Meet the Maker: Indie Lee

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I recently had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Indie Lee, the founder of Indie Lee & Co. a clean and eco luxe line of skincare, formulated with efficacious ingredients that combine science + plant botanicals enhancing the health of your body or skin. We sat down and talked about clean beauty, wellness and her launch in Sephora Australia.

Indie’s story is unique and a heart warming. She started the line over ten years ago when she was diagnosed with a fatal brain tumour that doctors felt could be environmentally derived and attributed to something as simple as what she was putting on her skin. After learning that up to 60% of what we apply to our skin, including toxic ingredients in conventional skincare, may be absorbed in as little as 26 seconds, Indie had her awakening. After surviving a successful surgery on Earth Day 2009, she embarked upon a wellness journey to create a clean beauty collection dedicated to inspiring and empowering others to be mindful about what they put on their skin as well as into their body.

“When I was given a finite amount of time to live, the world became technicolor – I now appreciate every moment and I feel very fortunate to be creating a platform that will allow others to do the same. Education and empowerment are my driving forces and this line is the medium enabling me to pay my knowledge forward.” – Indie

The clean and luxurious collection of skin and beauty products will be launching in Sephora, Australian on March 20th, 2019. Indie is a kind, genuine and positive person who started her line purely out of her passion to live and literally to beat the odds of a life threatening disease. It was fascinating and inspiring to meet Indie and to learn more about her story and products. Enjoy the interview below.

How does a typical day start for you?

Every morning starts the same for me. I begin the day by mediating and taking that time for myself to get centred, I then pick up my phone to text my business partner and best friend GMS, which stands for ‘Good Morning Sunshine’. I then go look after my daughters, puppies and make myself a smoothie.

What is your morning beauty routine like?

My morning beauty routine is quite simple, as I don’t always cleanse in the morning. I do my thorough cleanse in the evening, but if I wake up and feel like my skin needs a good cleanse then I use the Indie Lee Purifying Face Wash. I typically start my morning routine with the COQ-10 Toner (this is my a.m. cleanser), it really helps to fight free radical damage and is a preventive to environmental pollution and living in an urban setting. I then follow this by using the Stem Cell Serum, because I’m 47! I follow this with the Daily Vitamin Infusion, (which has plant ceramides in it) followed by the Daily Skin Nutrition and the I-Waken Eye Cream and I’m good to GO!

What was the first skincare product you developed?

The first product I developed is not in the line anymore, but it was a moisturising oil. It had jojoba, apricot kernel, lavender and chamomile oils, a really lovely and gentle all over body oil. The other product developed first was the Coconut Citrus Scrub, it exfoliates whilst hydrating the skin so after you’ve used it you don’t need to follow with a body lotion or moisturiser. I developed this body scrub as I suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis and one of the side effects from the therapy was very dry skin – this scrub helped keep my skin super soft and hydrated!

What are your hero products from your line?

I would have to say the hero products from the line are the COQ-10 Toner, The Awaken Eye Serum, the Purifying Face Wash (this is very popular for oilier skin types) and the Radiance Renewal Pads.

What’s on your bedside stand?

It’s my phone, a noise cancelling machine (so I can really go to sleep), books as I am forever reading. I love reading and the current book I’m reading is: While You Sleep, it’s  about Auto Immune Diseases and I just finished reading Crazy Rich Girlfriends, it’s a great light hearted book that’s absolutely hilarious.

What are your tips to keeping skin healthy?

I believe that what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in your body. It’s wonderful if you’re going to use clean skincare but you have to match that with healthy eating. Don’t over-cleanse – work with your skin type and use a cleanser that won’t strip your skins natural oils. I don’t think we are getting enough hydration and we need to think about what we are drinking to make sure we are staying hydrated. My most important tip is BE KIND to yourself – we are living in a Instagram-selfie generated world and we are really hard on ourselves! We need to start loving ourselves more and believing in ourselves! Have more confidence in yourself, self confidence is one of the best beauty tips I could ever give someone – LOVE yourself!

Summer Blue

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I’ve been loving this chic little dress for the warmer months. The blue tones are perfect for summer!

