brush up on BLUSH

BLUSH CAN INSTANTLY BRIGHTEN YOUR SKIN, if you get it right! Here's what you need to know to get the glow...

• Colour test: To find the shade that flatters your skin tone, gently pinch your cheeks and match the blush to the colour you get. You can also try one that's half a shade darker than your favourite neutral lipstick.

• Go creamy: Start with a cream blush because it goes on sheer and it's easy to blend. The exception is if you also use a powder foundation or loose powder on your face; always keep makeup textures consistent so they don't clump.

• Get yourself a fan: Dense brushes—the ones that typically some with blush—are tricky and tend to create a big, sloppy chunk of colour in the middle of the cheek. Fan brushes work with both cream and powder formulas and the thin hairs blend colour seamlessly.

• Product placement: Smile to accentuate the best part of the cheeks to apply blush. Put the highest concentration

of colour just outside of the fattest part of the cheeks—not directly under the eyes.
• Don't go there: Don't place the colour too close to the nose or the temples because it will scream "too much blush."

• Build it up: The more layers of makeup you wear, the lighter the blush should be. On the other hand, if you apply blush to bare skin, it will soak in and be more diffuse, so you may have to use more for the same effect.

foundation FIX

A COMMON MAKE-UP MISTAKE is to apply foundation without giving your moisturiser time to dry...

Why? The creaminess of a moisturiser can cause makeup to thin out if the moisturiser hasn't had enough time to soak into the skin. This can result in blotchiness and ultimately limit the amount of coverage your foundation can offer throughout the day. 



A better way: Wait 60 seconds, until the moisturiser is absorbed. Or, if you're short on time, blot your face with a tissue after moisturising, then apply foundation.

get dinner {& dessert} sorted THIS WEEK

WHAT'S FOR DINNER? Grrr!!!...

You won't dread this question after you visit The Cook's Larder... Here you'll find lot's of delicious dinner and dessert ideas for you and your family - just CLICK HERE to be inspired...

{Photo: Samantha Mackie}

happy WEEKEND

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”

― Anonymous

Have a fantastic weekend! X

{Pic: The Bottom Of The Ironing Basket}

anti-aging INSIDER TIP #3 [revisited}

GET MORE BEAUTY SLEEP...

If you go to bed 15 minutes earlier, progress -ively, for four nights running, you'll establish a routine where you get an extra hour of beauty zzzz's. It also helps if you quit the coffee after 3 P.M. and avoid exercising in the three hours before bed. Log off your computer in plenty of time, too—your face is more important than Facebook. And don't hit the snooze button the next morning—fragmented sleeping just makes you groggier.

anti-aging INSIDER TIP [revisited}

AN ANTI-AGEING BEAUTY TIP FROM ALLURE MAG (one I really haven't heard before!!!)...

Be conscious of repetitive movements. Between smiling, frowning, and talking, your face makes thousands of movements a day.

Over time, these repetitive motions lead to deeper lines. It would be unrealistic (not to mention Stepford-like) to stop showing your emotions, but some habits can be curbed. “We’re not saying, ‘Don’t live; don’t move,’” says Debra Jaliman, a New York City dermatologist. “But if you’re constantly drinking through a straw, chewing gum, or smoking, you’re breaking down the collagen around your mouth. And the wrinkles will come earlier.”

wrinkle FILLER

I LOVE RoC's RETIN-OX WRINKLE FILLER... it is seriously amazing!

I'm a huge fan of RoC skincare but this is definitely the hero product. This new day/night cream combines Hyaluronic Acid to help retain the moisture in your skin so it instantly plumps it up and smoothes away wrinkles - and Retinol to keep correcting deep wrinkles long-term. I've only been using it for about four weeks but the results have been awesome, my skin does look plumper and smoother. I'm very very happy with this little baby!

* Put this on your list ladies, it's in-store in March 8. Visit RoC Skincare for more details.

inspiration for THIS WEEK

“DON'T COMPROMISE YOURSELF. You’re all you’ve got.”
― Janis Joplin

hot HAIRSTYLE #4

LOVING MOLLY SIMS LONG SIDE-PARTED HAIR WITH FLIPPED ENDS...

THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM INSTYLE: Her hairstylist decided on an easy blowdry for polish and he blew the hair dry with a medium round brush, taking care to "flick out" the ends. When the hair was dry he added dry shampoo and hairspray to rough it up and gives body, volume and a lived-in texture. To finish he parted the hair deep to the side and snuck a bobby pin by the ear to hold everything in place.

