Inspired By Captur

It's not often your weekend starts with a personal chauffeur/male model arriving at your door, but that's exactly how last Saturday began for Brittany and I, thanks to the new Renault Captur! I may not know too much about cars, but I definitely could recognise that this shiny vehicle was a very pretty one, complete with plenty of customisable features - cue car envy! 

The location for the day was Work-Shop in Redfern, a creative space perfect for learning the art of resin jewellery making. Fuelled up with coffee and fresh fruit, we were ready to get into it - and swiftly learnt that creating with resin was much trickier than originally expected! It was so much fun though, especially being able to mix our own colours and personalise our jewellery by adding on glitter and trying our hands at creating marble finishes (with varying levels of success!). 

After a break for lunch, it was time to release our jewellery from their moulds and begin the sanding process.  It was so incredibly satisfying to get involved and create something - I now have some amazing new jewellery pieces to wear that I can proudly say I made myself!

If you are looking for a creative outlet (or a unique Christmas present), I would 100% recommend checking out Work-Shop for their classes.  And if you are in the market for an affordable new car - definitely test drive the new Renault Captur. Being able to customise your own car is such a cool way to express yourself - I need to get saving!

xx

Chasing Waterfalls

 I absolutely love exploring, so I jumped at the opportunity to join Bonds on one of Adrenalin.com.au’s exciting adventure-filled activities. After much deliberation of all the potential escapades on offer (including some brief self-questioning if I had the courage to go skydiving…the answer was most-definitely no), I decided on something a little closer to the ground – a Blue Mountains waterfall hike (check it out here)! Despite seeking out plenty of waterfalls overseas, I realised I hadn’t properly explored the ones in my own backyard, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. 

Prepared for anything in my Bonds active wear and a coffee in hand, we met with our guide for the day Lola. During our drive up Lola promised we would most definitely be experiencing plenty of exercise, spectacular views, and of course – waterfalls. After stocking us up with 3 litres of water and some trail mix to keep us energised, we entered the trail to begin our hike. We were immediately amazed by spectacular views of the mountainous scenery. The landscape of this Australian bush is truly incredible – lush, dense forests gives way to dry arid sandstone, before being again replaced by mini rainforests. 

The first half of the day involved descending down into the valley, allowing us to discover numerous waterfalls cascading down the mountain face. However, it also meant we had to hike back up to the top, which involved climbing over 100 close-to-vertical stairs! Our reward after that intense workout was a picnic lunch atop one of the many waterfalls, before we were back on our way to finish off the trail. Spending the whole day engulfed in nature (and an absence of wifi) was such a refreshing experience, and such a lovely way to escape the city and breathe in plentiful fresh air.  I was seriously impressed by the abundance on landscape we could experience just over an hour outside the city. 

Thanks to Bonds and Adrenalin for letting me experience such a great day outside, exploring the Blue Mountains.

I'm wearing:

Bonds tee (available here)

Bonds tights (available here)

Bonds hoodie (available here)

xx 

Summer in Denim

Summer is officially here! I am so excited to kick start my favourite time of year - beach, sun, refreshingly cool water, iced coffees and endless acai bowls.

Alongside these summer activities is the return of effortless summer attire. There is nothing quite like throwing together some easy separates ready for brunch and the beach. This season, I already know my two Lee denim skirts will be my go-to's. So far I have been teaming both with greys and whites to keep a cool colour pallet, perfect for long summer days. My white denim skirt in particular is super versatile - easy to style with a flowy cami or a white top for a dressier look.

P.S To celebrate summer, Lee Jeans is giving away an epic glamping experience at the St Jerome Hotel rooftop for you and five friends. Enter the comp here!

I'm wearing:

Grey Lee Tee (available here)

White Lee Skirt (available here)

Denim Lee Skirt (available here)

xx

Wellness

As a health/wellbeing/fitness enthusiast, I am constantly sharing new finds with my friends and reading the latest advice from all over the web and in print. Perhaps the hardest element of maintaining my wellbeing however, is staying on top of the multitude of conflicting advice that seems to circulate about. Paeleo, sugar free, vegan... it's enough to confuse any girl! Which is why my general wellbeing mantra is b a l a n c e. As a result, I gravitate towards consuming health info from others who also believe in the power of healthy moderation. One of my favourite health bloggers is Jacqueline Alwill (aka @brownpapernutrition). As a nutritionist and health & wellness writer, Jacqueline has such a wealth of information and delicious recipes that I find majorly inspiring (There are heaps on her website here).

Thanks to her new partnership as a wellness warrior for one of my favourite natural skincare brands Jurlique, I was lucky enough to ask Jacqueline some questions about maintaining her super easy and healthy lifestyle.

* What is your go-to wholesome snack when you are feeling peckish?

Citrus Balls (recipe on the Jurlique blog here)

Carrot sticks and hummus

Hot almond milk with cacao cinnamon and ginger

* What are your three top pantry must haves?

Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

Buckwheat

Vanilla beans

* Favourite sweet creation?

Raw choc avocado tart (recipe on the Jurlique blog)

* What are your thoughts on eating before early morning exercise?

It’s individual dependent as with anything diet related. What works for some may not work for others and we need to be in tune with our body.

Some can eat and not feel uncomfortable whilst exercising and others experience severe digestive discomfort.