This is a fun, feminine dress with gorgeous detailing and frills on the sleeves. It’s a great transitional piece for your wardrobe, and I love how you can easily dress it up or down with some heels or sneakers. A versatile dress thats is also perfect for in between seasons – a great style for spring as well.

Dress

 

Boho Summer

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I love this Boho inspired dress for summer, it’s such a comfortable yet chic look! This white flowy dress is perfect for those hot summer days as the fabric doesn’t stick to your body. You can’t go wrong with an off the shoulder style and those gorgeous big balloon sleeves. I incorporate this dress into my summer looks very summer – this style is everlasting and a great wardrobe staple for the warmer months.

 

Five Beauty Products You Need To Try In 2019

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Hello 2019 – wow that came around so quick! A new year means sharing some new beauty products and skincare that I have discovered in the last year. In 2018 a few of my favourite brands launched innovative and noteworthy beauty products that are definitely worth knowing about. These new product launches range from skincare to makeup – with unique formulations and intelligent ingredients that really impressed me and my skin!

After trying and loving these new launches, I have 5 new products that are a MUST to try in 2019!

Sleeping Masks have got to be my favourite new discovery in 2018. You sleep – they work it is that simple. Last year Trilogy Skincare launched their Age-Proof Overnight Mask. This overnight (sleeping mask) is like no other, formulated with Glycablend, L22, Vitamin C as well as other brightening and nourishing botanical ingredients, it helps to mimic the skin lipids of a 22 year old – yes you read right a 22 year old! The results I experienced from this mask were absolutely IMPRESSIVE! I woke up to a dewy and luminous complexion the next day, this is such a great hydrating mask and glow getter. The Glycablend and L22 are the start ingredients in this mask that help deliver those luminous and youthful skin results – I can honestly say that this is a miracle in a jar!

If you love face mists you are going to love the new botanical face mist from Max and Me. It’s called The Intuitive – because this delicate floral mist is perceptive, holistic and like many of the Max and Me products it provides a feeling and sensation of higher vibrations. Formulated with a beautiful combination of healing Palo Santo (that is ethically sourced) and calming floral waters, this mist helps soothe and rejuvenate your skin, surroundings and sacred space. The soft woody aroma creates a purifying and relaxing feel. I love spraying it before I sleep to create a peaceful and cleansed space. The carefully selected essential oils and botanical ingredients help treat and soften your complexion. This unique mist provides me with a healing experience, with each spray I feel like I am purifying my skin and personal space. A beautiful new addition to the Max and me line.

Breast health is a subject familiar to most people but an area of the body that is often quite neglected. This topic is near and dear to my heart as I experienced my mother undergo breast cancer and saw first hand how devastating the effects are. There has been a gap in the wellness and beauty sector in relation to products that are beneficial for breast health. Last year 5Yina created and launched GUIYING: a décolletage treatment balm designed to help heal and nourish the delicate area around the breasts, chest and neck. The formulation is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine that is efficacious, anti-inflammatory, help to dissipate lumps and harmonise the Qi in the chest area. This pink silky smooth balm aids lymphatic circulation, provides nourishment as well as revitalising the delicate skin around the chest, neck, underarms and breasts –  very beneficial and important step in breast health. I love this balm, it glides on the skin like a dream and has such an appeasing aroma – I know with every use I am helping to regenerate this tender area of the body.

One of my favourite standout launches from last year is the Infusion – a Micro Liquid Serum from African Botanics. It has a light liquid consistency and is a floral concentrate of active medicinal botanicals, phytonutrients and antioxidants specially formulated to help protect skin from High Energy Visible Light (think computers & phones) as well as oxidative stress and pollution. We spend so much time looking at the screens of our phones and computers that only now information has come out revealing the degeneration and negative effects of this on our skin. HEVL (High Energy Visible Light) has been compared to the damaging effects of UV rays from sunlight. Which is why I love, love, love this product- as it aims to protect skin from this adverse light! The Infusion is an innovative and highly effective (liquid) serum that is a must for your skincare routine, it performs exceptionally on all skin types and you will notice the hydrating, repairing and plumping benefits from this serum after a few uses. I personally think that this product is a vital and imperative step in maintaining the health of your skin especially in this day and age.

