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I’m pregnant!!

Don’t get me wrong – we love hearing them from friends, then it’s all shrieks, hugs, and tears. But there’s one person we simply do not want to hear it from, and I’m pretty sure I can speak for the whole sisterhood here…your hairdresser.

Years of unflattering cuts, tragic colours, and massively botched home attempts, litters a rite of passage to be endured until you find, THE ONE. So when your hairdresser enthusiastically declares her impending motherhood, I understand that it takes all your strength not to pick up the buzz razor and fashion a reverse Mohawk through the centre of her perfectly sculpted bob.

Word of warning, if you’re a hairdresser about to make a life changing announcement, please don’t be offended if your clients don’t share your enthusiasm, it’s just that we know our life is about to become ruled by our fickle follicles.

When my last hairdresser drifted off into oblivion, I found myself skulking back to a major corporate salon I’d used years ago in the nineties, Maurice Mead Subiaco.

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Perhaps it was a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder but I was thrilled with the service. Not only were the magazines post World War II, I was given a cup of tea and placed in front of a television showing the latest fashions, then given a head massage to die for. The act of hair washing reached a whole new level when, lying back on a black leather vibrating massage chair, the apprentice worked his magic for a good 15 minutes, all the while checking on my personal level of pressure, bliss. Numb beyond belief I watched on as my stylist, Ailsa, retrieved my card and identified the colours that had worked best for me in the past then listened to what I wanted. Not only that, she checked regularly to make sure I was happy. In the end I left the salon relaxed and feeling very special. While it was a lot dearer than my previous stylist, I’d almost pay double just for the head massage, but don’t tell them that.

Maurice Meade Subiaco
9/127 Rokeby Road, SUBIACO WA 6008
Salon is located on Barker Rd

PH: (08) 9381 6447
Web: http://www.mauricemeade.com.au

Review by Glennys Marsdon – author, blogger, consumer behaviourist who’s spent a lifetime researching why we do what we do, but still hasn’t worked out Hollywood tap.

Be well,

xoxo

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

My name is Lisa Gawned Founder/Owner Sevenergy Yoga Centre and Mukha natural yoga mats.

Being a fourth generation Western Australian woman, I know how harsh the Australian environment can be on our skin. So over the years I’ve learnt that we actually have products in our household that are just as, if not better, than what we pay top dollar for in retail stores.

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I have very sensitive skin and find natural products mainly out of my kitchen work best for me, with exception to a good sun block…

Mornings start with a good splash of cold water, adding a tiny bit of olive oil (avoiding eyes) massaged in, followed with my favourite sunblock Rationale face SPF 30+, it’s the best! I never get burnt and my skin loves it!!

In the evening I cleanse with Almond meal and enough water to make a creamy paste to gently massage the day away, followed by a good rinse and a dab of witch hazel all over my face. I finish with a drop of olive oil into the palm of my hands rubbed together to create heat before massaging in an upward direction…bliss!

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

This treatment I have used for years and find it leaves my skin feeling as soft as baby’s, fresh and with a beautiful glow for a few days.

I wash my face with almond meal and water. Dab on milk of magnesia with a cotton bud (only available on eBay UK) over my face and neck, leave to dry for few minutes, rinse off. Warm a generous amount of olive oil and massage into face and neck with upward strokes. Allow the oil to stay on for five minutes. Then remove excess oil with ice cold witch hazel on a cotton bud. Great treatment also for the top of dry hands.

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

I’m a qualified Hairdresser so I cut and colour my own hair, how? Easy for a hairdresser, except the back, so I just get who ever is around to check the back and snip any stray bits off for me… the colour I use is Henna Moon from (Manna Wholefoods South Fremantle) for my greys!! Weekly treatment to soften and add shine is Coconut Oil left on for about an hour, then shampooed out.

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment.

I have noticed as I’m getting older I’m getting larger pores on my face, so I’ve found using egg whites and honey once a week really helps..

I use one egg white beaten until stiff and add one tsp of honey and continue to beat until stiff . I then smother the mixture all over my face and neck. Sit back for about five minutes then rinse off. Finish with witch hazel lotion and olive oil.

♥ Your Three absolutely cannot live without, favourite products.

1. Red Island Australian cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
2. Bartholomews Meadery Honey, Denmark WA
3. Food Source Organic virgin coconut oil (treatment for the hair)

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

Regular yoga classes, even one class a week for me is like an internal massage and a spring clean for my whole being. Followed with a little meditation. Even five minutes a day if I’m time poor. I close my eyes and observe my breath at the entrance of my nostrils. I find this most beneficial if I need to offload a stressful day.

