powder POWER

CONVERT POWDER EYESHADOW into flawless eyeliner by dipping a makeup brush into Visineeye drops instead of water... The shadow gets creamy instead of balling up, which makes it easy to be precise.

out TODAY

MY STORY IN COSMOPOLITAN hair & beauty magazine!

about FACE

REVISE YOUR CLEANSING RITUAL to keep your skin super-smooth and so-so-soft...

1. LESS IS MORE - washing your face twice a day is more than enough.
2. BE GENTLE - use a mild, creamy cleanser that maintains the normal pH balance of your skin and protects it from pollutants in the environment.
3. COVER ALL BASES - smooth your cleanser all over your face - including along the hairline and over eyebrows - otherwise dandruff and oiliness can develop.
4. DON'T SCRUB - if you do scrub your skin you can remove the cells before they’re ready - which can cause blood vessels to surface, protective oils to be stripped, and a reddening and chapping of the skin. To accelerate natural shredding process safely, apply a mild fruit-acid peel (look for alpha hydroxy and glycolic acid on the label) - or gently exfoliate every week using very smooth crystals or the velvet side of a washcloth.
5. BE COOL - rinse cleanser off with tepid – not blood-vessel-popping water hot – water. Finish with a rinse of cool- not freezing – water.
6. MOISTURISE WHEN MOIST - give your moisturiser some help by applying it soon after rinsing, while skin is still damp. If your skin feels dry soon after, you don’t necessarily need to change to a heavier moisturiser, which can clog pores. Many times, it’s simply a matter of applying more of a thin lotion or smoothing on a second layer once the moisturiser has been absorbed.

happy WEEKEND

"Believe that you have it, and you have it."
—Latin Proverb

eye LIGHT

ADD RADIANCE AND DEFINITION to your brow bone by sweeping a shimmery champagne -coloured luminiser or shimmery eyeshadow - along the the lower edge of your brows. If you're not big on a 'shimmery' look, taupe eyeshadow works too. It draws the light to that area of your lids, making your eyes really pop. 

perfect PILLOW

WHEN SELECTING A PILLOW... whether soft, medium, or firm -- the most important consideration is the position in which you sleep. SOFT pillows are ideal for stomach sleepers, who need pillows that slope gently in order not to strain the muscles in their necks. MEDIUM pillows, which gently cradle and support the head, are a great choice for back sleepers. And for side sleepers, FIRM pillows are a perfect choice, as they hold their shape and thus support the neck and spine. Sweet dreams!

good LIP

DO YOU LOVE LIP STAINS, but don't like how they dry out your lips? According to Allure magazine, the trick is to rub the hell out of the colour the second it hits your lips, smearing your finger from the centre outward. Then, to keep it from looking and feeling parched, top the stain with a transparent gloss. 

happy WEEKEND

GORGEOUSNESS FROM {this is glamorous} blog!

good news for CHOCO-HOLICS

GREAT NEWS FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS... Scientists have already found that cocoa can contain more antioxidants per cup than red wine or green tea do. The latest good news about chocolate, from the Journal of Nutrition, is that ingesting certain compounds in cocoa can smooth the skin and decrease its sensitivity to the sun. In a double-blind study in Germany, women who drank a cocoa beverage high in antioxidants called flavonols daily experienced reduced skin redness in response to UV-light exposure—15 percent less than usual after six weeks and 25 percent less at 12 weeks—while a group given a low-flavonol cocoa drink had no change. The women also showed significant improvements in their skins' texture and hydration, which the investigators believe were attributable to measurably improved blood flow to the skin. The good news: the flavonols are abundant in dark chocolate.

beauty SAVERS

MAKE YOUR BEAUTY PRODUCTS LAST A LOT LONGER by trying some of these tricks...

* LESS IS MORE: Don't squirt out too much product... eg you only need the tiniest amount of cleanser to clean your face, use too much and it's just a waste. 

* FINGER PAINTING: Apply your foundation with your fingers because sponges just soak up the product meaning less colour for your face.
* BOTTOMS UP: Store your hair- and skin-care products upside down to ensure you get every last drop.
* THE SCOOP: You may think you’ve finished your lipstick but there’s actually a quarter of the lippie still in there. Scoop it out with a knife and make your own lipstick palette.
* CUT YOUR LOSSES: When you can’t squeeze anymore out of a tube, cut it in half, you’ll be surprised how much product will be inside.
* GET INTO HOT WATER: To get the last couple of swipes of mascara or lip gloss, run the closed tube under hot water.
* MIX IT UP: If you’re almost out of foundation, add a few drops of moisturiser to the bottle and shake it up to make a sheer base.

time-saving TRICK #2

IF YOU'VE HAD A BLOW-DRY AT THE HAIRDRESSERS (and would like it to last a coupla days)... pull it into a high ponytail on the top of your head before you go to bed. According to Real Simple, this will keep it straight while you sleep.

time-saving TRICK

TO SAVE TIME, MONEY (AND UGLY RE-GROWTH) ...  accent your natural hair colour with highlights. Your hair will be healthier, your re-growth won't be as obvious and you'll need fewer hairdressing appointments. (This is the colour I've been trying to maintain - HIGH maintenance though.  I love it when it's just been done, but after about 4 weeks I'm thinking of going darker!)

winter HANDS

THESE TIPS ARE FOR JOSEPHINE {and anyone else who is suffering from lizard-like wintry hands}. Here's how to make them soft and supple again...
*EXFOLIATE - they need to be exfoliated to get rid of the dry flaky skin - try using a bit of body scrub.
*SPOT TREAT - if the dryness is most prevalent around your cuticles it's because the skin is so thin and sensitive. Massage cuticle cream or even olive oil into them twice daily, and pay extra attention to them when applying your regular hand cream.
*HYDRATE - use your hand cream ALL the time!
*DEEP TREAT - book yourself in for a mani and paraffin treatment. It really will hydrate your parched hands.

goodbye DRY

IF YOUR SKIN IS FEELING A LITTLE (OR A LOT) DRY THIS WINTER here's how to add back some moisture... “Evening Primrose Oil is a great supplement to take, and use on your face, as it contains an essential fatty acid believed to strengthen skin cells and boost moisture content,” says Peter Rule, Resident Naturopath at The Golden Door Health Retreat. “You can also add a drop of Vitamin E oil from a supplement capsule to your moisturiser before applying to the skin to give skin an extra hydrating boost and protect the skin’s natural oil balance.”

free BELLE & BOO

BELLE & BOO IS A FAVE OF MINE (as you already know)... but here's something you may not know - if you visit the belle & boo blog  you can download this gorgeous pic for FREE!

happy WEEKEND

"As I grow to understand life less and less, I learn to love it more and more."
—Jules Renard

mrs BIG

I'M LOVING THIS FASHION SHOOT IN US HARPERS BAZAAR featuring Milla Jocovich as the Power Mumma and Chris Noth as the House Hubbie... especially the nappy changing shot!!! Check out all the pix by visiting www.harpersbazaar.com or by getting a copy of the July issue!

ugg BOOTS

UGGIES ARE NOT ONLY V-FASHIONABLE FOOTWEAR (THANKS PAMMIE) - they're a foot-warming must-have (it's been freeezzzing the last coupla days - brrr!) ... Whooga ugg boots are created with merino sheepskin that's just a little thicker and softer than traditional ugg boots and they come in great colours and styles. To get a pair of Whooga boots for yourself visit www.whoogaau.com.au and enter the code BELLAMUMMA into the cart and you'll receive $30 USD off!

never-published MARILYN

WOW - YOU HAVE TO HAVE CHECK OUT these never-before-published shots of Marilyn Monroe... Click here to visit the LIFE site to view the whole collection.

funny FACES

ANOTHER TIP FROM GOOP ...!!! (I'm thinking every -thing can help, right?) Help prevent wrinkles around the mouth with daily facial exercises. Pull exagger

-ated “O” and “E” (as if you were saying “Eeeee…”) shapes with your mouth for 30 seconds. Purse lips right, centre, and left and hold each movement for 30 seconds. Repeat. Stick your tongue out as far as you can while keeping your eyes wide. Tension in the face and jaw can make us look older and “mean.” These exercises relax and restore facial integrity.

cosmo STORY

MY LATEST STORY in Australian COSMO mag... 

eye TIP

I FOUND THIS BEAUTY TIP ON GWYNNIE'S GOOP.COM ...

* To reduce the puffiness of morning eyes, place either a chilled spoon (keep in freezer) on the eye area or soak cotton pads with milk and rest on the eye area.

bella CATE

AFTER NINE YEARS LIVING IN ENGLAND, Cate Blanchett (one of my fave actors) is moving back to Australia... She tells InStyle magazine (June issue) that a unique job opportunity presented itself — she was offered a position as joint director of the Sydney Theatre Company — only solidifying her and her husband's feelings to pack their bags and head home! According to Cate, the perfect timing of the whole situation was less than coincidental.

While Cate loves her job at the theatre, so do her three boys! “They come to the theatre all the time,” she says. The frequent visits are taking effect as her sons love none other than to dig into their “big costume box” stashed at their home and, not unlike most boys their age, take on the life of their favourite characters. “Like every single boy on the planet, they’re into superhero and superhero costumes,” Cate reveals.

She also says that she often wears outfits put together with a touch of love from her oldest son. While she laughs that as a mum of three she often finds herself wearing “the same thing three days in a row,” that doesn’t seem to stop Dashiell from digging through her racks of clothes to produce his masterpiece!

To read the whole interview, check out InStyle magazine! (Australian June issue)

happy WEEKEND

A PIC FROM ONE OF MY BESTIES thanks Bel x... (sorry about the lack of posts this weeks, I've been sick!)

super-cute SINGLETS

MARQUISE BABY WEAR HAS ENLISTED THE HELP OF AUSTRALIA'S LEADING DESIGNERS AND CELEBRITIES to customise their teeny-tiny white baby singlets to help raise money for The Sydney Children's Hospital Gold Week fundraiser. The famous line up of 'singlet customisers' includes: Naomi Watts, Joh Bailey, Willow, Sass & Bide, Kirrilly Johnston, Camilla and Marc, Fleur Wood, Lee Mathews, Peter Alexander, Megan Park, Camilla, Ginger and Smart, Leona Edmiston, Sambag, Jimmy Barnes, Mark ‘ Diesel’ Lizotte and Marnie Skillings. Bidding starts today and finishes June 7, so to get your hands on one of these super-cute singlets (and help raise money for sick kids) visit the Sydney Children’s Hospital website www.goldweek.org.au and start bidding!!!