As we celebrate our 15th birthday, people often ask me the inspiration behind the creation of Waterlily. Like any idea that stands the test of time there is often a perfect storm of reasons. On reflection I believe my main motivation was the opportunity to consciously create a company culture that I was proud of.  One that was inclusive, nurturing and honouring.  One ...

Salute to Summer!  A seasonal approach to skincare is the foundation of the slow skincare movement.  Honouring your skin the way you would any other organ ensures optimum health by harnessing nutrients that align with seasonal demands to nourish, protect and defend from inflammation and ageing indications to age-proof skin for intense results. Summer months are ...

The word is out… There’s a new power couple in town! A stylish duo taking luxury eye treatments by storm.  That’s right, this month celebrates the launch of two brand new innovative eye products by SPACEUTICALS.  The latest in clinical research harnessing cutting edge cosmeceutical actives in nourishing botanical plant nutrients to reverse the signs of ...

Expert help to show you how the beauty professionals protect their skin from the climatic challenges of winter and promote an effortlessly dewy complexion all your round!  Let's get glowing... HACK #1 - Barrier Protection Omega rich oils reinforce the delicate acid mantle (that’s your skins pH.  Best slightly acidic around 5.5).  These oils protect the skin ...

Great summer skin demands hard working actives dispensed in clinical concentrations to target pigmentation, dehydration and congestion.  Photo damage from UVA + UVB along with oxidative stress from environmental pollutants speed up the ageing process.  So embrace summer with a blend of potent antioxidants and vitamins essential for cellular protection and repair.  The ...

Summer skin is luminous clear and refined.  The warmer months mean an increase in sebum. Skin is prone to the clashing conditions of both dehydration and excess oil which can lead to congestion and break outs.  Outdoor living is a chance to show off beautiful bare skin, so a healthy, clear glowing complexion is the perfect accessory for every event this holiday season.  ...

Skin works hard.  Putting aesthetics aside for a moment, our health relies on our skin to protect us from our environment, make Vitamin D, regulate body temperature, boost immune function.  It allows us to interact with our environment and senses the world around us.  We expose it to so much stress through lifestyle, sun damage, oxidation and lack of ...

“Small-batch production, with its overtones of freshness, potency and artisanal craftsmanship, has been big news in the food sector for the past five years. Now, the philosophy is being embraced by the beauty industry as the next stage in the evolution of natural and organic.”  THE FUTURE LABORATORY In an age where instant gratification, automation and ...

Embracing a seasonal approach to living is not only kind to the planet, it’s good for our health.  One of the many reasons I love travelling to Rome is that the Italians sure know how to eat.  I’m not talking about the culinary alchemy you see on Master Chef.  I mean the two resolute aspects of any Roman kitchen.  Eating local produce and eating it in season.  ...

This season welcomes the launch of a luxurious new body care collection formulated exclusively for Spa and Wellness. A wellness edit of deeply nourishing home care entwining exotic Lime Caviar with skin conditioning botanicals, pure essential oils, omega rich serums and anti-ageing vitamins.  The result is a body care solution to visibly replenish, revitalise, ...

Anyone who follows me personally on Instagram (@michelle.reeve) may have watched my Christmas holiday DIY attempt at “Renovation Rescue”.  It's been over ten years since we moved into Waterlily Headquarters, our Brisbane office and manufacturing laboratory, and it was clearly more than time to make-over some of the key spaces that the frenetic pace of the last decade ...

Ciao da Italia Ragazzi! I’m here at Cosmoprof Bologna, the world’s leading international professional beauty exhibition. This year celebrates the 50th anniversary and has grown to house over 2,500 exhibitors from 69 different countries attracting melting pot of over a quarter of a million international visitors in just three days. The global showcase highlights ...

When we think about skincare we often compare active against natural, right? Let's consider for a moment that the skin is your largest and most visible organ. It responds in exactly the same manner as every other part of your body to nutrients, toxins, care and nurturing. Yet it’s interesting that you are more likely to subject it first to the criteria of aesthetics ...

People interact with the world differently.  Some people are auditory.  Some of us need visual cues to connect with concepts and ideas.  Others are kinetic, relying on tactile sensations to learn and communicate.  Most of us are a mix. For me, I see the world through aroma.  A keen and enthusiastic sense of smell. Every aromatic scent I inhale is steeped in ...

