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There is no better way to describe the effects of Privé’s Concept Shampoo and Conditioner than to explain in picture form how it transformed my hair after one of the most important hair events on my social calendar, Halloween.

I take Halloween pretty seriously. It’s all about dressing up and for me this year it was all about big hair, lots of teasing and a whole lot of hairspray over TWO nights of Halloween festivities.

♥ First Day of Halloween

♥ Second Day of Halloween

♥ Picture three. Day after Halloween/s

This shampoo and conditioner repaired my hair after treating it so abominably for two days, returning it to a state that was even better than before I teased the you-know-what out of it. My ends felt so good, was it the Amazon acai or the babassu oil? I don’t know, but there’s a combination of active ingredients in these products that really made my hair feel light yet voluminous, clean, soft, shiny and best of all…healthy.

Foamy!

If this productive was just effective, that would definitely be enough, but something that makes it unique is the texture. Both the shampoo and the conditioner squirt out like a foam (think shaving cream and you are pretty close) and then it turns into a gel RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR VERY EYES.

Both have a delightful lemon/lime citrus smell- the shampoo works up into a really great lather, and the conditioner works through the meanest knots in the world. Considering the performance of Privé’s Concept Shampoo and Conditioner in my hour of post-Halloween need I really have no choice but to give these guys an enthusiastic two thumbs up.

Visit their website for more info, usage tips (you can get way more out of this shampoo and conditioner because of the aforementioned non-aerosol mousse) and of course to BUY them, which I highly recommend. The Concept Vert Shampoo is $28 and the Concept Vert Conditioner is $30. They are also available at David Jones.

Oh wow, I just like knowing that I can fully indulge in Halloween without ruining my hair, don’t you?

Review by Adriane Daff, halloween costume, hair and makeup extraordinaire!

Be well,

xoxo

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Hola amigos! I thought today I’d share with you some of the products that I’ve been using pretty religiously over the last few months. I’m very lucky to be able to try a whole host of different skincare and beauty products, however when I find something that I keep reaching for, I know I’m onto a winner.

These four products have been keeping my skin very clear and glowy recently, along with the supplements that my naturopath has prescribed me.

So here we go!

♥ Ren ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Cleanser

This cleanser is marvelous for combination skins like mine. A lot of the time when I see clay cleansers I think “Ack, too drying” but this isn’t the case with the Clearcalm, it’s very gentle. The 3 is in the product name because it’s meant to work on the three areas of breakout formation – excess sebum, buildup of dead cells and blemish causing bacteria. I’d have to say I agree! Am totally loving it and reccommend it whole-heartedly! Especially when used in conjuction with…

♥ Clarisonic Mia

As previously mentioned, I feel that this is the major reason my skin has been so good to me lately. Breakouts have SERIOUSLY diminished and my skin is smoother than it has been…well, forever. Used twice a day it has my skin beaming (be careful not to use it on any active pimples (the ones with any pus in them…!) though, as it can spread the bacteria and cause more zits. Once they’ve settled a bit it’s fine! The Clarisonic is also the perfect precurser to…

♥ Rosehip oil

I’m always raving about rosehip oil, it can do no wrong in my eyes! Once my skin is smooth and clear from the above two steps, I massage three drops of RHO into my skin at night (I prefer an SPF moisturiser during the day). It works it’s miracles overnight… and in the morning I wake up with even clearer and glowy-er skin. Seriously a miracle prod! It’s packed with vitamin c, and reduces scars, dryness, pimples and even works on oily skin. WHAT CAN’T IT DO? Well it can’t make you a green smoothie unfortunately, but I hear it’s in the pipeline.

♥ Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

When I want to mix things up a bit and give my skin a break from the Clarisonic, this is my go to. It’s a rice-based enzyme powder which you add water to, then apply to your face for some at-home microdermabrasion! It’s really helpful for brightening and smoothing the skin, and works particularly well on any breakout/blackhead prone areas due to the salicylic acid content (pimple kryptonite). It’s a cult beauty product the world over, and I love it too.

Flashbacks

♥ 90 Minute Gem Inspiration Massage @ Cove Spa – super dreamy, christmas is coming and this would make an AMAZING gift!

♥ Echolife Facial Mist Giveaway! – just in time for summer… get into our latest comp!

♥ Product Review: OPI Muppet Collection – Kermit, Miss Piggy and the gang are waiting to hang out on your hands and toes.

♥ Restaurant Review: Yongs Green Food, Melbourne – Take a trip interstate to this incredible restaurant that’s worth the airfare in itself.

♥ Beauty & Wellbeing Routine: Jade Jurewicz, Wellness WA Contributor – One of our most popular articles of ALL TIME! Find out why so many people want to read about Jade’s fabulous wellness routine.

Much love to everyone!

What are your favourite skincare heroes at the moment?

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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I have a philosophy that life’s problems can be somewhat softened by pretty, twinkling nails. Just try staying in a storm of a mood whilst shaking a sparkling fist of glitter! Superficial as this may sound, we are talking about nail polish, ladies. When I heard that O.P.I was releasing a new line in collaboration with The Muppets and their up-coming movie, I knew it was well and truly time to play the music and time the lights.

