As a self-confessed, organic-obsessed health nut (unsalted, of course), I was beyond excited to be invited to an intimate, informative lunch with Miranda Kerr’s mum, Therese, and chef to the stars, Kate McAloon.
The lunch was held at the beautiful Colour Lab in Prahran, Melbourne – a perfectly uplifting setting for a perfectly uplifting afternoon. This radiant café and store, located next to the Victoria Gardens on High St, exudes positivity and energy. From the interior design, to the nourishing food, this environment is sure to revitalise even the weariest of souls. Upon entering the space, one can sense that the staff genuinely want their customers to feel energised, nurtured, and…happy! They set about this, however, in a gentle, and non-obtrusive way (unlike some sales assistants who pounce on you as soon as you enter the door with a fake smile and forced pleasantries).
You’re probably willing me to get to the bit where I spill some Kerr family beauty and health secrets, but I feel it necessary to elaborate, just a bit more, on what The Colour Lab has to offer. Mrs. Kerr chose it, out of all of the venues in Melbourne, to host such a luncheon, after all.
“The core aesthetic and focus of the business is colour, energy and emotion, collectively creating a powerful and dynamic space,” says Roz Mackay, creator and owner of The Colour Lab. Mackay believes that “colour is energy,” and by simply inhabiting the café for a morning juice, coffee, or to pick up some healthy food supplies, customers are experiencing “colour therapy.”
The Colour Lab also makes up picnic hampers so that their food can be enjoyed next door in the gardens, offers personal training sessions in the gardens (followed by fresh juice, of course), hold ‘energy treatment’ sessions, and host guest therapists from lifestyle retreats such as Gwinganna, Camp Eden and Golden Door.
So, into The Colour Lab I walked, and was greeted by the beautiful Therese Kerr, who lovingly took my hand and proudly showed me a photo of baby Flynn on her iPhone, who was dressed in a not-so-scary Halloween costume.
I was then offered a glass of certified organic bubbly made by Frank Bonic’s ‘Organic One Wines’. It is the only wine that Miranda Kerr drinks, as it – in her words – has a “life-force energy second to none.” Yes, this wine is actually good for you! Bonic’s certified biodynamic vineyard, located in southern NSW, uses no artificial fertilisers, no hormones, no preservatives, and to top it off, the grapes are harvested by the moon. Over the course of the afternoon, I sampled the sparkling wine, chardonnay and Shiraz – all utterly divine.
Waiting at my place setting was a shot glass full of Tahitian Noni Juice – Miranda’s secret weapon since the age of twelve. I had a feeling it would be make an appearance during the lunch, and to be honest, I was dreading it. I had heard horrid things about the brown liquid – gag reflexes, references to damp socks, and suchlike. But, I actually (kind of) enjoyed it. Tahitian Noni Juice is said to boost immune function, lift energy and improve skin condition. More about this wonder-juice later, though.
Chef Kate, the co-host of the afternoon, along with the chefs of The Colour Lab, cooked up a certified organic storm. With each course, Therese and Chef Kate taught us more and more about nutrition and how to properly nurture our bodies. They placed particular emphasis on digestive health – saying that one cannot have good health without good digestive function. As such, we learnt about ferments and probiotics, and how to create a good tummy environment. We were even told how to make our own yoghurt.
All of the dishes that were served can be found on the Kora blog, as well as all of the nutritional information provided throughout the afternoon.
But here are some quick tips to get you started:
- Coconut oil is fabulous. It is the best oil to cook with, as it’s very heat stable. Coconut oil can also be put in the fridge and used as a spread instead of the dreaded margarine. Whilst we’re talking about oils, Therese and Chef Kate passionately advocate against canola oil. And whilst we’re talking about things that these wise ladies passionately advocate against, they said that “white sugar = white death”, table salt is bad bad bad, as is soymilk, because of its high estrogen levels. They suggest that good alternatives to white sugar are coconut sugar or honey, and good alternatives to table salt are Himalayan salt, sea salt or Herbamare.
- Therese stressed the importance of a healthy amount of exposure to the sun’s rays. She suggests that sun baking (naked) for thirty minutes per day is great for one’s health.
- Therese also suggested that if one has an oily or acne-prone skin type, tomatoes should be avoided.
Now, let’s move on to skin care, shall we?
Did you know that Kora is the only skincare that Miranda Kerr uses? She’s not just the face behind the brand, but the brains, heart and soul behind it, too. Miranda designed the range around what she wanted for her own skin, but couldn’t find on the market. All of the ingredients that she has selected are certified organic (in accordance with Eco-Cert’s and OFC’s certification guidelines) and “work synergistically in a layering effect to nourish, revitalise and replenish the skin.”
And this is where we return to Noni Juice. Kora skincare is the only skincare to contain this powerful ingredient. The products are also infused with other ingredients high in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, herbal extracts, essential oils and vitamins A, C and E. The best part of Kora, in my opinion, is that none of the products contain parabens, synthetic fragrance, silicones, and all of those other skin-haters that tend to sneak into most products on the skincare and makeup market today. Therese emphasised that 70-80% of what we put on our skin makes its way into our systems. In light of this, she believes that skincare should be treated as food for the skin – we must nourish our skin by putting the right stuff on it.
We were given samples of the Kora range to take home, and although I have only been using them for a few days now, my skin is thanking me – big time! It already feels softer, spots are fading, and it looks brighter. And let me just say: bye-bye foundation, hello certified organic tinted day cream with sunscreen. Best tinted moisturiser I’ve come across thus far.
I’m sure I could type for hours about my lunch with Mrs. Kerr and Chef Kate at the beautiful Colour Lab, but I think I’ll love you and leave you now. Again, additional information, tips and recipes can be found on the Kora blog.
We’re giving away a fabulous Kora pack to one lucky reader, including Daily Hand Cream, Essential Body Wash, Luxurious Rosehip Body Oil and Recovery Eye Gel Cream. To win this organic beauty package, simply email info@onyamagazine.com with the subject line ‘Kora for Me’ and include your name and postal address. The winner will be drawn randomly and selected at 5pm on Friday, November 11th, 2011.
