Seasonal scents

I was recently asked the question by a reader, “Do you change your perfume to suit the season?” And when I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I subconsciously do. I mean I always go for my ‘type’ (read: musky, floriental with hints of  woody vanilla scents) but I do like to lighten it up in Spring/Summer with notes of summery floral scents and then go back to my roots with musky/woody scents in the cooler months. Choosing a scent is always going to be of personal preference, but I always think it’s nice to exude some deep spicy notes in the winter time – you know… to heat things up a little.

So I have compiled a list of new fragrances just in time for the new season that may float your boat (it’s autumn next Tuesday y’all know?).

Note: As I said, choosing a fragrance is a personal thing, and I have based my recommendations off what I believe to be suitable and personally appealing. Always source a sample of the scent and try it on your skin.

Sensual Jil by Jil Sander

Top Notes: Blackberry / Middle Notes: Floral Notes, African Orange Flower / Base Notes: Patchouli, Vanilla

Available now from selected Myer and David Jones.

Gucci Guilty by Gucci

Contains notes of mandarin, pink pepper, peach, lilac, geranium, amber and patchouli.

Available now from Myer, David Jones, selected chemists and retailers.

Black Orchid by Tom Ford

In the floral-spicy heart, dwells the Tom Ford’s black orchid, imaginary more than real, and the base combines woodsy notes (patchouli and sandalwood), dark chocolate, incense, amber, vetiver, vanilla and balsam.

Available now at David Jones.

Naughty Alice by Vivienne Westwood

Fragrance Notes include black rose, violet, ylang-ylang and musk.

Available Now at Myer and David Jones.

Hervé Léger Femme by Avon

Top Notes: Chinese magnolian flower and Sicilian pink grapefruit / Middle Notes: Honeywood and Moroccan Orange flower / Base Notes: Wood and Vanilla

Available March 7 from www.avon.com.au

[Image source: sassisam.com www.fragrantica.com ]

a lush valentine’s day

Happy Valentine’s Day Hautees!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful day and was spoilt (either by their other half or just from themselves). Don’t tell anyone, but I did buy myself some chocolates! hehehe.

So my other half and I celebrated the day of luurvvveee yesterday with a great dinner out at Libertine Restaurant, some Movenpick ice cream and a movie night.

So what did I get the boy you ask? I know I know… boys are so hard to buy for. So here’s what I did, I bought a cute little gift bag, stuffed it with his favourite chocolates, a pair of boxer shorts (cos seriously they can’t have too many) and the new range of goodies from LUSH Cosmetics from the Valentine’s Day range (available instore now).

The Ex Factor (AUD$6.50) is a blue man with a little heart. Drop him into a warm bath for a fizzing sweet vanilla fragrance and a deep blue, skin-softening soak. Its musky, creamy scent and dissolvable limbs make for a wickedly fun bath, where you can fizz away your worries. A really refreshing scent! Best for winding down after a long and tiresome day. (And don’t worry, I didn’t tell him what this one was called! )

Magic Mushroom (AUD$6.95) is cute little fairytale mushroom scented with strawberries and vanilla cream, crumble under running bath water for a magical scented bubble bath. The bubble bars have exactly the right amount of bubbly stuff, water softening bicarbonate of soda and fine-smelling essential oils to make two or more baths. To use, crumble a third to a half of the bubble bar under the running bath water to create huge amounts of  bubbly foam and jump in! I love to use these to scent my room or underwear draw as well. Bliss!

Even though it’s not part of the Valentine’s Day range I just had to get Sex Bomb (AUD$7.95) a bath bomb of seductive scents. This creamy Ballistic fizzes slowly in the bath releasing the exotic fragrance of clary sage, ylang ylang and jasmine. Purple and pink froth and a delicate rice paper flower swirl seductively around so you can lose yourself in a moment of sensual delight. Soya milk softens you and the water so you’ll emerge feeling and smelling like a Sex Bomb. Run a warm bath, drop in the Ballistic and drop yourself (or yourselves) in there too. Relax, breathe in and stay there for at least 20 minutes for the full effect. The scent is so powerful that it actually did linger on the body! The boyf used this and I couldn’t stop smelling him.

Well I’m off to watch ‘Going The Distance’ with the boy, I LOVE that movie. Have you seen it? I hope Drew Barrymore and Justin Long get together and stay together in real life!

<3 <3

Oh and in other news… did you hear that Barbie and Ken are back together as of today!? They broke it off on Valentine’s Day of 2004 and are back in each others arms Valentine’s Day of 2011. Awwwwwwww.

[Image Soure: weheartit.com, barbiecafe.blogspot.com]

playing with the new kid on the block

Last Saturday, Annica and I decided it was about time we check out the Illamasqua counter at Myer in the Brisbane Queen Street Mall and treat ourselves to a day of makeovers and retail therapy (and some scrumptious sushi thrown in for good measure). Illamasqua is relatively new to Australian shores and the response from bloggers nationwide is a resounding YIPEEE! We booked ourselves in to see Suzanne for a tour and a bit of a play.

