City Adventures

It's been so long since I've been in the city to shop, and I got a nice little surprise when I discovered that the Winter Garden in the Queen St Mall had reopened! The renovations look fantastic, and the caliber of shops has certainly been stepped up. It felt sort of like a rabbit warren of high-end stores; going down little alleys and turning corners to find Sambag, Dinosaur Designs and Bessie Head among others.

The highlight for me was hands down Mecca Maxima - a massive Mecca Cosmetica store! My jaw was on the floor as soon as I walked through the doors. Finally, a make up store in Brisbane with a decent range of make up, and a good set up! Mecca Maxima has definitely taken inspiration from Sephora, I just wish the prices were similar to those at Sephora! 

I also loved the displays they had set up for the opening of the Winter Garden; shoes hanging from the ceiling and mannequins with bouquets of flowers instead of heads! I think they're very whimsical and beautiful. I saw some Japanese girls taking photos of the displays, so I decided to get in on it too and be a bit of a tourist in my own city (although I definitely did get some odd looks from people).

Whilst I didn't buy anything from the Winter Garden, I did end up buying some beautifully cut Alannah Hill pants and picked up a birthday present for the boy! On a side note, I always receive the BEST service at the Alannah Hill store in Queens Plaza. The girls are always really friendly (like, genuinely friendly), and go out of their way to help you out - thoroughly recommend.

The Darnell Collection at Unique France

Last Friday I was lucky enough to attend a cocktail function at Unique France where they were show casing a selection of dresses from the Darnell Collection. The Darnell Collection is Australia's largest private collection of vintage clothing, curated by Charlotte Smith. Charlotte inherited the dresses from her American godmother and gave a short speech on the night about the history of the collection. It was a really enjoyable night in which we were able to browse the vintage couture gowns with a glass of French wine in hand and beautiful antique surrounds.

 

I wore a red lace Alannah Hill dress with a matching Alannah Hill belt, sheer black stockings and black velvet heels (scored at Myer for a bargain $8 a while ago! So pleased with that find haha). 

I left my hair down and just put a few soft waves in the front with my straightener and hairsprayed them in place. My make up was definitely inspired by Lisa Eldridge - I used her concealing method, plus wore a red lip that didn't wear off the whole night (even after drinking champagne and eating yummy canapes from Lady Lamington!) because of Lisa's amazing lipstick applying technique!

Face Of The Night: Chanel Matte Lumiere Foundation - Clair, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, Clinique Colour Surge Eyeshadow in Bewitched (to fill in eyebrows and on eyelids), Urban Decay Primer Potion, Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Personnel Multi-finish Lipstick in number 14, Nars 'Bloodwork' lipgloss, Cover Girl Lengthening Lash Blast mascara, MAC Studio Fix Powder N4, Bobbi Brown Bronzer in Medium, Revlon Skinlights, Nars Albatross.

Just a couple of happy snaps from the night!

My Little 'Work Station'

Since moving into our apartment I've realised that I've totally taken over the lounge and coffee table. It's become my getting ready space and my office, and consequently is always covered with my stuff (much to Pierre's annoyance). 

In the morning I do my make up in front of the T.V. It's great because I can spread my products and brushes out whilst I watch Sunrise and keep an eye on the time, and at night I curl up on the couch with my Mac to study and blog. Once we get the apartment properly set up I'm sure I'll find a more permanent set up for my make-up, but for the moment this is it!

My space.

Flowers, MacBook Pro, Make Up Bag, Mirror.

This is one of my favourite arrangements I've had in the apartment. The colours are so fresh and bright, and compliment each other beautifully.

My constantly over-flowing make up bag!

Five Most Used Products This Month

Palmer's Cocoa Butter - a rich, thick, sweet smelling product that's intensely moisturizing and leaves skin baby soft and smooth.

Yves Saint Laurent blush brush - love the shape of the handle and bristles of this brush. It's so soft, and blends blush beautifully.

Perfect hairspray - good hold, matte finish, not too shiny, great for holding curls and creating volume. LOVE the pretty pink can too!

Bobbi Brown Lipstick in 'Bare Pink' - perfect for nude lip without that 'dead look' going on.

St Tropez Tanning Mousse - fuss free, easy to apply and gives a natural non-orange glow.

The Wish List

1. Chanel 'Gabrielle' lipstick

2. Coloured gel eyeliners

3. Sigma brush set

4. Vichy Dermablend concealer

5. Chanel Matte Lumiere Foundation

My Foundations

1. Make Up Forever High Definition Foundation (#118 Flesh)
2. Chanel Pro Lumiere (#20 Clair - Cameo)
3. MAC Studio Fix Fluid (NC20)
4. MAC Studio Sculpt (NC25)
5. Estee Lauder Double Wear Light (Intensity 1.0)

I always have a couple of foundations on the go. My skin type is combination and I am prone to break outs, so most of my foundations are medium to full coverage.

