♥

♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

I have been hairdressing for 19 years and a freelance makeup artist for 12 years. I started my own business 12 years ago. With the support of my amazing husband – I love doing lots of little projects in the beauty/fashion industry. I was a finalist for the AHFA’s Makeup Artist of the Year 2011, 2012 and April/May this year I will be heading to Sydney for the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week with the Redken Session Stylist Support team. I will be starting at Channel 7 in May doing hair and makeup. I am also a mum to a 12, 3, and 22mth old.

♥

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine. (please include specifics about brands/products used)

I cleanse with Cetaphil face wash morning and night, twice a week I use Skinstitut Glycolic Scrub and moisturize with Cetaphil Moisturiser or Embryolisse Concentrated Lait Creme. To remove my eye makeup I use Bioderma Crealine and for my lips I use Lucas’ papaw ointment.

♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

Every couple of months I have a facial with Danne Montague-King products by a home based therapist. It was the only product/treatment that cleared up my adult acne.

♥ There’s a hairdresser in here too! [pic source]

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

The team at Distracted in Leederville. Besides having had the opportunity to work there, Mark and DJ are amazing at their craft.

♥

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

I use a teaspoon of Bicarb soda mixed with Cetaphil cleanser for a great face and body exfoliant.

♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

Lucas’ papaw ointment (as a lip balm), concealer (loving Yves Saint Laurent, touché éclat), Semi permanent brow pen (for those perfect brows) and Lancome mascara (I know that’s 4, but couldn’t help myself)

♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

Laughing out loud with family and friends.

Being grateful for at least one thing each day.

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)

♥ Jhana Meditation Grove

Meditation retreat at the Jhana Meditation Retreat Centre, run by the Buddhist Society of WA

And any treatments at Annasha Day Spa in Gooseberry Hill.

♥

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Easter hasn’t been kind!

On a good day, I juice my own juice in the morning, muesli with rice milk, a piece of fruit, sandwich or Sumo Salad, either a vegetarian rice or pasta dinner. Lots of salad from my garden.. and trying to drink more water. My next purchase would be a Vita Mix to make green smoothies..

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I try to either walk or bike ride. I recently purchased a kiddie trailer for my bike, to bring my babies along for the ride.

♥

♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

Regular visits to the Chiropractor for well being. I take a pro biotic, flaxseed capsule and a multi vitamin.

♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

More sleep would be nice! Spending time in my veggie garden and going to meditation run by the Buddhist Monks.

Thanks for sharing Nicole! If you have any questions for Nicole, please leave them in the comments below! 🙂

Be well,

xoxo

♥

My love for Bobbi Brown first blossomed when I stumbled upon a campaign in an old magazine (probably while waiting for the dentist or something equally dismal) and was immediately taken by the image of a clean-cut, classic, yet modern woman. Intrigued, I looked further into the brand and was swept away by the story of Bobbi’s rise to the top from humble roots, her wholesome image, and her amazing advice. Last year Bobbi celebrated 20 years in the business, and I was proud to be a part of the company for that year. This year however, brings a new chapter, and even though I am no longer with Bobbi Brown, I still love to rant and rave about the products.

♥

Today my product of choice is this amazing ‘Ultra Violet’ Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow ($44) from the Neon and Nudes collection.

♥

Of course this collection has been done ‘the Bobbi way’, which requires beautiful skin, soft cheek colour and either an accent of colour on the eyes, or on the lips. Another product from the Neon and Nude line I am itching to play with is the Limited Edition Ink Liner ($46). Ink liner is not a product you will often find at Bobbi Brown, and would go amazingly with the look below.

♥ Look #1!

My hints and tricks on how to wear a neon shadow.

♥ Use an eye primer – Bobbi Brown long wearing cream shadow in Shore ($50)
♥ Lashings of black eyeliner make the colour pop – Bobbi Brown Gel Liner ($45)
♥ BIG lashes – Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara ($48)
♥ Sweep the shade over the lid as a soft wash of colour, pop on any pretty pink gloss – I like Bobbi’s Tutu ($42)- and some bronzer for a summer look
♥ Build it up to an intense smoky eye by adding a darker purple like Bobbi Brown Eggplant eyeshadow ($44) and LOTS of eyeliner
♥ Do your eyes first as this colour will drop down!

Bobbi Brown products are available in store, at the official online store or through StrawberryNET (who often don’t have the whole range, but you can pick up some pretty sweet deals through them!)

Neons and Nudes collection available in-store from the 19th Feb, and <online now! Get in quick, as it’s limited edition.

What do you think of the two looks, readers?
Which is your favourite?
Are you keen to play with some Neon Neutral looks?

Written by Jacqui. Makeup artist, Blogger and Bobbi die-hard.

