by Annette @ Wellness WA | May 23, 2012 | Alternative Therapy, Products, Reviews
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It might sound a little odd coming from a 20-something female with a mild case of credit card reliance, but I really can’t stand perfume. That sickly sweet, acidic smell makes me wrinkle my nose and pray for sweet release every time I walk past the fragrances counter. I may as well be sniffing bleach. I’m the odd one out amongst my peers, but I much prefer more natural, and less pungent products rather than 100mls of olfactory assault dressed up with Justin Bieber’s seal of approval. Ick.
I am not a Belieber. Sorry Justin.
Scent has a large effect on the emotions, and its not just a concept dreamt up by poets. For example, the smell of lavender relaxes me, cinnamon excites me, and the smell of Kim Kardashian’s latest release makes me twitch anxiously. Our olfactory receptors (our sense of smell in every day terms) are directly connected to the part of our brain responsible for emotions. Each scent may be different for everyone, but generally when a person smells something delicious their mood improves. Kind of like when you smell chocolate, or freshly baked cupcakes. Instant happy high!
This is the philosophy that the Aromatherapy Company has employed with their products. Using 100% essential oils, their wares contain no nasties like chemicals or preservatives. I managed to score some of their goods recently on a particularly crap morning, and they definitely wiped the angry princess sour puss scowl off my face.
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♥ Juniper Berry and White Thyme Massage Oil
The scent from this baby is subtle, relaxing and quite pleasant. It’s supposed to be used as a massage oil, but I found it works perfect as an after-shower all over body moisturizer. After the general slipperiness has subsided, my skin feels baby-bottom soft afterwards. It takes about 10 minutes for the product to absorb, and leaves little to no oily residue on clothes or bed sheets.
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♥ Cocoa, Vanilla and Cassia Soy Candle
You can’t really go wrong with Soy Candles. Their scent is far more potent than bees wax blends, they’re environmentally friendly, and soy wax is soooo much easier to clean off the carpet! Trust me! I find that this is the perfect candle to burn throughout winter – it reminds me of baking scones, drinking hot chocolates, and is temptingly spicy and warm. Perfect for the chillier months when you’re wrapped up in your doona cocoon, and the packaging is sleek and stylish too.
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♥ Lavender, Manuka and Wild Chamomile Essential Oil Blend
If you’re a light sleeper and like me have a serious case of ‘monkey-mind’ come bed time, give essential oils a go for a completely natural method of relaxation. This one’s made for use in a burner to achieve the best effect, but I can imagine adding a few drops to a nice, hot bath would be a sweet experience too.
Stockists: The Aromatherapy Company products are available from David Jones stores, and a few other select locations.
Have you tried aromatherapy products before? What are you favourite scents and benefits?
Review by Camilla Peffer, “Follow your inner moonlight; don’t hide the madness.”
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | May 22, 2012 | Food, Products, Reviews
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Those who know me and my style of baking are well aware that I try to use natural sweeteners instead of refined sugar in my baking projects. I am forever playing around with natural sweeteners such as coconut sugar/raw honey/date paste, in order to ‘healthify’ any dessert recipe!
You can only imagine my curiosity and excitement when a package of Natvia goodies was express posted to my door. The healthy baking goddess inside me was screaming out, YAY!
♥ Stevia Plant
♥ What It Is:
Natvia is a natural sweetener made from Reb A stevia, and erythritol. Reb A is the purest and sweetest parts of the stevia plant, and erythritol is naturally occurring nectar in fruits, such as melons and grapes.
♥ Health Benefits:
Natvia is 100% natural and fructose free, has 95% fewer calories than sugar, contains no aspartame, or saccharin and it’s great for baking and cooking.
Another bonus- Natvia tastes nothing like artificial sweeteners. Because it’s natural, there are no nasty chemicals and no bitter aftertaste.
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♥ Recipe Idea:
An interesting ingredient calls for an even more interesting recipe. But what could I possibly make!?!? Muffins…boring. Cookies…done that. Raspberry Streusel Bars that are both gluten free and vegan?…Delicious. These even got the thumbs up from the guys at work. Bonus!
