happy WEEKEND

“THE TIME TO RELAX is when you don’t have time for it.”

― Sydney J. Harris

Hope you have a super-relaxing weekend!

new WAVES

HERE'S A TRICK I HAVEN'T COME ACROSS BEFORE {although I'm not a big curling tong user!} on Instyle...

To create crisp, disheveled waves like Naomi Watts's use a double-pronged curling iron. It sounds crazy, but by weaving your hair through the prongs, you'll be able to recreate natural curl formations—previously reserved for Mother Nature only.

{Source: Instyle}

friday FASHION FAVOURITE

I'M LOVING ANTHROPOLOGIE'S latest fashion collections... and their accessories! How divine is the hair slide and bag!!!!

To start having a squizz and shopping their latest looks CLICK HERE!

brad & ANG update

THE RUMOURS CONTINUE... Apparently Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie did meet with a lawyer last month, but it wasn’t to work out details on a split. The couple spent time with a law firm in L.A. in December, a source tells Life & Style magazine, “where they worked out terms of a legal document similar to a prenup.”

Brad and Angie signed the document in January, which means the couple will share money, assets and custody of the kids (who would all live with Angelina in the event of their parents’ breakup). The source says that there was no talk of a split at the meeting.

{Source: Just Jared}

mid-week MUMMAS

DAH NAH!!! More celeb mummas from the past week... Amy Poehler and Archie; Gwen and Zuma; Claudia with babe on board; Ashlee and fam; Kourtney and Mason; and Jessica with Honor!

{Pic: Celebrity Baby Blog}

the slick PONYTAIL

A HIGH PONYTAIL NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE - especially if you keep it super-slick...

To ensure that frizz and flyaways aren't going to ruin your look, work a pea-size drop of smoothing lotion into your roots and hairline before blow-drying. Brush the hair back and secure it just below your crown. To make your ponytail gleam, rub a drop of shine serum between your palms, them run them over the tail from base to ends.

+ If you're at the beach for the day, you can add a dollop of leave-in conditioner instead of the smoothing lotion to condition and protect your hair!

PS. This style works even better if your hair is a bit dirty!

brad & ANG

BRAD AND ANGELINA'S REP has told JustJared.com that the rumours of a breakup are “total b.s.”.

Reports surfaced Saturday that Brad and Angelina, who are parents to six kids, signed a contract to make their split “official.” The reports stemmed from a story in UK’s News of the World.

Hmmm, I'm not 100% convinced! As a friend of mine pointed out, 'where's there's smoke, there's fire'!

{Source: Just Jared}

happy WEEKEND

THIS QUOTE IS PRICELESS...

“I’ve been on a diet for two weeks and all I’ve lost is fourteen days.”
― Totie Fields

{Pic: Fat Mum Slim}

friday FASHION FIX #2

LOVING FLEUR WOOD's e-sale...

{Major gorgeous-ness - the swimwear is just beautiful!}

CLICK HERE to start shopping the collections!

friday FASHION FIX

THERE IS JUST NO STOPPING SUPER-MUMMA HEIDI KLUM... Just three months after welcoming her fourth child, daughter Lou Sulola, the Project Runway host announces plans to launch two maternity lines next month.

Lavish by Heidi Klum and Loved by Heidi Klum will debut online and in stores Feb. 12 for A Pea in the Pod and Motherhood Maternity, respectively. (Heidi follows in the footsteps of Nicole Richie, who debuted her own line for A Pea in the Pod in August.)

In keeping with Heidi’s own sexy maternity style, Lavish includes 15 pieces of “iconic style and seamless fit.” While Loved will offer 14 affordable items made for comfort.

Heidi brings a lot of expertise (including a combined three years of pregnancies!) to her lines. “I experienced fashion challenges during my four pregnancies and combined my knowledge of what works in terms of style, comfort and practicality to create these lines,” she said. “Being pregnant shouldn’t stop you from being fashionable and feeling great about your changing body. It’s an exciting journey.” We can’t wait to see more!

