Make my day

Shopping shopping shopping.  I didn't go nuts but what I did buy was gold.  Some items I truly love that I would never have been able to get here or if I did, they'd be triple the cost! My faaaavouite stores clearly would be Sephora and Urban Outfitters.  I am absolutely in love with these stores.  Sephora sadly don't ship to Oz, but alas, Urban Outfitters do!  This is the BEST news ever haha and I have already put an order in since being home.

my best beauty buys from ol' US of A are...

1) Korres Watermelon Tinted Moisturiser

This product was my saving grace.  One of the 1st items I bought on my trip.  From Sephora at Westfield Culver City. Being summer in the states, and HOT I didn't want to wear much makeup but still wanted to be protected and even my skin tone.  This is SPF 30+ and the colour is great (sand), the texture smooth and so quick to put on.  Staying with boys for 2 weeks the last thing I wanted was to be in the bathroom all morning getting ready so I'd whack this on plus some eye makeup and was always ready for my closeups ;) 

2) Urban Decay Naked Palette

When it came to eye shadows, I went empty handed because this was something I knew i'd stock up on.  I had no idea on the hype surrounding this particular product, simply bought it because it was rad and good value.  Now its in high demand and people are frothing over it. This little palette contains 12 shades that work from day to night, stay on forever and have great colour payoff - winner!

3) Noir Tease by Victoria Secret
Eu De Parfum & Body Lotion

Sweet and sexy!  I fell in love with this scent when I was at Victoria Secret Culver City but didn't buy it.  When I went into the store in Beverly Hills 3 weeks later,  it was a nice surprise to find out the full size body lotion came free with the perfume, scoooore!

4) Nars Laguna/Orgasm duo

I'd being dying to get my hands on this but refused to pay over $70 here in Australia for it.  So for a tidy $39 I picked one up. A natural non orangey bronzer (a winner in the makeup world) with a sweet subtle pink peach blush, what more do you need huh?

5) Laura Mercier Mineral Powder

love it, but on par with most other mineral powders out there.  Was great to use over the top of my foundation or tinted moisturiser

Stay tuned for my Non Beauty Buys and the Best Eats!

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God Bless America

It's been forever since I've been on here blaaaaa I have a million excuses but who cares.
So anyway America was good to me.  It was amazing, the people are the friendliest and most well mannered, caring people.  I have zero complaints and can't wait to go back.

What I got up to:

Chevelle & Sevendust playing for Carnival of Madness

 Cajun Dome Layfayette Louisiana

House Of Blues New Orleans

I have so much love for old Nola

Republic, by far the best club I've ever been to. Good times :)

Shopping at Rennaisance in Jackson Mississippi 

McComb Mississippi 

playing with a 12gauge 

 Graceland  Memphis Tennessee

   

Elvis's luxury car collection

Sun Studios

Beale St Memphis

 Blues City Cafe best meal eveeeer 

 

Santa Monica Pier 

 

Beverly Hills 

Cinema Makeup School LA 

Citadel Outlet Mall East LA 

 

one foot in front of the other

Still working on my portfolio.  Have been keeping in regular contact with one particular photographer (Michael) generally hashing out shoot ideas and trying to organise models.  We enjoy working together and have a mutual trust which is great.  We did this shoot last weekend, always fun and always learning lots and lots trying to improve on our skills and get a feel for the industry.  He was kind enough to sponsor my Model Mayhem page and upgraded my account to Premium!  SO so kind, a good deed was done for me and I am extremely grateful. 

Models April Vaughan & Rob Bampton

In other news, I have an appointment with the Cinema Makeup School in LA on Aug 30th to do a tour of the school.  I am so excited to meet and greet and get a feel for the place. 2011 is beckoning great things, I can feel it.  We  are halfway through 2010 and boy has it been an amazing year for personal growth and peace.  Every day I wake up thankful and know that there is a wonderful future ahead of me.

x

walk through my dream

A couple of weeks ago I came down with a tummy bug, I was pretty sick.  I had a day off work and popped on Lord Of The Rings the Two Towers into the dvd player and fell asleep.  The next day I woke up fine, but of course I couldn't not watch the rest of the movie and then the Return Of The King.  Every night before bed over the last couple of weeks I would watch a little more, until finally I got to the end.  Now I have seen these movies over and over but this time around I felt inspired.  The makeup and special effects were singing to me and I had an epiphany... hey I could do this, I could be the one creating these visions!

