Still alive

Not all has been good here, as my last post may have hinted.

I'm starting to feel more normal again, although still sad that I'm still missing a cat.

Should be back on air soon.

Love love.

Where am I?

Yes, it has been quiet around here.

I snuck away for a holiday a couple of weeks ago, and since returning things have been a bit out of control. I'm dealing with a few personal things at the moment (including a dearly loved missing pet, which is making me more upset each day she's not found), so things will be quiet around here a touch longer.

Love you all lots and see you soon.

52 weeks of untrieds: Pelican Fly, can't apply nail polish

I know this post is a little late - but it's finally here! It's been a super hectic week and I am just catching up to everything now!

Behold a pretty pink - Chi Chi Pelican Fly (and yes, the scary cuticles are still here. I'm working on them...)

Chi Chi - Pelican Fly

Pelican Fly is purely, simply candy pink. It would make for the sweetest striped manicure, but also looks fab alone. I wore this one to work and it didn't cause any drama at all!

Chi Chi is available at Myer, Target or on their website.

Shoesday: Something a little different

What's in the box?

It doesn't look like an ordinary shoe box. What could it be?

Oh yes... now it makes sense! It's a bit small for my foot though.

My current keyring(s) are looking a little battered, so I thought it was high time to replace them. Enter this little beauty, who was hanging near the register in Wittner.

I just had to have this little repro. They're not on the Wittner website, but if you visit a store you'll be sure to find them.

Now, where did I put my keys?

52 weeks of untrieds: Darling Bellini

Mind the scary cuticles! I must apologise for how they look - when the going gets tough, my cuticles get ragged. It's a vicious cycle (the more ragged they get, the more they get picked at, you know the drill) and it's one I am currently desperately trying to break.

These pics were taken after some wear and you can see some minor tip wear on a couple of fingers - no major damage after tap tap tapping away on the keyboard all day and some housework thrown in.

Darling - Bellini

Bellini is a gorgeous peachy, apricot-y, delicious beauty. The colour is vibrant, application is smooth and easy (this could be a one coater if you have patience and a steady hand - of which I have neither!) and the wear is like iron. Almost a full work week with little damage.

The colour is reminiscent of butter LONDON's Trout Pout, and personally one of my favourite shades to wear. I received so many compliments on my nails when I wore this one!

Darling lacquers are available from their website and also select salons. Check out their spring presale while you're there - I am loving their take on pastels and neon!

Shoesday: Peppermint comes home

In last week's Shoesday post, I included a shoe called Peppermint from Wittner. While in my list of wants I included the delightful royal blue version, late last week the peach version followed me home, so I decided to keep them!

Wittner Shoes - Peppermint - Peach leather

These are going to be perfect for spring. The colour is on trend, but also very versatile. While they have a 9.5 cm heel, the chunky platform makes them feel almost flat! They are gorgeous, girly and comfy... and if the blue ones end up on sale, I can't guarantee that I won't buy them too!

Have you bought any spring shoes yet? What are you lusting after?

52 weeks of untrieds: Essie Mint Candy Apple

This is one that's been knocking around my nail polish drawers for a while. I'm such a sucker for this particular colour family, even though it's not the best match for my skin tone.

Essie- Mint Candy Apple

Some serious colour correction was needed to try and fix the redness in my skin. This polish does enhance the redness on my skin tone, but I think the lighting in these pics really brought out the red something terrible. The first photo of the two really doesn't show the colour of the polish very true to form, the second pic is much, much closer to the real thing. My application on this one was also... umm... creative? I managed to pretty much get it everywhere.

Mint Candy Apple is from Essie's Winter 2009 collection. It's a pretty almost robin's egg blue with aqua leanings. Application is smooth, requiring either three thin coats or two slightly thicker coats. Wear on this was absolutely exceptional - it was a good three days before I had any visible chips or tip wear, which is just unheard of for me.

Essie polishes are available from Myer in Australia, along with a multitude of stockists worldwide. If you can find Mint Candy Apple I highly recommend snaffling it!

Shoesday: Current Wants

What am I loving in shoes right now? Colour, studs and metal detail.

Individual image credits go to all of the sources linked below. Collage is my own work.

