A shiny lip smacking playlist – 5 songs (mostly) about the gloss:
Garbage – Cherry Lips, Go Baby Go! (2002)
Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl (2008)
Buzzcocks – Lipstick (1979)
Pulp – Lipgloss (1994)
Lil Mama – Lip Gloss (2007)
❤
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From the category archives:
Beauty
Let down your hair, let down your hair! Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair.
I’m not cutting my hair until January. At least. I want long locks, I want braids, I want hair blowing in the breeze. I’ve had extensions before but they’re not for summer. Trust me on that one. So growing it is… It’s finally down to my shoulders, after being chopped off in January.
Flowing locks please. By Christmas, if not for Christmas.
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Alice Dellal. I hear you have a story, and that’s cool, everyone does. All I really care about is your hair. It makes me want an undercut. In any case, I’m growing it l-o-n-g. None of this short business any more.
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Here are the next five recommendations in the list of ten easy tips for ladies to look stylish, fresh and sharp. Part 1 of the article discussed the merits of sunglasses, the many uses of Vaseline, headbands, gigantic bags and scarves. Ready? Let’s go!
6. PRETTY FINGERS, SENSATIONAL TOES
If you don’t have the time or the inclination for acrylics/manicures, it’s best to still keep your nails trimmed and tidy. For consistently good-looking nails I recommend a simple buff and shine with a clear coat – no colour.
Don’t believe the hype, chipped nail polish looks terrible! If you are really keen on some sort of shiny shellac, my favourite trick is to use a clear glitter polish. The random glitter pattern makes it less obvious you’ve done a less than stellar job, and chips are well hidden. It works well for toes too!
Other suitable alternatives are nude/pearlescent colours, which both cover imperfections and wear well.
7. GIRL IN THE PEARL EARRINGS
Whether worn with a vintage band t-shirt, a crisp suit or a cocktail frock, in every situation they serve to give you a look of distinction and poise. Simple, yet dashingly effective.
8. TUCKING IN WHEN YOU’RE TURNING OUT
It’s amazing what tucking in does for your image. It simply radiates an aura of consideration and professionalism – for who tucks in their shirts now days? Organised professionals, who would be unfavourably looked upon if they didn’t look their best.
Here’s a few examples of casually framed waists – tucking in also creates defined edges for the eye, giving a streamlined impression:
Lyell
Photos from the Sartorialist
9. STAND TALL
Improving your posture can hide a multitude of sins. It makes you look instantly more confident, healthy and secure. It unfortunately may also take a while to retrain your body if you are chronically slouchy. Think Simple Now has a detailed guide to posture, which will aid you in making a change.
Here are two helpful hints in the mean time:
- Try taking up yoga. Not only does it help strengthen your back muscles, it inspires more awareness of your body all the time, making you less willing to slouch.
- Imagine a string running from your toes, up your spine, to above your head. Now pull the string up, lifting your entire form upwards.
In addition to making a conscious effort to stand up straight, getting a professional bra fitting will make an immediate difference. Buy a couple in your real size – it will make such a tremendous difference in your shape. I’m sure you will be astonished!
10. WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT
A common tip given to goal setters is to keep your dreams where you can see them. This also applies to those whose ambition is to look sharp with little fuss! Make up – and make up remover – should be placed somewhere you can reach them easily and can swiftly work through your routine.
I keep my makeup laid out in a drawer, which I can simply pull out and grab what I need easily – there are no lipstick-smeared bags to rummage through! I also keep cotton pads and a bottle of makeup remover right by my bedside so no matter what state or time I come home in I can take off “my face”. Removing your make up daily is one of the most highly recommended beauty tips so make it easy for yourself – avoiding clogged pores and irritated skin is definitely a sharp move!
Hair adornments and fashion accessories should also be kept in site and well organised to inspire you to use them. How about trying one of the following?
- Put nails on the back of a wardrobe or bedroom door to neatly hang necklaces from.
- Jewellery can be stored in compartments; sorted by colour, material or occasion! Or for a prettier look, use a dainty glass cake stand for easy perusal of your collection.
- Keep scarves on a hanger designed for ties – organised in one place.
- A few small decorative bowls can be filled with hair ties, bobby pins and clips. Keep these, your hair straightener, hairdryer and products all in one “zone” to make the process faster.
For bonus points, why don’t you write out your dream or goal on an index card taped to your mirror, or for the more adventurous, written in cherry red lipstick!
I hope you find the tips collection useful, and do check out part one (tips 1-5) if you haven’t already. Again, if you have any super style ninja moves, please do share them. Here’s to sharp sassy looks for all! ❤
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I am having my hair cut tonight at my beloved Blaze, and sought inspiration. I found it in the gorgeous Jean Seberg, who has rocking the blond pixie crop long before any “name” models. Casually cool, tousle and go… Sigh, unfortunately this will not work for me, now or in the future, much to my dismay. I think I will leave it up to the hairdressing gods!
What’s your dream haircut, attainable or otherwise?
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How do you animate a fragrance…? Perfume is simple enough to communicate by print, simply add a swatch. But on screen you must let the imagination do all the work using sound and fantasy to conjure a scent. Hence, we are presented with wild worlds – the transcendence of gravity, time and space, usually smothered in jazz.
Here the top 5 perfume ads I’ve viewed recently (not familiar to me as they never screened on television here); they are all rather moody, slick little clips, heavy with a fog of luxury.
