Bali Hai ... Where the sky meets the sea

I sincerely hope one of you lovely Parlour and Loot readers either A) studied music in high school or B) enjoys watching old musicals and are therefore catching on to the South Pacific musical reference going on above. If not, then sorry for boring you with such trivia however this is the tiny space on the net I can call my own so I can drop as many obscure 1940s show tune references as I want. Right?!

Random Fact: The song Bali Hai actually has nothing to do with Bali or in fact the country of Indonesia.

Any hoo, I actually am off to Bali on Tuesday for ten days so I decided to post some lush beach beauty images that will serve as inspo for my holiday looks while in Bali, plus my must-have beauty guide for any tropical holiday.

Skin

I work for a skincare company, so it has been absolutely drilled into my head day-in-day-out how damaging the sun is on the elusive fountain of youth. This means that if you don’t want to look like a total hag by the time your thirty five then you better slip, slop, slap like it’s going out of fashion when spending time in the sun. I love Le Tan’s Coconut 30+ Lotion because it’s light, non-greasy and moisturising with no white residue and it absorbs fast. It also has a lovely, subtle coconut fragrance. Winner!  

Hair

Sea Salt Spray – Going with the flow of your mane is the motto one must heed to while on a beach get away so I plan to embrace this fully by swapping my Kerastase shampoo for the ocean and adding some oomph with David Babaii Bohemian Beach Spray. Spray -> scrunch -> go!

Nails

This one is a no brainer! Shellac all the way babyyyyyy, I don’t want to be worrying about pesky things like a chipped manicure while busy lounging by the pool. I’m thinking Romantique (a lovely, creamy French pink) for my nails and something bright and fun like Tropix (a fiery, hot coral) for my toe nails.

Makeup

This is where most gals go wrong when on holidays. There’s absolutely no need to be taking your Diorskin Forever Foundation ok?! It will look heavy, overdone and end up melting off anyways so leave that one at home and find a good tinted moisturiser or BB Cream with SPF in it. I quite enjoy Garnier’s Miracle Skin Perfector. If you are a shiner lass like me with combination or oily skin then feel free to take a mineral pressed powder for touch ups. I go between Youngblood’s Pressed Mineral Foundation and GloMinerals Pressed Base Foundation. Now all you need is waterproof mascara (I still dig Maybelline’s Full and Soft waterproof mascara in Blackest Black) and a good lip stain/tint, may I suggest Benefit’s ChaChatint – a divine peachy coral that you can also use on your cheeks  and you are set.

So go on! Embrace your inner Brooke Shields circa Blue Lagoon and go for voluminous hair, flawless bronzed skin and a pouty mouth.

I plan on pairing all this beauty goodness with chunky gold jewellery and a whole lotta floral prints.

Terima kasih (thank you) for reading!

Have a fabulous weekend y’all xx

If you ever find yourself in France ...

Over the Christmas holidays of 2011/2012 I spent a week and a half in Paris indulging in far too much fromage, fresh baked croissants and divine French wine. Between trolling the back streets of the Marais and Latin Quarter for vintage fur stoles and taking the metro to the famous St-Ouen flea markets (take metro line 4 to Porte de Clignancourt) in search of bric-a-brac, I also managed to score some impressive beauty buys.

Typical tourista!

In France, the shop signage that sends ripples of excitement and anticipation through me is not the black interlocking double-C of Chanel, nor the beige-on-chestnut LV monogram of Louis Vuitton, but the simple, ubiquitous, green cross of the pharmacy.

French pharmacies are worlds away from their Australian counterparts. For starters they ALL seem to be staffed by elegant, quintessential French women who have an unmistakable air of knowledge when it comes to the serious business of skincare. I say serious because French women view skincare as much more of a necessity than makeup and their pharmacies reflect this.

French products are not marketed as indulgences, or fun things to cheer oneself up with after a hard week. Skincare products in France are like prescriptions, mandatory items that a woman must have to preserve a certain quality of life, a human right almost.

That said I am indeed Australian and therefore spent approximately 4.5 hours at Sephora on the Champs-Élysées elbow deep in the best cosmetics buffet Europe has to offer.

