Where have all the wild boys gone?

I love Liz Hurley. In fact, she is the only person on earth who I can tolerate wearing white ‘regular rise’ jeans. But must she do this to her men?

Is it me, or are her and Shame Warne beginning to look the same?

Image: http://www.mrpaparazzi.com/

Now, I know I used to love nothing better than taking the piss out of him at Newlands, but I have to admit I’d rather he looked like the good ol’ Lizard of Oz than this creepy permatanned Cliff Richard wannabe...Please Liz, pretty (boy) please!

Long time, no see

It's been a while, I know. Since I spoke to you last, I've failed a Classics exam, aced an archaeology one, and launched a new lifestyle website: www.beautopia.co.za

The process of building a website is not an easy one - I have discovered that I really don't like Wordpress, and that many people are not online inclined.

But I will get there, and when I do, I will happily show all those who said I couldn't 2 very manicured fingers!

Whinging over, I have some exciting news for coffee lovers out there.
The Neighbourgoods market will host the I Love Coffee festival on 30 July.
You'll find all the deets at ilovecoffee.co.za

The importance of being Bieber?

Apparently it’s not just me who thinks he sounds like a 12 year old girl, and in fact, I know 12 year old girls with deeper voices.

Below is a ‘funny coz it’s true’ piece from www.fashionista.com – hysterical!!

Despite his ability to attract a crowd of a zillion screeching tweens, to sell perfumed dog tags and nail polish, and to generally wreak havoc wherever he goes, there’s something the Biebs can’t do: sell magazines.

WWD reports this morning that his February 2011 Vanity Fair cover was the worst-selling issue for the glossy in 12 years. Selling just 246,000 copies, which is almost 100,000 copies less than Vanity Fair‘s average, the issue was a massive flop for the magazine. While this is perhaps not surprising (because what 11-year-old seeks out Vanity Fair?), the superstar’s mug can’t sell more age-appropriate magazines either.

Apparently even Teen Vogue‘s readers aren’t into the Biebs. Bieber’s’ October 2010 Teen Vogue cover was also a dud, WWD reports, selling just 121,054 issues, which is 12% less than its average sales that year.

Even the tabs are having a problem. People‘s April 2010, which featured Bieber on the cover, sold 25% less than its average sales. Rolling Stone and US Weekly also recently featured the crooner, but those stats aren’t available yet. We’re thinking that editors may start avoiding Bieber–at least for covers–like the plague.

East meets West for LV

East meets West in an 'oh so stylish' way for Louis Vuitton this season.
I just adore the fan - not sure you could justify R36 500, but I really love it!

Online buys for a rainy day

As this Cape Town weather is making me feel a little bleak, and making me not want to step foot outside, I decided to take my shopping urge online.

 As usual, I went for my fail safes – Topshop and ASOS.

 First up are these to-die-for AIM Suede Cut Out Booties from Topshop.

Followed by this cute tee

At ASOS I found these fabulous peg jersey trousers

And this cropped tux jacket with contrast lapels completed my outfit...

Now hopefully this all arrives before summer!

To get your fix: www.topshop.com and www.asos.com

Oh, and they both have sales on at the moment! You’re welcome!

Take a brow

www.eyecandybrows.co.za

Last week I had my brows threaded by Selma at Eye Candy in Woolworths at Cavendish, and I'm so happy with the result.

I've had by brows threaded before, but could never find a convenient place to have them done. So I'm really excited that I can have them done in a Woolies. For Northern suburbs girls, they are opening in the Canal Walk Woolworths soon, and townies can go to their city branch at 99c Kloof Street.

And don't worry, you don't have to sit in the middle of the beauty hall having your hairs ripped out - there are treatment rooms available. But I would recommend you do this after your shopping, so you can just nip round the corner and into the lifts.

For those of you who are new to threading - please give it a go. It changed my life not having to pluck or wax! And I promise it doesn't hurt any more than these methods either. Have a look at this video to see how it's done.

You can just pop to the counter in Woolies to make an appointment for when you've finished shopping, and for the town branch, call the beautiful brow hotline on 021.422.0046.

No so Glasto jealous!

I was feeling rather bleak this morning that friends of mine were heading off to Glasto, but after seeing this...not so much!

Blustery Cape Town is just fine, thanks!

Lashing out!

Giddy with excitement about the mail that just landed in my inbox.
Eyelash Central's winter range is now available online.

There are simply too many that I want. I don't wear faslies often, but I want them anyway! They have a huge range of normal, black lashes, but these are just too fantastic not to share (theses are not the actual names, so I've added style numbers):

Glitter disco - 164

90s Neon - 166

My faves - 167

Dotty divine - 168

Winter white - 169

What Christian did next...

