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It can be tough to find delicious, natural body products that are kind to animals and the earth. Vegans may be stereotyped as unwashed hippies but this girly-girl likes to look and smell cute while she’s helping to save the world! It’s taken a lot of experimentation to find my favourites but here are my top six:

♥ Lush – I love Juicy Shampoo, from $10.95

Remember when Lush were just about glittery bath bombs? Those sparkly balls of fun are still there, but now Lush also stock an incredible range of fresh, hand-made skin and body care clearly labelled ‘Vegan’. Thank you, Lush! This fun, fruity shampoo smells amazing and is packed with organic papaya, kiwi and citrus oils for beautiful shine.

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♥ Lush – Veganese Conditioner, from $13.95

This creamy conditioner kicks lanolin to the curb and uses agar seaweed gel to soften, and lavender and lemons to add shine. It’s perfect for fine hair like mine – adding moisture without weighing it down or becoming too greasy.

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♥ Lush – Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner, $29.95

Chock full of creamy capuacu, brazil nut, shea and cocoa butters, this is the ultimate in deep, hydrating luxury. The fact that it makes your skin smell like roses in the sunshine is just a very happy bonus.

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♥ Kosmea Rosehip Oil, from $24.95

Incredibly rich and velvety, Australian owned, ethically sourced and 100% certified organic, this is bliss in a bottle. Best of all I started receiving compliments about my ‘glow’ from the end of the first week! Apply immediately after showering and allow it to absorb for a couple of minutes before applying eye cream, moisturiser and make-up. It’s perfect for night time application before bed too, but just be careful to protect your pillowslips because the rich colour can stain. Read about a rosehip ritual here for more rosehip goodness!

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♥ Joi Pure Recovery Eye Serum, $35.00

Enriched with natural anti-ageing ingredients like Argan Oil, Green Tea and Ginseng, I apply it twice a day and pop it into the fridge first if I feel like an extra treat. The cool creaminess is oh so soothing on your delicate eye area.

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♥ Lush – Ultrabalm, $7.90

As a former-Lucas’ Papaw Ointment addict, this all-purpose balm is my all-time, so-crazy-good, can’t-live-without-it favourite! First recommended to me by one of my blog readers when I mentioned my previous battles with eczema, I was hooked from the minute I first tried it and now never go anywhere without it. Great for dry hands, cracked heels, sunburnt lips and even under your make-up if your face is feeling particularly dry. Free from all of the nasty petrochemicals found in Lucas’ Papaw Ointment, it contains just three heavenly ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil, Candelilla Wax and Rose Wax.

Article by Rebecca, a self-confessed glitterbug and fruit addict. She is currently studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and writes about love, life, laughter and sparkly vegan adventures on her blog Vegan Sparkles!

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♥ Hemp Seeds

Oh, my loves! Where have you honestly been all my life?

For some reason chia seeds don’t really agree with me, I’ve tried many times with little success – they seem to make me feel really spaced out. So I’ve been wondering for a long time how to boost my omega 3 intake in salads and smoothies, and hemp seeds have turned out to be the answer!

These creamy little new friends of mine are actually not approved for consumption within Australia – even though they are everywhere else in the world. Over here they’re sold for alternative uses, such as skincare, but they are food quality and perfectly safe and delicious to eat (they contain none of the chemicals that get you “high”, and are actually a different strain of hemp plant to marijuana).

I’ve been having mine in smoothies, on salads, on frozen blueberries with cinnamon and even just eating them off the spoon. They are delicious and supposed to be very good for you. I’m a convert!

Purchased from Health Kick in the CBD, $17.95 for 250gm, or you can purchase online here, at the Hemp Foods online store.

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♥ Rice Milk

Another a-ha moment I recently had was that soy milk makes me feel sick. As a vegetarian for 10 years I was pretty shocked that it took me this long to zone in on the fact that every time I made a soy smoothie or drank a cup of soy milk, I got a stomach ache, a headache and generally felt exceptionally average.

