I met Monique of The Beauty Journal last year and she is one of the brightest natural beauty advocates I know. Any wonder we hit it off instantly!

It didn't take us long to start throwing around ideas and the first seeds of hosting a natural beauty masterclass together were sown. We've recently held our first full-day masterclass and our second has sold out. 

We'll be hosting more and the best way to find out when they're being hosted is to follow me on Instagram. 

Hosting our first natural beauty masterclass was a true delight. From introducing our guests to the best products I've found for natural skincare and learning from Monique on how to best match foundation to your skin tone, how to contour, and getting to play with all the makeups - it was a lot of fun all round. Thanks to Monique's guidance I'm 99% sure I've found my perfect base with coverage and illuminating glow. 

Having worked in skincare for almost twenty years, it is opportunities like these that remind me why I started. I get such a kick out of seeing people learn how to make simple changes to their daily skincare and makeup routines that can have such great results. 

Stay tuned for our next round of masterclass dates in Brisbane and for dates to be announced on the Gold Coast and Melbourne. 

Thanks to our partners in creating this event including Vida Glow and That Gettin' Space. 

Image by Kate Penberthy. 

Towards the end of last year, I wanted to create something more than a new treatment for the Kindred salon menu in 2018 (don't worry there's a few of those in the works!)

I was hearing the amazing stories from our clients and knew we had something pretty special in the community that supports Kindred Toxin Free Facials. It inspired me to launch our first-ever event series where we’ll be working with some of Kindred Toxin Free’s favourite people throughout the year to host events that talk about all facets of wellness.

Our first event was held on Sunday February 4 and I was joined by some truly amazing women to discuss what wellness means to us and what we see ahead for the year. With salads by Yes, Joy and kombucha from Probiotic Kitchen.

The key take-away for me, after hearing everyone’s stories, was that we are all doing our best and that a little kindness towards ourselves is needed. Wellness, as the panel showed, means something different to everyone. For some it is making sure that they feel mentally strong and are ensuring their mental wellbeing is on track which gives them wellness in all other aspects of their life. For others it is around giving themselves permission to sometimes go through the McDonalds Drive-Thru.

It was so special to me to be able to create a safe space for our gorgeous community of women to share and encourage each other on their journey to living an authentic and fulfilling life, and perhaps inspire each other to accept that while none of us is perfect, we can all work towards loving those little flaws and trying our best to give the best foundations for a healthier attitude towards living.

I’m really excited to host more events this year. Keep your eyes out for our next event on April 29th.

And what did our panelists think the big trends for 2018 are. Find out below…

Rachel,  Yes, Joy

• Gut Health 2.0 - Kombucha is on its way to becoming mainstream and probiotic kefir, kimchi and kraut all have their role in supporting our gut flora. But what about  PREbiotics? You may well be hearing more about what you can do to support 'gut-fungi' that you need for all the healthy bacteria to thrive. Natural prebiotics can be found in onions, garlic and other alliums, along with bananas and Jerusalem artichokes and lots more!
• Flexitarian - The accidental vegetarian / vegan diet will continue to rise in 2018 as plant based menus and recipes foray into the everyday, and eating less meat increasingly becomes the norm. Pulses, grains and other plant-based protein will get more of the spotlight, particularly with a growing interested in Middle Eastern and South American foods.  Foods like pomegranates,  purple potatoes, and jicama (Mexican yam)  - which is considered a nootropic (meaning rich in brain food like turmeric, salmon, eggs). While gut health is still a major focus, we may see more insight into these nootropic rice foods.

Me! Natalie, Kindred Toxin Free Facials

• Probiotics - Think kefir, products like Beauty Chef glow powder and other supplements that support your health from the inside out. Skincare is going internal!
• Crystal Everything - In your skincare, on your skin, rollers, gua sha even in water bottles!
• Dermal Needling - These are microneedles that gently penetrate the skin to allow treatments like serums to really work deeper on the skin. Lily and I are researching more on this emerging trend and we’re already seeing it in brand’s introducing at-home micro needling rollers to full in salon dermal pens. Stay tuned!

Erin, Clean Beauty Market

We’re going to see:

• A demand for results-driven clean products that have science behind the formulations
• Smarter products - scaling back your makeup collection by using products that do more than one thing. For example, a multi-stick cream colour product that can be your blush, lipstick and eyeshadow.
• Minerals are cool again - The mineral makeup trend is back and with a new even better reputation.

Natalie, Soak Society

• Sleep optimization (this is why we created our Sleep wellness soak after I read Thrive by Arianna Huffington) - I could see the trend gaining momentum a couple of years ago but now it is becoming more popular to care about the hours we sleep and the quality of our sleep. A lot of our customers are Mums with small babies and say (on Instagram in captions and comments) that they love having a soak before bed to relax and get a better quality sleep. There is also so much tech to support sleep now (apps etc) however there is also a big trend to remove tech from the area where we sleep.
• Creating Rituals that heal and nurture - There is a big trend towards Lunar everything, moon, horoscopes, crystals, modern day 'witchcraft' and female empowerment, I think they are all connected. What that means for my business is that people are combining all these aspects to create a nourishing self-care ritual at home and utilising our products.
• Self-care staycations and 'analog' destinations (tech-free) - In general I think there is a trend towards more people talking about self-care which is making it more accepted and common, which is awesome! Example, Girl Boss have launched a new podcast called 'Self-Service' which combines a bit of meditation with talking about self-care.

Cate, Brown’s General Store

From a conscious consumption point of view I think we’re going to see:

• A rise in ethical clothing brands, or brands having ethical clothing sub labels. Also, more transparency as ethical fashion is discussed more and more.
• More organic cotton. I know this sounds small, but I know that Bonds is now looking at increasing the amount of products they make with organic cotton, and I think lots of those basics lifestyle brands will follow. Regular cotton is just full of nasties, and the environment impact is terrible, so I think organic cotton will be much more on the agenda.

