Archive for August, 2010
Nivea Visage Anti-Wrinkle Q10Plus Tinted Day Cream
AKA- My security blanket. I cannot rave about this stuff enough.
I’ve tried loads and loads of daily moisturisers, included tinted ones, in my life and never have I been so impressed by a product.
The minute I tested this on the back of my hand I knew I was in for a treat. As it comes out of the tube it is a fairly dark brown colour which can be daunting, but the Nivea Visage Anti-Wrinkle Q10Plus Tinted Day Cream blends in so flawlessly it’s perfect for every skin tone.
A lot of tinted moisturisers can be either too opaque or too sheer, but this one gives brilliant coverage without being heavy or completely translucent and really just gives the most iridescent glow to your skin.
I call it my security blanket because I literally can’t leave the house without it. I’m quite sure if my house were to burn down; this is what I’d grab as I ran out.
Ever since I started to use it (about a month ago) I’ve had people commenting on how healthy I look and I have noticed a dramatic difference in the sun damage on my skin. FOR REALZ.
I have this one particular line on my forehead from really bad sunburn I got a few years ago and it has diminished rapidly and substantially with regular use of the Nivea Visage Anti-Wrinkle Q10Plus Tinted Day Cream (as well as the Nivea Q10Plus Night Cream). For once a product actually does what it promises!
For those of you who are wondering, the actual promises are:
- Optimised UVA/UVB filters
- SPF 15 (super important, and excellent for those who are too time poor to apply sunblock AND moisturiser every morning)
- Anti-Aging ingredient Co-Enzyme Q10 which works to replace the loss of skin firmness and elasticity which breaks down in our 30s. *Ahem* I’m not there yet, but it’s never too early to be paranoid about wrinkles!
This product is perfect for you if you:
- Don’t like to wear a full face every day but still want to look fresh and glowing.
- Want to wear something to the beach/pool/Jim to cover any light blemishes and again, to make you look…well…less corpse-like, but don’t want to be “That Girl” wearing makeup to the beach/pool/gym (the great thing about this product as well is that at RRP $18.89 you can afford to keep one in your gym/swimming bag and one in your makeup kit too).
- Need an efficient, effective makeup product that you can rely on to protect and improve your skin while still benefitting from its beauty enhancing elements.
Do yourself a favour and give this a go! Spring/Summer is the perfect time to start using a tinted moisturiser because the heat is not conducive with heavy foundations- all you need is a little bit of this Tinted Day Cream, a bit of mascara some blush and you’re good to go.
Nivea Visage Anti-Wrinkle Q10Plus Tinted Day Cream is available now from supermarkets and selected pharmacies for $18.89
For stockists please call 1800 103 023
Taronga Zoo Babies
Spring is in the air, and this means new animal babies. One of my absolute favourite things.
Taronga Zoo in Sydney boasts three new lambs, the most adorable pygmy hippo and of course, Pathi Harn, or as he is affectionately known, Mister Shuffles- a baby elephant.
Since there was so much baby to be seen, I decided to take a trip to the greatest zoo in the world and bask in the cuteness.
I enquired ahead as to what the best times to see the particular animals I wanted to see would be. For Mister Shuffles I was told 9:15-10:00am. He was a bit late coming out; but so was I, so I got to see him in perfect time.
He is the most divine creature. For those of you who don’t know his story he is an elephant calf who was presumed dead during birth. He was stuck in his mother’s birth canal for two days and was eventually delivered alive (duh).
Because of the lack of oxygen and ridiculously long labour, he is pretty knocked off. However doing things a little bit slower + being a little shaky on his feet = maximum entertainment.
OMG!
*Sets Myself Up For Anon. Comment About Looking Like An Elephant*
Un-cute things he did today included eating a bit of his aunt’s faeces and mounting his cousin, but aside from that he was totes adorbz.
As gorgeous as I find Mister Shuffles, I was truly excited to see Kambiri, the baby pygmy hippo. Watch the video below to see how stunning she is. I squeal with joy every time I watch it, it’s beyond cute.
I was told the best time to see Kambiri is between 9am-12pm. So I got there around 11:20 and there’s no Kambiri. I waited a bit because I thought she might be asleep or under her mother, but at 11:45 I was pretty convinced she wasn’t around so I rang the zoo.
