by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 12, 2011 | Cheap / Free, North of River, Products, Reviews
The long search for the perfect lip balm is well and truly over! Hooraay! You can thank me later…
After over 10 years, my search for the perfect lip balm came to a very welcomed screeching halt as of Monday this week. If the idea of slathering your pout with carcinogenic petrochemicals and other nasties found in 99% of balms out there (yes, including the so called ‘natural’ ones) doesn’t really float your boat, then you best be sitting down with pen and paper and writing the name of this product down.
Brauer’s new PawPaw All Natural Lip Butter – and it’s made right here in Australia… Bingo!
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My new fave pot full of goodness! It has been a long time coming!!!
This compares to some luxury cosmetics’ companies balms … Trust me I worked in the industry for 10 years, and I am happy to announce that this is right up there with the best of them, better for you and your wallet… Wait for it RRP$ 4.99 yes, no typo here.
Now down to business:
Ingredients-Check
Paw Paw- Fermented and known for its healing and antibacterial properties.
Certified Organic Beeswax- used to seal in hydration…read plump and baby soft!
Vitamin E & Shea Butter
Carrot Oil- to rejuvenate, rehydrate and packed full of vitamins… yes please!
Stevia- a natural herb, 300x sweeter than sugar, minus the calories… Yum!!! Lick away ladies!!
Texture– Check
Perfect Not too heavy not too light, not a greasy pout in sight! This was really the selling point for me and where this balm is up above the rest, many natural ones I have tried just totally failed on the texture front…Too grease ball and gone in 60 seconds!
Flavour – Check
Natural Stevia makes this oh so yummy and sweet!
Price – Check
$4.99 per pot… I pay more for my soy flat white… I rest my case. I’ll take 10 please!
I found mine at Chemist Warehouse North Perth… Run in before everyone else catches on!!!
Did you know that the popular Lucas Papaw Balm is petrochemical based? How about trying a natural alternative? Let us know what you think!
Review by Martina…Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined!
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 9, 2011 | At Home, Products, Reviews
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Lately I have been going through some kind of nail-painting mania, so I was excited when asked to review a range of products by Revitanail. The pack consisted of nail strengthener, ridge filler, base coat, hand and nail cream, cuticle remover gel and a French manicure kit.
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I decided to try the nail strengthener first. I am constantly washing my hands throughout the day due to my job, and as a result have weakened nails that tend to peel at the ends. The first thing I noticed about this product was the overwhelmingly strong smell, and the message ‘CONTAINS FORMALDEHYDE’ on the bottle. I decided it was worth smelling like a mummy if I was going to have long, strong nails – and within a week the peeling was no more! I was definitely happy with the nail strengthener.
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After a few months of neglect my cuticles had grown quite long and shaggy, so the cuticle remover gel was a godsend. You apply it to the nail beds, leave for 3-5 minutes and wash it off. The gel made them very easy to push back and they looked great!
Onto the French manicure set. This consisted of a cream coloured polish, pale pink polish, a top coat and stencil-type stickers to place on your nails to get the perfect white-tip. It was so easy to do and they looked amazing, better than a professional in my opinion! Due to my careless and sometimes clumsy ways I tend to chip my nail polish within a day of putting it on, but the top coat that came with this kit kept my nails looking good as new for at least four days.
After using many a cheap $2 bottle of red nail polish I did have a slight yellow tinge to my nails. Ew! After trialling the base coat in this pack for a few weeks I no longer have tobacco coloured nails, and I have decided to make it a rule – if I’m going to continue to use $2 polish always base coat it first!
At first I wasn’t too impressed with the hand and nail cream, I didn’t find that my hands felt any less dry (due to constant washing). However after about a week of using the cream the skin around my nails was no longer dry and peeling like before, hurrah! Although they still felt dry, my hands and nails definitely looked better.
All in all the Revitanail range that I trialled was great, all the products did their job (except the ridge filler which I didn’t try as I don’t have any ridges in my nails). I will definitely continue to use them and can recommend them to anybody with weak nails or dry hands. Or just for a great-looking DIY French manicure!
Review by Katy Lock, proud owner of pretty nails and the best DIY French Mani I’ve ever seen! – Ed.
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 8, 2011 | Products, Reviews
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If Skin Virtue was a person, a girl let’s say, even a friend of yours- she would be the kind of girl who looks better without makeup, the kind of girl who really does make it work in just a t-shirt and jeans (it’s a myth that this is easy), she would have that kind of hair that always sits just right with a slightly windblown look and when you ask who her hairdresser is, she says ‘oh I don’t really have one, I don’t even dye it’.
When you visit her apartment it’s minimalist in a way that makes you want to go home and burn all your things so you can start again. She serves you vanilla ice cream and it is the simplest, best thing you have ever eaten.
♥ Skin Virtue reminds me of Girls like THIS!
Simple and effective. Skin Virtue is one of those no fuss brands of skincare that I think would appeal to the people out there that just aren’t interested in trawling through all the fads and trends and BS.
There are two ranges; the ‘Super Clear’ Range for acne-prone skin and the ‘Pure Nourish’ Range for anti-ageing. Easy, aint it?
I trialed the ‘Pure Nourish’ Range designed to help combat changes associated with ageing, environmental damage and even social stresses (like me trying to make a t-shirt and jeans look good maybe?) There are five products in the range, Pure Cleanse, Pure Resurface, Pure Protect Fluid, Pure Nourish Cream and Pure Line Repair, one range with all the products that you could possibly need to protect your skin cells and help reduce the signs of ageing. But how?
