Beauty

Floating My Boat

by Amber on August 24, 2010 in Notebook,Writing & Books

A few things of late that have been making me happy/curious/excited:

1. Actual boats. If you’re in Auckland, you can go sailing quite cheaply for a few hours on the beautiful Waitemata Harbour. Voyager, the Maritime Museum of New Zealand, has a fleet of heritage vessels that you can go to sea on. Once the weather is better, I’m out there.

2. Narcotic Venus by Nasamotto. An intoxicating scent based on tuberose blossoms, a gift to myself. I feel womanly when I wear it, as opposed to Miss Dior Cherie, which makes me feel girlish and light. Read a full fragrance review for a better idea of how amazing Narcotic Venus is.

3. Book Club For Drunks – the 4th Edition. This time we are reading and toasting to Truman Capote’s Breakfast At Tiffany’s. It’s a stellar novella, dripping with scandal, I can’t believe I never got round top reading it before. New York, flighty girls, drinking and a cat.

4. Army surplus. I bought a binocular case at my local the other day, as an alternative to a saddle shaped leather satchels (having broke a few of late). While it’s eons old, it’s well made and can withstand wars so it might be able withstand me. I’m also quite keen on buying a green M65 style field jacket. I will promise not to wear them together though.

5. Penguin classics. I feel like I only read orange books now days. My room is awash with well thumbed copies. Anyway, I just finished reading Timothy Conigrave’s Holding The Man. Are you in need of an epic sob? Read this. Heartbreaking.

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Wipe That Smirk Off Your Face

by Amber on August 5, 2010 in Style

I am not one for ridiculous beauty regimes, especially while travelling. Mascara, tinted moisturiser, lip gloss, whatever, done! Of course, that all needs to come off again before you sleep (ew, there’s nothing worse than grinding your makeup caked face into a pillow all night).

Enter The Body Shop’s Luxury Face Chamois. It’s gentle, silky soft (like patting a deer antler), and totally reusable – just throw it in the washing machine or clean it by hand. I took one of these with me all around Europe, keeping in a resealable plastic bag. This meant no matter what time of the morning I rolled into my bunk bed, I could wash my face with it and a few squirts of water from my drink bottle. Mhmm, charming, but good for my skin!

Also, how delicious is the word chamois to say aloud? A++

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Hot 1977 Style | Vogue Body and Beauty

by Amber on January 27, 2010 in Art & Photography,Style

Vogue Body and Beauty by Bronwen Meredith is my new favourite old book. I finally took the time to read this beast, and it’s fabulous. “This sumptuous yet eminently practical handbook gives the facts and possibilities about health and beauty honestly and without feeding women’s dreams and illusions.”

vogue beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Vogue Body and Beauty

Great book, but I must say; seventies diets for health are outrageous… really, how many grapefruit can you eat in a week? There seems to be many copies of this floating round, so if you have the chance to get your elegant wee paws on it, do so. From the eating plans, to the DIY treatments, to the Vogue full-colour plates – it’s good in so many ways.

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5 SONGS ABOUT LIP GLOSS

by Amber on August 7, 2009 in Notebook

Lipgloss

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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Elvira Hancock

by Amber on June 30, 2009 in Notebook

She doesn’t smile much (romantically entwined with Tony Montana, would you?) but Elvira is a fox. An ice-queen with perfect hair, a couple of dirty habits and an awesome wardrobe.

Scarface

Scarface

Elvira

Scarface

Get the look with an Alexander Wang slim fit dress or a slinky baby doll nightgown from your local vintage store. Beauty wise, you need a banging fringe,  thickly lacquered eyelashes and perfect french polished nails. Accessorize with over sized glasses with a gradient tint and waterfalls of diamonds. Throw bored looks everywhere, powder your nose.

I love Scarface. Definitely in my top 10 films.

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PACKING – TIPS & TRICKS

by Amber on February 9, 2009 in Travel

Packing is definitely an art. To start with, 20 kilo luggage allowances? How many shoes does that give us – let alone digital toys, trashy novels and party frocks? Then comes some other curly questions – just how does one pack in if you’re traveling across the globe, love to record the day’s events or want to look good. Here’s some of my answers!

PACKING… FOR THE HEMISPHERE FLIPPER:

Traveling to the other side of the world and being greeted with the opposite season can feel like hitting a brick wall. Fear not! With a few teeny adjustments you’ll be hitting your stride.

  • If you’re going to a hot zone, it’s easy! Simply pair t-shirts with shorts and skirts, chuck on your usual dresses without tights. It’s also great to keep a light cotton scarf handy. Use scarves to wrap your hair up when the heat is prickling your neck, or to shade your limbs from the sun. I often also knot both ends of my scarf together, creating an impromptu water bottle holder that keeps my hands free.

summer

  • Cold places aren’t that bad either if you know what you’re doing. Layering is the key here, adding leggings, merino long sleeved tops and cute vests. For example, the frock above could be worn gleefully with the addition of a long (thigh length) pocket covered cardigan. Pockets mean more places to shove your icy fingers! In my bag for the UK I have a lot of lightweight wool and thick socks to ensure no matter what shoes I wear my tootsies will be warm.

