Daily delight: Elle Macpherson for InStyle Australia

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All about: the ghd x Lulu Guinness collection

As a two-time breast cancer survivor, I always appreciate it when a beauty brand decides to “go pink” for the cause and actually commits to it year after year. A lot don’t, believe me! Many a brand will jump on the bandwagon to leverage a few sales, then disappear the following year when a newer, shinier charity takes their eye.

This is vastly unlike ghd, who have been in it for the long haul. This is the thirteenth year that ghd New Zealand has served up an amazing fundraising initiative for the Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand, having already donated an amazing $1,000,000 to the charity through sales of their annual, highly coveted ghd pink stylers. The work done by the BCFNZ is vital for people like me, and their services that I have accessed over the years have made an incredible impact at a very difficult time.

But on to this year’s limited edition styling tools at hand, which were unveiled to media a few weeks’ ago at a beautiful event at Ponsonby salon Kindred Human + Earth. This season, the limited edition pink range is even more covetable, having undergone an absolutely gorgeous vintage makeover thanks to a collaboration with UK designer Lulu Guinness. The limited edition ghd x Lulu Guinness collection features Lulu’s iconic lip print on the new ghd gold straightener and ghd air hairdryer, with $20 from every pink straightener and $10 from every pink hairdryer going to the Breast Cancer Foundation of NZ. “The ghd annual pink collection is so iconic and has raised an incredible amount of money for breast cancer charities globally,” says Guinness, “over $20 million! I am thrilled to be a part of the campaign this year and hope that my design helps to raise even more valuable money for charity.”  The ghd gold by Lulu Guinness comes with with Lulu Guinness’ cult lip print design and an exclusive Lulu Guinness heat-resistant bag. $20 donated to BCFNZ, whilst the GHD air by Lulu Guinness features limited edition pink accents and a beautiful dust bag. Want them both!

Evangelia Henderson, Chief Executive at Breast Cancer Foundation NZ says, "Since 2006, ghd has continued to raise much needed funds for the foundation. "Breast cancer is the most common cancer for Kiwi women and the third most common overall. The ongoing partnership with ghd helps Breast Cancer Foundation NZ continue its vital work: improving early detection, investing in research and supporting patients," says Mrs Henderson. ghd Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Ludovic Dellazzeri says, "we're very proud to be supporting Breast Cancer Foundation for the 14th year running. We're hoping Kiwis will get on board and help us achieve the charity's vision of zero deaths from breast cancer, so we can finally #KissCancerGoodbye.”

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Daily delight: Taylor Swift for Harper’s Bazaar US

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Love it: Bobbi Brown’s Nude on Nude palettes

It goes without saying that I am a huge fan of Bobbi Brown, both the hugely inspirational woman and the stellar brand. Both are beautiful yet practical, with the end goal being making every woman look the best she can be. Bobbi Brown is all about making the most of your standout features for a beauty that is all your own – how great is that?

Inspired by the natural colours in a woman’s face, the brand’s approach to nude enhances features and “lets the real you shine through”, and a product duo dropping next week designed to do exactly that is the Nude on Nude palette collection. All about shades that flatter skin tone and create a healthy glow, it aims to deliver the perfect statement eye, and I am already obsessed. Nude on Nude celebrates the “nude makeup” originator’s aesthetic—a simple yet natural look, but one that can be as subtle or dramatic as you please. 

The palette comes in two editions - Bronzed Nudes and Rosy Nudes - each with an amazing TEN eye shadow formulas that make it pretty much all you need this season and perfect for travel. The official line up – including some brand new shades - is:

• Bronzed Nudes Edition: Bone Eye Shadow, NEW Golden Glow Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Frappe Eye Shadow, Pink Copper Sparkle Eye Shadow, NEW Burnt Amber Metallic Eye Shadow, NEW Buff Eye Shadow, NEW Copper Chocolate, Sparkle Eye Shadow, Chocolate Truffle Metallic Eye Shadow, Milk Chocolate Eye Shadow, andBlack Chocolate Eye Shadow

• Rosy Nudes Edition: NEW White Smoke Eye Shadow, Watercolor Pink Metallic Eye Shadow, NEW Nudest Eye Shadow, NEW Sunrise Glow Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Nude Eye Shadow, Dusk Metallic Eye Shadow, Milk Chocolate Eye Shadow, Tan Eye Shadow, NEW Chocolate Smoke Sparkle Eye Shadow and Rich Caviar Eye Shadow.

Finishes range from silky, matte powder shadows that blend easily to rich shimmers and shamelessly sheer sparkles for a fabulous combo that really does cover all of the bases. I’ve been playing with the Bronzed Nudes Edition non-stop since I received a sample a few weeks’ ago and I have to say that I have been reaching for little else – it really IS that versatile. It will definitely be coming with me to Europe in a month too – the ultimate travel palette this just may be!

