by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jun 12, 2012 | Products, Reviews, Wellness Tips
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Beauty & wellbeing crushes is BACK, and this time I have some superb treats to share with you. Let’s dive straight in!
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♥ Sodashi Brightening Marine Mineral Face Mask – $110
If you’re craving softer, brighter, plumper skin, then this new mask from Sodashi is hard to look past. Any day that a Sodashi package shows up in the mail is a good day, and this mask takes the cake in terms of excellent results! It’s one of those products that will make you want to endlessly touch your skin after you’ve washed it off due to how silky it’ll be feeling. Yum!
I’ve been using this prior to any big event (Going out to dinner with friends… I’m taking liberties with the terms ‘big’ and ‘event’ here!) and loving the results. Contains seaweed, spirulina, several varieties of clay and rosewood oil. Radiance almost guaranteed 🙂 Available from Peachy Clean.
♥ Random picture of Miranda Kerr for no other reason than she looks much better in gym wear than I do!
♥ Joining the Gym
I have been enjoying the gym SO MUCH since joining and noticing lots of small and exciting changes in my body! There are some fantastic yoga classes, and the equipment is top notch. I have started a light weights routine to try and gain some strength and put on a touch of weight, as well as doing lots of hill walking (for calf definition) and even a few sauna and steam room stints – which are resulting in some seriously glowy skin afterwards! I’m excited to continue on and develop my muscles & peace of mind. It’s been a great decision and I’m loving getting back into it 🙂
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♥ Grown Haircare
I was recently sent a few samples from Grown to test out, I love their ethos of ‘Botanical Beauty‘ and I’m very much enjoying the Damask Rose, Chamomile and Lavender Stem Conditioner in particular. The shampoo smells great, but I find my hair needs quite a lot of it to get the smooth clean feeling that I’m usually after. That said, my hair is a difficult beast, so I’d recommend both of these to anyone to give a go if you’re looking to give silicone-free haircare a go. Plus the bottles look just gorgeous in the shower!
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♥ Mecca Lit From Within – $40
I’m all for naturally derived glowing skin (think green smoothies, tonnes of water, exercise, steam rooms and rosehip oil), but sometimes we need a little extra help. And lately for me, there has been a LOT of extra help needed. I’m blaming the change of seasons!
If this sounds like you then FEAR. NOT. I’ve been mixing Mecca’s Lit From Within into my foundation/tinted moisturiser combo and have been receiving a lot of compliments on my skin since doing so. You can do this, and then also use an extra bit to highlight certain areas of your face to give it even more of a glow. I am really, really diggin this. My only qualm is that it contains carmine, which is a dried, ground up insect (sometimes this stuff is even found in yoghurt!), so I would much prefer to find a highlighter which doesn’t contain it. However it is doing some wonderful things for me at the moment, so I am putting up with the beetles until further notice! Leave me a comment if you have any alternative suggestions!
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♥ Cheeki Water Bottle/Smoothie Transportation Device
I was lucky enough to be sent a Cheeki stainless steel water bottle to trial recently, it came at the perfect time, as I was searching for something that could safely transport my green smoothies on the journey from my apartment, through the perils of public transport and the walk to school. This kid did the trick!
For ages I’d been using dodgy old water and juice bottles to cart around my morning smoothie extras, but they were always too small and sometimes leaked. Not the best. I’m super happy with my new stainless steel bottle and can’t believe it took me so long to try one out, I use it every day at school & at the gym and it inspires me to drink lots more water too. Love + recommend it! I preferred a the plain silver version, but Cheeki has a range of more colourful options too!
QUESTION TIME! Do you use a stainless steel water bottle? What mask are you currently loving? Recently joined the gym too? Recommendation for a carmine free highlighter? Talk to me about it below! 🙂
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Jun 5, 2012 | Other
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Have you noticed that it’s starting to get gloomy in Perth? I’m pulling out my jumpers, turning on my oven to cook veggie lasagna (yay!) and wearing darker toned makeup. And while I’m all for a rich plum lip and darker tones on the lid to tie in with winter, wouldn’t it be a nice change if we wore makeup to lift and brighten the face during a cold day?
