…Well, clicky clicky: Onya Magazine KORA Giveaway!

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As a self-confessed, organic-obsessed health nut (unsalted, of course), I was beyond excited to be invited to an intimate, informative lunch with Miranda Kerr’s mum, Therese, and chef to the stars, Kate McAloon.

The lunch was held at the beautiful Colour Lab in Prahran, Melbourne – a perfectly uplifting setting for a perfectly uplifting afternoon. This radiant café and store, located next to the Victoria Gardens on High St, exudes positivity and energy. From the interior design, to the nourishing food, this environment is sure to revitalise even the weariest of souls. Upon entering the space, one can sense that the staff genuinely want their customers to feel energised, nurtured, and…happy! They set about this, however, in a gentle, and non-obtrusive way (unlike some sales assistants who pounce on you as soon as you enter the door with a fake smile and forced pleasantries).

You’re probably willing me to get to the bit where I spill some Kerr family beauty and health secrets, but I feel it necessary to elaborate, just a bit more, on what The Colour Lab has to offer. Mrs. Kerr chose it, out of all of the venues in Melbourne, to host such a luncheon, after all.

“The core aesthetic and focus of the business is colour, energy and emotion, collectively creating a powerful and dynamic space,” says Roz Mackay, creator and owner of The Colour Lab. Mackay believes that “colour is energy,” and by simply inhabiting the café for a morning juice, coffee, or to pick up some healthy food supplies, customers are experiencing “colour therapy.”

The Colour Lab also makes up picnic hampers so that their food can be enjoyed next door in the gardens, offers personal training sessions in the gardens (followed by fresh juice, of course), hold ‘energy treatment’ sessions, and host guest therapists from lifestyle retreats such as Gwinganna, Camp Eden and Golden Door.

Therese Kerr and Chef Kate at The Colour Lab

So, into The Colour Lab I walked, and was greeted by the beautiful Therese Kerr, who lovingly took my hand and proudly showed me a photo of baby Flynn on her iPhone, who was dressed in a not-so-scary Halloween costume.

I was then offered a glass of certified organic bubbly made by Frank Bonic’s ‘Organic One Wines’. It is the only wine that Miranda Kerr drinks, as it – in her words – has a “life-force energy second to none.” Yes, this wine is actually good for you! Bonic’s certified biodynamic vineyard, located in southern NSW, uses no artificial fertilisers, no hormones, no preservatives, and to top it off, the grapes are harvested by the moon. Over the course of the afternoon, I sampled the sparkling wine, chardonnay and Shiraz – all utterly divine.

Waiting at my place setting was a shot glass full of Tahitian Noni Juice – Miranda’s secret weapon since the age of twelve. I had a feeling it would be make an appearance during the lunch, and to be honest, I was dreading it. I had heard horrid things about the brown liquid – gag reflexes, references to damp socks, and suchlike. But, I actually (kind of) enjoyed it. Tahitian Noni Juice is said to boost immune function, lift energy and improve skin condition. More about this wonder-juice later, though.

Chef Kate, the co-host of the afternoon, along with the chefs of The Colour Lab, cooked up a certified organic storm. With each course, Therese and Chef Kate taught us more and more about nutrition and how to properly nurture our bodies. They placed particular emphasis on digestive health – saying that one cannot have good health without good digestive function. As such, we learnt about ferments and probiotics, and how to create a good tummy environment. We were even told how to make our own yoghurt.

All of the dishes that were served can be found on the Kora blog, as well as all of the nutritional information provided throughout the afternoon.

But here are some quick tips to get you started:

• Coconut oil is fabulous. It is the best oil to cook with, as it’s very heat stable. Coconut oil can also be put in the fridge and used as a spread instead of the dreaded margarine. Whilst we’re talking about oils, Therese and Chef Kate passionately advocate against canola oil. And whilst we’re talking about things that these wise ladies passionately advocate against, they said that “white sugar = white death”, table salt is bad bad bad, as is soymilk, because of its high estrogen levels. They suggest that good alternatives to white sugar are coconut sugar or honey, and good alternatives to table salt are Himalayan salt, sea salt or Herbamare.

