SWIM!
WEAR!
HELL!
YEAH!

Alright, it’s that time of year to get your gear off and get into a swimsuit. There is nothing quite like a summer in Australia and it is by far my favourite time of year. I’m the kind of girl that prides herself on her swimwear collection and looks forward every year to adding to her menagerie to accommodate for ALL your different swimwear occasions. Yes, that’s right- ONE pair may not do if you like to make the most of the summer season and all of the splendors that it has to offer. Maybe you hadn’t thought about this…but I have…so let’s run through some scenarios together shall we?

You’re going down to your local beach for a lay out (covered in sunscreen, naturally) and a bit of a swim:

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Tigerlily – Bright pattern and a nice design that’s not going to wash off you if the waves are getting up to a bit of rough stuff.

You’re going to the pool for a splash around:

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Zimmermann Vertigo Floating Bikini
(Now on sale for $165!)

Great colour, flattering design and you’re in the calm wave free waters of a pool so you can afford to go sans straps.

You’re going for a surf because you are one of those co-coordinated, sporty types:

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Lover swimsuit from their ‘Untitled’ Spring Summer 2010/11 range.

These togs are cute as a button and perfect for your more active water pursuits.

You’re going on holiday to a tropical climate/Southern coast of France/St Barts etc:

I think that Zimmermann is really good at this type of thing so let’s look at three styles from them…

(Note: I know I’m harping on about Zimmermann but they really have one of the largest ranges of styles out there, you can buy online, the shipping is amazingly fast and they are Australian)

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Zimmermann Posy Scallop Fringe Triangle $230
Photo courtesy of http://www.zimmermannwear.com

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Zimmerman Lyre Lyre Chain Link Bikini – $195

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Zimmermann Labyrinth Wrap Bandeau Bikini – $220

You are invited to spend the day on a yacht with a mysterious/attractive millionaire (what? It could happen):

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Zimmermann Bonded Cross Front One Piece – $330.

Crisp colour, unusual design and pret-ty damn classy.

You want to turn some heads:

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Nothing says Phwoooooar like a lion on your butt.

Or if you want to tone it down (just a little)

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Label – We Are Handsome

The one piece is now $190 available here!

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Lover swimsuit from their ‘Untitled’ Spring Summer 2010/11 range.

I don’t know what it is about this bikini (maybe it’s the fact it looks a little bit like underwear) but I find it sexy as hell.

Let us know if you have any suggestions for cute swimmers to get out and about in this Summer!

Article by Adriane Daff, the girl is a swimsuit FIEND!

Be well,

xoxo

Rodial Brazilian Tan – Light 150ml, RRP $65

I once joined a Facebook group called ‘Pale ‘n’ Proud’. The group’s poster child was Keira Knightley. I later left this group because, let’s all admit it, joining a group called ‘Pale ‘n’ Proud’ (not even Pale AND Proud) is kind of lame and the other reason was because the poster child was Keira Knightley. But I think the other OTHER reason, deep down, was that I didn’t want to commit to being one thing (and proud of it) for the rest of my Facebook days.

Ms. Knightly, flying the ‘English Rose’ flag.

In the same way that sometimes as a brunette I get really curious about being blonde, as a pale person I sometimes just really want to be tanned. Especially in summer. Pretty much every year. Like clockwork this same curiosity rises and I don’t see any particularly good reason that I shouldn’t indulge it (I know I should be comfortable in my own skin but who said I couldn’t dye the skin first? RIGHT GUYS?!) So, of course, going out and attempting the mega burn aint no good for you and is going to have you looking like an old boot age 29 so this article is going to be about one of your fake options.

I decided to try out the Rodial Brazilian Tan (Light) a tinted medium strength self-tanning gel for the face and body pretty much because I have liked Rodial products when I’ve used them before and because this was specifically light and medium strength. When you have pale skin (as I’m sure even non-palers would know) you cant roll in guns-a-blazin with your full strength guy because that kind of behavior is going to leave you streaky, patchy and all kinds of orange.

