My frizzness is none of your business!

All I can say is thank goodness I am getting a hair cut tomorrow. There is only so much split end sealer, night serum and frizz spray I can use before I just have to surrender to the scissors and lose the dead ends. I love my balayage, but I have found the blonde dries out so much quicker and splits so much easier. The shitty winter weather isn’t helping, either.

All that said, I do quite like the new Herbal Essences None of Your Frizzness Smooth Lovin’ Smoothing Serum (phew, what a mouthful!). It’s really light and you only need a couple of drops on the mid-lengths and ends to get crazy static-y hair under control. Actually, you wouldn’t want more than a 5c piece worth – write that down. It’s also not heavy or greasy, so it won’t make your hair limp or lank. Good, right? It’s clearly not a miracle fix because I still need to get a haircut (and my hair doesn’t look like Leighton Meester’s), but it has really helped hold a hair appointment off for an extra week or two.

Also, it smells like lollies (that would be the mandarin balm). In fact, that’s probably one of the main reasons why I have been rubbing it through my hair in the middle of the afternoon. If I can’t eat lollies, I may as well get my sugar rush another way.

Price: $9.99
From: the supermarket, Priceline etc. Anywhere you would normally pick up your Herbal Essences
Why you need it: To keep the frizzies at bay and give your hair a hint of shine.

Picture credit: BD

Blueberry blast!

Lindt Dark with A Touch of Sea Salt has started showing up in Coles stores and it cracks me up that people have sent sms's, tweets or emails to say they saw it and thought of me! I'm touched!

It is in my local Coles now too but I passed over it the other day and went for Blueberry Intense instead. Holy wonderballs! This stuff is good. If you like blueberries, or blueberry bagels, then I suggest you grab a bar. It has a hint of sweetness and a real blueberry pop married in with the silky awesomeness of Lindt dark. It's not really on my current diet but that didn't stop me. Maybe just don't mention it to my trainer or nutritionist, they might not see it as 'fruit' like I did.


Price: $3.80
From: Supermarkets
Why you need it: For an intense berrylicious taste sensation (and dark chocolate is heaps healthy, I promise!)

The antioxidant boost your skin craves

Are you familiar with Akisa Love and Beauty Swatch? Both are great Aussie beauty sites run by the equally great Akisa. Akisa also runs Akisa Shop and is the Australian stockist for Vitacreme B12 Regenerative Cream and Anti-Aging Serum. She very kindly sent me some to have a play with because she knows I’m a little bit addicted to skin care products.

The Anti-Aging Serum is gorgeous. It’s a pink gel that glides effortlessly over skin. It has a very unusual scent to it and I can’t quite figure out what it is, but it’s almost spicy. It could be turmeric, since turmeric is used in skin care to reduce fine lines and fight pigmentation. But I’m only speculating here. Perhaps we need a Masterchef contestant to identify the spice.

This baby is a pretty potent and hard working serum, and you only need a tiny amount to get the anti-aging, whitening, hydrating and firming benefits. That said, it didn’t really reduce my scars, moisturise as much as I need or do my laundry, so it’s not a complete one-stop shop.

Speaking of moisturiser, the Regenerative Cream is also pink, but it’s thick and sticky. It actually felt heavy on my skin, which isn’t a very nice feeling. I was using it just as a night cream because it felt too thick to wear during the day under my makeup. It doesn’t smell like turmeric, but it does smell like dusty rose. It’s also more suited to mature skin. Vitacreme recommend younger skin use it 3 months on 3 months off to fight the first signs of aging, while mature skin can use it constantly.

It promises to do a whole bunch of things and personally I didn’t see any ‘wow’ results but a lot of reviews I have read say that it doesn’t appear to work for the first 2 months and then you see some great results. I’m going to persist with it because I have only been using it for a month and I would really like to fade a couple of scars. I’ll report back in a couple of months.

Price: Vitacreme B12 Anti-Aging Serum - $56/30mL; Vitacreme B12 Regenerative Cream - $45/50mL
From: Akisa Shop
Why you need it: To give your skin the nutrients it needs to fight aging.

Picture credit: Akisashop.com

When brands come all the way down under

There are so many amazing brands that are overseas but that we never get here. The day Urban Decay finally reaches our shore I will be a very happy camper. BUT bit by bit they are slowly making the long flight down under. Smashbox recently launched here (and I love their primer) and in the last week I have learnt of three overseas brands that have either just launched or will be launching soon.