If I invited you to apply the following chemical cocktail to your skin, would you? Could I possibly tempt you to consider eating it? WATER (75%), SUGARS (12%) GLUCOSE (48%), FRUCTOSE (40%), SUCROSE (2%), MALTOSE (<1%), STARCH (5%), FIBRE (3%), (E460, E461, E452, E464, E456, E467) AMINO ACIDS (GLUTAMIC ACID (19%), ASPARTIC ACID (15%),  HISTONE (11%), LEUCINE ...

Welcome to the second instalment of an exciting new series of blog posts, where we will be introducing you to the passionate therapists and dedicated spa partners of the Waterlily brand.  In each blog, you will meet a new therapist, and in their own words they’ll let you in on why they choose Waterlily and what you can experience when visiting their spa for a ...

There’s a riddle. It goes like this.... A father is driving with his son. There is a terrible car accident. The father dies at the scene, but someone stops in time to save the son and takes him to the nearest hospital. The attending emergency doctor on duty rushes out to meet the boy as he’s wheeled into the operating theatre, but on seeing him recognizes the boy, and ...

When the internet isn't working, the postal system has gone rogue and a metro strike has brought the city to a grinding halt, the only thing to do is what any good Roman does to recharge; escape the city and surrender to the healing waters of Viterbo. Viterbo is a small medieval village on the road to Tuscany only a couple of hours outside of Rome. Picturesque in its own ...

I’m intrigued by the lifestyles of the centenarians. What are the secret gifts that enable our fellow mortals to live past the oh-so–ripe age of 100? What is the holy grail of youth? The elixir of life? What I do find super impressive is the quality of life these vintage rock stars enjoy. At 100 they are still tending their work, chopping wood, swimming laps, ...

I have an aunt. She is a national treasure. Unfortunately, she has been suffering terribly from rheumatoid arthritis and is navigating her way through treatment options to limit the damage and pain. In our last email exchange, she mentioned the most interesting thing “I’m not feeling too bad, but when I’m around negative people my joints hurt ...

Every year one strong underlying theme prevails in our list of New Year resolutions... the enduring quest to lose weight.  I agree that it is great to be healthier, but what I notice happens in our attempt to shed kilos is that our poor friend "Fat" becomes tarnished Enemy Number One. In the pursuit of good health, it appears we have condemned the wrong culprit. For it's ...

I am spending Christmas in Rome this year, and when I’m not complaining about the cold (while still eating gelato!) I spend my spare time walking through the gardens of Villa Borghese, the ‘Central Park’ of Rome. These gardens are a haven in the middle of a bustling city. Apart from the sheer size and beauty of the landscape, Borghese is laden with an allegory ...

I've just left Hong Kong, and one of the leading trends to come out of this year's Cosmoprof Asia Spa Conference was the concept of mindfulness and how it directly impacts on Wellness. Mindfulness... it really is a head on tackle as to how we approach our own health. Doctors are great at curtailing death and acute trauma.  I mean, if you were hit by a bus I'm not ...

I’m going to give you an insight into the intricate process behind the Waterlily formulations, a back of house sneak-peak into the mysterious world of artisan blending. Follow me… shhhhhh I’m hoping by now your appreciation for Aromatherapy has grown. As essential oil aficionados, you know that these precious plant concentrates are valued because they are ...

Australians are sturdy. And lucky for that! Harsh climatic conditions are the theme of an Australian lifestyle. Our ongoing challenge with bush fires and floods show us how confronting the intensity of our environment continues to be. As climate change merges with our outdoor lifestyle the quest to maintain good skin health intensifies. The annual rise of melanoma ...

We live next door to the ancient Pleasure Gardens of Rome (uh huh, no complaints here!). "Horti Sallustiani,” a lavish landscape dedicated by the Ancient Romans to abandoned luxuriating. In their heyday, nearly 2000 years ago, the gardens covered most of North West Rome and spanned a series of Emperors starting with Julius Caesar. It was an epicurean theme park ...

Fat free? Oil free? Lite? Low fat? Fat reduced? Consider a life without oil; a fat free diet and oil free skincare. I struggle to understand how this became popular? I don't know when exactly oil received its terrifying reputation, but this fat phobic scenario has only one mortifying outcome… Premature Ageing! Not exactly the Holy Grail of youth we are all so keenly ...

It’s autumn in Europe. In Rome “autunno”!  The seasons here run to the timing of a well oiled calendar.  The first of September brings fallen leaves ruby and bronze, the air is chilly against pale skies and the long balmy evenings are cut short. But that’s not all, the plump array of fruit and vegetables laden in markets and grocery stores are about to ...