What a steal: Anatomicals Be Good With Your Hands In Bed Night Time Hand Cream

Launched onto the New Zealand market last year, Anatomicals is a British brand that has become a bit of a cult due to its effective products mixed with a tongue-in-cheek attitude. Formulating effective goodies for the face and body, Anatomicals ‘only want you for your body’ and definitely not for your bank account, if their amazing prices are to be believed!

The latest release from the brand that I have become a bit obsessive about is the Anatomicals Be Good With Your Hands In Bed Night Time Hand Cream, which is an intensive, velvety hand cream to restore moisture and care for both hands and nails overnight. I’m mad for hand cream at any time of day and keep tubes in my car, bag, bathroom and bedroom, lathering it on like crazy especially when I’m sporting gel polish nails and my cuticles need all the help they can get.

Needless to say, this especially formulated little tube of magic has been just the ticket for rubbing in pre-bed, as it’s a heavier moisturiser than most containing both shea butter and avocado butter for a more intensive moisture treatment that works while you sleep.

Most of my favourite creams are non-greasy so they can be easily applied at any time of day and this wonder doesn't feel that much oilier but boy, do you notice the difference. Oh and the best thing? It comes it at under ten bucks, meaning multiple tubes with inevitably be devoured.

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Daily delight: Natasha Poly for Vogue Brazil

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Love it: ModelCo's essential Replenishing Rose Mist

I have long loved the ModelCo brand – an effortless mix of smart beauty, quality and innovation – and have been using their products over the years now with more than a little regularity.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited (but not surprised) when ModelCo launched its natural skincare collection last year, which is an affordable, high performance, quality ange full of all manner of delights.

The Australian-based brand is now in its 13th year, and CEO and Founder Shelley Barrett has never been one to rest on her laurels. She says that she was driven to enter the skincare beauty category when the results from a recent survey showed more than 89 per cent of the 8000 respondents wanted to see skincare products added to the ModelCo range – again, no surprise.

“Based on the research I felt confident that skincare would be a huge success for the brand,” she said at the time. “We know for a fact that Australian women requested quality skincare from their favourite trusted brand. When asked what was the most important decision when purchasing skincare between cosmeceutical, organic or natural, over 75 per cent said natural skincare was most important and I always deliver what my customers need in their daily beauty regime.”

An already pretty damn comprehensive offering considering its youth, ModelCo natural skincare uses antioxidant rich Pomegranate and Acai Fruit Extract across all products. They are ingredients that are known to rejuvenate, calm and protect the skin, whilst essential oils Damask Rose, Rose

Geranium, Lavender and Lemon Myrtle also feature heavily in the range, providing anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing benefits – as well as smelling absolutely delicious. I love the fact that the collection is free from chemicals, synthetic ingredients, parabens, sulfates, silicones, PEGs and synthetic colours too, which is amazing considering its killer price point.

The collection landed with 12 key skincare products including cleansers, moisturisers, facial oils, an exfoliator, a toner, facial wipes and a true hero product, the beautiful Instant Miracle Booster. “I believe that by investing in the best quality natural ingredients the products will deliver outstanding results and will drive cut through over the more traditional brands,” Barrett says.

I’ve been slowly working my way through a trial of a select few products, and one I fell in love with at first use is the Replenishing Rose Mist. An absolute joy to spritz on, it is a nourishing facial mist designed to replenish, tone and revitalise the skin. The formula uses Damask Rose for its super moisturising and anti-inflammatory properties, Glycerin to ramp up hydration and lock in moisture, Castor Oil to help fight lines by stimulating collagen production, antioxidant-rich Acai fruit to fight free radicals and Vitamin C-packed Pomegranate, to help prevent cell damage and assist in the rapid healing of wounds. Pretty amazing lineup huh? And it smells incredible too.

It’s the perfect addition to your handbag or carry on when you want to pep your skin up throughout the day or mid-flight, and does everything from eliminate surface shine and excess oil to soothing and calming. I’ve just come back from a week at the beach with a bottle in tow and can’t believe how good it made my skin feel when things were getting wind-blown and a little tight, and it was the best mid-roadie pick me up too!