Recipe adapted from: www.elanaspantry.com
Makes 16 bars
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♥ Crust:
– 2 cups almond meal
– ¼ teaspoon sea salt
– 2 tablespoons coconut oil
– 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
– 1 tablespoon water
• Pulse ingredients together in a food processor until dough forms a ball
• Press dough into a lined square baking pan
• Bake at 180°c (fan forced) for 12 minutes
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♥ Streusel Topping:
– ¼ cup coconut oil
– ¼ cup almond meal
– 2 tablespoons Natvia
– ½ teaspoon sea salt
– 1 cup walnuts
– ½ cup shredded coconut
• Pulse oil, almond flour, natvia and salt together in a food processor until combined
• Briefly pulse in walnuts and coconut, so they are left coarse, not pulverized
• Set streusel aside
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♥ Filling:
– 1 cup raspberries (either frozen or fresh)
– 4 pitted medjool dates (soak in water for a few hours before to soften)
• Process raspberries and the soaked dates in a food processor or blender until combined
• Spread raspberry mixture over warm crust
• Sprinkle streusel topping over raspberry mixture
• Bake at 180°c for 15 minutes
• Cool for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for 2 hours to set
• Cut up & serve!
Store remaining bars in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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These bars can also be served warm as a delightfully healthy autumn dessert. Just add a little vanilla ice cream or Greek yoghurt & raw honey. See, life without refined sugar isn’t so bad at all!
♥ Where To Find It:
Natvia can be found at Coles and Woolworths or online, try Aussie Health Products.
Find out more about quitting sugar with Sarah Wilson’s “I QUIT SUGAR” E-book!
Article by Kavisha, self confessed ‘health foodie’ who believes a little dessert is good for the soul. She is currently studying for her Master of Wellness at RMIT University and blogs at Style My Coconut.
by Annette @ Wellness WA | May 17, 2012 | Interviews, Wellness Tips
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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
Bonjeezy! I’m a 20-something Sydney girl, but I’m currently kicking it in Fremantle. By day I’m a freelance writer/marketing maestro/blogger/student, and by night I am still those things but a very lazy one.
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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.
I have quite sensitive, acne-prone skin which flares up when I stress out/wear too much makeup/on days ending in ‘y’, so I only use Corynne’s Natural Soap bars to cleanse my skin. They’re nice and gentle, and they lather up really, really well. And they’re only like $3.50. Score! I usually follow up with a magical potion called Witch Hazel, followed by Corynne’s Light and Refreshing Moisturiser. You can buy them online and at Fremantle Markets.
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♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?
Head Studio on King Street in Perth. The girls there are absolute prodigies and are also very good looking. It’s a bit of toughie to find a hairdresser who knows how to do balayage properly, they usually just apply a few foils and you walk out stripey. Not a cool look. Not only do the girls at Head Studio actually know how to do balayage, but they’re super personable, professional, hardcore stylish, and are also good conversationalists. The studio is also tres chic and it’s very cool that you can watch movies up the back when they’re washing your hair. Did I mention they give you free tea?
♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
I have to say I’m a big fan of DIY treatments. I like to steam my face by boiling some water and sitting over a gigantic bowl with a towel over my head for a few minutes to open up my pores. I then apply Corynne’s Glorious Mud Mask for sensitive skin and like to scare my flat mates by hiding behind doors. It’s the most amazing mud mask I’ve ever used, and it’s only like $12 and lasts for months and months.
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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
Nude Mineral Foundation FTW. I will sing to high heaven the praises of this little powdery gem. My skin is so oily I’ve had calls from American Presidents, so I try to avoid liquid based foundations. Nude products definitely helped me appear a little less like a hormonal teenager. I’m still having a battle with my skin, but Mineral Foundation is a lot more gentle.
I also love a really bold lippie, and wear either bright pinks or reds on any given day. Revlon does a few wham-bam shades which I alternate between, like Love That Pink, Blasé Apricot, Revlon Red and Hot Coral.