Be well,

xoxo

♥

♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

I’m 26 years old and am a freelance makeup artist, you can check out my Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/GabriellaSidhuMakeUp and am also in my 3rd year of studying architecture at UWA. I love being creative!

Gabi at work

I have an amazing fiance and 2 gorgeous cats who act more like people! I have a pretty mixed background. I was born in Malaysia to an Irish mum (who spent a lot of her childhood in Kuwait) and an Indian/English Dad. We moved to Australia when I was 9.

♥

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine. (please include specifics about brands/products used)

It changes all the time but at the moment I am using:

1. MOKOSH Face Cleansing Powder (amazing Fremantle- based brand which is organic and fair trade) followed by
2. Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist
3. Clarins Hydraquench Cooling Cream-Gel. (I use this in Summer and in Winter change to a thicker moisturiser)

♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

I have an auto-immune disease called Lupus which prevents me from staying out in the sun for more than 5 minutes at a time (if I do I get dizzy, sick, nauseous and fatigued) so I tend to get spray-tans quite a bit! I go to Beaute in Paris in Gwelup.

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

My amazing hairdresser Sharon who now works from home and whom I’ve been seeing since I was 19. She is just amazing at hair and is so intuitive. My mum, sister, fiance, brother-in-law, 3 good friends, good friend’s mother and sister-in-law ALL go to her. I’m too selfish to give out her details because she is so busy already!!

♥

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

After going to Beauty College this summer, I now give myself manicures and pedicures which saves so much! I always make sure I take time out to do them and include a mask, exfoliation scrub and moisturiser. If anyone would like a mani or pedi I also do appointments so feel free to contact me!

♥ Moroccan Oil – RRP $49.50

♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

1. The first one is actually a perfume! The Eau de Parfum by Narciso Rodriguez (Available from StrawberryNET for cheaps!). I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve purchased this!

2. St Tropez Bronzing Mousse and Face Tan (Can they count as one?). I’m not a tanorexic I promise, I just like to have a bit of colour. If anyone would like any hints for applying self tan:

♥ Wear gloves (I buy the bulk latex ones from the chemist)
♥ Make sure to exfoliate beforehand and don’t shave your legs (if you do) until AFTER you’ve applied the fake tan – for example the next morning. That way the tan doesn’t get into the hair follicle and you don’t have that “dotty” leg look!

3. Lastly, Moroccan Oil for my hair. I apply it to the tips everytime I wash my hair and it really does wonders for dryness and split ends.

♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

Fake tan? Haha, I’m kidding!
They’re not really secret but drinking loads of water really does make you feel wonderful and your skin glows!
Getting regular massages also not only leaves you feeling amazing and relaxed but your skin looks great afterwards due to the increased circulation. I always get one where they use oils and try to leave the oil on for as long as possible afterwards so it soaks in and leaves the skin feeling moisturised and soft.

♥

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)

I’ve ALWAYS wanted to go on a spa weekend! The kind where you have every type of beauty treatment imaginable, eat only clean, fresh, detoxing food and spend it with great friends.

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

It is about to change as I have just started an Ayurvedic diet but it is normally:

Breakfast: Swiss muesli with greek yoghurt, berries, honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. I drink a tall glass of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar added in the mornings. Sounds disgusting but you get used to it!

Lunch: Generally a sandwich with a protein either chicken or fish and veggies.

Afternoon Snack: A smoothie – either a green smoothie or if I’m feeling like something heavier I will use banana, almond milk, oats, honey, cinnamon, ginger or along those lines.

Dinner: Usually an asian meal like a stir-fry or a curry/dahl.

I also tend to have something sweet after dinner like chocolate. I have such a sweet tooth!

I finish my night off with a calming cup of chamomile tea which is the only tea/coffee I drink throughout the day I’ve just realised!

♥

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I don’t have a specific routine but again due to my Lupus I have to take it quite easy as my joints are quite arthritic. I stick to low-impact stuff like yoga, walking, cycling and swimming. I just need to make sure I do some everyday.

♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

As mentioned I’ve just started seeing an Ayurvedic practitioner so have been given some herbal concoctions to drink and oils to use externally so I can’t comment on how they work just yet! Up till now I have been taking Fish Oil and Glucosamine everyday (but have learnt that flaxseed oil would be a much better alternative for me), iron supplements, apple cider vinegar and valerian root, which helps allow you to have a good nights sleep.

♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

Definitely a massage! Spending time with my fiance and cats also de-stresses me. I think being around people you love helps so much.

Thanks to Gabriella for taking the time to share her beauty & wellness routine with us! You can find her makeup services on Facebook!