After ‘ooooh’ing and ‘ahhh’ing over all the amazing make up, we both decided to pick out a few eye shadows that we normally wouldn’t go for and see what look Suzanne the MUA could create for us. Naturally I gravatate towards the more natural browns/taupes (typical smokey eye colours), so I decided to go for pastel pinks and purples.

Here is what was used for the eyes:

Powder eye shadow in Toxic

Powder eye shadow in Cancan

Powder eye shadow in Synth

Used as a highlighter on my brow bone and above the crease was Halcyon, an awesome liquid Illuminator

Finished off with liquid eyeliner and mascara, taadaaaa!… the finished result on the eyes!

The face was touched up with the Rich Liquid Foundation in #200 and Powder Foundation in #210. Cheeks were contoured with Powder Foundation #325, gorgeous pale pink Powder blush in Nymph high on the cheekbones and bronzer to finish in Writhe.

Used on the lips was Lipstick in Over, a bright coral pink with a matt finish; and Intense Lipgloss in Mistress over the top. I loved Mistress (the intense lip gloss) and I bought it for myself.

 

Here is the overall finished result, I felt like I should have been attending a Miami beach party afterwards. The look was very bright but still suitable for the day time. Loved all the products used, and loved the finished result!

Annica and I all done up thanks to Suzanne at Illamasqua counter Brisbane.

I picked up a few products (reviews to come) and I really want to go back and get some more, especially that pale pink blush Nymph which was all sold out at the time

Everything is such high quality and highly pigmented. It would make a great addition to any make up lovers stash!

If you want to check out Illamasqua for yourself, here are the details:

Online at:

www.illamasqua.com

At Myer stores nationwide.

QLD

Myer Brisbane City, 91 Queen Street, Brisbane QLD 4000

Myer Robina, 167-191 Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina QLD

 

[Image are my own, please do not use them without prior permission]

January Favourites 2011

 

Leave me any questions in the comments below. Thanks!

Eye love you

These inspirational images are making me seriously want to perfect my eye make up skillz! And make me want the Urban Decay Naked Eye Palette even more!

 

[Image Credit: weheartit  www.musingsofamuse.com]

complexion perfection

 

I have just come across a miraculous combination of products to ace my base and provide a facial glow… introducing hip & haute’s ‘complexion perfection’ products:

1. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

2. Benefit Boi-ing

3. Tarte Smooth Operator Illuminating Serum

4. NARS Sheer Matte Foundation

5. Napoleon Perdis Camera Finish Powder

 

Now that your base is done, add your favourite blush and highlight powder; a dash of mascara and lipgloss and tada! An everyday  makeup look that will make you look radiant and glowy and also ensure your make up stays on your face all day!

 

winter.winter.chicken.dinner.

Just fell in love with the new collection from Ladakh for Autumn/Winter 2011. I want absolutely everything! I can’t wait till it hits stores. Everything is such a winner and the collection just seems to work seamlessly together.

Here are some of my fave pieces <3

[Image Credit: Ladakh]

Cupcake

This fresh face mask from Lush Cosmetics blows the myth about chocolate being bad for your skin right out of the water! The Lush Cupcake mask (75g, $15.95) is a chocolate-scented, chocolate-coloured cocoa powder and cocoa butter mask made from fresh ingredients. This mask smells SOOOO good. Good enough to eat – trust me I was tempted. It reminds me of that Betty Crocker Mud Chocolate Frosting… BUT BETTER for you!

It is ideal for teenage/oily skin for preventing (and soothing) breakouts and removing excess oils. The anti-microbial, deep cleansing Rhassoul mud works to draw out toxins and impurities in the skin and trace elements such as calcium, silica, iron, potassium, sodium, and magnesium (which make rhassoul unique) help to prevent skin problems and also detoxify the skin; the peppermint and spearmint oils not only soothe the skin, the anti-bacterial and anti septic properties help to clear and heal blemishes faster. So this face mask is good to pop on whenever you like as it not only prevents but heals problematic skin. I find that if you do one a week, it will effectively combat oily blemishes and help to heal the skin of any existing breakouts. Sandalwood oil and linseed infusion are also beautifully softening so men can use this to soften their stubble before shaving too.

As Lush face masks contain fresh ingredients, they have a short shelf life of 3 weeks (an expiry date will be on the tub) and must be kept in the fridge.

Apply to clean damp skin avoiding the eye area; leave on for ten minutes then rinse off with warm water, massaging as you go. You will get at least four treatments per pot. I usually apply this after using my exfoliating face wash with AHA, and the combination of the two, MY OH MY, my skin has never felt softer. This mask will definitely be making an appearance in my fridge again

Ingredients:

Rhassoul Mud, Linseed Infusion (Linum usitatissimum), Glycerine, Talc, Cocoa Powder (Theobroma cacao), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Fresh Mint (Mentha piperita), Sandalwood Oil (Santalum album), Vanilla Absolute (Vanilla planifolia), Spearmint Oil (Mentha viridis), Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita), Pefume.

If like me, you are a lover of Lush products, then listen up… when you take 5 empty tubs of the fresh face masks back to your Lush store, you will get a FREE face mask in return. Yes that’s right… you get rewarded for recycling. Yippee!!! So hold onto those tubs girls and boys.