What's better than Batiste? Baby Batiste!

I have talked about my enduring love affair with Batiste dry shampoo before. I have tried a lot of dry shampoo over the years and this is still my absolute favourite because of the tropical scent. It's light and breezy but not strong enough to actually overpower your perfume.

Anyway, imagine my delight at finding out they now do a mini can! I always carry my Batiste in my gym bag, but it's a pain in the butt when you're carrying 45 other things in there as well, and it's all extra weight to lug back and forth on the bus. It's also small enough that I can keep one in my handbag for emergencies (you might be thinking 'what kind of emergency warrants dry shampoo?' but, believe me, it happens).

As well as doing the Original, Tropical and Blush in mini cans, Batiste has also just launched two new fragrances - Boho and Diva. Boho is a citrusy scent, with lemon and orange and a hint of spice, while Diva is girly fun with floral violet, lily, jasmine and musk. Get on it!

Price: $4.95 for the mini can, $9.95 for the full size Boho and Diva.
From: Priceline, KMart, Target and Terry White
Why you need it: The convenience of clean, fresh hair with a delicious scent!

Picture credit: beautyeditor.com.au

New Muzak - Miss Li and Amanda Jenssen

Watched TV lately? Seen the new iPod Nano ad? Yes? Currently obsessed with the song.

It's called Bourgeois Shangri-La and it's by a pair of luscious Swedish ladies named Miss Li (Linda Carlsson) and Amanda Jenssen. Miss Li has been rocking the Swedish airwaves for a solid few years now (4 studio albums plus a compilation) while Amanda was runner up in Idol 2007 and has put out one studio album. Lucky for them Apple picked up their insanely catchy tune because their worldwide now. Talk about instant fame.



You can get it on iTunes - nice!

Price: $1.69
From: iTunes
Why you need it: It's a party weekend (here in Sydney)! Party tune!

Primped VIP review - Estee Lauder part 2

Ok, I had the best of intentions to do all the Estee Lauder goodies in one go but I had so much to say about eyeshadow quad that, well, here we are on part 2. Let's not waste any more time.

Estee Lauder Opulent Shimmer Gloss in Cranberry

If I could wear this lipgloss as a perfume, I would. I also wouldn't be averse to eating it. Cranberry! Apart from the beautiful packaging, the first thing I noticed when I laid my grubby mits on this was the delicious cranberry scent. It smells like Thanksgiving (if you have never experienced an American Thanksgiving, then this might not mean anything to you so...uh...cranberries). The colour is a shimmering red, but not a bright apple red, more of a subtle deep red. It starts off really rich and punchy and then fades to a beautiful lustrous shine that lasts until you eat a sausage roll or lick your lips more than 30 times.

Pros
Great scent, wearable colour, lovely packaging, lasts a long time

Cons
Don't wear it in a dust storm or on a really windy day - it's a bit sticky and your hair will get stuck to your lips.

Price: $42
From: Estee Lauder counters
Why you need it: For a beautiful, glossy reddish pout

Estee Lauder Turbolash Mascara in Gold

I will be honest, when I first got this mascara I went 'oooh vibrating!', opened it, marvelled at the rapidly oscillating head and then tried to figure out how to make it stop vibrating. Button? Twisty head? It took the guy in the office to say 'just put it back in the tube' for it to stop wiggling. Why am I telling you this? I don't know. Maybe so that you learn from my really obvious mistake.

Of the three EL products I was sent, this was probably my least favourite, and there are 2 reasons for this.