If you’re a lipstick lover like me then you are going to love the Olive Oil Lipsticks from Ere Perez. These gorgeous lipsticks are formulated with Olive oil and have a subtle matte finish on the lips. The Olive Oil helps to provide your lips with a hydrating feel and has a lovely smooth feel to it. They are the perfect matte lipstick that don’t dry your lips or create a cracked look. With a variety of colourful and bright shades there are so many gorgeous colours to choose from – I’m obsessed with the coral red and orange tones and I’m a big fan of these beautiful natural lipsticks. Ere Perez has such a great range of  natural, vegan, cruelty free makeup that is actually beneficial for your skin. Makeup that acts like skincare, a gorgeous Australian brand.

 

 

 

 

 

Bondi Chic – Clean Beauty Skincare

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A few months ago Bondi Chic launched their new line of clean, biocompatible and natural skincare. This innovative Australian brand has created a range of beauty products that are based on science, natural ingredients, technology and delivering results without comprising your health. Bondi Chic harnesses the goodness of local Australian spring water, native botanicals and plant extracts that have many beneficial vitamins and nutrients that help to strengthen, nourish and repair the skin.

I love a new skincare launch and was super excited to try the products. I’ve had the chance to test and use the products for a sufficient period of time and have fallen in love with the Zinc Ionised Blue Mountains Natural Spring Water Toner as well as the Four Seasons Envi Hydrating Moisturiser-Night. Both these products are formulated with natural Spring water from the Blue Mountains in Sydney – the water has an abundance of vital minerals that are highly beneficial for healthy and soothed looking skin.

The Bondi Chic Zinc Ionised Toner – is an absolute skin beauty regimen must have! It’s a multitasking product that does so much for your complexion as well as the health of your skin. This mineral rich toner is not your average “toner” it’s a moisturising mist and toner in one; that helps to provide hydration without disrupting the natural pH of your skin. The Zinc, Aloe Leaf, Sugar free Lemon Enzyme and Witch hazel have profound benefits and effects on the skin. This careful formulation of antioxidants, astringents and minerals help to promote the healing and rejuvenation of skin as well as providing protection from environmental and urban city damage. I love spraying this on my face and neck as my am routine it’s the perfect step to help renew and protect my skin whilst also providing a brightening effect.

If you love gel (creams) or sleeping masks you are definitely going to love the Four Seasons Envi Hydrating Moisturiser – this is the perfect product for your pm skin routine. This Hydrating Moisturiser has really impressed me – because it’s quite difficult to find hydrating gel products that are formulated with clean, botanical ingredients that work for my (oily/combo) skin type. It doesn’t clog my pores or leave an excess of product behind – it’s actually well suited for all skin types especially those prone to congestion and breakouts. The Envi Hydrating Moisturiser has the perfect lightweight gel consistency that glides onto your skin like a dream, providing an instant tightening and hydrating effect. Your skin instantly looks brighter and even more luminous upon rising the next day. I love how the product works its magic whilst you sleep and with continued use you can really start to see the remarkable results for yourself. Formulated with potent botanicals, native extracts and vitamins like: Vitamin C, Noni, Trehalose, Manuka Honey, Finger Lime as well as Spring water from the Blue Mountains. These healing and natural ingredients assist the skin whilst delivering minerals and antioxidants; that are imperative to the regeneration of skin.

If you’re after products that deliver results and are conscious of the ingredients that they are formulated with – I highly recommend trying Bondi Chic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Denim

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What better way to kick off the New Year – than with a brand new fashion post for 2019! HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

It’s summer here in Sydney but that doesn’t mean you have to limit your wardrobe to dresses and skirts, you can definitely wear jeans too! There are always those in between (cooler) days when it’s not super humid, scorching hot and the weather is the perfect temp to rock a summer denim look.

I personally love wearing jeans all year round even in summer. How cute is it to wear jeans with summery style tops (my fav look)?! I love this casual, fun and feminine look for the warmer months – a dressy cami top paired with denim jeans. This style is a great day to night look and you can add different accessories to dress it up or down.