{Source: Celebrity Baby Blog}

angel HAIR

TOUSLED, BARELY THERE WAVES can give your hair a completely different look without chopping or colouring it - and it's pretty easy to do...

Here's how to DIY:

Hold a one-inch curling iron vertically, and wrap just the centre of each section of hair—not the roots or ends—around the barrel for only a few seconds. (Any longer and the curl will get too tight.) When finished, flip your head upside down and lightly skim a paddle brush over the curls to break them up, then shake them around with your fingers before bringing your head up.

PS. How Botticelli is this model? Gorgeous!

{Source: Allure}

while you WERE SLEEPING

ONE OF THE SIMPLEST WAYS TO KEEP YOUR SKIN PORE-PERFECT is to always wash your face before bed... {no matter what time, or how tired you are!}

Going to bed with your make-up on and letting skin marinate in makeup—not to mention a day's worth of oil buildup—can lead to clogged pores and zits, especially if you're prone to acne. Your body temperature increases slightly when you sleep, which can enhance absorption of whatever's on the surface - so you really want only beneficial ingredients on your face when you sleep.

{Source: Allure}

mid-week MUMMAS

THIS WEEK'S CELEB MUMMAS... Gwen with Zuma; Jenna Elfman with Story; Michelle with Matilda; Amber with Auden; Milla with Ever; and Lauren Sanchez Whitesell with Evan...

{Pics: Celebrity Baby Blog}

home HAIRCOLOUR

STILL ON THE SUBJECT OF COLOURING YOUR HAIR, here's how to DIY your colour at home...

While highlights and drastic changes should stay in the salon, single-process colour is totally do-able, if you follow these tips...

* Pick a colour no more than two shades lighter or darker than your natural shade (to cover grays, go with the color that most closely matches your own). For hair that's longer than shoulder length, buy two boxes so you have enough.

* If you hair is naturally curly or wavy, blow-dry it straight before colouring—it'll be easier to distribute the colour evenly.

* Apply the colour on an inch-wide section of hair from the nape of your neck and on another hidden section of hair at your crown. This way, you'll get a preview of the results before you have dye disaster on your hands.

* Don't squeeze the dye directly on your ends—they're more porous and will absorb more colour, making them too light or too dark. Instead, spread the dye from your roots to a few inches above your ends, then run your fingers through your hair to work the dye down through the bottom.

* Always use your gloved fingers—never a comb—to spread the colour. Dye opens up the hair cuticle, making it vulnerable to breakage.

* Don't slap your regular hair dye on gray hairs or regrowth between colorings—the colour won't match. Instead, use a root touch-up kit (Clairol makes a good one). They're designed to match your colour when it's faded after a few weeks.

{Source: Allure}

brunette BABE

LOVING NICOLE RICHIE'S BRUNETTE LOOK {especially as I have gone a little darker myself}...

Her colourist, George Papanikolas, confessed that his client's new shade wasn't exactly an overnight impulse. "We have gradually been going darker over the last few months—from blonde, to dark ash blonde, then brown with golden tips and finally this rich sable brown," he says. The benefit of taking it slow (besides not frying your strands)? "We did this gradual transition so we could play with different looks," says Papanikolas.

{Source: Instyle}

happy WEEKEND

“HAPPINESS often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.”

― John Barrymore

{pic: THE BOTTOM OF THE IRONING BASKET blog}

perfume RULES

THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN OVER-POWERING PERFUME... so to avoid being overwhelmed - and overwhelming everyone around you - with a super-strong scent, follow these guidelines...
* If you're wearing an actual perfume, use no more than one or two drops and, for an eau de parfum, no more than three sprays; these are the most concentrated forms of fragrance, and they last for many, many hours. (Even longer than you'll be able to detect them on yourself, so resist the urge to reapply.)
* You can mist more freely with the diluted stuff: Four spritzes of an eau de toilette and six mists of a cologne should do the trick.
* And when going to work or a party, avoid layering scented body wash and lotion underneath: It can enhance an already potent scent to the extreme.

friday FASHION FIX

LOVING DACE SPRING 2010 range... very chic, bute wearable at the same time!

