Is your skin red, itchy, rough, discoloured or flaking? You might have a damaged skin barrier, the outermost layer of your skin, the barrier acts as a protector for our delicate skin, keeping out nasties like pollution and dirt. Using too many active products and retinoids can compromise the barrier which leads to unsettled and irritated skin, but don’t stress, you can repair it by simplifying your routine and injecting hydration. Here are a few products to help you get started. Laneige Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Intensive Moisturizer, $60, Sephora This one is thick! Using the accompanying spa ..read more

The time of the day when you feel tired tells a story. Read on to find out what your tiredness means and what you can do to recharge your batteries. Wake up tired Do you wake up feeling like you’ve hardly slept a wink, hit the snooze button seven times and then only start functioning once you’ve had your first coffee? Assuming it’s not something simple like not getting to bed early enough or being woken by external factors (kids, pets, noisy neighbors, etc.), then your tiredness is likely due to the poor quality of your sleep. To wake refreshed from sleep requires you to be able to access deep ..read more

SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a depressive mental health condition that occurs for some people during the winter months. It’s where, during the cold and dark period of the year, a person feels sad, unmotivated, low in mood and energy. They describe feeling down in the dumps and struggling to feel good about their life. Sleep is usually affected with people having trouble getting up and wanting to sleep a lot. For some, they can even feel so depressed they don’t think they can keep living. Then when spring hits, their mood lifts and they feel ok again. SAD is a genuine condition and for ..read more

In today’s fast-paced world, stress, gut health and sleep issues have become all too common, affecting the overall wellbeing and vitality of individuals and young families. But amidst the chaos, there exists a gentle yet potent path to healing: natural medicine and herbal remedies. At The Hierophant, in Griffith, they are passionate advocates for harnessing the power of nature to restore balance and vitality to the lives of individuals and their families. Their upcoming jam-packed calendar of workshops and courses is designed to empower participants with the knowledge and resources needed to e ..read more

How close is too close when it comes to how we share our lives with the furriest members of the family? A study conducted by YouGov in 2023 found that almost half of British pet owners shared their bed with their pets. While the Australian Bureau of Australia found that more than half of Aussie owners invite their pets in for a nighttime cuddle.  Could having our pets under the covers with us help us drift away or could it be having negative impacts that last more than just the nighttime hours? Ashley Hainsworth from UK based Bed Kingdom says there are both benefits and potential risks wh ..read more

Notice I said friendship soulmate? When we think of what a soulmate is we often think of it in a romantic sense, but I want to talk here about those friends we have that are our friendship soulmates. Our soulmate friend is someone we feel connected to in a way that is more significant and profound than with any other person and we might have several. It can feel almost like something higher than ourselves has brought this person into our life. They’re that person who you might not have seen or spoken to in ages but as soon as you talk to them, it’s like you just spoke yesterday. They’re the pe ..read more

Patsy Bennett has put together her horoscopes for the week 18 – 24 April 2024. ARIES | 21 Mar – 20 Apr Developments will catapult you into a fresh agreement with a business or personal partner as Wednesday’s full moon signifies a fresh chapter in an arrangement. You’ll feel passionate about this, so ensure you’re well-informed as impulsiveness could derail plans. TAURUS | 21 Apr – 21 May You’ll find out this week if you’ve under- or over- estimated your circumstances, especially regarding someone special and your work or well-being. Either way, you’ll feel motivated to improve your situation ..read more

Crisp mornings, gloriously colourful foliage and milder days signal the arrival of autumn. We know that as the weather gets colder, we’ll see an increase in colds and flus. Why is it that despite all the viruses flying around, some people get sick, and some people remain healthy? Our resilience to getting sick comes down to the state of our wellbeing as we come into autumn and approach winter: our stress levels, our energy or exhaustion levels, our toxic load, our sleep quality and so on. Immune Boost We often hear about ‘boosting’ our immune system but, for most of us, our immune system works ..read more

Rosy cheeks and lips are the epitome of classic beauty, Benefit Cosmetics creates the perfect hue for you, as though you had crushed the flower freshly from the rose bush. Using the soft brush applicator, start with a few drops, spread across lips and wait a couple of seconds to see the colour of the dry stain. Like painting with watercolour, the process allows you to craft colour from a subtle kiss to a statement lip. Create a softly flushed cheek with the stain, be sure to blend quickly before it dries. Once you have achieved the rose tone you want, set and forget. The long-lasting promise l ..read more

How many times do you hear people talking about all the negatives of getting older or attributing a negative characteristic, such as being grumpy or slow, to someone because they’re old? There are a lot of myths out there about ageing and older people, so let’s bust a few of them. I’m too old to change or learn something new We always have the ability to learn something new, including how to use technology better, a second language, an instrument or complete a PhD! Learning something new takes patience and time which we often have more of when we’re older. Older people are lonely Did you know ..read more