Be well,

xoxo

♥

A couple of Wednesdays ago, I was in the city after hours on a cold and rainy night, only to end up being locked up in a store. Don’t worry, I had it all under control, I was actually there for Kit’s Viva Le Colour Fiesta event. It really was every gals dream, locked in a store, with champagne, nibbles and hours to kill. As the name suggests, Kit’s latest offering is all about colour. Inspired by the bright shades found in Spain and Mexico, the limited edition mineral range of products are sure to catch your eye.

♥

Kit’s effervescent National Sales Manager, Pauline kicked off the night with the war cry, “colour isn’t scary” promising that her team of Makeup artists (pictured above) would have us convinced and in colour by the end of the night. A step-by-step demonstration on how to achieve a subtle, yet colourful face soon followed, with helpful tips from the makeup artist and plenty of audience interaction. As a makeup artist myself, I did think (for a moment) that I would be sitting smugly in the corner during said demonstration, but I was immediately drawn in by the fun and interactive performance and found myself making mental notes!

♥

The crowd was a varied bunch, ranging from those who really wanted that one-on-one time with their favourite artists and those who just wanted uninterrupted time to peruse the aisles after hours. Kit events really are a valuable chance to learn about makeup in a relaxed environment. While wandering around the event (sticking my nose in everywhere really!) I caught snippets of useful information – did you know Kit do not test on animals? – and really acquainted myself with the products on offer.

♥

The Viva Le Colour Fiesta range is full of fun new mineral items; my pick of the bunch would be the Viva La Coral Kit ($29.95), and the Long Live Colour Palette for eyes, lips, cheeks ($69.95) which I was lucky enough to take home with me. As promised, the audience was in colour by the end of the night and I was making plans to line my eyes with electric blue eye shadow the following day, a big feat for me as my wardrobe consists of black, black and more black. I would like to mention the girls who pulled the night together, Amelia, Sashelle, Daniella, Loren and Pauline, their approachable attitude and abundance of product knowledge was a delight to witness.

More pics from the night:

Pauline and Sashelle

Yum!! (Note the healthy options too, good to see!)

Cute girls with colour, tricky to see the eyes, but there’s a nice coral lip on the right.

Thanks to Kit Cosmetics for inviting us along to the event, they host them quite regularly so make sure you ask in store or sign up to their mailing list to find out about any that are coming up!

Event review by Jacqui Bradfield, makeup artiste extraordinaire!

Be well,

xoxo

♥

Winter. Arch nemesis of the skin. Ruler of the dry patches. Creator of sensitivity. All round bad guy. Every winter it’s the same thing. I have a shower, cleanse my face and once im out my skin feels tight and sore. I then tone and moisturise only to still have the same symptoms. It’s a never ending battle and frankly I’m over it. However there is light at the end of the dry tunnel, a brand whose cape is blowing in the wind, a brand ready to step in and defeat winter…. its name, is Dermalogica.

I have been using three products from the Dermalogica range over the last two weeks. Using them in my daily (this is the key ladies, no slacking off!) routine has created the soft supple skin I yearn for in winter. I’m going to give you the hard out facts now, as I know I can lose some people when I start droning on about the technical side of skin care.

♥ Miracle Prod Number One: Dermalogica Gentle Soothing Booster.

This little sucker has wonderful ingredients in it like Raspberry, honey and flower extracts, all aimed at calming and soothing your skin. This little bottle of wonder is a concentrated, oil-free liquid, which you can pop onto your skin after toning and before moisturising. It’s kind of like a serum buuuuutt it’s not. Go easy on this one, only a few drops will do. After application my skin feels less tight and itchy. We are on our way to beating winter!

♥ Second wonderful product: Dermalogica Barrier Repair.

A waterless moisturiser that contains Oat and botanical actives, vitamins C, E and a million other wonderful ingredients. This moisturiser comes out of the tube clear, and goes on silky and matte. As its name suggests it forms a barrier between the big bad Winter and your skin. As it does have a matte finish, I like to pop a light weight moisturiser over the top.

♥ The third Winter fighting product: Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Masque.

This mask is for extremely dehydrated and prematurely aging skin. Sounds drastic, but that dry feeling you get after the shower? That’s your skin prematurely aging. To combat this, the mask contains Evening Primrose Oil and vitamins A and B. I loved this mask, it’s thick, creamy and oh so nourishing. I also popped a little of the Soothing Booster on before applying it just to give it a helping hand.

So there you are, three wonderful products all assisting you in the fight against Winter skin. With these three powers combined, you WILL beat the Winter beast and come out with soft, glowing skin. Cue superhero music!

Just a side note:
*If you are worried about congesting your skin with these extra prodz, just pop a scrub into your shower routine twice a week and don’t forget to cleanse!

Review by Jacqui, blogger, makeup artist and winter skin sufferer!