vitaleblog.org

Article by Annie Meredith, creator of Spirit of Woman Australian Bush Flower Essences

It has been said that intimacy breeds contempt. Certainly the high divorce rate would have us believe that.

In your own world, how often have you felt devastated because you and your partner are not seeing eye-to-eye, or you feel that the love has transformed into a power struggle, or long tedious road into boredom?

Do you find that you are continually arguing and sparring and can’t seem to return to that glorious place you experienced early in your relationship when you felt bathed in the warm glow of love and felt so deeply connected to your partner?

Perhaps in your despair you have sought for that seemingly elusive and disappearing love outside of your partnership – in an affair, a flirtation, being totally immersed in your work, losing yourself to a cause, or involving yourself in your children’s lives so deeply that you have no time to let the pain of lost love rise to your conscious mind.

Or perhaps your close same-sex friendships assume such an importance that they somehow replace the sense of hopelessness that you feel deep down that you are not good enough to deserve a loving relationship?

How do we reconcile the disappointments in our relationship and navigate the rocky parts so that we enter smooth waters and come to a place of harmony, love and peace based on mutual respect, gratitude and celebration of the differences?

In truth, relationships are more about ourselves that the other. They just show us to ourselves.

We teach people how to love and accept us in the way that we love and accept ourselves.

For example, blame and criticism is the No. 1 reason why relationships fail. Most couples split up, family members stop talking or business partnerships fail because one or other of the parties gets tired of being blamed and criticized.

Think about how it felt last time you were blamed or criticized.

If in the moment when a critical thought is forming or a blaming statement about the other is on your tongue, you can instead make a “Mmmmmmm” sound. What this does is it shifts you out of your “critical” brain into your “wonder” brain.

Then, you can say to yourself, “Hmmm… I wonder what I could learn from this.” Or “Hmmm… I wonder how I’m contributing to this situation”.

When you do this from a place of sincere wonder, then an immediate change takes place in your connection with the person you were previously blaming or criticizing.

Try this the next time you have a critical thought, and watch real miracles open up in your relationships!

When we are critical and blaming it is truly more about us, and our relationship with ourselves, that we are expressing and that gets reflected back.

We attract the people who will allow us to grow, who will invite us to grow, who will ask us to step up and into our highest self-expression.

This doesn’t always happen consciously or pleasantly…..it just happens.
Enjoy the opportunity to let others know how much you love yourself and miracles will happen!!

The Spirit of Woman Australian Wild Flower Essence Relationship range assists you to have that essential love affair with yourself, so that you can fully love and accept your partner and appreciate the deep love you will receive in return.

Visit Annie Meredith’s website

This is a great video blog demonstrating how to create a summer signature look using the fabulous Lavera make up range. This video tutorial includes a number of professional make up tips that are useful. Annabella is a TV producer and has hosted numerous TV shows. Like me She loves fashion and beauty, but wants it to come at less of a cost to the earth and to our bodies so her aim is to find fabulous eco and organic products.

Annabella used the following Lavera Products:

• Beautiful Mineral Eyeshadow – Golden Beige #2
• Beautiful Mineral Eyeshadow – Chocolate Brown #8
• Liquid Eyeliner – Black
• Double Black Mascara – Black
• Eyeliner No. 1 black

View the Lavera makeup range

The term “new adopter” refers to people that follow new trends or products particularly in the area of new technology however I have borrowed the term for skin care aficionados i.e. people that just have to have the latest cosmetic or cream released on the market. I can confirm that I have definitely had moments of “new adoption” where I have bought products just because they were new or eagerly anticipated the release of a new range or product with the intent to purchase as soon as available.

On the flip side there are some favourite products I just can’t do without. Products that work for my skin or hair or coloured cosmetics that suit me so I go back to them time and time again. Among these is my Minerelle foundation. I have tried so many different foundations (I receive many samples in the course of my work) and while initially I might be impressed, I go back to Minerelle every time. For me it is not just about the performance of the product, which is excellent but also the shade which suits my skin perfectly.

One trend I did follow (well almost followed) is that of Morrocan Oil. I was really pleased to hear that there was a hair oil on the market based on natural ingredients. However, at the point of purchase I gave the ingredients a quick once over and smartly put it back on the shelf – the ONLY natural ingredient in Morrocan Oil is a bit of Argan oil – it is not even the first ingredient which means the fragrances and polymers make up most of the product. I was so disappointed so I instead chose Pure Lustre from Nature’s Symphony which is based on Camellia oil and completely natural. My hair loves it and love that it is natural.

The body product I just can’t go without is Remedica African Vanilla & Shea Nut Body Butter. I love everything about it – the texture, the scent (which lasts all day) and the way it moisturises my skin. BIG LOVE and a staple in my bathroom cupboard.