We all know Monseuir Louboutin’s shoes are works of art, and now they literally are.      

For his latest collection, he has teamed-up with photographer, Peter Lippmann to recreate a series of classic masterpieces incorporating the autumn/winter 2011 collection.

Here are the artworks themselves:

Marie-Guilleme Benoit’s Portrait d’une negresse features the Balda boot

James McNeil's Whistlers’ Mother showcases the Tootsie boot

Francois Clouet’s Madame au Pigalilli et Catalina shows the Pigalilli court and the Catalina clutch

Georges de la Tour’s Magdalene and the Flame shows the Puck boot

Jean-Marc Nattier’s Madame Marie Henriette Berthelot de Pleneuf features the Artemis shoulder bag

Francisco De Zurbaran St Casilda showcases 8 Mignons sandal

Tres magnifique, non?

Visit the website
christianlouboutin.com

Tactile Textiles at Louis Vuitton

This season Louis Vuitton has teamed-up with Belgian born, Berlin based artist, François Cadière to create an amazing new Eden scarf, inspired by Berlin’s street culture.

The scarves, stoles and shawls in the collection have been reincarnated by Marc himself – he’s added a detachable bow to one scarf and two pompoms to another scarf to make them more versatile.

Leopard and zebra print, hearts, maps and Monogram flowers complete the print library of the Fall Textiles Collection.

Ice, Ice Baby!

I’ve heard some people talking about some kind of economic recession, but I don’t believe them as there is a company in London called Cherish...ME who is offering the world’s most expensive manicure.

The Iced Manicure is exclusive to say the very least. Before you can even think about having one, you have to have a consultation with Cherish and her team. The manicure involves carefully applying 10 carats of brilliant cut diamonds to your finger tips. If you think that’s ridiculous, you’ll weep at the price tag of US$51 000, or roughly R340 000!

But you’ll be glad to hear that price does include ‘complimentary’ maintenance and removal of the diamonds. And after they’ve been removed, they offer a bespoke jewellery service, so you can turn them into a piece of jewellery.

Angelina for Louis Vuitton

The rumours are true. Angelina Jolie has been photographed in Cambodia by Annie Leibovitz for Louis Vuitton’s Core Values Ad campaign.

She was photographed in the Siem Reap province, sitting on a traditional boat next to her LV Alto holdall in Monogram canvas (she has owned one for years).
The tagline reads: "A single journey can change the course of a life. Cambodia, May 2011." Describing Angelina’s feeling from her first trip to Cambodia.
In true Angelina style, her fee for the campaign, which is reported to be around the US$10 million mark, is being donated to charity.
See more of the Journeys.

How to repair a broken eyeshadow/bronzer/blush

YouTube is amazing! I’ve learnt some fantastic and some ridiculous things on there, but this is one I know all of you are going to love!

How many times have you dropped your favourite compact, and smashed it to smithereens? I know, me too! But now we have make-up artist, Kandee Johnson to show us how to repair a broken eyeshadow, bronzer or blush. It’s so much easier than you’d image – no more crying into your powder puffs!

What you need:

• shattered eyeshadow
• a coin, or something the same size as the compact you’re fixing
• rubbing alcohol
• tissue
• butter knife
• syringe
• sandwich bag or cling wrap

1: Place the shattered compact into the plastic bag, or stretch the cling film over the top of the powder.

2: Hold the plastic tightly across the top of the powder and, using the back of the butter knife, smash all the remaining bits of the compact into a fine powder.

3: Once you have a fine powder, use a syringe to pop a few squirts of the rubbing alcohol into the powder. Make sure the powder is saturated. 

4: Next put the tissue over the top of the powder, and place the coin (or whatever you’re using) onto of it. Then press down on it like your life depends on it. Really – you have to push seriously hard to compact the powder as much as possible.

5: Wait for it to dry, and off you go!

Watch video of Kandee here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0IatsKbvGU

Icy cool

Yesterday I went to the launch of a new brand to SA: Polaar. I should start by explaining the name and logo. The products all contain polar plants – the founder of the brand, Daniel Kurbiel is from a family of polar explorers, so the name Polaar means ‘from the polar regions’, and the double ‘a’ stands for Arctic and Antarctic. Then, you’ll see that it looks like the name is cut in half – it’s an iceberg, genius! For more on the brand’s history, visit the website. Not all of the products on there are available here yet, but good things and all that...

The brand started out as a male orientated brand, but they have thankfully made a range for us girls too.

