So, big news...

This weekend I'll be hitting not one but two major milestones for this here little old blog. Expect some changes next week, but also expect the biggest competition I have ever done.

That's all I'm gonna say.

Ok, I'll be giving away all of my favourite things, just like Oprah (lucky for me my favourite things don't include a car - too pricey to post).

Now that's really all I'm gonna say.

See you next week!

Aveeno Ultra-Calming - for irritated skin

-by Shay

I have pretty horrible skin, you know. On my body and on my face. Besides the whole oily-combination thing, I have lived with this condition called eczema for my entire life. If you don’t have it you may not know that it’s a form of hereditary, allergy-sensitive dermatitis. In a nutshell that means my skin goes whacky and develops some pretty awful rashes over certain things in the environment that set me off.

In my particular case, this is JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.

Dry air, moist air, hot weather, cold weather, dust mites, animal hair, dust particles, pollen, grass – I could seriously go on forever.

Unfortunately in recent years the eczema has spread to parts of my face, and it’s something I have really struggled with treating.

But don’t despair, this is a good news story people! There is a happy ending!

I’m very happy to let you know that Aveeno Active Naturals have come to my rescue and saved me from itchy, blotchy and irritated skin with their Ultra-Calming range.

I have been using the Ultra Calming Cream Cleanser on and off for ages now, well before my latest tube was sent to me for review purposes. I like to stash it in my drawer of ‘emergency’ items in my bathroom so I can use it when my skin has decided it hates me (for the millionth time).

It is the most beautiful, soap-free cleanser that left my troubled skin feeling smooth, soft and most importantly – calmed. It’s like a comforting hug for my red, raw skin. It uses a relative of chamomile (feverfew) to achieve what I once thought impossible, and remains very reasonably priced at only $13.99 for 141g.

When the weather started to warm up I pushed the cream cleanser aside, and started wondering how I could treat any Summer sensitivity that would inevitably crop up. I didn’t have to think for long, as I was sent the Ultra Calming Foaming Cleanser and Ultra Calming Daily Moisturiser with SPF 15. Talk about reading my mind?!

The foaming cleanser gave the same results the cream cleanser did, although it left my skin feeling less moisturised and more ‘fresh’ feeling (which is exactly what we want for Summer). This one also retails for $13.99 for 180mL.

The daily moisturiser is absolutely lovely. It worked a treat on my red and inflamed patches, and really moisturised and calmed like nothing else has. No stinging, and no itchiness. I felt like jumping with glee!

The fact that it has SPF 15 is a huge bonus, but of course I would still add your regular 30+ underneath if you’re going to be in direct sunlight (as opposed to driving your car) for any amount of time. This one will cost you $24.99 75mL and comes in the most convenient little pump pack, which I absolutely adore.

All in all I would not hesitate to recommend this line to anyone who experiences skin troubles. You might not suffer to the same extent I do (dear GOD I would not wish that on anyone), but even if you experience redness, blotchiness or tightness these products will certainly help you even out your complexion – no matter what time of year it is.

Aveeno Ultra-Calming range
Price: Daily Moisturiser - $24.99, Foaming Cleanser - $13.99, Moisturising Cream Cleanser - $13.99
From: Priceline

For more of Shay's reviews, check out her youtube channel

This product was offered to Stuff That I Bought for editorial consideration - for more details, see our disclosure policy
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DIY Macarons & Whoopie Pies - easy as...err...pie

My love of baking is well documented on this blog. Food blogger I am not, however I love to cook sweet treats. We had a big family shindig on the weekend and I decided to take not one but two tasty desserts (I'm good like that - invite me to your next BBQ or dinner party and I won't disappoint).

However, instead of making something from scratch or creating my own recipe, I went with two packet mixes. These weren't no ordinary cake mixes though. Behold:

Betty Crocker Chocolate and Vanilla Whoopie Pies and Donna Hay Almond Macaron With Chocolate Filling. Hello, calorietown.

I was pretty confident with the whoopie pies, so I decided to make the macarons first since there was greater potential for error (i.e. if I screwed them, I would have time up my sleeve to make something else).

They were remarkably easy. Like, really easy. Donna Hay is a saint - the instructions were clear, it didn't take long to prepare the mixture, and the only extra things I needed were water and some cream. Handy hint: I drew circles on the baking paper as a guide so that all my halves were roughly the same size to easily match them up into pairs.

If the macarons were easy, then the whoopie pies were no effort at all. It's basically a packet cake mix, but instead of putting the mix in a pan, you plop it onto baking paper. Same deal - I drew circles in texta on the baking paper and then flipped it over (texta doesn't taste so good) so they acted as a guide. This mix also requires an egg, veggie oil and some milk - all stuff I assume you have already? Maybe not, if you're lactose intolerant.

Both of these get my seal of approval and will be pulled out again in future. Someone even told me they had recently read that whoopie pies are apparently the new macaron. Typical me, always ahead of the curve.