Simple but stunning!

happy WEEKEND

“LIFE MOVES PRETTY FAST. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while you could miss it.”
― Matthew Broderick as Ferris Buller, "Ferris Buller’s Day Off"

{Pic: BITS OF BEAUTY}

friday {HAIR} fashion FAVOURITE

I LOVE HAIR ACCESSORIES... especially if it's anything floral or incorporates feathers - or combines both!

Lady Jayne has just about to release their Classical Romance range of headbands, headwraps and hairclips which are just gorgeous - and so reasonably priced!

CLICK HERE to check out Lady Jayne and keep updated when the Classical Romance range goes on sale!

no-fuss WAVES

PERFECTLY COIFED HAIR has it's place, but no-fuss waves will probably win hands down when it comes to my fave 'do...

To DIY your own touchable waves: work volumizer through damp hair (if your hair is thick, use a coin-size drop of styling cream instead to reduce frizz). Blow-dry while tossing your hair around with your hands—the bigger it gets, the better. Then take your curling iron and, holding it vertically, open the iron and spiral inch-wide sections of hair around the barrel for a few seconds without clamping the iron shut. Only curl the hair from ear level down—leaving the roots straight keeps the look loose and natural. Once the waves have cooled, rake your fingers through to soften them.

hot HAIRSTYLE #3

LOVING THIS HALF-TEASED- BACK DO...

{I've got a thing for teasing at the moment - have you noticed????}

To recreate this style, take the top section of your hair from temple to temple and lightly tease the underside with a paddle brush. Skim the brush over the surface of hair to smooth it, then secure at the back of the crown with a simple metal or tortoiseshell barrette.

{Source: Allure}

great STRAIGHT

STICK STRAIGHT HAIR IS GOREGOUS, but don't forget it still needs to move...

To keep it from hanging too close to the head, spritz your roots with thickening spray and blow-dry with a round brush before tackling it with your straightening iron. Just hit the very bottom of the hair with an iron - that way, you can still see the layers.

{Source: Allure}

mid-week MUMMAS

CUTE MUMMA PIX of Madonna, Gwen, Heidi and Naomi - and their babes - about and about the last week...

hot HAIRSTYLE #2

THE SPIKY KNOT is hot... and it only takes about two minutes to do! Loving!

To DIY: Make a ponytail just above the centre of the back of your head and lightly tease the tail, then haphazardly twist it around into a bun and pin in place—but leave the ends sprouting out so it seems more casual. (Feel free to pull a few pieces out of the twist.)

{Loving this make-up too!}

damage CONTROL

MOISTURE GIVES YOUR HAIR BODY AND SHINE so you don't want to zap it with your dryer...

If you can, try not to blow-dry all the time - if you have to, here's some dryer-damage-control:

* Always use the nozzle attachment on the hair-dryer.

* Keep the dry (and the nozzle) always moving - to prevent scorching your hair.

* Always point the nozzle down the hair shaft - stops the frizzies and helps with the shine factor.
* Don't dry the ends - if you've been using a brush while blow-drying it will be hot enough to deal with the ends.
* Finish with a blast of cold air - again, it helps your hair 'shine'!

parting WAYS

I came across this interesting {fun} info in my beauty files today...

WHAT YOUR HAIR PART SAYS ABOUT YOU!

Here goes, if your part is:

RIGHT-SIDED it means you're an outgoing, flirtatious person with artistic talent.

LEFT-SIDED it means you're a leader who is smart, assertive and powerful.

IN THE MIDDLE it means you're balanced and equally strong and sensitive.

Now you know!

how to grow out A FRINGE

IF YOU'RE ANYTHING LIKE ME, YOU HAVE A FRINGE CUT then spend the next coupla months growing it out... {It was a good idea at the time!} Since the average fringe takes six months to a year to grow out fully, slicking your hair back into a ponytail every day can become boring so here are some tips to get you through:

• Cut it. Growing out a fringe requires trimming and reshaping. Have your stylist cut your blunt fringe on an angle once they've passed the bottom of your eyebrows to soften the look. If your fringe is already side-swept, let the outer corners grow while micro-trimming the middle. Each time you get a cut (every four to six weeks, please), have the hair around your face slightly angled to meet the growing lengths. And to even out the overall length, trim a quarter inch off the back.

• Style it. When your fringe reaches your eyebrows, it's all about control. Those with coarse, wavy hair need a little pomade to weigh it down, while fine hair responds best to a dime-size amount of gel that's got some alcohol to shape and tame flyaways. Once your fringe has reached the bridge of your nose, apply a styling lotion and curl the fringe up and back with a round brush. Gravity alone will help the hair fall into a sexy wave. You can also experiment with different parts—if you usually create one in the middle, a side part can make bangs look less like the centre of attention.