PACKING… FOR THE DIGITAL NOMAD:

We all like to be in touch, don’t we? In today’s world of “I want my memories now”, here are some handy tips for bloggers, photographers and tweeters on the on the road:

  • Tech wise, write a check list to make sure you have all the essentials you need. Do you have extra batteries for all your gear? Power adapters if you are going to a different country? Enough digital storage for all the happy snaps? Remember to always save your images at a high enough resolution to print – you never know when the perfect shot will appear.
  • That’s my kit below! I’ll be toting my HP Mini 1000 and a Canon 400D with 3 lenses (I can’t wait to be live blogging from the van). With this much gear on you, it’s better to be discrete. So rather than a geeky satchel, I recommend a big roomy tote with lots of pockets. Look good and have all your tools close to hand.

Digital Wanderer

PACKING… FOR THE LOW MAINTENANCE BEAUTY:

When you’re traveling, you still want to look good. A pared down version of your daily routine can still be maintained – whether on journeying by train through Russia or partying in Sao Paulo. Here’s a couple of tips to stay fresh and cute!

  • On the road with showers few and far between? Pack a few scarves and hats – they’ll be your saviors. Make a turban, slap on a cap and voila! Protected from the elements, your hair will stay cleaner, longer. After a few days without washing your hair, you’ll find hats a good disguise – no one will be the wiser about your greasy locks. Bonus – in conservative countries cover up your head will draw less attention and make it easier for gals to get around freely.
  • When you do get to a shower, grab the bar of solid shampoo stashed in your bag – these bars, never spill and are more compact than bottles… Leaving more room for a few cheeky souvenirs!
photo by orangeacid

photo by orangeacid

  • Essentials for your beauty kit include: mascara, vaseline (it has loads of uses), a cleanser and wipes. For your make up go multipurpose and save space with a bronzer – you can use it for lips, eyeshadow and on your cheeks.

Do you have any packing tips to share? Please let us know in the comments. I seriously need all the help I can get, as the next few months are journey packed. Bon voyage!

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TEN EASY WAYS FOR WOMEN TO LOOK SHARP – PART 2

by Amber on December 4, 2008 in Notebook

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

Lyell

Photos from the Sartorialist

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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10 Easy Ways For Women To Look Sharp – Part 1

by Amber on December 1, 2008 in Style

Recently I read an article on Lifehacker describing the Top 10 Easy Ways to Look Sharp – and promptly noticed a few protests that it was mostly male orientated!

I agreed and decided to create a fresh new list of ferociously sharp tips for ladies to look stylish. These are hacks as well as a few great tips that will let you sail through every day. Every time I’m faced with 5 minutes extra time to snooze I’ll take it, so you can trust these ideas have been carefully tested. Let’s get started with the first 5!

1. THE EYES HAVE IT COVERED

Get a pair of sunglasses that suit your face and wear them religiously. The reason for this is twofold. First, glasses give you the aura of being a suave, cool person who can accessorize. The second function of sunnies is to protect your eyes. More glasses wearing means less Shar-Pei-esque wrinkles in the future = and less squinting now. Squinting is never sexy.

Chloe Myrte acrylic sunglasses

Your sunglasses can be either classic (think faux tortoise-shell, over sized frames) or cheeky (think lolly coloured wayfarers). Bigger will protect the skin around your eyes more but cheeky, is well, fun! Some eye protection is better than none so you’re okay, whatever your choice. If you need advice or inspiration, wander over to Eye Heart Glasses and look at Jo’s expert picks.

Ray Ban pink wayfarers

2. A TOUCH OF GLOSS

Vaseline is the wonder balm, seriously – first up, use it on lips for shine if you have no time for lipstick. I always seem to wake up with scraggly askew eyebrows after a night’s sleep; use it to tame your wayward eyebrows before you dash out the door!

In a pinch, a tiny slick of Vaseline applied to your eyelashes will give them a shiny waterproofed, lengthened look.  You can also use it to micromanage out-of-control hair when styling; a tiny dab works well to tame fly-aways!

3. HEADBANDS FOR THE WIN

I will say straight up that headbands don’t have to make you look like a little girl. They come in a wide variety – skinny brushed silver, wide black patent leather or sweet fabric ones – as seen here on Brigitte Bardot.

Alice bands in particular are your saving grace for days when your hair just isn’t behaving and you need to look swish in seconds.

Alice Bands

Alice Bands

I simply brush my hair back and up towards my crown, give it a once over with hairspray and sweep the headband on. After that, another spritz of hairspray will keep it all in place. Perfecto, for the rest of the day! You can also use this as an up-do, putting your hair in a high pony before putting on the band.