Only once I started experimenting with rice milk in my smoothies instead over the past few weeks, did I notice that “Wow, I don’t feel horrible after I drink this! Maybe soy doesn’t love me?” A pretty slow revelation indeed, but I’m really happy to have finally figured it out and switched to something that will fuel me and make me feel great. Yay!

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♥ Vanessa Megan Essential Blend Spray

This stuff is amazing! My lovely friend Haley from Peachy Clean Organic Beauty sent me a bottle when I was feeling down and I haven’t stopped using it since. The scent is SO calming and delicious at the same time, it’s got a kind of gingerbread mixed with musk scent and I love it. I spray it all around the house, on my yoga mat before I practice, when I’m feeling uptight, on my clothes before I go out if I want a light and lovely perfume, on my bed before I read there… the list goes on!

Available for $30 from Peachy Clean.

I’d absolutely love to hear what you’re crushing on right now, so please share your crushes below! 🙂

Be well,

Annette

xoxo

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♥ Cinnamon

If someone held my spice rack hostage and said I could only choose to save one spice, it’d definitely be cinnamon! Lately I’ve been using outrageous quantities of it in at least one meal a day.

Cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar levels and is a killer source of manganese, which is an important mineral for maintaining healthy bones.

Five ways I’ve been adding cinnamon to my diet:

♥ In greek yoghurt mixed with blueberries
♥ In coffee with a little bit of stevia
♥ In my daily green smoothie (along with cayenne pepper and ginger for a real kick up the bum in the morning!)
♥ Sprinkled on cubed pumpkin or sweet potato along with Himalayan rock salt, roasted
♥ In my banancakes (see below!)

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♥ Banancakes

I love pancakes on lazy Sunday mornings, but unfortunately they’re a “sometimes food”. I can’t even describe how thrilled I was to stumble across a “pancake” recipe with two ingredients – banana and eggs – and then to discover it tasted like banana bread…!!!!

After my first shot at making these banana-y pancakey gems, I christened them “Banancakes”. If you’re sceptical, I urge you to try these out because they are the best thing since sliced [banana] bread.

Gemma’s Banancakes

Ingredients:
♥ One medium banana
♥ Two whole, organic, free-range eggs
♥ Cinnamon!!

Method:
In a blender, whiz up the eggs until they’re frothy. Slice up the banana and add it in with a hefty pinch of cinnamon until you end up with a smooth “batter”.

Grease a frying pan with some coconut oil and pour the mixture on – smaller pikelets are easier to flip! Keep the heat on low-medium (the sugar in the banana caramelises and therefore these babies burn easily). Just like pancakes, flip the banancakes when you see little bubbles on the surface. Cook on the reverse side until they don’t feel squishy to touch – it’s about five minutes on each side.

They’re fairly moist so they don’t need any accompaniments, but they are delicious with a drizzle of organic maple syrup.

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♥ T2 Tummy Tea

This tea has helped me curb my coffee and hot chocolate addiction and up my water intake. With peppermint leaves, liquorice root, fennel seeds and calendula petals, Tummy Tea starts off refreshingly minty and ends delightfully sweet (thanks to the liquorice root). It makes for a perfect brew after a meal or snack, aiding with digestion and the sweetness tends to trick my mind into thinking I’m having dessert! Tummy Tea is sugar and caffeine-free and has been taking pride of place next to my kettle since the start of the year.

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♥ MooGoo 3 Vitamins Eye Serum

The three vitamins in the MooGoo 3 Vitamins Eye Serum are vitamins E and C (antioxidants to prevent aging) and B5 (to soothe the skin). The base is a blend of jojoba and olive oils so the product is very moisturising and you only need a little bit to go a long way.