Check it out at www.modelcocosmetics.com

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Daily delight: Rihanna for i-D Magazine

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Love it: limited edition Trilogy X Hailwood Botanical Body Wash

One of my absolute favourite designers is Hailwood and one of my absolute ways to wake up Trilogy Botanical Body Wash, so the fact that the two have joined forces makes me a very happy person indeed.

The limited edition Trilogy X Hailwood Botanical Body Wash sees the talented and gorgeous Adrian Hailwood lend his creative flair to the hugely popular certified natural body product, and the results are pretty damn gorgeous.

“Trilogy brings a little extra luxury to my mornings with their fantastic Botanical Body Wash; it was only fair I return the favour with this limited edition design,” said Adrian, and the fact that the product now looks as good as it feels and smells makes it a winner hands down,

Formulated from a delicate blend of aroma-therapeutic oils, non-drying cleansers and invigorating pure plant extracts, Trilogy Botanical Body Wash combines kawakawa, the native New Zealand pepper tree, and antioxidant-rich amla fruit to invigorate and rejuvenate, whilst soothing French lavender oil, cooling cucumber and calming chamomile make for a heady mix.

It has won numerous awards around the world for its efficacy and mix of affordability and luxury, and this new, limited edition release is destined to be snapped up far and wide. Only available in New Zealand for a limited time, this gorgeous Hailwood collaboration makes Trilogy Botanical Body Wash a super-stylish addition to any bathroom.

 “As long-time Hailwood fans, we’re absolutely thrilled to be collaborating with Adrian. His unique and fashion-forward style is matched perfectly to Trilogy’s innovative approach to high-performance skincare,” said Corinne Morley, Trilogy Global Sales and Marketing Manager, and I couldn’t agree more.

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Daily delight: Kendall Jenner for Vogue US

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Talking to an expert: Jackie Ashley of Ashley & Co on candle care

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I have a veritable fetish for scented candles, and they are the perfect accompaniment to winter days and nights spent indoors. I have a “wardrobe” of candles that I like to choose from, dependant on mood and time of day, and am constantly on the hunt for new additions.

I am known to drop major coin on my candles at times (shhhhhh), and so take caring for them pretty seriously. I’ve invested in the likes of a candle snuffer and wick trimmer, and always follow instructions when burning a new brand.

No one likes soot blackened glass and uneven mounds of wax, and Jackie Ashley, founder and co-owner of Ashley & Co, has happily shared some of her tops tips for getting the most out of your candle every time. 

1. First, equip yourself. Candle care isn’t rocket science, but you will need a few items to get the job done including a wick trimmer and long matches. 
2. Trim your wick to the ideal length—6mm—ensuring none of the trimmings remain in the wax. 
3. That pesky black soot on the inside edge of the glass is caused by the flame flickering too high, usually as a result of debris left in the glass.
4. Starting right – The initial burn of a candle is crucial and often overlooked. Wax has a memory, so it’s important to let the wax pool to the edge on the initial burn, then it should burn evenly for the rest of its delicious smelling life. It also pays keep the waxed perfume away from airstreams like heap pumps, windows, or fans. 
5. If it doesn’t burn to the edges on the first burn, it will begin to tunnel and won’t burn evenly each time. But never fear – if help didn't arrive in time and you’re already suffering from ‘tunnelling’, Jackie has a few suggestions to even out your beautiful waxed perfume.. If the tunnelling isn’t too bad, lay the candle on its side, use your lighter to melt the wax away from the wick and pour it into the trash. Next, chisel out the wax that is above level of the wick with a butter knife. Use a cotton ball or paper towel to remove the wax after its melted.
6. In a perfect world, candles should be burned for four hours each time, and not more than once every 24 hours. This prolongs the life of the waxed perfume.  
7. If you ever see smoke or soot burning off your candle, it’s likely happened because a small carbon deposit – like a mushroom on the tip of the wick – has formed from it being burnt for more than four hours.
8. Old stockings work perfectly to give your candle a general clean as they catch all of the dust and leave no residue behind – who knew?

 For more about Ashley & Co head to www.ashleyandco.co.nz and go forth and burn, baby burn!
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Daily delight: Jennifer Aniston for The Hollywood Reporter

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What a steal: Maybelline Color Sensational Color Drama Lip Pencils

The mighty Maybelline has some major launches landing this month, the majority of them major steals when it comes to price. It is still one of the most wallet-friendly and reliable brands on the block, and their innovation knows no bounds.