I use MAC Studio Fix on a daily basis atm because it's full coverage and long wearing. I want my foundation to still look good at the end of the day and I feel as though Studio Fix does this. I like Estee Lauder Double Wear Light for every day wear for this reason too.

I would love to be able to use Make Up Forever HD every day because it has the niiiiicest finish, but because you can't find it in Australia, I'm trying to save this bottle I got in France for as long as I can! As the name suggests this make up was made for High Definition technology, so it looks great even in front of a high def camera. A great foundation if you're having important photos taken eg. wedding day.

I was so excited about my Make Up Forever HD Foundation purchase, I had to document it!

Chanel Pro Lumiere gives medium to full coverage. The bottle says it's a semi-matte finish, and I'd agree. It can get a bit too 'dewy' for my liking after a couple of hours, especially if the weather is humid.

MAC Studio Sculpt is my winter foundation. It's too moisturising for me to use during summer, but is perfect for winter. To get a flawless finish, I recommend using a natural bristle brush to buff it into the skin.

The Return of Glitter

Usually I'm not a massive fan of sparkle in my make-up... it makes me think of 80's pearlised pink lipstick, Boy George and glitter gel smudged on temples at Blue Light discos, but I have been noticing (and loving) the return of glitter make-up.

My change of heart towards glitter started with make-up artist, Lisa Eldridge, and her inspired use of glitter from the December 2010 issue of UK Glamour Magazine. I'd never seen loose glitter used on the lip before, especially in such a sophisticated and wearable way.

Brands such as Make-up Forever, Illamasqua and M.A.C have the most gorgeous loose glitters in their current lines and collections. They're in sexy and sophisticated colours and alot are finely-milled (not chunky like craft store stuff).

To achieve the perfect glitter lip start with a bold base of lip liner and lipstick (Eldridge used a berry base in one look and a hot pink in another), put a light amount of lipgloss over the top (either clear or in a complimentary colour) and then pat on your glitter of choice. You can stick to one glitter or try different shades to add some extra dimension eg. lighter colour at the cupid's bow.

Remember if you're going to try this look, keep the rest of the face glitter-free - you want to be the belle of the ball, not the disco ball.

Whilst it's not a look for the office, a glitter lip would be a super-chic look for any cocktail or night-time function (just remember to sip your martini through a straw!)

Glitter eyeliner is also making a big come back with Illamasqua, Urban Decay and M.A.C have all featuring them in recent collections or in their current line. Glitter eyeliner packed with glitter provides the biggest 'wow' factor, rather than those comprised of mostly gel.

Glitter eyeliner can be used along the lash line, as you would a normal liquid liner, or for something a little more edgy, try a graphic shape along the socket line.

The same rule applies to glitter eyeliner as it did to the glitter lip - keep the rest of your face glitter-free and you'll be sitting pretty!

Urban Decay glitter eyeliners.

To Splurge or Save???

This is a list of the the product I deem necessary to spend extra dollars on, and also a list on when to save them. I don't believe you need to spend heaps of money on all your products, so let's have a little looksie at what I splurge and save on:

Things I Spend Money On:

Blush - I hate, HATE, hate cheap, un-pigmented, talcy blushers that send a dusty cloud of product into the air at the tap of a brush. Cheap blush wrecks flawless foundation by having to pack on a thick chalky layer just to get some colour pay-off. I'm Nars all the way baby! I recently lost my beloved Nars 'Orgasm' blush on a roadtrip to Amsterdam, and you can be sure the first shop I hit up upon my return was Sephora to pick up more of this cult classic. Sure it's pricey, but it lasts forever! I used that blush at least 3 times a week for the past 2 years and I'd only just hit pan.

Nars blush = pigmented perfection.

Eyeshadows - For the same reason as blush. The better quality and more pigmented the product, the less you have to put on, and also, the longer it lasts. Fair enough if you want to buy an acid green shadow from a cheap brand because you're only going to use it once, but for frequently used shadows quality is key. MAC, Clinique, Nars and Revlon are some of my favourites - highly pigmented, last all day and blend like a dream!

Worth every cent!

Foundation - Well, this is semi-true. I do indeed indulge in high-end foundations such as Chanel, Estee Lauder, MAC and Make-up Forever, however I also dabble in more budget-friendly brands such as Revlon (Colourstay is a staple in my make-up bag) and Natio.

Bottled magic!

Bronzer - in my opinion, there is nothing worse than a bad bronzer. If it's too orangey, chalky, muddy or shimmery it belongs in the bin. I've sworn by Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder for many years now. It's natural-looking, comes in different shades, is not at all orangey, has no shimmer and blends beautifully. It even has a handy mirror in the compact!

My old faithful.

Fake Tan - If you get your fake tan wrong, it's really noticeable and looks infinitely tacky. Thus why I rely on St Tropez, the tanning masters. Their tanning foam applies easily, never looks patchy, and most importantly never looks orange!

Not hot.

Moisturiser - This is particularly important if you have dry, damaged or mature skin. Using a quality moisturiser will do wonders for your skin and prevent you looking like a dried-up prune. I'm a big fan of Elizabeth Arden.

