Christmas Make-Up

By Tammi Ireland

Yay, Christmas is just days away.  Eating with the family, drinking with friends, and being merry all weekend, we can’t wait here in the Coveted Canvas office!  What are you doing for Christmas?

Whichever way you celebrate, the key for your makeup is to keep it simple. You don’t want to be running to the bathroom to check your foundation or fix your lippy in between the prawn cocktail entree and turkey main.  The key is a little in the prep, a lot in the application.  Here’s the look we’re aiming for this year…

Chloë Moretz

‘The Beauty Night’ and why you must schedule one

By Tammi Ireland

Ladies, you have to agree with me there is nothing better than feeling sexy, confident and beautiful – just for you.  But how do you get that way if you’ve worked three different deadlines in a row, felt sick from lunch and been told some horrible news?  You schedule it!  Just like your dentist appointment or meeting your superiors, this is important, too.  Once a week is all I ask, and I’ll explain why it’s so great right now…

Tonight was my ‘Beauty Night’.  I try to schedule one a week or – failing that – one a fortnight.  On ‘Beauty Night’ everything gets done. And I mean everything.  Here’s my ‘To Do’ list…

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Obviously there’s no way I could (nor should) do all these on a daily basis, so scheduling one night a week to check everything off the list is not only a great idea, but also something to look forward to.  Because you feel AMAZING afterwards.

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It’s all in the products you use – ‘Beauty Night’ is not the night to skimp on products. On ‘Beauty Night’ it’s the best of the best.  Here are my must haves, working down the ‘To Do’ list:

OM: How I Found my Zen in a Shower Gel

By Tammi Ireland

 

It’s not often one can say they found their zen in a shower gel, but I like to believe I have.  ’Meditate’ is the new range from Natio, one of my family’s tried and tested favourites.  Since moving out of home – and into a significantly smaller shower – I’ve not enjoyed the regular, at-home spa sessions I used to in the larger family bathroom.  That was until I discovered the slim Natio Meditate Shower Gel, which fits perfectly into my tiny shower caddy.

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Now it’s a joy to lather up with Meditate ‘Narcissus’ shower gel (RRP$12.95), breathing in the musk scent that reminds me of my childhood (Saturday netball games were always followed by 50c worth of those pink sticks).  The natural scents are actually, truly calming and have been used for centuries to calm the mind, arouse the sense and awaken meditation energy.  One shower with this gel, followed by Meditate ‘Rose’ body butter (RRP$18.95) and I was ready to get my Yogi on.

Everyday Essentials: SPF Lipbalm

By Tammi Ireland

Too often I hear of people slathering their face and neck with SPF to avoid premature ageing.  But what about the back of your neck, your ears, and – most importantly – your lips?  With a great range of SPF lip balms on the market, there’s no excuse for going unprotected.

Covered Skin is Happy Skin

My fave?  Ella Baché’s Great Lipsaver 30+.  Smooth to apply from its squeezy tube, this delicious-smelling balm has a sheer tint and a whole lotta moisture.  Packed with lanolin, mango butter, shea butter and pomegranate, the Great Lipsaver 30+ is a veritable fruit bowl of protection for your lips.

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The range comes in four summer shades, of which Melon is my favourite.  However, at only $19, it’s worth stocking up on them all.

T x

The Men’s Room: A Guy’s First Skincare Routine

By Mark Reed

Mark is our resident male writer, bringing you the low-down on everything masculine in beauty.  Not afraid to hold back, he’ll be honest when reviewing products you may consider as grooming tools for your husband/boyfriend/brother/Dad.   – Ed.

 

Cleanse, tone, moisturise. A mantra I was unfamiliar with until a week ago.

Sure, I use a face wash, and yes, I moisturise. But what on earth was a toner? And how long would it take? Am I going to have to factor this into my morning pre-work prep time?

“But Mark, it’ll do wonders for your skin. And your partner will thank you for it.”  Leaving aside for a second my increasing paranoia vis a vis my girlfriend’s feelings RE: my skin, lets talk about Olay for Men.

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The Multi Solution Smooth Cream Foaming Cleanser (RRP$10.95) is essentially a face wash. It feels softer than other men’s products on the market, notably L’Oreal’s line. Mind you, who said these things had to be rough? The fact is it works, and since it’s only replacing an action you already perform every day, why wouldn’t you use it?

Fresh out of the shower, and we get to the mysterious Multi Solution Refreshing Toner (RRP$16.95). For the blokes, the closest comparison I can make is aftershave in look and texture. A few drops massaged into the face and YOU CAN FEEL IT WORKING. It’s strange. The skin tightens ever so slightly. The good news? Takes three seconds. So far, so good.

The Best of Beauty

There’s a magazine on the stands that you all should know.  It’s called Allure and it’s a bit of a beauty bible.  There’s no Aussie version but the October American issue has just been released with Blake Lively on the cover and a whole lot of great articles.  My favourite is by far Best of Beauty where “the 190 greatest shampoos, lipsticks, moisturisers, concealers, frizz busters, mascara, wrinkle fighters, and more – handpicked and field-tested by Allure’s editors”.

Blake Lively covers Allure's Best of Beauty Issue

Here’s my selection of the top products within Allure’s Best of Beauty:

Beige Eye

‘Many so-called beige shadows are too white, too golden, or simply too boring.  Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Beige has a delicate sheen that flouts the blah stereotype.’

Grey Eye

‘Swipe on Laura Mercier Lustre Eye Colour in Celestial, a stormy shade of pewter, and voilà: instant smokey eyes.’

Affordable Soap and Glory

On October 11, Kit stores welcomed a new product line to their shelves.  Aptly named Soap & Glory, this little brand has had me the most excited I’ve been in a long time when it comes to beauty. The packaging is divine in a Mad Men kind of way, the words on said packaging are hilarious and they’re cheap to boot!

Perfectly pink with a side of wit - LOVE IT!

Spa Treatments at Home

Uspa are an Australian company combining botanical ingredients and therapeutic results to create the ultimate spa experience. I first found their products at Hidden Valley Eco Retreat in WA and have been on the lookout since. I was lucky enough to be sent some fabulous Uspa products to try at home and they do not disappoint.

Working on the computer for most of the day, I’m a huge lover of refreshing sprays.  Simple water sprays are nice, rose water are even better.  Uspa have a gorgeous little Damask Rose Hydrosol spray that’s perfect for refreshment around the 3pm mark.  I’m loving the fact the 50mL size fits into my purse and I can use it when I’m flustered on the job.

Pretty Old Face

I like to think that when I’m 40 I’ll have the soft skin of a baby, wrinkle-free and of the perfect tone.  Of course, given I spend a lot of time in the sun this is cause for prevention.  As you know, sun damage causes premature aging, wrinkles and pigmentation of the skin – nobody wants that!

One of Invisible Zinc‘s faces, the 40-something and fabulous Elle MacPherson showcases the kind of skin women over the age of 35 dream of.  No doubt she was told in her modelling days to slip, slop, slap but no one wants to wear a thick sheet of sunscreen under their foundation – too sticky, too gross.

‘Org…’ What Now?

Orglamic.  No, not the word you’re thinking of but still one you want to hear all about! According to the people at Grown skin care, it means luxury organic skin care – not for hippies but for those who are smart about what they put on their skin.

The new range from Grown features six new products and gorgeous new packaging and is available nationally through David Jones, Myer and other selected stockists.