Donna Hay Almond Macaron with Chocolate Filling
Price: $7.99 - cheaper than a half dozen from Lindt
From: Coles

Betty Crocker Chocolate Whoopie Pie
Price: I think I bought it on special for $4, normally $5.55
From: Coles

Update: I made the Whoopie Pies again and added a layer of strawberry jam to the middle. Holy shit. Although I would say raspberry > strawberry. 

*I just thought I would mention, while it might look like I have some sort of affiliation with Coles, it's only because I live across the street from them and do all my shopping there. 
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Lindt Passionfruit - 'nuff said

This is the kind of post where I just need to post a picture and a moan of appreciation, right? Good. Let's get to it…

Ohhhhhhhhhhh

Omnomnomnomnom

Lindt Passionfruit
Price: $3.93 (although I bought it last week when they were 2 for $4 at Coles)
From: Supermarkets
Why you need it: Lindt Passionfruit! The tantalising sweetness of passionfruit married with the magic of Lindt dark chocolate and the creaminess of almond slivers. Hello, sexytimes.
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This Week I...

…realised I hadn't done a This Week I… post for a while
…had my fifth session of laser hair removal at Leah's Wax Works. The hair had barely grown back from the last session, save for a sparse amount under my arms. I have three more sessions to go, but I honestly doubt I will need them all. If you haven't considered laser yet, I implore you to. I won't need to shave under my arms at all this summer, and this makes me happy. 
…had to mow the lawn and trim the hedges of the lady garden before aforementioned laser appointment. I gave the Gillette Venus and Olay Bikini Trimmer Kit ($19.99 from the supermarket) a whirl and was really impressed by the trimmer. And although the razor is surrounded by one of those annoying hydrating bars that I love so much, it felt really nice on my legs because legs are flat and easier to shave, unlike trying to shave the crease of a bikini line with an inch wide razor/hydrating bar combo. The added bonus of the Olay moisturiser certainly went down a treat - no razor bumps.
…hydrated the heck out of my hair using Wella Enrich Mask for Fine/Normal hair ($25 for a 150ml tub from the salon). My hair is in terrible condition right now because I am well overdue for a cut, but I have managed to hold off for another week or two by loading up on hydration. I was just sent the new Pantene Clinicare Split End Fuser, so I'm hoping they will reverse some of my immense damage.
…remembered why I love Pineapple Freddo Frogs so much. Twin pack goodness FTW!
...did my roots using Schwarzkopf Live Salon Permanent ($15.99 from the supermarket). The colour is fantastic and it was easy to use, and it would get five stars if it came with proper gloves instead of those giant plastic bag gloves instead.
…saw In Time. Let's be honest, the main drawcard was Justin Timberlake. And while this movie isn't going to be winning any awards any time soon, it was entertaining. Justin is hot as hell, and Amanda Seyfried is hypnotising, with her cat-like eyes under her heavy fringe. I will admit I spent a fair chunk of the movie wondering how on earth she (and her stunt double) managed to run so quickly in 10" stilettos without breaking an ankle. My movie companions weren't overly impressed (they're hard to please), but it's good light entertainment. Just don't think too hard about the fact Olivia Wilde played Justin's mother. Final word: go on tight-ass Tuesday.

*the bikini trimmer, hair mask and hair colour were offered to Stuff That I Bought for editorial consideration - for more details, see our disclosure policy
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LOVE! Schwarzkopf Instant Volume Powder

My new favourite product. So much love.

Price: $8.99
From: Priceline etc etc - check www.schwarzkopf.com.au
Why you need it: Volume! Texture! Limp haired girls rejoice!

This product was offered to Stuff That I Bought for editorial consideration - for more details, please see our disclosure policy
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You SPF your face - do you SPF your body?

Do we need to do the SPF lecture again? You know you're supposed to wear it. I know I'm supposed to wear it. SPF SPF blah blah blah (and I don't say this to trivialise wearing sunscreen because it's Really Serious Business, but we have all heard it before).

While I'm diligent with it on my face every day, I have to admit that I get a bit lax on the arms and chest. Now that the sun is coming out and I'm no longer hiding under layers of leather and fur, it's time to change my habits.

Vaseline sent me their new Total Moisture Aloe Fresh SPF 15 Daily Light Lotion a few weeks ago, but before I could even try it out it went walkabout from my beauty cupboard. I'm not going to point fingers here *cough* but I hope the new owner is enjoying it.

I went and bought some anyway. No excuses for not wearing SPF though when it's less than $8 for 200ml. That's, like, the price of coffee and cake. Ridonkulous. Plus it's Vaseline, so you know it's good juice. It's lovely and hydrating, spreads easily, and smells really good (the smell of aloe always reminds me of Hawaii). Get a pump bottle for the bathroom and smaller bottles for the car and your desk. That's what I did.