Eve Lom: A beautiful, simple and luxurious skincare brand that is based in the UK. A range of 14 Eve Lom products will hit Mecca next week, including what is hailed as probably the best cleanser in the world. Honestly, that’s a pretty big claim so I will be curiously waiting to hear reviews from all the local beauty girls.

Clarisonic: I have studied the Clarisonic facial cleansing systems every time I have been in Sephora but figured there was never any point in buying one since it would mean having to plug it in with a converter. I am very pleased to say they are on the way down under and dude these things are amazing! I’ll have more details closer to when it launches but I have been super super lucky enough to receive one to play with and I love it.

Illamasqua: Make sure you pop over to Sassi Sam because she has the scoop on this one, but basically this cult british brand is now exclusively in Myer. Unfortch it’s only in the Sydney city store for now (yay for me, boo for anyone not in my hood) but it will be rolling out nationwide soon enough. They do incredibly lush cosmetics in great colours AND right now they’re doing free make-up lessons AND they film it for you so you can go home and watch it again to reproduce it. Such a kickass idea.

Have a great weekend!

Picture credit: Sassi Sam

Who doesn't love a freebie?

Credit where credit’s due...Clinique do amazing gift with purchases. I recently sent my Mum off to America with a huge list of stuff to buy me and she came back with a suitcase full of gift with purchases because you only need to spend $27 to get one. That shit is whack! Clinique is so cheap over there that it’s absurd on so many levels.

The awesome pack came in a cute Trina Turk bag which will be most useful for impending travelling. As an aside, I did a count a few weeks ago and I currently have 7 Clinique make up bags in varying sizes living in my bathroom.

Anyway, I was massively impressed with the haul in this pack:
7 Day Scrub Cream
Even Better Skin Tone Moisturiser SPF 20
Clinique Sun SPF 30
Shimmering Stripes Powder Blusher + blush brush
High Impact Mascara
Different Lipstick in Ice Bloom
Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Fireberry (similar shade to lipstick)
Key chain

I have half a dozen of the same mascaras from various GWPs over the years, but the rest of it is all new and exciting. The Even Better moisturiser has only just been released here and it’s already part of the GWP in the states. Jealous! The blush is super cute too and has been getting quite a good run the last couple of weeks.

Here’s a question: is the GWP a motivator for you to shop in a particular store at a particular time?
Here’s another question: have you ever bought anything after trialling it from a GWP pack?

One for the lads - look after your face!

I’m not the only one in this house who tries products out. Yes, the bathroom might be covered in 90% female products, but Fiancé also likes to look after himself (he just got rid of a weeks worth of facial hair – turns out he’s part ginger!)

I have spoken about how cool evo is before, with their simple packaging and smartass attitude. Evo are now doing mens prodz and I brought home some evo uberwurst shaving crème and winners face balm; we both had a laugh over the copy on the tubes. The face balm claims “this product is all about men; engineered by engineers who understand men, are men or want to be men; it’s for busy, masculine men. If this balm was any tougher, it would be called universal sweat...for men”. How could you not want to put that on your face?! It’s so manly and rugged. I’m imagining Paul Bunyip slapping a coat on and then going out to chop a tree. And as for the shaving crème, “you want to be ze best? Zen you must use ze uberwurst [ze top sausage of hair removal]”. Surely any product that speaks to you in an accent like a Bond villain is worthy.

But most importantly, are they good? Yes. The shaving crème is a thick balm that lathers slightly as it softens whiskers and protects the skin. It has a slight hint of menthol for a fresh feeling. No, I haven’t been shaving my face but I did use it on some other body parts when he wasn’t looking.

The face balm is slick and gel-like. It feels a tad greasy when you wipe it on and then it sinks in straight away and disappears. I didn’t use it on my face, but I did have a good play with it. There is a slight hint of a fragrance which I can’t quite put my finger on, but it’s a touch of mint and a touch of musk. Fiancé seems quite happy with it and has almost finished the shaving crème already, which is very unusual.

Price: 50mL - $9.95; 150mL - $24.95 for both
From: check the evo website for a salon near you
Why you need it: For skin as smooth as a baby sausage

This week I...

So much going on recently!

• I got engaged on Monday night! I'm shocked and excited and overwhelmed and all those lovely emotions that go with committing to spending your life with someone. Waterproof mascara is my friend.

• I launched The Nail File. I’m up to my eyeballs in nail polish right now, but gosh I love it.

• I did a trapeze class last weekend at Sydney Trapeze School. It was amazing fun and I really enjoyed it, but I have been in total agony ever since. Who knew you had muscles under your arms?!

• I saw Teenage Paparazzo at the Sydney Film Festival. Highly highly recommend. Two thumbs up!
  

