Gisele in Givenchy S/S 2012 shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott

The weather down under has been pretty shocking for summer (and who know’s if it’s going to get any better), so I’ve decided to quit whinging and make the most of it – just like Gisele here and her two handsome friends. Starting from today I am piling on the sea salt (Bumble and Bumble’s Surf Spray to be precise) and lathering my legs with Weleda’s Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil (I’m all about the oils, again). Now, if only I could surf…

Mecca Maxima is a chic, sophisticated store that offers the biggest lineup of prestige, niche, emerging and well-loved beauty brands in one sleek space. There are over 3,000 products (THREE THOUSAND BEAUTY PRODUCTS PEOPLE!!) and one hundred brands including all of my favourites from Mecca Cosmetica (hello By Terry, Nars and Murad), along with the selection from Kit Cosmetics (such as Origins, Kit and Mario Badescu), and beauty classics including Yves Saint Laurent, Clinique and Clarins. It’s your one-stop beauty-shop!

Not only are the brands unsurpassable, the layout of the store is genius! It’s super interactive and everything is easily accessible. There are dedicated ‘play areas’ where you’re encouraged to pick up products and try them on, there’s clear signage where you can see what the top picks are, and there is obvious pricing so there are no awkward moments.

Maxima has also gone a little hi-tech on us. With touch screens where you can enter in your concerns and they will pinpoint your needs, there are computers where you can scan your items and it’ll bring up everything you need to know about the product, and finally, there is a twitter section with particular magazine’s and people’s favourites.

The shop is divided up into sections, such as the fragrance one as above. That’s right, Acqua di Parma alongside Prada alongside Serge Lutens. I can definitely get used to this!

The best idea in forever: a ball of hair bands. There is an accessories section with items starting at $1.50. There are tweezers, nail polish wipes for on-the-go, eyelash curlers, and this great Bumble & Bumble ball. It’s so clever and just what I need as I’m always either breaking or losing elastics!

My super lovely Mecca Maxima specialist Brittany. I am so stubborn when it comes to buying makeup for myself but she encouraged me to try a new lipstick which I have worn everyday since! A big big thank you!

Ooh! Also, the screen above shows you how to do chic hair-dos in no time. A very cool idea.

And finally, Nars. So much Nars! <3

The store’s well thought-out, spacious, upbeat, and because of that it’s not intimidating in the slightest. When you’re next in Melbourne, or if you’re lucky enough to live in one of the coolest cities in Australia, you must go in for a play. The address is Shop 54/55 Ground Floor, Latrobe Street Building, Melbourne Central Shopping Centre.

Have fun! I know you will!

xxo

ps. I was very spoilt at Mecca Maxima and left with lots of new goodies in hand. I’ll be sharing them with you in the coming posts so stay tuned…

Here is my first post, behind the scenes with darling Greta and Bowen Arico.

Enjoy! xxo

I’m getting tired of the top-buns I’ve been sporting lately and although I can do heaps of cute hairstyles, I never really bother on myself. I’m really loving Surf Spray because all you have to do to get beach waves (sans swim and frizz) is spray a teeny bit on, scrunch sections with your hands, shake your head and either give it a quick (cool) blowdry or go for a walk in the wind. My hair is thick, long, and quite straight so if products work on my hair they generally work on everybody else’s! And to save one of the most exciting (dorkiest) things to last…. the bottle is made of Scuba suit material!!

xxxx

As the outfits were all bright and colourblocked at Lacoste (above), the makeup was exceedingly minimal. A clean face with moisturiser, a dab of concealer under the eyes (and on spots if necessary) and a row of black false lashes. The look was then completed with clear lipgloss and a highlighter on the cheeks and temples. My favourite highlighter to use for this wet, fresh-out-of-the-swimming-pool look is the MAC Strobe lotion. Lots of the other popular highlighters, like Armani’s and Becca’s, have a rather creamy, dewy effect, but because of the pearlised sheen of the Strobe Lotion the skin is more beachy.

My favourite look of the day is above by Rag & Bone. For me, both their mens and womens wear collections can always do no wrong, and the cool tones they used for this season are my all time favourite colours. I really like how the makeup look is quite dramatic, but is still suitable for Spring. The lipcolour is one I need to get my hands on. It seems to be a light, mauve-taupe. I’ll do some hunting and let you know when I find a good one!

Another top look of the week so far is the Erin Wasson x RVCA girl (as seen above). She is very beachy, rocker-chic. This look is so easy but so so sexy. All you need to do is bronze up, give your cheeks a light flush and your lips a sheer pink gloss. For eyes, just line them with a black pencil and use your finger to smudge on a light brown or taupe over your lids and up to your brows, and then use a brush to work the colour under your eyes. It’s all about being carefree so there’s no need to take too much time in doing it. And finally, make sure your hair compliments your makeup. You definitely need a loose, tousled look, so either go a swim in the ocean before you apply your makeup or use a sea spray on your hair (such as the Bumble & Bumble one) and let it dry naturally.

Helloooo hotstuff!

xx

(all pics from http://nymag.com/fashion/)