Capes, Colour, Cuts – Hair Expo 2012 Sunday Recap

By Tammi Ireland

Sydney’s Convention and Exhibition Centre was a swarm of midriff tops, bunt fringes, coloured hair and new heights yesterday as the Australian Hair Expo entered its second day of showcasing the best of hair salons to industry professionals.  Starting at 10am with entry and a quick run through the area and ending with a phenomenal finale at the Next Gen Gala, Coveted Canvas was there to see all of Sunday’s events – and garner some pretty strong inspiration for trends and tricks in hair.

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At 10.10am, my old (and favourite) hair dressers, Head Studio from King Street in Perth, hit the Hair Expo main stage to showcase their solo presentation – Forever Young. The show was all about saying a big ‘F-you’ to conventional, corporate society and having fun with your youth.  There was colour, blunt fringes, hair wraps and hair ladders, used to create looks for editorial shoots that would have those in the know stopping at the image and saying – I want what they’ve got! The elixir of youth? It’s in Head Studio-esque, Forever Young hair.

Q&A with Nice’n Easy Colour Expert, plus Colour Blend Foam Review

By Tammi Ireland

When I dyed my hair back to its natural brown after years of balayage last December, to say I felt neutral about the results is an understatement. I was Switzerland.  What I wanted – although I didn’t know it until I dyed my hair last fortnight – was a deep brown, sexy, solid colour.  Balayage was over in my book, and I wanted to look smouldering – Angelina Jolie/Anne Hathaway style.

Thankfully, that’s when I got the opportunity to chat with Clairol Nice’n Easy’s colour expert Belinda Jeffrey, as well as a shot to try out the new Clairol Nice’n Easy Colour Blend Foam in ’4 Dark Brown’.

First – the hair:

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Bid Adieu to the Ped Egg – This is the New Must-Have for Smooth Feet!

By Jenny Ahern

I’m the first to admit my feet get a little neglected when it comes to my beauty routine, which is ironic as cracked heels are a pet peeve of mine. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to regularly exfoliate, file and moisturise my feet – and don’t even get me started on the ped egg!  So when given the opportunity to trial a product that promised to take the chore out of DIY pedicures, I jumped at the chance.

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I’ve been using the Emjoi PediSmooth (RRP $29.95) twice a week for a month now and I find it works a wonder. Quick and easy, the PediSmooth features a motorised sandpaper-like roller, which buffs away rough, dry and calloused skin in seconds. Note: it is a good idea to do this over a towel as the skin from your feet will fall like snow – a gross image, I know!

New Year’s Eve Make-Up

By Tammi Ireland

Another year over, and a massive party to celebrate the new one – 2012 – a huge year for me, you, and everyone we know. Let’s bring it in with a bang!  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Need some inspiration for parties tonight?  Here are our top five favourite looks…

THE RED LIP

Sophistication. Sex. Smouldering.

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THE WINGED EYE

Classy. Fun. Clean.

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THE BRIGHT LIP

Fun. Summery. Kooky.

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THE NATURAL ENHANCEMENT

Fresh. Sensual. Classy.

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THE GLITTER EYE

Party. Crazy. Bold.

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Whichever look you choose, be sure to rock it with your head held high and a fierce expression.

Happy New Year from all at Coveted Canvas!

Xx

Botanics of Australia – Making Aussies Smell Great since 2011

By Tammi Ireland

Botanics of Australia is another of my latest great discoveries. Inspired by nature, boa allowed me to take time, relax, treat my body and smell amazing all at once when using their products.  It was an amazing experience.

I like to have fun with my products.

The boa Smoothing Body Scrub is the brand’s hero product thanks to its delicious lime smell.  It’s extremely zingy and took me a while to place the scent, which I decided reminded me of the lime lollies I used to get post-netball games as a child.  Fresh smelling and with delightful little Wattleseed exfoliants, the scrub has made its way into my ‘everyday essentials’.  Hero. 

Nail It!