One new product that I think will become a favourite is La Mav’s Bio VA5 Daily Wrinkle Smoothing Crème. It has recently been reformulated and I find it excellent for my skin as it is not too rich but the cosmeceutical ingredients really pack a punch – Acai, Kakadu Plum, Hibiscus, Pea and Cassia to name a few.

With regard to cosmetics, when it comes to mascaras, I just can’t go past the Ere Perez Natural Almond Oil Mascara – it doesn’t clump, it doesn’t run or smudge or do any of the annoying things mascaras generally do. HANDS UP for this product. However, I will also say that the newer range of Lavera mascaras are pretty appealing particularly for longer, lusher lashes. I feel the call to try something new…

I did a quick ask around with the staff at Vitale Natural and they all pretty much mention the same three products as definite favourites:

• Remedica Black Soap – also love it particularly in Summer when my skin tends to oily
• La Mav Bio-A7 Firming Eye Lotion – this product is an AWARD WINNER of Nature & Health 2010 Beauty Awards – “The Best Eye Cream”
• Devita Solar Protective Moisturiser SPF 30 – this product also won an award – Voted BEST SUN SCREEN MOISTURISER PRODUCT by Natural Solutions Magazine for their “Beauty with a Conscience Awards”

I would love to know if you have any favourite products or products you think will become favourites.

LOHAS stands for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability which is essentially a socio-economic term that describes a segment of conscious shoppers i.e. people who not only consider their own personal benefit but the impact on the wider community and planet. In Australia this represents around 26 % of the adult population. However, this is a global trend and not only do I think the number of people that start making more conscious choices will rise, particularly in Australia where such a wide range of choices are available.

You can see evidence of this trend impacting on companies and brands alike particularly in the cosmetic industry where the trend  towards natural & organic products has been taken further so it encompassess use of eco packaging materials, fair trade ingredients, stopping the use of palm oil or using sustainable plantation sources and choosing only cruelty free products.

At Vitale it is about ensuring coherence between what we say we do and what we actually do. We do this by:

• ensuring that our products are actually in fact natural – i.e they don’t contain any ingredients considered harmful or toxic to the body
• choosing organic ranges and certified organic where possible
• when products claims to be Fair Trade that they actually are
• choosing brands that use post-consumer recycled packaging or that the packing is recylable where possible
• ensuring any products we stock that include Palm oil are all from sustainable sources (this is only about 3 or 4 products in our entire range and yes we have checked)
• choosing brands that we think are excellent
• providing as much information as we can about products so that you can make an informed choice about the products you use on your skin
• having a multimodality team on hand to help you with your health & wellbeing including naturopaths, aromoatherapists and beauty therapists
• cutting the greenwash (for more on this read Green is the new Black)
• responding to constructive criticism – and yes of course we get feedback from customers particularly when we make a mistake or don’t give the best we can give.

I was prompted to write this little blurb by an article about LOHAS which got me thinking about how we as a company perform. Of course there is always room for improvement but I also think we have set a high standard for ourselves and we strive to achieve it in every way we can.

We would love to hear about areas we could improve so please have your say.

As you may have read in a previous blog I have had an ambivalent relationship with coconut oil – that was until I found Coconut Magic. However, despite liking the taste (or lack thereof) of Coconut Magic Oil, I still hadn’t really found the motivation to take it regularly…until now. I went to the Coconut Magic site and was doing a bit of reading and came across a video blog that Jenni from Coconut Magic did about the benefits of coconut oil which includes teeth whitening. Now this peaked my interest. I may just have to take up the challenge…and I would love to hear of any experiences of teeth whitening or oil pulling (see video for more info on this) – please comment if you have given either of these a go using coconut oil.

Watch Jenni’s video blog below:

Winter is such a great time to get into using blush. Blush can give you that “just flushed after exercise look”. I must stress this is not the beetroot look I get after running rather a dash of colour on your cheeks that makes you look healthy and full of life. I adore wearing blush but hold back a little as I also like strong lipstick colours. The combination can be a bit 80’s so I avoid really bright lipstick when applying blush. Now don’t be put off, this is a peculiar quirk of mine based on the colours I like, not a hard and fast rule. A little blush with bold lipstick is fine; just don’t go over the top.

Applying blush can bit a bit tricky but there are some failsafe guidelines that can make your technique foolproof.

