image source: lovelylivtyler
June 26, 2010
Style Inspiration
This is such an inspiring eye look for me at the moment. I’ve ordered a MAC shadestick in beige-ing to try and recreate the shimmer shading around the outer edge of the eye. Apparently the neutral shadow used in this look is MAC eyeshadow in omega, but I’m going to try one of the colours from my Christian Dior 5 Colour Palette in ‘Incognito’ before splurging on yet another neutral eyeshadow.
June 26, 2010
Time/Storm London Watches Q&A
The time you felt most inspired by fashion – your most inspiring fashion moment?
This will probably sound so cheesy, but my first ‘lightning bolt’ moment when it comes to fashion was the first time I ever took notice of Liv Tyler’s style. I remember the moment distinctly (see, I told you it would be cheesy…) – I was sitting on the couch flipping through a glossy magazine. I must have been around 19 or 20 at the time, I don’t remember that detail exactly. But I do remember the first time I saw this outfit:
This will probably sound so cheesy, but my first ‘lightning bolt’ moment when it comes to fashion was the first time I ever took notice of Liv Tyler’s style. I remember the moment distinctly (see, I told you it would be cheesy…) – I was sitting on the couch flipping through a glossy magazine. I must have been around 19 or 20 at the time, I don’t remember that detail exactly. But I do remember the first time I saw this outfit:
There was so much about this outfit that inspired me at the time. It was like a bolt from the blue. I don’t get the same sort of inspiration from this outfit now, of course – as my tastes have developed and changed slightly over the years. But then, Liv’s elegant and classy style with a rockstar twist was a source of continual inspiration for me. From her tailored pants with the hint of sexiness (the sheer lace panel along the sides of the thigh is truly breathtaking!), the fresh and natural looking makeup, the always perfect hair and the amazing touch that her classic style watch seems to add to the outfit. From that moment on I was in love with Liv. I took aspects of her style and throughout the years managed to develop my own personal style that still contains hints of the ways she has inspired me from that moment on.
The time you were proudest of your outfit or style?
This is a tough one for me because I can’t ever really remember having a moment where I was truly ‘proud’ of my style. One thing that does spring to mind though and is rather silly, is that recently during a meeting at work one of my male co-workers put me forward as one of the designers and organisers for our new corporate work uniform. He made a comment about how well presented I am, and how he could imagine that I would have the right skills to be able to put together a collection of pieces that would suit all of the staff in our company. This was flattering to me because I do try to present myself well, and it was nice to know that someone had noticed!
The Time in Fashion you would most like to return to – e.g 60’s style, 70’s style…?
Without a doubt, the 1920′s. The glamour, the elegance, the understated sexiness and the playful femininity of the 1920′s era is something I have always been inspired by. If I could fill my closet with some of the incredible drop waisted styles from that era, I would be in heaven…
I love the luxury of that era. And the fact that a lot of the fashion in that time seemed to be a bit of a middle finger to the establishment, lol. I would also love for the opportunity to wear more hats, and hats were all the rage in the 1920′s, or so it seems.
I was recently contacted and asked to complete this bloggers ‘Q&A’ about fashion and style. This Q&A is sponsored by fashion based social networking site 2Threads & watch design company Storm London. You can view and shop the range of Storm Watches on their website.
June 26, 2010
Guest Post: Winter Beauty Essentials – Laura from ‘Life, Beauty, Laughter’
Time for our fourth in a series of Winter Beauty Essential guest posts. This time we hear from Laura – creator of the always inspiring blog Life, Beauty, Laughter.
01: Mecca Nail Colour in Perdita – This is a beautiful taupe colour which, I suspect, was inspired by Chanel Particuliere. Having compared them, Perdita is less brown with a touch of grey and mauve. Whenever I wear this, I am showered in compliments (as I am typing, I have counted four today!) It is chic, unique, versatile and the formula applies smoothly and lasts well (particularly with Mecca Top Coat sealing the edge of the nail).
02: Elemental Herbology Cell Food – I love this serum, along with the rest of the Elemental Herbology range. It is literally like food for your skin – very nutritious food. It contains an amazing array of antioxidants, including green tea and Vitamin A, C and E, which keep my skin supple and radiant.
03: By Terry Lip Expert in Freaky Pink – My favourite lipgloss in the whole world! I especially love this one during winter because the texture is so lovely and hydrating, and it gives my lips a bright pop of opalescent pink that brightens up wintery clothes and rainy days beautifully.
Winter tradition: I love curling up on the couch to watch romantic comedies (Julie and Julia, Once and Love Actually are a few favourites) with a warm blanket, green tea and dark chocolate – especially when it is raining outside!
June 26, 2010
Hey Mr Postman…
New arrivals: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, Biotherm Aquasource Skin Perfection & my book order from Amazon. (The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, First As Tragedy, Then As Farce by Slavoj Zizek & White Noise by Don DeLillo) The Dermalogica was a gift from my friend Maya, who was able to attend an exciting Dermalogica launch on behalf of The Belle Lumiere recently. Keep an eye out for her guest post! Also, the Biotherm was sent by my favourite online beauty store Adore Beauty for trial and review. I can’t wait to check it out!