Jane Iredale has the answer in her new autumn colour collection, ‘Feeling Alive!’
For those who aren’t familiar with the lady and the brand, I’ll give you the run down. Working in conjunction with world-renowned plastic surgeons and dermatologists, Jane Iredale has developed a ‘skin care first’ mineral makeup line. Effective, yet gentle, Jane Iredale products are a favorite amongst beauty editors, makeup artists and the folks here at Wellness WA!
The ‘Feeling Alive’ collection was created to give your complexion a much-needed lift as we move into the cooler months. Incorporating bright tones for the eyes and dewy fresh colours for the lips, the products offer the wearer a fresh sun kissed complexion, even if you feel the exact opposite.
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The kit includes:
♥ Rose Dawn Bronzer – $90.00
The bronzer is split into four rose tones, which can be used individually on the cheeks or mixed together then swept across the cheekbones. The colours offer a subtle glow and can be used as a highlighter, on the eyes as eyeshadow and as a bronzer. The soft glow omitted from the powder is the perfect pick me up you need when it’s raining outside!
♥ Rose Dawn Bronzer
♥ Eye Gloss in Pink Silk and Aqua Silk $33.00 each
Little tubes of bright colour seem a bit daunting at first but these Eye glosses are easy to blend and can also be worn as eyeliners. Just sweep a sheer amount across the lid for a subtle wash of colour or draw a thin line on the tip lash line for an interesting pop during a drizzly day.
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♥ Lip Definer Pencil in Pink $22.00
A pretty rose coloured lip liner, which can be worn with the two lip plumpers in the kit or worn on its own with a swipe of gloss over the top. Rose colours are great for your makeup collection as they can be worn by many skin tones and are a beautiful change from a nude lip for the office.
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♥ Just Kissed Lip Plumper in L.A. and Rio $56.00 each
With a slight scent of peppermint and just the right amount of shine, these lip plumpers are comfortable to wear and really do plump! The team from Jane Iredale told me that the Lip Plumpers contain ‘time released peptides which increase hydration and stimulate collagen synthesis through out the day’ which I translated to ‘comfortable, hydrated, plumped up lips throughout the day,’ success!
The Jane Iredale ‘Feeling Alive’ Pack will be available for purchase as of mid may and can be picked up through selected destination salons, spas and medical practitioners.
Does this pack sound like it would lift your winter blues? Do the eye silks sound exciting or scary to you? Have you used any Jane Iredale products before?
Review by Jacqui Bradfield, Makeup artist, winter lover and owner of glowing skin.
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | May 30, 2012 | Products, Reviews
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The first share house I ever lived in, in North Perth (I was 19) always had one or more bottles of the original Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Lotion in the shared bathroom. We were four broke girls and it was our favourite, affordable moisturiser go-to. It was hassle-free to use (pump pack), slid on easy, kept our legs shiny and smooth during all that dancing at summer parties, and made us smell like chocolate (reeled in all the boys!).
That was six years ago – these days, I demand more from my body moisturisers than just ‘make my legs not dry’ and ‘smell nice’ (although I still demand this!). Now I’m moving into my late twenties, I also want: ‘make skin tighter‘, ‘smooth out dimpled skin’, ‘prevent potential stretch marks’. It seems Palmer’s must somehow know this, because they’ve taken the familiar, reliable, affordable moisturiser I know and love and added in Vitamin E, Collagen, and Elastin, to make Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula – Massage Lotion For Stretch Marks.
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I have been using this all-over lightweight lotion for about a month now, once post-morning shower and again before I go to bed – on my thighs, butt, abdomen and chest. I don’t have any severe stretch marks, so I’m mainly using this product to increase my skin’s elasticity and prevent potential stretchmarks – as us smart ladies know that prevention is better than cure (for the record, stretchmarks can come not just from pregnancy, but from weight loss/gain, bodybuilding, running with an unsupportive bra, even teenagers can get them from growth spurts – read about them here!).