• Nearly Nude has their own online shop now! The first 50 people who purchase from their new store get a Model Co lipstick. Pretty decent incentive to shop, in my opinion. I recommend the Bedtime Bra.

• Speaking of online, Spa Universe have launched their new website. Spa Universe are the big umbrella that look after beautiful skincare brands like Decleor, Bare Escentuals, Carita, Ilsci, MD Formulations, Priori and the amazing Omnilux. Make sure you check out their website because they do giveaways on there, facebook and twitter every week. Who doesn’t like free beauty prodz? No one, that’s who.

• I had my skin Face Mapped by Dermalogica and now I know exactly why it’s playing up and what I can do to fix it. I really recommend stopping by a Dermalogica counter – it’s a hugely beneficial service.

Enjoy this footage of me swinging around like a porkchop and have a great weekend!

It WILL happen overnight

I admit that I take long hot showers in winter. How could you not?! There is nothing nicer than stepping into a hot, steamy shower when it’s freezing cold in the morning. Stepping out is a different story though. But I digress.

Hot showers, whilst enjoyable, are actually not that good for you. They dry out your skin and you hair something fierce. Add to that the air con or heater in your house,plus the cold wind outside and your hair really hates you. I have been so concerned recently with getting my skin under control that I have kind of neglected my hair. Lucky for me Pantene brought out the Night Miracle Leave on Creme Serum.

It literally could not be any easier – you rub a few pumps through your hair and you go to bed. That’s. It. Nothing fancy. Nothing complicated. Rub and sleep. When you wake up in the morning your hair has been nourished overnight and you style as usual. It’s like this product was made for lazy people.

Price: $9.99 - cheap as chips
From: The supermarket
Why you need it: To treat your poor hair with minimal effort

Picture credit: Pantene

Please welcome the new addition to the family

You might have noticed (apart from last week) that my posting frequency has been dialled down a little. You would also know that I'm a little bit obsessed with nail polish. Please put two and two together and meet...


The Nail File is my new project (and still a work in progress). This doesn't mean that I love Stuff That I Bought any less, but it does mean my time will be split between my two children. I will still be posting here as often as I can - probably 3 days a week - and I will be posting over there twice a week. Make sure you swing past for all your nail polish news, tips and colour swatches. Thank you for your continued support - it means a lot to me!

- Elise @ Stuff That I Bought AND The Nail File

5 Nails in 5 Days - Day Five

Thursday = another day, another dollar. No meetings today, but I did have a chiropractor appointment (believe me, it was the high point of my day - my chiro is a magical woman)

Today’s nails were Rumple's Wiggin' – a light and luscious lilac. Pastels will be huge come spring, so jump on board this train early. The first coat was patchy and streaky, but two coats gives a light colour and three packs a solid punch.

Outfit: Michael Kors shorts, grey tee, bluejuice jacket, light grey boots. I also threw on a grey scarf and my leather jacket, 'cos damn it was cold!

Ease of matching nails to outfit: Pretty easy. I just realised that I once again matched a purple nail to green (not quite like day 3, but still...) This is a subtle colour so it's not the hero of the outfit; more a hard working backup dancer.

Number of compliments: Three. This one was popular!

Likelyhood to wear again: 4.5/5 - I won't play favourites because I love all pastel polishes equally but this one will be on high rotation

5 Nails in 5 Days - Day Four

Wednesday = a hugely busy day with a couple of really important meetings. No rain so I could wear flat shoes and pants. Call me crazy, but I hate wearing flats and pants when it rains because there is nothing more uncomfortable than wet pant cuffs. Am I right?

Today’s nails were What's With The Catittude? – the perfect shade of powder blue. According to Chanel, this will be the colour we will all want to wear when they release it later in the year. It paints on well but does require three coats if you want a solid opacity.

Outfit: My favourite Steve Madden patent red flats, wide leg pants from Banana Republic, navy and white striped tee (Myer), navy blazer (Limited) and vintage Oroton scarf. Ooh la la tres chic. All I'm missing is the beret.

Ease of matching nails to outfit: Easy. This colour will be amazing in spring, but even in winter it will go with a lot of outfits. I think blue is an incredibly underrated nail colour.

Number of compliments: Two.

Likelyhood to wear again: 5/5 No questions, I'll be rocking this one for months

5 Nails in 5 Days - Day Three

Tuesday = in the office with a couple of meetings. Still battling the cold, although not having to factor rain in, thank goodness. Nothing ruins a good outfit quite like rain.