June 25, 2010
Project 10 Pan #2
So after finishing my first Project 10 Pan a little while ago, it seems like I am addicted to finishing up my products before purchasing anything new. Which is great news! (at least to me &/or my wallet…) So I am starting up a second Project 10 Pan. This time I will try to use up 10 different products, regardless of type. So this could be makeup, skincare, body products or hair products. 10 products finished up before I purchase anything new. I will still allow myself to re-purchase staples in my beauty cupboard like cleanser, moisturiser etc. Because I generally only ever use one particular product for these things. So here we go! P10P2 begins…
image source: weheartit
June 19, 2010
Product Review: Lapureté Product Range
As I mentioned recently, I was lucky enough to be sent the Lapureté product range for trial and review. For me, the initial attraction to this brand was definitely due to their all natural approach to skincare. It didn’t hurt that their all product range claimed to provide a natural alternative to Botox! (clinically proven by Monash University) Normally I am quite cynical when it comes to skincare that claims to provide seemingly miraculous results, but their ethical ingredient list was enough for me to want to try this range.
All Lapureté products are carefully selected using the precautionary principle. This principle states the ‘commonsense’ notion that caution be practised where there in uncertainty. As there is mounting evidence as the to potential danger of various synthetic ingredients, all Lapureté products have been formulated free from Parabens, Petrochemicals, Synthetic fragrances, Phalates, Artificial colours & Sodium Lauryl Sulphate.
Mild Crème Facial Cleanser with Okuru
First things first. What is Okuru?
In Western Africa grows a plant the locals call Okuru. The locals have been using the plant for centuries for its high nutritional food value and skin benefits. French scientists have recently made a breakthrough discovery. They found that seeds of the Okuru plant contain a combination of peptides that minimise expression lines in a similar way to Botox®, but are all natural and can be applied topically without the need for invasive injections!
Okuru seems to be the superstar ingredient in the Lapureté range! So, onto the cleanser. It is a super thick cream cleanser that you apply to damp skin and rinse off. I am used to gel cleansers, so I admit that the thick cream took a little getting used to. After rinsing the product my skin felt clean but not ‘stripped’ from the cleansing. There are no added fragrances, so the cleanser smells very subtle. I’m sure none of you know my nanna but the smell reminds me of her. It’s a very gentle cream scent. I like it. This product would be absolutely perfect for those who have sensitive skin, as it is incredibly gentle and all natural. The only thing I didn’t really like about this product is that because I have skin prone to breakout along my jawline, I feel like I need a cleanser with more ‘active’ ingredients to help combat this.
Revitalising Eye Crème with Okuru
This has been my favourite product from the range. The eye cream is thick but not heavy, and sinks into the eye area quickly without leaving any oily residue. I love using this in the morning because it helps keep my eye area hydrated throughout the day. The cream is fragrance free and has no natural scent to it. The product claims to target all signs of ageing around the eye area, and this is where I saw the most results from using this range.
Protective Day Crème with Okuru
The day cream has a thick but lightweight formula that like the eye cream sinks right into the skin. There is no oily residue and the skin looks fresh and hydrated without any sort of greasiness. The cream claims to assist with UVA radiation damage, sagging skin, skin roughness, dull complexion and wrinkles. As I don’t suffer from many of these, I can’t really say how it has helped me out with this sort of damage, but as a daily moisturiser goes – this was lovely. The day cream seems to have the strongest fragrance out of the range, with a hint of sweet pea scent coming through after application.
Replenishing Night Crème with Okuru
This was my second favourite product out of the range. I love a heavy duty night cream, and this was perfect for me. It seems to be a thicker version of the day cream, sinks into skin easily leaving it feeling richly hydrated. One of the more interesting factors of this cream is the inclusion of the ‘Resurrection Plant’. An extract from the Resurrection Plant drenches the skin with intense moisturisation to combat the harsh ageing effects of dry skin. This amazing extract has been clinically proven to provide up to 24 hr moisturisation and has been shown to provide powerful anti-oxidant properties enhancing the skin’s ability to combat environmental damage. (visit the Lapureté site to see an interesting before/after of the resurrection plant) In the morning after using the night creme my face looked fresh and hydrated!
So, does the range provide a natural alternative to Botox? The only real lines I have on my face are around my eyes. (laugh lines, and the crows feet I have from my teenage years where I rallied against having to wear my glasses to read) I can honestly say that after using the Lapureté range for over a month, I feel like the laugh lines at the corners of my eyes seem to have diminished slightly. Obviously I am not expecting miracles, but I can definitely see some sort of difference. The Lapureté ‘Natures Botox Set’ retails for $179.70 and can be purchased from the Lapureté website.