Blush Colour

Firstly you need to choose a blush colour that suits your skin tone, either from a warm or a cool colour palette. Basically if you have a cool undertone, choose pink or mauve tones. If you have a warm undertone, choose apricot or sienna tones. Some examples are:

Cool Undertones – pinks, mauves and plums

Ere Perez Lip Balm - Harmless

Minerelle Rose Blush

Warm Undertones – apricot, earthy tones and even yellow based reds particularly for mediterranean skin tones

Lavera Natural Apricot Powder Rouge

Ere Perez Cream Balm - Happy

For more about how to work out your skin undertone read “How to choos the right coloured makeup”

Face Shape

Next work out the shape of your face and decide where to contour the blush. Some key tips on this:

• For rounder faces (like my own) contour the side of your face along the cheekbone (not under them)
• For longer, thinner faces, try applying the blush to the apples of your cheeks, as it may help to fill your face out

Use a good blush brush. The effect you achieve when applying any makeup is based on the quality of your materials, both cosmetics and good brushes. A blush brush with a full head is ideal.

Eco Tools Bamboo Blush Brush

Blush Types

Choose the type of blush that will suit your skin. There are few different types of blush formulation that you can choose from:

1. Powder Blush – generally good for all skin types, but best for normal, oily and combination skin and those wanting long lasting colour.
2. Cream Blush – these are great for anyone with normal, dry or dehydrated skin as it is generally quite moisturising. It gives a glow to the cheeks, making the area look slightly luminous. It is best to apply cream blush with your fingers.
3. Tints & Gel Blushes – these are lovely for a touch of colour but they do dry fast and can look streaky if applied over foundation. The trick is to apply it to your fingertips rather than directly onto your cheek and blend it in quickly.
4. Shimmers – give your cheekbones luminosity and a light gleam, they are great for night-time. You don’t have to restrict the use of a shimmer to your face. Dab them on your forehead or even the inner corners of your eye. Avoid any dry or areas with laugh lines as the shimmer will just accentuate them.

Blush Application

Firstly, prep your face by applying your moisturizer and foundation. Blush needs to be applied over both of these. Then:

• For powder blush, tap into your blush compact and tap again to remove any excess (usually only an issue for loose powdered blush). For cream, gel or tint pick up a little colour on your middle finger.
• Smile! This makes the apples of your cheeks pop out and either gently apply the blush to the area. Sweep backwards to the temple and blend the colour – try to sweep in one direction. Buffing or going around and around in circles can damage your brush and cause streaks. If you want to increase the intensity repeat the process.
• If you are using a cream blush, blend into your cheeks using your middle and ring finger starting at the roundest portion and moving lightly up your cheekbone towards your temple.
• If you think you have applied a bit too much colour, apply a little translucent powder will calm it down. With cream blush, blot back the colour with a tissue. With liquid tints the only way to take back the colour is to wipe back with a moist cloth or baby wipe and start again…so best to start light and build up rather than apply to heavily at first.

If you have any application tips you can recommend, let us know. We would love you to share the blush love!

All that shimmers

If you are used to wearing bold and bright colours then maybe it is time to try something new such as a lipstick with shimmer. While I love bold colours, a subtle sheen creates a shimmery finish on the lips when applied and also fuller looking lips. This kind of lipstick can be deep in color but have a shimmering finish, or it can be a rather nude color that uses the shimmer alone to play up the lips.

I was doing a makeover the other day and we tried the gorgeous new shimmery Lavera lipsticks. They also have a subtle metallic look. It made me want to be a bit adventurous. The 3 shades are:

• Brown Sugar which is a light cool brown with shimmery copper undertones
• Rosewood is a warm pink with golden shimmer – it is just so pretty
• Golden Kiss is a warm rose gold (rather than yellow) with gold shimmer

These tones are perfect for daytime use but will also create a gorgeous nighttime look particularly if you match it with some shimmery metallic eyeshadow such as Minerelle Joy (soft gold), Kiss (watermelon shimmer pink) or Elusive (pewter).

I love a new look!

As we move into the cooler months I checked in with the Vitale Team about their favorite products. Basically they had nothing to do with drier, cooler weather and we all about individual skin type or needs:

• Jodie (our aromatherapy guru) loves the Devita Aloe Cleanser. She has combination skin and says it cleanses well without leaving her skin feel stripped.Jodie is getting married soon (hurrah) and so in her words “as a special honeymoon treat” she has the Remedica Monoi Body Oil and Bath Milk to take away with her.
• Tamzin (our centre coordinator) loves the Third Stone Botanicals Mango Belly Balm. Tamzin who is due to have her baby at any moment says she doesn’t have one stretch mark. She did show us and while her skin is taught, it is smooth and clear of any marks. Tamzin noted that she stared using this product from the very beginning to prepare her skin for stretching in advance…looks like it worked!
  

