Beauty Q&A: Samantha Powell

By Tammi Ireland

Simple Skincare has just recruited Samantha Powell as their make-up and skincare expert. Sam has a wealth of knowledge having worked as a make-up artist for 15+ years with celebs such as Jen Hawkins, Rebecca Gibney and Miranda Otto.  We asked Sam a few questions on how to get clear, perfect skin, the simple way…

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Samantha Powell, 40, Hair & Makeup Artist

Why join forces with Simple Skincare?
I joined forces with Simple Skincare because their philosophy on skin and beauty is synonymous with my own. I believe beauty starts from within and I always strive to live a clean, simple, healthy lifestyle and the products that I choose to work with and use myself adhere to these principles.

Spring Hair Trends with Barney Martin

By Tammi Ireland

Barney Martin Hairdressing in Surry Hills is a quintessential Australian salon, where the team has worked on editorial and customer hair under the superb direction of their director, the salon’s namesake.  The Barney Martin website showcases all the staff in clean images, reflective of the respect Barney Martin the person gives to his team.  As a beauty writer, this sort of team-relation is important, because so too is the need for a person to love where they work.  Last week we were lucky enough to hear straight from the horses mouth what the key trends for Spring will be, and what Australian women are asking for when they’re in the salon chair…

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Barney Martin, 40, Pantene Expert Hairstylist and owner of Barney Martin Hairdressing

What are the key trends you’re seeing for Spring, by way of cuts and colour?
For colour, there is definitely a move away from balayage, but instead we are seeing what is called smudged colour, and bronzing, where blonde and brown is merged for a more natural affect, with lighter colours underneath the hair. We are also seeing a lot of pastel colours in hair, pastel blues and pinks at the ends and underneath. This works well with a blonde base or balayage.

Beauty Q&A: Haley Thompson, Organic Beauty eStore Founder

Haley Thompson, 31, owner of Peachy Clean Organic Beauty Boutique

I met Haley last month at the Perth Online Beauty Meet and was instantly struck by her vivaciousness, natural thinking and knowledge about the organic beauty industry.  Upon reading her age when receiving her answers to this interview back, I must say she’s the living and breathing example of what a healthy lifestyle and natural skincare routine can do for your look!  A girl who quipped she ‘preferred champagne to coffee’, I’d say we have a lot in common.  

Introducing, Miss Haley Thompson(and her store, which you must check out!)…

Daytime Beauty Routine: I love my organic beauty products! When I wake I love a morning spritz of face spray like the Savi Passionflower and Pomegranate spray or the delicious Sodashi Calming Rose spray – I keep them in the fridge in summer so that they’re extra refreshing! I’m on a ‘rose’ kick at the moment! Rose is really great for dry skin. I love my Weleda Rose Creamy Body Wash in the shower, my Weleda Rose Body Oil and I’m loving the Vanessa Megan Rose Eye cream too – I also keep it in the fridge, I pop on the eye cream and use the cool base of the metal jar as a compress to help fight morning puffiness. I mainly use the Sodashi range for face care – their clay cleanser is just the best and if you’ve never tried the Sodashi concentrates (liquid exfoliator) you’re seriously missing out! It’s just amazing!

Product Review: Endota Glycolic Polishing Mask

By Tammi Ireland

Endota is one of those brands you can’t help but love, due in large part to their commitment to loving the environment and loving yourself.  Their whole philosophy is inspiring, and that’s why I was excited to test their Glycolic Polishing Mask (RRP $70 for 100mL), which promised to ‘reveal a radiant complexion’.  It didn’t disappoint.

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A small amount of the delightfully-scented mask rubbed circularly into my face and neck proved a calming experience in itself.  The mask is very finely granulated and feels natural, which is always a plus for products you’re going to keep on your face for a while. 