• Therese stressed the importance of a healthy amount of exposure to the sun’s rays. She suggests that sun baking (naked) for thirty minutes per day is great for one’s health.

• Therese also suggested that if one has an oily or acne-prone skin type, tomatoes should be avoided.

Now, let’s move on to skin care, shall we?

Did you know that Kora is the only skincare that Miranda Kerr uses? She’s not just the face behind the brand, but the brains, heart and soul behind it, too. Miranda designed the range around what she wanted for her own skin, but couldn’t find on the market. All of the ingredients that she has selected are certified organic (in accordance with Eco-Cert’s and OFC’s certification guidelines) and “work synergistically in a layering effect to nourish, revitalise and replenish the skin.”

And this is where we return to Noni Juice. Kora skincare is the only skincare to contain this powerful ingredient. The products are also infused with other ingredients high in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, herbal extracts, essential oils and vitamins A, C and E. The best part of Kora, in my opinion, is that none of the products contain parabens, synthetic fragrance, silicones, and all of those other skin-haters that tend to sneak into most products on the skincare and makeup market today. Therese emphasised that 70-80% of what we put on our skin makes its way into our systems. In light of this, she believes that skincare should be treated as food for the skin – we must nourish our skin by putting the right stuff on it.

We were given samples of the Kora range to take home, and although I have only been using them for a few days now, my skin is thanking me – big time! It already feels softer, spots are fading, and it looks brighter. And let me just say: bye-bye foundation, hello certified organic tinted day cream with sunscreen. Best tinted moisturiser I’ve come across thus far.

I’m sure I could type for hours about my lunch with Mrs. Kerr and Chef Kate at the beautiful Colour Lab, but I think I’ll love you and leave you now. Again, additional information, tips and recipes can be found on the Kora blog.

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Hey, look! A photo of the stunning Miss Ryan! Wait, did I see this photo in The Age Life and Style a while ago? YES? To read the article, click HERE!

Madeleine has been a coconut water fiend for quite some time now. She also sports luminous skin that rivals Miranda Kerr’s (believe it, baby). But I – being the highly observant and on-the-ball gal that I am – didn’t put two and two together until very recently. One could, perhaps, liken this to a Joey Tribbiani ‘get there faster’ moment:

…Maybe Madeleine’s amazing skin and beaming energy has something to do with her regular consumption of coconut water?!

Well, I jumped onto the Cocobella website to get some information for you, and was AMAZED at how much fun I had on there! I, of course, opted for the ‘full screen’ experience (who wouldn’t?) and didn’t want to leave the cyber tropical getaway! 

I’d relay all the information on the site to you, but, I think you’d feel a lot more joy if you saw this website for yourself! I will, however, offer you an enticing screen shot:

CLICK HERE TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE BEST WEBSITE EVER! (And make sure to click the ‘full screen’ button on the bottom right).

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Last night, whilst working away in my floral dressing gown and inappropriately high ponytail, I lathered on a coat of this bad boy:

RRP $4.65 for 2 80ml sachets

I must admit, when the (incredibly wise) Apivita lady gave me the ‘mask for young oily skin with propolis’ instead of the ‘mask for already flawless and glowing skin with red rose petals’ (there is no hyperlink because, duh, this doesn’t exist), I did feel slightly deflated. However, I guess I AM young, and I guess my T-zone IS slightly on the shiny side of town most days. So, being the humble soul that I am, I accepted the mask, and went straight to the bathroom to powder my apparently oily nose.

Although the 8ml sachets may look quite stingy, they go a long, long way. Below is a oh-so flattering photo of myself post mask application:

When I first applied it, I thought “yup, this looks like a mud mask” and continued typing away at my computer. I then got up to get some soup, sat back down and started eating it. After a while, I looked into the bowl and thought, “gosh, there seems to be a lot of cracked pepper in this soup, but I can’t really taste it!”, and then I realised that little black chunks of my face mask were falling from my face and landing in my bowl of soup. Luckily for my insides, Apivita use 92% natural ingredients, and stay well away from Parabens, Silicones, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oils, PEG, Ethanolamine and all of those nasty, skin (and tummy) haters. The point of this story is to warn you that your mask WILL flake as it dries, so maybe stay in your bathroom whilst it’s on. And another warning, it does get significantly darker, so don’t get a fright when you see yourself in the mirror after the 10 minutes are up.