4. JANE AND THE GIANT BAG

An over-sized bag is an essential wardrobe foundation for those who favour laissez-faire personal style but still want to look sharp. This may come in a) leather – or a damn good fake for those of you not on board the leather train, but be aware pleather does not age well. Or b) canvas.  Your bag should be one of the following colours – navy, ivory, brown (preferably chestnut) or black.  If you are rocking the canvas you can venture towards brighter colour palettes like eggplant or cherry.

Serena tote and Kiah bag - both from Country Road

Serena tote and Kiah bag - both from Country Road

The bigger the better! Why? Because you can obviously fit more guff in: your DSLR, the book you’re reading, tissues and your 570 plastic cards.  This doesn’t have to be an everyday tote but it’s brilliant to have something that will do in a pinch that you can just dump stuff into. It also does the double duty of making you look tiny in comparison – the big bag theory. This is an illusion that really works – hurrah!

5. FAST WITH A SCARF

Scarves are your saving grace on a day with not enough time to get ready. You probably have a large fashion imagination but just not that much time – so chuck on that boring black tee you’ve already worn this week, wear your usual denim if you have to, and put on a scarf… voila! French blogger Betty, from Le Blog De Betty, is an inspiration when it comes to rocking a variety of pretty scarves.

Indeed, I have an extensive collection of scarves (am currently wearing black linen shorts, a black t-shirt and an eye-popping coral scarf) that save me time and time again. They give you an instant splash of colour, added textural interest and a practical disguise for that occasional coffee stain. Easy.

Right, there you have it lovelies, the first five tips to streamline your style! Let me know how these go and if you have any life-saving tips please share them in the comments. It’s the goal for all girls really, maximum sharpness in style, minimum effort – more time for fun.

Please step this way for Ten Easy Ways For Women To Look Sharp – Part 2 – the next 5 brilliant tips.

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Most Delightful Miss Dior Cherie

by Amber on November 11, 2008 in Notebook

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

2008 Miss Cherie Dior campaign, featuring Maryna Linchuk.

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5 Fantastic Fragrance Commercials

by Amber on November 11, 2008 in Beauty

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 in New Zealand); 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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CFS LOVES 03

by Amber on November 3, 2008 in Food

These are your codes to unlocking all sorts of awesome! Be warned, there is a lot of love and exclamation going on in this post. This time, I have arranged it by application…

for the FACE…

Nude Skincare is all natural and based on organics philosophy. The range lovingly works with your body’s biology to help nurture your skin to perfect health. I love their dusky-space-nutrient packaging too – it’s very modern!

for the MIND…

Read two of the best (both written and designed) magazines in the world:

- The marvelous Monocle by Tyler Brûlé. With Monocle, I am a Fukuoka sushi expert, I am a Finnish diplomat, I am a hotel pillow tester, I am a pencil maker in Argentina. Every issue is gold! (And always reminds me of William Gibson’s novel Pattern Recognition, hmmm)

- Delightful, darling and daringly ground breaking Dumbofeather. I was lucky enough to hear editor Kate Bezar speak earlier this year about her lovingly published, quarterly tome. Each issue they interview 5 people, simply basing it on “who would I want to interview?”. The results are stunning insightful peeks into the minds of designers, bakers, philanthropists and more! Ooh and did I mention the weighty GSM?

for the BODY…

- You love the earth and the earth hearts you. This Heavy Rotation t-shirt looks very fetching – I envision it would look great teamed with limoncello coloured denim shorts this summer. That said, would some sort of sustainable material be too much to ask for?

- I have been watching a lot of youtube exercise videos recently. So this recommendation is literally for the body; my pick of the bunch is (Ford fitness model) Kim Strother! She’s hot, inspirational and informative – an excellent combination. Here’s her post holiday workout, a treadmill routine and a swiss ball session. Oh and if you like puppies, don’t miss the episodes with Moose.

for the FEET…

FINSK – Julia Lundsten’s wondrous sculptural shoes make me sigh with delight. She has been christened the Eames of footwear.

(((I think I’m in love!)))

for the TASTE BUDS…

This leek pasta dish is incredibly yummy and easy to make – I have tested it well! I must add that I find leeks really pretty with their flat layers of green and spindly white roots. They look so good on a wooden chopping board it makes me want to be a food photographer.

for the EARS…

Voodoo Funk! Frank has spent years tracking down rare vinyl pressings in Africa. Over time, he graciously mixed and shared his precious booty with the world. Amazing noise – well worth hours of investigation.

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TINY FORESTS

by Amber on October 17, 2008 in Notebook

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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THE END OF SCENT

by Amber on October 7, 2008 in Notebook

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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PAW PAW PLEASE

by Amber on August 18, 2008 in Notebook

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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