1. Seven Year Itch by Nude (found on Styletread)

2. Miss Lollipop by Peeptoe Shoes

3. Agnes by Tony Bianco

4. Luscious by Wittner

5. Loren by Verali (found on Styletread)

6. Fiorenza by Wittner

7. Jaquline by Alias Mae (found on Styletread)

8. Peppermint by Wittner

9. Glitz by Tony Bianco

10. Miss Symphony by Peeptoe Shoes

I am so looking forward to spring and the ability to break out some of my open-toed shoes again! What shoes are you loving at the moment?

Challenge: 52 weeks of untrieds

Let's face it: I have quite a collection of nail polishes.

Something I'm not particularly good at is wearing all of different colours I own. I have a bad habit of sticking to many of my tried and tested favourites, even though I go positively nuts over the sheer prettiness of some of the untouched polishes in my collection.

So my challenge for the next year is this: I will be working my way through my collection, and each week I need to use one polish I haven't worn before. I think it's a pretty hefty challenge!

For week one, I tried not only a polish, but a brand I haven't used before...

Models Prefer - Meltdown

Meltdown is a gorgeous milk chocolate creme. Application was pretty smooth, with only two coats needed for a nice coverage. The brush is extremely wide and has a curved tip - most of my nails were able to be coated in a single stroke! Unfortunately the tip of the brush is a little unevenly cut, which meant that some cleanup effort was needed. Given my usual (no)skill in applying polish, I need to cleanup anyway, so no biggie.

Models Prefer is available through Priceline, and the polishes are usually $5.99, but can often be found on sale.

I give this one a thumbs up - not only did I enjoy wearing it, but it also scored quite a few compliments. Great for around the office!

Fight for a Fair Beauty Price

Illamasqua - Test 

Today Illamasqua announced that they were cutting their Australian prices by up to 42% on Saturday 1st September. From their Facebook page:

ATTENTION, ATTENTION… ILLAMASQUA AUSTRALIA HAS WON THE FIGHT! Illamasqua are very proud to announce that after almost a month of rallying together with their customers and fans to make a stand against the unfair cosmetic pricing in Australia, they have won the ‘Fight for a Fair Beauty Price’.Illamasqua are pleased to confirm that Illamasqua Australia prices will be reduced across the range, 

with the support of their exclusive retail partner MYER from Saturday 1st September 2012.

The Illamasqua ‘Fight for a Fair Beauty Price’ has sparked conversation with customers, bloggers, media and industry insiders globally, and it is with thanks to the encouragement and persistence of everyone who signed the petition that this is now possible.

Illamasqua Australia will be dropping prices to be more in line with those in their home country of the UK - up to 35% reduction, but on some lines as much as 42%.

To say I am delighted would be an understatement - I am VERY VERY EXCITED THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

The price drop is as a result of their Fight for a Fair Beauty Price campaign, and I see it as a first step to pointing out to cosmetics houses that the Australian market is acutely aware of the fact that we pay far more for cosmetics than the USA, Europe and Asia.

Have we won the fight? I don't think it's over yet - not until we see some more results by the way of other global brands reign in their prices.

Will the Australian Illamasqua counters be doing a roaring trade this weekend? I fairly confidently say yes.

Thanks Illamasqua - I am looking forward to being able to get more bang for my buck and you can bet your eyeliner brush that there will be more Illamasqua product in my makeup arsenal as a result of this!

Shoesday: Canary Yellow

It's Captain Punishment's* favourite colour, and I can't blame him. I'm pretty partial to a bit of bright canary yellow myself.



Please excuse the industrial chic carpet. I also promise that my ankles are actually quite dainty and not at all like the tree trunks they are choosing to resemble in this picture.

Canary yellow patents from Corelli. Purchased somewhere on sale a couple of years ago, they never fail to put a smile on my face when I wear them - and they always get compliments!

Statement shoes are a great way to lift a really basic outfit from the usual every day to just out of the fashion mag glamarama. Owning a few shoes in really bright or striking colours can help rework a wardrobe without breaking the bank, and is something I do often to get away with recycling some of my fancy dresses, or to hide the fact that I'm really in nothing more complex than jeans and a t-shirt.

Do you have statement shoes in your wardrobe? I'd love to hear about your favourite pair!

*Captain Punishment, as he is known, is my friend and my personal trainer. He's extremely strict during classes (talking back, making too much noise or grumbling gets the whole group extra work) and also on nutrition (ask me one day about the crash tackle with bonus crushing of Cheezels. I'm still too scared to touch them EVER), but he is extremely supportive and a wonderful friend as well as a trainer.

Haul: Nail Mail

Sometimes there's nothing better than receiving a bunch of nail polishes in the post. When I break a shopping ban, I do it pretty well.

First up, a spot of shopping from Darling

Left to Right:
Likeomg, Strawberry Fields Forever, Just a Little Frosting, Millions & Billions Rock Candy, Wednesday, Mermaid Brunch Rock Candy, Siren

I can't wait to wear a few of these... I've been staring at Just a Little Frosting, Likeomg and Strawberry Fields Forever for quite some time, and the Rock Candies were calling my name too loudly for me to resist.

Next up, I also went a little mad on piCture pOlish.

Left to Right:

Orbit, Amethyst, Mirage, Kryptonite, Mint, Tiffany, Peaches n'Cream

I happened to be looking at Twitter and Facebook when piCture pOlish started uploading their blogger series of polishes, and Amethyst, Kryptonite and Mirage caught my eye. I think I have a problem when it comes to purple and forest green!

The rest? Um, yeah, I had an excuse for that purchase somewhere...

Shoesday: New Heights

I love a pair of heels... but I think this pair have taken things just that leetle bit too far...

These darlings are by Wittner and are the beautiful Suffix in black glitter and giraffe print. They're currently still on sale on the Wittner website - as are the leopard print variation. When I was looking at these, I read the words "3.5cm platform" and "12cm heel", but clearly I didn't process this properly. The real heel height is 15cm - the 3.5cm is pretty much added height, which made for a surprise when I received them, as I ordered them online.

I haven't been brave enough to wear these (or their leopard print cousins) yet. I get comments whenever I wear heels thanks to my height anyway, and these just take the biscuit. They're a good 3.5 cm taller than any heels I've worn.

Would you wear these darling shoes? What's the highest heel you have or would wear?

FOTD: Wedding bells

Not mine... tee hee hee!

Recently I headed up the coast to attend a friend's afternoon wedding. I wasn't sure how much time I'd have to get ready after the trip (traffic can be so unpredictable), so I did my hair and makeup before leaving - perfect for some car posing!

Face:
NP Set Pre-Foundation Primer
MAC Studio Sculpt foundation NC15
MAC Studio Sculpt concealer NC15 & NW15
Face of Australia Loose Powder in translucent

Cheeks:
Too Faced Pink Leopard bronzer
MAC Peachykeen powder blush

Eyes:
Inglot 603 (lid)
MAC Amber Lights eyeshadow (crease)
MAC Antiqued eyeshadow (outer corner, lower lashline)
MAC Vanilla eyeshadow (highlight)
MAC Engraved Powerpoint
Australis eye pencil Star Bright
Maybelline Great Lash Big mascara Blackest Black

Lips:
Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick Mademoiselle

Some recent manicures

Despite the tremendous effort in upkeep (seriously, am I the only one who manages to chip nail polish pretty much the day I apply it?), I love making sure my nails are done. Here are some of my recent efforts, as captured on my delightful iPhone camera in the morning sunshine that reaches my desk, or by the light of my house in the evenings.

From L-R:
Row one: Darling Millions of Peaches tipped with China Glaze Icicle, butter LONDON The Full Monty, piCture pOlish Beige dotted with OPI Alpine Snow, Scandal Modern Black and BYS Shadow Puppets.
Row two: b collection by Bloom St Tropez with OPI Who the Shrek are you? feature nail, Australis Bombshell.
Row three: Ulta3 Honululu over OPI Alpine Snow, Miss Shop Edward Dare and Liam Love (feature nail), Inglot 992.

Watch this space

I'm hoping to resurrect this blog soon. Watch this space!

But baby, it's cold outside!

Ahhh, winter. Hibernation, hot chocolate, tea and heaters!

Winter is one of the challenging seasons for those who love glam - the warm inside being tempered sharply by the cold that's waiting just outside the door, dressing warmly but trying to cope with changes in weather and temperature, the sudden rain that appears on a day when you're wearing your favourite suede shoes or boots...

Ooh, I think I need a sit down at the thought of that last one!

Although it's tempting to lock yourself away practically drinking moisturiser and watching the weather forecast with an eye that would make a gargoyle proud, it's not ideal. We all have to leave the house sometime, and a sunny day in winter just begs for you to get outside and enjoy the brief sunshine. It's the days where it's cold and wet that just make it so much harder.

So here's a little series about winter... and how I cope with it! (Unfortunately the controlling-the-weather section is delayed as I haven't quite figured that out quite yet).

Today is all about taking care of hair and skin!

It's in winter that I always realise how important it is to nourish my skin. The warmer, humid weather in summer is kinder to my skin than the dry heat of indoors in winter, coupled with the sharp cold waiting outside. Dry hands and feet are always part of the first signs of winter for me, with my face following soon after. So, how do I deal and keep the glam? I fall back on a few home remedies...

1. Life-giving elixir (no, not coffee...)

Yes - the usual water spiel. We all know we are meant to drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Most of us don't get close. In winter it's just as (if not more) important to drink enough water every day - that warm dry air from the heater is literally sucking it out of your skin. It is harder to drink water in winter as you don't feel as thirsty, but once you get accustomed to drinking more, it gets easier. What works for me is one of two things: room temperature water if the room is fairly warm, or else warm water (boiling water mixed with some cold water to bring down the temperature a bit). Chilled water in winter... no thanks! Herbal teas are another great way of upping your winter water count - tasty, warm and hydrating. Just make sure you're drinking a caffeine free beverage as caffeine is a diuretic (making you lose more water than you are taking in).

I also follow Mireille Guiliano's tip of adding water to your day - drink a glass of water first thing in the morning, and then add another last thing at night. It's an easy way to add two glasses without having to think about it too much.

Bottoms up!

2. Olive Oil treatments

You heard me right... olive oil! Extra virgin olive oil makes a fantastic nourishing and cleansing face mask for dried out winter skin. Starting with a face free of makeup, simply massage in some olive oil (I steal from the good bottle of extra virgin olive oil I keep in my pantry for salads and recipes that need that kick) and then relax for 15-30 minutes. Before wiping off, I usually give my face another massage just to help loosen up any muck. Wipe off the excess oil with a tissue, then cleanse, tone and moisturise as normal. Repeat once a week. I always see an immediate improvement to my skin when I do this.

You can also give your hair an olive oil treatment - massage in some olive oil to your hair and scalp and then leave for 15 minutes. Wash well to remove residue and condition as normal. Tada - lovely soft locks and a moisturised scalp!

3. Hand it to me

If there's ever a time to keep a tube of hand cream nearby, it's winter. I apply hand cream nearly every time I wash my hands in winter. My favourite day use cream is OPI Avoplex Moisture Replenishing Lotion. The scented one has a lovely fragrance, albeit a bit strong, but there is also a fragrance free version and it soaks in without leaving your hands feeling greasy. I admit - the OPI cream is a bit of a splurge! When I'm feeling a budget pinch, I tend to go for Vaseline Hand & Nail Lotion - it also applies without leaving a greasy feeling so it's great for everyday use.

For an extra-special evening treatment, I use Jurlique Rose Hand Cream. It's rich and thick, but does leave a film on my hands, which is why I don't find it suitable for the day time. Seeing as I use it only when I need an evening boost, a tube lasts me a long time. It's also such a lift to use a luxurious smelling and feeling product.

4. It's all about the face

In addition to the olive oil mask, I also change up my facial skincare during the colder months. Consider using a gentler cleanser and increasing the moisturiser goodness by using a serum or a heavier cream - whichever works for you. The gentler cleanser can be a godsend for weather-affected skin, however if you wear makeup ensure that the cleanser removes it properly, or else invest in a separate makeup removal step in your routine.

5. Twinkly tootsies

Feet! Wrapped in tights, stockings and socks and hidden away for the winter months, these babies need a little extra TLC. I love to use the good old "slap on moisturiser and wear socks to bed" trick - it's a tried and tested method of keeping my feet happy. I use The Body Shop's Almond Oil Hand Rescue Treatment on my feet at the moment and it works like a charm - but any rich, moisturising cream will do.

6. Give me some lip

The cold air plays havoc on lips. Keep them lovely by frequently applying a lip balm. My favourite is paw paw ointment - available everywhere and it can do double duty as emergency skin fix. Also take some time to exfoliate your lips every so often - use a toothbrush and just gently bush your lips. Once done, apply some more lip balm to keep them smooth and plump.

7. When all else fails...

Bio Oil! This little wonder bottle doesn't cost too much, and it's magical for treating extremely dry skin. The scent is a little overpowering, but it's worth it when you see the results. It's also magical as a moisturiser after a big night out. "Night out, what night out?"

Let me know if there is anything you'd like more detail on, or that you want me to cover!

Fun

To me beauty and fashion are hobbies. I'm a garden-variety cube slave (office worker) who has the luxury of working in an office where a strictly corporate look is not required, but I'm not immersed in beauty and fashion every day. In light of this, maybe I don't take it as seriously as others may.

For example, take the below picture:



Yes, that's me. With green and gold nails as a symbol as support for the Socceroos at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. I love my soccer football (thanks dad), so for a bit of fun I painted up my nails in OPI's "The It Colour" and "Jade Is The New Black". I was quite pleased with the result (even if the lines were very crooked thanks to my lack of two-tone polish skills) and wore them with pride.

The majority of comments I received about them were very positive - apart from one. I was asked how drunk I was when I did them and it was insinuated that having multicoloured nails was somehow wrong. I was surprised and a little hurt for a few minutes, but then I got to thinking.

Like I said before - I'm not immersed in fashion and beauty all day, every day. I work a full-time job and have a variety of other things going on that take up my time. For me, my fashion and beauty picks are a chance to have a little fun, to experiment with things and ideas and sometimes to be a bit silly. That's me and that's fine. To someone else, being silly with their fashion may not be an option... and while I disagree with it, it's ok. I just feel sorry that they don't get to giggle at themselves when they catch a glimpse of their world cup nails - and hope that there's another part of their life that brings them the fun that a silly manicure brings me.

Beauty & Fashion - srs bizness. Or not. Just remember that if you're enjoying it, you're doing it right.

It doesn't come easily

Doesn't everyone like it when things are easy? I know I often do - but not everything all the time though, that would be pretty boring.

It's easy (ha!) to fall into the path of least resistance. Reaching for the same clothes again and again. Skipping parts of the beauty routine that seem to take up time and effort. Doing the same things all the time. Things that are familiar and cozy.

The thing is - Glam takes time. It takes effort. It means stepping outside your comfort zone and trying different things. This is part of what makes it so elusive yet so sought after. The very basis of it is a big deal.

The problem with it being such a big deal is that it seems unattainable. The effort, the expenditure and the time all seem to be out of reach, making the idea of staying in that comfort zone just that much more appealing. The funny thing was when I first started to glam up, I felt the same way, but as I added different things to my routine, they became easier and seemed to take less time. Once they became normal, they weren't as big a deal any more.

The one thing to remember throughout all of this is that you are worth the effort. You are worth the time. You are worth the money. Putting back into yourself makes you feel better and look better... which leads to better self worth and the cycle continues, building your self-confidence and self-worth. On the flipside - if you think you aren't worth the time, effort and money or you can't be bothered, you run the risk of devaluing yourself - which again can continue in a cycle. Been there, done that and have the t-shirts to prove it. It's not a fun place to be.

Glamour is all about challenging yourself every day to be the best you can be... and being the best is never easy, but it is attainable no matter who you are.

Beginnings

Everything starts somewhere. This story starts here.

I know what I want to get out of writing this. I know what I want to accomplish... but I am not sure how I'm going to get there.

I want to share ideas I have. Tips I've learnt. Things I found out the hard way, things I knew before I started. I want to document this journey to help keep myself motivated throughout it. There isn't an end in sight - it's going to be ongoing and it's something I'll need to keep working on.

So here we go...