Health & Wellness Routine: Reece Carter – Leading Australian Naturopath & Herb Nerd.
♥ Reece Carter, the Herb Nerd!
Today I’m really excited to share with you the wellbeing routine of Reece Carter, well-known Aussie Naturopath & “Herb Nerd” who loves all things to do with plants and their healing powers. Read on for some fantastic tips that will get your skin glowing & energy levels soaring. Thanks Reece!
♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!
I guess you could say I’ve been a ‘Herb Nerd’ all my life! Growing up in The Wheatbelt, my Pop had the most phenomenal veggie garden which we worked on together, and I felt a real connection to life on the land.
I’ve always been fascinated with the combination of traditional remedies with current research, and turning to the garden or pantry for wellness. While living in London, I had a lightbulb moment and decided to formalise my education in the area I loved with a Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) with Endeavour College of Natural Health.
In my very first year of study, I did a subject called ‘Herbal Manufacturing’ which gave me hands-on experience of how herbal preparations are made. I loved the subject and spent more than 600 hours in the Wellnation Clinics at Endeavour to better understand people’s daily health concerns. That’s when I decided to dive into the world of herbal medicine.
Now, I’m a practising naturopath based in Sydney, creating a life I love! I have my own clinical practice, have recently released my own liquid vitality tonic called DOSE, and produce my video channel ‘The Garden Apothecary’ in Los Angeles dedicated to making the ancient art of herbal medicine new again.
♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine! What are your non-negotiables for looking and feeling your best?.
Cleansing and a light moisturise after the gym every morning. Night time is where I do my more heavy duty skin healing, loading up with heavier oils like rosehip, and blends that I make myself. I love using sweet almond oil for Vitamin E and calendula which is very healing for the skin.
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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?
An aloe vera plant is my at-home hack, because it’s so easy to grow and so versatile. It’s one of those things that has so many different uses in beauty and grooming. You can combine it with a bit of cucumber juice or witch hazel, and all of a sudden you’ve got an aftershave gel to reduce irritation. Or you can freeze the gel and replace the store bought version from your own garden if you’ve had too much sun.
One of my go-tos would have to be my aloe vera eye gel, which uses hydrating aloe, soothing cucumber, anti-inflammatory chamomile and tightening witch hazel to soothe tired, puffy eyes. You can find the recipe here, or watch me show you how to make it here!
♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?
1. DOSE Vitality Tonic – this is built around something I was making for myself and having at the start of everyday for wellness and improved energy and mood throughout the day, so I created an over-the-counter version of that. My aim with the tonic is to reduce the effect our every increasing hectic lifestyles have on wellness, and restore vitality using our bodies’ natural energy pathways. Find it online here or also at OneFHL in Subiaco.
2. Midas Cup Turmeric Latte Superfood Blend – my absolute go to! Turmeric is another food I have every day because it has this enormous range of health benefits. It’s the king of anti-inflammatories – especially for the gut – and as we know as naturopath’s, the gut is linked very closely to mental health and wellbeing. So having a natural gut anti-inflammatory everyday is a must for me, and this blend is absolutely delicious.
3. Organic Rosehip Oil – it’s a beauty! I use it on its own at night for my skin. It’s rich in Vitamin C which not only acts as an antioxidant, but also improves collagen synthesis to strengthen elasticity and keep your skin looking fresh and supple.
♥ Reece + pals @ OneFHL in Subi
♥ How do you like to get your body moving? Describe your weekly fitness routine.
The thing I do most is high intensity interval training (HIIT), usually a 45-minute sweat session first thing in the morning. I always look for a place I can do that kind of class – when I’m home in Perth, it’s at OneFHL in Subiaco.
♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?
As much as I’ve tried, I’m not really big on meditation. I see enormous benefit in it, but my mind is always racing and so if I need to do something meditative, it’s a slow-paced repetitive cardio activity. I find swimming to be very relaxing, so if ever there’s a time where I feel a bit overwhelmed, that’s the kind of exercise I do. For me, it serves the same purpose – quietening the mind and focusing on a single activity, that’s where it’s therapeutic for me.
♥ How many hours sleep do you usually get each night? Do you have any bedtime rituals or tips to help you get a great night’s sleep?
A lot! I’m an early to bed, early to rise guy, and a very deep sleeper! It’s not unusual to find me in bed by 8:30pm, and I’m up at 5am. So I get at least eight hours a night, and always have my magnesium and herbal tea before bed. I usually have a passionflower, lemon balm and lavender blend that I make myself to calm a racing mind – this was a lifesaver during my studies!
To keep up to date with Reece on his Herb Nerd-y journey, check out his website or follow him on Facebook / Instagram!
If you have any questions or comments about Reece’s routine, please leave them below! <3 xo