  Mango Belly Balm

• Roechelle (our marketing gal) chose the Lavera Sunless Tanner. Coming into the cooler months, she wanted a bit of colour and said it gives an even colour without being orange. We get positive feedback about this product all the time which is great.
• Karen (fitness guru) is quite amazed by the Lavera My Age Cooling Eye Gel. Karen swims a lot and often ends up with puffy eyes from the goggles. To test this product the first few times Karen only used it on one eye then asked all her friends if they could see the difference. They could and now she uses it on both eyes every morning. She is addicted!
• Mary (our beauty therapist) can’t go past the Devita Solar Protect Moisturiser which is also a customer favorite. Mary said she likes this product be
  

  Lavera My Age Cooling Eye Gel

  cause it is natural but doesn’t leave a white cast to the skin like other mineral sun protection products. In a minor concession to my question about Autumn skincare, she added that sun protection is important all year round and looking at her skin, which is gorgeous, you can tell she means it!

• Me (Ananda). After summer I am moving back from gel based serums to oil sermus at night again. My skin is drinking up moisture and loving it. Remedica Regenerate Visage is my favorite night-time serum as it sinks in quickly without leaving a heavy film on the skin.

We would love to know what your favorite product is!

For me Summer is a time of colour and sparkle and so as soon as I saw Luna Glitter nail polish from Zoya, I had to have it. I mean what is better than glitter toenails when at the beach? The light reflecting qualities will make your toes sparkle so much that no-one will notice if your bikini line isn’t quite coiffed. Of course I jest but really I do have a passion for bright toenails and this Summer will see me with far more than a nude shade of nail. In Luna, Delilah and Blyss, these polishes glitter like never before:

Another product I have just flipped over recently is a new one from Remedica (and I have been waiting with bated breath for it to be released): Remedica Recovery Lift. It is described as an outerwear gel serum. One of the reasons I love it (apart from the divine orchid smell) is the versatility of use. With a light and non-greasy texture, it can be used as a makeup primer, eye gel and slow aging serum, under or over moisturisers or sunscreen. It imparts a smooth finish so that even mineral make up can be applied without issue. I also think this would be ideal as a serum for those with congestion or prone to acne as it is oil-free and full of healing ingredients.

Benefits of Remedica Recovery Lift:

• Light weight, oil free / non greasy, hydrating and glowing veil
• Contributes to the look of lifted – smooth skin
• Long term help in minimising the look of sun induced pigmentation and depth of wrinkles,
• Plumps surface skin cells and hydrates and locks in moisture,
• Provides an instant tonifying and revitalising effect.

This brings me to favorite things…apart from Christmas cake of which I have had much already, my favorite thing this year is my Slip Pillow Case. When I first got one, I could barely take it off my pillow to wash. I soon sorted this issue by not washing it at all…no just kidding, I bought another one so I never have to do without again.

Naturally I chose the pink cases as despite being an adult, it is still my favorite colour. In any case, I just love it and have bought one for my grandmother and mother for Christmas.

I would love to hear about your favorite things, new product discoveries and summer highlights.

Last month I posted a blog about Story of Cosmetics. This video has caused big waves, particularly in the US where lobby groups work hard to maintain the toxic status quo. I am please to say the ground swell against toxic ingredients in everyday products is growing. Over 200,ooo people have watched the Story of Cosmetics since its launch on July 21st. What a great response! Not only did people watch but they responded, grateful for raising this issue as a topic for debate.

Stacy Malkan from the The Huffington Post has written an update about why the video was made in the first place. You can read the full article here but to summarise the key reasons she cites are:

1. Cancer Prevention - getting potentially toxic products out of our everyday skin care isn’t just a good idea it is essential. As quoted in Stacy’s article, “The true burden of environmentally induced cancer has been grossly underestimated. With nearly 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States, many of which are used by millions of Americans in their daily lives and are un- or understudied and largely unregulated, exposure to potential environmental carcinogens is widespread.” These statistics aren’t just isolated to the US. In Australia we face exposure to similar levels of potentially toxic chemicals and with similar regulatory controls (or should I say lack of regulatory control!)
2. Getting carcinogens out of baby shampoo makes good sense – just because it is a tiny amount doesn’t mean it is ok. Babies are tiny and they don’t have the same resistance to toxic chemicals that adults do (and even then, why would you want to expose anyone to toxins). I have spoken to many mothers who say they didn’t care about using organic and natural products until their baby was born. Then it becomes essential.
3. We believe in a better way - as Stacey writes it is possible to have a thriving cosmetics industry and use natural ingredients, or at the very least non-toxic ingredients. However, in order to achieve this, we have to change. And as consumers we have buying power which influences all business, from small to big. The other way to encourage change is through regulation. As Stacey writes, “Manufacturers are slow to embrace change — if they embrace it at all. The only answer is regulation that forces industry to consider the potential health effects of any and all ingredients used. The priority has to be our health.”

It is so heartening to see the impact the Story of Cosmetics is having and indeed the positive influence that can be had using social media. Keep it up I say! Please let me know what you think about this topic.

If you didn’t get to watch the video, here it is again: