Get to Priceline NOW

On top of having a fab weekend - I made the best beauty buy on the weekend! For those if you who are in your 20's let me explain.

John Frieda - the man behind the Frizz Ease range (with out that product Nicole Kidmans career would have been so different) - was ahead of his time and came out with a sea salt spray  when the world was still stuck in " I must have a GHD to make my hair poker straight". Now for a curly haired girl like myself I appreciated the power of this stuff. It meant that I could give my self that amazing ' Oh I have just tumbled out of the ocean- don't I look sexy' hair instead of the " OMG my hair is fried from over GHDing" or the other option of " no that is not a birds nest on my head that is my hair" look I sported.
                                 



It was the bomb. It made your hair "nice" wavy, it didn't make it go crusty and it smelt like a mix between a pina colada and tanning oil (yes I said oil). It was my constant stand by for day two hair when I knew I had to step away from the GHD. But one day it was gone. Disappeared without warning. Just like the original Milo Bars (you know the ones that was solid Milo covered in chocolate that were one day replaced by some crappy thing that was like a milo flavoured Mars Bar?) I tried so many sea salt sprays and I had no joy- so I just gave up.

Until............... I SAW THE RANGE IN PRICELINE YESTERDAY!!!!!! The packaging was the same, the smell was the same and the result was the same. I was in coconut heaven. I bought a bottle, came home, sprayed that baby in my hair and I had it- casual tousled waves. 

Of course because it is 2015 the way I use the spray is a little different to the way I used it in the 90's which involved some mousse, a scrunch and a hair dryer. Today I would do some loose curls with a wand ( or GHD is you can do those, but a wand is easier). By loose I mean maybe separate your hair into 4 or 6 section, wind around the wand ,hold it for about 20 seconds, let it go and then leave it to cool before you shake them out, and then spray that good stuff to give it some hold and texture.

You want these curls

not these curls.

You will not be disappointed. I promise. And no you don't have to be blonde to use it- it works on any shade.

Some Youtube clips to waste time with.

On Friday at work (at lunch time- I would never spend work time googling videos!) I was sitting at my desk laughing along to a video I was watching online. A student asked me what was I laughing at to which I decided I had to put it on the Smart board so she could watch it. 

It was then that I realised that I actually do watch a lot of videos on line -just like a young person! And just like a young person it causes me to go over the data limit on my phone (well that and the fact that I forgot I was downloading and album on itunes) So I thought I would share my favourite videos from the week. If you follow me on facebook you may have seen some of them but because they are tops they are totally worth watching again.

 This is a video for Red Nose day in the UK and it is Chris Martin writing a Game of Thrones musical. This is the 'edited' version but the full 12 min is available on youtube. Highlights include " You Know Nothing Chris Martin" and "Rastafarian Targaryen”. And of course Jon Snow (or Kit Snow if you are Chris Martin.)

This is Justin BIeber and comedian James Cordan. It is funny, the BIebs is a cutie pie AND they sing a Boys to Men song. It just can't get better than that!

This is from the series "The Katering Show" It is a Youtube series and they are hilarious. This one is on quitting sugar and it is not only clever but funny, and confirms my point that me quitting sugar would make me a nightmare.

Tay- Tay and her Bad Blood video, if only to play "Spot the celebrity." Man does this chick have famous friends!

Enjoy

They just don't make teen movies like they used to.... A Fault in Our Stars. a review with spoilers. (to save you some pain)

I love a good teen movie. I think it is because I was a teen in the 80's, the time of THE teen movie. John Hughes was a god. Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off..... Somewhere along the line things went wrong. There was still some classics, like 10 Things I Hate About You, Bring it On, Mean Girls to name a few, but then something happened. Teenagers and teenage films became all angsty and wallowy. At least when I was a teen we could have our issues, but put on a good synthesizer dance track (with a bit if saxophone) and we got over it.

                                                 
                    This is what teen movies are all about

Apparently the best teen movie of 2014 is The Fault in Our Stars. If you liked this movie- look away now. It is the most angst ridden, self indulgent, overacted , "lets pretend to be positive" movie I have ever seen. I was watching it by accident because I couldn't find the remote and couldn't be bothered looking for it.