I’ve been using this serum morning and night and have found my under-eye concealer goes on smoother now, and my dryness is improving! I’ve experienced no irritation and so far I’m impressed with how well it absorbs – even though it’s an oil, it doesn’t sit on the skin’s surface for ages, meaning you can apply it for daywear without waiting for the stuff to sink in! RRP $24.90

By Gemma Clark, who would be devastated if someone actually took her spice rack hostage.

Be well,

xoxo

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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m a Perth girl at heart now living in Sydney. Growing up in City Beach and going to St Mary’s, I had and still have a natural love of being outdoors, and keeping fit & healthy.

Just over a year ago, I launched an online store called Relauncher, which is all things health, beauty, lifestyle & wellbeing; with an organic & eco-friendly focus. The business is about helping people be their best, ‘relaunching themselves’ – via items from the store, as well as being inspired & motivated via the blog and social media outlets.

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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I start each day with a warm water drink including, chopped ginger, Coconut Magic coconut oil & freshly squeezed lemon juice. I think of this as part of my beauty routine because it’s a great all-over detox which my skin definitely benefits from.

I also dry body brush everyday with a Bodecare brush – this gets my circulation pumping, along with removing dead skin cells. It’s the same brand that Miranda Kerr uses and talks about on her blog.

♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

I’ve just been to Bali and have been luxing out on the massages.

I’m going to make a point of having them more often now I’m back in Sydney. My favourite place for massages is The Beauty Bar in Erskineville, NSW. They are tucked away, and unless someone has referred you to them you probably wouldn’t know about them. It’s one of those places I refer to as a ‘hidden gem’.

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♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

I live in Sydney, so I haven’t had my hair cut / coloured in Perth for years.

In saying that, I was recently in Perth for my school reunion & had my hair done at The Blowdry Bar in Murray St, Perth.

The Blowdry Bar only recently opened in August, and I can highly recommend them if you’re wanting your hair done before going out, (they also give you a glass of bubbly). For $40, it’s money well spent.

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Coconut Magic coconut oil, I can’t get enough of it. It’s such a versatile product – everyone should have 2 jars. 1 for the kitchen and 1 for the bathroom.

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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

Dry Body Brush – my skin has never felt so good after daily body brushing. Ideal for improving circulation, exfoliating and evening out fatty deposits & cellulite (especially on your thighs & bum!)

Clear Bag Liner – it’s a stylish way to stay organised. I keep all my important bits & pieces in this and transfer the liner between bags. It was also great for travelling while I was recently in Bali!

Yoga Mat Bag – I recently imported these yoga bags from New York. They carry like a yoga bag, store like a gym bag with all the amazing pockets and can also hang like a garment bag. I love slinging it over my shoulders then riding to yoga – so easy and versatile.

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♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

Exercise & Nutrition – I know so many people say this, but it’s the truth. Increasing blood circulation, stretching muscles and clean eating is the way to go.

Sleep – I try to get 7hrs a night. Without it, hmmm – not coping so well…

Family & Friendships – although I like a little alone time, I’m far more a people person. It’s all about the chatting, nattering & giggles.

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)

It’s got to be the trapeze. I’m completely scared of heights – it makes me feel sick, dizzy and unbalanced.

There’s a trapeze school not far from where I live and I’m daring myself to give it a go. Now I’ve just put it in writing, I’ve just committed myself. I’ll have to find someone to come along with me now….

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

I start each day with a warm water drink (including chopped ginger, Coconut Magic coconut oil & lemon juice).

Breakfast – either an omelette or sugar-free muesli.

Lunch – usually a few Vita-Weats with either tuna / salmon and a HUGE amount of salad – including mint, spinach, coriander, basil, avocado, beetroot, with lemon juice squeezed over the top & activated nuts.

I then always have either some home-made cacao balls / chocolate nut cake / raw pecan pie (something sweet that has been made with cacao powder & coconut oil). Most of the recipes can be found here!

Dinner – includes protein & greens.

