Merry Christmas EVERYONE!!

Well it is my last day of work, finally!!! Bring on the Holidays! 
Here is my next attempt at Christmas nails which I was inspired by the gorgeous Elise from Stuffthatibought and the Nail File, who is quite the nail expert!


I bought a Rimmel "Red Carpet" red and used Orly "Luxe" and I used Elise "sticky tape" technique. 


I absolutely love them and I think I will def be doing a different version for New Years!!


But for now I am off to eat, drink and be merry and get lots of pressies!!


Talk soon!


miss chew
xx

Ponytails- getting you from party to party in the silly season!

I woke up this morning and was so tired from these late nights, I didn't have the time, or energy to wash and blow dry my hair.  So I did what I normally do in this circumstance which is spray my roots (not directly on the roots) with Batiste Dry Shampoo for Brunette hair and gave my roots a quick blow dry. Not only does this soak up any oil in your hair but it also gives my hair volume to create a hairstyle similar to good old Jennifer Anniston here. 


I prefer to keep a few bits loose at the front and once it is all pulled back into a pony I gently pull out some of the bits up the top to give my hair some extra volume. 


See some more pics for some pony tail inspiration...

Note how there are a few subtle differences...


They also make beautiful chandelier earrings look amazing...


miss chew


xx

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

I wouldn't be much of a beauty blogger if I hadn't found a way to get some Christmas cheer into my beauty life! My first attempt at it is through nail design, this is also is my first attempt at nail art, ever!
I decided to go with something simple such as the dots in Christmas colours.

For colours I used:
White: Essie Ballet Slippers
Green: China Glaze Four Leaf Clover
Red: China Glaze Heli-Yum

To do this yourself: I painted my nails white and then waited til they were almost dry. Then I used a metal skewer to do the dots. On a piece of paper I put a dollop of the colours which I then gently did each row. I waited a really long time (in nail drying time) before I paint 2 top coats to seal in the colours.

I want to experiment with other styles for Christmas as I think it's fun and festive! I have had many compliments so I encourage you to try it out!

miss chew

xx

Christmas Fun

On the weekend at my friends Christmas party my gorgeous friend and hostess baked these amazing gingerbread biscuits! I just had to share them with you!

Isn't he adorable!!

Get in my belly!

Rather then the traditional santa hat which does nothing for my hair, I opted to get my hair curled with a GHD (I spent the day at a day spa, probs why my skin is GLOW-ING, and popped this delightful tinsel around my hair, very 70's!


Hope you are all having a blast and are getting amongst the silly season!!


miss chew


xx

Benefit Full Finish Lipstick- Pillow Talk

I do love my bright lipsticks, like bright nail polish I have really embraced bright coloured makeup 2011 and this Benefit Full Finish Lipstick and Pillow Talk-$36 was my favourite, you naughty minx you! She is no exception. Out of a new range of 9 new lipsticks comes this soft, smooth, hydrating lipstick in the most adorable colours.
Not only do I love to wear it but it makes my lips so soft which last really well throughout the day.
The colour is nice and strong and Pillow Talk really is the most beautiful pink.


Pillow Talk, Shy and Saucy



It is so hard to see this colour properly, it is much brighter in real life

I love Benefit prodocts they are really designed with a women's body in mind and women need lipsticks which don't dry our lips out and that provide colour which adds warmth to our faces and with beautiful, sexy packaging...

You can find: Benefit products in Benefit Counters, selected Myer and online from stores like http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/.

miss chew

xx

Strip your pores for good!

Black heads are the bane of my existence, always creeping up on me when I least expect it, kind of like a cat! I was in need of a quick solution and these guys are just the trick. Biore deep cleansing pore strips- (approx $6-sorry I can't remember).

These strips gently pull out the oil and dity build up in the pores across your nose.

 

To use: when your nose is clean, you wet your nose and whilst wet peel the strip off the see through sheet of plastic and stick on your nose. Leave it on pretty much til it becomes firm which is about 5-10 mins and then very, very gently peel of your nose.

 

If you are curious, check out the little strip, yes it is kinda gross, but you are a curious little cat aren't you? You will see lots of little black heads! ewww....

 

You can buy these: from Priceline and selected chemists.

 

For best results: do not use more often than once every three days.



Standard attractive shot of strip in use! haha



miss chew

 

xx

Need a new Perfume? Read this First!

