After one of the worst waxing experiences I’ve ever had at a salon this weekend, I’ve decided to share some ways in which to minimize the chances of such unfortunate hot wax related pain and suffering happening to others!

The world of salon hair removal can be treacherous, we’re navigating the waxing waters of poorly trained staff, salons trying to cut costs and unhygienic practices…all in the hope that we will find the holy grail of beauty therapists.

And honestly, it’s pretty amazing how hard it is to find a good one in this town.

Many of my friends have never waxed before and go all wide-eyed when I proclaim it as a Godsend, three weeks with no underarm hair, I’ll take that opposed to daily shaving & stubble thank you very much!

So this advice is for them and also anyone who is not satisfied with their current therapist or timidly contemplating jumping into the world of waxing.

Without further ado, I present to you my advice.

“Everything you ever wanted to know about getting waxed at a salon but were too afraid to ask…”

– First up, recommendations recommendations recommendations! Ask your friends, your Mum, sisters, brothers’ girlfriend, aunties, that random woman on the bus who looks impeccable.

Word of mouth recommendations are one of the best ways to find a great place for people to perform acts of hot wax application on your sensitive areas. I’ve found that most people I’ve asked don’t wax, but 1/10 will have a tried & tested go-to, so that you can confidently jump on the bandwagon without too many heart palpitations.

– HOT WAX VS. STRIP WAX. Alright, now listen carefully. Here is where it gets important. There are some fundamentals of waxing and this one is King.

Hot Wax = thicker wax that is applied with a spatula to your more sensitive spots (bikini line, brazilian, underarms, sometimes eyebrows), when cooled it’s removed by hand. ie. the wax itself is pulled off and the hairs come with it. This wax hurts a lot less than strip, better on thick hairs, does a better job of keeping ingrowns at bay and is a bit more pricey for salons to purchase (important note for later).

Strip Wax = a thinner wax that is also applied warm/hot but removed by pressing a strip of cloth over the top, rubbing and then pulling off. Better for large areas such as legs and arms, quicker to apply and also cheaper for salons to purchase.

Then, there are subcategories for strip wax:

* Applied with a spatula

* Applied with a ‘roller’ (kind of like deodorant)

So we have three different methods we’re working with, which brings me to my next point:

– CALL OR ASK WHAT TYPE OF WAX THEY USE, BEFORE YOU GO!!! 99% of the time they should be using hot, peel off wax for your bikini line or underarms. I’ve spoken with other wax-ees and beauty therapists and this is the STANDARD PRACTICE!

However, there are a -lot- of beauty salons who will try and get away with using strip wax in these places, because it is about 1/3 cheaper for them & sometimes it works (however, the hair grows back faster, more prone to ingrowns, more pain for you). I urge you to not accept this and not to support salons that do this, you probably wont want to anyway because of the added discomfort.

Secondly, I and others I’ve talked with have found that the wax rollers provide a substandard wax compared with the spatula and strip method (for legs & arms).

The wax is quite temperamental, doesn’t come out evenly, has problems with being heated to the right temperature and as someone with sensitive skin, I’ve found it irritates my legs a lot more and I end up with red bumps, whereas with the spatula method I don’t.

In summary:

– Ask your friends where they go!
– Hot Wax + Bikini Line + Underarms = Good
– Strip Wax + Spatula + Legs + Arms = Good
– Anything Else Generally = Bad

Thus concludes the first part to this delicate topic! If you have any of your own advice, let me know in the comments, otherwise very soon you’ll find out some more vital info to know before you show up naked & hairy at your therapists door!

Be well,

xoxo

Tofu Burger @ The Juicy Beetroot, Fremantle.

Once upon a time in a sunny little town by the sea, existed a quaint cafe nestled down a mysteriously secret lane. Those who stumbled upon this lane by chance, or a lifetime of searching, were treated to a bounty of healthy vegetarian & vegan options to fuel them for their next adventure… this cafe was known to the travellers as “The Juicy Beetroot“.

The Juicy Beetroot is, as mentioned in a weird storybook kind of way, a bit of a hidden gem in Fremantle. You most likely wont find it if you’re not looking for it, as it’s not located near the main shopping / eating district.

One thing to mention is that the dining atmosphere is EXTREMELY casual, with a mish mash of chairs & tables, mismatched plates and cups and a cooler where you go to fill your own steel cup with water. The place has a hippie / buddhist kind of vibe to it, with coloured flags and Eastern style paintings and decorations.

There’s the option to sit indoors or outdoors in the sun and under the trees, which is what I usually do to get some Vitamin D.

A word of warning: The trees that grow outside seem to be very attractive to a particular type of small bug, and if you are sitting right under one of the trees, bugs can be known to fall onto the table or your plate or yourself… so do be careful to watch out for these lest you accidentally ingest one 🙂

The Tofu Burger ($9) is fabulous and definitely worth going out of your way for. A large slab of marinated tofu on one of the most delicious rolls I have ever tasted (I think it might be Abhis Bakery) with avocado, beetroot (which I usually nix), tomato, lettuce, vegan mayo and pesto.