The key thing is to ensure you are well hydrated before and during exercise then nourish with a good balance of protein, carbs and fats post exercise.

* Favourite refined sugar substitutes?

Rice malt syrup

Maple

Thank you to Jurlique for getting me in touch with Jacqueline for this interview. Check out the Jurlique blog (here) for plenty more advice for clean eating, plus the recipe for the orange and almond cake in the image above - it was absolutely delicious! 

Long Weekend Refresh

Long weekends are such perfect ways to refresh and relax. Thankfully us Sydney-siders had perfect summer-like weather, which means much of my days off were spent beachside.

I also used my days off to introduce two Dr Hauschka products from FacialCo to my skin care routine- the cleansing cream (buy here) and the day cream (buy here).

I'm pretty excited by these products as they are made with all natural ingredients - something that is so important to consider for skincare that sits on our face each day!

You can purchase the full range of products (plus heaps of other brands) at FacialCo.

Etsy Finds

I have always loved supporting local Australian designers. Something about our laid-back landscape combined with plenty of ambition seems to inspire bounds of creativity. So I was pretty excited when Etsy approached me to help find my favourite fresh piece on their online marketplace. Etsy had plenty to choose from, but as Summer is swiftly incoming, I was immediately drawn to this shibori tie-dyed beach throw (buy one here!).  

Created by designer Ambaloo, my new throw is such a gorgeous piece, perfect for lying by the pool or taking on beach picnics. This Etsy seller also has heaps of other hippie-inspired designs, so make sure you check them out here!

xx

Energise

So perhaps my strawberry placement could be improved (I promise to work on it), but this protein smoothie bowl was too good and easy not to share!

I put about a scoop of at.health cocoa protein powder (available here), a cup of unsweetened coconut milk, ice, RAW powder, one frozen banana and ice into my Vitamix blender for about 2 minutes. Then I scooped it into a bowl, topped it with low fructose muesli, strawberries and organic coconut and voila - the quickest and yummiest pre-gym smoothie bowl ever.

xx

Snapshots from NYFW and LFW SS16

Ah fashion month. An influx of visual goodness from some of the most photogenic places in the world. New York, London, Milan, Paris. The wanderlust is real. As is the renewed need to spring clean your wardrobe and rediscover those pieces that can update your current rotation. 

For me, I'll be playing around with my multiple clothing items adorned with stars, grey tee's, white sneakers, overalls and statement clutches.

Let's wait and see what new ideas Milan and Paris will bring.

 xx

Images from becauseimaddicted.net, Pinterest, Elle.com

Routine

I love updating my beauty routine regularly. It could perhaps be attributed to the increasingly gorgeous packaging of a number of products - especially those minimalistic ones with pops of colour. They are also full of promise, to make skin smooth and fresh, or to rid hair of frizz - it's too easy to continually restock my bathroom drawer!

My latest 3 products I am currently testing are from Ry.com.au (which has a huge range of brands!) and are by Dermalogica and evo.

First up, I now officially understand the need for pre-cleansing. It is worth the extra step in my daily routine, especially since most of my day products contain SPF, which is harder to remove from the skin. The Dermalogica version (buy it here), actually feels as if it removes all lingering products from my skin, allowing my cleanser to work so much better. If there is one product you are considering, I would 100% recommend adding this pre-cleanser to your routine.

A second Dermalogica product I am liking is their general cream exfoliant (available here), which I have been using three times a week to help fade stubborn post-pimple marks, which is my perennial skin problem.

Finally, I admit I tried this evo straightening balm mainly for the packaging - all white and pink perfection! Lucky it's doing its job, giving me the excuse needed to try out more of their products. I have been using this particular product in my hair before straightening, both as a heat protectant (so important!) and also to help minimise fly aways. 

Overall, if you are looking for a beauty update, I would definitely add these to your daily routine.

xx

We are lovers

Nothing gets you quite as excited for incoming warmer weather as a new bikini. It is the most visual representation of summer and all it encompasses - coconuts and sunlight and salty water and denim shorts. Those first few warm days as Spring begins are especially lovely, where appreciation for the suns rays are at their highest and everyone clamours to get outside and enjoy nature at its finest.

So I basically cannot wait to wear my new Rusty Cruise Halter (you can purchase it online here). It is a refreshingly cute update of the classic black bikini and I'm loving the higher neck line and ridges, which gives the two piece a super flattering shape. It will be perfect to team with denim shorts for lazy days on the beach, or just chilling in my backyard at the first glimpse of those pre-summer rays.

xx

August Update

Happy Monday! Coffee in hand, I am currently tackling my inbox, finishing an assignment and (trying) to get organised for a busy week ahead. So of course, I end up writing a blog post instead. Regardless this has been long overdue - I returned home from Hawaii to that typical post-holiday catch up, where the blog gets pushed down the list a little. Somewhere after Instagram, but before cleaning my room. 

I have some exciting collaborations coming as well as an update of my travel pages for both Maui and Oahu (I have so many photos to share!), but in the meantime, here are a few images and links I have been loving/reading this week.

The emotional stages of cleaning out your closet.  

Easy changes to make for your health

The best holidays for Instagram (It's a thing...)

I found this account on Instagram, and fell in love with this image of her room! @apebalsom

xx