Love the dress Kate.
There’s been a bit of a titter about K Upton’s Sports Illustrated cover, mostly because it was super-photoshopped and also just a bit of a bad photo (I’d imagine if the photographer had cut up all the negatives, thrown them in the air and done some kind of tribal dance underneath them, getting some randomly stuck in his hair and picking one of those as the cover, he would have come up with a better pic BUT HEY).
Yeah, it’s a bad photo. And a terrible bikini. Like the bikini you had when you were seven that you got on a South Coast holiday with your parents that you get emotionally attached to and by twelve it’s all perished and stretched and semi see-through and also you have curves busting out everywhere and your mother has to break the news to you that if you keep wearing it you’ll look ‘like a prostitute’. Oh the heart break.
Of course, it’s unlikely that Kate Upton chose that bikini herself. Some semi-sadistic ’stylist’ riding this Brazillian slutkini trend thought it would get attention. And it did. But at least Kate werks it. Good for her.
I really like Kate Upton. No, she’s not a breathtakingly ethereal beauty, but she has character and a sense of humour and every now and then she gets a bit chubby but still walks the catwalk like it’s nobody’s business. I also LOVE her body, because it’s different and it’s sexy and she clearly loves it. As she herself says in this New York Times article, she’s ‘relatable’. She’s certainly more interesting to me than (for an eg. of an uber beauty) Bar Refaeli (ABOVE), also mentioned on the SI cover, who must have one of the most UNREMARKABLE faces in fashion. Seriously – whenever I see a spread or an ad featuring Bar, I’m always touched that the brand has ‘chosen to take a risk on an unknown face’. Meanwhile they would have paid nothing short of 6 figures for the privilege of her symmetrical yet terribly forgettable features.
Sure Kate’s a little trashy. But she’s young – 19. Most of us are still developing taste at that age. No doubt she’ll grow out of her uber YELLOW hair and the cakey makeup. Hopefully she won’t grow out of her sense of humour and posting her dancemoves on the internet.
Do you love trying out beauty and makeup products? Do you like writing and having an opinion and sharing your life online? Does the idea of receiving all the new Estee Lauder products to try out for yourself and sharing your thoughts on them for other Estee Lauder fans sound appealing? Do you one day aspire to get into beauty or journalism? Looking to get exposure for your beauty blog? Then you should probably head on over here and put yourself forward as Estee Lauder’s Beauty Glamour Girl.
From the official statement:
“The Beauty Glamour Girl will receive Estée Lauder products to review and share her reviews with the ladies on the Estée Lauder South Africa Facebook page. She will be the first to try new Estée Lauder products, attend launches and report on all things beauty. This opportunity is open to all ladies who wish to pursue their love for writing and sharing their opinions with others.”
The closing date for the applications is soon – 27 January - so submit your entry asap. You have to answer 3 questions, which you’ll see when you click ‘Apply Now’. Those questions are:
1) What makes a woman beautiful?
2) What does the Estee Lauder brand mean to you?
3) Why do you want to be the Estee Lauder Glamour Girl?
If you’re a Lauder fan already, as I am, you’ll probably be able to answer those questions in your sleep, especially that last one, it’s a no-brainer. Ten finalists will then be announced, and treated to counter experiences in both beauty and fragrance which you will write about. Then Estee Lauder fans will vote for their favourite review, and the winner will be announced on 27 February 2012.
What are you waiting for? Click here to submit your application. This could be your beauty writing break.
1. QMS Lift o Firm for body. As a huge stark raving fanatic of the QMS range, this variant has lived up to the company’s promise of incredibly well conditioned skin. I also LOVE its orange blossom scent – fresh and clean, unlike most firming creams which are quite sticky and can sometimes have a chemical smell. I’ll pretty much use anything QMS produces – I’m a total fangirl.
qmsmedicosmetics.co.za
2. Optiphi Cleanser and Revitalising Protector. A new product, and also a locally made one (I see they won a big prize recently – a Proudly South African Homegrown Award - well done, they definitely deserve it) I’d never heard of them. But the cleanser is wonderfully mild and this product, while having a sunblock, is also light and easily absorbed – for that I love it. It’s also non-greasy, unlike many products with sunblock in, but super moisturising – been a lifesaver this winter! Two beautifully manicured thumbs up.
Check out the OptiPhi facebook page.
3. Elizabeth Arden Sunstick. Perfect for keeping in your bag and slapping on your face when you’re in the sun unexpectedly. And it’s base is 8-hour cream, so it’s perfect for lips or even small scars which tend to get darker in the sun. Great size, great product. Get it at Suttafords or Edgars or pretty much anywhere there’s an Arden counter.