Mmmm.

Straight out of the bottle I knew me and Rodial Brazilian Tan Light were going to be mates because of one simple fact- this product is neither orange nor brown but the colour of PURE CARAMEL I TELL YOU. Literally the colour of caramel topping, go down to McDonalds right now- get a sundae- that’s what you are putting on your skin. Secondly as a gel it hydrates as it tans so you don’t feel stiff as a board and it leaves a slight tint on your skin so you can see where you’ve been thus eliminating streaks!

It didn’t leave any marks on my clothes or my sheets (although I did wait for it to dry properly) and better yet it didn’t leave my hands discoloured! And this is huge because normally I have to wear gloves to apply fake tan (this includes the ever popular St Tropez) so this time I was worried because gloves were not available to me (read: I was too lazy to walk down to the 24 hour chemist to get some) but never fear, after thoroughly washing my hands with warm water and soap I was on Easy street.

So there’s a number of wins for this product (and look I’m not going to lie I really do think the people at Rodial are fighting a good fight- the actual tan doesn’t even SMELL tan-y!) but the biggest thing I would take away from this is that the colour of this is so perfect that it’s letting even the palest amongst us girls (me, Keira, all the gang in ‘Pale ‘n’ Proud) have a little go at getting a tan.

Available at Myer stores and online at <Adore Beauty.

Review by Rodial fanatic & porcelain to tanned chameleon, Adriane Daff.

Be well,

xoxo

I LOVE themed parties! Give me an excuse to get into costume and play a character for the night and I will be there with bells on; and in this case Swarovski crystals as well.

On this occasion the theme for the party was A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The look I wanted to go for was an “ethereal woodland fairy”, much like the mischievous characters from Shakespeare’s play.

I designed the outfit myself. The top was made out of a satin and organza skirt that I shredded into panels and draped strategically over my torso, leaving my back and most of my midriff bare. The flowing, long, white skirt complimented the baby pink top and I painted my toenails with a shimmering polish and went barefoot.

For my hair and make-up, I called in the professionals.

Slajana Spaseski is the founder and owner of the Perth based business, Make-up by Design. She arrived at my house equipped to completely transform me, and efficiently went about turning my bathroom into a salon.

♥ Slaj gives me the tip “during the day it’s always best to work in a room that has natural light”.

Julia before makeup.

Julia after makeup.

Over the next 3 hours, we planned and executed the complex transformation as you can see from the before and after photos. Slaj deftly moved from product to product and so I asked her to give me a rundown of just how she created this design.

Here is a step by step guide you can follow yourself:

Base

♥ Always begin with a clean canvas (baby wipes are best to clean the face because make up wipes often leave an oily residue which can make the base unstable).

♥ Apply a primer to the skin with a foundation brush. The primer will prep the skin for the foundation and will also make it last longer. I used Jemma Kidd Primer. It has light reflecting particles in it which give the skin a youthful glow.

♥ Next I applied Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation (Available online at StrawberryNet) all over the face.


Cheekbones

♥ Julia is naturally gifted with very chiselled cheekbones (thanks Slaj) and so I merely accentuated them by using a peach powder blush on the apples of her cheek.

♥ Then, from my Smashbox Contouring Palette I used the darkest colour powder in the hollow of her cheek and my Smashbox Mosaic Highlighter Palette to accentuate the cheek bone.


The Eyes, Eyebrows and the Mask

♥ I began by lightly dusting the entire eye area, up to the mid forehead, with a baby pink loose pigment.
♥ I then drew in the cat eye with a M.A.C eye crayon, extending the wing to the temple.

♥ The eyelashes were then curled using a heated eyelash curler (I loved this! I am going to pick one up from Priceline for about $12, much nicer than the old school eyelash curler!), following by lashings of black mascara.

♥ I applied false eyelashes with a pair of tweezers and Duo Glue.