Below is another highly flattering photo of myself sporting the dry, ready-to-be-washed-off mask. Notice the little bare spots on my chin – those bits ended up in my soup, and henceforth in my tummy. Mmmm.

Within this beautiful brown sludge, hides some pretty amazing ingredients:

• Propolis, a mixture that bees use in their hives to cover cracks (read about it in more detail here), acts to balance the natural oils on your face and thus prevents breakouts caused by congested pores.
• Helichrysum (a type of plant family) and lemon extracts work with the Propolis to balance sebum production, and to even out skin texture.

A lot of people with oily skin tackle the problem by avoiding moisturisers and by applying skin-drying products. In doing so, our (highly intelligent) skin will sense a lack of oil on its surface, and feel the need to produce MORE. This excess oil production inevitably leads to clogged pores, which leads to breakouts. Knowing this, some may think “that’s okay, I’ll pile LOTS of moisturising products onto my skin, so as to trick it into producing LESS oil”. Well, it doesn’t quite work that way. In doing that, you will most likely clog your poor pores with excess product, and end up with breakouts anyway. Also, excess product on your face will make you look more shiny, and your makeup will lift off quite easily.

Instead, go for products that include ingredients that aim to BALANCE oil production, such as this fabulous Apivita mask.

I will most definitely be adding this mask to my weekly beauty regime (or even bi-weekly if I feel so inclined), as the results were a-s-t-o-n-i-s-h-i-n-g! (That word is ASTONISHING, in case the hyphens impeded your vision). (Astonishing – in case you find capitals hard to read also).

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Over the past decade (or however long it has been since my last post), I have discovered so many amazing products, so it seems bizarre that I haven’t been screaming “LOOK WHAT KATIE FOUND!” down the long corridors of the Internet every second day.

Well, let’s just say that those Goji Berries must not have that many antioxidants in them, because they seem to be pretty jam-packed with inspiration instead!

I included this photo partly to emphasise that everyone should jump aboad the Goji Berry train, and partly to see whether I still remember how to upload a photo into a blog post. Evidently, I do! Snaps for me!

To sum up: I’m back from the never-never, and ready to show you all the things I’ve Found of late!

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PS visit the Morlife website for more info on ze berries! (YES! I remember how to add a hyperlink!).

Almond Tree Designs is a Melbourne based business that I have recently fallen in love with. Their artwork is inspirational, quirky, and is sure to put a smile on even the saddest winter face. You can read more about them here.

Below are a few of my favourite prints. They are all 11 by 16.5 inches in size (meaning that they fit perfectly within a standard A3 frame), and are all $29.95.

To peruse the rest of the collection, find out store locations, or to order a print, visit the Almond Tree Designs website.

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Sarita Merlo, a naturopath and herbalist, founded Byron Bay Tea Company in 2004. Acknowledging the remedial benefits of teas and herbs, Merlo was inspired to create a range that targets modern day people, with modern day health issues. 

The blend that appealed to me the most (apart from the obvious ‘calming’ and ‘energy’) was the newest addition to BBTC – Skin tea.

Prices range from $7.95 to $41.95, depending on the size.

Merlo understands that in order to achieve outer beauty, we must achieve inner beauty. So, when concocting the Skin blend, she included ingredients that would “promote the elimination of toxins from the body” and “improve the health and nourishment of the skin”.

Below, Merlo walks us through her choice of ingredients for BBTC Skin tea.

Certified Organic Lemongrass: a general cleansing herb that helps remove toxins from the blood and has antibacterial and antifungal properties which may assist in infection-induced skin conditions.

Certified Organic Echinacea: helps to cleanse and purify the blood and lymph by increasing the number of white blood cells that help to ‘mop up’ toxins and prevent them from coming out on the skin.