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

I would love to experience a few days at the Peninsula Hot Springs in Victoria that would be the ultimate! Ahhh… even one day there!

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Well I’m not a brekky person, but I understand it’s the most important meal of the day, so I start with Isowhey complete powder my favourite (vanilla) mixed with the beautiful WA farmed fresh milk to make a frothy milkshake, followed with a big tablespoon of Loving Earth raw organic coconut chocolate butter. Yummy!!

I am a pescetarian so lunch varies depending where I am, but generally sushi if I’m out and about or a home made wrap with salad and tuna when I’m home

Depending on the season from a salad and fish to curry veg, beans and legumes or pot of in season veggie soup.

Before bed I have an herb tea with a tsp of Black Chia (Nature First). These little black seeds are rich in protein and fibre and work wonders on the bowels and seem to settle my tummy!

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

Daily yoga practice from around fifteen minutes and up depending on my other commitments. Also attending one yoga class a week is important and beneficial for me. Gym once or twice a week and kayaking once a week pending weather.

♥ Do you take part in any alternate therapy or supplement? If so, discuss.

Favourite all rounder is Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar a tablespoon daily mixed with water. Bragg I find is the best brand as I believe it’s unfiltered, unheated and unpasteurized. I have read that we are meant to be 80% alkaline and 20% acidic, so this is suggested to be the winning formula to achieve this. My colleague who is a naturopath is always impressed with how alkalized I am when she does my PH test.

Also, one of my favourite people to visit regularly is Acupuncturist Dr Zhou Mi in Canning Vale. I always leave feeling good; he has amazing energy and knowledge.

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

Burn three drops of lavender, sweet orange and marjoram oil in a burner, run a bath adding Epsom salts with tea candles all around while listening to some beautiful soft chanting music as I gaze into the flame of one of the candles becoming aware of my breath. Being completely present until I retreat straight to bed.

Thanks Lisa! I hope you enjoyed reading about her unique routine, please leave any questions and comments below 🙂

Be well,

xoxo

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I don’t know about you, but I’m the kind of person that doesn’t have any trouble eating my two portions of fruit per day. In fact, if there was some kind of disease you got from eating too much fruit I’d probably be riddled with it. Very little makes me happier than an overflowing fruit bowl of colourful delights!

As we head into the cooler months, it’s easy to forget about beautiful sweet fruit and replace our portions with stodgy (READ: UNHEALTHY!) snacks. As a pescetarian and lover of fresh food, I’ve recently begun embracing the yearly food calendar. A website that is truly wonderful, if you enjoy fresh food, is http://www.seasonalfoodguide.com. It’s even categorised by states so you can specifically select the freshest food grown in WA. Could it be any easier?

Stewed yumminess!

Pears, while not very exotic, are my first example of delish autumn fruit to enjoy regularly. They’re versatile as they fit perfectly in my handbag for uni and also taste INCREDIBLE stewed for dessert with a little bit of cane sugar and cinnamon, YUM!

♥ The glistening rubies of the fruit world! ♥

Pomegranates are another beauty. Similar to passionfruits, these fruits have the most spectacular colour (perfect for aforementioned fruit bowl) and the little juicy red seeds almost explode in your mouth. Pomegranates are delightful on their own, or in fruit salad or juice. They are also is incredibly good for you!

The unique looking custard apple!

While at a recent dinner with a couple of girlfriends, I was introduced to the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture of the custard apple. While I’d heard about this fruit from the apple family, I wasn’t aware of how amazing it tasted, nor did I realise that it would become my current addiction (I go through food phases faster than Paris Hilton goes through BFF’s). While it can be a bit pricey at around $5, it’s better for you than a block of chocolate and will leave you feeling just as warm inside. Depending on where you live, you can purchase these babies from the Herdsman, Fresh Provisions and the Boatshed.
As someone who reaches for comfort food as the nights become chillier, I have vowed to remember that Summer is not the only time of year to indulge in fresh fruit and veg. If you haven’t already, add one or all three of these Autumn gems to your fruit bowl for a little extra zest. Your body will love you for it!

Written by Ellie, a lover of all things fresh and soon to eat her way around Europe!

Be well,

xoxo

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As any self-respecting gal knows, showing just the right amount of skin can make or break an outfit. So you want to make sure that what is on show, looks smokin’ hot right? I trialled a couple of select body lotions designed to make your skin radiate and smell delicious, the best way to complete a fab look.

Trilogy’s rosehip oil is a hit in my beauty cabinet. After trialling it a couple of years ago, it’s now a mainstay for the nourishing loving it provides my skin with.