4. Elizabeth Arden’s Spring ‘In Bloom’ colours. Light and pretty and bright and lovely! And such gorgeous packaging. I do so love a dash of teal eyeshadow in the springtime, especially when you’ve done your first layer of self-tan. More about self-tan products coming soon!
If you go for many massages, you’ll know that the aromatherapy massage is usually the introverted sister of the massage family, the quiet one who is lovely and sweet and extremely agreeable. Aromatherapy massages are generally not deep tissue affairs, and tend to be gentle and soft, allowing the oils to do much of the work, detoxifying and invigorating and what not. And if you go for frequent massages, you’ll probably want something with a little more kick and strength and well, personality. Well then, best you go to Elements on Kloof, and ask Stofelline to give you her aromatherapy massage, cos she understand a stiff muscle, while being able to give you the benefits of the aromatherapy oils.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ELEMENTSONKLOOF FACEBOOK PAGE
There are 2 available - 1 hour (R390) or 1.5 hours (R490) – go for the longer one because it allows for you to drift gently in and out of the happy place to which this euphoria-inducing treatment takes you. And i also did something I don’t usually do with beauty treatments – I went on a weekday evening. Usually I go on saturdays to make a whole day of it but having a massage right before dinner speeds up your metabolism, making you extra hungry, and puts you firmly in relax mode for the rest of the evening. I highly recommend it!
TO BOOK A MASSAGE, EMAIL ENQUIRIES@ELEMENTSONKLOOF.CO.ZA OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AND CHOOSE A TREATMENT HERE.
YOU CAN ALSO CALL 021 426 24 59
Called W. And it’s really good! Beautifully designed and balanced content with a bit of that Taste flair we so love. And it’s free to cardholders (win!).
You know how it is with peels. You have to have one every now and again because makeup and aging and oh, LIFE takes its toll on your skin and maybe you don’t always take off all your makeup before going to bed (okay maybe you NEVER do, much of a muchness) and eventually it all gets a bit much and you just need to get rid of the first layer of nonsense protecting the world from your inner (epidermal) radiance.
Except you dread it because it’s a process that involves burning off the top layer of your skin and making you look like an over-zealous red-nose day patron who’s taken it next level to RED FACE DAY and if you go out within the first few days of having had it done people ask, with great concern, whether you tripped and fell into the bucket of acid, or whether someone pushed you.
But stop – there is a peel that does NOT cause the old acid face, and it’s called the Optiphi Skin Rejuvenation Peel. I had in over the weekend at Yemaya Spa & Hair. My therapist was Annchen and she was just delightful and assured me that my skin wouldn’t react, and it really didn’t. It simply brightened up, and now, three days later, I’m seeing a beautiful clear complexion and enjoying the benefits of the peel – softness and clarity… NO RED NOTHING!
I’ve just got acquainted with the Optiphi range - they come with solid creds such as:
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OPTIPHI AND WHERE YOU CAN BOOK A TREATMENT OR BUY PRODUCTS ON FACEBOOK.
Ladies, book yourself a treat by way of the Elements on Kloof Winter Special. It’s a hot stone facial and massage that will be an hour and a half extremely well spent, especially considering its only R400 for the whole thing until the end of August. I’ve had many a hot stone massage before, but never a hot stone facial, and I am now a convert.
When you book, ask try and get the gorgeous Italian Daniele as your therapist. He’s got strong hands. My favourite thing to do is go for a run and a gym session before I go get a massage, and this is where the stones really come into their own. Hot rocks on hot sore muscles. First they do your neck and face, then they turn you over and do your shoulders, back, legs and feet. You see what we’re going for here? Click here to give Elements on Kloof a call. They’re at 39 Kloof Street, just opposite Scar Hair, tucked away in a peaceful urban sanctuary. They do all sorts of wonderfully pampering treatments – here’s the full list. And for those of you looking for salons that do threading – they do that too! I’ll be giving that a go shortly.
Well it’s about time isn’t it! The Beauty Store is a local online beauty product portal that has ten million times what any one of our department stores hold. And unlike clothes, there is zero sizing risk issues when it comes to buying beauty products online. They also have amazing prices and specials, and they ship free for any order over R450. Miss you Strawberrynet, but definitely don’t miss the customs-refund debacle every time.
If I were you I would not miss out on this – a full set of lashes for only R299 from Hi Definition Hair. That’s less than 50% what I usually pay for them. For those who have never had them, eyelash extensions literally changed my life. No more clumpy mascara. No more smudgy eyeliner. Just a little shadow and you’re good to go. Get in on this deal here at dealio.