For those of you haven't seen the film- you lucky things-  this is story of Gus (Augustus- of course it is), and Hazel (who he calls Hazel Grace- of course he does). They are 17 and 18 and both have cancer. Gus has lost his leg and he is upbeat, pretentious and obnoxious. The boys puts unlit cigarettes in his mouth and doesn't smoke them to which Hazel gives him some pretentious obnoxious speech about cancer and the tobacco company. Hazel has had cancer since she was 12 (or something). She wears oxygen and is dying. They also have a friend who is going blind from his cancer.

                          

Hazel falls in love slowly with Gus, but then when they go to Amsterdam to find the writer who wrote their favourite book who turns out to be an alcoholic arse, they fall "hard" in love and kiss in Anne Franks house. And strangers clap. Did I tell you that they go out for dinner and drink champagne? They say it tastes like stars. This may be where the films name comes from. Who knows? And by this stage I honestly don't care.

                              

I was hoping that this was the end- but alas no. Gus breaks the news to Hazel that he has cancer again (geez didn't see that coming). He gets bad really quick, he asks Hazel to write a eulogy, than he wants to attend his own funeral, so she has to read it to him. In a church. At night. She cries. He cries. Then he dies- not at the church but 8 days later. (Nope still not the end). Hazel gives a deep and philosophical monologue voice over about her pain and shows that she is far more deep and intelligent than any 17 year old.


At the funeral the arse writer (not literally- I mean he is an "arse" not that he writes about arses) arrives at the funeral and winks at Hazel just as she is giving her eulogy at the 'real ' funeral. She gives another philosophical voice over as I am side tracked for the awful shoes that her mother has on. I then realise that the arse writer is Willem Dafoe and wonder how he got involved with this film. He admits that his daughter died of cancer (as the arse writer- not as himself-Willem Dafoe I don't know if he has a daughter). They then have some deep conversation which Hazel doesn't want to hear (now she knows how I feel) and she kicks him out of her car. He drinks out of his hip flask ( I know how he feels). Cue the montage with the sad song.
                              
                               And boy did I feel it.....

Finally she finds a letter that Gus wrote to the writer. It was deep and is asking the arse writer to write the eulogy. We hear that in a voice over. Which is accompanied by a flashback montage. And a song I actually like.  He says he loves her, and talks about getting hurt and I'm sure if I was a teenage girl I would be crying by now but then it finishes. And I find the remote control which is under the dog.

The End.

Rainy day friends

Today it is raining and it is cold. I have used up my Game of Thrones "Winter is coming" joke and now I am lying in bed flicking through 100 channels of nothing (seriously Foxtel can't we do better than 'Come Dine With Me South Africa"?). For the record I have settled on "The Wedding Planner". It was that or AliG Indahouse. We have a dose of man flu in the house, and even the dogs are at doggy daycare (thats Emma speak for  the groomers).

There is nothing else to do but surf the net, but it would seem that all my friends are bored as well because no one is doing anything interesting on Facebook either. I have stalked everyone that is worth stalking. I have no money left for online shopping and I have read every single gossip site that exists- (Geri Halliwell aka Ginger Spice got married and only Baby Spice turned up- well of course she did because she is the nicest Spice). I have also read every news site and discovered that Miranda Kerr flashed her boobs at Cannes (put it away Miranda- we have all seen them), and that the CEO of GoPro gave his former room mate $285m because he promised him 10% of the profits of GoPro.Seriously how do you get friends like that?

Anyway in my browsing I discovered an article on the Six Friends You need to Have. I decided to go through the list and see if I have then. So here goes.

1. The Friend Who Is Cooler Than You- Yes I have one of these. They are very cool, and young and live in another City. I don't see her often but when I do I am mesmerised by her coolness. She knows every thing cool from places to go and the best drinks to drink.

2. The Friend Who Is Up For Anything - I have quite a few of these. These can also be the dangerous friends. Because when we are all up for anything - the night can result in someone being told by the nice friendly security men at the Casino that it is time to go home.

3. The Friend Who You Aspire To Be - I'm going to call bullshit on this one. I don't aspire to be any of my friends, I can admire their qualities and get a bit jealous at times, but I don't aspire to be anyone but me. Well ok maybe I aspire to be Sarah Murdoch when I grow up, but thats about it.

4. The Friend Who Doesn’t Know Any Of Your Other Friends - OMG- I don't have one of these. Should I get one??? All my friends have met at least one of my other friends. How do you meet a friend that doesn't know anyone else? And aren't they usually of the opposite sex? And then if you have a friend who doesn't know any of you other friends who is a member of the opposite sex called an affair? (Or am I over thinking things?)