To wash it down I had a self concocted apple, pear & lemon juice. Tasty.

My friend enjoyed his variety of 3-4 curries and brown rice ($9), but just quietly I think the Tofu Burger was better!

Juicy Beetroot is recommended for super casual, healthy, lunchtime meals. As well as the burger and curries, they have a hot dish of the day (Pumpkin Lasagne when we were there), pre-made variety of rolls on crisp baguettes, smoothies, a mix of interesting cold salads, desserts and little sweets.

Please note they don’t accept EFTPOS!

Tum Tum Tree Lane,
132 High St, Fremantle

08-9433-4488

Type: Vegan-friendly
Half price specials after 3pm. Open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm. Cash only.

Be well,

xoxo

Like any exercise, I imagine that the contemplation of doing yoga for the uninitiated may seem a little daunting…

Cries of “I’m not flexible enough!“, “It’s not a real workout , it’s just stretching and lying down a lot!“, “Everyone that does yoga has a perfect figure, and I’m far from perfect“, “Yoga? That’s for hippies!” and “My body is NOT a pretzel!” can be heard ringing through the households of those who would like to try something new, but just aren’t sure about it yet.

There are many, many forms of yoga (Hatha, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Bikram, Vinyasa…the list goes on) and they all have their subtle intricacies – you may find that you prefer one type to another, but how do you even get started?

An excellent way is through a beginners course. Today I’m going to enlighten you on an Iyengar Yoga beginners class that I take at the Yoga Centre of Rossmoyne.

What is Iyengar Yoga?

“Iyengar Yoga is characterized by great attention to detail and precise focus on body alignment. Iyengar pioneered the use of “props” such as cushions, benches, blocks, straps, and even sand bags, which function as aids allowing beginners to experience asanas (yoga body positions) more easily and fully than might otherwise be possible without several years of practice.”

When is it?

The beginners classes take place on Monday and Tuesday nights (7:00pm), which is great because there is plenty of time to get home from work and attend a class. There is also a beginners class on Monday morning at 9:30am for those with a more flexible schedule. All run for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Who runs the classes?

The Monday night class is run by Anne Horsley, an accredited Iyengar Yoga teacher who has been teaching for nearly 30 years! Along with Anne running the session there are 2-3 ‘helpers’, who I believe are undertaking yoga training with Anne.

During the class they act as roaming help; since Iyengar is so focused on correct positioning of the body, it’s very common to feel a little tap on your shoulder and someone there to guide you into the right pose. I find this excellent, especially for beginners, because some of the positions can be a little challenging at first, knowing that there is always someone to offer assistance if needed is very comforting.

You may also hear your name called out with instructions on how to better your pose, while that may sound intimidating it really isn’t, it’s great to know the teachers are looking out for you (and remember your name!).

What happens in class?

The class starts out lying on your back on a yoga mat with a variety of props supporting you, and a tiny bag of rice placed on your eyelids – this blocks out light and is very soothing. We then take time to begin to breathe deeply and start to relax.

Throughout the class a large variety of exercises and poses of varying difficulty are performed. It would be remiss of me to describe them all specifically because each week focuses on a different part of the body, so the class is ever-changing. Sometimes we work on backbends or core strength, another week is more meditative, you can always be sure you’re going to get something a little different!

The teachers take into account any personal health issues and sore spots you may have too, so let them know beforehand and you will be accommodated!

As the class winds down we get to my absolute favourite part of yoga – MEDITATION! This generally involves putting on a light sweater or blanket to keep warm and lying in a relaxing pose, such as savasana (lying on the back, legs and arms fully extended) or with the legs up the wall to promote easy, nourishing blood flow to the brain.

These 10-15 minutes are pure BLISS! Many students actually fall asleep and little snores can sometimes be heard, cute! I have never fallen asleep but have attained deep relaxation in these moments.

When relaxation time is over (noooo!), we roll over and do a little bow to honour the spirit within, whatever that may mean to us and the class ends.

Who does yoga?

Getting back to the type of people who attend this yoga class, it really is EXTREMELY varied. There are men and women from the ages of roughly 16-70 of ALL shapes and sizes, many of them have specific health issues. Yoga has been recommended to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, depression and anxiety, improve flexibility and joint mobility, improve digestion… the list is almost endless, so throw out your perception of the hippies and the models (although they do practice yoga too!), you’re most likely to find regular people like you or I at a class. And everyone is accommodated warmly.

I did a quick head count and noted about 35 students, which is a large number for a yoga class and yet there is enough personal attention to go around.

The Iyengar Yoga Centre of Rossmoyne also have ‘General’ yoga classes for those who have completed a beginners course and you can also book private teaching.

