In my bag

My lovely friend Jessica (who writes at her blog The Belle Lumiere) sent out a twitter request for beauty bloggers to do a "what's in my bag" post... which reminded me that I had taken pictures of the contents of my handbag a few weeks ago and completely forgotten to post about it.

In my bag, clockwise from top left (and proceeding in a spiral-y shape):

• My beloved, battered blue Chloe handbag, which I bought on sale in Paris.
• My far less battered black leather Prada purse, a Christmas gift from my parents last year (to appease me for not taking me to Italy with them... but taking my younger brother!)
• Cutler and Gross sunglasses. Everybody asks me about these. I think you can buy them on Net-a-Porter.
• My mini Mason Pearson hairbrush, from Adore Beauty. I have long, thick hair so it is best for touching up, rather than untangling. (My enormous Aveda Paddle Brush is ideal for that tall task!)
• (Moxie tampons.)
• Hourglass Oxygen Mineral Powder Foundation in No 3. I love this for a few reasons. 1. It has the coverage of a powder foundation, so is lovely for both touch-ups and foundation application on-the-go. 2. It feels light on my skin. 3. It doesn't make my skin look powdery. 4. The mirror swivels around - so I can use it as a compact mirror when applying my other makeup products too. 
• One of my favourite lipglosses, Chanel Aqualumiere Gloss in Diamond Rose. It gives such a pretty, soft pink lip colour, with subtle opalescence.
• The best eyebrow pencil in the world, hands down: Kevyn Aucoin The Expert Brow Pencil in Brunette. One end houses a soft, browny-taupe coloured crayon that mimics natural-looking eyebrow hairs and makes it incredibly easy to achieve the perfect brow shape and density; the other has a little comb to tame stray hairs. Genius!
• As you can see, my By Terry Rose de Rose Sheer Liquid Blush in Fresh Rose is severely depleted; that is because it is so beautiful. Just one pump, swirled onto the apples of my cheeks and temples, gives a fresh, rosy glow, instantly. I will savour it until the last drop.
• My Diptyque Solid Perfume in L'Ombre Dans L'Eau is a Christmas present I bought for myself. L'Ombre Dans L'Eau is described as a "bouquet of roses and blueberry leaves" - fruity, floral and green notes emanate. It is gorgeous and fresh and universally flattering.
• Nars Duo Concealer in Custard/Ginger is a lifesaver. If you have tried the Nars Concealer in a lipstick tube and found it too dry, you will find this formula much creamier and more blendable. I use it under my eyes, on blemishes and around my nose. 
• My holy grail of makeup brushes, Nars Yachiyo Brush. I use it for powder, blush (including powder, liquid and cream), bronzer, highlighter... everything! It is so soft yet dense enough to contour and provide definition. Plus it is light and compact enough to carry in the smallest of handbags and clutches. 
• Chantecaille Biolift Concealer in Cream is an extravagance (AU$100 for a little tube) but I really, really love it. It has a moistuiser inside that makes it perfect for dry under-eyes, and softly illuminates, deflecting away from dark circles. I use this over the top of my Nars concealer for an extra pick-me-up.
• Sadly, my Diorskin Shimmer Powder in Amber Diamond crumbled during the time between the above picture was taken and writing this post. As I wrote in the post below, it is a stunning bronze-toned highlighter that gives the most beautiful, radiant cheekbones.
• A T2 Oolong Tea teabag. 
• Zoe Foster put me onto Aveda Hair Potion and I have never looked back. Applied at the roots of my hair, it gives a sexy, undone, tousled look to freshly blow-dried or straightened hair.
• Tic Tacs.
• Tatcha Aburatorigami Blotting Papers are whisper-thin, gold-infused papers I use prior to powdering to take away any shininess accumulated during the day. 

So there you go! It seems like a ton of things, now that I have listed them all...

What do you keep in your handbag? Will you blog about it too? 