Price: $7.68/200ml - $11.59/375ml - $16.31/750ml
From: Priceline
Why you need it: The easiest way to stop age spots and wrinkles on your boobies
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Current obsession: Banana Milky Ways

Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed.

Have you had a Banana Milky Way yet? They are so damn good. I didn't think you could improve on perfection from the original, but damn these little babies are four bites of heaven. Three bites if you're feeling particularly greedy.

Trust me on this one. Especially if you were a banana paddle pop fan as a tyke.

Price: 63c
From: Coles
Why you need it: Super tasty and so small it's practically guilt free (surely you can't jam too many calories into something so little, right?)
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Wedding prep: Getting my skin perfect for the big day

As I say in the video, I never intended to blog about my impending nuptials, but I have been trying so many great products lately that these all deserved a mega shout out for all their hard work.



The details:
md formulations Facial Cleansing Gel - $85/250ml
Find stockists on the Spa Universe site

Lapurete Okuru Facial Cleanser - $39.90/100ml
Find stockists on the Lapurete site

Clarisonic Mia - $179
David Jones, Myer, Priceline and some pharmacies

Antipodes Organic Avocado Oil and Rosehip Divine Oil - $33
Myer, David Jones and some pharmacies

Omnilux - starts at about $90-100 per treatment
I highly recommend Fifty Four Park - Mel and Tilly are facial goddesses. Otherwise find a salon near you on the Spa Universe site

Decleor Expression de L'age Smoothing Roll On - $110/20ml
Find stockists on the Spa Universe site

Opinion: Mens razors are better than womens razors

After a lengthy membership on Team Epilation, I'm temporarily back on Team Shaving and I have to say…women's razors suck. Like, big time sucky mcsuck-suck. Perhaps they're too busy trying to make them pink and add in stupid creamy shaving bars (which just get in the way, FYI) to actually think about the quality of the razor. Geez, lift your game, shaver brands!

Meanwhile, I was sent a parcel of Gillette Fusion ProGlide products for my dude reviewer to play with, but since he was overseas at the time, Fiance and I decided we might like to play with them ourselves. The Fusion ProGlide Power razor is battery powered so that it vibrates as you use it (there's also a non-vibey razor called Manual). Fiance didn't like it at all - he said it felt like he didn't have any control over the razor because of the vibrations, and it irritated his sensitive skin. I, on the other hand, loved it. Still love it, since I use it once or twice a week. I quite like the gentle vibrations, and the 5 blades gives a really close shave without any sort of irritation or rash. Plus, those women's brands could learn a thing or two from the little lubricating strip that quite amply does the job without getting in the way.

Pictured: Intense Cooling Balm and Fusion ProGlide Power Razor

 We also played with a bunch of the Gillette Fusion products and I found a new favourite - the shaving gel. Fiance prefers shaving foam (he has an unnatural attachment to Nivea Shaving Foam, which I really don't like) but even he admitted the shaving gel was good. I, on the other hand, re-purchased when it ran out. Dedication to the (smooth leg) cause.

The other product Fiance really liked was the Intense Cooling Balm, which I didn't try, for obvious reasons. He doesn't normally use an aftershave lotion, but he said he enjoyed using it because it made him feel manly (I feel like I'm going to cop a beating for writing this). To be fair, he also said it was refreshing and soothing. And he doesn't like using grooming products, so this is a huge compliment.

The details:
Gillette Fusion ProGlide Power - $16.99
Gillette Series Intense Cooling Lotion - $11.99
Fusion HydraGel - $7.34
From: Priceline, Coles, Woolies etc
Why you need it: For a smooth, easy shave

These products were offered to Stuff That I Bought for editorial consideration - for more details, see our disclosure policy
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Exclusive First Look: Pantene Aqua Light (plus Barney Martin)

This is really random, but a few weeks ago I was involved in a secret project with Pantene (once I get the go ahead, I'll fill you in). Along with other shenanigans, I went to the Pantene Sceptic Panel event, where we (beauty bloggers and editors) got to grill Pantene’s Expert stylist Barney Martin, Pantene’s Senior Scientist Dr Jasmine Karsono and Pantene’s Expert Trichologist Tony Pearce on all those nasty Pantene rumours that I know you have all heard and probably believe.

I also got a special sneaky peek at the new Pantene range called Aqua Light, which hits shelves today. I have been using Aqua Light for about 2 weeks now and so far I am really impressed - it's much lighter than any other Pantene, which is great for my fine hair. But don't just take my word for it - I got the inside scoop from that cheeky lad Barney Martin!

The Pantene Aqua Light deets:
Shampoo & Conditioner - $7.99/350mL
Treatment - $9.99/200mL
From: Supermarkets
Why you need it: If you have found Pantene products too heavy for your hair in the past, this will change your perception.

