Beauty & Wellbeing Routine: Candice Aiken, Holistic Health & Lifestyle Coach and Local Blogger @ Co-Inside!

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♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

Hiya Wellness WA-ians. My name is Candice and I am a writer, speaker, holistic health & lifestyle coach, co-owner of an organic food co-op and spirit junkie.

Having spent many years of my life battling with weight gain, in and out of doctors with every illness under the sun, I was always searching for the ‘meaning’ of my life. It was when my husband and soul mate of 9 years was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2010 that I was really given the slap across the face I needed to change my life for the better. We took our health into our own hands and used natural treatments (such as meditation, yoga, journaling, juices, smoothies & learning to love ourselves) and I was able to rid myself of the mental and physical weight I’d been carrying around for so long.

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With the burning desire to share our learning’s with the world, we created a website, Co-Inside Wellbeing, which is updated regularly with oh-so amazing health tips, as well as words of inspiration and kick-ass ‘mostly raw’ food recipes to inspire people to choose health and love life, just as I have done. FINALLY I have found my passion and the meaning of my life… to help as many people that I possibly can to feel amazing through my website, e-books, health coaching and lectures.

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♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

Since embracing organic and natural products, my beauty routine has become quite simple.

• I start the day with a huge glass of water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. I say an affirmation to myself into the mirror which is usually… ‘I love and approve of myself’ (very powerful words!).
• I am slightly obsessed with Aromabals’ white clay wash rocks in banana/coconut right now so that’s my face wash/body wash and perfume as the scent lasts all day.
• I wash my hair every couple of days with Vanessa Megan. I have tried a ton of ‘natural’ shampoos and conditions and have found this is the only one that leaves my hair feeling silky and smooth (and without the added nasties).

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• I like to mix it up with my cosmetics and I am always trying new and exciting mineral make up, so I alternate brands often. At the moment I use bare minerals mascara, Inika blush and Nude foundation powder.

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• Once a week I indulge in a face mask. If I don’t make one myself then I slather on my favourite Halka B Cacao and Argan Mask – it’s divine!
• Every night before I go to bed I wash my face with water and wipe off excess make-up with Wot-Not Facial Wipes.
• 8 hours sleep is a MUST – this is the most important part of my beauty routine.

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♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

Colonic hydrotherapy! I believe the colon is the absolute cornerstone of health and wellbeing. A clean colon means proper elimination of toxins (which means amazing skin) as well as the ability to absorb important nutrients, and of course weight loss. I see Sue Munro at the Rejuvenation Centre in West Leederville once or twice a year and have done so for 7 years. The woman is a miracle worker.

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

Kelly Scafidi, without a doubt. This hair goddess of mine works out of her home in Highgate and brings my hair back to life every time I see her. I met Kelly around 3 years ago when she was at Lee Preston, after saving me from a tear-inducing ‘hair style’ from another salon. Though I no longer dye my hair, I will still travel all the way to see Kelly for one of her perfect cuts and a refreshing chat about life.

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♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

I make a lot of my own skincare products at home such as masks, face oils and toners. Nature has provided many ‘products’ for us to use straight out of the ground that need little or no intervention – thankfully I grow some of these in my garden.

One of my favourite budget treatments came about when I was making a raw dessert and suddenly had the urge to smother raw honey all over my face. I listened to my intuition and 10 minutes later had skin softer than a baby’s bottom!

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♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

1. Coconut Oil – makes a fabulous moisturizer, hair treatment and an amazing addition to raw desserts and green smoothies. I even use it on my pups when they cut or graze themselves. You can use it for absolutely everything, and I mean EVERYTHING!
2. Apple Cider Vinegar – Again, it’s a product with a gazillion purposes. Fabulous for weight loss, indigestion and great in a homemade face toner. And it’s super cheap too!
3. Wotnot facial wipes – these are the only 100% natural facewipes with certified organic ingredients I’ve found and they’re amazing. Perth recently had a shortage so I was forced to use another brand for a few months. As soon as the supplier had them back in stock I bought 10! haha

♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

I have five super simple rules that I live by:

1. KISS – Keep it simple sister! I apply this motto to my life in general (less stuff + less commitments = less stress). And when it comes to beauty, I’ve never felt more amazing than when I am just wearing a smile and nothing else.

2. Drink up – Water is incredible for eliminating toxins, is seriously energizing and can prevent fatigue, also when consumed first thing in the morning… gets the ol’ bowels moving. Seriously amazing stuff!

