Having worked in the wellness and beauty industry for nearly two decades, it's been incredible to witness the evolution of 'wellness' and what that means for each of us.
Where once, wellness and self-care practices were considered to be a little left of field – in recent years, the concept of wellness and prioritising our health and wellbeing has become part of our daily routine. These days, before we’ve even thought of putting on our moisturiser in the morning, let alone our make-up, many of us have whipped up a nourishing smoothie with kale, chia seeds and GLOW Inner Beauty Powder™ (of course!) for healthy, radiant skin. Nowadays, wellness is beauty and beauty is wellness. And it’s been wonderful to observe and be a part of this paradigm shift within the industry, but still, I often get asked what ‘wellness’ means to me on a more personal level.
For me, being well means being healthy and balanced in both body, mind and soul and feeling grounded, but energised and inspired at the same time. It's also about acquiring and harnessing the tools and the knowledge to help me achieve this – through diet, supplements, exercise, relationships, and mindfulness.
At The Beauty Chef, encouraging people to be the happiest, healthiest versions of themselves is always front of mind when creating products and content. We love the positive feedback we get from our customers on the great improvements in their wellness from using our products.
Having recently launched our brand new product – WELL SPRAY – I thought it was the perfect opportunity to share some of my simple wellness practices and explain how I incorporate our products into my daily routine, so I can be my best, healthiest self...
AM
I usually wake up naturally around 5:45am and I do my best not to check my emails and phone first thing. Instead, I love to start my day by going for a walk or run along Bondi Beach, stretching and breathing in the ocean air. For me, walking is meditative and helps to clear my head. It’s also when I feel most inspired, so often by the end of my walk, I usually have a bunch of new creative ideas that have sprung to mind. Then, when I get home, I have a spoon of GLOW™ and COLLAGEN mixed together in a glass of filtered water. GLOW™ is like my inner beauty moisturiser, while COLLAGEN is my inner beauty serum – and it’s the most delicious skin-loving elixir. Breakfast often consists of eggs, which I enjoy with mushrooms, tomatoes and salmon, or maybe a hearty bowl of porridge made with buckwheat, quinoa, miso, apple, almonds and a dash of maple. When I’m in a rush, I like to whip up a protein-rich smoothie using BODY Inner Beauty Powder.
Just before I leave the house for work, I enjoy a few spritzes of WELL SPRAY, before popping this little bottle of goodness into my handbag. I describe it as my holistic health companion because it’s full of nourishing herbal ingredients that are designed to support beauty, immunity and digestion on the go. It contains a beautiful combination of bio-fermented ingredients like olive leaf, elderberry, calendula, clove bud oil, sage leaf extract, and biotin and selenium, which help to keep my immune health in check.
MIDDAY
My day often involves back to back meetings, so to support my health and wellbeing, I always ensure I take the time to enjoy a nourishing lunch. Food definitely has the most profound impact on our gut health and eating healthily is undoubtedly my favourite (and most delicious!) wellness practice.
For lunch, I'll have a salad with lots of leafy, fibre-rich greens, healthy fats and lean protein or a gut-nourishing soup or stew. I always try and include a few fermented foods too and love sauerkraut and kimchi. I don't drink coffee, but after lunch I'll enjoy a cup of tea – fennel is great for digestion – followed by a few sprays of WELL SPRAY, which contains peppermint oil to aid digestion.
PM
Cooking is one of my favourite things to do and I think of it as a meditative practice. I love combining the joy of cooking with the science of nutrition, so when it comes to my recipes, both gut health and flavour are always front of mind. Depending on what’s in season, dinner could be anything from a salad with veggies and protein, or a piece of grilled or steamed fish with baked sweet potato and sauerkraut, a slow roast, a warming curry or a slow-cooked soup or stew with lots of veggies, herbs, spices and bone broth. My number one rule with all meals is to always have more veggies than meat on my plate.
Then, after dinner, I do my best to wind down and switch off from the day by putting down my phone and enjoying a teaspoon of SLEEP stirred through warm nut milk. For me, this is one of the most nourishing wellness practices and I look forward to it every night. SLEEP is a delicious formula that contains an abundance of calming ingredients like lemon balm, passionflower and sour cherry which help me to sleep soundly.
What are some of your favourite wellness practices?
Carla x
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