These products were offered to Stuff That I Bought for editorial consideration - for more details, see our disclosure policy
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The "Stuff That I Bought Lindt Dark Caramel Brownie Recipe" Post

I created my own brownie recipe from scratch. True story. I love baking and brownies are kind of definitely my specialty. So I decided to create the Stuff That I Bought Lindt Dark Caramel Brownie recipe. I actually filmed a video to show you the recipe in action, but a TV chef I am not, so a regular old post will have to do.

The stuff you need to buy aka ingredients:

• 125g butter, chopped
• 1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
• 150g Lindt Noir Caramel chocolate, chopped
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

The things you need to do aka instructions:

1. Pop the oven on to 180°C or 160°C for fan-forced. Grease an 18 x 28cm cake tin with some soft butter or margarine. Most people like to line the base of the pan with non-stick baking paper, but I actually prefer not to, as I find the edges crisp up better without it.
2. Put the butter, brown sugar and chocolate in a large saucepan and stir over low-medium heat until they look like a big brown liquidy mess (i.e. well combined).
3. Remove pan from heat. Take a sneaky lick of the wooden spoon. Beat in the eggs using aforementioned wooden spoon.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder into the chocolate mixture and stir until well combined.
5. Sneak another mouthful of batter and start to get really hungry. Pour the mix into the tin and bake for 35-40 minutes. Stare at the oven impatiently while your house smells amazing. 

These brownies are amazing on the second day once they have properly cooled and gone a bit chewy. Unfortunately it's pretty unusual for them to actually make it to the second day - straight from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a little slice of heaven. Or a big slice, if you're being greedy.

If you try this recipe, please let me know how you go. You can probably substitute the Lindt Caramel for just about any good quality milk or dark chocolate - I'm keen to try Chilli and Orange next.

What's your kitchen specialty? 
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Revlon are actually pretty good. Who knew?!

I know Revlon is a huge mega big deal global brand, but I have to admit I have never really worn their makeup. I have dozens of bottles of their nail polish, but beyond a few limited edition eye shadows from a couple of years ago, my repertoire is slightly lacking in Revlon.

When the good kids from Revlon asked me if I was keen for a makeover to try their new Age Defying with DNA Advantage Cream Makeup foundation, I wasn't going to say no. I love any chance to try a new product, and who doesn't love having their makeup done (especially since they also offered to take me to dinner at a nice restaurant, and I had to look hot for that).

Chanel, the counter manager at the Myer Pitt St store, is one of the greatest humans ever. She talked me through the range (7 foundations shades - medium coverage) and gave me perfectly glowing skin, natural eyes and a glossy pout that was perfect for all my meetings that day, and then for dinner that night. We talked about fingers vs sponges vs brushes for foundation application, and she said brushes for an airbrushed look and fingers for an everyday creamy complexion - this is what I do, so I feel validated.

Now I know this is about the new foundation, and I did love that, but I was most impressed by the Aqua Finishing Powder she used to set my foundation and fight afternoon oiliness. I'm not normally a powder person, but this powder is incredible. It actually feels cool and wet when it's applied, and It has coconut water in it, so it's hydrating and it doesn't dry cakey at all. I'm kind of obsessed with coconut water, so this just justifies my obsession (although I usually prefer imbibing it, as opposed to wearing it).

I definitely think you should pop down to your local Revlon counter or jump into Priceline to check out the new Age Defying with DNA Advantage Cream Makeup foundation AND the Aqua Finishing Powder. Both are lovely and light, so will be perfect for wearing in spring and summer (PS the foundation has an SPF of 20 - double win).

Revlon Age Defying with DNA Advantage Cream Makeup
Price: $39.95
From: Myer, DJs, Priceline

Revlon ColorStay Aqua Mineral Finishing Powder
Price: $34.95
From: Myer, DJs, Priceline

I just had to add this in because it's pretty - so many colours!

This experience was offered to Stuff That I Bought for editorial consideration - for more details, see our disclosure policy
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And she wore feathers in her hair

If you watched any of The Voice, you would have noticed hair feathers. It seemed like every second contestant and celebrity guest was rocking a strand or two of Foghorn Leghorn’s finest.

Having recently done the rounds of the showings from all the high-street fashion brands to see what they have coming for summer, I can tell you feathers are in, whether they’re on earrings, headbands, sleeves, skirts, or clipped into hair as a DIY-instant extension. If you want something a little more permanent though, Navajo Hair Co have come out with some beautiful bohemian feather hair extensions.

As with any other gimmicky trend, these have the potential to look very, very wrong. Joel from Bauhaus Hair put my extensions in and we talked about how they look much better in natural colours that match the hair - pink and blue feathers stick out for the wrong reasons - kind of like you have stuck some pink and blue feathers in your hair (although the team at Navajo tell me these have been the most popular colours to date). Joel and I picked feathers in dark brown and cream, which blend subtly in with my own dark brown tresses. He also explained that placing them under the hair in line with the temples means you just get little flashes of them, rather than them being awkwardly clipped in on top.