I highly recommend this beginners yoga class, the personal benefits I’ve received from yoga are very far reaching in terms of reducing stress, anxiety & improving motivation.

Iyengar Yoga Centre of Rossmoyne

po box 748
willetton
western australia 6955
phone +61 8 9354 2221
yogarossmoyne@bigpond.com

If you have any more questions don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

Be well,

xoxo

The birdies that hover over my shoulder telling me little secrets have revealed that a brand new LUSH store has opened its doors in the center of Perth city!

This spells excellent news for those of you who:

A) Love Lush but live nowhere near Garden City, Booragoon which is where the only other W.A store is currently located.
B) Enjoy the smell of sugary-sweet goodness wafting out through the streets, enticing you into the store… yum.
C) Love having luxurious baths, facials, scrubs and treats as much as I do!
D) Are looking for an excellent Christmas gift for your girlfriends, Mum, Sister, secret santa, even boyfriend!

Here are my picks for the silly season!

Let Them Eat Cake Lip Balm – $9.95

Tastes & smells like Christmas cake, bonus points for being vegan. This will result in many tasty mistletoe kissies!

Christmas Eve Bubble Bar – $6.50

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house… people were relaxing in jasmine & ylang ylang scented splendour after taking a bath with this baby. Sparkles included for that extra bit of magic. Sip on some egg-nog whilst bathing to complete the picture.

Secret Santa – $9.50

Oh no! What to buy the faceless name from accounts whom you’ve never met but managed to somehow be allocated for SS?! Never fear, everyone will love this little treat. A cute pudding scented santa bath bomb & snowflake soap. It even comes with a finger puppet! You really can’t lose in the cute & cheap stakes!

Bathtime Favourites Gift – $54.95

And now for the star on top of the tree, the piece-de-resistance, cherry on top of the best Chrissy cake you ever tasted. This my friends is the ultimate Christmas gift and topping my present list this year! 9 delightful bath bombs in all their multi-coloured glory. It even comes with a special tin. Better than biscuits? You bet.

Would love to hear your picks for the season, check out the Lush Website!

The new Lush store can be found here –

Shop 19,Plaza Arcade, 650 Hay Street, Perth
Ph: 08 9325 8974

Be well,

xoxo

As previously mentioned, Raw Food is slowly starting to make it big, even in our little city more and more people are discovering the health and beauty benefits of eating a non-processed, fresh and organic based diet.

One company that I’ve happened upon recently is The Raw Kitchen, run by Heath and Emma, and after e-mailing with Emma for a while, it’s hard not to get excited about their business because she is so full of information and passion for all the different and healthy ways of eating and existing.

Taken from their website:

“The raw kitchen is a Perth based company offering community classes and workshops teaching the benefits and power of raw, whole, real, nourishing food. In addition, we also offer raw catering, kids and school parties and raw health product supply.
Our classes offer simple, practical, hands-on, applicable ways to incorporate raw food, to whatever degree, into your lifestyle.”

Their cooking, or un-cooking as it’s commonly referred to as, classes include something for everyone!

From an “Intro to Raw” class to find out what the heck Raw Food is, how a meal made just of fruit and vegetables can be filling and ways to incorporate more fresh foods into your diet, with tastings of raw goodies in a non-judgemental setting – you aren’t going to be crucified for being an omnivore. It’s not about being militant and critical of your diet, but showing you how to slowly increase your intake of healthful, wellbeing inducing, life-giving foods!

Other workshops include such treats as; Mains Made Easy (plenty of ideas for delicious dinners), Raw Lunchbox (tips on making great food to bring to school or the office), Decadent Desserts (need I say anything else?) and more!

Photo borrowed from Hold the Beef

Aside from the un-cooking classes, they also have a cute smoothie stall every week at the brand new Subiaco Farmers Market!

There are a few types of smoothies available, all at the reasonable price of $6:

Green Smoothie – baby spinach, frozen banana and water. Great introductory smoothie as it’s a classic and there’s an option to add mango or strawberry for $1.

Strawberry Sip – strawberry, banana, almond milk, vanilla. YUM! Can’t wait to try this!

Choc It To Me – cacao (raw chocolate), agave, almond milk.

King Hit: Choc Chilli – cacao, cayenne pepper, almond milk. A real kick!

There’s also a range of supplements you can add too and they use 100% biodegradable and compostable cups and straws. Very eco-friendly.

They also stock many, many raw essentials such as food stuffs, blenders, books and dvds.

In summary, if you can get down to see these guys and try a smoothie then you wont be disappointed! You can find out more information about the classes and catering there, or you can join the Raw Kitchen Mailing List: em.gilbert@hotmail.com!

Three cheers for innovative companies who are bringing us new ways to be happy, healthy & leave our taste buds satisfied.

Ps. Here is a fabulous book on raw smoothies (which I admittedly haven’t read but would love to): Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Toward Natural Health

Urban Spoon rating:

Be well,

xoxo