My pick of the bunch – hands down – thus far is the Maybelline Color Sensational Color Drama Lip Pencil collection, which is just as good (if not better) than some of the more luxe versions already out there in the beauty marketplace.

At an insanely good $9.99, Color Sensational’s newest drama queen comes in the form of an easy to wield, slim pencil that packs double the pigments of an ordinary lipstick, while the nourishing oils enrich the formula for a smooth semi-matte velvet finish. Available in ten wearable, high impact shades, -Color Drama Lip Pencil is an absolute dream to apply and wear and the colour lasts and lasts.

I was actually surprised the - Color Drama Lip Pencil Collection didn’t launch sooner since the chubby lip pencil trend has been well and truly fizzing for a while now! However, as is true to the brand, Maybelline has created an entirely new formula and it comes at a price pretty much everyone can afford.

They give lips great colour with just a couple of swipes, and are about as handbag-friendly as they get. I love that application may not necessarily need a mirror, and they are available in a range of shades that covers everything from bright corals to soft, rosy pinks and natural nudes. One is quite simply, not enough, and at less than ten bucks a unit you simply have no excuse for not stocking up!

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Daily delight: Dakota Johnson for Vogue US

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Giveaway: a bottle of new fragrance DKNY MYNY and matching wristlet!

The super popular collection of perfumes by Donna Karan DKNY, after numerous editions of DNKY Be Delicious and limited fragrances of DNKY Summer, has launched a new heart-shaped edition which aims to express the contemporary urban spirit of the designer’s beloved city. Called DKNY MYNY, the advertising campaign features babein’ singer, songwriter and actress Rita Ora, who is holding the flacon made of glass and metal of which the upper part creates a heart shape and suggests New York skyscrapers.

Karan has said that vivacious Ora called the new fragrance "pure energy in a bottle” on first sniff, and I love its depth as well as unabashed freshness. It’s a winner, really! The scent was developed by Trudi Loren in collaboration with IFF, and has top notes that are a blend of raspberry, pink pepper and galbanum, followed by Egyptian jasmine, freesia and orris in the heart. The base encompasses patchouli Heart LMR, vanilla absolute, musk and ambergris. I also love the campaign, featuring a red-lipped Ora shot by photographer Francesco Carrozzini.

To celebrate the release and upcoming Valentine’s Day, I’m giving you the chance to win your own bottle along with a matching designer wristlet bag. The bags are part of a cute Valentine’s Day gift-with-purchase promotion and are a definite win-win for any accessories fan.

To go into the draw for a bottle of DKNY MYNY perfume valued at $99 and red wrist bag, simply email helene@mshelene.com with your name and courier address by January 30, 2015 at 5pm and you’re in to win!

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Daily delight: Karolin Wolter for Alexander McQueen

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Talking to the experts: Palm Clinic's Dr. Sarah Hart

Grey Lynn resident Sarah Hart can be seen dropping her children off at the local primary school, and also at the helm of Remuera’s Palm Clinic, where she works alongside other highly respected doctors in the field of appearance medicine. What this woman knows about how to transform and take years off your visage is just not worth knowing, and when I met her I was immediately struck by her incredible knowledge base and her approachability. When it comes to the kind of patients Sarah sees discretion and a caring approach is key, and she has both in spades.

A Fellow of the New Zealand College of Appearance Medicine, Sarah is one of only two New Zealand doctors on the international Botox Advisory Board and trains other doctors around the country in facial rejuvenation techniques. At the Palm Clinic she treats patients for varicose veins, liposuction, appearance medicine and laser treatments, and says that she was attracted to the area after years in hospitals due to the “artistic side of it. I see each face as my canvas and needles as my paintbrushes. I can sculpt beautiful cheeks or lips and make serious difference to the way a person feels about themselves, but in a safe, non-invasive way”.