Well…by eliminating the appearance of wrinkles, under-eye circles, and discolouration of course! The blend of natural active ingredients including your usual suspects of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants combines with botanical and marine extracts to lock in moisture and support your skins natural tissue reconstruction process all leading to skin with improved appearance, tone and texture, lucky you.
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My favourite was the Pure Resurface, a beautiful exfoliator in the lightest of pinks with only a hint of a floral bouquet in the scent that is gentle enough to use as often as you like. Superb.
I’m not going to claim that Skin Virtue are doing anything especially new or with ingredients that you’ve never heard of but they are taking the modern classics and they are doing them well at an affordable price and in a decent size. And who doesn’t want to be that effortless?
For more info visit: http://www.skinvirtue.com/pureantiage.html
Stockists, buy online.
Review by Adriane Daff, who is in fact selling herself short. I bet the little fox looks fabulous in jeans and a white tee – ED.
Be well,
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 7, 2011 | Food, Wellness Tips
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Just whipped up this beautifully yummy, fresh and light summer quinoa salad – it’s full of nutrients and is also quite filling! It’s also super quick and easy!
Ingredients
1 x cup dry quinoa
1 x cup diced cucumber
1 x diced medium sized tomato
1/2 x diced apple
1 x tbsp pepitas
1 x tbsp sultanas
sprinkling of sesame seeds
sprinkling of dried cranberries
Cook the quinoa as per the instructions on the pack (I like to use a rice cooker as it’s very simple and I can do other things while it’s doing -its- thing). Add in the pepitas & sultanas at the very beginning so they plump up.
Once cooked, leave to cool and mix in all the other ingredients. Serve, eat and enjoy.
The best thing about this quinoa salad is that you can make it with whatever’s on hand at the time that you need to use up and the quinoa provides a perfect healthy base. It is also packed with nutrients to give you sustained energy and plenty of vitamins and minerals.
Some other ideas to add in are:
♥ Roasted sweet potato
♥ Cashews/almonds
♥ Pieces of juicy orange
♥ Thinkly sliced celery
♥ Absolutely anything you want!
Hope you like it, please share your recipes below, bon appetit 🙂
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
by Annette @ Wellness WA | Dec 6, 2011 | Wellness Tips
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♥ Volcano Foot Mask
I’ve been having a bit of a love-in with Lush recently. Along with hosting our latest competition (check it out!) and featuring the Divine Whale soap, I recently felt my feet needed a little holiday so took them for a leisurely trip to a Volcano, courtesy of Lush.
The Volcano Foot Mask contains clay, fresh papaya, fresh tomato, lemon, anti-fungal essential oils & cinnamon which makes for a pretty gnarly combo on first whiff, but the smell definitely grows on you and my housemate remarked it smelled quite ‘Christmassy’.
After soaking your feet for 5 minutes and then applying, wrap your feet in some leftover plastic wrap or a plastic bag and take it easy for 10 minutes. I have to say that after 5 minutes my feet were feeling pretty spicy hot, and after 10 I was definitely ready to wash/scrub it off!
The tingly heat continued for about 20 minutes afterwards and my feel smelt pretty delightful and VERY smooth! I would definitely recommend this mask for anyone whose feet need a little tough love. Sensitive folk may need to steer clear though! RRP $19.95 for 250gm.
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♥ Chilled Eye Pillows
As we’ve found out over the past week or so, summer is upon us, draping its heat all over our little city like a big, humid blanket. Can you tell I’m a winter-spring kinda girl? In order to survive the season, I’ve got to rely on many cooling tips and tricks. One newie is to put a wheat/rice/yoga eye pillow into the fridge during the day, and then drape it over your eyes when you get home. Pure bliss!
I also like to pop it on my neck too, or anywhere else that needs some chillin.
My favourite is the Pure Joi Eye Pillow ($20), cos it has lavender in it too – double chill out!
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♥ Iced Rosehip Tea
Last night I brewed up my first iced tea of the season! It was awesome. Just brew whatever tea you like in a regular cup, wait til it cools then pour into a large jug, top up with cold water, ice cubes, lemon slices, mint sprigs – whatever takes your fancy. Pop it back in the fridge for a while and soon you will be sippin on sweet iced goodness.
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♥ Lots of new yoga studios opening in Perth next year!
I’ve been hearing many whispers from lots of different sources that a whole bunch of new studios are going to be opening next year! Bikram fans will be happy, as will fans of less intense types of yoga 🙂 Stay tuned…
Link Love
♥ Lush Divine Whale Soap – all profits go to the Sea Shepherds to save the whales!
♥ Mega Christmas Giveaway – Win 10 x Chrissy packs!
♥ Product Review: Bloom Belle de Jour Colour Collection – if you’re keen to see a pic of my mug, go here!
♥ Wellbeing CD Review: Mindfulness Skills – love this CD for chilling out.
♥ Alison Jade Mineral Illuminator – A local alternative to YSL Touche Eclat.
♥ Product Review: Prive Shampoo & Conditioner – a unique article about a unique product, check out the amazing pics!
♥ Beauty and Wellbeing Crushes: My Current Skincare Heroes – the last edition of crushes!
That’s all for now guys, take care!
Be well,
Annette
xoxo