The Bobbi Brown Nude on Nude palettes - RRP $140 - are available: July 16th at all Bobbi Brown Cosmetics Counters and at www.smithandcaugheys.co.nz/bobbibrown and www.farmers.co.nz/bobbibrown

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Daily delight: Helena Christensen for InStyle magazine

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All about: making more Conscious haircare choices

When I first started writing about beauty, finding natural products was near impossible, especially at a time when online shopping for green goodies wasn’t that easy and New Zealand was woefully under resourced. Since then, the genre has grown leaps and bounds, and that includes conscious, eco-friendly products for your hair.

One of the first brands that I fell in love with both for its philosophy and its effectiveness was Sans [ceuticals], which was founded by stylist and eco mama Lucy Vincent and is still made in New Zealand today. In French, sans means without, and all Sans [ceuticals] ingredients are pure and sustainable, with no harmful additives. Made fresh in small batches, their entire collection is 100 per cent naturally derived, using 100 per cent biodegradable ingredients
that come in 100 per cent recyclable packaging. They even use vegetable ink for all of their print materials, and on a purely aesthetic level, their goodies look luscious in your bathroom. Sans [ceuticals] products are also a holy grail for minimalists in that they are largely multi-use, meaning fewer items in your bathroom that are used more frequently. This reduces clutter and softens their environmental footprint, while also being kinder on the wallet. My favourites from their haircare offering are the beautiful Balancing Hair Wash and locks loving Nourishing Hair Hydratant Ultra +, a conditioner that really cares.

A name from farther afield that is above reproach when it comes to caring for the planet and its humans is Italian beauty brand, Davines. The environmentally conscious house offers a fantastic colour service in the form of A New Colour, which utilises the likes of melanin, carotenoids, Vitamin C, quartz powder and vegetable vaseline to provide velvety, intense, multifaceted results. Add to that maximum comfort for customers and full respect for the hair's structure and you have a seriously inspired product, and unlike many organic and natural colour systems in the past it can deliver some dramatic results. Lately I’ve been using their range of foolproof scalp and hair masks known as The Circle Chronicles (see, above). Each mask is unique and dedicated to a specific hair and/or scalp issue and you can even use them to “multi mask” according to where your hair is at on any given day. Formulated with a high percentage of natural ingredients such as clays, charcoal and seed oils, they are created using 100 per cent renewable energy sources and feel and smell incredible. Vegan, silicone-free and without parabens, they also contain no artificial colours – it is the natural-origin active ingredients that give each mask its own unique hue. They come in cute little packets that are single-use and highly portable, and the packaging is CO2 neutral, fighting climate change by offsetting 100 per cent of their carbon emissions through reforestation. My favourite is The Spotlight Circle, which delivers serious shine and is perfect if you’re preparing for a party or important event.

At Stephen Marr salon on Ponsonby Road they offer another, strong, conscious haircare brand in the form of Original + Mineral. The Australian-founded, but globally respected name created CØR.colour, which took their original ammonia-free colour offering and dialled things up. Way up. Designed for salons “dedicated to giving their clients and stylists the cleanest, healthiest colour experience”, it is gluten and soy-free so more people can safely experience a hair colour session without the itching and tingling, and has no animal-derived ingredients. Free of PPD and Resorcinol, CØR.colour is kind on people and also on the drains that its excess is washed down, which is a win-win for us - and the planet. The brand’s home care and styling products are also incredible, with my favourite being Surf Bomb Sea Salt Texture Spray, which delivers that effortlessly sexy, tousled look without drying out your hair.

Last up, I’d like to talk about Kindred Human + Earth (see, below), a salon with lots of soul that appeared gently on the local landscape earlier this year in the space originally known as Good One at 42 Douglas Street. Owner Cat Frost told me that when she first began thinking about the salon – the location of which took three years to find – she set out to create a “new salon model”, one that would nurture the soul and reduce the chemical load on clients and the environment. One of their main product offerings is the aforementioned Davines, a brand that Cat trusts implicitly. “You know they take the nurturing aspect very seriously,” she says, “and their products are leeching nothing from the earth.” 

Alongside salon services, Kindred also has a brow taming offering and beauty therapy, and is soon to begin yoga and meditation sessions developed with Auckland yoga identity, Yogamani Saraswati. Cat is passionate about caring for the whole human as opposed to just their hair, and key to this is her commitment to what she likes to call the “green glamour movement” that is driving consumers to question brands about their integrity. By the time this comes out Cat will be almost ready to open a café space adjacent to the salon, which will be called Next of Kin. Serving Allpress coffee and vegan treats, it is set to be a neighourhood favourite – much like the salon itself.

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Daily delight: Alison Brie for FASHION magazine

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Love it: Moroccanoil Mending Infusion

I was absolutely mad for Moroccanoil when it arrived on the scene all those years ago, it really was the perfect product for my ever-so-slightly –tortured hair at the time and the best multitasker I’d met in a while.

