by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 27, 2012 | Cheap / Free, Makeup, Products, Reviews
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Picture a scene: you and friend sitting around doing what you do and all of a sudden their phone goes ‘buzzzzz buzzzzzzz‘ then a second later yours goes ‘buzzzzzzz buzzzzzzz‘ and after reading you both look up and almost perfectly in synch say; ‘is $49 for 10 yoga sessions a good deal?’
Has that happened to you? No? It will. Why? Because everyone’s inboxes are filling up with DEALS DEALS DEALS! Quick as a wink.
So today I’m going deep for you guys, I’m seeking out the deal BEHIND THE DEAL. And my dealer of choice today, is Groupon. In the first instance it must be said, I know it seems a little overwhelming. I know it seems easier to just bin that email without opening it. But if you do look you may just stumble upon a shining shimmering splendid.
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So with that in mind and for the purposes of this article I decided to get myself a 24-piece Makeup Brush Set for $29. I had a choice of colour (black or pink) and the delivery was free. TWENTY NINE DOLLARS! PINK! FREE! !!! My choice was motivated by the fact that I have always gazed at makeup artists brush sets in giddy wonderment (in that clap your hands together and bob on the spot kind of way) and as previously mentioned on Wellness WA, I massively enjoy drawin’ on me face.
To balance this out I also bought a 20 session pass to a gym for $49 (CBD Health Spa, a gym I like and where WE ARE LOVING that I don’t have to buy a full year membership, aren’t we guys?) so we are now looking at a product and a service. Range. I like it.
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The brushes are flipping marvellous. I really cannot believe how it worked out to a little over a dollar a brush because the quality of them is so good. No stray brush hairs coming loose and hanging onto your chin like you're growing the worlds thinnest most disgusting beard and my makeup application game has gone up a notch or two- hey don’t wanna brag…all in all I’m THRILLED. The only downer was that they literally took months to be delivered – like 3 months- but my unease about that has subsided since I use these brushes everyday and am so happy with them. Plus the delivery was free so maybe chill Adriane, gees.
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And the gym one? Um…well…you know…uhhh- that one was instantaneous as soon as I bought it and so there were no problems in THAT regard. Full access to the 24hr gym, all classes and even a couple of PT sessions. But I've only been about three times. I KNOW. But I’ve got three months to use that one so I'll just, you know, go every single day from now until the end of the year and then I will be the Queen of Groupon Success*. Tha’s totally possible right?
If you’ve been ignoring those emails because they are annoying you in their multitude then downscale to the ones you are interested in (yes you can choose) and be in it to win it. You might end up with something useful for yourself or your loved ones.
What do you guys reckon? Have you got a good Groupon deal of late?
*Groupon never said they would MAKE me go, that has to come from within…is there a deal that could help with that?
Reviews by Adriane Daff. Make up enthusiast and world class gym procrastinator.
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 21, 2012 | Other
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There’s not much better than melting into a warm bath after a tough day. Taking 30 minutes to allow the muscles & mind to unwind is one of my favourite ways to de-stress. I’ve made it my mission to trial lots of beautiful bath goodies for a while now, and want to share my absolute favourite picks for saying “see yah!” to stress and muscle tension. I’d love to hear your top picks too, so leave a note below with any favourites you think I should check out! 🙂
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♥ Lula Detox Bath Salts
This ones a newie in my collection, and it’s a firm favourite for a few reasons. First up, the amazing ingredients! The blend contains sea salt, magnesium (ultra-relaxing), botanicals & is infused with organic essential oils – rosemary, geranium, clary sage & lime with green tea. YUM. The salts smell absolutely divine, and the best part is the little bits of green tea & petals that float around in the bath with you. I choose this bath when I’ve had a few too many treats and on Sunday evenings to prepare for the week ahead. $24.95 from the Lula web store, comes with a cute little wooden scoop too!
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♥ Be Genki Bath Oils
Be still my beating heart! The Be Genki Tranquility Bath Oil is a LONG TIME favourite of mine, and the one I reach for most frequently. 5-10 pumps of this little hero + some epsom salts, see below, into a running bath is one of my top saviours for a day/week/month gone bad. There are three other blends in the range, Serenity, Vitality & Sensuality. I love a bath with Vitality after an epic personal training session or post-work-pre-going out when you need an extra jolt of energy to face your social life.
I have to admit I haven’t tried the Sensuality one yet, but based on the effectiveness of the other three I’d warn against using this before dinner with the folks or a long day of work meetings!
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♥ Echolife Magnesium Bath Crystals
Another all time favourite and an addition in almost all baths undertaken. These naturally harvested magical crystals are scientifically proven reduce anxiety, tension & stress due to their magnesium content, which is a mineral many of us are deficient in. Magnesium is said to keep the heart rhythm steady, bones strong & to normalise blood pressure.
We can naturally get enough magnesium by eating plenty of leafy greens, nuts, beans & whole grain cereals. Still, many people are deficient, and a magnesium bath is a quick way to replenish our stores & feel blissfully relaxed at the same time. A++. Available through the Echolife online store, & good health shops.
