A Little chat with Lara Fells of St Agni
Co-founder of St-Agni and new mama Lara Fells appreciates a simple style of living that compliments the ethos of the Byron based womens leather shoe and accessory label that has gained a cult following for their minimal aesthetic and attention to quality.
Their beachy Byron Bay home with open spaces filled with natural light, soft white linen and hand crafted wooden furniture is a continuation of their minimal, natural style.
Lara embodies calmness, chatting at home about life, skincare and of course gorgeous baby Jude was like meeting with a long lost friend.
Photo's by Bobby Clark
What do you keep on your bathroom shelf?
I love to use the Activator 7 Body + Hair + Face oil by Sans [ceuticals]. I also use their Nourishing Hair Wash and Hydrant as well as the PH Perfect Body & Hand Wash.
At the moment my favourite perfume is by Miller et Bertaux, and so I have a bottle of their scent A Quiet Morning sitting pride of place too.
Take us through your morning skincare ritual.
I received one of the MOKU face washer’s as a gift from a friend and now I’m obsessed – I use it to wash my face every morning. I like to keep things simple on my skin and just wear a light moisturiser for the day. Drinking water is also something I’m trying to be more mindful of and so this starts with a glass first thing in the morning when I get up early with my son Jude.
What do you do before bed to feel grounded and restful?
Honestly, I feel like I have only recently seen the return of my evenings because our son Jude has just started sleeping through the night. I’ve never really been someone who needed a routine before sleep though, I usually nod-off the second my face hits the pillow even before becoming a mum! This new found appreciation for time to myself in the evenings is a nice opportunity to create an evening ritual for myself though…
Can you share with us any other rituals of self-care?
I try to get to reformer and mat Pilates classes a couple of times a week. I also make time for regular walks, either the Cape Byron Lighthouse track with my girlfriends or along one of the local beaches with my dog Harper. Occasionally I like to treat myself to a massage or facial and light room. I also really like to go to the beach and just soak up the sun.
On a day when you are considering your health and have time to prepare your meals, what do you make for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
When it’s just me I love to start the day with granola, some fresh fruit and yogurt or for a treat I will have a croissant, and always a coffee. For lunch I like a hearty salad of some sort or an acai bowl and for dinner my favourite dish to prepare is beef ragu. I really enjoy taking my time to prepare this meal for the people I love and then share it with them over a good bottle of red wine – usually something Tasmanian because that’s where I’m from. I also really like having salmon, rice and greens for dinner during the week as I find this really nourishes me. It’s become a go-to dinner for us.
Self-care is a process of discovery, a learning by trial and error of what works for you. Can you share a valuable lesson you have learned so far?
I think that having my own business and more recently in becoming a mum, I’ve learnt that I need to pace myself and slow down a little. I’ve also accepted that not everything can happen all at once, but that it can and will happen in good time. Embracing these lessons have instilled a greater sense of balance in my world and for me, ultimately that is what drives my sense of self and my self-care awareness.
How do you achieve balance in the everyday?
Well balance is key for me as I’m a Libran – so finding harmony in all things is a pretty strong undercurrent for my life in general! In the day-to-day I think I’ve learnt that it’s vital for me to zone my time properly and not allow any sense of guilt to jeopardise my being in the present moment. Whether I am spending time with my family, or going into work, or doing something with a friend or just for myself, I try to focus on being there and making the most of that time.
Lara uses Sans Activator 7 Body, Hair + Face oil, MV Rose Plus and ORGID organic anti-ageing sheet mask.