Refreshing gel-cream moisturiser.

Things I don't spend money on:

Shower gel/bath products - I'm really not fussy. As long as it cleans me thoroughly and doesn't have an overly offensive smell, it's welcome to rub-a-dub in my tub!

Haircuts - This is a personal one as it is very dependant on your hair-type and hair-cut. I, however, have long hair, all one lenth, with a little shaping around the face. It takes 10 minutes for me to get a trim every month or so and costs me about $20 at my local budget hairdresser. As I don't dye it or need anything special done to it, I have come to the conclusion that I don't need Oscar Oscar to lop my locks.

Mascara - I used to only buy Lauder and Clinique mascaras until I tried some cheaper ones and found them to be just as good. Snaps to Covergirl Lashblast which is now a staple in my make-up bag (beware the waterproof version though!) Also take into consideration that you shouldn't keep your mascaras for more than 3 months, so if you won't use them up in that time, you're literally throwing away your cash!

Nail polish - Rimmel and Revlon do me just fine. They have a great range of colours, apply easily, last pretty well and I can pick them up at Priceline for under $15. I'm not ashamed to admit that I often peruse the shelves of Groove to find them at cheaper prices as well!

Brush cleaner - I once bought a bottle of $35 Clinique brush cleaner. I then found out a $5 bottle of baby shampoo does the same thing. Yay for saving $30!

Lauder Lust

I'm usually pretty conservative when it comes to nail polish colours, but the blue nail polish from Estee Lauder's 'Blue Dahlia' collection has got me drooling. This deep, glossy, midnight blue is absolutely gorgeous. It looks classy and polished, unlike some of the gaudy nail polish colours that have been popular of late. Rush to your nearest Lauder counter to pick one up, because these babies are selling out!

Death to Smokey Eye

So, it's Friday night and you're getting with ready with The Girls for a night of dancing, drinking and general debauchary. You've got that special dress on, killer heels, hair freshly washed and straightened, make-up bag in one hand, glass of white in the other and you're heading to the bathroom to fight for prime real-estate in front of the mirror. After securing your spot, you dig out your trusty black eyeliner and begin your usual going-out 'Smokey Eye' routine...

At this point I'd like you to STOP and THINK. Put that MAC Smoulder down before you hurt yourself, honey.

Smokey eye is done, dead, over, kaput. It should have faded into the fashion shadows with slogan t-shirts and velvet chokers; however it continues to rear its' ugly head at night clubs and school formals across the country.

Sipping our Cham-Chams (Champagne with a dash of Chambourd) The Girls and I groan as yet another panda-eyed girl struts past. *Note to self: must bond with her in the toilet line and pass on vital info about the death of the Smokey Eye.*

Yawn...

I know you're thinking I'm over-reacting, but hear me out. I promise this little Cherry has some valid reasons for banning such a beloved look...

1. Massive potential for it to look like your eyes met Mike Tyson's fist.

If I had a dollar for every time I read a beauty 'how-to' on Smokey Eyes saying how easy it is to achieve and 'the messier the better'. Wrong. Simply wrong. Unless you're Kate Moss and ooze an undeniable aura of bad-ass and rocker-chic, this advice does not apply to you. You will end up looking like you've gone 10 rounds with a pro-boxer...and lost. All that hard work you spent on getting ready, and then you ruin it with the bruised eye look? Disappointing.

2. Guys don't like it.

While a guys' approval is not what life and fashion is all about - chances are you didn't wear that ridiculously short dress in the middle of winter or spend those extra 10 minutes making sure your hair was sitting just right, to impress your bestie who knew you before you discovered Pro-active. The majority of guys don't like the smokey eye look and this is a proven fact. Well not really, but a brief survey of the guys I know, plus my friends comfirming their boyfriends don't like it is pretty solid evidence in my book. How many guys have you heard saying that they like it when girls don't wear make-up? This is actually b.s, no guy would be attracted to what I look like when I wake up in the morning sans make-up. What they really mean is they like a girl to look natural, and smearing black stuff all over your eyes doesn't fall under the 'natural' category. Comprendo?

3. It's so yesterday

...to quote Hilary Duff. Smokey eye and nude lip is so boring... it's so done. Everyone was raving about the perfect smokey eye/nude lip combo about 5 years ago. Do you want to look so 5 years ago? I didn't think so.

So if not the smokey eye, what? A good alternative is a sexy bold lip, fresh face and a hint of gel-liner slicked along the upper lashline.You can mix it up with a bright matte pink or a sizzling hot orange. Think retro-chic with a modern twist.

If that doesn't float your boat, gorgeous bronzed skin, a natural rosy lip and some pearlescent eye-shadow with lashings of mascara will work a treat. You'll look like you just came back from a holiday in St Tropez with this simple, fresh look.

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder - my fav bronzer.

So next time you're getting ready for that special event, heed my advice. Smokey eye is dead and buried, let's leave it rest in peace.