They are put into the hair like normal hair extensions - a few strands of hair plus the feather are clamped together with a little microbead. Joel explained that rather than putting it right at the root, he examined the natural fall of my hair and put the feather in about a centimetre down so that it moved with my hair. The feathers (rooster feathers, FYI) are totally fine being heat styled, washed, brushed and blow dried. I have had my extensions in for almost three weeks and they still look bright and fresh, although they are loose at the roots and just about ready to come out (I run my fingers through my hair a lot, and probably wouldn’t do well with real extensions).

I have had so many compliments on them and will definitely get them again - just add maxi-skirt, wedges and floppy hat for boho-chic. And in case you’re a corporate monkey - they are totally office-proof. Just style your hair so they’re hidden 9-5.

Navajo Hair Co Natural Feather Hair Extensions
Price: From $17 per feather (economies of scale - the more you get, the cheaper each one becomes)
From: I had mine put in at Bauhaus Hair in Waterloo - check the website for stockists
Why you need them: For something a little fun and different
Worth noting: These feathers come from roosters who are specifically bred for their feathers.
In order for the feathers to be properly and humanely processed, the roosters are harvested. These feathers come from Whiting Farms, who service not only the feather hair extension market, but also the fly fishing market. This is what Whiting Farms has to say:

In order for the feathers to be properly processed and sold the unavoidable fact is the roosters have to be harvested. This is because what are desired by fly tyers (and fashion folks alike) are the "first nuptial" feathers that the roosters grow (their "breeding plumage"), and subsequent sets of feathers are not as good. But a unique attribute of the lines at Whiting Farms is the "saddle" (back) feathers, that are so highly prized by everyone, never stop growing. So our roosters get an exceptionally long life of almost a year waiting for these saddle feathers to get as long as they can, compared with a meat chicken that is harvested at 35 to 49 days of age. But unlike the brutal end that most commercial chickens endure, at Whiting Farms we euthanize the chickens painlessly so there is no distress nor blood. The meat from our roosters, though I could argue it is the safest meat in the world as we feed no antibiotics nor hormones and the chickens live such a pampered life, cannot be sold nor even given away because of USDA inspection regulations. What is left over after harvesting is composted, in conjunction with wood chips and manure, to create a soil amendment for our irrigated farm crops. So at least nothing is wasted. Plus the meat on these year old roosters is truly tough and pretty minimal as they’ve not been bred for meat, so not very worthwhile or palatable.

This product was offered to Stuff That I Bought for editorial consideration - for more details, please our disclosure policy
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The racing stripe is for speed, right?

Dear Zoe Extreme Wedge from Sportsgirl,

Oh my, look at you! All nudey and clompy, but then with a smart racing stripe up the back (for added speed, I assume). I have no idea how I would wear you, because goodness knows I'm not very good in anything with a heel, but I need you in my life. I think you and I would make beautiful summer music, me in a floaty maxi skirt and a crochet top, while you thieve all the attention down below.

Let's hang out. I'll bring the cider.

Lovingly,
Wedgeless Elise

PS - If you want to buy them for me, they are $149.95 from Sportsgirl
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Five amazing products I forgot to review

True story. Sometimes a product is so fantastically awesome and so perfect for me that I use the whole bottle/tube/tub and next thing you know it's 6 months later and I haven't reviewed it yet. Whoops! These are five products that are very firm favourites in my bathroom and that I have been re-purchasing over and over.



The details:

Garnier Pure Active Pimple Reducing Toner
Price: $9-ish
From: the supermarket

MAC Blushcreme
Price: $40
From: MAC counters and MAC online

Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil
Price: $60
From: Bobbi Brown counters or Bobbi Brown online

Kiehl's Darkness Diminishing Activated Eye Treatment
Price: $62
From: Kiehl's or Kiehl's online

REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask
Price: $82
From: Meccacosmetica stores or Mecca online

See here for our disclosure policy
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I love spring, but...

The start of September signifies many things. In magazine land, it means 30 Days of Fashion and Beauty and Vogue Fashion's Night Out. On the charity front it's Liptember, which means lip gloss for a cause (gender specific mental health issues for women, but more on this later). It also means Spring.

Inspired by my own status update on Facebook today (gosh how vain does that sound) I wanted to celebrate this change of season and all the joy that it brings.

Nicked from Moonjazz on Flickr

Love spring, hate hayfever
Love spring, hate spiders
Love spring, hate magpies swooping (shout out to Andrea)
Love spring, hate the fact my favourite flowers are now out of season (poppies, just in case you want to buy me one last bunch)
Love spring, hate having to whip out the fake tan
Love spring, hate leg hair removal
Love spring, hate people loading up their gardens with blood and bone
Love spring, hate that everyone who drives down my street blatantly ignores the turn no right sign and turns right into the Coles carpark. The sign is there for a reason!!**

Honestly, I love the warmer weather and the fact I can wear thongs again, but spring and I don't always get along. What do you love to hate about spring?