Finally, a good blush is a must! Makes you look all sprightly. My favourite is Lotus by Clinique. It’s the perfect shade of pink and makes me feel all girly and youthful. Available from StrawberryNET.
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♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?
If I’m feeling a bit crap-tastic I hit the gym and sweat out all that bad energy. I feel zippa-dee-do-da afterwards and can’t recommend a good cardio session enough. I also got into meditation last year. It’s super hard at first to quiet your mind and I definitely had a few foot stamping moments, but it’s proven to be highly beneficial for my stress levels. I recommend listen to The Mediation Podcast or Meditation Oasis for some guided meditations to start with.
♥ Gabrielle Bernstein
♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)
There are a million things I’m yet to try but as I’m a student I can’t exactly prioritise a week long Yoga trip to Ubud, nor can I really say Acupuncture is affordable for myself. I’d have to say that on the top of my list would be attending any event hosted by Gabrielle Bernstein, particularly her upcoming workshop in Kripalu. She’s a motivational speaker and if it weren’t biologically impossible I’d have all of her babies.
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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.
Friends and family would describe my eating as borderline fanatical when it comes to health foods. And it’s true – I spend a lot of money of healthy food. But I figure, I’ve only got one body so I don’t want to stick crap in it. I’ve been vegan for 5 years now which occasionally freaks people out, but I’ve honestly never felt as healthy as I do now. I always make sure I take my multi-vitamins and get enough iron and b12. Unfortunately, I’m gluten-intolerant which is super sucky! However, lots of places now sell gluten-free products so I’m finding grocery shopping a little less of a marathon.
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I like to start the day with an Acai smoothie because it’s got so many vitamins and minerals in it, I feel like wonder woman afterwards and basically destroy my to-do list with laser beams of productivity. I used to be a maniacal caffeine addict, but I’ve cut back and will only have one a few hours after I’ve eaten. Lunch is usually a mega salad of some sort, full of beans, root vegetables, leafy greens, button mushrooms, tomatoes and a deliciously creamy Tahini dressing.
At the moment I’m on a Moroccan kick, so my dinners are full of lots of tomatoes, beans, eggplant, oranges and lots of spices.
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♥ Describe your fitness routine.
My exercise routine used to be a whole lot more consistent than what it is now, but being a major multi-tasking vixen that I am, I kind of have to prioritise work, study and relationships nowadays. I really envy myself two years ago when I had the time to go to the gym every day, but at the moment I only find time for two gym sessions a week. I do cycle to and from work a few days a week though, and because I don’t drive I do a lot of walking. I also had an injury last year which has limited my exercise quite significantly, so I stick to low impact exercise such as rowing, cycling, walking and swimming.
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♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.
I see a naturopath quite often for a few digestive issues I’ve been having. I know there’s a lot of skepticism surrounding naturopathy, but I can only speak from personal experience when I say that NatMed in East Fremantle has made my body sing a happy tune for the past few months. I don’t of course recommend seeing them for everything little ailment you have. I treat naturopathy as a form of complimentary medicine, because it is quite expensive and can’t cure everything.
I also take spirulina when feeling low on energy, and always have my daily dose of Floradix with my breakfast.
♥ Black Cherries Espresso
♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
I’m a huge fan of dilly-dallying. If I can sleep in I will, and I love the days when I can take my time to pop into Fremantle markets, grab a coffee from Black Cherries Espresso, read a magazine and people watch. I also find that burning some sweet smelling incense does a frazzled lass a world of good.
Thanks Camilla! If you have any questions about Camilla’s wellbeing routine, comment below!
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | May 15, 2012 | Dining, Food, North of River, Organic, Products, Reviews
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I like the idea of health-conscious cafes, but I don’t like the ‘judgy’ vibes some of them have. You go there happy to slurp up vege soup and crunch raw things, but while you’re doing it you also want to be able to chat to your mate about how you stayed up all night and drank a buttload of red wine, without having to deal with the ‘you should really cut back on the booze and try to get more sleep’ glares from your fellow diners (yes, you can say all that in a facial expression).