There are 14 products available for the boys, and they’re divided into man-cave like groups. Think clean, then shave, moisturise, then repair (anti-age, if needed), and finally body. The packaging is suitably male, and all the products do exactly what it says on the tube. The directions are also very succinct and simple.

The most exciting product in the men’s range, for me, is the Very Different Shaving Oil. It’s a jellified oil, which means you won’t lose half of it down the sink! The other clever feature is that it creates a pale white film, so you can always see where the razor has been.

On the girls’ side, there are 15 products from 6 groups to choose from.

The range I can’t wait to get my hands on is the Supra Vitamin range, which comprises a Face Cleanser, Scrub, Perfecting Radiance Serum, Nourishing Radiance Cream and Eye Contour. The miracle plant contained in all of these products is Siberian Olive, which is a small arctic berry which contains 3 times more vitamin E than sunflower oil, 9 times more pro-vitamin A than carrots, and 30 times more vitamin C than oranges. They say dynamite comes in small packages, and this little berry contains 108 natural bioactive elements!

The 2 products in the Ice Source range are made from encapsulated glacier water: Micellar Cleansing Lotion and a Moisturizing Cream-Gel.

Antarctic glycoproteins were found at the bottom of the Admiralty Bay glacier in Antarctica, and are used in the 3 products in the Age Defy range for their anti-aging properties. The products are designed for the first signs of aging for all skin types: Reshaping and Lifting Cream, Intense Youth Serum and Smoothing Eye Contour.

The body range is called Pure Fitness, and there are 3 great products: Toning Shower Gel; Rehydrating Body Milk; and a natural alum stone Mineral Deodorant.

My favourite product in the collection is the Icy Magic Instant Eye Contour Multi Energiser – a very clever little product which has an ice cold metal ball which you use to massage on the serum. This helps with eye bags, and the cold makes the skin contract. The serum contains tetrapeptides, which fight free radicals, and helps water retention in the area drain away; and Siberian Ginseng, which is very high in micronutrients which strengthens and stimulates the skin. I fear this may become more of a feature in my skincare routine than 8 hour cream!

The last product is the Extreme Care Intensive Hand Cream, and they’re not kidding. It’s the richest hand cream I’ve ever tried. But unlike other rich creams, it absorbs very quickly, and doesn’t leave a sticky film.

I haven’t been this excited about a launch for ages, and I really can’t wait to become an addict!

Polaar is available at selected Foschini stores countrywide.

All pictures are from the Polaar website: www.polaar.com

Viva MAC!

I've just recieved some amazing news in my inbox from MAC. Their Aids Fund does some incredible work in the field, and now they have decided to invest $2 million over the next 2 years towards the care of survivours of rape and sexual assault in SA.
I've always loved MAC, not only for their make-up, but also for their humanitairian work, and the fact that they have decided to invest here is just so wonderful.

Hillary Clinton is involved, and you can be too by buying Viva Glam products. Find out more about the Viva Glam Campaign here.

I've pasted the official press release below, as I can't really explain it any better

M·A·C AIDS FUND & U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE PARTNER TO EXPAND CARE FOR SURVIVORS OF RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN SOUTH AFRICA
NEW COLLABORATION IN SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SOUTH AFRICA WILL HELP PROVIDE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, COUNSELING AND HIV/AIDS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

JUNE 2, 2011 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – South African survivors of sexual assault and rape will soon have greater access to needed medical, legal and psychosocial services through the expansion of the Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs) network. Because of South Africa’s high HIV prevalence, survivors of sexual violence are at high risk of becoming infected with HIV/AIDS. Evidence has also shown that women living with HIV/AIDS are at higher risk of experiencing violence.
At the June 2 event with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the M·A·C AIDS Fund announced a commitment of $2 million over the next two years to expand the TCC network through the launch of new TCC centers and the extension of operating hours at existing clinics.
The founding partners in this public-private initiative are the Office of Global Women’s Issues at the Department of State, the M·A·C AIDS Fund, the USAID Regional Mission in South Africa, and the South African Government’s National Prosecuting Agency/Sexual Offensives and Community Affairs Unit(NPA/SOCA). 

The M·A·C AIDS Fund’s contribution will leverage the $18.9 million that the U.S. government has committed to the program to date. 

