Archive for October, 2011
Nail Bar – People Hairdressing, Surry Hills
You already know what a fan I am of People Hairdressing so you can imagine I was very excited to learn that in the past few weeks they have opened a nail bar in their Surry Hills salon.
Offering express manicures and pedicures or a deluxe version, this service will complement your next ‘do perfectly.
I tested out the new addition to the salon and I was very pleased. Upon being seated I was offered a glass of champagne (which I declined because of Ocsober 
) and then I was told more about the nail polish brand on offer, Uslu Airlines.
Uslu Airlines was launched in 2003 and is a beauty brand based in Berlin. Along with nail polish they also produce foundation, mascara, concealer and lipsticks which can be purchased in matching colours to the nail polish. They have engaged in some clever and quirky collaborations as well as philanthropic endeavours.
One of the collaborations they’ve made is with Bernhard Willhelm, whose collection I chose my nail colour from. I went for a very pale lavender, but the choices were endless; everything from pastels to brights, metallics and classic blacks, reds and nudes. I was very impressed with the high-shine gloss of the polishes and their quick drying time and being the net-obsessed girl I am I am constantly typing on my laptop and phone and there have been no chips yet.
Colour - MAU/Maupiti
The nail bar at People is in a prime position. The City end of Darlinghurst is really lacking in nail salons, especially of the high-end variety. Here, you will not find acrylic nails or Shellac. You will not be pushed through like one of a herd of cattle. If you have a pedicure you will be taken into the hair-washing room for privacy. Cuticles are not clipped, only moisturised and pushed back, and everything is disinfected in front of you.
For this personalised service, you do pay slightly more than you would at your local shopping centre salon, but that’s to be expected. Prices as below:
Express manicure (tidy and polish) – $18 Deluxe manicure (soak, shape, buff, exfoliate, moisturise, base/2 coats of polish/top coat) – $36 Express pedicure – $26 Deluxe pedicure – $46If you’re after a professional and relaxing manicure I would highly recommend the nail bar at People. If you are headed out for the night, book in with enough time to have your hair and nails done and a glass of wine to get you started.
People Hairdressing Shop 4/285A Crown Street,Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW, 2010 9331 0380
Nokia E72 Angst
I’ve never jumped on the iPhone bandwagon and, with the release of the 4 S, I thought I’d finally get one. Unfortunately, I only got my stupid Nokia E72 a year ago and to pay out my contract it would cost $688. Considering I’m supposed to be saving, I don’t really want to pay that just to then start paying off another phone, so I’ve decided to stick it out for a while and make the most of this piece of crap I only bought because it was purple. Normally I don’t have any problems with Nokia. Back in the day my 3310 served me and in 2003 the 6610 was cutting edge, but I feel so behind with my E72.
In order to “make the most” of it I decided to explore some options that I hadn’t clicked through to before. I noticed an ‘edit’ option on photos and discovered an absolute gem.
Unlike the apps on the iPhone like instagram and procamera, the Nokia E72 has this hilarious half-assed “editing suite” with limited additions and alterations to your photos.
I chose the following photo to play with because it was already full of lolz. It looks like a computer-generated age simulator for a three-year-old Toddlers and Tiaras star who went missing:
This is what she could look like today...
Here’s some of the fun I had:
Obviously…
Mariah Carey tribute…
I’ll never let go, Jack. I promise.
See? Endless amusement! Who needs an iPhone, huh? Not me. :////
Dove Visible Beauty Revitalising Body Lotion
As I squeezed the dregs out of this bottle of Dove Visible Beauty Revitalising Body Lotion I thought to myself WHY THE HELL HAVEN’T I BLOGGED ABOUT THIS PRODUCT?!
Poor little Dove Visible Beauty, you would never know that in this unremarkable bottle is the very best body lotion I’ve ever used. You know when you hear brands talk about ‘penetrating the deepest of skin layers’ and making up words like ‘fabudermis’ and ‘skintastical’? Well if Dove used those ploys to promote this product I’d actually believe them.
I’m one of those people who will break out in a red, itchy and sore rash if I apply body lotion straight on skin fresh out of a hot shower or, even worse, just after shaving my legs, but with this I can put it all over myself without even the slightest tingle and it soaks in beautifully. No residue, no stains on my pyjamas or sheets and literally the smoothest skin you will ever feel.