1 - Whilst the vibrating is a novelty, when you put it against your lashes it feels like an eye twitch. If you have ever had an eye twitch, you will know what a horrible sensation this is. If you haven't, then you're about to find out. I don't believe the vibration makes a huge difference to the application and amount of product deposited, but perhaps that was just the colour I was using. I would love to try a vibey mascara in black to compare.
2 - The colour and formula. It was a shimmery coppery-gold colour (not hugely unlike the cabernet coloured Lash Blast Shimmer I posted about 2 weeks ago) but it didn't really leave much colour on my lashes beyond some gold glitter. I tried applying it both with and without black mascara underneath - when I applied it to dry lashes, all I got was a bit of glitter and shimmer and when I applied it to lashes that already had black mascara on, it just made my lashes wet and sticky. Neither was an effect I was really digging. (Honestly, I tried to take a photo but my elite skills aren't that elite - sorry. In the pic above the mascara is the red and gold stripey tube, while the one with the pattern is the lipgloss)

The only time this mascara would be appropriate is when you are going for bronzed face, coral cheeks and totally fresh eyes (i.e. no mascara, so some shimmer with gold eyeshadow would look gentle and youthful).

Price: $62
From: Rebel Sport, naturally
Why you need it: For shimmery, gold eyelashes

Picture credit: That's me smiling!

Primped VIP review - Estee Lauder collection

Remember how I mentioned that I had been sent a big load of beauty goodness from Primped and I got to play with it and think about it and enjoy it and then tell you all what I liked and didn't like? Some of it was very lovely Estee Lauder stuff and I'm excited because it was so much fun! There were 3 EL pieces so I figured I would do them all in one mega review (split over 2 days, so kinda not really mega).

First up...Estee Lauder Signature Eyeshadow Quad - Gold Opulence

The ultimate in lux, the palette is in a beautiful gold case with the signature EL on the top - tres glam. There are 4 colours in the quad - champagne, copper, bronze and a deep blue/grey/charcoal (there were no colour names, so I took liberties and made them up - evidently I'm no pantone expert). This was a dream palette for me because I wear champagne (on the inner eye), copper (all over the lid) and bronze (in the crease and under the eye) every single day - it's my default makeup look. So this slot straight into morning routine, not only because it was my colours but also because it was so easy to use - the brushes were a dream! It comes with 2 beautiful double-end brushes - a precise pointed-tip sponge, 2 regular sponges and a blending brush which is soft and easy to use. It really reminded me how important it is to use a quality brush to get a great application with minimal mess.

I also stepped outside of my comfort zone and had a crack with the charcoal blue colour too - it was great for night and a nice alternative to black for a smoky eye. The pigments of colour are so rich that they lasted all night and looked like velvet even hours after the application (which is very rare for me since makeup seems to just fall off my face after an hour).

Verdict? Love it. I would do a pros and cons list but there are no cons. I think that speaks volumes.

Price: $70
From: The Estee Lauder counter at your local department store
Why you need it: To really nail the copper and bronze eye for summer, or try an alternative to the usual smoky black eye.

Tomorrow: the other Estee Lauder stuff I got to play with - vibrating mascara and luscious lipgloss!

Support cancer charities through footwear

These are some of the most awesome charity supporting items I have ever seen! I love me some Dunlop Volleys so I was STOKED when I discovered Dunlop are doing their bit for the Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer Foundations. Do I even need to ramble on here? No, no I don't, because the pictures speak for themselves.

There is pink for the girls and blue for the boys (how gender stereotypical). The girlie Dunlops are white with different shades of pink ribbons or pink all over with white detailing and a couple of smaller ribbons. The lads are dark blue with white detailing, white with blue detailing (classic) and white with various blue ribbons. Really, not only are you doing your bit for charity, but these shoes are awesome cool and will be perfect with denim shorts and Ray-Bans for summer (can you tell I'm thinking about my BDO outfit already?). Whether you want to be out and proud or a little more subtle, your support of these two very important charities means the world to someone who will benefit at the other end.

Price: $29.99
From: KMart and Big W
Why you need them: Wear your heart on your sleeve and your pride on your feet.

Picture credit: twitter.com/DunlopVolley

VB Raw - new beer tastes good; is win

I will admit, I didn't buy this. Nothing is weirder than receiving a 6-pack of beer in the post - but that's how I came to be in possession of a 6-pack of VB Raw. Fairly sure I came to be one of the (and I quote) 'few key people whose opinions we value' because I was a contributor to inthemix when I had more time to write and stuff, but it could also be because I am just generally awesome.