A Natural Lip Balm for Night

By Tammi Ireland

Night time has never been so fun!  Bathing Beauty Organic Apothecary have just released one of my new favourite products and it comes with a fun name and even more fun tube.  The Hurraw! Moon Night Treatment Balm (RRP $9.50) smells delicious and comes in an oval lip balm tube that makes winding it up and down a helluva lot of fun.

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Super creamy and rich, this organic balm doesn’t have me licking my lips due to nasty chemicals (a sad side-effect of the popular Lucas’ Paw Paw ointment) because I’m smelling my lips instead.  Vanilla and Peru Balsam helps me nod off to sleep, while the Chamomile gets to work throughout the eight hours I’m getting some shut-eye (I lie, but damn I wish it were that long…).

New Year’s Resolutions

By Tammi Ireland

Happy New Year, beauties! Another year gone and it’s time to reflect on what we want for 2012.  Hopefully you’ll all have nursed your New Year’s Eve hangovers away by now and have a pen handy because it’s time to make our New Year’s Resolutions.

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Some people I know don’t believe in resolutions, saying they only lead to guilt and disappointment when you can’t check them off at the end of the year.  However, I think having goals are a great way to ensure you stay focussed on what was once – at a moment of downtime – important to you.  

Sexy Beach Hair with One Product (and it’s natural!)

By Tammi Ireland

In the lead-up to the new year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I put on my skin, in my hair and into my body.  It makes sense as we get older to take stock and see what we could do to be healthier, thus happier, as we also get wiser.  So when I was sent the O&M Original Mineral Surf Bomb Sea Salt Spray (RRP $24.99) to trial, I was pretty excited.  Summer was here and I was seeing what actual beach hair looked like (my curls do not approve), so faking it with a sea salt spray was a perfect way to get the look the way I wanted it.

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Not having yet mastered the luscious waves LC pulls off so well, my hair is usually blown straight on day one and then a bit kinky and wavy on day two, the day I prefer.  But, I wondered, what would happen if I used the O&M Surf Bomb on day one?  Amazing things, that’s what!

‘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:

How To: Voluminous Hair

By Tammi Ireland

Think of the sexiest image of a woman you’ve ever seen.  How’s her hair looking? I’d wager nine out of 10 of my readers just thought of bouncy, voluminous hair.  That’s because it’s sexy, it’s glossy, and it’s a little bit rare.

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I’m going to teach you three easy steps that will have you looking as hot as the one above …

1. Wash your hair with a volumising shampoo.  I love Louise Galvin Volumising Shampoo for Fine Hair (on sale exclusively at Bathing Beauty for $12.80) because it’s all natural and still gets the job done.  Fragrance free, you’re left with a natural nutty scent that amplifies the more your rub the smooth, clear liquid into a lather.  You won’t get the run-your-fingers-through-it finish you get with some commercial shampoos, but that’s what we’re after in this case – it will make blowdrying and styling easier.  Save the shine til the very end.

The Men’s Room: Natural Skincare

By Mark Reed

The Franc Essentials Sample Set is, for a man at least, perhaps a little too much. It’s five steps, it takes a while. And… it’s too effective. Your skin feels completely different after even the first experience. It’s certainly not an every day process. However…. Hungover on a Sunday morning after a big night? Not feeling fresh? This might be the perfect antidote. I mean, I’d still have the bacon and egg breakfast too, but this will definitely help.

 

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Cleanse is first. I only required a small amount. Massaged in, it felt like it did it’s work, without being harsh on the skin: I don’t think I’ve tried anything that felt so natural before, organic; As if it was mixed from ingredients straight out of the backyard. The natural oils and seeds, and the appealing but asexual scent they give off are surprisingly relaxing.

The Exfoliate is next, and again, the effect is staggering: The natural ingredients really go to work, and you can spend a couple of minutes massaging them into the face in the shower if you don’t watch yourself: For all Franc’s stressing of their natural organic designs, it’s probably not great news for our dam levels. Oh well… If you’re only doing it on a Sunday morning….

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