I’ll stop waffling on now and give you my five must-have products if you ever find yourself in a French pharmacy.

1.       Remove

Bioderma Sebium H2O, this is the sister product of Creolin H20 – a staple in any serious makeup artists kit, or so I’m told. I chose the Sebium H20 as this hybrid makeup remove/toner is formulated for oily/combination skin and is used to regulate sebum and purify the epidermis. The Bioderma company from Lyon, France was developed closely with dermatologists and was the first independent laboratory that catered to French dermatologists. 

This cleansing water is soap free, non-foaming and no rinsing is required. The solution is very soothing yet refreshing. I like the idea of a quick swipe with a cotton pad on those lazy nights in front of Made in Chelsea.

Unlike most skincare products for oily skin, the skin is left moist and supple with no pulling or tightness. The good news? It’s only like 13 Euro. The bad? You can only buy it in France. If anyone has found an online shop where it is available then please do share as I am almost out!

2.       Replenish

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre, this beloved moisturiser is a staple in most French beauty addict’s closets. In 2007, over 10 Million tubes were sold and this milestone was commemorated with a limited edition vintage tube.

Truthfully, the luxe cream was a bit rich for my combination skin during the Australian Summer months but now that it’s turned quite brisk, my complexion and I are really enjoying it. The cream penetrates deeply and does not make the skin feel at all greasy. It provides serious hydration yet makes your skin feel light and soft. Some have compared this prod as a lighter version of the La Mer - oh la la! This is another France only non-export but you can find it online.

3.       Hydrate

Caudalie Grape Water. Yes I am all about aerated facial sprays and cleansing water whatnots. When travelling I always like to pick this one up: very calming and refreshing on the skin and I admit I love the phrase ‘grape water’ as much as anything else.

4.       Repair

Now for you ladies who are eternal suffers of cracked, dry lips (most of us probably are thanks to our obscene beauty blogger lipstick collections – we all know how drying they can be!) Dermophil Indien is truly the “bees knees” when it comes to fixing a chapped pout.

The tube is large, medicinal-looking and unbreakable. The smell is pleasant and the hydration is incomparable to other lip balms. This is not your pretty, “my lips feel dry and I need some subtle luminescence,” oh no, Dermophil Indien is serious! My only complaint is that it is so hydrating that if you use too much, you can get a white smear on the lips. One pass is enough.

5.       Nourish

Probably the most well known French beauty product in existence - Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (Multi-usage Dry Oil) I could take a bath in this stuff. Put it on your dry elbows, massage it into your cuticles, slather it on your décolletage and legs. This dry oil is easy to spread and fast absorbing, no greasy film is left as it softens and moisturisers the skin and hair – genius!  This one is available from a range of online shops.

Winged Eyeliner Made Easy (or at least achievable)

Lauren Conrad - the queen of winged eyeliner.

Sounds like a simple enough concept right? However, according to my female friends, colleagues and family members this is one of the most daunting makeup looks one can attempt when standing in front of the bathroom mirror preparing for a night out.

This is a terrible shame beauties as few things make a woman look as pulled together and chic with just a hint of seductiveness as a well-winged eye.

Luckily, you don’t need to be a liquid liner pro or a make up artist to achieve this look. I’m going to talk you through it step by step and show you how easy it really is!

Tools:

·         black gel liner pot

·         thin angled brush

·         black liquid liner

·         volumising mascara

·         cue tips

·         eye makeup remover

 Suggested Prods:

M.A.C Fluidline in “Blacktrack” RRP: $32 available from major department stores or online at http://www.maccosmetics.com.au/

M.A.C Small Angle Brush 266 RRP: $39 available from major department stores or online at http://www.maccosmetics.com.au/

Face of Australia Liquid Eyeliner in “Black” RRP: $8.95 available from Priceline, Kmart and Big W  Australia wide. (I love this budget friendly find as the ultra-fine applicator creates precise definition to the shape of the eye.)

Diorshow Mascara in “Black” RRP: $52 available from major department stores and selected pharmacies.

Method:

Gently run your angled brush through the gel liner pot then remove any excess product by gently wiping on a tissue.

Starting at the inner corner of the eye, gently drag the brush along the lashline to the outer corner. You can do this in short strokes if you prefer.