CLICK HERE to check out the dace website and the entire range...

{+ CLICK HERE to check out the campaign video - but be warned: you'll want to go to Paris after seeing it!}

shower STRATEGY

TAKE SHORTER SHOWERS and save the environment—and your skin...

Water is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. While you might think it’s hydrating, topical water can have a drying effect on your epidermis. In fact, the more water that hits your skin, the more it breaks down the complex layer of naturally occurring lipids between and on top of your skin cells.

Overshowering will make dry skin even drier, so do your dousing in small doses, and make sure you moisturise immediately afterward.

To get more from your body lotion, simply blot skin with a towel—don’t dry completely—so that humectants in your moisturiser can draw the water that’s on the skin’s surface into the lower layers.

{Source: Elle}

join the BAND

THE WHITE HEAD BAND... It's brighter than standard black, but it looks just as clean. Slip on a stretchy, inch-wide headband (any thicker can look like a bandage) so it rests just an inch or two back from the hairline. Don't push it back any further, or else it can slip off.

{Source: Allure}

mums in MAGS

HEIDI KLUM {ONE OF MY FAVE SUPER-MODEL/MUMS} is on the February cover of Instyle mag... I love how she's gorgeous but in a 'real' way, if that makes sense?

She tells the mag, “Models have a sell-by date. There are certain jobs I don’t do anymore, like the young, sexy, cute things for teenagers, or even 25-year-old girls. I go in a different bracket now."

{To take a peek at the covershoot behind-the-scenes, visit Instyle by CLICKING HERE}

mid-week MUMMAS

THIS WEEK'S CELEB BELLAMUMMAS and babes... Naomi Watts and Sasha; Rachel Griffiths and Clementine: Jessica Alba and Honor; and Kourtney Kardashian with new bub, Mason Dash...

{pics from CELEBRITY BABY BLOG}

best BLUSH

A LITTLE SMIDGE OF BLUSH CAN LIVEN UP YOUR WHOLE FACE - if you choose the right shade... Here's the runway-inspired shades perfect for your skin tone...

Fair Skin
Hot pinks give fair skin a beautiful, natural look when applied with a light hand.

Medium Skin
Coral looks gorgeous on all skin tones, particularly on warm, medium complexions. Go for orangey corals rather than pinkish ones.

Dark Skin
Anything too light or pastel can look ashy on dark skin. You want shades with bold, true pigments, such as really vibrant orange or fuchsia.

break BAD HABITS

HABITS ARE HARD TO BREAK {even beauty ones} ... so if you're a chewer, pimple picker or overstyler, here's how to kick those little traits for good...

Overstyling Your Hair: Too much heat-styling can cause damage—and that stretching your hair with a brush can make it lose elasticity. The trick is to blow-dry only every other day and use a hair mask/treatment once a week to repair damage.

Chewing On Your Lips: By damaging the skin barrier, you expose your lips to germs and damage from cosmetic ingredients, such as peppermint oil in a lip gloss or a retinoid. To quit: If you chew when your lips are dry (a common problem during cold winter weather), try using petroleum jelly to protect the skin and seal in your lips' natural moisture.

Picking At Your Skin: Messing with pimples makes them worse and, if you really go crazy with it, can cause scarring. Apply benzoyl peroxide to help reduce the pimple instead. Or if an itchy skin condition like eczema is the problem, use a topical steroid cream sparingly and a moisturiser until the urge to scratch passes.

happy WEEKEND

LOVE BUDS from emersonmade's Valentine's Day collection...