By Tammi Ireland

Playing around with nail polish has got to be one of a girls’ favourite pastimes. Bright, dull, matte, metallic, monotone or ombre – there’s a nail style for everyone. Recently, I’ve got on to the Beyoncé ombre nail bandwagon, mixing up colours and having fun with matching different shades.

This was my manicure last week:

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My left hand was the direct opposite of this, with more red polish than silver.  I am in love with this shade of OPI, ‘Got the Blues for Red’ (RRP $21).  It’s a blue-toned red that goes on cherry (one coat) and ends up blood red (two coats).  Interspersed with the limited edition Face of Australia Molten Metallics in ‘Titanium’ (RRP$4.95), it looks quite amazing.  The Molten Metallics range is hit or miss, but ‘Titanium’ and ‘White Gold’ are definitely two to snap up before the collection is discontinued this month.

This week, I trialled some new polishes on the market…

Scents and Sensibility

By Tammi Ireland

Just over two months ago, I packed all my books, magazines, clothes and shoes into boxes and lugged them out of my parent’s place and into a one-bedroom to call my own.  I was living the life, decorating my little flat with the goods I’d collected over the years and cheating on all things fashion with furniture.  Times change though, and the bliss I used to get from living alone and cooking whatever I wanted for dinner has now dissipated and made way for routine and ritual once more.  The only thing that changed the feel of my teeny apartment is to imagine it as a place of refuge from the busy workday, done by changing its scent.

The Aromatherapy Co. Madame Plume 'Blue Mood'

A sucker for anything sweet (in both shape and scent), The Aromatherapy Co.‘s Madame Plume diffuser ticked all the boxes.  With a jar that actually looks like it belongs on display that flays the reeds beautifully, ‘Blue Mood’ is the perfect subtle scent.  Not so overpowering that it hits me in the face when I walk in the door, this ‘Blue Mood’ is a bargain at $24.95.

T x

Embracing the Chub

By Tammi Ireland

Chubby Sticks.  Cute name, cuter product.

Cute!

These quaint balms will nourish your lips while tinting them with just a hint of colour.  Ditch your old Chapstick for one of these, instead!  I’ve been wearing ‘Honey’ religiously for the past few days as it gives the perfect complimentary golden brown colour to my brown hair, without the look of lipstick and with a balmy feel!  It’s low maintenance colour for the soft-lip lover!

Chubby’s recently caused quite the stir at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, too…

RRP: $35.

T x

Want to Wear Lippy this Winter? Here’s Your Stepping Stone.

By Ali Sims

As we cross over into the winter months (slowly but surely), everything seems to darken. I don’t just mean the obvious change from sunny to overcast, but hairstyles change from sun kissed to brunette, clothes go from bright patterns to dark statement pieces and for some, the fake tan gets darker in a bid to make up for the lack of sun.

Makeup for Fall/Winter 2011 has followed trend, with a more gothic/vampire feel, featuring dark plum lips contrasted with bright pale skin.

This past weekend I was lucky enough to trial the ‘Sheer Lip Colour’ Lipstick by Sax in a sheer deep plum.  I was a little wary that it was quite a statement colour so I thought it would be best to test drive in doors before going out.

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To my surprise it was actually a very deceptive colour, the lipstick itself looks quite dark, but then when applied it was like a moisturising gloss, leaving my lips looking stained and very natural. I felt like this shade of plum was like a training bra to the real thing.

Changes Can Be Good

At the very end of last year, I underwent a massive change that ultimately resulted in me changing my relationship status from ‘In a Relationship’ to ‘Single’ on Facebook.  And as I bid adieu to the man who was no longer my boyfriend, I decided it was time to also say farewell to the long, luscious locks he loved so much.  Goodbye Victoria’s Secret model, hello Leigh Lezark*.

The new me... kind of.

And while I changed my curly ends to a blunt bob, the switch from balayaged beach hair to solid brown-red colour was (and still is!) the hardest change to get used to.

Luckily, the repackaged Wella SP take-home products made the change – and the pain – a little more bearable by allowing me to get the most out of the new me.