Uh-oh, you’ve gone and done it have you? You’ve been busy enjoying your summer romance with the sunshine and now it’s left you feeling burnt - and looking like a lobster. It’s ok, we’ve all been there, when those long and lazy days at the beach leave you so relaxed that you forget to re-apply your sunscreen every hour.

So now that you’re left a fetching shade of fuchsia and your skin’s feeling hotter than the footpath on a Queensland summer afternoon, you’ve hit the internet to search for every known cure under the sun to find yourself some relief.

Well, you came to the right place, because we’ve popped together a list of our favourite natural ways to cure your sunburn without having to resort to nasty chemicals (or a body transplant).

Compress:

For immediate relief, place a cold compress on your poor, sunburnt skin or take a cool shower to soothe the area.

Oatmeal Bath:

If you’re finding that your sunburn needs an ‘all over’ approach, try running a cool bath with some chamomile extract or oatmeal - it might feel a little bit icky but you’ll be amazed at the relief old fashioned rolled oats can bring to your stressed out skin.

Aloe Vera:
Ever checked the back of those ‘after sun’ cures and noticed a common theme? Aloe vera! This spiky, kind of crazy looking plant is the first word in every sunburn cure thanks to its healing properties. But if you are going to commit to it be sure you get the genuine article. Most chemist brand aloe vera gels and sprays actually contain alcohol which will only succeed in drying out your poor skin even further.

Buy yourself a small aloe vera plant for your garden or window sill, slice the prickly outer layer off and either scrape the pulp into a paste to spread on the area of shave thin slices off the middle to store in your fridge and apply in a bandage.

H20:
It doesn’t matter if you swim in moisture on the outside, if you’re not moisturising from the inside out your skin simply won’t heal like it should. In other words? Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Make sure you are drinking plenty of fresh, filtered water to keep your cells healthy enough to heal.

Cucumbers:
Not only are they delicious and full of antioxidants, but cucumber is an excellent way to keep your skin feel soothed after a battle with the sun - especially during the dreaded ‘peeling’ phase that comes afterwards. Try mashing your cucumbers into a paste and then putting them in the fridge to cool.

Prevention:

Sunny day? Sunscreen! Cloudy day? Sunscreen! Sitting inside all day watching Netflix? Sunscreen! I can’t stress it enough, if there is one thing that is not only going to protect that beautiful skin you’ve worked so hard to achieve, it’s applying a natural mineral based broad spectrum sunscreen every single day. While you’re at it, throw on a fabulous looking hat and a glamorous looking beach cover up to keep your shoulders and decolletage looking pristine.

It might technically be spring but here in sunny Queensland the mercury is well and truly rising. With the warmer days, our appetites naturally shift wanting lighter options for meals. That doesn't mean that you have to forgo taste and nourishment. I love these easy to make zucchini wraps especially because they make great grab-and-go lunch options! 

Enjoy,

Lily. 

Zucchini Wraps

Serves 2

What You'll Need

• 2 grated zucchinis (squeeze to remove excess moisture)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons almond meal or tapioca flour
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 200˚C. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Scoop even portions onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and spread into a circular shape – making sure to not make it too thick or too thin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Serve with your favourite fillings. My favourite combination is Kehoes kitchen beetroot cashew cheese, roasted moroccan chickpeas, pumpkin and salad greens like baby spinach, rocket or sorrel.

Zucchinis are such a versatile vegetable and can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. It’s high in fibre, helping you to feel fuller for longer and is rich in potassium, vitamin A and folate all beneficial nutrients for healthy, efficiently functioning cells!

This is a low-carb, gluten-free, grain-free alternative and won’t leave you feeling heavy. When combined with the beetroot cashew cheese, it provides a perfect balance of probiotic bacteria (from the cultured cashew cheese) alongside the prebiotic goodness from the chickpeas, it will leave you feeling satisfied and your gut will thank you for it.

Welcome to a new blog series that our newest Kindred team member Lily will be penning for us each month. With a background in nutrition, Lily knows that getting your skin to glow is just as much about what you put in your body as what you apply to your skin. And with that in mind, welcome to Lily's first recipe that you can try at home to help keep you nourished inside and out. 

Lily says, "This salad is the perfect balance of healthy fats, antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals needed for healthy glowing skin. And it is a great salad for work lunches or at home on the weekend if you're having friends around - perfect for the warmer weather we're having, too!" 

Glowing Skin Salad 

Mix Together: 

• 2 handfuls of organic salad mix (this one was a combination of mizuna, tatsoi, chard)
• 1 handful blueberries
• ½ diced avocado
• Small handful of chopped cucumber
• Cooked sustainably caught salmon (either canned or fillet)
• Small handful pumpkin seeds
• Handful of pea sprouts
• 1 tbsp sauerkraut
• Dress with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Why this is a great salad combo? 

• Avocado is rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that protects the skin against free radical damage.
• Salmon is a lean source of protein rich in omega 3 fatty acids, it is anti-inflammatory and helps to keep the skin supple and dewy
• Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of zinc. Zinc plays a massive role in our immune system and wound healing, helping to repair cells efficiently
• Blueberries are rich in anthocyanins - an antioxidant compound that gives them the dark blue/purple colour. Blueberries protect against oxidative stress, working to eliminate free radicals from the skin
• Sauerkraut is our gut loving, fermented cabbage. When made with red/purple cabbage, it also contains anthocyanins – increasing antioxidant status as well as providing the gut with probiotic bacteria for a happy healthy tummy.
• Lemon is a potent source of vitamin C, it stimulates the production of collagen, and increases the absorption of iron – hello healthy glowing oxygenated skin!