Tweet

Universal favourites

I work in the beauty industry, so friends and family are always asking me for advice on what products they should use. Thing is, just because something works for me, that doesn't mean that everybody else will love it too.

Thankfully, there are some products that absolutely everybody adores. Here are just a few of them.

Hourglass Mineral Primer SPF15 AU$79 is magic in a bottle. It smooths the skin, evens skin tone, tones down redness and creates a beautifully silky, velvet matte base so that foundation just glides on top. It also enhances the longevity of foundation and concealer and provides sun protection. 

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation AU$99 is not my holy grail of foundations (although it may have been had I not discovered By Terry Light Expert AU$115); however everybody I have introduced it to tells me that it is everything they are looking for, and more. It has a gorgeous fluid texture, sheer but buildable coverage and gives a lovely soft-focus glow to the skin. 

Nars Bronzing Powder in Laguna AU$72, on the other hand, is my holy grail of bronzers. It works for everybody except the very pale (try Too Faced Snow Bunny Caribbean Compact $49.95 instead) and those with deep skin tones (Nars Bronzing Powder in Casino AU$72 is an ideal alternative). All you need to know about Laguna is that it never, ever looks stripy or dirty on the skin like so many unflattering bronzers I see adorning girls at my local shopping centre. Its sheer formula and subtle shimmer provide warmth and definition, and mimic a natural tan.

Estee Lauder Tender Blush in Peach Nuance is an incredibly pretty pink/peach colour that is beloved by every single one of its owners (as far as my research suggests). As soft or bright as you like, depending on how heavy or light the application, it is wonderfully versatile and a must-have for anybody who wants a fresh glow emanating from the apples of their cheeks. (P.S. I tried to check the Australian Estee Lauder website for a price, but couldn't find this on there... perhaps it has been discontinued. If anybody knows otherwise, please let me know in the comments!)

Dior Shimmer Powder in Amber Diamond AU$88 is a stunning bronze-toned shimmer powder that can be worn on the high planes of the face - where the sun naturally hits - such as the temples, brow bones and the centre of the nose, forehead, chin and cupid's bow. Best for those with olive skin (or a fake tan), it provides a beautiful luminosity unrivaled by any highlighter I have come across.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner AU$42 is my fail-safe recommendation whenever anybody asks me to direct them to the perfect black liquid eyeliner. Its brush is fine, its ink is a delectable pitch black and its applicator is uncharacteristically reliable (for a liquid eyeliner). A definite winner.

YSL Shiny Lip Plumper in Candy or Nude AU$55ea are both perfect for a glossy nude lip. Candy is  a cool, pink-toned nude; whereas Nude is... just nude. For anybody who wants a low-key look, or wears smoky eyes, either (or both) of these are the answer to your prayers. They also help to "plump" the lips, so impart an addictive tingle whenever you reapply.

So what do you think? Have I enticed you with my list of universal favourites? Do you have any questions for me? Ask away!

Tweet

How to pull off a daytime red lipstick

And another note to let you know that a guest post of mine has just been posted at my favourite online beauty magazine, PRIMPED. The link is here, if you are so inclined: How to pull off a daytime red lipstick.

Also, I have received some lovely messages about this blog since the launch. Thank you for all your support!

Tweet

Perfecting Your Wedding Makeup

Just a little note to let you know that I have very kindly been invited to guest blog for Bride Tasmania. If you are interested, you can see my first post here - on Perfecting Your Wedding Makeup.

Please let me know if you have any questions about bridal makeup and I will do my best to answer them - I may even write a blog post about it!

Tweet

The best eyeliner. Ever.

You know those makeup products which, upon discovery, you can't wait to tell everyone you know to rush out and buy one for themselves, immediately?

This is one of them.

MAC Eye Kohl in Powersurge AU$32, a lovely blend of shimmering antique gold, olive and brown, is my all-time favourite eyeliner. I get compliments every time I wear it - it just brightens my eyes and wears beautifully. 