Upon asking where she was I was told bluntly “there’s no guarantee you’ll see Kambiri”. No friggin’ duh, bitch. In theory, there’s no guarantee that I’ll see ANY animals at the zoo, but if you’re going to have such an exclusion clause in place then perhaps it’s best not to advertise this new hippo until she’s ready to be on show for an adequate amount of time.*
Alternative options to this would also be to ask patrons to announce what animal they’re there to see as they pay and if they don’t get to see that animal they get a voucher for 50% off their next visit, 10% of their entry price back or even a bloody pen or something. Seriously. I was pretty pissed off. I get that she’s a baby and can’t be overwhelmed just yet, but I didn’t drive allllllllll the way over the other-side-of-the-bridge not to see what I was so excited about.
Tantrum ensued.
Although I missed out on seeing Kambiri, I did get to see the baby lambs up close. I know lambs are pretty common, but whatever, a ball of fluff is a ball of fluff and I’ll take a pat where I can.
One particular lamb was so gorgeous, it loved its mum so much and its mum couldn’t care less about it. It kept nibbling on the sheep’s head and looked like it was whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Then she’d just stand there with her head nestled into her mummy. Aaawwww, it’s the stuff toilet paper commercials are made of.
After the lambs I was pretty satisfied with the amount of cute I’d consumed. The last time I was at Taronga Zoo was on New Years Eve where I stayed the night as part of the Roar and Snore program. Faaannnntastic. But I’ll talk about that later.
We checked out the gorillas, the big daddy one is my fave. I can’t even comprehend how big he is imagine meeting him in the wild. Ouch. (Unfortch they were inside the glass room when I stopped by so sorry about the reflecty pics).
Gorilla Bum!
Mummy/Baby Gorilla Love
Oh wait, I lied- there were some moments outside.
LOL
The giraffes are always beautiful. I feel sorry for them, though. They seem to be the most bored of all the animals.
The next animal is the most fascinating of all…
Oh, parenthood.
Nice Handbag, Babe.
C'mon Barbie Let's Go Safari!
I think the low-light of my day was when I literally had to be restrained from buying this magnificent and not at all tacky piece of artwork:
Isn’t it divine? Bahahaha!
So that was my day at the zoo! Like I said, I didn’t look at much as I had only visited recently for Roar and Snore.
I had a friend staying with me from Greece who had never been to Australia before so I wanted him to have a nice NYE and I also wanted to show him our Australian Fauna.
Why not kill two birds with one stone?
Roar and Snore on New Years Eve meant that we could see and meet all the Aussie animals plus see the superb view of the fireworks over the harbour and city from the zoo. Staying the night means no hassle getting home and no dealing with yobbos.
For the price (which was….*ahem* substantially more than the regular night’s package o_O) included was:
-Tent for two (and by tent, I mean it has a proper bed and electricity etc. There’s no ‘slumming it’)
-Pre-Drinks, canapes, 3 course dinner, unlimited alcohol, supper and breakfast
-A private tour of the zoo at night
-3 Animal meet and greets in the morning including meeting the elephants and feeding giraffes
-Gifts/merchandise from the zoo.
This package obviously was different and special for New Years Eve, but it’s such an amazing experience that everybody should try at least once in their life- even if you’re a Sydney-sider. If you’re not; EVEN BETTER.
For more info on Roar and Snore click here.
Here’s some pics of me from Roar and Snore…
Dork, dropping carrot.
Outfit details from today for anyone wondering…Oh, who am I kidding I just want to brag that I MADE THE COAT I HAD ON TODAY.
Yup, never sewed before in my life and I made a fully line coat with puffy sleeves. *celebratory dance*
It looks kinda zig zaggy print in the pics, but it’s really just a regular tweed in real life.
Singlets- both Supre Leggings- Supre Coat- Handmade Boots- Robert Clergerie Hat- Taylor and Morgan Bag- Vivienne Westwood So what’s your favourite animal to see at the zoo?*I know that video says you may catch a glimpse of her, but I thought in between the time the video had been posted and me receiving an email with what time to view her things would have changed.
Frills and Thrills with my Prancing, Dancing Poodle
Picture from Peter Alexander
Georgina came up to me the other day with the latest Peter Alexander catalogue and was like “Mum, we can do better than this.”
Damn right we can, baby!