5. The Friend Who Is Painfully Honest- I have two of these, and they are painfully honest in not even a " Don't take this the wrong way" or "No offence or anything" kind of way.

6. The Friend You’ve Known Longer Than You’ve Known Yourself - Yes I have some of these. They have known me forever and have been there through all my ups and downs. There is nothing that these friends don't know about me and this is reason that they are such old friends. You can't get rid of them because they know waaaayyyy too much stuff about you.

Lets talk Winter clothes.

All right- we need to do it. Lets talk Winter wardrobes. It is not secret that dressing for Winter is not up there with my most favourite thing to do. If I had a favourite season it would be Spring. Followed closely by Autumn( but lets face it they are both kind of the same thing) and then Summer. I just find Winter clothes boring. So here are the essentials you need to make it through Winter.

1. A blanket wrap. This is sort of a mix between a really big scarf, a loose oversized cardigan, a poncho and a blanket.  Very practical and toasty. It is also perfect for hiding extra winter kilos.

       

Sussan and Katies                                               

2. Some pointe pants. They used to be called thick leggings, but this name sounds much better. Perfect for wearing with oversized jumpers, and boots and of course your blanket wrap.

3. Jeans. Now I know that last year I said that the jean is dead, but this was before awesome skinny stretch jeans were invented.  The ripped jean is also big, as is the boyfriend jean with a few strategically placed rips. Wear them with you boots, your heel, your trainers or your ballet flats


           

Jeans from Jeans West

4. The Luxe tracky pant. This is an interesting piece of clothing because they are soooo comfy and can be dressed up or down. I wear my to work with a basic top -but it must be half tucked- that is tucked at the front and loose at the back, otherwise it looks sloppy. The top should also not be too loose for the same reason. You also need to wear some decent shoes. Strangely enough the best kind of shoe to wear with this for dressing them up is a heel. If you are wearing them for casual- trainers will do just fine.

Witchery

5. The Jumper dress. These are everywhere at the moment and are really good for Winter. Just pop on a pair of thick tights or leggings and some boots- either ankle of high- and you are good to go.

Witchery

6. Skirts- anything goes really. Midi, Mini, Pencil, Full, leather, maxi tube whatever takes your fancy. Wear them with your tights. I would tend to go for an ankle boot (the first time you wear you skirt with you ankle boots you will feel a bit weird, but you will get used to it) or a long boot.

                       
                          Skirts are both from Witchery

7. Cardigans have taken over from jackets or blazers. They need to be oversized and/or chunky. There are also some really nice full length (maxi) cardigans. I have also seen fitted jumpers worn over shirts so you can see the shirts underneath.
                           

             

Sussan and Witchery

8. No Winter wardrobe is complete without a coat. Even though coats are expensive they are a great investment. I can see this Winter my coats of choice will be my black coat. I have had it for about 5 years and I am still wearing it.

Coat by Witchery

9. Colours for Winter seen to mostly be the traditional black and grey. Stripes are cool and there are heaps of patterns around as well.

10. Scarves. Big scarves, little scarves, patterned scarves. plain scarves. What ever takes your fancy. Just wear one. Especially with the black/ grey palate, these can add a splash of colour.

Scarf by Sussan

11. Weekend wear. My weekend wardrobe for Winter consists of my black Nike full length long running pants, a t-shirt , a black hoodie, or if it is really cold my Katmandu Black Puffer Jacket. My footwear is my Nike Free runs. With a Fremantle Dockers scarf thrown in if it is a footy day. Boring but comfy and warm.  Luckily for me Sport Luxe is still a big look for Winter, so wear your gym gear. As an added bonus people will think you are a mad keen exerciser. Just go with it.

12. Under clothes. These are your secret weapons. I always wear a singlet -I get mine from Zara and they keep you nice and toasty. Most clothing stores will do singlets for under clothes. I have them in black, white and nude. Tights are also essential and I always wear the ones that are fleecy on the inside. Metallicus black tops are a staple for under just about anything. They keep you toasty and are really thin so they don't add bulk. Leggings are also good under dresses and long skirts, and my other secret weapon is to wear my 2XU compressions pants under my clothes, because not only do they keep you warm they also make you look thinner. WIN!!!