I took to the streets of Sydney to find out exactly how aroused men were when they felt my silky smooth legs and here are the results:
Are you kidding me? As if I did that. Gosh.
You will just have to take my word for it.
What I don’t like about Visible Beauty is the bottle. As I said before, it’s unremarkable. You would probably skip over it on the shelf if you hadn’t read my glowing review. Also, and I don’t know if this is just me and my weak, arthritic hands, but it’s quite hard to squeeze the product out when the bottle is full, let alone right at the bottom.
For $7.65/250mL bottle you can’t lose. It’s my favourite, favourite body lotion of all time and I’ve even used exxy brands like La Mer before.
Go prep that skin for summer, people!
Outfit of the Day
This one is from almost a week ago but I haven’t had my camera on me. The sun showed itself a little last week so I was feeling Spring-y! I’m so obsessed with this blazer. Not many people “get” it and it’s often referred to as a tablecloth. Do I care? No. It’s so, so preppy and I feel like a female version of Chuck Bass when I wear it. It’s so easy to match with things because there are hundreds of colours in the various tartans and it even looks good with clashing prints.
Limited Edition Pink Ribbon Products
October is breast cancer awareness month and for pink lovers this is a beautiful thing. Everyday brands makeover their essential products to feature pink packaging and encourage sales, with a percentage of the profits going to breast cancer research and services.
Two major organisations doing great work for those affected by breast cancer now and in the future, who will benefit from you purchasing the special pink products, are The National Breast Cancer Foundation and one of my favourite charities, The McGrath Foundation.
I couldn’t possibly review every item that is part of the initiative but, in a way, I don’t think you really need to be told anything new.
DOVE
Everyone loves Dove products, they smell great, are excellent for sensitive skin and actually work. The soap, deodorants (aerosol and roll-on) and shower gel is all the same formula as the ones we already fill our trolleys with but your bathroom will look prettier, you’ll smell sweeter and someone who is suffering from breast cancer will be better off just for your purchase.
MOUNT FRANKLIN
Tracy Bevan, ambassador and director of the McGrath Foundation and designers Camilla Franks and Natasha Welsh have each come up with uniquely designed hats with milliner, Jane Lambert, just in time for Spring Carnival in conjunction with Mount Franklin whose pink-lidded bottles raise funds for The McGrath Foundation. The Pink Hat-Trick hats are available from www.facebook.com/MountFranklin for $150 (including postage and handling) and proceeds from each hat will be donated to The McGrath Foundation along with a very generous $250,000 that has been pledged already by Mount Franklin.
VOLLEY
If casual is more your style, Volleys have been recreated in hot pink canvas with the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s signature pink trim and pink ribbons printed on the lining. Get your pink Volleys from www.volley.com in women’s sizes for $35.00 (with $1.00 from every pair sold going directly to the NBCF).
A Fatal Attraction to Customer Service
I went to the National Stroke Foundation’s Food For Thought fundraising dinner last night and, because I had to go straight from work, I had my makeup done at M.A.C at David Jones, Elizabeth Street.
M.A.C is one of those brands where, even if the customer service was terrible, I’d probably still buy from them because I love and need their products. I’ve had hit and miss experiences at other M.A.C counters and stores throughout Sydney but I’ve never actually approached the one at David Jones in the city for some reason.
Now I’m going to tell you how freakin’ fantastic my experience was there last night in point form because it will end up being an essay if I don’t.
Haylee did my makeup and here’s what I loved:
-A lot of makeup artists look at me and see long blonde hair and a curvy body and automatically want to do a matte, nude base with just an eyeliner flick. Nothing against eyeliner flicks, but if I’m paying to have my makeup done – I want a look that I simply can’t achieve at home. Haylee asked me what the colour of my dress was going to be (baby pink) and suggested a chocolate brown base with bronze and gold highlights and bronzed skin with a peach cheek. YES!
-Each step of the way I was asked if I wanted to go in a certain direction with the look, adding to or changing the makeup at all. Haylee actually listened and delivered on these unlike a lot of times when I’ve had my makeup done by others and they just go ahead with something that you may have even said no to.
