Beauty In Botany

PRODUCT REVIEW 〰️ Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick

If you’re looking for clean beauty with a side of luxe, this one is for you. Gucci Westman is arguably one of the world’s leading makeup artists, and with her range launching in Australia last year, I decided it was (finally) time to try it.

What I 💛about this foundation is that it’s SO easy to apply. You just point the foundation stick & go. Bonus points for the fact that it’s a concealer & foundation stick in one. And the ingenious, gorgeous cylinder packaging with the inbuilt magnet lid, means putting away & keeping everything neat & tidy is a cinch.

But of course, my focus isn’t just on functionality but also the form. And in this case we’re talking good, clean ingredients. It’s not the 100% cleanest makeup out there, but there’s no phthalates (terrible for our hormones), no silicones, paragons, PEGs nor fragrance. And it’s vegan with no animal testing.

The downside? I tend to like more ‘glowy’ formulas ✨- this is a bit more matte than what I’m used to. Which is why I also purchased her highlighter stick - which I’ll talk about another time. The girls in store suggested a primer to help hold the foundation on for longer. I have noticed that it does need re-touching during the day, but as it’s super easy to apply, it doesn’t bother me that much.

Available from ✨

I ❤️this reminder from - just because everyone else is having *insert trendy food/diet/supplement/beauty product*, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you.

A key example of “trendy things gone wrong” for me are fermented foods - especially kefir. Pretty much every mainstream magazine article I read on
gut health talks about how everyone should include fermented food in their diet, but this isn’t true, nor accurate.

Always listen to your body - you know what you need more than anyone ✨

If you're looking for some beauty & wellness inspiration this Easter long weekend, read on for a chat with Tandia Walsh of MOTHER SPF, creator of the best clean sunscreen I've ever tried.

The Beauty Beat: Tandia Walsh, Founder - MOTHER SPF — Beauty in Botany In this edition of The Beauty Beat, we chat to Tandia Walsh, founder of MOTHER SPF about all things beauty & wellness.

I’m lucky enough to work here alongside this absolute guru of all things skin.

Brisbane friends, if you need help with your skin, or are simply looking for a bit more luminosity, look no further✨
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Often I’m asked why I started , and the reason is this👇🏼⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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After many years in traditional beauty roles, I had no desire to be "the norm." I wanted to create a different kind of space where not only did people know they were getting real outcomes ... but they were also learning and feeling confident IN their skin through the knowledge gained. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I also wanted to make looking after skin much smarter and more sustainable. How did I make it happen? Not on my own! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The success of comes down to our team. Jodi, Sammy, Lisa, Tara, Lori and I (Lauren!) fit together like a jigsaw puzzle to help people in nutrition, stress, naturopathy, inflammation, hormones, non-invasive rejuvenation, ageing beautifully and much more. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Fast forward 14 years and we have built trust and support with this beautiful community - and we couldn't be more grateful to be doing what we do 💚

〰️Sugar and skin〰️

Another reason to quit sugar…a 2020 review in the journal “Nutrients” stated that a high-sugar diet, UV radiation exposure and eating barbecued or fried foods leads to the acceleration of skin ageing.

Why? Because of the effect that ‘advanced glycation end” products (AGEs) have on our skin’s structures. AGEs are produced through eating sugar or consuming food prepared a certain way (ie. BBQing & eating resultant charred foods, or fried foods). Sugar cross-links collagen fibres, which makes it difficult for collagen to perform its role - instead the collagen fibers lose elasticity, degrade faster, become stiffer etc. It’s not just collagen that suffers, but other skin proteins such as fibronectin.

In a mouse study, eating a carbohydrate/sugar rich diet for almost a year lead to thinning skin in both the dermis & epidermis and extra inflammation, due to the AGEs.

The good news? In one paper, strictly controlling blood sugar for four months reduced the production of glycosylated collaged by 25%. Protecting your skin against UV radiation, quitting smoking, and choosing healthy ways of preparing food will also help✨

〰️PMID 32213934〰️

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〰️ The ins and outs of naturopathic prescriptions 〰️

Do you know that naturopaths have literally hundreds of different medicinal prescriptions at their disposal?

That might mean:
〰️A bespoke herbal medicine liquid
〰️A capsule with a combination of herbs and nutrients
〰️A nutritional compound full of beautiful nutrients such as amino acids and minerals
〰️A herbal tea (just like this divine pic from )
〰️Or my personal favourite, a bespoke flower essence blend.

That’s the beauty of naturopathy - you get a customised prescription, derived from nature, just for YOU :)

Pic via @

Yes, naturopaths can order blood tests

Did you know that naturopaths can order blood tests? We are trained in functional pathology testing, so we can order the right test for you, analyse the test and devise a treatment plan for you to get you on the path to glowing health.

You can still go to your normal labs to get your blood work done; the main difference is that the tests are not bulk-billed, so you do pay for them. But if you add up the cost of the GP appointment, the wait time, the follow up appointment to get your results back, it works out cost and time-effective when you include this approach as part of your naturopathic treatment.

✨ADDED BONUS - I offer my clients a FREE pathology analysis report (included in the consultation fee) where I do a deep dive into your pathology results and look for any abnormalities so I can guide you back to optimal health. ✨

How to pimp your H20 ✨

I love the look of this Butterfly pea & elderflower sparkling from my favourite cafe in Noosa. BUT if you can’t make it Noosa, here are some other delicious ideas to quench your thirst:

- Sparkling coconut water. A taste sensation - trust me. I love brand
- Mineral water with a splash of Hydration elixir. It tastes like a pina colada without the hangover, and it’s sooooo good. We stock it at
- A jug of filtered water infused with mint leaves and fresh peach slices. Summer in a glass.
- Herbal tea (any flavour you like) with a handful of ice cubes. It’s a therapeutic iced tea - substance & style.

Do you have a favourite summer drink? Share below x

*OVER ON THE BLOG*
Are you confused about collagen?

There are so many types on the market - Type 1, porcine, marine, bovine, hydrolysed…the list goes on. But what if I was to tell you that there is a new collagen kid on the block, and the science behind it is looking really good for not just skin & joints but also gut health and immunity. NOW ON BEAUTYINBOTANY.COM

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