Now I know it appears that my blog is turning into a little bit of a Peter Alexander tribute, but why not?!
He is a man after my own heart, continually churning out the cute with bows, frills, flowers and hearts.
The Spring collection is no exception and I couldn’t go past these frilly rose-print shorts. I love how playful they are and the rose print is so pretty. The layers add so much movement, I kind of wish I could wear these out at night so I could dance in them. That’s not weird, right?
The frilly shorts also come in a French Floral print and there are nighties and PJ sets in the gorgeous rose print of my shorts.
They’re a steal at $39.90 and come in sizes XXS-L.
In store and online now. www.peteralexander.com.au
Georgina being a Diva...
...I don't think she appreciated me riding her like a horse.
Blixz Nail Foils come to Australia!
When I first saw Ke$ha’s Tik Tok film clip I thought her leopard print mani and pedi was real. I’m like “woah, someone talented and patient sat there and painted all that tiny detail on!”
Guess who had egg on their face when they found out about Blixz nails!? (It’s me in case you didn’t figure it out).
Available in over 100 designs and colours, these foil nails are the way of the future; particularly if you’re like me and get chips and flaking mere hours after getting your nails done.
Using heat and pressure, these foils are cut to the shape of your nail and are simply sealed using a hair dryer (or similar) for a few seconds.
I chose the pink and gold leopard print because I figured if I was going to go for an unconventional method of manicure, I may as well go for a fun pattern.
The benefits of Blixz nails are that you are ready to get on with your day as soon as application is complete. There’s no drying, smudging or streaking with these babies.
They won’t chip since they’re all made from one piece of contact. I suspect this might also be a handy solution for those who have a tendency to bite their nails; I’d say it’s pretty difficult if they’re covered in plastic.
They can be put over natural or acrylic nails and do not affect the nail underneath. There’s also no ‘prepping’ (such as buffing and sanding) unlike when you get acrylics put on.
It also isn’t a huge issue what size/length your nails are either. I had planned on growing mine really long so that by the time they were cut and shaped they’d be longer than usual with the foils on top, but they all broke off during the week. Boo!
Before and After
My only worry is how they will hold up when I wash my hair. Because I swim a lot, it means I wash my hair a lot. For some reason, I always break nails when I’m washing my hair so I’m hoping these don’t peel off in the process.
However, I did ask what to do in the case of peeling and lifting. The best solution is to get the hair dryer out and push them back down again. This should solve the problem.
Blixz nails are designed to last about 7-10 days, but I’ve heard of them lasting for 2 weeks! They can also last up to 4 weeks as a pedicure.
I got my Blixz nails done at Joh Bailey in Double Bay for $45. It took about 45 minutes, including a nail shape.
My hands look gross in the pictures, but you get the idea of what the Blixz nails are and how they’re applied.
Has anyone else tried these? What are your thoughts on steering away from traditional nail polish?
Tanning Time
It’s no secret that I enjoy a good sunbake. I absolutely love having tanned skin. It makes me feel healthy (yeah, I know – There’s Nothing Healthy About a Tan), slimmer and I just generally less of a corpse with one.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman and Christina Hendricks all look wonderful with their alabaster skin – but it’s just not me.
I know I’m not the only one who loves to get their tan on, but some people like to be safe and fake it. The only problem with fake tan is well, there’s not just one problem.
Fake tan can present you with a number of issues such as streaking, that ‘Fake Tan’ smell, looking like an Oompa Loompa or worse – looking like Snooki.
No. Just....no.
So I’ve been putting my body (and potentially, my diginity) on the line to present you with a list of the greatest fake tans on the market so you can find what’s best for your skin type, lifestyle and previous tanning experience.
Keep in mind I spend a lot of time outdoors. I still swim a few days a week in winter so I tend to always have a bit of colour, but I have spent the past couple of weeks applying the various fake tanners, exfoliating and steaming them off and trying others; all in the name of keeping you looking bronzed and beautiful.
Hopefully this list of lotions and sprays will help you find the best product for your skin and lifestyle.
Gradual Tanning Creams
Gradual tanning creams are those which, with a few applications over the course of a few days, slowly build colour - as opposed to being instant or developed within a few hours.
Tanning creams are excellent for those with fair skin, people who don’t want an obvious or dramatic change from their usual look.Gradual tanners provide a glow rather than a complete skin overhaul and usually posess moisturising properties so you can kill two birds and keep your skin silky while upping your colour at the same time.