The better cafes are ones that put an emphasis on healthy eating, and healthy product purchases, but acknowledge that lifestyle enjoyment comes in many forms. Yelo Café really hits the bullseye in this regard: at Yelo, vegan wraps and green juices sit alongside giant slabs of chocolate brownies and strong creamy coffees, and nobody gets their goat up about which combo you choose.
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Formerly the Bennion Street Café, Yelo is right on Trigg Beach; its clientele are mostly local, and often hit Yelo post surf/power walk (there’s always a few doggehs out front!). That said, the surfers are mixed in with more urban yo-pros: it’s a real diverse clientele. Yelo’s ‘Clean Carparks’ fruit and veg juice is a healthy favourite, Yelo also do acai smoothies, and have a fridge full of coconut water (including fresh young coconut), fruit juices and organic sodas.
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Their coffee is made from Fiori beans and Bannister Downs milk and served in a BioCup: it’s the best for miles around (there’s two coffee machines on the go so you get it quick, too).
Hydration choices aside, the best thing about Yelo is their wholesome, fresh, home-made menu of ‘snacks’. Favourites reel: the Vegan wrap, the gluten-free spinach and mushroom frittata, the oatbran muffins, the gluten-free macaroon slice and the bircher museli, but there’s also plenty of breakfast wraps, tuna patties, croissants, sandwiches and sweet treats on offer: many of which are vegan, or gluten free.
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Take in the sprawling ocean views while you wait for your order: or be tempted by Yelo’s ‘provedore’ section, curated with wellness in mind: for sale are healthy cereal boxes, Yogi Bliss trail mixes, Serenade Organic Skincare, Abhi’s Bread, Ecoya soy candles, surf wax and plenty of other goodies.
Yelo is located at 331 West Coast Drive, Trigg.
Contact: 9447 9441 or email yelo@bigpond.com
By Thousands Perth City Guide editor Danielle Marsland, who, in the words of Donovan, is just mad about Yelo.
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | May 14, 2012 | Organic, Products, Reviews
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My love affair with rosehip oil has spanned many years now, an old faithful amber liquid that when pressed gently into my skin each night results in a glowy complexion like no other, and a far lower incidence of breakouts.
It’s been a while since I shared my adoration of the hips of roses on here, so allow me to chat a little about the three latest rosehip oil variants that are currently visiting my face on a regular basis!
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♥ KORA Organics by Miranda Kerr – Luxurious Rosehip Oil
Let’s just be up front here. Anything that Miranda Kerr uses, the majority of the female population want in on it. Her rosehip oil with noni juice combo is no different. This product, rich in skin nourishing Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), contains noni extract, organic rosehip, jasmine, rose and pomegranate oils. Yum. This is a fantastic blend and a nice little variation on the plain rosehip oil formula. Just close your eyes and pretend you’re married to Orlando Bloom whilst patting it into your skin… $44.95 for 15ml.
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♥ Naturlea – Be Gorgeous Organic Rosehip Oil
I love this one for a few reasons. First up, the size is awesome for the price! 50ml of rosehip oil will last you a lonnnng time if you use it sparingly, and you only really need 2-3 drops if you’re applying it to your face. Don’t forget that your face needs to be wet when you put the oil on! This helps it spread out more easily and ensures your skin wont feel super oily.
The other great feature, is that this has a tiny bit of rose oil included in it, so your face will smell beautiful afterwards and the rose oil also has beneficial properties. An excellent value for money choice at $32 for 50ml! 🙂
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♥ Bloom Organic Rosehip Oil
This one is currently occupying most-reached-for status. Mostly because it’s in the easiest spot on the bench, and I really like serums/oils that come with glass droppers as it makes it really, really, really easy to get the exact amount of product onto your face or hands. The other two are in pump bottles, which is good for using over a larger area, but I find that nothing beats the glass dropper for precision rosehip oil application!
$25 for 15ml.
Have you tried Rosehip Oil before? Do any of these brands take your fancy? Lets chat!
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