**obviously not spring related, but it really pisses me off

How to: Stop your armpits smelling (hint: laser)

A friend of mine asked me the other day if I was still having my laser treatment because I hadn't written about it in ages. I am, but the hair came back so slowly that i didn't need my next treatment for 8 weeks! Pretty sweet, right?

The hair that did grow back (eventually) was very fine and sparse - kind of like when you first get hair under your arms when you're 12 or whatever. The kind of hair that meant I could still wear a singlet to pilates and not be self-conscious because it wasn't really noticeable.

I had my fourth treatment yesterday and, even though I sharply inhaled, cringed, and moaned like a little b!tch, it didn't actually hurt. Michaela, the goddess at Leah's Mid-City Centre who is doing my treatments, was like 'why are you whinging, it doesn't hurt' and she was right. I guess when someone is pointing a laser at your tender bits, your default reaction is to pull faces and cringe, yes?

I have no idea who to give credit to for this image, but it's amusing

I have said it before and I'll say it again (because I like the sound of my own voice) - laser is the best thing I have ever done. Well, top 10. Okay, best hair removal thing I have done, and I wish I had done it a whole lot sooner. Get on it now so that once summer rolls around you can chuck your razor out.

Fun fact - I find my underarms don't stink as much when I sweat because there's no hair for the bacteria to cling to. Next time we hang out, I'll let you evaluate that one out for yourself.

Candela GentleLASE laser hair removal
Price: $70 for Brazilian and underarm
From: Leah’s Waxworks – level 1 Mid City Centre
Why you need it: No hair, no stink, always bikini ready.

I was a guest of Leah's Waxworks

When you need to call on some inspiration...

I wasn’t going to blog today (by today I mean last night, because I write my posts at night and publish them the next morning). I’m tired and worn out, and just didn’t have the creative juices to get anything down. It happens sometimes, you know? You can’t just turn creativity on and off like a tap (if someone could figure it out, without resorting to illicit substances, they would make a fortune).

The beauty of these situations is I step away from the computer, watch TV, tidy my room, go for a walk (I’m currently on Leo watch, since Gatsby is being filmed near my house) or I bake. In fact, cooking is usually my number one go-to when I need to clear my head and recharge. Hello, profiteroles.

I wish I could say they were from scratch, but I picked up a packet mix on sale from Coles a couple of weeks ago. For a packet, it still required eggs, milk, thickened cream, and my electric mixer, so not totally cheating, right? The most complicated part was scooping the uncooked pastry from shells, and the easiest part was scoffing them down. Took about an hour and a half all up, including baking time and the custard setting. Not bad for a Sunday night, and a nice way to celebrate Fiance winning his soccer grand final and taking out the premiership. Nom.

Price: About $10 all up for ingredients
From: Coles
Why you need it: They’re tasty!
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Current obsession: Satchels

Totally obsessed with satchel bags. Nuts about them. Not only are they timeless and chic, but you can carry loads in them and feel like your gear is safe. I say this because I have an 11" Mac Air and I just don't feel like it's secure in my regular handbags, but with a satchel it's closer to my body and not so likely to get bumped and knocked.

You know I'm a big fan (and ambassador) of Cherry Pick Me, so I watch their daily deals like a hawk. When a deal from Only Midge came up a couple of weeks ago, I was on it like J.D. on appletinis. I got the small canvas satchel in raspberry red (and I know Ms. Critique got the mustard yellow, which was my second choice) and I'm very happy with it because it's just the right size for my little lappie. Not only are these bags cute as all get out, they are super-practical, with heavy italian leather trims, straps and buckles.

Three cheers for satchel bags. Next stop, a blind embossed personalised Cambridge Satchel. Hint hint, Fiance.

PS: I was given a voucher from the Cherry Pick Me team to redeem on a deal of my choice. You bet your bottom dollar I jumped on this the second it went live, and so did a whole bunch of other people!

PPS: New haircut, you like? The fab Alex at Bauhaus in Waterloo. Love that guy.

Price: $149.95 + postage
From: Only midge online store, or they have stockists
Why you need it: To keep your Mac safe while looking stylish. Just add nautical stripes.
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Oh Barbie, you visual learning tool and eastern suburbs wannabe!

In the course of writing this blog, that other one, and the freelance bits I also do, sometimes lovely brands send me products that they think I might like to write about. Occasionally they send a little treat with it too - not exactly ipads and designer handbags, but something little to demonstrate a point - think minties accompanying mint flavoured lip gloss or fairy floss for a lipstick called Fairy Floss.

Sometimes though, they send a visual aid for learning purposes, and yesterday was one of those days.

I laughed out loud, a lot, when I pulled this baby from LeTan out of the mail bag. How many times have you seen some poor girl wandering around your local Westfield rocking the Eagle - brown body, white head. This Barbie looks like she's straight out of Sydney's eastern suburbs, with her LBD and her awkward lean. LOVE.

