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Friday, September 20, 2019
Beauty news: L’Oréal Professionnel announces New Zealand Ambassador
The very clever decision makers at L’Oréal Professionnel New Zealand have just announced that actress and social media personality Grace Palmer, is the new local ambassador for the brand. She’s a woman with seriously amazing hair AND talent to burn, and the former Shortland Street star is the first local celebrity hair muse for the Parisian house of professional colour in New Zealand.
Grace will feature in L’Oreal Professionnel brand advertising such as point of sale, digital advertising and social media across salons nationwide. Across the year-long ambassadorship, she will undergo three different colour transformations, which will all incorporate one of L’Oreal Professionnel’s latest colour trends. Evidence of the first can be seen above, a look that is seriously gorgeous. When asked about her appointment, Grace said: “I’m so privileged! I’ve always had copious amounts of hair... far too much for one head, and L’Oréal Professionnel have taught me what to do with it. I’m so excited to work with their incredibly talented team”.
As part of colour transformation one (as above), L’Oreal Professionnel artist Zoe Clark (owner of INCO Studio in Ponsonby) used the No-Damage Colour by INOA service. INOA is a revolutionary colour service that is ammonia-free, and contains a 60 per cent oil formulation to leave hair feeling conditioned and hair quality visibly improved. I had an INOA colour many years ago and can attest to how great it left my hair feeling – even the highlighted elements which are usually akin to straw!
The key to INOA is in its revolutionary technology; the aforementioned Oil Delivery System. It transports colour pigment to the hair fibre without the damaging effect of ammonia, providing absolute respect for the hair and scalp, and an exceptional natural-looking colour result. Ammonia-free, odourless INOA allows you to lighten your hair up to three levels, darken hair and perfectly cover greys, while respecting the scalp and hair fibre.
L’Oréal Professionnel’s new bronzing colour story is what you can see on brand muse Grace, with her luminous bronze-inspired look created with INOA.. Hair bronzing can bring warmth and interest to all shades of hair, enhancing your colour, instantly softening the skin tone and illuminating both the hair and face. Sounds like just what the doctor ordered, huh?
Grace was a natural choice for the ambassadorship given her strong love for the brand. “I first began using L’Oreal Professionnel products when I was transitioning from blonde to brunette,” she says, “and from there stemmed my appreciation for the brand. Every product does exactly as it says, and my hair has never been healthier. I rarely need to style it (thankfully, because I’m a bit useless) as it naturally falls with enough bounce and body.”
Grace will feature in L’Oreal Professionnel advertising collateral from now onwards, so keep an eye out.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Hair how to: Veronica Beard at NYFW by Moroccanoil Artistic Director Kevin Hughes
Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard presented their Veronica Beard label SS 2020 collection at the recent New York Fashion Week, with a beauty look that was carefully crafted to match. Called “The Dolls,” the collection had a distinctly Sixties vibe — a mix of second-wave feminist girl boss attire and super feminine dressing that was so easy to love.
The hair look to match was the work of Moroccanoil Artistic Director, Kevin Hughes and was as instantly wearable as the collection. “We stayed in tune with the collection's Sixties vibe for the hair,” he said of the look, “with tons of volume at the crown that falls into a perfectly undone and textured body. A deep side part and full swept bang really homed in on the theme.” The hair was meant to embrace each woman’s natural texture – straight, wavy or curly – and I think it’s the perfect way to work a second day blow wave into a brand new style and more.
For your own updated Sixties vibe using Moroccanoil, follow these surprisingly easy steps…
1. On damp hair, use a dollar coin-sized amount of Moroccanoil Treatment –or Moroccanoil Treatment Light for finer tones—to provide the perfect foundation for styling.
2. Spray Moroccanoil Root Boost at the root of the hair and then apply Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse from mid lengths to ends.
3. Spray Moroccanoil Perfect Defense throughout the hair to protect before heat styling, then blow dry hair using the Moroccanoil 45mm Ceramic Round Brush and Moroccanoil Professional Ceramic Hair Dryer.
4. Create a deep side part and sweeping bangs in front of the face, adding volume throughout the hair.
5. Then create broken S waves throughout hair, except the bangs, using the Moroccanoil Professional Flat Iron.
6. At the back use a crimping iron to create lift and volume at the crown.
7. Next, apply Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray throughout the hair and backcomb the crown, using the Moroccanoil Boar Bristle Teasing Comb.