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♥ Faulding Epsom Salts
In an ideal world an unlimited supply of the natural Echolife salts would be on hand, this isn’t always possible, so in a pinch or when the budget is tight I grab a box of cheap & cheerful Faulding Epsom Salts. You’ve probably seen these around, maybe your parents always had a box in the back of the cupboard like mine did?
Regardless, if you want all the benefits of a relaxing magnesium bath on the cheap – this is your go to. 1/2 a cup to a cup in a warm bath will take you a good deal of the way to cloud 9 for under $10. As these salts are created chemically, I prefer the naturally harvested ones above when I can – but am happy to use these when needed! Available from most supermarkets & chemists.
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♥ Dr Hauschka Lemon Bath
Although lemon isn’t a scent regularly associated with relaxation, this fresh & citrusy bath from Dr Hauschka has a very calming and refreshing effect on me. Perfect for post gym relaxation! Available from Peachy Clean for $29.95, a little goes a long way so this is a bargain!
Bonus Tip:
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To boost the wellness of your bathing experience even more, fix an alkalising glass of chlorophyll & water before you jump in the tub, and sip on it when you get thirsty. You’ll be relaxing and improving your health at the same time. Multi-tasking at it’s finest!
What are your favourite bath products for relaxation? Let me know in the comments below!
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 17, 2012 | Products, Reviews
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♥ REN Jojoba Microbead Purifying Facial Polish
Say hello to the REN Jojoba Microbead Purifying Facial Polish, a new staple in my skincare regime. REN prides itself on the philosophy of Performance, Purity and Pleasure. The formulation of all REN products are 100% plant and mineral derived and are free from synthetic ingredients*. Not to mention they look, smell and feel amazing! Using these products is an experience in itself.
The exfoliant in question is part of their sensitive skincare range and is laced with glycerides from jojoba oil that gently exfoliate and prompt cell renewal; and anthocyans from beeswax that keep it from being too abrasive and rough on your skin.
It has a divine minty feel to it too, leaving skin feeling fresh, purified and so damn smooth!
This facial polish will set you back about $40, but lasts for a while because you really only need to use it a few times a week. REN is available at all Mecca Cosmetica stores and from the Mecca Cosmetica website.
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♥ T2 – Buddhas Tears Tea
I am a firm believer in a “nice cup of tea”, and think there is no better way to achieve this than to make a ritual out of your tea drinking. Stop what you are doing, boil the kettle, get out a pretty cup, use your best tea, sit and unwind.
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Being a big green tea drinker, I'm always looking for different types of green tea to mix up my “ritual”. Buddha's Tears from T2 defines the tea experience for me. The tea is a light blend of unopened white pekoe buds and green tea leaves that have been hand rolled into little balls. Buddha's Tears are best prepared about 3 or 4 at a time (in your loveliest tea cup) in water at 80°C. As the leaves unfurl, they dance about in the water and release a fragrant jasmine green tea flavour. This is more of a lighter tea, very gentle and calming, and best enjoyed in the afternoon or evening to relax.
&hearts
Buddha's Tears are a more expensive way to drink green tea (100g at T2 costs $45) but they are very long lasting, and can be brewed several times.
* No Buddhas were harmed in the production of this tea.
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♥ Grown Facial Masque
Get your paws on the most energising and purifying face mask and prep that skin for summer! This clay based “masque” is fortified with wheatgerm, gingko and cranberry to detoxify and deeply purify the skin. Teeny tiny clay particles act to draw out impurities and remove dead skin cells whilst the wheatgerm works to restore skin elasticity and produce a firmer skin tone.
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I've only ever had wheatgerm sprinkled on my morning muesli or in a smoothie, but never really considered it an addition to my skincare. Due to being rich in vitamins A, E & D and essential fatty acids, wheatgerm helps to increase absorption of active ingredients into the skin's cells and carry oxygen to the skin's surface to enable the formation of healthy new cells. Source.
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The Grown Facial Masque is lovely and light, and doesn't set like concrete on your face like some other heavier masks. The slightly granular texture makes for a great exfoliant when you rinse it off too! I have started prepping my skin for summer and using twice a week, followed by my Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist and Herbal Recovery Gel.
This beauty will cost you $39.95 and you can find it online and stocked in most chemists, as well as David Jones.
Review by Lucy A.
What are you crushing on this week? Share the crush-love below in the comments section!
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 14, 2012 | Organic, Products, Reviews
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Eating healthy is a bit of a minefield. It’s not even about cutting out junk anymore; it’s about carbs, salt, proteins, a million and one factors, and the whole ordeal is a perplexing and stressful one. Even more so when confronted with things like health food shops – and believe me, as someone still trying to puzzle my way around the preparation of chia seeds, there is a lot to learn.
♥ Halp!
I jumped on the sample box subscription thing when it kicked off in Australia – and while I enjoyed it, I ended up cancelling them all because I was just collecting masses of tiny products, many of which for whatever reason I wasn’t going to use. So a sample box that mainly consists of consumables? Makes infinitely more sense. It saves you from the sizeable cost of buying a full bag of a product you don’t know how to prepare and likely haven’t even heard of (Kale? Maca? Acai?) and allows you to experiment before pursuing the products that you respond well to. In fact I think the sample box thing is far better suited to food/nutrition than cosmetics.
