A night of pampering with All Pampering

I met Nathalie Panic-Vaucher by chance a few weeks ago and we got chatting about what we did. She said she runs pampering events for women, with her business partner Kym Morris, via their company, All Pampering.

She suggested I come along to their next Ladies Escape, held last night in one of the function rooms at Fitzy's, Logonholme.

Nathalie and Kym are full-time mums and business women, who believe that every woman deserves to be pampered. They run regular pampering events designed for women to take time for themselves. They are the Queens of "Me Time"!

The room was dotted with "stations" which we would later move around, and a range of products were on display. It was like a mini Mind Body Spirit expo, with candles, skin products, massage products and the like. The atmosphere was really relaxed and calm, a little sanctuary away from the madness of the week.

Nathalie opened the evening, taking us through a brief guided visualisation to help us calm our minds and centre ourselves.

We were invited to try some polynesian dancing, demonstrated first by the lovely Ruby. It was hilarious. Whether or not any of us will make professional polynesian dancers is another story, but we had a bit of a boogie and a big giggle.

It was then time for the first pampering session - a back and shoulder massage. We paired up and were given a Joya Massage Roller. I had seen massage rollers before, but nothing like the Joya version, which used a solid gemstone as the roller ball. The Joya comes with about 20 different crystal/gemstone roller balls. Each stone has different properties - I think we were using an aventurine stone, a green stone linked to the heart chakra, which helps to promote self-determination and individuality.

We were instructed how to use them, and then invited to give our pamper pal a back and shoulder massage. It was great - having been to the gym the day before, I was in dire need of a massage! The Joya was excellent as you could use the stone roller ball side to get into tight muscles up and down the back and around the shoulders, and the smooth birch wood side provided a firm surface to finish off with long, flowing effleurage strokes.

There were nibblies and music throughout the evening, and we had brief talks by the ladies who were displaying their products.

Loraine, a PartyLite consultant, talked about the range of PartyLite candles, essential oils and all other things smelly and burny. The room smelt delicious! Loraine runs candle parties - another discovery for me from tghe evening. Candle parties - like Tupperware parties! What a great thing to do with a bunch of girlfriends over a few chardies.

More pampering followed, and we teamed up with our pamper pals again to give each other a hand and foot massage. All Pampering supplied the creams, balms, towels and everything we needed. They used all-natural products from the Diva range.

It was interesting to observe the 16 or so women at the event, many of whom at the beginning of the evening were total strangers, and by the end were nattering away like we'd known each other for years. Some had kids, some didn't. Some worked full time, some were full time Mums. Yet we were all happy to be chatting, and doing and receiving a bit of pampering. You get that with women!

The evening finished at about 10.00pm and we said our goodbyes, smiles on our dials and armed with all sort of goodies and brochures related to pampering. It was a really nice way to spend a Friday night.

The next All Pampering Ladies escape is on Friday 13th Feb, and then there's an All Albout Me Expo on 22nd Feb. See the All Pampering events calendar for more details.

Perfect Potion's delicious essential oils

I found the most delicious shop in Brisbane's CBD this week - Perfect Potion.

The shop smells divine - it was the wonderful aromas that lured me in. Perfect Potion sells a huge range of organic, (animal) cruelty-free essential oils, massage oils, oil burners, body and skin products, herbal teas, and also offers aromatherapy treatments in some of its shops.

They had a fairly large range of blended essential oils, but the set that really caught my attention was the box of 7 chakra blends.

According to Perfect Potion's website; The root chakra connects us with our physical body and surroundings and promotes feelings of stability and security. Balance Chakra Blend is a blend of black pepper, vetiver, sweet orange, patchouli, lavender and Atlas cedarwood pure essential oils.

The sacral chakra represents our creative energy and is associated with the functions of our reproductive organs and sexual energy. Allure Chakra Blend is a blend of jasmine absolute, mandarin, sandalwood, cardamom, ylang ylang and patchouli pure essential oils.