I was excited to see one of Trilogy’s products in the glowy, showy skin line up. The cream’s scent was another yummy one, but completely different to Sasy n Savy. The combination of Evening Primrose, Jojoba and Rosehip oils created a mellow, calming scent. The cream provided a far more subtle sheen but was the best moisturiser of all the products, making them perfect for the pins. It didn’t scream night on the town, rather sang lunch with the girls or shopping day out and I’ve been lathering up the legs in this delicious cream nearly every day. My moisture-hungry legs are loving it and yours will too.

Sasy n Savy Silk Shimmer Body Lotion, $40

If it’s made it’s way into the hallowed halls of Harrods, it’s got to be good. This Australian owned and made brand has just launched into England’s ritziest store and uses plenty of Aussie goodies. The Silk Shimmer Body Lotion is action-packed with Kakadu Plum, Wild Rosella and Grass Lily but the most over-powering smell is the Rose-Geranium oil. The shimmer is a yellowy-gold and was the boldest of all I tested. The fragrance was elegant and subtle enough to not overpower your favourite perfume, making the lotion the perfect choice for a glamorous gown or party frock. Rub this into your shoulders and décolletage for a gorgeous glow on a big night out.

What are your favourite glowy products? Share them below, we’d love to hear!

Review by Lisa O’Neill, a freelance journalist and part-time triathlete who loves to squeeze in as much pampering as possible in her free time.

Be well,

xoxo

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1. Kale

I’m currently having a love affair with kale that I’m very pleased about, after my misadventures in the past. A vegan kitchen whiz pal of mine made us a stunning kale, beetroot, pepita, lemon juice & olive oil salad a few weeks ago. It was DELISH. And you can’t help but feel good after injecting all those vitamins into your body.

Last night I bought a giant bunch of organic kale from Farmer Jacks Subiaco (a fantastic place to buy produce – although their fresh organic stuff is a lot more expensive than the delivered organic fruit n veg I get).

My salad was a variation on the original: kale leaves washed and torn into little pieces, pepitas, dried cranberries and an olive oil + lemon dressing. It was really good, and one bunch of kale should cost you between $3-$5 which is super cheap. Plus you can make them into CHIPPIES and the bunches are always huge. If you’re into gardening, kale is said to grow like weeds – plenty to eat!

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2. Megan Larsen

The founder of Sodashi, and all round inspiring woman Megan has recently done an interview about the North Freo based skincare and body range that has made it big the world over. Find out how this natural, organic company has taken everyone by storm in this interview with Megan Larsen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMEp_mWqAuY

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3. Bloom Sheer Colour Cream in Natural

I’ve been a long time fan of this product in the shade Rosie (perfect for pale skinned brunettes like myself), so when the opportunity to try a new shade came about I was very excited.

This is a really versatile product, you can use it on lips, cheeks and eyes. I found that I love using it to create the highly sought after nude lip. For the cheeks, you only need the tiniest amount, I like to smile, then dab a tiny bit on the apple of each cheek with my fingers and then blend.

I prefer a pinker based blush, so am going to stick with Rosie for the cheeks for now, or maybe try Shy or Coy next as I think the pink undertones suit my pale n proud face best. I’ll still be using Natural as my go-to for a nude lip, but make no mistake, if you have the slightest hint of a tan and want a gorgeous light glow to your cheeks, Natural is going to be your new bestie!

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4. Autumn

I have such a crush on Autumn, don’t tell my boyfriend! To me there’s not much better than getting about in snuggly clothes, drinking copious amounts of tea, taking long steamy baths, eating piping hot home-made pear crumble with vanilla icecream and sleeping as much as possible. Absolute bliss.

Link Love!

♥ Take a little inspiration from nature this autumn – very pertinent given my last crush!

♥ Food Label Quick Check – an excellent addition to your purse, this is a pdf which you can use when you go shopping to check against nutrition labels on food, to see how it stacks up in the healthy-for-you stakes! Very handy.

♥ Are you a sucker or a booster? – Mysterious? Find out here… I try and be a booster as much as possible, though I think when I’ve had too little sleep I might be a bit of a sucker, eek!

♥ Coconut and Basil Brown Rice – a delish recipe, if you’d like to make a huge batch and bring it over to me – please do!

♥ Staying green and healthy when time is running short – lots of handy tips.

♥ Brainpower brekkies – If you need to be on your A-game, these breakfast will have your neurons firing with deadly accuracy.

That’s all for this week. Hope you enjoyed! If you have any comments or questions I’d be happy to answer them 🙂

Be well,

Annette

xoxo