3. Laugh at everything, including yourself – ‘They’ say laughter is the best medicine and I would have to agree on this one. If I am feeling a bit off at any point, I find that laughing at myself or the situation always brings me right out of the dumps and into a much nicer place.

4. Eat organic or grow your own – I’ve been organic for quite a few years now and I feel great knowing that I am avoiding ingesting toxic pesticides and doing my bit for the planet. I also have my own vegie patch where I grow organic herbs & vegies. I find it very healing and ultra-satisfying being able to pick my produce straight out of the ground.

5. Do what you love and love what you do – find your passion and you will never work a day in your life, plus you will be the happiest version of yourself and this in itself is anti-ageing!

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♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?

I have SOOO many wellbeing activities and events on my vision board, here are the top five coming up I’ve unleashed my manifesting monster on…

1. Tony Robbins’ Unleash the Power Within in Sydney
2. Marie Forleo’s Rich, Happy and Hot Live in New York
3. In The Wake of Our Spiritual Ancestors – Cruising the Mediterranean with Dr Wayne Dyer
4. David Wolfe’s New Year’s Celebration Retreat in Hawaii
5. Leonie Dawson’s Business Goddess Rainforest Retreat in far north QLD

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♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Oh yay, my favourite subject… food! 🙂 I actually eat A LOT. I’ve never really been a 3 square meals kind of gal and so I eat small meals frequently. Here’s what my day usually looks like:

First thing – A huge glass of filtered water with Apple Cider Vinegar (then a ton of water throughout the day)

Breakfast – A gigantic green smoothie filled with kale, celery, banana, vital greens, spirulina or chlorella & water, or if I am feeling adventurous then I will have a homemade buckwheat cereal with almond milk (here’s the recipe)

Lunch – Usually a gigantic green salad with avocado and a dressing of olive oil, wakame leaf, cayenne pepper, Celtic sea salt & nutritional yeast. Every now and then I will have millet, amaranth or quinoa pilaf.

Dinner – Either one of the following: tempeh burgers, kelp noodles (yummo!), raw pizza, organic sourdough toast with avo/tomato/coriander/hemp seeds & Halka B’s edible argan oil (my new fav) or a big salad similar to lunch. I have also been known to have raw dessert for dinner on various occasions (such as choc chia pudding or raw lemon cheesecake)… mostly when I remember I am an adult and I can eat what I want. Haha.

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Snacks – seasonal fruit, smoothies, my homemade raw power balls, activated nuts, carrot sticks or crackers with homemade hummus or ‘coconut mylk’ luvju chocolate by Loving Earth.

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♥ Describe your fitness routine.

• Yoga, meditation and journaling are all part of my daily fitness routine. I believe the mind, body AND soul need to be ‘exercised’.
• My two dogs play a huge part in my life and when they are not throwing themselves in front of cars, my hubby and I take them out for a run, which is a great excuse to get some fresh air.
• You will also find me bouncing away on my rebounder (thanks to advice from Louise Hay) – it’s fabulous for many things including a good laugh, especially when the dogs try and bounce with me, but in particular it’s amAAAzing for stimulating the lymphatic system

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♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

My life is considered an alternative therapy. Haha. I drink green smoothies daily, I juice, I have spirulina, chlorella and E3live on a daily basis, I use essential oils, I get massages, I meditate, I do coffee enemas (seriously!) and every few months I take part in a cleanse or a 3 day juice fast.

I follow a 100% organic, high raw, plant- based diet but I have tests to make sure I’m tracking well and alter my diet accordingly. In that respect, I do take a few supplements that I feel I need at the time. Right now I am taking krill oil, zeolite, mega hydrate & vitamin D3 drops (just until the sun comes back out for me to bask in).

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♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

One of my favourite ways to relax is with my puppalups. I find that just being in their presence de-stresses me like no other activity ever could. They are so problem-free, care-free, and full of a bucketload of unconditional love that you have no other option than to be the same around them. When they have had enough of my smothering, I also turn to anything I’m passionate about to relax such as yoga, reading books, listening to Brian Johnson’s philosopher’s notes (which I’m lovin’ right now!), writing or just being with Curtis and talking about our future and big dreams. ♥

Thanks Candice! Check out Co-Inside Wellbeing if you’re interested in finding out more, and leave a comment below if you have any questions!

What do you think of Candice’s routine?

Be well,

xoxo