Gucci by Gucci, directed by David Lynch.
Tokyo by Kenzo, directed by Patrick Guedj.
Harajuku Lovers by Gwen Stefani.
L by Gwen Stefani.
Champs Elysees by Guerlain (circa 1996).
Also set in Paris – and due to be unleashed on the internet shortly – is Sofia Coppola’s commerical for the Miss Dior Cherie. I am keeping a keen eye out for it, having madly adored the print campaign. ❤
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I’ve marvelled at the magnificent lashes of Shu Uemura for a while now and was delighted to find an interview with Kakuyasu Uchiide, make up artist, at Ping Mag.
“Japanese youth culture is a powerful market well watched overseas. How do you see the Japanese youth and their fashion obsession today?
Being an extreme thing is not so good. I like young people who are trying to find their originality through fashion and make-up that is suitable for their income.” ❤
I like them too, people of any age who express their originality in clever (not the latest, greatest) ways. Magical eyelashes definitely fall into this category.
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Alas, I have spritzed the final drops of my beloved YSL Cinema perfume. How gorgeous is the bottle? I’m torn between throwing it in the recycling bin and keeping it for a while yet on my dresser.
I know loads of people change their fragrance with the season or moment (Summer 09! Trip to Antwerp!), but to be frank it’s not viable for me and I find it a teeny bit excessive. I generally go through yearlong love affairs with perfumes before moving on to something new and fresh.
HISTORY
I started with Versace Baby Rose when I was a wee thing, igniting a love for pretty glass bottles and packaging. I moved onto Noa for a few years, mostly because my mother wore it.
Then came an obsession with JPG’s Fragile, with its glittery miniature snow dome. It was the perfume of choice as a few boys ripped my soft little teenage heart out. YSL’s Cinema has been my mainstay of the last 2 years; and the most recent addition to my beauty drawers has been Gwen Stefani’s L. Of course there has been others but these are my most memorable fragrances.
Right now, I’m at a crossroads as to which perfume to purchase. I believe it’s a crucial part of one’s style identity, to be honest I feel like a complete sloth if I go out without it – I have the nagging feeling of being not completely dressed.
The power of scent is always far more formidable than you realise. If you need more proof, get thy self to a bookstore; I was probably one of the last people to ‘discover’ it, but the novel Perfume is amazing. In fact it was released the year I was born, so indeed, my perusal was belated. The story of the dastardly genius Grenouille, it makes you think deeply about our most under appreciated sense. I was sniffing things for weeks afterward, it was great!
In respect of this, I have decided to investigate further with a mix of experimentation and reading before I commit to a new fragrance. Thus, I have spent few lovely hours at my local beauty emporiums (both alone and with my girl friends!), getting giddy on fragrances and sniffing coffee beans.
NOT QUITE MOI
The discovery of Comme des Garçon’s ‘socially incorrect fragrances’ made me stop in my tracks. The Synthetic Series 6 is based on man-made pl aces and the materials of daily life. They are harsh, unapologetic and challenging. While I adore the concept, synthetic scents for a modern life, these are not actually pleasant in any way. I wish I could pretend I’m an avant-garde girlie who wears dresses made of old tire swans… but I’m not. The best of these was Soda, a citric, brain-needling scent. As for Tar, Garage et al… well, I had my beaker firmly pressed to the coffee bean cup after those.
SCENT OF SUCCESS
Maelin + Goetz’s Rum Tonic is also synthesised but it has a totally yummy smell! It’s warm, friendly (to all genders!) and can be used with their other tonics to create a dynamic signature scent. To quote their luscious descriptor of the scent it has “top notes of bergamot and plum, middle notes of rum and leather, dry down of amber, patchouli, and milk.”
Play by Comme des Garçons is a much friendlier alternative to the synthetic series! A charming friendly bottle houses a nice unisex perfume that could be described as aquatic. I think the idea of sharing a scent with someone is sexy, so buy one for yourself or to share with your loved one.
Kai was another pleasing scent, inspired by Hawaii. The intent was to capture the island’s fragrance; which they do in a fresh, hint of rain on the air manner.
EXTRA EXTRA
I dabbed the Molecule 1 from escentric on my wrist but I haven’t been able to form an opinion on it yet. It had a pleasant enough aroma but apparently it is meant to transform on contact with your skin, releasing a scent unique to the wearer. Have any you ever tried a pheromone based perfume?
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab are purveyors of dark, romantic Gothic toned scents. While I haven’t tried any of them yet, I am squirming at the thought of trying some of their delectable sounding ‘Imps’ or taster-sized bottles.
WHAT NOW?
Ah, decisions, decisions. Right now the only decision I’m making is to wander to my local department store; to eat tea sandwiches with old ladies in the cafe, then go another round with the spritzing, sample waggling salespeople. In mean time, this article on 100 Fragrances Every Perfumista Should Try by Now Smell This makes for fine, in depth reading.
“A women who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” – Coco Chanel
~
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Lucas’ Papaw Ointment has a frightfully ugly site, but what comes out of the little red tubes is magic! An ointment made of fermented paw paw, made in Australia. It smells delicious and works wonders on lips, chapped skin – even the blisters I get after scrawling madly in my journal for hours. The price is right (cheap!) and I appreciate the simple red & black packaging. Yep, it’s my new favourite beauty all rounder, it’s not leaving my bag, ever!
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