 

Top + Jeans

Summer Beauty Favourites

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It’s officially summer here in Australia and what better way to kick off my favourite season with some Summer Beauty Favourites! With the extreme heat and humidity we face here, we definitely need beauty products and skincare that are going be “melt proof” as well as provide us with soothing and beneficial hydration during the warmer months.

Lets start with haircare: summer sun can definitely damage your locks, cause frizz and dry out hair cuticles. The Evolv h Smart Color Shampoo and Conditioner are the perfect duo to help look after your hair all summer long. Both products contain rich nourishing and organic ingredients that provide the right amount of hydration to your hair without weighing it down. As the name suggests it is designed for colour treated hair, however it works effectively on non colour treated hair as well.  The Kuki Seed oil, Cupacu Seed Butter, Kiwi Seed Oil and Almond Oil are just a few of the key ingredients that help nourish hair. This new eco-lux line form Evolv h is absolutely BRILLIANT – clean and efficacious haircare that works well on all hair types.

Body Care: we all want to be bikini ready for summer and fit into our swimsuits overnight. Biotyspa have the perfect summer protocol for you! By no means is this a quick fix or going to make you slim overnight – it’s a structured slimming system to help fight cellulite, drain and smooth skin around common problem areas. The Slimming Oil is my favourite – the rich coffee and coconut aroma is so invigorating on the skin and it helps to detox and improve skin tone (yes to smoother thighs). It works best with the Slimming Cup – a great tool and a must-have for getting your body ready for summer! It breaks fat cells and cellulite through the massaging movements. It imitates lymphatic drainage and the famous French “palpate roll” massage, boosting circulation, removing toxins and reducing water retention. Get yourself the Slimming Starter pack and get your body summer ready!

Lets talk Summer skincare and hydration: two important topics that are often neglected during the warmer months. Our skin loses quite a lot of moisture during summer and it’s important to protect it. 5Yina is a line of skincare that is based on Traditional Chinese medicine. Their approach to skin and beauty is intelligent: the products are designed to address skins needs depending on the seasons. As seasons change so do the requirements of our skin. The 5Yina beauty products utilise the efficacy of adaptogenic plants and botanicals to enhance your skin’s resilience to seasonal change. The Lucent Beauty (Summer Beauty Oil and Summer Hydrolat) range is specifically designed for Summer and have become my favourite duo this season. It is lightweight, rebalancing and brimming with pure and potent plant goodness. Further it provides hydration with soothing and calming properties, as well as antioxidants, vitamins and an abundance of micronutrients. If you’re looking for a face oil that’s not too heavy and extremely effective for summer, you need to try The Lucent Beauty Oil (I’m officially obsessed with this)!

One of the best ways to get that GLOW for summer is through inner beauty products. The Beauty Chef has a line of inner beauty powders and beauty boosters that are designed to help you achieve that glow from the inside out! Founder Carla Oates believes that beauty begins in the belly – healthy gut equals healthy skin. The Glow Inner Beauty Powder is an effective product that I have incorporated in my beauty regimen for many years. This powder is a pheneonmel product that does so much for your body – it aids and supports gut health, boosts skin health, promotes the synthesis of collagen and is absolutely delicious as well! When taken regular you can see the benefits and yes, you will literally glow! With certified organic, bio fermented superfoods, pre and probiotics it is bursting with nutritious superfoods that help to benefit your wellbeing, skin, hair and nails. This product helps give you a luminous glow that no skincare or makeup can – it should be part of everyones beauty and wellbeing routine.

Last but not least lets talk about plump, youthful and strong skin all summer long. One of the best ways to achieve these results is through collagen derived skincare. Collagen is an essential protein that provides structure to the connective tissue in our skin. It also aids the skins ability to glow, appear more youthful and hydrated. Earlier this year Vida Glow launched a line of skincare that incorporated collagen and red algae. The beauty products will help you achieve dewy, plump and healthy skin as well as provide skin with rich hydration all summer long. One of my favourites is the Active Vitamin C Serum with the added benefits of collagen and red algae this product is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that help protect skin cells as well as treating ultraviolet heat damage (sunburn and pigmentation). Think of this product as preventative – whilst it’s hydrating your skin and providing an abundance of vitamins, it’s also protecting you from the harmful effects of the sun and the damage we may not see. What better way to prepare for your skin for summer than by helping boost your own skins collagen.