Joico’s Golden Shimmer is enriched with Aloe Vera and Coconut Oil to give you a rich, natural tan.
With a delicious coconut smell, the lotion goes on thickly but dries quickly and evenly and is the most time efficient gradual tanner for last minute event invites.
I found out of all the gradual tanners that Joico Golden Shimmer gave the darkest colour upon first application, so it is perfect if you don’t have 3-4 days to build up your tan. Although, of course, you can continue to add to the colour if needed.
As it is the strongest of the gradual tanners it is extremely important to wash your hands thoroughly after applying, or you’ll get those nasty fake tan palms! Alternatively, if you don’t want to wash your hands (for fear of washing the tint of the back of your hands and wrists), simply wipe your palms on an old towel or tissues so you only get rid of unwanted colour.
Joico Golden Shimmer retails for $24.95 for 250mL.
I must say that the Nivea Summer Beauty Gradual Tan Body Lotion does have a noticeable ‘fake tan’ smell in the bottle and on the skin. However, I didn’t notice this smell to hang around after I had washed off the tan the next day. If you are sensitive to it, I’d suggest trying something else. (For the record the actual scent is gardenias, freesias and jasmine so perhaps my nose is off?)
The Nivea Gradual Tan applies easily much like an average body moisturiser and gives a streak-free, subtle and natural colour which can be seen from the first application.
Nivea Summer Beauty Gradual Tan Body Lotion is a bargain at just $6.99 for 250mL.
The Dove Summer Glow gradual tanner would have to be my favourite out of the lot of the tanning products that I tried.
From the minute that I squeezed it out of the bottle I was hypnotised by the passionfruit smell. The product itself is quite thick – almost like tapioca – but it thins out quickly and spreads with ease.
The nice thing is that this one dries super fast, so you can put it on after your nightly shower and pop your PJs on straight away. This is great for winter so you don’t have to stand around in the cold, naked waiting for it to dry.
The colour builds up slowly. It’s a really great option for someone who, as I said before, has fair skin and doesn’t want to be brown instantly or if you would like to have a bit of colour all year ’round.
I found the optimal colour for the Dove Summer Glow gradual tanner came after three days of usage and there was an almost three-dimensional look which may have been down to tiny sparkly particles in it. That, or I’ve turned into Edward Cullen.
Dove Summer Glow gradual tan also comes in a daily facial moisturiser which is SPF15+. This ensures you don’t get the ‘eagle’ look (dark body, white head) and also keeps your protected from the sun’s damaging rays at the same time. Brillz!
Dove’s Summer Glow body lotion comes in three sizes – 250mL, 400mL and 700mL priced at $6.99, $9.99 and $16.99 respectively. It’s also available in two different shades (fair to medium and medium to dark).
The facial moisturiser comes in a 50mL tube and retails for $11.99.
For stockists call 1800 062 027 or check out www.mydove.com.au
Instant Spray Tans
I loved Fake Bake for its point of difference. It leaves you with a lingering orange smell – but no orange colour. One of the more fantastic points of Fake Bake is the 360 degree nozzle for easy, self-application. This means that when you’re spraying your legs and the can turns upside-down, the product will continue to stream out evenly. Huzzah!
Fake Bake is the number one fake tanning product in the UK and *ahem* they should know, they need it the most. 
Handy hints on fake tanning from the Fake Bake team include not drinking hot drinks from a cup while the tan is developing as this can strip colour from around the mouth (as can Toothpaste) and avoid products which contain Alpha Hydroxy Acids as these will also diminish the longevity of your tan.
Fake Bake Airbrush is available at salons nationally. A 207mL can will set you back $49.95 and a list of stockists is available by calling 1300 787 587
Napoleon- Have y’all heard of celebrities spray tanning on fake abs? No? Well Mariah Carey and Eva Longoria are both fans of literally creating muscle definition without the hard work. We all know being a few shades darker helps to minimise cellulite, uneven skintone and makes us look a few kilos lighter, but with spray on tans you can actually create the illusion of a musclier physique.
I took advantage of the small size of the Napoleon Summer Sun can and gave myself a six pack. Seriously.