The collection features 6 bright sequined glittery lacquers, four metallic shades and 2 rich shades of burgundy red, each as vibrant and equally as loud as the Muppet characters they’re named after.

I chose Divine Swine, a rhapsodic sparkling pink lacquer, because secretly I am five and currently have an obsession with all things flamboyant. I also chose Pepe’s Purple Passion, a slightly less shimmery but still enthusiastic reddish mauve, just to feel a little more age appropriate. I probably wouldn’t wear these to work if you have a uniform code because your hands will probably look as though you’ve been strangling fairies. Save these sparkly delights for special occasions.

Divine Swine requires a solid undercoat. Otherwise you could just apply multiple layers of the sparkly stuff, but it probably won’t look as good. I used a soft pink so the glitter would take centre stage. Here are the results.

♥ Divine Swine

For those who aren’t ready to commit to Sparkle Motion, try one the more subtler lacquers. Pepe’s Purple Passion is a deep shade of red wine, infused with just the right amount of shimmer for the silly season.

♥ Pepe’s Purple Passion

Are you ever too old to glitterfy your life? Who is your favourite Muppets character?

Available now on Adore Beauty, and from select salons and David Jones late November.
RRP: $19.95

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I went through a stage where my skin was a war zone. I was doing all the right things with my usual winning combination of a gentle cleanser (Cetaphil) and oil-free moisturiser (Kiehl’s) plus exfoliating twice a week, plus guzzling water and eating right – but my skin was ready to do battle and I needed to stand up to it.

I needed something new and I needed it fast, the pimples and blocked pores were not budging. I tried numerous toners to try and dry out the spots, but nothing was working. So I went deep into the trenches (Kit Cosmetics, my favourite source of beauty arsenal) and asked them to pull out the big guns… I was originally there to source another product, but the salesperson put me on to Peter Thomas Roth’s Sulfur Cooling Masque ($51.95) when I explained my predicament. She was totally on the money.

Just one of the soldiers in this hard working product.

As soon as I put the clay-textured masque on my skin, I could feel the cooling effect. With sulphur and eucalyptus doing the double team on my pimples, the inclusion of aloe had their back and made sure the rest of my skin didn’t dry out. Although I did only put this masque on the affected areas, there’s no point in shaking up innocent civilians in your ploy to take out the bad guys.

After about 10 minutes of letting the masque set and do its damage, my skin was finally being led to happier pastures. I kept up the masque twice a week for a month and my skin has cleared to a point where I am really happy with it.

Now I think there were some sneaky terrorists, in the form of hormones, playing a role in this battlefield, but the Sulfur Cooling Masque was on the frontline when it counted and I’m saluting its efforts. It’s a product well worth a try if you are having skin issues, particularly in the T-zone and I highly recommend it.

Are there any products that have done a stand out job on your own skin warzone? Or perhaps you live and die by a product that keeps your skin a neutral territory – fill us in!

Review by Lisa O’Neill, a former-triathlon wannabe now revelling in the joys of yoga, sleep ins and the elimination of waistbands as she awaits the arrival of her first baby.

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I think that legs are the 3rd best part of a woman. After personality (inclusive of wit and intelligence) and smile. There’s something about a leg that is so full of energy (well I guess that’s the muscles) and youthfulness. I just like them. It’s one of those body parts that people talk about ‘doing some work on’ before summer hits, and I think I kind of get that…you want your pins to look good! And like any human being you would probably be pretty interested if I told you there might be a shortcut to great looking 3rd favourite body parts, right?

This Works, the purveyors of modern natural beauty, have a product called Perfect Legs Skin Miracle. They just come right out and say it ‘perfect legs’, how do you like that? I admire their directness, that sure is finding the chase and cutting to it. Perfect Legs contains Vitamin C (which we all know by now helps skin repair itself) and Vitamin E (moisturizing and anti ageing) as well as possessing a dreamy bronze tone to leave your stems a light sun kissed hue. This colour is important, it is very light and a little shimmery (it comes out of the bottle a lot darker than it goes on) and is not a fake tan – it washes off and doesn’t smell. In fact Perfect Legs has a really nice fragrance involving patchouli, geranium, frankincense, rose, vanilla and clove. Beautiful.

♥ Arnica

AND, best yet, it helps with skin imperfections by evening out discolouration and scars. This includes bruises, thanks to our good friend arnica. And if you are anything like me, and as clumsy as they come, you will be rejoicing right now to hear that you can disguise the table-bumps and doorway scrapes quite effortlessly, now that it is the time of year for shorts and skirts!

Welcome to my legs after using the product.

I really enjoy using this product, you can make a commitment to applying it daily or put it on at the last minute to give your legs a pick me up before heading out the door (my favourite)- it’s a step up from a normal moisturizer but not quite as serious as a fake tan. It may just be ‘40 minutes on the treadmill’ in a bottle, and used in conjunction with a real exercise regime- WELL, then I am going to suggest you get those legs out and strut it girl!

Availability

Cost: $92 AUD

Where: Mecca Cosmetica Online or in store

What do you think, is this an enticing combination of a light moisturizer and a bit of colour or what?

Review by Adriane Daff, believer of (a) that women are more than the sum of their parts and (b) that even though (a) is true feeling good about your legs is pretty awesome too.

Be well,

xoxo