She sends a serious message though - body tan should always match your face. I will admit that when I do get around to faking it, I use three different tanners - one for legs, one for torso and one for face (my bathroom cupboard is packed tight). The skin on your face is different to your body though, so you need a different formula - duh. I can't tell you about the LeTan product that came with Barbie just yet (it's out October) but if you're going to tan, then get a specific face tanner. I'm going to keep Barbie on my desk as a reminder.
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I'm famous on the innernets

Gross overstatement, but I have to give mad props to the kind peeps who have written about me and my blogs lately. Sure, they might be prone to exaggeration somewhat, but they make me sound far more exciting and glamorous than I really am, and I appreciate that.

The Makeup Case asked me about my nail polish collection, which, as you know, is my pride and joy. In the same way Michael Flatley insures his feet, I should insure my babies. Must look into that.

Bossy Beauty asked me about my career, my beauty must-haves and my nail polish collection (naturally).

Style Icons/Instyle for Hair asked me lots of questions about blogging. It was fun. I like talking about blogging.

 

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Raw emotion: Stories From The Wayside

It's not often I'm lost for words, but last night I had the immense pleasure of seeing Stories From The Wayside. If you're not familiar with The Wayside Chapel in Sydney's Kings Cross, they do incredible work for homeless and underprivileged people, offering meals, clothing, counselling, referrals, and a shoulder to lean on when no one else is there. My sister is a social worker who has volunteered at the youth arm of the The Wayside, and the stories she has are gut-wrenching but also so inspiring.

In fact, it was my sister who suggested we see Stories From The Wayside. The Wayside have recently completed major renovations to their complex on Hughes Street, and this is the first of many productions in their new theatre space. The production is what's called verbatim theatre, or reality theatre - 8 Wayside staff, volunteers and visitors told their stories to the actors who were playing them, and the actors reproduced their subjects voice and mannerisms with blinding accuracy. It was not only a direct peek into their minds but into their souls. I had tears rolling down my cheeks as we heard tales of children being ripped away by DOCS, seeing fathers and brothers killed, hearing about Wayside regulars who are no longer with us in this life.

Not only was it raw and emotional, but also uplifting - hearing about the way The Wayside is a tribe for those who don't have their own families, and how it's a place of no judgement for those who don't need to be judged, they just need a shower and a cup of coffee. It reminded me that there are good people in the world, led by Reverend Graham Long, and inspired me to want to do more with The Wayside Chapel in future.

If you have the time between now and September 4th, please go and see it. It's only $35, and it's a beautiful reminder of the highs and lows of humanity. More details on The Wayside site.
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Breaking news: Cloud Nine ceases distribution in Australia

I don't normally post news here, but this is Kind Of A Big Deal. News just came down the wires that the Australian distributors of Cloud Nine have reached an impasse with the UK distributors and won't be distributing here anymore.

The official spiel...

It is with a heavy heart that we today announce that Cloud Nine UK has ceased product supply to Cloud Nine ANZ Pty Ltd, and forced the closure of the Australian distribution business. Cloud Nine ANZ Pty Ltd have been forced to cease negotiations after the owner of the brand, ceased product supply. 

The UK Head Office of Cloud Nine has become unhappy with their salon-only distribution model and wanted to move it outside the salon network. Their refusal caused the UK to stop supply, pending negotiation of a new distribution agreement with Australia. Australia refused to relinquish control of the distributorship channel and their negotiations failed. Cloud Nine ANZ Pty Ltd believes that they have acted with integrity with the intention of supporting the salon business and brand that they love. 

The refusal on the part of the Cloud Nine head office to support the Australian market, in relation to the product problems, has been a major issue for the Australian team. The problem (together with other issues), has now caused the termination of their distributorship for Cloud Nine in Australia. It is understand that the head office will now distribute the product in Australia - but I am unable to provide any further details at this point in time. We can only provide you with the head office contact details which are as follows:
email info@cloudninehair.com or phone +44 1943811310 

Cloud Nine ANZ Pty Ltd are deeply apologetic that they have not been able to work this situation out and that it has had to end this way.

Gutted, but hopefully someone will pick it up and keep Australian C9 fans looking good. Their newest product, The Wand, is awesome, and I was looking forward to reviewing it for you.

Benefit - They're Real and they're spectacular

If a picture's worth a thousand words, then this post doesn't need much more than the before and after.

When the awesome chickies at Benefit (aka the Benebabes) sent me their new mascara I have to admit I was sceptical. I love a big stat as much as the next research nerd, but to claim that 94% of people saw dramatic length and volume? And that 100% saw long wearing results? What was the sample size? How long did they trial it for? Was it a controlled environment? So many methodology questions!