Benefit – Brows a Go-Go!

♥ While we were waiting for the glue to dry, I gave Julia her dramatic eyebrows using my Benefit Brow Kit . I used the eyebrow wax to set the hairs into place and plot the desired shape. When I was happy with the shape, I accentuated the brows using the darker brow powder applied with a 266 Mac Eyebrow Brush.
♥ The mask was given some depth by drawing in both silver and black streaks using Kryolan paint.
♥ I then glued Swarovski crystals randomly within the mask using Kryolan Spirit Gum.

♥ The feathers were glued on the outer corners of the eyes using spirit gum to accentuate the winged eye make-up.

Lips
♥ The lips were lined with a neutral pink lip liner by Napoleon and filled in with a shimmer lip gloss by Modelco .

The tool kit!

Hair
♥ The hair was roughly blow dried and lightly sprayed with hair spray. Each section of hair was sprayed again prior to rolling with with Babyliss hot-rollers.

♥ When the make-up was finally finished it was time to pull out the rollers.
Each section was carefully removed so as to not disturb the curl. Each individual curl was then sprayed to hold.

Body
♥ Julia’s body was bronzed and glowing thanks to the application of Chi Chi Solarium in a Bottle.

It was a wonderful experience to get pampered at home and Slaj was very conscious of the time and making sure that I was able to get dressed, have something to eat and take lots of fantastic photos before heading out. The look was very dramatic and caused quite a stir at the party.

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People were surprised at how completely unusual I looked. I have never had curly hair and so I was very excited to get the ringlets.

If you want to learn how to create theatrical or natural looks you can attend one of Slaj’s workshops. Find out more here: http://make-upbydesign.blogspot.com/

Make-up by Design is a completely mobile business so Slaj can come to your home or hotel to prepare you for a big event. She says that now is the busiest time of year with parties and weddings in the warm weather.

She does everything from weddings to photo shoots for clothing labels.

Check it out on Facebook or contact Slajana on: 0433967900 or Slajanamake-upbydesign@hotmail.com. She is on call 7 days a week.

Review by Julia Hern, personal trainer and event junkie who loves to swim, but doesn’t need water to make a splash!

Be well,

xoxo

Tammi Ireland, Coveted Canvas.

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

I’m a mag-loving, journalist working in newspapers full-time while also free-lancing for other newspapers and online sites. Thus, my ‘fluffy’ writing had to be directed elsewhere, so I founded Coveted Canvas in March 2010. It’s a beauty website with tips and tricks, product and salon reviews, trend reports, holistic tips, competitions and more. I put all the info I’ve learnt from years working in the modelling industry and behind the scenes at mag shoots onto the web for girls like me who love experimenting with their look.

In my spare time, I write letters to myself, read books, watch Mad Men and sample Perth’s restaurants.

Bloom Organics Rosehip Oil

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

Reviewing countless products means no day is the same. That being said there are some steadfast rules I stick to. I cleanse with Dermalogica’s Pre Cleanse twice (once to remove impurities, once to actually cleanse), followed by scrubbing my face and neck with their Daily Microfoliant. If I skip this step, my skin is really dull – the movement of exfoliation brings blood to the surface. Next I’ll apply a serum or moisturiser (always with SPF), depending on my plans for the day and follow with makeup.

At night I either repeat the Pre-Cleanse process or remove makeup with WotNot wipes (amazing!) before applying Bloom Organics Rosehip Oil over my face and neck, and Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye to prevent premature wrinkles. Vaseline keeps my lips from drying out during sleep.

♥ Hidden Valley ♥

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

Working six and a half days a week means I don’t get to the salon that much, which makes me extremely sad. When I do, it’s more a time-saving thing than an experience. Eyebrow waxing at Lovely Lady in Midland is great for those weeks I just can’t be bothered plucking my own brows.

That being said, I actually had my very first professional massage in June at Hidden Valley Eco Retreat, which was amazing. I’ve got vouchers for those on every one of my distributed Christmas lists.