Don’t make things more difficult for yourself - rest your elbow on a counter in front of your mirror. This will give you a steadier hand because the only movement possible will be at the wrist.

Then imagine an invisible line from the outside corner of your eye to the end of your eye brow. That becomes the angle for the wing/flick. With light brush strokes, slowly draw the wing at that angle.

Tip 1: The harder you press down on the brush, the thicker the line will be. This goes for liquid eyeliner too.

Now, using your liquid eyeliner, slowly and gently draw a second line over your gel liner handiwork.

By adding a second coating in the form of liquid you are defining the line without having to worry so much about getting the thickness of the line and angle of the wing correct. It also adds extra staying power as it dries over the first “gel’ line, setting it into place.

Ideally your liner should be a its thinnest in the inner corner of the eye and become gradually thicker towards the outer corner (achieve this by applying more pressure).

Tip 2: If your wing is too fat or slightly wonky, clean up the line with a cue tip soaked in a little eye makeup remover.  

Add two lashings of a volumising mascara to your top and bottom lashes and VOILA! Winged eyeliner perfection.

My handiwork.

If you have any other tips or tricks I’d love to hear them.

Coral kisses,

P & L x

Diamonds on my wrist whiskey on my tongue: The allure of the 1960s femme fatale

The 60s were a decade punctuated by historical milestones such as the Vietnam War, Beatles Mania, the Civil Rights Movement, the assassinations of both John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King and Woodstock.

It also signalled the emergence of a new type of woman, one who wholeheartedly embraced her feminine allure with brushed-out bouncy curls, flicked eyeliner and shit loads of mascara.

These were just a few key attributes served up on the beauty menu throughout the 60s and nobody did it better then the era’s finest femme fatales: Brigitte Bardot, Raquel Welch, Ursula Andress and of course Marilyn Monroe!

Brigitte Bardot

Raquel Welch

Ursula Andress

Marilyn Monroe

There is something incredibly desirable about the beauty looks these dolls were dishing out. The rouge was matte, powdered and perfectly applied. The hair was big, back combed and hairsprayed into submission.

Last year Beyonce paid homage to these vixens in her “Why Don’t You Love Me” film clip and more recently controversial Indy-Pop Goddess Lana Del Rey in her “Born to Die” video.

Beyonce "Why Don't You Love Me" film clip

 Still image from Lana Del Rey's "Born To Die" film clip

In my humble awesome opinion, I think both ladies did a stellar job evoking a charming 60s aesthetic. In a society where Snooki’s roam among us, cashing in on their “underwear is optional” catch-phrases, abusing fake tan and killing many a mink for their eyelashes I’d  prefer to go down the 60s route any day.

My prod picks for recreating these looks:

A smooth base and flawless finish is imperative for emulating some 60s glamour. Try MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation available in a whooping 32 shades RRP: $48.00 available online at http://www.maccosmetics.com.au

Get perfectly winged, sultry eyelids using Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in “Black Ink” RRP: $45.00 available from selected David Jones and Myer stores nationally.

These beauty looks were really about playing up the eyes, so go for a neutral lip with the likes of Natio’s Mineral Lip Colour in “Nude Peach” RRP: $15 available from Priceline stores nationally.

Tell me beauties, what beauty era do you covet?

  

WANTED: Neon Pastel “French” Manicure

Would you look at this manicure! How totally adorable without being over the top. I will be recreating this design ASAP using the following prods.

For the base I would go with a classic opaque nudey/pink like OPI’s "Bubble Bath” (every beauty ed’s go-to colour) RRP: $19.95 available from beauty salons and David Jones.

A crucial element to creating this look is making sure it’s neat. You can only get away with multi-coloured tips without looking like a tranny if everything else is looking perfect – this means well oiled, pushed back cuticles (I like CND cuticle oil), buffed nails and using french manicure tape to create perfect half moon shaped tips. I'll be using Manicare French Tip Tapes RRP: $3.25 available at Priceline and Myer. Obviously wait until your base coat is complete dry before applying the tape, I’d even do it the night before just to be safe!