The results are in, and my skin legs and stomach feel hydrated, smooth and firm, and the light stretchmarking I did have on my inner thighs has almost completely disappeared.
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I love the traditional cocoa scent, but there’s also a fragrance free version (if you’re a mum-to-be with a heightened sensitivity to scent, this is handy), as well as Vitamin A (retinol) free, and contains Shea Butter (as well as the cocoa butter), which soothes, tones and moisturises (can’t have enough of these three things going on, seriously). There is also a more concentrated lotion for problem areas). At about $10-$14, depending on where you shop, this moisturiser has refound its place as a staple in my bathroom.
The lotion is available at most supermarkets and chemists, check this full list of stockists for specifics.
Have you used the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter range before? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts on chocolate scented skin and what products you’ve found helpful for stretchmarks!
Review by Thousands Perth City Guide editor Danielle Marsland, who likes to keep legs dance-party ready at all times
by Annette @ Wellness WA | May 28, 2012 | Interviews, Wellness Tips
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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
My bio reads something like this: Freelance beauty editor in charge of the beauty pages of Good Health magazine; PRIMPED.com.au contributor; proud creator of The Happiness Cocktail; health and wellness whiz; incessant tweeter; lover of pinning. My real life reads something like this: All of the above plus a loving wife to the world’s most amazing man; international happiness seeker; adorer of family, friends and all things furry; mad cook.
♥ Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation available on StrawberryNET
♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.
I do try as many beauty products as possible so that I can honestly talk to my readers and share my opinion, rather than play make-believe. But right now I start the day with shu uemura mamachiyo skin purifier cleansing oil, Dr. Spiller Aloe Sensitive Cleansing Milk and QV Daily Moisturiser. I then apply sunscreen (I like Invisible Zinc), a mixture of Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua and Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Foundations, creme blush, mascara, and eye shadow (my current obsession is Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Tortoise Shell Palette. It’s amazing!). At night I remove all my makeup with the shu cleansing oil and Bobbi Brown Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover, before cleansing again, and popping on Dr. Spiller Sensitive Beauty Night Cream and an eye cream. Phew! It never seems that much when I’m doing it, but looking back…
♥ Siam Cabana
♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?
It’s a toss up between a facial and a massage. I love the Omnilux Light Therapy Treatments that come with the Priori Facials I get done at the Spa Universe headquarters in Sydney. If you want to try one, give them a call and they’ll let you know where the nearest salon to you is. For a quick weekend unwind, my husband and I go to Siam Cabana in Bondi for Thai Massages. If I’m really suffering from stiff neck syndrome, I head to Glenn Walmsley in Double Bay for some myotherapy – he is a magician.
♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?
Unfortunately I’ve never been to Perth, but in Sydney I’ve been blessed with some great hairdressers. Brad Ngata and Barney Martin are both wonderful, as well as Hamish Glianos from PEOPLE Hairdresser in Surry Hills. If you’re on a budget, I highly recommend Suzie from Sudu Hair in Sydney. Super high quality without the price tag. WIN!
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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
You really can’t beat a strawberry, honey and oat mask made in your kitchen and slapped on your skin. It’s a super quick way to temporarily add zing to your skin, and best of all, it’s chemical-free.
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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
My electric toothbrush – dental hygiene is so important. My eve lom lip balm. Bronzer. Of any variety.
♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking/feeling great?
It’s not all that secret now that I blog on The Happiness Cocktail, but I am a firm believer in feeding your skin from the inside out. So, I follow a wholefood diet with lots of fruit and veggies (plus whole grains and high quality meat), try to eat a large amount of raw as well as cooked food, and keep my system alkaline by drinking barley grass and wheat grass everyday. I also love liquid chlorophyll and young baby coconut juice. YUM!
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♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)
Ha! This is a tough one because I have tried so many of them. Oh wait, I’d love to dive into a freezing pool in the Swiss Alps like they did on The Biggest Loser. That looked so, erm, refreshing. No seriously, it looked kind of wild.
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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.