I recently bought one of the deals on Our Deal which means I get a full price perfume for less than half price. What this also means is I need to pick a perfume. I had always been a girl who thought that having one perfume was enough. This changed recently when I visited my gorgeous friend Yasmin who absolutely loves her perfumes and definitley knows a things or two when it comes to what is available. She introduced me to so many amazing new scents that I never even knew were possible so I thought she was the perfect person to ask on what perfumes to try and to look out for when I am making my selection. Here I am able to provide you lucky readers with what she had to say. I actually printed this and will be taking it with me :)

Some hot and yummy perfumes right now are Mark Jacobs Daisy and Lola... they both made it into the top 5 sellers this year and they both have gorgeous bottles.
Balenciaga is gorgeous and violetty as is the new Love Chloe. I'm a fan of most Gucci fragrances though not that keen on their latest, "Guilty"

I love nearly all the Christian Dior fragrances... they are classics and their scents always seems to last a long time. J'adore and Dolce Vita are faves of mine.

If you want to go a classic like Chanel No.5 buy the Eau Premier version... they changed the formula to No.5 about 20 years ago and its a bit gacky now but No.5 Eau Premier is softer and more like the original fragrance that Marilyn Monroe used to wear.

Just remember when shopping for a fragrance to try it on your skin first... Sales assistants often try to give it to you on a piece of cardboard which is useless cause perfume reacts uniquely with every wearer.

Also if you want value for money go for an eau de parfum instead of an eau de Toilette. it has nearly twice as much actual perfume in it and so will smell stronger, last longer and have a more complex dry down.

Last tip: avoid the celebrity endorsed fragrances... apart from a few exceptions (Gwen Stefani LAMB being one) they tend to be uninspired crap with more thought gone into the marketing than the actual fragrance. Try to stick to the classic perfume or design houses or the more artisan collections.

I hope this helps you, I know it has massively helped me!

I will keep you updated with what I purchase.


What are your favourite perfumes at the moment?


miss chew


xx

TGIF! Christmas Fun!

A lovely girl from our office baked these gorgeous Christmas sugar cookies today!

Me eating the snowman's head!

Happy Friday!!

LOVE 

miss chew

xx

A light, easily absorbed SPF face cream!

I recently posted about Antipodes beautiful rejoice day moisturiser which I have been using pretty much every day (you can view that post here) but now with this weather really heating up and the sun shining so strong I have been switching it up with this one. The Antipodes Immortal Performance Plus with SPF 15- $49. Like other Antipodes products I have used, you only need the tiniest amount as it goes really far, this in my mind helps to justify the price.
It has SPF 15 which is the perfect amount in a moisturiser. Did you know that anymore then 15 and it is pretty much all sunscreen and not much of anything else, what fun is that?
What I really love is it is completely non greasy. In fact once I apply it to my skin I feel like I have to work quickly to rub it all over my face otherwise it will just completely dissolve into my skin!
It contains anti-ageing ingredients like raspberry oil, vivanza grape, ever since I discovered the magics of grapeseed oil, anything involving grapes on me, I am completely sold!
This cream smells amazing and it is a absolute pleasure to put it on of a morning. It provides great coverage and I haven't been burnt yet!

When I put it on in the morning I find I can put my foundation on after and it stays on well and doesn't slide off. Sometimes when I try moisturise then I put my foundation on, it's just too much and I feel like my skin is just drowning in creams, but it isn't the case with this one.

You can find Antipodes: In David Jones or online http://www.antipodesnature.com/

miss chew

xx


Please Note: This product was given to me to trial 

Radiate your skin with this beautiful exfoliating body wash

Being the huge fan of Burt's Bees that I am this product was the next on my list to try. This product Burt's Bees Radiance Exfoliating Body Wash with Royal Jelly and Jojoba beads- $19.95. It really is wonderful. It has tiny little beads which are delicate on your skin, it smells wonderful, like all Burt's Bees products do slightly sweet.
It gently removes dead skin cells from the surface of your skin and I love to use it on my hand mittens when I am exfoliating my skin, the night before I fake tan in the shower. Not only does my skin feel delightfully smooth but I smell delicious!

You can buy Burt's Bees: In David Jones, Myer, Priceline and selected stores.