-She brushed my brows UP. Obviously I love my brows, I like them to look bushy. A lot of makeup artists do not get this look and tend to brush them across to make them look thinner instead of up and then over to actually give them shape. Haylee even filled them in a bit. Loved the end result – it was very Liz Taylor.
-I think the best part is that, after deciding to break a cardinal rule of makeup and sleep in my makeup because I was so happy with it, I woke up and looked exactly the same as I did when I went to sleep. This is a testament to both M.A.C makeup and Haylee’s application because not a single dot of powder is out of place. Why yes I am wearing this makeup to work today – who’s gonna stop me, huh?
All of the team were lovely, cheerful and obviously very talented. One staff member was creating a Halloween look on another staff member and it was amaaazzzing. It looked like something out of a Lady Gaga clip.
Well done, M.A.C @ David Jones, Elizabeth Street – I will be back for sure!
EMU Australia Spring 2011 Giveaway
As we know, Australia’s temperatures can get pretty extreme (ok, I’m exaggerating a bit) but the super hot heat and the fairly cold Winters mean that EMU Australia has perfected both hot and cold dressing with their celeb-adored, wool-lined boots and a breezy, beachy and oh-so Australian line of Spring/Summer tops, dresses, scarves and sandals.
This Summer EMU Australia are mixing bold blues and striking fruit-inspired tones with their signature neutrals for essential pieces that are ready to be mixed and matched whether you’re heading off on an island holiday or just strolling to your local beach.
Thanks to EMU Australia I have three gorgeous 100% merino wool scarves to give away, worth over $70.00 each!
To win, just comment below with the name of the celebrity who you think wears their EMU Australia boots the best. For an extra entry tweet the following message:
I could win an @EMUaustralia scarf from @MarloPerry at http://wp.me/pRFXn-TC
- Giveaway begins on Tuesday, 11 October 2011 and ends at midday on Tuesday 18 October
- Winners will be notified by email
- Colours of scarf may be different to the one pictured and is not exchangeable
- Entry is open to readers of A Fatal Attraction to Cuteness worldwide
Mode Cosmetics Nail Enamels
I’m trying to save money for a trip next year but, as we all do, I get that urge to spend come payday.
In an effort to fill the void I decided to buy some cheap stuff so I could have the best of both worlds. Walking past a chemist in the Colonial Centre food court, I saw these $2.45 cosmetics. $2.45?!?! That’s absurd. You could buy the entire collection from Mode Cosmetics and still not miss the money.
I didn’t need the entire collection so I settled on these three nail polishes. Party Crasher (purple) because all my purple nail polishes are either too pastel or too dark, Diamante (glitter) because it’s a nice neutral and it’s super cute and Raven (orange) because a few months back I had a fluoro orange pedicure and I loved it and I’ve been searching for a good orange nail polish ever since.
Party Crasher
This is nice. A couple of coats give decent coverage and it was very quick to dry. It’s a more of a brown-based purple than I would have liked, but other than that it’s fine.
Diamante
This turned out exactly as I thought. I love, love, love the consistency; it’s kind of like jelly so it’s very easy to apply. Applying two-three coats will make sure you have enough glitter. What I don’t like about this is that it’s rough to the touch. Once it dries, unlike a more expensive brand of nail polish, the glitter doesn’t seem to be embedded in the formula so it doesn’t have that smooth finish. A top coat fixed this a little bit, but for $2.45 I’m not going to complain.
Raven
Unfortunately, this did not dry as I’d hoped. The lacquer is fairly sheer and even after three-four coats you can still see my nail through. It was worth a try for the very low price, but I might have to try it over another nail polish to get a deeper colour.
Two out of three ain’t bad and they’re particularly good for those times you need a colour for a costume or something that you wouldn’t normally wear. I’d definitely buy nail polish from Mode Cosmetics again, but I think I’ll steer clear of the brights like orange (and the green and yellow they also had).
Has anyone else tried the nail enamels from Mode? Are there any we should definitely buy/avoid?