Wake up to a glass of wheat grass powder and water before sitting down to green tea. I then have a bowl of fruit with nuts. About an hour or two later I’ll have a small bowl of muesli, then have lunch (lots of greens), snack if I’m hungry, then dinner (more greens, and protein, and yumminess), elegantly finished off with couple of pieces of dark chocolate (for being so good).
♥ Beautiful Centennial Park
♥ Describe your fitness routine.
It varies. Constantly. I live in a suburb called Centennial Park which, as the name suggests, is a giant park in the middle of Sydney. It would be sacrilege to live so close and not utilise it, so I’m often seen walking or running around there. I also do boxing with my best mate, yoga, and keep my mind fit through meditation.
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♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.
I know it’s super controversial but I get colonic hydrotherapy every now and then. I’ve done my research and I go to an amazing place with well-trained staff who know exactly what they’re doing, and it makes me spring out of bed and have whiter-than-white eyes. It works for me. I also do a 3-day juice cleanse maybe twice a year, and meditate as much as I possibly can. On top of that I take Omega 3 supplements and a probiotic.
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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
Meditation is an obvious one for me, but I’m also blessed with a husband who is incredibly calm and lovely, so just being around him instantly makes me feel like everything is going to be OK. I love catching up with friends over a few glasses of red, playing with my 3 month old niece, laughing LOTS and planning holidays – because what’s life without an adventure in the pipeline?
A million and one thanks to Yaz for sharing her beauty & wellbeing routine with us today! I feel super privileged as she has been one of my ‘blogging idols’ for some time. If you have any questions for her please leave them below and make sure you check out The Happiness Cocktail for lots of yummy inspiration!
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | May 25, 2012 | Organic, Products, Reviews
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Growing up as a teenage girl, I was intrigued about skincare. I would try samples of brands that I thought would make my skin look as flawless as the models in Dolly magazine (which I later found out were heavily photoshopped) and after trying a few brands, I found Kosmea, on a shelf in a health food store (the vogue forums led me to try this brand) and according to the raves about this skincare line, it was –the– one to use.
♥ Rosehips in the wild!
Fast forward to today, and I continue to use the same skincare as I did then. Whether my skin gets dry in the summer months or sensitive in the winter months, it has always made my skin feel amazingly soft and clean, as well as helping to create the perfect base for makeup. Kosmea is one of the brands I keep going back to for many reasons.
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The Clarifying Facial Wash is for all skin types and contains organic rose hip oil including Australian ingredients such as lily pilly and quandong extracts. It also contains macadamia oil, which makes my skin feel silky smooth and clean.
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One of my all time favourite products is the Hydrating Rosewater Mist that I like to spritz on my face, I carry it in my handbag for times when I’m on the go. I’ve found it’s most effective after a long flight under air-conditioning vents when my skin becomes dry and thirsty. After spraying the pure rosewater contained in the bottle, my skin looks hydrated and feels soft. It also works as a wake-up call at the office, just keep it in the fridge for a refreshing lift!
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Kosmea’s Rosehip Oil contains all the ingredients for healthy, gorgeous looking skin. Applying 2-3 drops morning and night on damp skin improves the overall smoothness and look of my skin after a few days. The rosehip oil is certified organic and uses the fruit, skin and seed of the wild rosehips. I have oily/combination skin, so the rosehip oil actually repairs my skin without feeling too oily at night!
After cleansing and exfoliating, I like to pop some moisturiser on my face. Kosmea has 2 moisturisers, one containing SPF 30+ for the day, both with (my favourite) green tea extract. I love the smell of the moisturisers and it is one of my ‘can’t live without’ products in the Kosmea range.
The word ‘Kosmea’ comes from the Ancient Greek meaning to harmonise and bring into balance. It couldn’t be more true, it always seems to balance out my skin and whatever the weather, my skin always looks great.
The travel collection is available from Echolife. Happy Skin comes from using the right products and within!
♥ No photoshopping here!
What do you think of Kosmea and Rosehip oil? Love to hear your thoughts!
Review by Kelly-Anne.
Be well,
xoxo