Then I tried the mascara and I didn't care. It really did give me huge length! It really did give me base to tip coating, and visible lift. It lasted all day and came off easily with warm water. The rubbery brush reminds me of my all time favourite mascara, Covergirl Lash Blast. I have been wearing it solidly for two weeks now and I have a stat of my own - 100% of Elise's who tried this mascara love it and would recommend it.

Benefit They're Real Mascara
Price: $38
From: Benefit stores and counters in Myer
Why you need it: Fabulous, flirty lashes - a few flutters and you can get away with anything!

This product was offered to Stuff That I Bought for editorial consideration - for more details, see our disclosure policy
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What to do when you own over 550 nail polishes

You know I have a nail polish addiction, right? Of course you do, because I have written about it before. My blog, The Nail File, might have also given it away a little - you don't write a blog wholly dedicated to something you don't love! How dull for you if you do.

So these days I have over 550 nail polishes, which probably seems a little excessive (ok, it is a little excessive). I can't help myself though! I might have 23 shades of pink already, but maybe it's *this pink* that will change my life. Anyway, trying to store 500+ nail polishes and keep them organised is pretty nuts. After I tell people about The Nail File, the first question I always get asked is 'where do you keep them all!!' This is usually accompanied with curious glances, mock horror, and heapings of sympathy for my beloved.

The bulk of my polishes live in one of two perspex trays that I picked up when a magazine was selling off their old props from shoots. Any overflow from one tray lands in the other, and they have a permanent spot under the desk - they are far too heavy to move (I can barely push them along the ground, let alone lift them). The trays are divided up into little squares and all the polishes are grouped by colour for easy access. Not that I'm obsessive compulsive or anything.

Then I have my Benjiboxes. These delightful plastic drawers store my tools, my essentials, my decals, tattoos & stamping kits, and any polishes I'm doing 'something special' with. I love my Benji's - they have little rubber dots on the bottom, so when they are stacked they don't slide around. Plus, the drawers pull out - way better than the other cheap crappy plastic boxes I keep my shoes in (ebay purchase). Notice how my shoes get the shit boxes and my nail supplies get the good stuff? Priorities

Benjibox Clear Shoe Boxes
Price: $49.75 for 5 pack
From: Benjibox website
Why you need them: Everyone needs storage solutions

The Benjibox shoe boxes were offered to Stuff That I Bought for editorial consideration - for more details, see our disclosure policy
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Some Friday inspiration courtesy of Illamasqua

I'm going to put my hand on my heart and apologise for being shit this week. Life is crazy and all that jazz. Seriously. But nowhere near as crazy as the hair Brad Ngata did for the Myer show last night. And considering Illamasqua have a reputation for doing mental, dramatic makeup, their makeup for the show was quite tame all things considered.

I got the chance to chat to the very talented Nicola Burford (pictured below) who was the co-director of the makeup (the other co-director was Natasha Severino, who I couldn't get a decent snap of because she was moving a hundred miles an hour). Nicola explained there was one basic look, and then three different sub-looks with the addition of colour (so four looks in total, for those of you not so good with math). The inspiration was based on the desert - colours, lights, landforms and the way the reflection plays off against surfaces. Mirage magic - glassy and shimmery.  

This look is prime for reproduction (in fact, I'm rocking a modified version today). The base was Illamasqua Cream Foundation, highlighted with Lies cream blush and a layer of sheer lip gloss for what Nicola called "a glassy, white heat effect". We saw similar glassy looks at a lot of AW2011 shows (Balmain, Alberta Ferretti, Costume National, Donna Karan) and it's as easy as a quick slick of gloss/vaseline/papaw on the cheekbones. But I digress. 

The eyes were haloed in a beautiful contour powder blush called Disobey, which is total star product (want. need. now) - it gives structure and form to the eye while also being very soft - think desert sand. The lips were muted and nude with Sonnet lipstick to keep the focus on the eyes and skin. 

The colour accent came from the pops of bright colour - we know brights are going to be bigger than normal this spring/summer in clothes, nails, accessories and makeup. For the girls who wore colour on the eyes, it was either sunset pink (Nymph powder blush), sunburnt orange (Excite powder blush) and really white heat (Sex eye shadow) . Eyeliner + shadow + glitter = mirage effect. Add clean brows and a single lick of mascara for a slight tint, and you have a beautiful look that will work for everyday (minus the glitter). It was all very soft focus and muted - word of the day is ombre.

As for the hair...well...Brad Ngata did a doozy on the poor models. I can only imagine the bastard of a time they all had getting that glitter out! It did look spectacular though. Pink eye shadow = red to pink ombre glitter. Orange eyes = gold to brown ombre hair. White eyes = white hair (complete with white hair spray - see below). Nude = clear hair, which looked like scales from a distance, and each clear sequin was painstakingly applied into the hair with tweezers.

For all the glitter and shimmer, the nails were quite pared back - check out the round up on The Nail File.

Enjoy a little visual candy and try out this makeup look yourself this weekend! I'll pop some pictures up on twitter of my interpretation.
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