8. Smooth hair over the bouffant for a seamless finish and then add Moroccanoil Mending Infusion to mid lengths and ends.
9. Finish the look with Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Strong to hold the style and sweep the bangs to the front.
DESIGNER TIP: For a more defined and fun look, add bobby pins or barrettes to each side of the hair.
Photo Credit: Caroline Fiss
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Beauty news: Morphe is coming to MECCA
Founded in 2008 among the artists and influencers of the Los Angeles beauty scene, the now-iconic Morphe earned its reputation for a bold approach to makeup that honours individuality and self-expression. Known for its quality collabs with beauty influencers like James Charles, Jaclyn Hill and Jeffree Star, Morphe has built up an impressive reputation over the years and now boasts a whopping 9.8 million followers on Instagram, all gagging to get their hands on pretty much anything the brand creates.
So without further ado, I’d like to reveal that for the first time, the United States cult beauty will FINALLY be stocked in actual brick-and-mortar stores here in New Zealand because yes! Morphe is coming to MECCA.
Their press release about the major announcement began by saying: “There’s never a dull moment in the YouTube beauty community. With a new controversy cropping up every other day, from ‘Flashback Mary’ to people being cancelled left right and centre, there’s one opinion that seems to be far from controversial: in a sea of shadows and setting sprays, Morphe reigns supreme”. And every word is true. It’s a brand that creates iconic products at a great price point, and beauty freaks cannot get enough.
Morphe will launch exclusively into select MECCA and Mecca Maxima stores and online later this September, with an offering that is set to include the cult James Charles Artistry Palette (above) and the iconic Continuous Setting Mist.
The Morphe product range includes everything from their iconic mega-sized eyeshadow palettes to an enormous range of brushes and tools, plus, basically every other type of makeup product you could dream of. Best of all, it the retail prices won’t break the bank.
Keep an eye on a MECCA near you, Morphe’s Down Under moment is most definitely here.
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Hair how to: The Blonds at NYFW, by Moroccanoil Artistic Director Kevin Hughes
It wasn’t exactly ready-to-wear, but The Blonds SS20 Runway Show at New York Fashion Week was most definitely one of my favourites for the week for SO many reasons. Called The Blonds x Moulin Rouge! The Musical, the collaboration unveiled co-founder Phillipe Blond and creative director David Blond’s Spring 2020 designs as well as a superstar line up to wear them.
The show coincided with the release of the original Broadway cast’s recording of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, based on the hit by Baz Luhrmann, and the beauty look was showgirl glamour and then some. “We are so inspired by every facet of Moulin Rouge! Both the film and the stage adaptation,” The Blonds said in a press release about the collaboration. “The costumes, music and storytelling is something that resonates with us and we are so excited that for one night only The Blonds will take over the Moulin Rouge!”
The super glam hair look was created by Moroccanoil Artistic Director Kevin Hughes, who said the inspiration was essentially: individual style. “We were so taken by each model’s individual style that we wanted to create looks that would highlight their unique beauty,” said Hughes. “In true Moulin Rouge fashion, we were going for a look that would speak to the glamourous, modern showgirl.”
I am ALL about this look, which is actually super wearable depending on how much ‘voom’ you want in your va-va voom. I have the details on the standout style from the show, as follows…
Get the look: voluminous waves
1. On damp hair, use a dollar coin-sized amount of Moroccanoil Treatment –or Moroccanoil Treatment Light for finer tones—to provide the perfect foundation for styling.
2. Apply the Moroccanoil Perfect Defense to nourish and protect hair before heat styling.
3. Next, use Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse throughout the hair to create instant volume then blow dry hair using the Moroccanoil Professional Ceramic Hair Dryer.
4. Gather the top section of hair into a high ponytail and slick back using the Moroccanoil Boar Bristle Teasing Brush.
5. Section off the remaining hair into 1” sections and use the Moroccanoil Professional Series Titanium Curling Iron to create tight waves and pin to head to set and spray Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Strong to secure.
6. Continue curling hair and applying the Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Strong until all sections have been pinned.
7. Once complete, release curls and apply Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray throughout and brush out the curls using the Moroccanoil Boar Bristle Teasing Brush to create glamorous waves.