Now for the fun part ... picking the tip colours! Australis has some very pretty shades including “Sweet Pea” a lovely minty green, and “Peek-A-Boo” a creamy pastel purple both RRP: $7.95 available at Target, Kmart, Big W, Priceline and selected pharmacies.

Nicole OPI in “Fresh Squeezed” – a juicy looking bright orange RRP: $14.95 available from Terry White Chemists.

BYS is doing some amazing Pastel Nail Polish hues right now. My picks are “Prima Ballerina” a milky coral/pink and "Anyone For Tennis" a hot acid green RRP: $4 available from Cosmetics Plus.

DIY nail art is MASSIVE right now albeit super time consuming! What are your thoughts ladies? Would you spend the better part of an hour decorating your talons for a holidays party or just cough up the $$$ for a professional nail job?

I got Lobbed!

1.       Lob

A long bob. Tis a bob that extends past the chin skimming the shoulders and collar bones. In the beauty industry this is known as the "lob." This length allows more opportunities for various hair styles. Made famous by Olivia Palermo.

I think it’s fair to say that for someone who loves following a great beauty trend, I’m a little late jumping on the Lob bandwagon. Why I waited so long I know not (I mean it’s such a fun bandwagon to be on, lots of shiny haired Lobby vixens flicking their dos’ about and asking Olivia and Lara Bingle for fashion tips).

A few weeks ago I finally decided to chop off my signature long, goldeny hair and replace my former mane with something a bit more grown-up, chic and easy to look after. You could say I got Lobbed!

Here's me with my old mane.

Having spent over a decade with long hair I found the first snip of the scissors quite terrifying. After all I had a lot of memories (read: favourite hairstyles – beach waves, side braids, voluminous buns) attached to that hair that I would no longer be able to perform A.L (After Lob) however the metaphorical and literal weight off my shoulders felt extremely freeing and I love the end result.

My ends look and feel incredibly thick, healthy and shiny. I mean when you think about it my old, long ends had been hanging about getting dry, brittle and scraggly for a good ten years – ewwww!

 So here was the end result ... 

I asked for a modern, blunt cut that was very slightly longer in the front and outer layers so that the hair would gently curve in rather than flicking out in a terrifying 90’s, layered way. This length is perfect for me as I can still whip it into a ponytail or top knot.

I’m currently caring for and styling my new Lob with: L’Oreal Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner, Kerastase Chroma Thermique, David Babaii for Wildaide Bohemian Beach Spray, Kerastase Volumising Mask, L’Oreal Professional Volume Rich Techni Art Mousse and Moroccan Oil Light.

So tell me your thoughts beauties, have you ever had a kinda dramatic hair change and loved it? Or have you gone for it and hated the end result? (I had a cringe worthy incident in 2005 when I decided to dye my hair the darkest of dark browns and dad told me I looked like a goth but that's a story for another time!)

Trending: South of the Border

Hola amigos! Sorry it has been soooo long between tequila shots, oh how I've missed you. I am THRILLED to be back in action at P & L headquarters after a crazy-busy few months at work.

So, on to the reason we are all here. Every now and then you see a look/trick/trend that is so inspiring you just have to "have a crack" (what an awful expression) at emulating it. Having witnessed the Aztec inspired ombre eyeshadows, nail art, hair feathers, bags and prints and that have been popping up on blogs and in magazines for the best part of 2011 I decided to stop resisting and give in to my inner Aztec.

Here’s a visual reference to what I’m talking about ...

Maybe it’s because summer is just around the corner but I am seriously diggin’ the quirky prints and carefree, mismatched colour schemes.

I decided to get a little crafty and try out some Aztec-inspired nail art on my paws and this was the end result.

I used Face of Australia Brights Nail Enamel in “Show Pony” for the blue, BYS Basic Colour Collection in “Coral Sea” for the orangey/red, Sportgirl’s Nail It in “Milkshake” for the earthy brown and BYS Nails Art Lacquers in Black and White for the detailing. (All of these polishes are under $8 each!)

As you can see I got a bit excited and applied my clear top coat too soon streaking all my hard work! Meowwww L

Hint: This requires a very steady hand, attempt before your morning caffeine fix.

What are your thoughts beauties? Do you love or loathe the Aztec trend?