A simple flourish is all it takes to elevate a simple makeup look to "wow" in no time. I just apply it along my lower inner lash-line for instant sultriness. It is also the perfect complement to a bronze smoky eye, as the gorgeous Diane is modelling. 

Just try it. You won't regret it, I promise.

Laura xx

Tweet

Nighttime wonders

In all honesty, the two products I am about to feature are the very reason I started this blog. They are so wondrous I just had to tell as many people as possible.

Nude Skincare is one of my favourite skincare brands. Hailing from the UK, beloved by celebrities including Helena Christensen and Uma Thurman, its products are at least 98% natural, with no sulphates, parabens, mineral oil, silicones or GM ingredients (as well as other nasties I have never heard of before). Better yet, the products really work. Especially the ones I am about to show you.

Nude Skincare Advanced Cellular Renewal Serum AU$190 was launched in Australia (across Mecca Cosmetics stores) last week. It is clinically proven to improve cellular turnover by 70%, which equals a fresh, smooth, glowing complexion. Cellular turnover is stimulated by the serum's advanced probiotic technology - healthy bacteria, that occurs naturally in the skin - which also rebalances the skin, hydrates and strengthens the outer layer of the skin, known as the acid mantle, protecting against moisture loss and minimising the damage of environmental aggressors such as UV rays and pollution.

Nude Skincare Replenishing Night Oil AU$132 contains an amazing array of beneficial ingredients, including Omega 3, 6, 7 and 9. These essential fatty acids are vital for keeping the skin plump and hydrated, but since they cannot be produced by the human body, we need to apply them topically. It recently received the highest ever score in the UK's Anti-Aging Beauty Bible survey, where everyday women try products and rate them according to their efficiency. Also, for the chemical-conscious among us, it is 100% natural, utilising a naturally-occurring Vitamin E preservative system.

And the best thing of all? Since neither of these products contain silicone, I can mix them together to create one incredible SUPER-SERUM. I just combine one drop of the Advanced Cellular Renewal with one pump of the Replenishing Night Oil and pat it into my face and neck each night before bed, waking up with beautiful, silky soft, luminous, dewy skin the next morning.

So what do you think? Do you think you would like to try them? Do you have any questions for me? Ask away!

Laura xx

Tweet

Hello!

Welcome to my blog!

This is a beauty blog. I will be writing about makeup, skincare, haircare and fragrance, with a little fashion and lifestyle mixed in. 

My credentials: I love writing and beauty. I work as a beauty consultant and I write in my spare time. I have  spent a ridiculous amount of time and money learning about, purchasing and using beauty products. So I decided to put all of that into good use and share some of my knowledge and experience in the form of a blog.

As for the name of the blog... let me explain, so it makes a little sense. I was trying to find inspiration for a beauty blog, and immediately thought of Clemence Poesy's hair. Effortless elegance personified. Just look:

So then, out of curiosity, I googled "poesy" and discovered that it means "a body of poetry". Which I thought was fitting, for a blog. I added "pretty" because I liked the alliteration. So as it turns out, "Pretty Poesy" is kind of like a double entendre, which reflects my approach to beauty writing: an ode to the embodiment of loveliness, inimitability and quiet confidence (Clemence) and pretty words (beauty writing as poetry). 

And finally, I would like to share some wisdom imparted by the great makeup artist, Kevyn Aucoin. Truth is, the cosmetics world can often be superficial and conventional; but I would never want my readers to think that I condone or endorse a restrictive appreciation of beauty. For me, there are no rules. There is no ideal. Everybody can take pleasure in cosmetics (if they are privileged enough to afford them, in time and money, which is a whole other issue) and wield them to enhance their own natural beauty.

“Beauty is about perception, not about make up. I think the beginning of all beauty is knowing and liking oneself. You can't put on make up or dress yourself, or do your hair with any sort of fun or joy if you are doing it from a position of correction.” 

Kevyn Aucoin

Tweet