All the clothes I have featured are from either Jeans West, Katies (seriously!!!), Sussan and Witchery. I would also recommend Seed, Zara, Sportsgirl and Topshop. You can of course go more expensive- but why would you??? Also sportswear from Nike shop,and Jim Kidd are starting to carry some really nice sportswear (and they have a lovely girl that works there on a Sunday). There is also Lululemon and Lorna Jane, if you want to spend lots.

Happy Winter Shopping! If you want any extra info drop me a line, or check out my Pinterest.

An easy 10 minute make up

I realised the other day that I don't think I ever have a day were I don't wear some kind of make up. Even if it is the weekend and I am only going to the shop I still will always put on some mascara and lip balm. ( You always feel better with mascara)

Obviously the amount of make up that I wear varies from day to day, but even if I am going to work I have a fail safe quick routine that looks natural and is quick enough to do, even when I am in a rush.

I think everyone should have a go to fail safe look that you can apply with you eyes closed. Except mascara. Don't ever try to apply you mascara with your eyes closed. It will go clumpy and weird. It must be applied with your eyes open and with you mouth open.

Work Days require me to look awake, because if I don't you can guarantee that one of the kids would tell me that I looked like crap, and needs to last all day. I have narrowed my look down to 9 products and 10 minutes.

This is my easy morning make up- From left YSL Touch Eclat, Lancome Deficils, Hourglass ambient Powder (this was a mothers day gift), Nars Eyeshadow, Nars Foundation, MAC Soar Liner and Nars Eye Liner. It is looking very brown.

1. Foundation. I currently have three on the go and I will put one on depending on my my mood and the condition of my skin. I currently have  NARS Sheer Glow, YSL Youth Liberator ( no it is not liberating my youth in case you were wondering) and a Covergirl  Tru Blend on rotation. NARS is my first fav followed by the Covergirl - and it is so cheap!!

2. Concealer and YSL Touche Eclet are next. I am also using a Covergirl concealer which is a wind up crayon. It is the perfect shade and blends perfectly. Next comes the YSL Touche Eclat. This one reflects the light away from the circles. You don't have to use both- one or the other will do. If you have wrinkly eyes or dry skin go for the Touch Eclet. It is much lighter in texture and won't get stuck in your wrinkles.

3. Generally I either go for one or two shades of eyeshadow- depending on how much brightening up my face needs. If you are only going to go for one pick a really nice natural base shade to brush over the entire lid. Then with a smaller brush put a few more layers over the lid.  If you needs some sparkle I like either a metallic silver or gold. My Stila Kitten is my standard go to, as is my NARS Lysithea- that is silver . My new favourite base eyeshadow is NARS Biarritz.

4. Eye liner- I either use a NARS Larger than Life Long Wear liner in Via De Martelli (its a dark brown) or a Stila one in what ever colour takes my fancy. Sometimes I wear a purple colour which is sort of like an Aubergine or a Khaki. I have hazel eyes so those two colours work well.

5. Mascara. My day mascara is Lancome Defincils. In black - I don't get the point of any other colour. This one is just a good day one because it just adds colours and defines. I wouldn't use it for night because it doesn't do anything fancy, like thickening and lengthening.

6. Blusher - I nice natural colour, just a brush on the apple of your cheek. Nars Orgasm is always good. A coral colour (yeah I know it sounds like Granny stuff) also adds a bit of life.

7. Lips- a nice natural lip liner colour and then I shade in my whole lips, and then just some lip gloss in either natural or tinted. by shading in you entire lip means that you have some colour on your lips all day and you gloss has something to grab on to.

8. Finally a dust of Hourglass ambient powder all over, but especially on the cheeks to add some life and sparkle to your face, well a tiny bit of sparkle- not like glitter ballroom dancing glitter, like a " Oh my god she is just glowing today" kind of sparkle.

And that is how easy it is. If you want some colour or brand selections- or even some little lessons drop me a line!

20 of my favourite things...

I have been a bit slack with my blogs lately so I thought I would start the week with and "about me" blog.

20 Things about Me

1.Tea or Coffee? Tea - white with one sugar in the morning, black at morning tea and caffeine free green at bed time. I will have a coffee if I "go out" for coffee and I have a bit of a soft spot for Caramel Latte's from McDonalds.

2. Favourite Flower? Tulips, but I always have lilies in the house.

3.Heels or Flats? I wish it was heels, but I have runners feet and knees- so that means flats. If I do wear heels I always put some anti inflammatory gel on the balls of my feet.