The National Stroke Foundation’s Food For Thought Event
I read about this dinner on Twitter a few weeks ago and knew instantly that I had to go. If I look at my own life, I can see that I’m pretty fortunate, so it’s nice to be able to contribute to organisations who are doing work for those who haven’t been so lucky. Sadly, more women in Australia will die from stroke than breast cancer and more men will die from stroke than prostate cancer. Stroke is the second biggest killer in Australia with one happening every 10 minutes and 20% of cases occurring in people under 55 years of age. One in six people will be affected by stroke and, despite being a leading cause of disability, it remains under-recognised.
Joanna Savill (Director of Crave Sydney International Food Festival) will, next Thursday 13 October, host an extremely exciting and important event in an effort to raise funds and awareness for the National Stroke Foundation. The National Stroke Foundation is the only national not-for-profit organisation that works with stroke survivors, carers, health professionals, government and the public to reduce the impact of stroke on the Australian community.
FOOD
I must say that the Foundation have put together quite the event! Chefs Adriano Zumbo (Zumbo Patisserie), Alessandro Pavoni (Spiedo), Colin Fassnidge (Four in Hand), Giovanni Pilu (Pilu at Freshwater), Leanne Beck (Sweet Infinity), Riccardo Momesso (Sarti, Melbourne), Richard Ptacnik (Otto) and Soren Lascelles (Assiette) will each be preparing a course (with complementing wines) live so that not only do we go home with tummies full of fantastic food, but hopefully a few little tricks and hints for our own home cooking as well.
To help raise added funds there are some brilliant auction items, too. Prizes already confirmed include a degustation for two (including matching wines) at Assiette and Otto’s Richard Ptacnik cooking for eight guests in your own home! With incentives like that the event is set to give the National Stroke Foundation a huge boost.
FOR THOUGHT
Life-sized, thought-provoking portraits of stroke survivors and their stories will be featured at the event held at Doltone House, Pyrmont.
Each ticket is $250, which, for seven courses plus drinks cooked by some of the country’s greatest chefs, is a bargain. For bookings and full details: http://www.foodforthoughtsydney.com.au
Event details
Where: Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, Pirrama Road, Pyrmont
When: 6:30 for a 7:00 pm start, 13 October, 2011
Dress: Cocktail (let’s hope it’s a warm Spring night!)
It would be wonderful to see you all there!
A Fatal Attraction to Customer Service
For all the bitching and moaning I do on Twitter about some of the truly horrible sales assistants I encounter, I thought that I should balance it out and applaud the good ones.
90% of my working life has been in retail and I was bloody good at it. I’m not just talking myself up, the commission and sales records can speak for me. Everytime I hear retailers complain about not selling enough stock it’s no wonder, when the vast majority of sales assistants are either rude, pushy or just don’t give a crap.
Shopping is an experience, which is why so many of us are turning to online stores to get our fix. Although you don’t get a personalised one-on-one service, you don’t have to put up with a lack of service or, heaven forbid, those that work at GASP.
Fortunately, there are some really great people out there who clearly enjoy their job; talking to people, dressing sharply and sharing their knowledge of fashion and style with those who enter their stores and going that extra mile for the client.
My first post of praise goes to Matt at Saba, Mid City Centre. I’d been eyeing off some shoes that I tried on a few weeks ago. The sales assistant at the time was excellent too, but I had only started my search for Summer work shoes. When I went back into the store yesterday to buy them, I was served by Matt and one of his colleagues (whose name, unfortunately, I did not catch). They were attentive but not standing on top of me. They talked like real people, not like people desperate to make a sale, nor as though they couldn’t care less if I purchased or not. The most impressive was that, upon realising I had left my card in a different bag at work, Matt said it would be no problem to put the (sale) items I wanted on hold until today. Having worked in retail, I know how risky it can be putting sale stock on hold for a customer you don’t know, but this was no issue for Matt.
Of course, I went back today and picked up my things (‘Clara’ heels in Rust and Sailor Pants). Matt remembered me as soon as I walked in the door and that age-old exchange of money for products that so many shops must be forgetting the feeling of went forth.
See, retailers? This is how you do it. Smiles! Greetings! Well-groomed, well-dressed staff who I’d actually WANT advice from!
Congrats, Matt from Saba, Mid City Centre you get my first A Fatal Attraction to Customer Service award *claps*