The solar plexus chakra relates to our connection with others. Harmony Chakra Blend is a blend of vetiver, juniper, lemon, frankincense Roman chamomile and star anise pure essential oils.

The heart chakra is concerned with forgiveness and compassion – unconditional love through which we accept another for doing their best. Compassion Chakra Blend is a blend of rose absolute, ylang ylang, lavender, may chang, neroli, and bergamot pure essential oils.

The throat chakra is associated with communication and self expression. Expressive Chakra Blend is a blend of German chamomile, sandalwood, basil, and sweet orange pure essential oils.

Divine within and without, the third eye chakra enables us to follow our intuition as we open up to new ideas and our imagination. Insight Chakra Blend is a blend of clary sage, myrtle, lavender, rosemary and bergamot pure essential oils.

The crown chakra represents enlightenment and self-realisation. Cosmic Chakra Blend is a blend of lavender, frankincense, East Indian sandalwood and cold pressed lime pure essential oils.

This box set would make a gorgeous gift for anyone who loves essential oils or is interested in chakras. It comes with a thorough little booklet that explains the chakras and how to use the oils to assist in re-balancing them. I've been burning the Base chakra blend since I arrived home, and it's lovely spicy aromas are filling my apartment.

Perfect Potion has shops in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne - definitely worth checking out if you're still looking for Christmas gifts, or if you simply want to lose yourself in the wonderful world of essential oils and all things aromatic.

Making time for YOU know who

I'm having the most relaxed weekend I've had in months - no commitments, no deadlines, no need to be anywhere or do anything. What luxury!

Ironically, one of the things I chose to do this weekend was to finish unpacking the last of my boxes (I've recently renovated my flat and still seem to be sorting things out!). I just really wanted to get rid of the pile of clutter that I walked past every time I went up my hallway.

And in one of the boxes was a stack of magazines I'd not yet read, together with the latest copy of WellBeing Magazine, which I had subscribed to a couple of months. "I'll get to that soon", I remember thinking at the time.

One of the first articles that caught my attention was called Acts of Love by Lara Phegan. It lists 10 relatively quick and easy ways that you can love yourself each day. How often do we think about giving ourselves the time to do this, when the pressures of every day life pull us in a mullion different directions?

First on her list, was move your body - and was about how beneficial it is for your mind, body and spirit when you physically move. Even a 15-minute walk can diffuse tension or help you to see things in a different way.

One of the other suggestions was to lighten up and laugh - how good does it feel to have a good laugh? Whether you watch a funny movie or hang out with great friends, there's nothing like a good chuckle. Earlier this morning, I decided I wanted to test my new oven, and had bought a muffin mix (I know, that's cheating). I thought I had a muffin tray, but it turns out I didn't -it must have got lost somewhere in the move. I was still really keen to make the muffins, and dumped the mixture into a rectangular tin that was probably more suitable for bread or a loaf cake of some sort. I could have chucked a huff about not having the right tin, but I figured it would all taste the same. Quite spontaneously, I started laughing - almost hysterically, because the thought of a large rectangular muffin tickled my fancy. Maybe you had to be there to appreciate the silliness of it, but it felt great to have a chuckle.

I also liked the tip about enhancing your environment. We spend a lot of time in our homes and offices, and feeling good in the places you spend a lot of time, suggests Lara's article, is a great way to love yourself.

Whether you enhance your space with photos of loved ones, plants or fresh flowers, or scented candles, the simple ritual of doing it can really improve your mood. I diffuse delicious essential oils from Young Living throughout my home virtually every day. Blends called Peace and Calming, Joy and Purification really make the place smell great. In fact my neighbour has commented a couple of times about the lovely aromas that waft from my place past her window!

One of the key tips was to spend time with yourself. This doesn't mean just being by yourself. I live by myself, but I don't necessarily spend a lot of time quietening my mind and truly being alone with myself. The article suggests activities like meditation, breathing or relaxagtion exercises, being present when you go for a walk, drive home from work or make dinner. The key, Lara suggests, is to slow down, pay attention and listen to the truth inside you.

