with the subtle scent of “the beach” that makes this product so appealing. The SPF 20 doesn’t hurt either, and guess what? It’s paraben free too!
Beach dreaming – this is the water down at Freo.
At $40 this is a seriously luxe purchase. Upon opening the gorgeous silver container (which also locks so that the lid doesn’t slip off in your bag, genius!) the amount of product looks rather small, however since using it I’ve found that it lasts for ages and ages and you only need a tiny slick to get moist, supple lips. This is the perfect summer purchase, or Christmas gift (yup, it’s nearly here again) for the beach babe who has everything!
I’m historically not a beachy girl, growing up 400+ kilometres inland will do that, but the Butter Balm has me wanting to hit the sand almost daily. Loving it.
♥ Zoe Foster ‘Amazing Face’ Competition
This ones a plug for our latest competition to win one of two copies of ‘Amazing Face’ by Zoe Foster RRP $39.95!
Enter the competition and you could soon be swooning as much as I did whilst exponentially improving your beauty knowledge. Worth it!
Bon appetit my loves. What do you think of my crushes this week? I would love to hear your crushes! Do share x.
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Sep 13, 2011 | Interviews
♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
I’m a mother to three gorgeous girls, one in her early 20’s, one seven and a half and one who just turned four in June. I believe in falling in love with ourselves truly, madly and deeply and I have a web tv show where I talk to and interview people who can inspire, educate and motivate you to have a life you love. I believe that my purpose in life is to use my creativity and inspiration to support and guide myself and others to live a life of health, fun and abundance, to love and accept each other and to be surrounded by beauty.
I plan on doing that through my web tv shows, my blog and running courses, as well as one-on-one coaching showing just how you too can have a life that ROCKS!
I live in Hillarys with my husband and two younger daughters, who I homeschool (my oldest just moved back to Melbourne) and I feel so blessed to be able to create a life that I love and help others to do the same.
♥
♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.
My daily beauty routine is fairly simple.
I wake up in the morning and drink 1 litre of water before anything else. I wash my face with warm water and a face cloth and then moisturise with my Raw Gaia MSM Beauty Cream.
For make-up I use RMS ‘uncoverup’ 44 and a the Lip 2 Cheek colour. Occassionally I use a mineral eyeliner.
At night I take off my make-up with Raw Gaia Living Cleanser. I don’t moisturise at night.
Both Raw Gaia and RMS are unique in the sense that they are raw products, so none of the ingredients used are heated above 40 degrees ensuring that the life force and nutrients of their ingredients is retained.
Qi Facial with the tiny magnets!
♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?
I have just started having Qi Facials and I can feel and see the improvement in my skin already!
The beautiful Bec Haas is the absolute best! She’s also a naturopath, massage therapist and acupuncturist here in Perth and is so talented I highly recommend that you check her out. You can call her on 0400 550 060
♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?
Bec at Living Colour in Marmion is awesome. She listens to what you ask for and I know that whenever I see her I’ll walk out feeling and looking amazing.
♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
Foot massage from my gorgeous husband, usually once a week – how lucky am I? (Ed: very!)
Hurraw! Balm – Sooo cute!
♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
RMS ‘uncover’ up, I buy it from Bathing Beauty Organic Apothecary a Perth-based online store, Julie Quach is just lovely and the personification of excellent customer service, Chocolate Hurraw Lip Balm and Raw Gaia MSM cream.
♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?
Green Smoothies! These have changed my life. I have one every morning, they’re filling, delicious, nutrient rich. I also believe that it’s more what you do internally that will make a difference to the way you look, so lots of fresh foods, a high raw diet, walking and fresh air. Most important tip – LOVE and GRATITUDE. Love yourself, be grateful for all you have and you will glow – I guarantee it!
♥ 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 on an Embracing Health Retreat. A little hard with the younger two though. There’s one in November in Busselton that I would love to get to.
♥
♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.
1 litre of water first thing
Approximately 1 litre of Green Smoothie.
That’s my breakfast which I’ll have anytime from 7 – 9. I don’t actually move onto the smoothie until I feel hungry.
For lunch I usually have a green salad, if I’m home. If I’m out and about quite often I will have sushi, or just steamed rice and steamed vegetables.
Dinner is varied, but I usually have a salad followed by another dish, raw zucchini pasta with a pesto sauce, or raw nachos, with nut taco meat and nut sour cream.
In winter we do a lot of vegetable soups, rice and vegetables.
My girls love raw vegetables so we will have lots of cut up broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery etc. with raw cashew nut butter, or just on their own.
I also make sure to drink LOTS of filtered water during the day.
Oh, and I forget to mention, I do travel 22km nearly every day to get my ‘fix’ of caffeine in the form of a soy flat white from Txtshots in North Perth – the best coffee in the world! Everyone has to have a vice (or two).
♥
♥ Describe your fitness routine.
I was doing yoga every morning and evening but that came to a standstill after we went on holiday so I’m getting back on track with that.
Running around after my two youngest is probably the main component of my fitness routine in winter. Now that spring is just around the corner though we start walking to most places and I would like to do some jogging on the beach, or at least walking.
♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.
I do add maca and spirulina to my daily smoothies. There’s huge controversy at the moment (in fact most of the time) about whether supplements are good for you, or not, whether they’re a waste of money, whether they’re necessary. I tend to go with my experience, and in my personal experience those two work beautifully for me. I believe in fresh raw foods being the best way to get what I need.
♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
Relaxing in the sunshine reading a good book, watching my children laughing and playing together, talking to my husband, spending time with my eldest daughter. Time with the fabulous family and friends that I have.
Thanks so much to Chizelle, I hope you all enjoyed reading her answers as much as I did 🙂
Any questions please leave them below.
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Sep 11, 2011 | Other, Wellness Tips
♥
I feel so lucky to now be writing the beauty page for the quarterly editions of X-Press Fashion Magazine! Some of you may remember my Warm and Toasty Beauty article from last season, if not check it out, though some of the advice is more relevant for chilly days. (How beautiful was the weather this weekend!!)
This time around I decided to focus on Spring Cleaning Your Routine 🙂 There are lots of tips in there on how to get you on track to having your best skin yet, have a read and let me know what you think. I would love to know your thoughts!
Click here to download the PDF, or scout around wherever X-Press weekly editions are usually stocked and you should be able to find a hard copy version.
I hope you enjoy reading it!
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Sep 4, 2011 | Other
♥
Dear Zoe,
Why hello there ultimate swoon-boat and idol of dreams (check out Primped if you haven’t already, dear readers)! It appears that you have a new and fancy book out called Amazing Face (RRP $39.95) on how to be a pretty awesome makeup, hair and skincare princess + many more wondrous tips.
♥ ♥ ♥
I feverishly read your book from cover to cover, barely stopping to breathe, on the first day it came out. I also had to harass some Dymock’s employees to find your tome in a box out the back! It was well worth it.
Here is a list of reasons why your book heaps deserved to be at the number one spot on the Dymocks best selling books for a couple of weeks (true story!):
♥ It’s for everyone. There’s tips for teens, 20 somethings, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s+
♥ This quote “Happy, healthy, radiant skin is your finest and most powerful accessory”
♥ You’re so smart, and witty, and funny, and pretty. Every page is ultra enjoyable to read and you tell me correct order in which to apply my skincare before bed, which I previously DID NOT KNOW!
♥ There is approximately 5 million tips in here about how to glow ‘a rude shade of health’.
♥ Tutorials, how-tos, lists (with pix!), Q&A, bonus tricks… there is a lot of information, presented in lots of different ways.
♥ The design is stunning, every page is different and delightful.
There are more reasons! But I don’t want to reveal all of your secrets.
Cute haircut n makeup Zoe! It looks like you do know your stuff.
Thanks Zo, you have once again inspired me to mix up my beauty routine a bit and reminded me to pull up my socks and stop being a bit lax with skincare, naughty naughty.
♥ ♥ ♥
Lucky readers! Penguin Books Australia have generously provided 2 copies of Ms. Foster’s book for us to give away 😀 To be in the running to win, all you need to do is make sure you’re a fan of our Facebook page and leave a comment below letting us all know:
Why would you like to win a copy of Amazing Face?
Good luck! Entries close 19th September xx
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Aug 30, 2011 | Events, Products, Reviews
♥
A couple of Wednesdays ago, I was in the city after hours on a cold and rainy night, only to end up being locked up in a store. Don’t worry, I had it all under control, I was actually there for Kit’s Viva Le Colour Fiesta event. It really was every gals dream, locked in a store, with champagne, nibbles and hours to kill. As the name suggests, Kit’s latest offering is all about colour. Inspired by the bright shades found in Spain and Mexico, the limited edition mineral range of products are sure to catch your eye.
♥
Kit’s effervescent National Sales Manager, Pauline kicked off the night with the war cry, “colour isn’t scary” promising that her team of Makeup artists (pictured above) would have us convinced and in colour by the end of the night. A step-by-step demonstration on how to achieve a subtle, yet colourful face soon followed, with helpful tips from the makeup artist and plenty of audience interaction. As a makeup artist myself, I did think (for a moment) that I would be sitting smugly in the corner during said demonstration, but I was immediately drawn in by the fun and interactive performance and found myself making mental notes!
♥
The crowd was a varied bunch, ranging from those who really wanted that one-on-one time with their favourite artists and those who just wanted uninterrupted time to peruse the aisles after hours. Kit events really are a valuable chance to learn about makeup in a relaxed environment. While wandering around the event (sticking my nose in everywhere really!) I caught snippets of useful information – did you know Kit do not test on animals? – and really acquainted myself with the products on offer.
♥
The Viva Le Colour Fiesta range is full of fun new mineral items; my pick of the bunch would be the Viva La Coral Kit ($29.95), and the Long Live Colour Palette for eyes, lips, cheeks ($69.95) which I was lucky enough to take home with me. As promised, the audience was in colour by the end of the night and I was making plans to line my eyes with electric blue eye shadow the following day, a big feat for me as my wardrobe consists of black, black and more black. I would like to mention the girls who pulled the night together, Amelia, Sashelle, Daniella, Loren and Pauline, their approachable attitude and abundance of product knowledge was a delight to witness.
More pics from the night:
Pauline and Sashelle
Yum!! (Note the healthy options too, good to see!)
Cute girls with colour, tricky to see the eyes, but there’s a nice coral lip on the right.
Thanks to Kit Cosmetics for inviting us along to the event, they host them quite regularly so make sure you ask in store or sign up to their mailing list to find out about any that are coming up!
Event review by Jacqui Bradfield, makeup artiste extraordinaire!
Be well,
xoxo