So yeah, 6-pack of beer in a postage satchel. No press release, no wanky tasting notes - just a cool box with each beer lovingly wrapped in tissue paper and a note instructing me to chill out and share them with my mates. Lucky for me (and them) I have mates who like to drink beer.

So I ascertained that VB Raw was VB's offering to the low-carb corner of the market. It's also a stripped back brewing process, using just 4 ingredients - barley, hops, water and yeast. The result is a crisp and easy to drink beer, a little reminiscent of the initial taste of a Coopers and the body of a Crowny. A couple of the boys came around the other night and everyone cracked one. The number one comment was 'wow, it doesn't taste like VB', which I would suggest is a positive thing for VB as they have suffered somewhat of an identity crisis with the wanky, boutique beer drinking, inner city 20-30 year olds (i.e. my friends).

All in all? It's a solid beer. I would say a mans version of a low carb beer - quite often they lack a strong beer flavour so this is for the bloke who wants to drink a mans beer whilst looking after his 6-pack (beer pun! haha!)

Price: Currently on sale at Dan Murphy's - $2.90 for a single, $14.99 for a 6-pack and $42.90 for a case
From: Dan Murphy's, or any other bottle shop
Why you need it: For a hard earned thirst, you need a big cold beer, and the best cold beer is Vic...
PS - check out their fun website

Primped VIP review - Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch SPF

I'm a member of the Primped VIP club where I get sent a parcel every 3 months of lovely, brand new beauty products to play with and enjoy and then I have to write a review of what I liked and didn't like. Sweet deal, right?! Are you jealous? You should be. If you aren't a regular Primped visitor, you should shimmy over and keep an eye out for the next VIP club call out.

Anyway, one of the things I was sent to review is Neutrogena's new sun protection offering Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30+. Bit of a mouthful, so let's just call it Ultra Sheer for now, hey?

I'm all about sun protection. It's not an optional, it's an every day. Considering I am 26 and have some sun damage already, as do a couple of my friends, I am pretty fanatical about it now. That said, my skin is quite sensitive and doesn't react well to regular sunscreens so I use a lot of products that have an SPF in them to avoid the greasy, pore-clogging white stuff. Let's go through the pros and cons...

Pros

• Helioplex - this is a big deal because, apparently, sunscreens without this ingredient only protect against UVB and UVA II rays. This takes it up a notch and protects against UVA I as well. High five, Helioplex!
• It really is dry and goes on matte so you don't have that sticky, greasy sunscreen business that can be a turn off.
• It's only $17.99, which is small fries for such a powerful product.
• Neutrogena is a reputable and trusted brand.
  

Cons

• It has a kind of strong, perfumed, sunscreen smell. Reminds me of being on holiday, but gets old when you're actually in an office all day getting a monitor tan.
• If you put it on too thick, you look like a geisha.
• The cap is twist off instead of flip. It's a small thing, but I'm doing a thorough review here.

As you can see more pros than cons. This is definitely a product I will be adding to my daily arsenal, but mainly for my decolletage, shoulders and arms. I have been using it when I running and on the weekend when I'm not wearing a face of slap, but when I have to wear a face of makeup to the office on a weekday, it feels a little heavy when teamed with every other thing I put on my face already.

Price: $17.99
From: Wherever you buy Neutrogena - let's assume Priceline et. al.
Why you need it: For hardcore sun protection

Schadenfreude - good word, better jewellery

Schadenfreude is a good word, right? I love good words. This one is a German word that means taking pleasure in the misfortune of others. That's pretty rough if you ask me, but it's the entire premise of Australia's Funniest Home Videos and that show has been around for years so obviously it's something Aussie's appreciate (I won't lie - that show cracks me up).