Happy Summer everyone! xxx

 

Summer Skin Hydration

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With the transition of spring to summer it’s a great time to incorporate hydrating products that aren’t too heavy or rich on your skin. It’s the perfect season to change up your daily skincare and start adding new products into your regimen that are going to provide hydration for the warmer months ahead.

With the constant heat and humidity of the warmer months the skin on our face and neck tends to be neglected and often dehydrated. Our skin still needs hydration during this season and we can definitely swap the heavier creams to more lightweight gels and skin balancing moisturisers.

I have incorporated two new products for my summer skin hydration. The Goldfaden MD – Detox Hydrating Gel and the Kat Burki – Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream. Both products are phenomenal in their own way and each serves its role in providing skin with moisture, hydration as well as an abundance of antioxidants and vitamins.

If you’re skin tends to get oily or congested in summer you definelty need to try the Goldfaden MD – Detox Hydrating Gel. I’m obsessed with this product, it’s light, fresh and as the name suggests provides skin with detoxing effects. Making it a great product for problematic skin, dullness as well as brightening the complexion. The gel is formulated with a detoxing herbal blend of  White Horehound, Acai Palm Extract, Date Palm, Gotu Kola, Mallow Extract and Salicylic Acid that help to gently exfoliate, soothe, heal and repair your skin as well as preventing (future) breakouts. When using this lightweight gel your skin will feel balanced and hydrated without any heaviness or oil residue (perfect for summer). I also noticed after a few days that most of my congestion had started to clear up. It also works well under makeup and sunscreen and a little goes a long way. It’s a great product that can be can be used all over the face or as serum/treatment on the more problematic areas of your skin. Say goodbye to excess oil, congestion and breakouts – a fantastic hydrating gel that helps  helps to revive and rejuvenate the skin.

The Kat Burki – Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream is another product I’m absolutely obsessed with. This moisturiser is quite special and is such an amazing product! It’s brimming with pure plant botanical goodness – a great lightweight moisturiser that does so much more than simply hydrate the skin. One of the main ingredients is Arnica a skin calmer, soother and has the ability to reduce swelling, bruising and inflammation (perfect for the summer swelling). Alongside Arnica this cream contains Vitamin C, (15% of the formula and activated until your skin absorbs it) MSM, Reishi, Dandelion, Colloidal Silver, Calendula, Green Tea as well as other skin boosting ingredients that help regenerate, hydrate, provide antioxidants, vitamins, tone and firm your skin.  Think of this face cream as cocktail of essential herbs and vitamins that gently moisturises your skin without clogging pores or leaving a heavy feel or reside behind – the perfect lightweight formula for summer. I love how the cream makes my skin look and feel, the results speak for themselves. Kat Burki’s formulations are truly magnificent and I’m in awe of how these nutrient dense botanicals help to transform your skin. I personally love this as a day cream for summer and night cream for the cooler months.

Both products work well on all skin types and are available from Mecca Cosmetica.

 

 

Argan by MŪN

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A few years ago there was a lot of hype and craze around Argan Oil. This plant based oil also became a big trend in beauty and cosmetic products. There were many Argan oils on the market, from hair products, creams and anything that could be marketed containing this exotic ingredient. Don’t get me wrong I’m not against Argan or products that contain it, however I started to question this trend and became concerned with the quality and integrity of some of these products. When something is so hyped and becomes the “latest craze” it does make me wonder as a consumer if I am getting a high quality and most importantly pure product.

Not all Argan Oils are created equal – there are many oils and Argan based products on the market that barely contain the pure goodness of this ancient ingredient. After trying many different brands of oils, I actually couldn’t see or feel the benefits of this oil on my skin. Some of the oils I tried were not absorbed into the skin with ease or were mixed with other ingredients and felt quite refined in the texture when applied to my face or body. After some trial and error I discovered that most Argan Oils on the market are in fact refined, deodorised or diluted.