No stranger to the media and an absolute pro to interview, Sarah is well known to viewers of TV’s “Ten Years Younger” after three seasons working on the show and has been involved in the area of appearance medicine since 2002. “It was before even Botox was approved for cosmetic use,” she tells me, “and the early days for fillers too. It’s quite incredible when I think about it, even the way we injected both were so different to the way we do it now. It is an area that grows and changes more than any other area of medicine that I have been in, and it is so essential that you keep training and attending overseas conferences every year or you can so easily be left behind.”

She adds that the companies creating new products in the industry are very proactive and very competitive, “which benefits everyone all round as they pump more money into R&D and the range of options gets better every year. It’s the Holy Grail really as it is getting more affordable to try treatments out and so much of the population wants to look better or younger if they possibly can.”

Our conversation turns to who you should see when you are considering going down the appearance medicine path, and if my belief that a doctor is the only option for this sort of treatment rings true with her as well. “Well, I think that you should see someone that is extremely well trained,” she says, “and has had a decent amount of formal education in the area of appearance medicine. In New Zealand the best training scheme is held by NZSCM, where the formalities and training take two years and all doctors who take part have to be GPs first.” She elaborates that this is because they must have full knowledge of the correct consultation process, “as a lot of we do is communicating patients and listening to them and finding out what it is that they really want and what their goals are. It’s not about us doing what we think, it’s about meeting the patient in the middle - are they after subtle facial rejuvenation or a really big ‘wow’? And what is the purpose for this?” She adds that there is currently no training schemes like this for nurses, “although there are some very good nurses around, just do your research first”.

She goes on to stress the importance of having an “aesthetic eye” when dealing with changes to a patient’s appearance, “and always doing a full face assessment as if you come in wanting your lips done and your treatment provider only looks that those and nothing else, that’s when it can start to look weird. A bigger lip can alter the relationship with the chin, it has to fit in with the eyes…” She says she often undoes the lips of older women, “as the worst thing is spotting that someone has had their lips done, for me it’s a failure as a doctor”.

Two of the newest products she is using that she is very impressed by are Juvéderm VOLBELLA and Juvéderm VOLIFT, which are injectable gels used to restore volume and treat fine lines and wrinkles on the face. The former can be used to enhance the lips and surrounding area and can also work on fine lines and wrinkles with results lasting up to 12 months. VOLIFT is  for the treatment of deep wrinkles, facial contouring and volume restoration, and can also be used for lips. Both are formulated with a local anaesthetic to reduce pain during treatment and give the softest, most natural look I have ever seen. Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers have most definitely evolved as a mainstay for lip augmentation over the past few years. In fact, in Europe, there are around 70 or more of them on offer, yet only a few top brands you should care about. But the disconnect about lip enhancement is the dreaded trout pout, bee sting and duck lips look that gets pointed out on the red carpet all too often (think Courtney Love circa 2007, Lisa Rinna anytime), which is a shame because done well, it can be transformative in the very best sense of the word. 

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Daily delight: Lara Stone for Vogue China

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Beauty news: the arrival of M.A.C Viva Glam Miley Cyrus

At the end of last year the inimitable Ms. Miley Cyrus was unveiled as the new spokesperson for M.A.C's Viva Glam collection, and given the task of creating two lip products with the brand from which 100 per cent of profits will go to the MAC AIDS Fund.

Previous Viva Glam spokesmodels have included Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga, who have all put their own stamp on the brand's cult Lipglass and Lipstick formulas. Cyrus has, true to form, transformed the two products into sparkling pink - accompanied by a campaign with make-up by Lucia Pieroni. 

"Going #VIVAGLAM with @MACcosmetics. Look for my lipstick in early 2015," Cyrus tweeted last year. "Every cent from the sales of my #VIVAGLAM shade will go to @MACAIDSFund to help people affected by HIV."

I was sent some samples to play with just before Christmas, my opinions on which were strictly embargoes until this week… and my verdict? Absolutely killer – another great Viva Glam collab and one that is guaranteed to sell like wildfire and benefit people living with or effected by HIV in our community. Both products are universally flattering and as impactful as you want them to be as well, so will appeal to M.A.C and Miley fans everywhere.

Viva Glam Miley Cyrus Lipstick is a Hot Pink (Amplified) and Viva Glam Miley Cyrus Lipglass is a Hot Pink With Sparkling Pearl Shimmer. Both are available February 12, 2015 at all authorized M.A.C locations.

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