Certified Organic Peppermint: commonly used to ensure the proper digestion of food and elimination of wastes via the bowel.

Certified Organic Nettle: used extensively for its blood-cleansing action due to its high chlorophyll content, high in vitamin C, iron, silica and other minerals, making it a perfect skin tonic.

Certified Organic Ginger: has a circulatory stimulant action, which helps to increase blood flow to peripheral areas, such as the skin.

Certified Organic Gotu Kola: improves the blood flow while strengthening the veins and capillaries; cleanses the blood to treat skin impurities; may assist in cases of minor burns, scars, scleroderma, skin ulcers and wound healing.

Rosebuds: a sprinkling of rose buds, just because they are pretty!

Cradling a warm cup of natural tea sounds so much more appealing than chemical peels and medical-grade facials, right?!

Happy sipping,

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The lovely team over at Adorn Mineral Cosmetics understands the above facts, and have oh-so kindly offered to supply one lucky mum with a Toxic Free Beauty Bag (aka the very best beauty bag ever).

The beauty bag includes: a Foundation Base Skin Primer, an SPF 20+ Loose Mineral Foundation, a Loose Bronzer, a Loose Blush, a Vegan Kabuki Brush, and a Vegan Bronzer/Blush Brush.

And as the name suggests, all items in your mum’s brand new beauty bag are toxic free. That means that they will be kind to her skin, and are kind to the environment – two things that are very important to Adorn.

But hurry! This is a snappy competition, which will close at 9pm on Sunday the 8^th of May.

For more information and entry details, click here.

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Yesterday, Helen Ciccone provided us with a Kate Middleton Blow Wave 101 lesson, and today, Victoria’s Secret makeup artist Jackie Gomez shows us how to recreate Kate’s classic, feminine Royal Wedding look. 

FACE

Jackie suggests you start with:

RRP $12.75

VS Makeup Pro Airbrush FX Face Primer SPF 20

Jackie says: “Every bride wants flawless, picture perfect skin. This primer blurs imperfections, creates a smooth, even ‘canvas,’ and helps makeup wear all day (or night) long: Blend all over face and down into the neck area.”

Then use:

RRP $12.75

VS Makeup Tinted Moisturiser SPF 15

And:

RRP $10.95

VS Makeup Oil-free Concealer

Jackie says: “To mask imperfections and even out skin, apply Tinted Moisturizer all over face. Last, mask any remaining imperfections—redness or dark circles—with Concealer.”

Then:

RRP $12.75

VS Makeup Pro Radiant FX Face Illuminator

Jackie says: “Apply at the cheekbones for a natural glow.”

And finally (for this step at least):

RRP $12.75

VS Makeup Blush Trio in At Last

Jackie says: “To replicate Princess Catherine’s rosy blush, apply to the apples of the cheeks.”

Katie interrupts and says: If we look at a side-on photo of Duchess Kate’s face…

…we will notice that her blush isn’t just applied to the apples of her cheeks. Rather, it is applied in a gorgeous long sweep from her hairline to just above the corner of her lip. This helps to lift the cheekbones, and create a beautiful contoured look. 

EYES

Jackie suggests you start with:

RRP $13.70

VS Makeup Eye Shadow Quad in Satisfied 

Jackie says: “Apply the light white shade all over lids, from lashline to browbone. Then, apply the darker gray color to the crease of the lids to add drama and depth.”

Next:

RRP $10.95

VS Makeup Voluptuous Volume Waterproof Mascara 

Jackie says: “Apply two coats for eye-opening volume.”

Katie adds: Add more to the outer corners of your lashes to make your eyes appear bigger.

Katie (also) adds: Whilst we’re talking about eyes, let’s venture up north a bit and talk about eyebrows! If you’re not naturally blessed with Kate-scale brows, that’s okay…FAKE IT! I suggest you use Benefit Instant Brow Pencil.

RRP $20

Sorry, back to you Jackie!

LIPS

Jackie suggests you use:

VS Makeup Lip Gloss in Innocent

Jackie says: “To create a pout fit for a royal kiss (or two!), concentrate an application of sheer, baby pink gloss at center of lips.”