4. Favourite Champagne? Mumm or Janz Rose. Yum.

5. Style Icon? Olivia Palermo. I think her style is just perfect.

6. Signature Scent? Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. I also like Armani Si but my husband says it smells like a smokers perfume. I haven't been able to wear it since.

7. Favourite City? London. Followed very closely but Melbourne.

8. Reading… At the moment nothing, because I am still exhausted from reading Tim Wintons Eyrie. So at the moment all that is next to my bed is running and fashion magazines.

9. Listening…  Vance Joy.

10. Guilty pleasure… The Housewives of anywhere.

11. Every woman should own… A beautiful handbag

12. I will never wear…  High waisted pants of any description. I just don't have the butt for them.

13. I need… A faster metabolism

14. I want… An apple watch

15. Dogs or cats? I couldn't pick.  I have two dogs and two cats. Their names are William, Kate, Charlie and Camilla. They are named after the Royal Family.

16. I couldn't live without... my iphone.

17. The most important things in my life are...my family and friends.

18.  My favourite online places to shop are... Strawberry Net for makeup and skin care, Wiggle for sporting stuff, Hard to Find for cool stuff, Wotif for accommodation and I have been known to buy the occasional Scoopon.

19. My last meal would be...Steak, chips and Bearnaise sauce, with a glass of Rose (with ice blocks) followed by a chocolate tart with cream. 

20. I believe .... in being a good person, and trying to make people happy. I try.

It's Logies time.

I didn't realise the Logies still happened anymore. I remember the good old days when it was really exciting and everybody would watch. Now-not so much. I think once the handyman from The Block won the Gold Logie everyone realised it had lost any sense of credibility.

Seeing as the awards are a joke, I thought I would bring you the the fashion of televisions night of nights.

First up the Housewives of Melbourne. There is nothing good to say here. Nothing. Except maybe that there is more plastic in this photo than in a Tupperware factory.

This is one of the most annoying women on television-Jessica Rowe. She got fired from Channel 9 and she sued them for lots of money, because she said it was because she was a women. I think she got fired because she is bloody annoying. I don't know what to make of her outfit. I when your eye is drawn to the advertising on the step and repeat (that is seriously what that advertising banner is called) that does not say much for your outfit.

Jen Hawkins is perfection. Thats all there is to say about that.

Oh God! I think Joanna Griggs forgot to get out of her dressing gown. That is truly hideous.

I always wondered what happened to my Year 12 Ball dress.

I'm not sure about this. I don't like J'ton dresses at the best of times, but I think for them this is ok. I am not sure about the colour, it is almost the same shade as her tan.

Geez Julia Morris has dropped a few kilos. I don't mind this dress, but if it was for me I would cut off the sleeves and sort out the neck- it would make me feel like I was choking.

Dannii is looking superb, although I hope she hit the red carpet before Jen Hawkins, because that dress is very similar- well apart from the sparkles. A bit Dynasty and Dallas- but she carries it off well.

The only thing I don't love about this photo is the girls with bikini's and boots on in the background. Carrie looks amazing and she is even wearing J'ton. She obviously went to the Kate Middleton school of post baby bodies because she look fab (or she has ultra spanx on)

Cheyenne Tozzi is channelling Mortica Adams. She is rather beautiful but those sleeves would be bloody annoying. After a few drinks those sleeves would be flying everywhere.

Mmmmmm - not sure about this. I like the dress but hate the sleeves. Have I missed a sleeves thing in fashion? I don't think her hair is doing much either. It has the look of 2am hair. You know- when you hair looked ace at the start of the night but by 2am there was nothing ace about it at all.

Asher looks lovely. Black, simple and beautiful.

This is Jacinta Campbell. She goes out with Buddy Franklin. Apart from that I am not really she  why she is at the Logies. I am also confused how a pretty girl in a pretty dress can look pretty average. 

Kerri Anne Kennerley- Wow! How old is she because she looks amazing. I think those Housewives needs her plastic surgeons number.

This is Tiffiny (yes that is how she spells it)

from The Biggest Loser. Wow. Just Wow. That girl has no stomach at all. 

This is Caitlyn Stacey. She used to be in Neighbours but now she speaks to empower women. I admire her message. I do not however admire her decision to wear her tracky to the Logies.

Finally this is Sam The Bachelor and Sam The Bachelorette (and Osher who still hasn't got over Blake not picking him last year) Ummmm what is going on with boy Sam's face? No really.