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Anyhow, subject at hand: Notoxbox is a monthly subscription box that combines healthy eating with some organic, healthy and naturally made products that all fall into that indefinable “green” category. All its packaging and padding is recyclable, there is no excess dressing up or ribbons or flounces or anything – it’s the box, a small explanatory sheet, and the products themselves. It’s rather wonderfully straightforward. The Notoxbox subscription is $25 a month – more than the beauty subscriptions, admittedly, but you’re also getting a fair few full sized products and a wider variety of things.
My box is the November one, and it’s pretty fabulous one.
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One a beauty front, I got a 20g Kosmea’s daily facial exfoliant (the rosewater mist is pictured instead above) and a Giovanni La Hold hair spritz (hairspray). On a hygiene front I received a Melrose organic hand sanitiser and a Pure Bamboo sports deodorizer (who told them I was a smelly gymrat? Who?) – and in the noms category I got a fullsized packet of Eat Rite brown rice tamari seaweed crackers, and samples of aforementioned chia seeds (The Chia co.) and Vital Greens, a powdered nutrient supplement. I actually already own Chia Co. Chia seeds and can now confirm that the least intrusive way to get em in ya is to throw them in with your muesli or into a green smoothie. I haven’t mastered anything with more finesse.
So this is essentially the learning experience of walking into a health food store and ensnaring a really, really good store assistant to boil it down to the basics for you. It’s low cost, low confusion and non-pushy, and pretty much genius as far as I’m concerned. Those who have contemplated making a healthy change but have no idea how to start would be advised checking these out – they’re a very beginner-friendly step to making some positive changes.
Do the samples in the Notoxbox appeal to you?
Review by Suzanne, who also blogs over at Don’t They Know Who I Am?
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 11, 2012 | Hairdresser, Organic, Products, Reviews, Yoga
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♥ My Diamond Days
I’ve been talking about the benefits of meditation a lot lately, here on Wellness WA, as well as going on about it to my friends a LOT! I’ve also been creating a few little morning rituals for myself – 2 sets of sun salutations followed by a couple of minutes meditating, and it’s incredible how much better I feel on the days that I do this.
If you’d like to start meditating but are not sure how, then you need to check out My Diamond Days, a delicious program which gives you access to a large variety of high-quality guided meditations that you can listen to on your computer, MP3 player or smart phone whenever you want. My Diamond Days sends you a daily email with a new guided meditation, so you never get bored, and there’s such a big variety of meditations that if you’re not so keen on one, then you can easily go through the archives to find one that suits whatever you need at that point in time.
I like to listen to mine before bedtime using their mobile app, that 5 or 10 minutes helps calm my mind and ensure a great nights sleep. Highly recommended! Find out more at www.mydiamonddays.com
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♥ Style Your Hair
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend the launch of a brand new smart phone and tablet app that promises to make the downtime between appointments at the hairdresser less of an ordeal. Enter – Style Your Hair.
Promising to teach you how to whip together a salon-worthy hairstyle in just a few minutes with its easy to follow videos, this app was created by two of the award-winning hairdressers from local salon Chilli Couture.
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There are 67 videos in the paid version ($2.99) and there is also a free lite version which gives you a taste of the program! Available for both iPhone & Android products, this is one to check out if you need a little extra help keeping your follicles in check.
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♥ 2 x Yoga in a Row
While I’m not quite at the level of the lass in the picture above… I’m a pretty big fan of yoga. You might know this by now. If you ever want to have a chat about yoga, get in touch! I’m lucky enough to go to a gym that has fairly plentiful, high-quality yoga offerings available, in fact it was the deciding factor in me signing up! One such yoga offering comes on a Sunday afternoon in the form of two yoga classes in a row. Most people attend one or the other, but there’s a few of us who’ve cottoned on to the fact that each class is different and that double yoga = double the benefits.
I can turn up frazzled and stressed, and walk out of class two hours later with a significantly lighter mind. A cheaper option is to do two different yoga DVD’s in a row – both are sure to have different focuses, and you’ll get a double hit of stress dissolving goodness. Let me know if you try it!
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♥ AEOS Beauty Body Shower
This organic/biodynamic body wash contains the gem & crystal essences. Yep. Amethyst, turquoise, emerald, quartz and more. AEOS stands for Active Energised Organic Skincare, and these guys know how to make some truly great, and very natural, products.
“A gentle cleansing wash for the body, containing a blend of organic and biodynamic essential oils, plant extracts and the energies of gems and crystals. Rich in rosemary, white birch and gardenia to leave the skin feeling fresh and soft, whilst the scent of lemon myrtle transforms your showering ritual in to a refreshing and uplifting experience.”
I’ve been enjoying using this in the mornings, and even though I don’t really know how the whole gemstone/crystal thing works, I can’t help but think it makes my mood a little more sparkly. Available for $18.50 from Be Genki Shop.
What’s making your beauty & wellness world spin this week? Share your crushes below, I’d love to hear them!
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