Earlier this year I was introduced to Mūn’s Pure Argan Oil and from the first use I noticed the benefits of this oil. Argan Oil is high in oleic and linoleic fatty acids (Omega 6 and Omega 9), making it beneficial for congested, acne prone, dry and sensitive skin types. It will hydrate skin without causing congestion and due to the high linoleic acid it allows inflammation in skin to be drastically reduced. A multitasking oil, that’s addresses many skin concerns, hair, nails and a great all over moisturiser.

Mūn’s Argan Oil, is of impeccable quality and standard. From the first use I noticed how the oil gave my skin a glow and was absorbed with ease. It felt so moisturising as well and didn’t leave a heavy residue behind. In fact my (oily) skin felt so hydrated and craved the nourishment, vitamins and antioxidants it was providing my skin with. A few drops of the oil in my a.m routine and my complexion looks so clear, in fact most days I skip waring makeup because of the bright and radiant texture it provides. This has to be one of the most pure Argans I have come across and works remarkably well mixed with  your favourite moisturiser and makeup. I can’t recommend this Argan Oil enough, try it for yourself and watch your complexion look luminous and perfectly dewy. I am yet to come across a single ingredient oil or another Argan that gave my skin instant results the way Mūn does.

* USE CODE THESPOTBEAUTY FOR A DISCOUNT ON THE MŪN WEBSITE.

ISUN BALANCING ROUTINE

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ISUN Skincare need no introduction, this artisanal, wildcrafted and organic line have definitely made an impact on my skin in a positive manner. I have been lucky enough to incorporate more of the products in my routines and have thoroughly enjoyed the results as well.

The brands ethos is all about pure and pristine ingredients which have a direct correlation when using the products and getting the results you’re after for healthy skin. There are many organic or “natural” products on the market but there is definitely something unique and special about ISUN.

This three step trio has been conscientiously tested for over a period of time to see how it  would work with my skin as well as other products in my am and pm routines. What I love about the products is that they work well layered with each other or when used alone. They perform effectively as a trio and can also be used with other skincare or makeup.

First Step – Cleanse with the Lavender Sage Facial Cleansing Gele. The combination of aloe vera, green tea, sage, goji berry, lavender and other purifying herbs allows oily/combination skin to be thoroughly cleansed without being stripped of your skins natural oils. A great gentle yet soothing cleanser that works well in the am or pm to help calm inflamed, congested and acne prone skin types.

Second Step – Moisturise and treat with the Sunstone Facial Oil. This face oil is the perfect synergy of herbs and botanical ingredients that help hydrate and balance oily skin. It contains the queen of herbs – Holy Basil also know as Tulsi, Hibiscus, Sandalwood, Echinacea, Barberry and Milk Thistle as well as other purifying plant based botanicals to aid and assist your skins ability to purify and repair itself. In my opinion this is one of the best facial oils made specifically for oily/combination skin types that addresses the main concern. The ingredients chosen are highly beneficial for the (oily/combo) skin to help revitalise, repair and restore your complexion. It also makes for the perfect dewy glow when mixed with a little foundation or tinted moisturiser.

Third step – Treat eyes with the Revive Eye Gel. It’s definitely not easy finding an eye treatment or cream that works or delivers the results you’re after. The eye area is a very delicate and sensitive part of the face and requires gentle and effective care. The first time I applied the revive Eye Gel, I noticed a reduction in the puffiness around my eyes. Which is why I love using this in my morning routine. I find it particularly helpful to ease swelling and soothe the eye area leaving a light, refreshing texture on the skin. It contains an abundance of vital ingredients and herbs like caffeine, cucumber, hyaluronic acid that help to minimise dark circles, puffiness and hydrate the eye area.

ISUN products are truly eco and organic. The skincare is made with care, active ingredients, healing herbs and integrity. It’s more than just a routine, it’s a daily reminder to care of your health, yourself and your skin.