Today’s nails were Funky Dunkey – this bitch is a rich, lush and creamy deep purple. Can I get a heck yes?! This is the perfect winter colour. It paints on really well - two shades gives even opaque coverage and loads of shine (although you wouldn't know it from the picture).

Outfit: Green Urban Outiftters dress that I posted about last week, grey scarf and dark grey boots.

Ease of matching nails to outfit: Easy. This colour will go with pretty much every winter outfit. Particularly perfect with jewel tones.

Number of compliments: Two. And they both made my day.

Likelyhood to wear again: 5/5 this is a definite winter staple

5 Nails in 5 Days - Day Two

Monday = in the office, but no meetings today. The brief was stylish since I was at work, but also warm and slightly water resistant given the horrific onset of winter. Screw you, Sydney.

Today’s nails were Fiercely Fiona – the banana yellow with a hint of lime. Definitely another unusual shade. It also didn't paint on so well; two coats was very streaky. Three evened it out a bit, but you can see from the picture that it was just not even. This is definitely one you can't do in a rush.

Outfit: Grey on grey on varying shades of grey. Grey boots, grey
mini, grey t-shirt, grey(ish) leopard scarf and my leather jacket.

Ease of matching nails to outfit: Another tricky one, but I thought the yellow popped with the grey. I'm sure I read in one of the mags last week that yellow and grey was the new power combo.

Number of compliments: None. Not even my desk buddy commented on them. Maybe people are used to seeing me with yellow nails?

Likelyhood to wear again: 2.5/5 although I will do a much more careful paint job

5 Nails in 5 Days - Day One

Sunday = visiting the in-laws for an amazing Sunday night roast. The brief was comfort and style since I was out in public, but also needing to stay warm in this horrific winter weather. Hello, leather jacket and oversized scarf.

Today’s nails were Who The Shrek Are You – the ogre green, which is a rather unusual and weird shade. It didn't paint on so well; two coats left it streaky and even three wasn't perfect. This is always a problem with anything that has a yellow base (same goes for tomorrow's colour).

Outfit: black and silver shimmery lurex top with bat-wings, black pants and black & silver flats. Leather jacket for outside time.

Ease of matching nails to outfit: I knew this was going to be a tricky one so I went with basic black. This is a statement colour, so needs to be worn with black to stand out.

Number of compliments: 1 (although it was a more a statement of acknowledgement than a compliment)

Likelyhood to wear again: 2/5 - probably in summer

5 Nails in 5 Days is back again!

Get excited! This time around I'm roadtesting the new OPI Shrek collection to prove that even the most unusual colours are really wearable.



For anyone new - welcome - 5 nails in 5 days is a series where I wear a new nail colour every day for a week (5 days - duh) to prove that even the most unusual and out there colours can work on an ordinary girl with an office job. Shrek green, anyone?

Weee!! New lip gloss

This gloss is totally making me happy right now. I love it! Make sure you run tomorrow and buy all 5 of them.

Price: $34

From: Benefit

Why you need it: For glossy, shiny, kissable lips.

Picture credit: Benefit

Getting my urban on for winter

I went a little nuts a couple of weeks ago when the dollar was so good. I did a huge Urban Outfitters order and wrote a massive list for Victoria’s Secret and Sephora since my Mum was going over. Sadly, by the time my Mum went shopping in LA the dollar had significantly weakened (don’t worry, that didn’t stop her though) but I was far more successful with my exchange rate on my Urban Outfitters order. I love that being seasonally opposite means I can pick up their end of season stuff for a steal.

I bought two dresses, a jacket, a pair of legwarmers and 2 gifts. The jacket was a bust – first time I have been disappointed with UO. They have a range called Urban Renewal that is recycled vintage stuff, and the jacket they sent me was nothing at all like the jacket on the website. If anyone is a size 10-12 and 5’5”+, then have I got the vintage grey tweed blazer for you! Email me. But I digress.

The two dresses kick ass. I have worn the green one half a dozen times already – it’s a sweater dress so it’s warm and it has cute shoulders. The other dress also has cute shoulders but it’s super short so I can’t wear it on days I intend to bend over a lot. It’s an important consideration.

As for the legwarmers...well, I look at them a lot but I’m not sure about wearing them with tights (faux pas?) and it’s too cold for bare legs. This is quite the conundrum. Maybe I can just wear them on my arms?

Price: legwarmers $4.99; green dress $14.99; dot dress $19.99 + shipping (all in USD)
From: Urban Outfitters
Why you need it: At those prices, you’re crazy not to grab some end of season bargains!

Picture credit: All from urbanoutfitters.com