• Colour it. Fresh colour pumps up hair that's going through an awkward stage. But thinly placed highlights can look oddly striped on bangs, so request a semi-permanet rinse to give the illusion of uniform length. If you just can't part with highlights, get balayage (fine strands of colour) a few shades paler than your base. Have your colourist concentrate on the tips of your fringe. This draws the eye to the ends and makes the bangs look longer.

• Push it back. It couldn't be a better time to grow out a fringe or layers, because hair accessories—clips, combs, headbands—are hot now. Pin your fringe back with a couple of delicate bobby pins and tuck that under a soft fabric headband. Or pull them back with a clawed band. For a less severe look, let a few pieces sneak out and graze the forehead on an angle. Those with wavy or curly hair can twist the fringe back off the face (as if they were doing a French twist) and secure it with a U-shaped hair pin.

hot HAIRSTYLE #1

I LOVE THE LOW PONYTAIL especially if it's a little bit messy...

To DIY: The key to pulling the look off is a slightly frizzy texture so before pulling your back hair, lightly massage your scalp with your fingertips—this creates a bit of volume and the fuzziness you want. Then, loosely gather your hair at the nape of your neck and wrap an elastic around it so the band is about 2-3 centimetres away from your scalp.

For extra oomph, lightly tease the underside of the tail with a paddle brush.

happy VALENTINES

WISHING YOU AND YOUR Valentine a big day of LOVE and true happiness! X

{Card: Rifle Paper Co}

happy WEEKEND

“LOVE does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction.”

― Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Happy Valentine's weekend! x

loving... RHUBARB LIPGLOSS

THIS IS THE PERFECT LIPGLOSS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY... ‘Lanolips Lip Ointment SPF’ has a new deep deep pink shade that's good enough to eat and it's called ‘Rhubarb’!

Lanolips creator Kirsten Carriol says the newest shade is a tribute to her Grandmother’s rhubarb and banana puddings, “she used to make them when we were little on the farm. I loved the way the uncooked rhubarb has this extremely vibrant and pretty deep pink, with a sparkle and sheen on the surface. When creating the lip ointment we added the tiniest bit of gold sparkle to this lip ointment to capture this magic.”

{That story just makes me love it even more!}

Lanolips Rhubarb is still made from ULTRA-pure medical grade lanolin, vitamin E, pure pigment and natural oils it will leave your lips super glossy and moisturised for hours.

Check out 'Rhubarb' and the other gorgeous Lanolips shades by visiting www.lanolips.com

friday FASHION FAVOURITE

I'M LOVING THE HEAD SCARF OR BANDANA... {it's a little bit rock chic} and it's the fastest solution to a bad hair day.

Choose a square, printed scarf (solid colours tend to look like a bandage) and fold it in half diagonally to make a triangle. Tie it over the top of your hair and knot it in back. The front should rest no more than an inch down over your hairline (any lower, and you risk Axl Rose comparisons).

{Source: Allure}

loving... LILAC EYES

I'VE ALWAYS HAD A SOFT SPOT FOR PURPLE EYESHADOW - and now it's the big thing for spring...

It seems beauty is having an ultra-violet moment and a purple haze has descended onto most of the models strutting down the catwalk...

Here's how you can wear the trend: Apply a gentle wash of lilac on the eyes with an eyeshadow sponge, all the way up to the brows. Next slick of the same coloured liner along the upper lash line for added definition and apply a coupla coats of mascara to lashes. Keep the rest of the face natural and bronzed - and if you're feeling a little adventurous, apply a red or raspberry gloss to your lips. Gorgeous!

loving... ROMANTIC HAIR

A RUMPLED TEXTURE AND CASUAL PINNING CAN INSTANTLY UPDATE THE STANDARD BUN... and "it can make you look sexier and more youthful," says Allure mag. {Hel-lo!}

To DIY this gorg do: Use a large curling iron to create loose waves (if your hair is naturally wavy, let it air-dry). Gather your hair loosely at the nape and twist it around just once so the bun drapes low. Then, instead of wrapping it with an elastic, stick long bobby pins into the bun haphazardly to secure it, which keeps the style from becoming too tight.

{Source : Allure}

loving... HIGH IMPACT LINER

TO GET HIGH IMPACT EYES THE EASY WAY... sharpen a creamy black pencil and rim all along your your top and bottom lashlines. Then take the pencil and gently work it along the inside line of your lashes, closest to your eyes. You may not be able to draw a perfect line, but that extra dose of pigment will definitely show.

loving... MID-WEEK MUMMAS

SOME OF MY FAVE MUMMAS OUT AND ABOUT THE PAST WEEK...

