Anyone who follows me personally on Instagram (@michelle.reeve) may have watched my Christmas holiday DIY attempt at “Renovation Rescue”. It's been over ten years since we moved into Waterlily Headquarters, our Brisbane office and manufacturing laboratory, and it was clearly more than time to make-over some of the key spaces that the frenetic pace of the last decade ...
Ciao da Italia Ragazzi! I’m here at Cosmoprof Bologna, the world’s leading international professional beauty exhibition. This year celebrates the 50th anniversary and has grown to house over 2,500 exhibitors from 69 different countries attracting melting pot of over a quarter of a million international visitors in just three days. The global showcase highlights ...
When we think about skincare we often compare active against natural, right? Let's consider for a moment that the skin is your largest and most visible organ. It responds in exactly the same manner as every other part of your body to nutrients, toxins, care and nurturing. Yet it’s interesting that you are more likely to subject it first to the criteria of aesthetics ...
People interact with the world differently. Some people are auditory. Some of us need visual cues to connect with concepts and ideas. Others are kinetic, relying on tactile sensations to learn and communicate. Most of us are a mix. For me, I see the world through aroma. A keen and enthusiastic sense of smell. Every aromatic scent I inhale is steeped in ...
If I invited you to apply the following chemical cocktail to your skin, would you? Could I possibly tempt you to consider eating it? WATER (75%), SUGARS (12%) GLUCOSE (48%), FRUCTOSE (40%), SUCROSE (2%), MALTOSE (<1%), STARCH (5%), FIBRE (3%), (E460, E461, E452, E464, E456, E467) AMINO ACIDS (GLUTAMIC ACID (19%), ASPARTIC ACID (15%), HISTONE (11%), LEUCINE ...
There’s a riddle. It goes like this.... A father is driving with his son. There is a terrible car accident. The father dies at the scene, but someone stops in time to save the son and takes him to the nearest hospital. The attending emergency doctor on duty rushes out to meet the boy as he’s wheeled into the operating theatre, but on seeing him recognizes the boy, and ...
When the internet isn't working, the postal system has gone rogue and a metro strike has brought the city to a grinding halt, the only thing to do is what any good Roman does to recharge; escape the city and surrender to the healing waters of Viterbo. Viterbo is a small medieval village on the road to Tuscany only a couple of hours outside of Rome. Picturesque in its own ...
I’m intrigued by the lifestyles of the centenarians. What are the secret gifts that enable our fellow mortals to live past the oh-so–ripe age of 100? What is the holy grail of youth? The elixir of life? What I do find super impressive is the quality of life these vintage rock stars enjoy. At 100 they are still tending their work, chopping wood, swimming laps, ...
I have an aunt. She is a national treasure. Unfortunately, she has been suffering terribly from rheumatoid arthritis and is navigating her way through treatment options to limit the damage and pain. In our last email exchange, she mentioned the most interesting thing “I’m not feeling too bad, but when I’m around negative people my joints hurt ...
Every year one strong underlying theme prevails in our list of New Year resolutions... the enduring quest to lose weight. I agree that it is great to be healthier, but what I notice happens in our attempt to shed kilos is that our poor friend "Fat" becomes tarnished Enemy Number One. In the pursuit of good health, it appears we have condemned the wrong culprit. For it's ...
I am spending Christmas in Rome this year, and when I’m not complaining about the cold (while still eating gelato!) I spend my spare time walking through the gardens of Villa Borghese, the ‘Central Park’ of Rome. These gardens are a haven in the middle of a bustling city. Apart from the sheer size and beauty of the landscape, Borghese is laden with an ...
I've just left Hong Kong, and one of the leading trends to come out of this year's Cosmoprof Asia Spa Conference was the concept of mindfulness and how it directly impacts on Wellness. Mindfulness... it really is a head on tackle as to how we approach our own health. Doctors are great at curtailing death and acute trauma. I mean, if you were hit by a bus I'm not ...
I’m going to give you an insight into the intricate process behind the Waterlily formulations, a back of house sneak-peak into the mysterious world of artisan blending. Follow me… shhhhhh I’m hoping by now your appreciation for Aromatherapy has grown. As essential oil aficionados, you know that these precious plant concentrates are valued because they are ...
Australians are sturdy. And lucky for that! Harsh climatic conditions are the theme of an Australian lifestyle. Our ongoing challenge with bush fires and floods show us how confronting the intensity of our environment continues to be. As climate change merges with our outdoor lifestyle the quest to maintain good skin health intensifies. The annual rise of melanoma ...
We live next door to the ancient Pleasure Gardens of Rome (uh huh, no complaints here!). "Horti Sallustiani,” a lavish landscape dedicated by the Ancient Romans to abandoned luxuriating. Nearly 2000 years ago, the gardens covered most of North West Rome and spanned a series of Emperors starting with Julius Caesar. It was an epicurean theme park brimming with ...
Fat free? Oil free? Lite? Low fat? Fat reduced? Consider a life without oil; a fat free diet and oil free skincare. I struggle to understand how not using oil became popular? I don't know when exactly oil received its terrifying reputation, but this fat phobic scenario has only one mortifying outcome… Premature Ageing! Not exactly the Holy Grail of youth we are all ...
It’s autumn in Europe. In Rome “autunno”! The seasons here run to the timing of a well oiled calendar. The first of September brings fallen leaves ruby and bronze, the air is chilly against pale skies and the long balmy evenings are cut short. But that’s not all, the plump array of fruit and vegetables laden in markets and grocery stores are about to ...