To find out more: You can visit their website at http://www.burtsbees.com.au/

miss chew

xx


Please note: This product was given to me to trial 

Handy Work- Hissyfit, Keeping your hands young and beautiful

If you are like me and are sun conscious, good girl! If not, you should learn, really you should learn, like now...
One thing I have learnt over the years is that first of all, you should be wearing sun protection in some shape or form every day...This includes wearing sunscreen either in tinted moisturiser or actual sunscreen, a hat, clothes that actually cover you and sunnies. Sunnies keep you from getting those nasty wrinkles from squinting!
The nifty extra piece of advice that I got was when you apply your sunscreen to your face you should also apply it down your neck and to your decollatage and lastly to your HANDS! Yes, your hands! Hands are one of the first areas to show signs of damage and ageing so you need to protect your hands, pronto! 
Now I don't normally write a review so soon after receiving a product but I was bursting with joy to tell you all about this little one!
This is where the guys at Hissyfit have come up with the goods!
This handcream called Handy Work- $24.95 has SPF 30+ so it gives your hands which, quite frankly see more sunshine then any other body part, full protection!
So as you apply your handcream throughout the day you know you are giving your hands the best chance to retain their youthfullness.
The cream has a rather unusual scent of orange and mint which smells a bit like jaffas. It is really moisturising and is really non greasy thanks to its Aloe and Vitamin E.
I keep this baby at my desk/handbag to reapply throughout the day, especially before I pop outside, like normal sunscreen. 
The great thing is that it doesn't "feel" like a sunscreen!


You can find Hissyfit products: At David Jones and selected chemists. Also online at www.hissyfit.com.au 


miss chew


xx

Please note: This product was given to me to try 

My Amazing Weekend!!

I thought I would do a little after thought on my amazing weekend, between seeing Muse and my 1 year anniversary it was a busy, big, wonderful weekend. Here are a few snaps!

Me and my man, waiting for Muse

And they begin... god he is cool!

How cool is that stage??

My beautiful flowers sitting on my bed in the morning

Us at the zoo!!

Great weekend!
What did you all get up to?


miss chew


xx

Hydrating your hair, giving it that extra boost!

Now that I have a new hair do I have blonde in my hair, this means in a way I have caused some damage to my hair. My hair is drier and gets really knotty when wet.
I am trying to repair it and get it back to my silky shiny normal hair.
To do this not only am I using shampoos and conditioners specifically for colour treated hair but I am also using this leave in treatment. 
It contains: 
• Arnica- rich in vitamins A-D
• Chamomile- a natural emollient
• Yarrow- to soothe and condition
• Nettle- nourishing to the scalp
• Fennel- for smoothing and softening
• Sage- refreshing properties• Hops- a skin and hair softener
(thanks to adore beauty, sorry it's Monday morning and I am still buggered from the weekend)

This little baby makes my hair so incredibly soft and silky, it really does and it well worth it. 


To use it, you only need about a 10 cent piece (I have really long hair) and I work it in to towel dried hair and then style as normal. I try not to get it too close to my scalp or it can make my hair a bit oily. 


You can buy Terax from www.adorebeauty.com.au or from David Jones. 


Cost: $29.95.


miss chew


xx


Please note: This product was given to me to trial 

TGIF- What are you up to this weekend?

This weekend is very special to me and I have been looking forward to it for a long time. Why you ask?
Well tonight I am going with my boyfriend to see Muse our favourite band. The last time I saw them was at Big Day Out this year and when we heard one particular song we decided to make that "our song" as it described our feeling that we felt for each other. 
Tonight we will be seeing this band again and we will hear "our song" the night before our one year anniversary!!

Our anniversary is tomorrow and my boyfriend who has never surprised me with anything has planned the whole thing and I couldn't be more excited!!
The weather sounds like it will be nice and sunny so it should be an amazing day!
This has honestly been the best year of my life with him and I love him so much!
Ok I will stop with the corny...

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!


miss chew


xx

Send those eye bags a packing with Gernetic!

This little baby is quite possibly the saviour product of the party season!


Why is that? Well, thanks for asking, this product is responsible for decreasing those pesky little bags under your eyes that set up shop this time of year. With all this lack of sleep due to many parties it really can show under your eyes.

How do you use it? Well each morning when you are feeling particularily sleepy and it is showing you apply this masque on freshly cleansed skin under your eyes, I extend it right out the outter corner of my eyes and leave it on for 15 minutes. I pop it on then get dressed or have brekkie, that sort of thing. Then with a damp cotton bud I gently wipe away. Now this may sting a little bit, but it wasn't enough to bother me.


How does it work? It actually encourages lymphatic drainage which takes the puffiness out of those bags!
It's active ingredients include artichoke and wild camomile (not what I would have thought of) but for me, it makes a huge difference, it has saved me on so many occasions.

You can find Gernetic products in beauty salons or by looking here.