Maggie Gyllenhaal and her daughter Ramona; Kate Hudson and Ryder; Naomi Watts and her two little bundles Samuel and Alexander; and Claudia Schiffer looking gorgeous pregnant!

loving... DEWY SKIN

HOW GORGEOUS IS NATALIA'S SKIN? It's just beauty-full...

Genes have a lot to do with it but you can get a similar dewy effect yourself by following these 3 steps:

1. Polishing your skin with a gentle exfoliator that contains round scrubbing beads - they're even gentle enough for sensitive complexions.

2. Follow with a lightweight moisturiser on dry areas like the forehead and cheeks, where there are fewer oil glands.

3. If you need a bit of coverage, brush on translucent powder instead of pressed—it provides an airy, more natural finish.

loving... THE COOKS LARDER

SAMANTHA MACKIE is a photographer who lives on Sydney’s beautiful northern beaches and runs The Cooks Larder [foodstore, delicatessen, cafe and cooking school] with her partner in food and life Dugal {who MAKES THE BEST desserts}. She is also one of my besties, a gorgeous gorgeous person - and my kids just adore her kids!

Sam has just also started a blog which features her amazing photos, recipes, cooking tips and foodie interviews - it's a daily must-read/squizz!

CLICK HERE to visit Sam's blog for yourself!

loving... HAIR BARE SKIN

HERE'S HOW TO GET YOUR SMOOTHEST SHAVE EVER...

* Choose a razor with five blades. Once you're in the shower or bath, wait three minutes for warm water to soften hair. Instead of soap (it clogs your razor), use a shaving cream or gel (it creates a smooth barrier between your skin and the blades). In a pinch, hair conditioner or a creamy body wash can work.

For legs: Start above the ankle and work upward in six-inch sections. Rinse the razor between each stroke. To get your knees and ankles, pull the skin taut with one hand and glide the razor with the other.

For underarms: Shave at different angles, since the hair grows every which way. Move the blade upward, then down, then across, rinsing it clean and relathering between strokes.

For the bikini line: Avoid irritation by angling the blade in the direction of hair growth and gently shaving with the grain.

{Source: Allure}

loving... KISSABLE LIPS

HERE'S HOW TO GET A SUPER-SMOOTH KISSER in time for Valentine's...

1. Exfoliate: First apply a thick slick of lip balm to soften lips and leave for 10 minutes. Next gently exfoliate away dry, flaky skin with soft baby toothbrush using light circular motions.
If you suffer from super-dry lips exfoliate once a week until your lips are completely smooth.


2. Moisturise: Apply a creamy balm containing petrolatum, shea butter, hyaluronic acid, dimethicone, or ceramides. Avoid waxy formulas (their ingredients may not penetrate) as well as anything heavily flavoured or fragranced (which can make chapping even worse).

3. Add colour: Try a tinted lip treatment like Lanolips that is super-hydrating and super-glossy - click here for all the details - and check out the new shade RHUBARB!

{Pic: Allure}

maximise your lashes THIS WEEK

TO GET MORE OUT OF YOUR MASCARA - AND MAXIMISE YOUR LASHES - try these insider tricks...

1. Start by curling your lashes. Gently pinch lashes at the roots and then move along the length, making pulse-like squeezes as you go.

2. Apply mascara by wiggling the wand back and forth at the roots to deposit as much of it as possible before pulling the wand straight up.

3. To make lashes look long and separated, apply three coats of mascara—but comb through the mascara while it's still wet with a clean, dry mascara brush.

happy WEEKEND

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”
―Confucius

Have a beauty-full weekend! X

{Pic: The Bottom Of The Ironing Basket}

friday FASHION FAVOURITE

LOVING THIS VOGUE FASHION SHOOT... how divine are the dresses and shoes!!!! Just heaven!

{Source: Dustjacket Attic}

perfect PEEPERS

YOUR EYES ARE ONE OF THE FIRST AREAS TO SEE THE SIGNS OF AGING... so the trick to keep your eyes looking youthful, select eye creams that contain power ingredients like hyaluronic acid (it draws moisture from the air and can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water), as well as vitamins C and E. Vitamin C helps with collagen production and skin elasticity and can also help brighten age spots and dark circles while vitamin E helps protect the eye area and seal in moisture.

For best results, apply an eye cream in the morning and again before bedtime: There’s evidence that skin-cell regeneration is more rapid at night, so take advantage of your skin’s receptiveness and don’t skimp on overnight hydration.

{Source: Elle}

more KATE THE GREAT

MORE KATE IN THE NEW US HARPERS... looking super-stunning! To read a very rare interview with Kate, CLICK HERE!

{Source: Harpers Bazaar}