With a few swift movements down the middle of the stomach I looked like I’d been working out every day of my life! I found out of all the tans I tried, the colour from the Napoleon Summer Sun self tanning spray lasted the longest (I’m talking over a week).
It also smells like Tiramisu. Yummy!
Napoleon Perdis cosmetics feature a range of products which not only give you a tan but then optimise it, which brings me to…
Post Tan Enhancers and Lengtheners
Napoleon Whipped Dream may look a little daunting in it’s tub. All thick and muddy and glistening. But don’t be alarmed! Just a few teaspoons worth smoothed over the legs (or anywhere you like) will give your tan a finished and multi-dimensional sheen like you just walked off the set of a Versace shoot.
It smells beautiful and is easy to use. This can even be used without a tan for a little bit of a glow.
A 250g tub will cost $40.00 but last for the whole of summer!
Lush Charlotte Island Tint is not only a colour enhancer but helps to hide obvious veins and blemishes on the skin. It contains aloe vera which soothes redness and sunburn and its cocoa butter helps to minimise peeling and to moisturise the skin.
Lush’s Charlotte Island Tint is the summer essential and costs just $10.95 for 100mL and $19.95 for 250mL.
Similar to Charlotte Island Tint is Palmer’s Body Gloss which is a creamier and probably shinier and glitterier (ha, that’s not a word) version. It goes on the body quite thick, and in my experience takes a little more work to blend into the body.
I find that it actually leave my skin looking a bit too pale. I’m including it in the list as if you’re not someone who does like to tan a lot like me, then it would be great to add shine to bare legs and as Palmer’s products are, it’s a great moisturiser.
It’s also really accessible and can be purchased from Priceline for $10.99 (125g) or $21.99 (400mL).
I hope this list has given you some help, or at least some inspiration in favour of bronzed skin. Or, on the other hand maybe you are now incensed about the issue of tanned skin and more dedicated to the cause of pale skin!
Either way, it’s almost summer and the most important thing is to stay safe. I know I harp on about how much I love to lay in the sun – but I’m not foolish about it.
Wear a hat and use sunblock on your face and chest at all times.
A fact a lot of women don’t know is that the most common place for Australian females to develop skin cancer is on their legs. If you’re prone to burning then don’t risk it! And if you do get a tan easily – get to know your body and any changes that occur in terms of freckles and/or moles.
What do you prefer? Pale or tanned skin?
Do you fake it, sunbake or both?
Outfit of the Day
I haven’t done and outfit post in a while so I thought I’d pop one up.
I didn’t do anything particularly interesting today (what’s new?), I just met up with my mum in the city and did a few things.
We had lunch at Ash St. Cellar near Ivy. I have no idea how I’ve never been to this place before! We only stumbled upon it by accident, too. It was obviously meant to be!
For $39 you can have 2 courses plus beer or wine so I had a main and entree. I had the most delicious cauliflower soup with gruyere and thyme croutons for entree and corned beef with horseradish cream and celeriac puree for main. I was so impressed with the food. Simple but extremely tasty and the perfect sized portions.
Mum went the main and dessert route and had what tasted like strawberry shortcake but was really just strawberries on mascarpone on crumbled orange shortbread. She only let me have half a teaspoon of it. I probably wouldn’t have even let me have that much. I’m definitely going to try and re-create this at home; it tasted so good.
So here’s what I wore today. Georgina is back too.
Win sunglasses with Mimco this Saturday 7th August
Australia’s own accessories juggernaut Mimco is launching a new sunglasses collection (is there anything they can’t do?) this Saturday, and they want your help in celebrating!
Simply ‘like’ Mimco on Facebook here and look out for the codeword which will be revealed on Friday before midnight.
Be at your local Mimco boutique on Saturday (7th August 2010) morning and be the first to locate a pair of oversized sunnies and quote the codeword to win a pair of Mimco sunnies of your choice. There is only one per boutique, so get there early and be quick!
If you’re not lucky enough to win on the day, get snapped wearing the sunnies in store as these pics will be uploaded to Facebook. The picture with the most ‘likes’ in each state will win a Mimco sunglasses chain prize pack!
The codeword competition is held in all Mimco boutiques throughout Australia. Click here for a list of stores and the photo competition will be at Flagship stores only (Chadstone, Bondi Junction, Queens Plaza, Enex 100 and Rundle Mall).
Good luck!