All sage advice I reckon. I'm going to put a reminder of Lara's suggestions on my fridge, because I know this lovely relaxing weekend will soon end, and the madness of everyday life resume.

Check out extracts from the latest edition of WellBeing Magazine at http://www.wellbeing.com.au/.

Choosing massage supplies - where do you start!

Massage therapists have a reasonably limited number of "tools of the trade" - you'd think a comfy massage table, oil and towels would pretty much be it.

Not so! I've tended to choose my oils based on word of mouth recommendations - certainly, when I was training we quizzed the teachers about which oils they used and recommended, and it's always useful to ask what other therapists use. In the UK, I used carriers oils from Absolute Aromas, but there are a huge array of balms, lotions and carrier oils, and an even larger range of essential oils - the delicious smelling oils used in aromatherapy- to choose from.

The texture and smell of the oil, lotion or balm can have a dramatic impact on the quality of the massage. If it's too greasy, the therapist will have difficulty keeping contact with the client's body, and if it's too dry, it's difficult to get "glide" - so the massage will feel jerky.

In reflexology class this week, our teacher has been discussing the Young Living range of oils, and has brought in various samples for us to smell and use. We don't use any oil in reflexology, but therapists will often use essential oils in diffusers or oil burner while they're doing a treatment. Similarly, reflexology can be done as part of a massage, so the issue of oils typically comes up in any gathering of massage therapists.

The people at Young Living do a great job of marketing - I love the names of their oil blends. Of course they have blends with names that you'd expect, such as Joy and Peace and Calming, but something like Highest Potential makes me want to go out and try it straight away.

According to Young Living's website:

"Highest Potential™ is an exotic blend of therapeutic-grade essential oils designed to increase your capacity to achieve your highest potential. It combines the uplifting and inspirational qualities of Australian Blue™, with the power of Gathering™, to hlp bring greater unity of purpose. Jasmine is added to enhance self-confidence, while ylang ylang calms, soothes and helps release feelings that might otherwise get in the way."

It's like a super blend of oils, which includes: Australian Blue, [a blend of blue cypress (Callitrus intratropica), ylang ylang (Cananga odorata), cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica), blue tansy (Tanacetum annuum), and white fir (Abies concolor)], Gathering essential oil blend [galbanum (Ferula gummosa), frankincense (Boswellia carteri), sandalwood (Santalum album), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), rose (Rosa damascena), spruce (Picea mariana), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata)], jasmine (jasminum officinale) and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata). Wow - how's that for a list of ingredients!

Apparently, Young Living's oils are therapeutic grade, and the company claims it is the largest supplier of essential oils in the world. My first impression of the company this week is that their oils smell and feel great. I've ordered a seven-oil starter pack to check them out, and can't wait to work with them, or simply use them around home.

One of my massage study buddies in the UK also put me on to Tui - Balmes and Waxes. I'd never used waxes in my massages, but I was keen to learn more about them. Tui points out that waxes have an inherent benefit over oils in that oils are easily spilled, and can become so concentrated on bed linen that it proves impossible to wash out. Yuuuuuk!

Tui's products are a blend of natural, organic beeswax and high quality vegetable oils. I like the fact that there are no artificial preservatives, emulsifiers, colouring agents, stabilisers or chemical additives are used in their products. I also ordered a couple of their blended waxes and one balm to try out in the coming weeks.

I think it's important for therapists to choose their oils carefully and to be able to offer different products for different situations - some people prefer that oil is not used, particularly if there are no shower facilities in the massage room or clinic, and they have to go back to work or out to an appointment after their treatment.

I also think trade shows are a great way to check out new products, particularly if you're new to the industry.

I'd love to hear other people's views on oils and suppliers in Australia or the UK - feel free to post your thoughts on the blog.