Posted by Annette @ Wellness WA on September 24, 2012
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By now most of you know what a huge, huge fan of Rosehip Oil I am. I adore this deep amber liquid that smells kind of like tea, and have long forgone fancier serums in it’s favour due to the wonderful benefits and soft skin it imparts.
My love affair is quickly approaching the 10 year mark (!!!) and I am always banging on about it to anyone who will listen, including my Dad who is now a convert.
I have a special treat for you today, as we’ve got 4 bottles of the brand new Rosehip Vital Rosehip Oil to give away!
Why would you want to win one of these babies…? Well, read on!
♥ It’s 100% natural, rich in essential fatty acids, and high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
♥ Our bodies cannot produce fatty acids such as Omega 3 & 6 which are essential for supporting skin renewal, helping to repair damaged skin tissue and maintaining healthy-looking skin.
♥ Naturally-occurring anti-oxidants, also known as Bio-Flavonoids, present in Rosehip Oil help to reduce free radical damage in the skin – thus fighting the signs of ageing
♥ Helps to soften and diminish the appearance of scars & pimples
♥ Rosehip Vital Rosehip Oil is Australian Certified Organic!
To WIN, all you need to do is like Wellness WA on Facebook or Twitter leave a comment letting me know what your favourite way to get a ‘glow’ is!
Posted by Annette @ Wellness WA on September 18, 2012
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In my late twenties, I knew I had to go beyond a simple moisturiser at bedtime to stop the fine lines sneaking on to my face like plump skin thieves of the night. The opportunity to review a newcomer to the serum scene was an automatic yes, as I continued my plight to preserve any semblance of youthful skin.
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Chey Birch created the Black Chicken Remedies’ products as a natural, paraben free alternative to high end moisturisers and anti ageing serums. Being a regular swimmer, it was hard to find something that effectively replenished the moisture in her skin. So, as you do, Chey created her own!
I was in the same boat. Getting back into a fitness regime included hitting the pool a couple of times a week and there’s nothing like a dose of chlorine to make your skin feel 10 years older. I tried the Love Your Body Oil ($69) and Love Your Face Serum ($79).
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The body oil was moisturising and my dry skin lapped most of it up, but it did leave an oily residue on my skin that took a while to sink in. The ingredient list (including avocado oil, rosehip oil, hazelnut oil, coconut oil, Vitamin E oil and a host of essential oils) was appealing and the resulting fragrance was pleasant and sweet, but quite strong.
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The serum was heavenly. I used it every night for two weeks and was really pleased with condition of my skin following. The fragrance surprised me after using the body oil as it was much more subtle and almost earthy, unlike the heavily scented serums I’ve used previously. As the packaging suggested, the product absorbed straight into the skin and instantly made my face feel silky.
If you haven’t already invested in a serum, I highly recommend this one. It’s delicious and it works!
Posted by Annette @ Wellness WA on September 12, 2012
Sometimes you see something inspiring, and just want to share it immediately so that everyone can feel the way you felt when you saw it. These two videos evoked one of those moments.
A beautiful testament to yoga, love and connection – check them out if you want to be inspired, and let me know what you think!
This first one has been around for quite some time:
♥ So beautiful!
The second one just came out last week & shows the yogini in the first vid, with her husband along for the trip this time too:
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I want to be this flexible some day!
Anyone think they can give these guys a run for their money?!
Posted by Annette @ Wellness WA on September 4, 2012
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My skincare routine has really been ramping up lately. I’ve started a course of LED light treatments at mi:skn (15 minutes of blue light to kill acne bacteria, then 15 minutes of red light to rejuvenate the skin and get the blood flowing), have been seeing a lovely naturopath, Marnie Downer, for the past 6 weeks who has prescribed me some hormone balancing herbal remedies (more on this to come!), have been drinking copious amounts of green juices and water – and am about to get back into exercise in a serious manner by way of a new personal trainer!!
The next step was to try something I’d been wanting to experience for a long time – microdermabrasion! Buoyed by all the positive reviews our other contributors have had (check ’em out here, here and here!), I was super excited to try hydradermabrasion – which is microdermabrasion, with a h20 twist!
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My experience started with a deluxe treat, a 90 minute ‘Retreat for One‘ that was my gift for starting a new full-time job last month. This is one of my all time favourite pamper sessions, I recommend it to everyone.
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But back to the facial: it starts with an orchid filled, dimly lit room. My head resting on one of the comfiest pillows of all time, with another pillow under my knees and a deliciously cosy blanket – no chance of getting chilly here!
I have combination skin, so my face is cleansed with the Sodashi Clay Cleanser with Lime (this is the one I use at home too) to balance it out.