{click here to see more!}

have a great weekend... xxx

friday FASHION FIX

NEW YEAR - NEW {ORGANISED} WARDROBE... Here's how to make over your cluttered closet in 3 easy steps:

1. Start from the Bottom...

Store your shoes in an easily-accessible way. One option is to keep shoes in the box they came in, making sure to take a quick Polaroid picture and adhere to the front for quick scanability. Or, pick up some sleek clear plastic shoe boxes.

2. Colour Coordinate...

Cut the guess-work out of searching for that favourite pink top and arrange clothing by colour.

3. Be Tray Chic...

Embrace the functionality of compartmentalized trays. Separate jewellery by type and frequency of use. Empty paper towel rolls are perfect for stacking bangles.

{Info from Elle. Pic from W.}

no more FLAT HAIR

NEED TO GIVE YOUR HAIR A BOOST BUT DON'T HAVE TIME TO WASH AND BLOW-DRY IT? {Who does!}

Here's the quick tricks from those in the know...
To volumize dry hair, lift five centimetre sections and allow them to drop through a mist of medium-hold hair spray - then spray your entire head with dry shampoo and scrunch; the result is hair with lift and a lovely, seemingly no-product finish. If you hate hair spray, apply mousse to a vent brush and then to damp hair—it won't squeeze the air out of the mousse. Coat the brush with mousse and run it through one side of your hair, then refuel and do the other side.

mums in MAGS #2

JENNIFER LOPEZ covers the February 2010 issue of Elle magazine and talks motherhood, heartbreak and the future of her career...

She told the mag that growing older has only made her better. “I’m a more heightened me, if anything,” J.Lo said

“Everything I wanted before, I want twice as much now. And that doesn’t mean material things.”

“Being an artist doesn’t start because you’re 21, and it doesn’t end because you’re 51,” she continued. “You are who you are until the day you die.”

mums in MAGS

REECE WITHERSPOON {LOOKING GORG IN THIS PIC IN PRADA} is on the February 2009 cover of InStyle UK... Here’s what she told the mag while munching on egg-white scramble with a side of biscuits:

How would you describe your life when you’re not working? “I try to exercise every day. I like to run for about an hour and I’m big into working out with girlfriends. It’s an acquired skill, being able to discuss your love life, children and friends – all while you’re running! But we have mastered it.”

What else do you do when you’re just hanging out with your girlfriends? “There are three of us who wear pretty much the same size, so we’ll get together on a Friday night and I’ll bring clothes I want to trade and they’ll bring theirs. We swap shoes and handbags a lot. It’s fun.”

super-cute FASHIONISTAS

I'M LOVING THAT KATE MOSS TAKES STYLE ADVICE FROM HER DAUGHTER... Kate is astonished how much seven-year-old Lila Grace already knows about fashion and is happy to listen to her wardrobe suggestions.
She told an English magazine: "Lila's already got a great handbag collection! She's got a mirrored Fendi bag and she'll say things like, 'I'm not going to wear that anymore'.
"She knows what she likes and I can't force her to wear anything she doesn't want to, which is annoying sometimes. She loves clothes. She's got really good style, as well.
"I rarely go shopping without her now. She tells me what she doesn't like or she'll say 'Mummy, you look nice,' or 'That dress is amazing!' She's got it."
Kate isn't the only star to take fashion advice from her offspring.

And it's not just Lila who's a teeny fashionista... Victoria Beckham's seven-year-old son Romeo loves helping her out with her fashion range. Victoria explains: "We had dinner last night and Romeo wore a suit with a little shirt and tie. That's what he would wear every single day, he's so into fashion.
"The other boys are all about going to the beach; he's not interested. He's like, 'I want to go to work with mummy,' and he sits there going through the collection, feeling the fabrics, giving his opinion. He loves it."

mid-week MUMMAS

THIS WEEK'S MUMMAS (+ DADS)... the Stefani-Rossdales in St Barts; Heidi Klum and Leni in Aspen; and Christina and Max in LA; J-Lo and her Max; and the Jolie-Pitts on their way to see Mary Poppinson Broadway...