I really think that this is a nifty little product to keep in your beauty cabinet.

miss chew

xx

Chanel Nail Polish, understanding the hype!

So I finally got my first Chanel nail polish. I have wanted to try them for ages as I have heard such good things about them and honestly, I was curious to know what all the hype was about.
The colour I chose was 505 and is a beautiful taupe colour, a kind of colour I have been wanting for ages. I think this colour is a great sophisticated work colour.
When I used this polish it went on like a dream. I actually found it a lot easier to make my nails neater.
Also I barely needed a second coat as the formular was so beautiful and smooth. The colour wasn't streaky and dried really quickly.
So no stuff ups and it lasts really well.
I totally, totally get it and will be wanting to add more to my colllection. Due to the price I will probably stick with the old faithful colours as I know I will get a good use out of them.
If you have thought about trying them, it is definitley worth it.

miss chew

xx

Mama got some brand new hair...

I finally got my hair done a couple of days ago. I have been desperately wanting it done for ages.
I had dark hair for a long time so to break it up and make it a bit lighter my hairdresser did a full head of streaks just a few shades lighter then my hair colour. This is a much more natural option then block lighter colour. The other point is that my hairdresser is only colouring my hair this way every second time I see her. This avoids your hair getting too light. As my hair is only a few shades lighter the regrowth is not very obvious either so you can let it go. I do maintain my normal trim though (always important!).

Excuse the total posing nature in my pics, I was actually trying to get good light, don't know why it was the best in my car, I think I was dellusional with the heat!

It is quite a bit lighter then in these pics...

miss chew

xx

My favourite Pimple Busters!!

I know we all at some point have a dreaded pimple or two... I know it is something I have struggled with so often throughout my life so I wanted to share with you what I am using to not only keep them under control but also kill them where they stand!

Garnier Clean Detox Express Cleansing Wipes $7.95. First of all especially this time of year it is imperetive that you take your makeup off every night other wise you are just begging for blocked pores and therefore pimples. My solution for when you are tired are these makeup wipes. I have been using Garnier for years and this time of year these are the best at cleaning your skin of all impurities. It has green tea and mint for a refreshing feeling which, trust me is perfect when you get home from being out all night and are desperate for some sleep.

Next on my list is Garnier Pure Active Pimple Relief Cooling Roll-On  $12.55. I carry this little baby in my handbag if I am having a rough week or if it's that time of the month. Not only does this little baby help to dry pimples faster than you can see Christmas party! It has a slight cooling sensation on your skin which is refreshing if you have a painful pimple. I will just keep using this baby all day, really the more the merrier and I notice my pimples heal so much faster and are much calmer.

Next on my list is what my beauty therapist called the Pimple killer is the Environ Alpha Toner Forte $55. This baby is not like a "toner" because to me a toner implies that it is applied all over your face. No, this baby is applied after your have cleansed your skin, I usually apply it in the morning and in the palm of my hand I apply 3 drops and I simply dab it on to the areas where I have pimples. It does sting a little if the area has broken skin but it works so effectively. I actually think this one product is when keeps my pimples at bay, seriously!

Up next is a product I blogged about only recently, Aveda Botanical Kinetics Exfoliant $54.95. This is a chemical liquid exfoliant which you use at nighttime and works to dissolve the impruities on your skin.

Lastly I use a weekly exfoliator which also doubles as a masque. I prefer Clinique Turnaround Instant Facial $68. It aims to do the same as microdermabrasion, with significantly less irritation and stress to skin. I apply it like a masque and once it has been on my skin for minimum 5 minutes, I gently rub it off in circular motions gently exfolitating my skin. This aims to not only remove dead skin cells but also encourages regular cell turnover, this translates to beautiful, glowing skin!

 

So that's my list of products I recommend. I hope you have found this helpful and after this extra long post I will be resuming normal posting.

miss chew

xx

Holy Cow that's a Powerful Hair Dryer!

A little while ago I did a review of the Bio-Ionic One-Pass which is a serious hair straightener.

I had heard rumours that they were launching a new hairdryer to blow (ha!) all others out of the water and now that it has been launched I have been lucky enough to be able to trial it.

The Powerlight™ Nanolonic™ Pro-Dryer is a professional hair dryer so you are going to see this in the hands of your hairdressers and those who are serious about blow drying their hair.

When I first went to use it I noticed just how light it is. It is quite a large hairdryer but it is really light.

When you go to use it you notice that there different levels of power that you can use. I went for full ball and oh-em-geeeee.....