In addition to Secretary Clinton, the launch announcement event was attended by John Demsey, Group President Estée Lauder Companies/Chairman M·A·C AIDS Fund; Karen Buglisi, Global Brand President M·A·C Cosmetics/ M·A·C AIDS Fund Board Member; and Nancy Mahon, Global Executive Director of the M·A·C AIDS Fund and Senior Vice President of M·A·C Cosmetics. “As a company, M·A·C commits 100 percent of the sale price of VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass to support HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and education. We also partner with powerful women such as Lady Gaga to spread the message of empowerment around the globe,” said John Demsey,
Chairman of the M·A·C AIDS Fund.”We are particularly focused on supporting programs that address the root causes of HIV/AIDS and we are proud to join with the governments of South Africa and the U.S. in expanding this innovative and successful program.”
The TCC Network was launched by the South African government in 1999 with the support of the US Government to ensure that survivors of sexual violence, including women and children, have access to services, including HIV/AIDS testing, prevention, and treatment programs. The program is also supported by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in South Africa.
According to UNAIDS (2010), an estimated 5.6 million people are living with HIV in South Africa, 3.3 million of which are women and 330,000 are children. The most recent statistics also show that the rate of HIV infection among women in South Africa is as high as 29 percent.


“Through the TCCs the South African Government is helping to ensure that survivors of sexual violence receive the medical, psychological, and HIV-related services they need to end the cycle of violence and move forward with healthier lives,” said Nancy Mahon, Global Executive Director of the M·A·C AIDS Fund “We are honored to partner with the South African Government’s Department of Justice, specifically the National Prosecuting Authority’s Sexual Offenses and Community Affairs unit and the U.S. Department of State to help expand this critical network.”
In keeping with its mission of reaching those at greatest risk of infection and targeting resources to address key drivers of HIV/AIDS in specific regions, the M·A·C AIDS Fund has donated over $19.6 million USD to combat the staggering HIV epidemic in South Africa, $6 million of which was directed to expanding access to prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services. An additional $3 million has been committed to the South African Leadership Initiative in partnership with the Human Sciences Research Council, the Columbia University HIV Center, and the UCLA Center for Global Health, to build local South African leadership capacity in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

ABOUT THE M·A·C AIDS FUND
The M·A·C AIDS Fund, the heart and soul of M·A·C Cosmetics, was established in 1994 to support men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally. MAF is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS funding, providing financial support to organizations working with underserved regions and populations. As the largest corporate non-pharmaceutical giver in the arena, MAF is committed to addressing the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS by supporting diverse organizations around the world that provide a wide range of services to people living with HIV/AIDS. To date, MAF has raised $218 million (U.S) exclusively through the sale of M·A·C’s VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass donating 100 percent of
the sale price to fight HIV/AIDS. For more information visit http://www.macaidsfund.org/

Friday's find

I love this tea holder from @home. It's got 6 compartments, and is made from bamboo. Looks very good on my counter! I only drink Earl Grey and Green, but hey - 3 each also works.

I want it!

I know it's been a while - been lost in Ancient History exams. But have found something I want to share...

I know it’s a bit early (or late), but this is what I want for Christmas! Mini Library Bookshelf, R12995, from Coricraft. It’s 2.4m high; 2.4m wide and 400mm deep. And it comes with a ladder – I’ve always wanted one of those!

Saturday fashion fix

I've bagged myself one of these jumpers from Country Road. Prefect for this in-between season - it's lightweight, but still quite warm. The batwing makes it super comfy, and I just love the cowl neck - far more flattering than polo neck.

Stripe Cowl Neck Batwing Jumper, R499, Country Road

Fab new beauty find

I've recently discovered the Freeman Feeling Beautiful range. The range is made of all natural ingredients, so doesn't contain any nasties. It is quite a big range comprising of masks, scrubs and cleansers - each one sounding more delicious than the next. Mint & Lemon, Chocolate & Strawberry and Kiwi & Yogurt are all flavours from the range - sounds more like a trip to a bakery than a beauty counter.
My favourite, though is the Facial Clay Mask with Avo and Oatmeal. It's a thick clay mask which draws-out impurities, but doesn't leave my skin feeling tight like most clay masks. You'll find the range at Dis-Chem stores, and the products retail for around R60 for 150ml, so great value for money too!

Shoe in!

These are the ‘everyday’ shoe porn for today. I got these babies from Kelso at Edgars for a bargain R250.

They’re going to be teamed with a denim mini, grey sweater and black tights.

Will let you know how comfortable they are for a day of running around.

PS – They also come in black.

Happy day!

Just made a wonderful discovery - Charles Worthington hair products are now available at Clicks. I swore by these products when I lived in London, so I'm very excited that they're finally here!

These are my 2 favourites:

Brilliant Shine Shampoo for Strikingly Shiny Hair (with a Crystal extract which helps wash away impurities), and Moisture Seal Conditioner for Exquisitely Nourished Hair(which contains Aragn Oil to deeply nourish), R94.99 each.

Yayness for today! :-)