Bit of a problem: Said “Innocent” shade doesn’t seem to be available (hence the lack of photo), but ‘Coy’, ‘Sublime’ and ‘Blush’ are gorgeous. Click here to see colour swatches.

I would love to hear your thoughts on Duchess Kate’s Royal Wedding makeup! Was it a hit? A miss? Too much? Not enough?

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Oh, right…I mean Kate Middleton’s wedding day, of course!

In honour of this special occasion, many of us have organised, or have been invited to attend, a Royal Wedding High Tea event. Now, apart from donning your finest jewelry, and wearing your classiest outfit, you simply MUST perfect your Kate Middleton high-shine, effortless chic blow wave. Eek, the pressure is on! Luckily, I have called upon hair guru Helen Ciccone, of Hair by Ciccone salon in Melbourne, to assist.

Rest assured, Helen knows what she is doing! She has been involved in the beauty world for over twenty years, and her salon has won countless awards, including:

• Winner of the Fox FM ‘Best Hairdressing Salon Melbourne’ 2000

• Winner of the Leader Business Awards 04, 05, 06 and 08

• Winner of the Melbourne’s Favourites Awards 09 and 10

• Leader Business Awards Hall of Fame Iductee

So needless to say, you are in very safe, and very experienced hands on this very important day.

Helen is now going to walk you through an easy-to-follow guide to the perfect blow wave, with the help of her gorgeous hair model, Erin Wood. If you can get a friend to help you, that would be fabulous, if not, this is totally achievable as a solo mission.

Here we go, ladies!

Start by washing your hair.

Towel dry and apply a blow wave lotion – nothing too sticky. Try Innova Volume Hair Thickening Elixir.

RRP $17.95

Dry off most of the moisture in your hair with a hairdryer.

Section hair into three parts.

Blow wave section by section and leave the brush in your hair – these act as hair rollers.

Important: ensure blow waved hair is completely dry.

Carefully remove brushes from your hair, and spray with hairspray. Helen recommends White Sands Liquid Texture Firm Hold (RRP $19). After you have sprayed, wind up each section and secure with a bobby pin.

Once the back of the hair is pinned, blow wave the sides.

Do not blow wave the last section yet – leave that until last. Continue to blow wave the other side of your hair.

Again, leave the last section un-blow-waved for now, and move to the front of your hair. Blow wave the front of your hair forward – this gives more body and eliminates a definite part line.

Note how the blow drier is facing forward.

The last section, at the top, is blow waved back.

Slowly remove the brushes and pin your hair in place. Remember to spray each section with hairspray.

Continue to (carefully) remove pins and spray each section.

Shake it out.

Shake, shake, shake.

And hellloo Miss Middleton!

So now that you’ve got the style, how about that Kate Middleton HIGH SHINE?

I suggest you use Moroccan Oil Glimmer Shine Spray.

RRP $34.50

Infused with Argan oil, this spray will not only protect your locks, but will also add a light and luminous shine as well. In this instance, it is best to spritz over your hair, so as to not disrupt the style. On other, not-so-Royal occasions, you can spray it into your hands and work it through your hair. 

So, this concludes the Kate Middleton Blow Wave 101.

On behalf of LWKF readers, I’d like to thank Helen Ciccone for taking the time to take these amazing photos, and for divulging her invaluable hair secrets! Hair by Ciccone, you are most definitely the Queen of the Melbourne hair world.

If you would like to book an appointment at Hair by Ciccone, which I highly recommend you do, call them on 9459-0161. 

Their opening hours are:

Monday 9am – 5.30pm
Tuesday 9am – 5.30pm
Wednesday 9am – 8pm
Thursday 9am – 9pm
Friday 9am – 6pm
Saturday 8am – 3pm

And the salon is located at 48 Aberdeen Rd, Macleod, Victoria, Australia.

Click here to visit their Facebook page.

Enjoy your new Royal do, ladies!

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PS does the name Ciccone ring a bell? YES? That’s because I blogged about their oh-so kissable lippies a little while ago. Click here to read the review!