Overall, I don’t add sugar to my diet and stick with eating less than 7g/100g of sugar when looking at the nutritional panel. I also exclude gluten where possible, eat a large amount of greens, superfoods & steer clear of processed foods.

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♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I rotate my fitness routine every 3 months to keep it interesting.

At the moment it’s yoga, pilates, zumba and lots of walking.

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♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

I love alternative therapies. Recently I tried Shirodhara – an Ayurvedic treatment where 1L of warmed pure sesame oil is poured on your 3rd eye (centre of your forehead). It promotes better sleep, reduced stress & removal of toxins. Bliss ☺ (Ed: If you’re looking for my top tip for an Ayurvedic doctor in Sydney, make sure you check out Yatan Holistic Ayurvedic Centre).

♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

I find yoga and pilates relaxing. When I’m stressed and busy, these forms of exercise allows my to centre on the present. A great form of Sadhana (self-enrichment).

Thanks so much to Alison for taking the time to fill out this routine, hopefully you’ve found it inspiring! If you have any questions, please leave a comment below 🙂

Find Alison in various internet places below!

Website – www.relauncher.com.au
Twitter – www.twitter.com/Relauncher
Facebook – www.facebook.com/relauncher

Be well,

xoxo

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Hi everyone! As we all know, 2013 is just around the corner. When the clock strikes midnight we’ll be transported into a brand new year – how exciting is that?! A brand new year to look after yourself, strive to feel as healthy as possible, reach towards your biggest goals and dreams & live the life you’ve always wanted to. Every day is a chance to take a step closer to it. You can do it!

Instead of a resolution this year, I’m adopting a mantra for 2013:

The amazing Marie Forleo said this, and it’s already helping me stay on track – whenever I have a decision to make I think of this mantra and whether my actions are going to work towards radiance, or detract from it. Powerful stuff!

I’m also going to be doing the following: drinking water, eating veggies, sleeping, breathing, and moving. No pressure though, just doing the best I can.

So without further chit-chat I present to you the most read articles* of 2012 on Wellness WA!

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1. Wellness WA Green Smoothie Database – seems a lot of people were getting in on the green drink action this year, something I hope to continue exploring and experimenting with in 2013!

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2. Where Can I Get a Fish Pedicure in Perth? – great question, check out my answer in the post!

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3. Health Food Focus: Natvia Natural Sweetener – with the surge in people interested in quitting sugar thanks to Sarah Wilson’s fantastic “I Quit Sugar” E-book, this recipe post about sugar alternative Natvia was a raging success!

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4. The Wonders of Pomegranates: A Three Way Pomegranate Ritual – a fantastic article on how drinking, eating, and using pomegranates on your skin is wonderful for your wellbeing and beauty!

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5. Product Review: Nature’s Botox Alternative – nuff said! People want the results of medical skincare, without the needles.

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6. Perth Market Review: Stirling Farmers Market – a new trial farmers market popped up in Stirling this year, and thanks to the support of local residents it got the go ahead from the council to keep running. Yippee!

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7. Quinoa and Where to Buy it in Perth – it’s been a good year for quinoa, this post will let you know where to pick up this super healthy superfood!

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8. Wellness Recipe: Superfood Raw Fudge Balls – I can personally attest to the yumminess of these, in fact I just whipped up a batch as I was writing this post!

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9. Perth’s Newest Deluxe Day Spa: Endota, Perth CBD – this new spa in the heart of our beautiful city caused quite a whirlwind of excitement when it launched in March. If you’ve not been yet you should certainly do yourself a favour in the New Year.

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10. Beauty & Wellbeing Routine: Emma Smyth, Model – Nutrition Student – Wellness Blogger – local beauty & blogger Emma caused traffic numbers to spike dramatically in the day we posted her interview (and ever since!). A combination of her gorgeous looks, holistic approach to nutrition and exercise and her bubbly personality made this one of the top interviews we’ve done so far. Check her out!

* Some of them may not have been written in 2012, but have resonated with people this year.