8. Finish the look using Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Strong.
Photo Credit: Caroline Fiss
Monday, September 16, 2019
Love it: COOLA Full Spectrum 360° Mineral Sun Silk Crème Organic Sunscreen SPF 30
If you check in here regularly, then you’ll know I’m a huge fan of COOLA suncare. COOLA is the first name that I recommend to anyone who asks me advice on sun protection for their whole family, and that fact that their products are a seemingly effortless mix of high performance and beautiful to use formulas makes them loved by everyone who tries them. A beautifully packaged collection of organic sun essentials produced out of Southern California, the COOLA range includes a plethora of yummy products that are high performance yet delicate and kind on the environment. It is produced in limited quantity batches in California (where the company is based), meaning that the range can be reformulated often, taking advantage of new developments in sun science and labelling regulations almost as they happen.
The COOLA range has two distinct organic sunscreen collections to choose from: Mineral, and Classic, each based on different active ingredients. The Classic Sunscreens use organic active ingredients (commonly referred to as “chemicals”), while the Mineral Sunscreens use mineral (“physical”) active ingredients like Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide to scatter and reflect UVA/UVB rays. The mineral sunscreens are effective right after application, making them perfect for the whole family.
Recently, the brand released some new additions to their mineral family, one of which I immediately fell in love with. Called Full Spectrum 360° Mineral Sun Silk Crème Organic Sunscreen SPF30 (a mouthful, I know), it is a multi-tasking modern masterpiece that does it all. An oil-free, airy-light formula, it gently glides on to form a transparent veil with a delightfully dewy finish, and is ideal for everyday use.
Created using 70%+ certified organic ingredients, it has at its heart the brand’s Full Spectrum 360° Complex, which is a proprietary blend of supercharged antioxidants and plant-derived actives – all at active levels – that are clinically shown to help mitigate the skin damage from exposure to blue light, infrared, and pollution. 15.0% Non-Nano Zinc Oxide is also in there to rovide broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection, whilst Niacinamide helps soothe and soften skin while supporting moisture retention.
Ultra hydrating, its silky smooth finish sits nicely under makeup, and the fact that it can be used by all skin types and never leaves a white cast get much thumbs up from me. It is also Gluten Free, Certified Organic, Certified Cruelty Free, Fragrance Free, Non-Comedogenic, Phthalate Free and most definitely sits in the ‘clean’ beauty category, which makes adding this to your skincare arsenal a total no-brainer.
To use, give the bottle a good shake then dispense into your palms and apply directly to your face using upward strokes fifteen minutes’ before going out into the sun. I also put it on my neck and décolleté as well as the backs of my hands, and it really does sink in nice and fast.
COOLA also has a new fragrance free Mineral Body Sunscreen Lotion formula in both SPF50 and SPF30 that I can’t wait to play with once the days heat up, and will report back on the results!
Coola Full Spectrum 360° Mineral Sun Silk Crème Organic Sunscreen SPF30 is available right now, RRP $65 for 44ml.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Love it: Neutral territory – find the nude for you
A swipe of nude lipstick is the perfect companion to a smoky eye, and also one of the quickest and easiest beauty tools to master. Pretty much foolproof to apply, the only challenge that comes with wearing a nude lip is finding the right shade for you.
There is definitely a nude shade out there for everyone, but it’s not quite as simple as just finding the hue closest to your nipples à la Kim Kardashian-West. Even her makeup artist, Mario Dedivanovic says he always has multiple formulas on hand to get that pout just right, be they glossy or matte, super sheer or slightly pink.
There are plenty of perfectly pigmented products out there, but as a rule nude lips look best when the colour is one shade lighter or darker than your complexion rather than an exact match. For fairer skins, dusky pinks and rose-tinted beiges will add some much-needed warmth, while sheer formulas and glosses will keep things looking natural. Olive complexions are best matched to deep honey and caramel tones, and in summer a shimmering finish will bring out the sun-kissed look of your skin. And if you’ve got darker skin, your complexion is usually best suited to warm toffee and berry-toned hues, or a swipe of beautiful bronze.