The hairdryer nearly blew my head off! In hairdresser speak it has 1875W. It was so powerful and really easy to use. My hair was dried in a fraction of the time that it normally would be.

Tip: There is no point even trying to style your hair until it is like 90% dry. I go the whole tip your hair over your head to get my hair dry the fastest.

It has conditioning nano beads which help to promote shiny, soft, hydrated hair, I really noticed the difference. I often avoid blow drying my hair as it feels like it dries my hair out so I will wash my hair at night but my hair just feels healthier after drying it with this hairdryer. It also decreases the frizz in your hair as well which is good to keep in mind even though I am lucky enough not to have a big problem in that department.

My hair which can also get quite oily really quickly, with this hairdryer I find I can get an extra day without needing to wash as well which is a huge time saver for me.

All in all I was really impressed and I definitley plan on purchasing one for myself. If you are in the market for an upgrade I highly recommend you give this one a go, its unreal!

The Powerlight™ Nanolonic™ Pro-Dryer and full Bio Ionic styling tools range is distributed nationally. For more information or to locate your nearest stockist call 1300 760 165 or logon to http://www.bio-ionic.com.au/

Powerlight™ Hair-Dryer: RRP $ 229 including free Diffuser, medium Silver Classic Round brush and 2 nozzles worth $70 Free

To find your nearest stockist you can visit their website here.

miss chew

xx

Eva Longoria- The girls knows how to illuminate

I gotta say it but man oh man does Eva Longoria know how to illuminate her skin or what?

You know what I love about this picture is not only does her skin look ah-ma-zing but this picture demonstrates how you at home can re-create this look for yourself. 

If you are having trouble noting where she has applied the highlighting prod I have made it even easier for you with arrows!

 You can see from the arrows that she has placed it:

-On top of her cheek bones

-On her brow bone

-In the inner corner of her eye

-Gently lining under her eye 

-Just above her brow bone

When I aim to recreate this look there are a few products I can and do use. 

One sneaky way is with a pearl coloured eyeshadow, this is an old trick I have been using for ages and right now I have a NARS eyeshadow kit with just the perfect colour. 

My fave new product is Arbonne's Sheer Glow Highlighter $55 which has a pearl sheen to it which illuminates the skin beautifully.

To apply: Once I have finished with my primer and also my foundation I then apply the highlighter to the areas shown above and gradually build on it rather then just adding a big dollop!

Then I apply my bronzer and blush.

Note: I generally will illuminate more at night then I would during the day too. I find in the day it can make me look a bit too shiny but I do love just putting it on my brow bone.

You can find Arbonne: online at www.arbonneinternational.com.au or you can locate a consultant here.

Have fun!

miss chew

xx

World AIDS Day- supporting a fantastic cause

Hi Guys, 

I just wanted to bring to your attention that today is World AIDS Day. The Red Ribbon is the international symbol of HIV/AIDS awareness and is the original ribbon used to promote awareness and support of a worthy cause.

The money raised through the Red Ribbon Appeal is vital to the work of ACON as it helps us prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS through education campaigns as well as to provide the services and facilities essential to the health and wellbeing of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS across NSW.

This is a cause that I am very passionate about and has affected me personally with a close family friend passing away when I was in my teens. I saw the devastation it had on him and I want to be able to help ACON to be able to help those affected by AIDS. 

Since it is raining and I know this morning I couldn't see anyone selling the ribbons you can donate money here. http://www.redribbonday.org.au/donate.html

Even the smallest amount helps. 

Thank you so much, 

miss chew

xx 

Rejoice! Antipodes beautiful, organic, light day cream

I wanted to share with you this amazing, day face moisturiser which I have been trialing and I completely sold on. The cream in question is Antipodes Rejoice, light facial day cream- $60.
I have only recently fallen in love with this brand that is all certified organic products. To me, using natural skincare just makes sense, I think the older I become the less likely I am to want to put chemicals on my skin and with these amazing brands developing we don't need to anymore.
With Summer heating the weather up I have to use a light day cream otherwise it will just melt off my face. The cream contains such amazing ingredients as manuka, avocado oil, macadamia and jojoba it does wonders for your skin.

To apply I use only a tiny amount on the tips of my fingers and gently pat it into my skin as its quickly absorbed. I also apply it to my neck and chest. My skin continues to feel hydrated yet not oily throughout the day.


You can find antipodes at MYER, David Jones and other selected stores or you can buy online on their website www.antipodesnature.com

Enjoy!

miss chew

xx

Please Note: This product was given to me to trial