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Next, the microdermabrasion machine comes out to play, it’s kind of like the tube at the dentist which sucks up your saliva, but with a little abrasive brush on the tube so the dead skin cells are brushed off then sucked up like magic. The second part of the process is where the hydro comes in, it feels a bit like a cats rough tongue as the tiny stream of high-pressured water is applied and then sucked up, flushing the pores clean with pure water.
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At this point I touched my skin and it felt SMOOTH. Smoother than I have ever felt it. I didn’t have too long to think about that though, as the Sodashi Recovery Boost was applied, along with a calming mask to reduce any redness (which was minimal). My scalp was then whisked to heaven with a dreamy massage… at this point I was struggling to stay awake, and as the hot towels enveloped my face to take off the mask, I felt like snuggling into the bed and staying there all day.
♥ The Bodhi J Relaxation Lounge
Unluckily for me there were other people with much deserved pamper time waiting for their time in the gorgeous room, so with a hydrating Sodashi serum applied, I dragged myself out of there and into the comfortable relaxation lounge for a cup of mint & chamomile tea, a strawberry and some reflection on the blissful 2.5 hours (including my retreat for one) that had just passed.
The verdict? My skin LOVED the hydrodermabrasion. 24 hours+ later, it’s still feeling super smooth. My chin is prone to some pimples, and it hasn’t cleared those up, but the rest of my skin is looking great and I’ll definitely be adding microdermabrasion to my skin maintenance routine 4-5 times a year.
The Hydrodermabrasion treatment is valued at $140 and was provided complimentary for review, read our review policy here!
Find out more about Bodhi J Health + Beauty spa on their website.
Have you tried microdermabrasion before? What about hydrodermabrasion? I’d love to hear anyone elses experience with either of these treatments!
Posted by Annette @ Wellness WA on September 3, 2012
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There’s most certainly a right and wrong way to go about Bikram Yoga. I learnt this the hard way. My first session I turned up in my standard gym gear = long yoga pants, a t-shirt and a leotard thing (so I can bend this way and that and not have my belly fall out), and realised my mistake as soon as I entered the studio. The vast majority of the 30-ish attendees were wearing what I first thought were bikinis, but turned out to be Bikram-intended gym gear. These people had the right idea. Before I’d even started, I had condensation dripping from my eyelashes.
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And there’s definitely a learning curve. The three sessions I went to followed a pattern – I would arrive, enter the room and be freshly shocked at HOW warm Bikram yoga is (40 C), lie down on my mat and start to feel like I was adjusting and this might be okay – then the instructor would enter and we’d start moving. I lasted 40 minutes in my first session, overdressed and not hydrated enough, and drove home bewildered and drenched.
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My second attempt was far better. I wore as little as I was able and attended an evening class, meaning I had a whole afternoon to get hydrated enough in preparation, which made a big difference. I left the room twice to pace around in the air conditioning before heading back in, but I still stayed until the end of the 90 minute session. I considered this progress, and decided to give it a third shot to see if I could top that effort.
Third session was exhilarating. I didn’t leave the room, though I did sit sweating on my mat to recover every once and a while. But I still stayed for 90 minutes and emerged sweaty and victorious at the end, feeling like I’d proved to myself that I could adjust to what felt like an insurmountably difficult physical challenge.
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And the end result is fantastic. Once you’ve rehydrated (and I deeply recommend the Chi Coconut Water available at the front desk) you feel godlike. You’re energised, ultra limber and have all those good aches that tell you you’ve done well.
My particular Bikram was at the newly opened Bikram Yoga Victoria Park – and I had three different instructors over that session. The circuit of poses was identical each day, which was a small mercy since there was a collective boneless relief when we moved to the second half of the session (the stuff on the floor). Our instructors all wore headsets and talked continuously through the 90 minute class. Granted, they weren’t doing the full exercise that we were, but they were still demonstrating, wandering between people and fixing postures. It struck me as incredibly exhausting. There must have been some serious tolerance build up in that.
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Ultimately I had a really positive experience – I feel like I was worked hard and got results, and the staff were professional and friendly. I’m even considering some of those Bikram bikini things. I’m a sucker for nice new gym gear.
♥ There are even showers you can use before/after class!
Bikram Yoga Victoria Park has a rather awesome beginner’s deal that I’d recommend: Ten days of unlimited Bikram for $20!
I spread my three sessions over five days, and the amount of improvement I felt just in those three sessions drives home for me that it really is something that needs to be done in bursts, multiple sessions in close proximity. Karen, the vibrant and ultra-fit Studio Director confirmed as much by very gently suggesting I come back for the third class, and I’m glad I did. (She also clarified for me that I was not, in fact, drowning in my own sweat, but in an ungodly amount of condensation. This is very reassuring). Can I also suggest that you remove all makeup before heading in there? I finished a session looking like I’d emerged from a screening of The Notebook.
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