Now for some great nudes, the first being from the Liquid lipstick category. It feels like Liquid lipsticks are everywhere at the moment, and the little tubes of pigment have become a rather polarising beauty pick, depending on who you ask. People either love a good matte liquid lipstick regardless of how much it dries out their lips, and then there are those who prefer to not have their lips feel like day old bread. That has always seemed to be the trade off – you either get long-wear super-pigmented matte or you have comfortable lips – but not any longer. All hail the indomitable NARS, and their most perfect Powermatte Lip Pigment. These matte liquid lipsticks have upset all the aforementioned theories and created one hell of a long lasting AND comfortable matte lip. Upon first application I loved the fact that the texture is verrrry light, and very liquid. It is thin but powerful and swipes on very quickly with the narrow doe-foot applicator, which softly pointed to make edging more precise. It feels as though it sinks into your lips in a very natural way, as opposed to just sitting atop the skin — which lends itself quite nicely to a more natural-looking wear. And some great looking natural shades. Each of the 20 PowerMatte Lip Pigments are named after classic rock songs, and a flawless nude can be found in the form of the tan rose ‘Get It On’ shade, named after the iconic T. Rex hit.
From M.A.C stable, Velvet Teddy was always one of the beauty world’s best-kept secrets until Kylie Jenner outed it as her matte nude of choice, and the brand’s Stripped - a light, dirty, peachy beige matte – is another much-loved option. I have worn Velvet Teddy for nigh on 20 years I reckon, and it’s still the nude I reach for when I’m heading out the door with a clean face – it really does warm up the complexion and then some.
For a light-to-medium nude with hints of coral pink and warm undertones, Charlotte Tilbury’s Bitch Perfect has a creamy, matte texture that makes it super-wearable and well worth the investment, whilst Pillow Talk from Tilbury’s Matte Revolution offering sold out almost as soon as it was released. NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anita is a great pick if you like your nudes on the pale, pinky side, just prep well beforehand with Rodin Olio Lusso Lip Pencil in So Mod for a clean, polished lip look that doesn’t fade or feather.
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Love it: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer
Sometimes all you – and your skin – really want is an easy to use, does what it says, honest to good moisturiser. But they are often the hardest to find. Many have a bunch of actives added in or are all talk with little to back it up, but none of that applies to the really rather wonderful Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer.
Drop the word "watermelon" into any beauty or skincare conversation and talk will immediately jump to Korean beauty and skincare brand Glow Recipe. With good reason. Founded by two former L'Oréal execs in 2014, Glow Recipe set out to make K-beauty more accessible to consumers and in a case of right time, right place, they seriously went global. Glow Recipe's mission, Lee has said, is "to break down what K-beauty [is] all about, educate consumers on the unique trends coming out of Korea, bring them best-in-class skincare offerings, and make them accessible to consumers through repositioning and education." The fact that their products are also insanely cute and well priced helps hugely, and thankfully, their cult-favourite Watermelon family is exclusively available here at MECCA and via meccabeauty.co.nz.
Which brings me back to the marvellous, 100 per cent oil-free Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer. A cooling gel-emulsion that absorbs instantly to seal in hydration and prep skin for the day ahead, it is my pick for a great summer option or tropical holidays due to its immediately chilly (in a good way) feel. It is packed full of yummy ingredients that your skin will love, such as
amino-rich watermelon extract to intensely hydrate, soothe and fight free radical damage to ward off fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. Watermelon also diminishes the appearance of pores and gently sloughs away dead skin cells, whilst Hyaluronic Acid instantly quenches thirsty skin. This Holy Grail hydrator retains 1000 times its weight in water to breathe new life to dry, rough skin, whilst antioxidant-rich jasmine and peony extracts complete the picture.
Oh and while all this goodness is going into Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer, what you WON’T find are Parabens, Mineral Oil, Sulfates, Silicones, Phthalates, Alcohol and Synthetic Dyes. It’s also vegan, and cruelty-free.
So, how do you use this puppy to elicit plump, juicy and hydrated skin? Well if you have oily or combination skin, simply use it as your key moisturiser after any treatment products have sunk on in. Dispense one pump onto fingertips and pat onto skin until absorbed. For dry skin types, it makes a great hydrating serum before layering on a thicker moisturiser, which is what I have been doing but will probably sub out for purely Pink Juice once summer hits. When you squirt a pump of it onto your hand, you'll notice it has a jelly-like consistency that melts to a watery serum as you rub it in. This makes it perfect for use under makeup to make everything look more glowy, and it doesn’t pill under foundation AT all.
Oh and last up, does it have a fragrance? Yes, but Glow Recipe products are never formulated with more than 0.5% synthetic fragrance so even if you’re a bit freaked by fragrance like me, you can rest easy. Glow Recipe uses the minimum amount of fragrance, when necessary, to create a sensorial experience, and all fragrances they use are tested and free of pcm and linalool.
This beauty is available right now at Mecca stores and online here.
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Monday, September 9, 2019
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