I have been doing a few makeup shoots here and there but to be honest I don't feel like my creativity is being channelled or challenged.  I am currently looking into Special Effects and Film/Television makeup courses.  They are extremely expensive and even more so as I will probably attend a school in the USA.  I have been in contact with Cinema Makeup School in LA and I will arrange an appointment to see them when I visit in August.  It's all very exciting, and I am loving having aspirations right now.  I hope you all are working towards something great also.  Nothing is out of reach; if you believe, you will succeed.

That's the other thing, I have my first overseas trip planned next month.  Can you believe it has taken me this long, I am 28 and now just getting out there.  It has taken many years to get the maturity and Independence to be comfortable enough though.  It goes to show that timing is everything.  I will be flying into LA then to Birmingham Alabama where my friend lives.  We will then have 2 weeks to drive around and explore the Southern parts of the USA.  I fly back and stay in Beverly Hills overnight and will spend the whole day shopping.  Any great shopping centres you guys want to fill me in on, please do.  YAY!
x

my blonde curls slice through your heart

A friend of mine recently introduced me to the music of Bat For Lashes, what rock have I been under? She wows me to the core with her incredible voice and quirky style. 

 images by Brooke Nipar photgraphy 

Here's a little makeup inspired by the gorgeous and talented Natasha. You can totally do this with eyeshadows or lip tars but I really wanted to get the body paints out and the colour obviously packs punch.

Basically all you do is mix body paint with a mixing medium to thin it out.  I used OCC skin, or you could use water.  A syringe comes in handy but basically all you do is make a mess and voila!

 

Derivan body paints in fluro pink, fluro blue, blue, green and white
x

great heights

Now you all know I am a lover not a hater but a few weeks ago I had to do my best to breathe through an extremely wacky evening at the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove.

It was a Napoleon Perdis masterclass and let me tell you it was a spectacle.  Kicking off at 6.30pm I arrived and was greeted with a glass of champagne which I clung to like a dog with a bone, downing it in seconds as the wave of cocktail dresses, strappy heels, hairspray and troweled on makeup enveloped me in it's Gold Coast predictability.

In apparent superstar fashion  Napoleon was 45 minutes late.  We were all seated, I gave up my seat so two old ladies could sit together (good deed for the night, check!) 

The 'show' was opened by a girl and 2 male dancers dancing to a horrible European pop song, cheesy and camp doesn't describe it well enough.

As a big instrumental piece of music blared over the speakers, I felt like I was preparing for battle or something. Images of Napoleon and his celebrity clients flashed before our eyes on two massive Lcd screens.  He marched his way down the middle aisle and took his place on the stage.  After greeting us he asked for his Australian Flag and ordered us all to stand and sing along with him to the national anthem.  I was so gobsmacked I literally stood there the whole time with my mouth open.  I had no idea why who where what was going on... was this a master class or not?

After we were all seated he proceeded with the master class, each of his mignons specialty trained artists were introduced to us, along with their models as they displayed to us their techniques and the latest trends (apparently blue eyeshadow is back)

There was an intermission, again the dancers come out this time busting moves to Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Napoleon of course has a costume change (oh dear)
I was clock watching when all of a sudden the finale was announced... oh the finale! Michael Jackson 'They don't really care about us' comes blaring on, the clip playing on the screens, the dancers come back out AND all the models, artists and Napoleon start dancing on the stage, they encouraged the whole audience to get up... (what the!?) SO I got up and got amongst it! Seriously dancing for 2 minutes like a fruit loop was the highlight of my night, I then hightailed it out of there with my goody bag and laughed all the way home :)

material girl

To one of the most beautiful, eccentric, sexy and fascinating women of our lifetime, Happy Birthday Marilyn Monroe.

products used:  Cinema Secrets concealer palette #1, Mac NC25 powder, Masquerade blush palette, Urban Decay Zero pencil eyeliner, Revlon Scarlet Velvet lipstick, La Femme 083 lashes.

The Icon would have been 84 years old this week,  Her beauty and brain mystifies me and I will forever celebrate her life.

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