But this isn't about home videos with sound effects, it's about ridiculously gorgeous jewellery. Not for the faint-hearted, Sydney girls Claire and Georgia have created a line of dazzling cocktail rings in bold sterling silver and cubic zirconias. They're chunky and blingy without being ostentatious - it's all about sophistication. The rings are beautiful quality - 925 sterling silver so they are built to last - and brilliantly cut cubic zirconias in 10 delicious colours. In either square, oval or baguette, there is a shape and colour to match pretty much every outfit. My hit picks are square in black for night-time glam and oval in pink-rose for summer fun. They also come in chic black boxes with the Schadenfreude crest on the top so they make wonderful gifts.

Price: $170
From: Check the Schadenfreude website for stockists or email the girls directly
Why you need it: You need to look good for Chistmas party season. Or if you are looking for a nice gift to send to your favourite blogger (hint: that's me)

Picture credit: Schadenfreude

New Muzak - Chester French (via Shakira)

It's one of my secret shames, but I really love Shakira's (not so) new song She Wolf. To save face and rather than just posting her video clip (where she looks amazing! Hello unitard!) this is a bit of a different take on it. Have you heard of Chester French? You might recognise the name if you read gossip magazines - Peaches Geldof was married to the instrumentalist/songwriter Max Drummey. Anyway, they are a sweet pop/rock/alternative hip hop band (incidentally, I love that bands cross genres and can't be pigeonholed. Makes things more interesting) and the whos who of music are fawning over them and calling them the Next Big Thing. They kind of remind me of MGMT with the whole 'started the band at uni, smart guys, making cool music and we don't care vibe'.

Anyway, this is Chester French covering Shakira. I recommend you hunt down their other stuff because it's really cool.



Chester French debut album Love The Future
Price: US$7.99
From: Their website
Why you need it: Their tunes are fun, and you like fun, right?

PS - If you join their mailing list they send you a free 24 track album of remixes and collaborations.

Shimmer and shine

This one is just a quicky, but I'm ALL about metallics and shimmers for summer. Nothing is nicer with bronzed skin than gold dusted across the eyelids. It doesn't discriminate either; looks fab with all eye colours. Gold is a kind colour like that - like a good friend. Would probably pick you up if your car broke down too.

Shu Uemura have done a lovely stick eyeshadow in gold that is easy to use and a great shade of gold with lots of lovely gold glittery particles (some golds look like they need toner while others have no pigment at all and just make you look yellowy - this lovely sheer wash is just right). Stick eyeshadow is great for no-fuss application - it does all the work for you as long as you can get it safely towards your eyelid. The A/W Primitribe Colour Stick in Blazed Gold is a limited edition, so no meandering people! Get down to David Jones and speak to the lovely girls behind the counter.

Price: $39
From: Shu Uemura @ David Jones
Why you need it: You need a gold eyeshadow in your arsenal for summer, so may as well go for one that's easy to apply.

Picture credit: me...again.

Stuff That I Bought 14,000 feet up a volcano

I recently got back from Hawaii (did I mention that? no? hmmm...must have slipped my mind) and while I was hopping around the tropical islands and consuming far too many fruity cocktails, Boyfriend and I had the incredible opportunity to go star gazing. This was no ordinary star gazing though, oh no! But first, a quick history lesson.

Mauna Kea is an inactive volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. Reaching 13,803 feet above sea level, Mauna Kea means white mountain in hawaiian and is a reference to the fact the summit of the mountain is covered in snow in the winter months (snow! in Hawaii!). It is the worlds tallest mountain by measurement; that is, there are about 20,000 feet under the sea (take that, Everest!), but it is the 15th tallest mountain above sea level.

So we went up Mauna Kea and I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was. The summit of the mountain is all lava rock and alpine tundra, a landscape I had never encountered before except for in textbooks. The summit has been a celestial observatory since ancient times when Hawaiian royalty used to go up the mountain to make sacrifices to the Gods, and is considered to be one of the best astronomical sites in the world, primarily because you can see 100% of the northern sky and 85% of the southern sky.

