♥

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.

♥

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).

♥

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.

♥

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!

Read more or order the products online from Black Chicken’s website www.blackchicken.com.au

Do you suffer dry skin after swimming? If you have a favourite product or serum to combat dry skin, please share with me!

Review by Lisa O’Neill.

Be well,

xoxo

♥

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

I’m currently on maternity leave to the most beautiful baby girl in the world. I was a senior writer at Scoop Magazine before travelling the world and trying my hand as an executive assistant at a big mining/engineering company. Despite Mum being my number one title currently, I still freelance as a writer and my favourite topics are health and beauty.

On a personal level I love being fit, reading novels I just can’t put down, Lululemon, talking an afternoon away in a coffee shop and chocolate. In another life I loved travelling, triathlon and pink champagne – once Stella is old enough I hope to rekindle these past romances. I also have an adventure racing rockstar of a husband who I’m super proud of and always trying to keep up with…

♥

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

– Every morning I start off washing my face with Yes to Cucumbers Daily Gentle Cleanser and scrub with Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant I tend towards sensitive skin products as I have a past history with dermatitis and if it rears up on your face, it’s not pretty!

– I moisturize with Kiehl’s Sodium PCA Oil-free moisturizer which I’ve used for years and just works with my skin. I got the dreaded “pregnancy mask” when pregnant with Stella (which has thankfully just about disappeared now) and it has made me really conscious of avoiding sun damage, so I now slap on Invisible Zinc’s Tinted Daywear (in medium) with SPF every morning. I was surprised that I don’t need to add any foundation, I love the natural glow this product provides.

– Brightening the eyes is a must as a new mum. I have firmly embraced the “fake it til you make it” slogan when it comes to looking awake. One of my best beauty buys was the Smashbox eyeliner selection from Kit. I use the Espresso to line my upper lashes and the gold (which is a creamy pale gold) on the inner corners to brighten them up.

♥

– At night time, I cleanse and moisturise again and about three times a week I swap moisturiser for Sodashi Calming Serum to give any wrinkles the heave-ho or at least slow ’em down a little. Although the Sodashi is on the shelf at the moment as I’m trialling Black Chicken Remedies serum with a review on Wellness WA coming soon…!

♥

– For hair, I’m continually trying new things but my current favourite is Tigi Bedhead Dumb Blonde shampoo and reconstructor. The passionfruit smell is delicious and it works wonders on my mop.

♥ Onyesha Spa

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

I have always been a total sucker for massage and if I told you my favourite place I’d have to kill you… he’s hard enough to get into as it is! But for the ultimate treat, I’d have to say the best of the best is Onyesha Spa which is a bit of a hike in Mariginiup (five minutes from Joondalup). This place is like a hidden oasis in such an odd location, but it’s really heavenly.

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

Hmmmm… I’m reluctant to supply this info as well as David and Vicki are sooo hard to get into but seeing as I’m super organised and book two months in advance now I can tell you. Just DON’T tell all your friends like I did, I still regret it! Hair Ambitions in Shenton Park is brilliant – David knows all the local goss and makes you feel like a superstar by the time he’s done.

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Definitely a pedicure and manicure. There’s nothing like fabbing up a look with a bright pastel, fluorescent pink, deep red or pretty nude (this is my rotation!). Having polished nails lifts my mood big time and is the best way to update your look with current colour trends without forking out a packet on fashion.

♥

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

– Kit nail polish – two coats and it looks like a professional job. My favourite colour is Play Down, which always gets comments.

– Mascara – it’s the one thing I’ll do if I have only 30-seconds before walking out the door – give myself some semblance of eyes! My favourite is Becca Ultimate Mascara.

– I have always, always loved lip balm and my number one is Clinique Chubby Stick (despite the dubious name – male creator?) in watermelon, which gives a pretty pink tint to the lips.

♥

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

Hmmm, it’s not really a secret – but exercise is definitely my happy drug. It keeps the body in check, it brings a smile to your face with the endorphins rush and it helps you sleep peacefully. People with a smile always look more beautiful too, don’t they? I’m not a subscriber to the pout phenomenon, that’s for sure!

♥

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

I have always wanted to go a wellness retreat, like Golden Door over East or Injidup Spa Retreat down south. The thought of a week doing nothing but eat delicious healthy food, exercise, indulge in spa treatments and rest up sounds pretty much like the chocolate icing of the beauty world.

♥

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Being a breastfeeding mum, getting in plenty of protein and healthy carbs is a must so I’m always making sure I get enough of the good stuff. I have a bowl or yoghurt with berries and/or banana with a sprinkle of chia seeds and some sort of local muesli (latest is Samudra’s Hazelnut Cacao Muesli) and soon after a cup of green tea. One of my favourite times of the day is my morning latte. Stella loves coffee shops and all the noise often sends her off to sleep, so a skinny latte and a magazine at Milkd or Cimbalinos (my top two Perth coffee shops) is bliss.

Lunch is either a turkey, goat’s cheese and salad sandwich or a quinoa salad with feta and as many veggies as I can find.

Dinner is the most varied but we have salmon once a week, usually with sweet potato and greens. Sean makes his family recipe chicken satay (no jars of sauce for us thank you very much!) regularly, too.

I used to always have healthy snacks when I was working, but now I’m at home I nearly always bake something yummy on the weekend for a sweet treat. Breastfeeding burns up lots of calories and in the afternoon I’m ravenous, tired and in need of an energy boost! The most popular choice in our house is my lactation cookies (the secret ingredient is brewers yeast which you can find in most health food stores) and while they aid milk supply, they’re safe for non-mummies too. But you don’t have to tell your partner that!

♥

And I always, always fit some chocolate into every day and my number one is Lindt Sea Salt, I always buy some if I can find it at the supermarket.

♥

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

Sigh, this used to be totally impressive! But now the thought of my old triathlon routine boggles my mind. My current routine is loads of fun though.

– Monday morning is mums and bubs yoga, although half the class is entertaining baby so not many vinyasas are achieved! To make up for it, Monday night I sprint out the door, once Stella is asleep, to Sh’bam class which is my “me time” and I love my 45-minutes of being silly while getting a good cardio workout.

– Wednesday I do a workout DVD at home while Stella cheers me on (thankfully she loves watching me work out… although it could have something to do with her getting baby massage straight after).

– Friday morning I go to a Pump/CxWorx class and Saturday lunch I join my mum for a Body Balance class.

All my classes are at Lords, which I can’t speak of highly enough. The instructors are the cream of the crop and the prices are much more reasonable than others in the area.
I also run once a week with a friend which involves more gossiping than puffing thank goodness!

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

I take Bioceuticals InNatal iron-free supplement (I have haemochromatosis, which means iron is something I have plenty of). I’ve found it to be a great prenatal, pregnancy and breastfeeding multi-vitamin.
I also take a high quality fish oil, Bioceuticals OmegaSure Liquid Fish Oil. It has an orange taste due to the orange essential oil which makes it palatable with no fishy after taste.

♥

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

My favourite way to relax is going for a walk with my husband and Stella when he gets home from walk. Fresh air, a bit of exercise and talking about our day always makes me feel better if I’ve been housebound or not had much sleep the night before.

The other best way to de-stress is a big chinwag with my mum, who always has a positive perspective and tells me I’m doing a good job. When you have a tiny baby, you can only hope you’re doing a good job– there are no performance reviews, pay rises or human resources departments! However, Stella’s gummy smiles and chuckles are a pretty good currency.

Thanks Lisa! If you have any questions about Lisa’s routine, please leave them in the comments below 🙂

Be well,

xoxo