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

Head Studio in King Street. I used to get around when it came to hairdressers but the guys at Head Studio were great when I went in to get balayage and a new style. There’s nothing more reassuring than having your stylist listen to your wants before they take to your hair with scissors! Plus the salon’s décor and coffee alone, is worth going back for.

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

An at-home manicure. When I went to LA last December, I stocked up on OPI nail polishes (they’re only $7 there!) so I’m quite enjoying working my way through them all. A slick of colour on your nails can completely change your mood.

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

1. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (see above)

2. Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara for everyday because I can easily take it off and wake up without looking like a panda

3. Burt’s Bees Rejuvenating Lip Balm with Açai Berry to keep my lips hydrated under the office aircon.

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

Not really secret, but I like to drink a lot of water and use concealer religiously. I can definitely feel the difference when I eat better, too, so I try to avoid bad foods and (recently) caffeine.

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

There are so many! When I started Coveted Canvas, I had no idea about some of the amazing treatments out there.

I would love to say goodbye to unwanted hair permanently with laser removal but find it hard to justify the price, I want to try meditation and more yoga, and after reading your Sodashi Chakra balance review I’d like to try that too.

ED: Check out our IPL/SPL review!

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

No day’s the same but I always like a high-fibre breakfast with a few glasses of water to kick off the day. I try to eat a healthy lunch – salad roll or left-over stir-fry – but the problems come in around 3.30pm when I’ve been at my desk all day. Here I’ll have endless amounts of tea to get me through to dinner. Usually that’s protein and veggies. I snack on cashews, summer fruits and some health bars throughout.

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

It’s definitely not as good as I’d like it to be! I try and do some stretching or yoga in the morning to get my blood pumping, then walk throughout the day where I can (parking the car far from the office entrance, for example). I recently tried Zumba and plan on doing that a lot more.

Otherwise, I try to walk and use the family Ab-Swing and rower where possible. If I had more time, I would be all over the Bikram yoga and salsa dancing again. Sadly, I just can’t find time to get to the classes.

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

When I’ve had a few hard days, I’ll pop a women’s multivitamin and if I’m feeling iffy, I’ll try Inner Health Plus but really I prefer to just ride it out and get the nutrients from my diet. I’m a big believer in mind over matter and that if you think you’re well, you’ll be well.

Thanks Tammi 🙂

If anyone has any comments or questions please leave them below!

Be well,

xoxo

♥ ♥ ♥

Woah woah woah! I literally just let out a “YES!” and clapped my hands with glee! You see, I’ve heard so much about these little pockets of bliss that are available to my Sydney, Melbourne & even Adelaide mates…tiny spa wonderlands where divine organic ingredients envelop you and you leave a changed person.

Okay okay, I haven’t tried it myself but this is what I’ve heard through my extensive reading of spa & beauty blogs from other states!

SO, the biggg news is (as I’m sure you can guess from the title) is that these bliss havens called Endota Spa’s will FINALLY be making their way to our West coast home!

David Jones city store will be the location of the first spa… and there will be more to come, they are currently offering franchising opportunities in these areas:

Territories available in greater Perth:

– Cannington
– Cottesloe
– Daglish
– Fremantle
– Innaloo
– Joondalup
– Mt Hawthorn
– Mt Lawley
– North Perth
– Perth CBD
– Scarborough
– Subiaco
– Warwick

territories available in regional WA:
– Mandurah
– Margaret River

I’ve also had the privilege of using the Endota Organic Rose Hip Oil and Honey & Rosehip mask of late and by golly, my skin is glowing! It’s like it just eats it up! There will be a proper review later, but I just wanted to give a bit of an idea as to why I’m excitedly raving like a lunatic.

So, to recap.

Endota Spas. Perth. 2011. Organic / Natural. Completely amazing. I will be first in line!

Be well,

Annette

xoxo