We did our tour with Mauna Kea Summit Adventures, who came and picked us up in their fancy pants tour van that was like something out of Star Wars. A couple of hours later we were halfway up the mountain enjoying teriyaki chicken and homemade brownies (totally worth noting - food is important). Then we went to the top for sunset - nothing but you and the clouds as you watch the sun disappear. Undeniably magical but also very cold - luckily they give you hooded parkas and gloves. After sunset it's back down to the halfway point for stargazing with their highpowered telescopes and laser pointers. I'm not much of a sciencey person, but I was so excited seeing the milky way, the rings and moons of Jupiter, the red and blue stars and the insane detail of the moon. Plus star gazing was made more fun with hot chocolate and cookies.

I cannot recommend this experience highly enough. Our tour guide Mike was an island native with an intimate knowledge not just of the island but also of the sky above. I get nervous easily and I felt perfectly safe driving up the dirt mountain to the summit, as I did coming back down. We were comfortable and well taken care of the entire time and when we were safely delivered back to our resort I wanted to do it all again.

Price: US$197 (189.12 + tax)
From: Mauna Kea Summit Adventures - Big Island, Hawaii
Why you need to go: This is one of those experiences that you will treasure for the rest of your life. If you are in Hawaii, please promise me you will go!

Picture credits: shockingly, they are mine! Cool, huh?!

New matte nail polish...not for the faint hearted

A lot of people have a signature look. Mine is always always having perfectly manicured and painted nails. I feel naked if I don't have polished or buffed nails and I am very fussy about the way they are filed and painted. That said, I'm always one for experimenting with my nails (hello green nails! hello scented nails!) and when the next big thing rolls around I like to be at the front of that queue.

Matte nail polish. Kind of like when you painted your nails with liquid paper in high school. Chalky and dry and not a hint of shimmer or shine to be seen. OPI are doing 6 of their regular colours in matte and they will be released here mid-October (Alpine Snow - white, Gargantuan Green Grape - tree green, Lincoln Park After Dark - black plum, Russian Navy - navy, La Paz-itively Hot - pink and You Don't Know Jacques! - grey brown). Three of these colours are dark wintery shades, so not great for spring summer, but matte nails are more of a wintery thing in my humble opinion anyway.

I don't have any of the OPI polishes, but OPI have done three of their colours from the OPI for Sephora range in matte as well, so I snapped these up quicksmart! Domestic Goddess - bright grape, Metro Chic - smokey grey with a hint of purple and What's a Tire Jack - black. OPI recommend that when you use a matte polish you don't use a base or top coat or drying drops as it changes the effect of the polish. I agree with not using top coat and drying drops (you don't need drops because the polish dries as you apply it - watch out for streaks!) but you do need a base coat. Matte polish chips ridiculously easily and you need a carefully applied base coat to give it a bit of hold and help it last more than 2 days. Plus, even though it's a matte polish, the dark colours still stain! Ick.

If you want to have a crack at this trend you can take baby steps with a matte top coat. Essie do one, as do OPI. Not sure of the availability, but I'll give you what I know.

OPI Matte Nail Envy
Price: $34.95
From: David Jones or call 1800 358 999

Essie matte topcoat
Price: $19.95
From: Give their stockists number a call (02) 9477 6900

And then of course the matte colours...

OPI matte colours available October
Price: let's assume $19.95 since that's what they usually are - don't yell at me if I'm wrong
From: DJ's

OPI for Sephora matte
Price: $9
From: Sephora (if you're visiting a store, lucky you!)

I'm currently wearing the Domestic Goddess purple polish and, honestly, I tried to take a photo to show you but I couldn't get one that accurately demonstrated the colour and texture so I just had to nick one off thisnext.com so you could see what I was banging on about.

Picture credits: thisnext.com, sephora.com, essie.com