Since then more than a few pretenders have made their way onto the shelves, and the Moroccanoil range has answered this with serious expansion into a collection of amazing products. The one I’d like to sing the praises of today is Moroccanoil Mending Infusion, which despite the deceptively simple name is waaaaay more than just a solid repairer of split ends. In actuality, Moroccanoil Mending Infusion is a vitamin-fuelled, quinoa protein-packed formula that nourishes, conditions and strengthens for a ‘silky, fresh-cut appearance’. 

An instant-fix styling agent if ever there was one, the ultra-lightweight, Argan oil-based formula reduces visible signs of damaged hair-such as frayed ends, dryness and colour damage, all the while taming frizz and even preventing further damage – how great is that?

Key ingredients in the mix are the aforementioned Argan Oil - rich in tocopherols (Vitamin E), essential fatty acids and antioxidants, it deeply nourishes – Galactoarabinan (a polysaccharide that is core to a proprietary blend of split end-sealing ingredients) and Baobab extract to help provide damage recovery and leave hair looking and feeling softer and smoother. Last up, Hydrolyzed Quinoa is included as it is super rich in amino acids so helps exponentially with hair nourishment and conditioning.

So how do you use it? Apply a dollar coin-sized amount to your palms and warm it a little before working through dry hair, focusing on the ends after styling. Reapply as needed. You can also use it whilst blow drying if you hair really needs some extra love, and the formula is so lightweight and fast-absorbing that you’ll hardly feel its there. Magic.

Moroccanoil Mending Infusion is in salon and at luxury retailers now, RRP $71.50

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Daily delight: Bella Hadid for ELLE Mexico

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Love it: Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluid

I feel like every day I’m looking for a new soothing eye mask, de-puffer or workhorse concealer to disguise the shadows under my eyes, one that won’t settle into creases and make the whole area look older, as well as way tired-er. I am the owner of hereditary dark circles and was happy to conceal away with anything I could get my hands on when I was younger but now? I just want to look fresh, damn it!

In all honesty, I’ve been mostly forgoing concealer of late due to the fact that most formulas settle most unattractively into the fine lines under my eyes, so it was with great excitement that I greeted the arrival of Hourglass’ Veil Retouching Fluid at Mecca Cosmetica – a wonder product that harnesses the power of the brand's popular Ambient Lighting Powder in a new fluid formula. 

The light to the touch, serum-like formula instantly illuminates wherever you dot it on, working overtime to refresh, revive and retouch the complexion. The weightless fluid is designed to be used in a multitude of ways, taking care of everything from refreshing any parts of the face that need a touch of hydration to reviving the aforementioned under eye without caking or creasing, and retouching the complexion for no-makeup days.

The formula is rich in skin nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, plant water extract and grapefruit extract, and the sheer formula can be used anywhere on the face that needs instant radiance and light coverage. I love that it can be used anytime during the day to touch up and perfect the complexion on the go, all the while not disturbing the makeup underneath. 

Easy to use for even a novice like me, it’s a lovely sheer product that adds coverage without being cake-y or heavy. It has a luminous quality but no shimmer, so it’s kind to all skin types, ages and textures and has a super flattering, truly skin-like finish. For best results I have been dotting it on with the doe foot applicator and then gently patting it into the skin with my fingers, watching it work its magic just seconds after application.

Hourglass’ Veil Retouching Fluid come in six very flexible shades:
• Vanilla - very fair to fair
• Fair - fair to light
• Natural - light to light medium
• Sand - light medium to medium
• Honey - medium to medium deep
• Almond - medium deep to deep

And is available right now at Mecca Beauty stores now and online here for RRP $54.00. Highly recommended, multi use and one heck of a must have!

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Daily delight: Lily-Rose Depp for Vogue Russia

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Beauty news: Aesop’s Resurrection Rinse-Free Hand Wash sizes up

It’s safe to say that Australian brand Aesop is not your regular high-end skincare, haircare, home fragrance and more company. There are no big promises, no celebrity endorsements, no glossy packaging and no advertising. As a brand, they are committed to celebrating science by integrating both plant-based and laboratory-made ingredients, and the efficacy of their product formulations is world-renowned. An interview with Aesop General Manager of Retail and Customer Relations Suzanne Santos told us “you need a blend of well-chosen man-made ingredients with exceptional botanical ingredients to make remarkable products”, and I personally have never met an Aesop product I didn’t like. I first encountered the brand many years ago on a trip to one of their Sydney boutiques, and after washing my hands with their premier luxury soap, I was irrevocably hooked.  Their less-is-more approach appeals to the type of consumer who doesn’t need fruity surroundings and overbearing retail staff to tell them what is wrong with their skin or what their home should smell like, but those who are happy to pay slightly higher prices for authentic top-quality products that just make you feel good – and work.

Aesop’s founder Dennis Paphitis has famously been quoted as saying: “Luxury is an attitude, a spirit, a celebration of the everyday; it is certainly not an overpriced, monogrammed handbag that’s distributed as widely as fast food,” and their stores around the world reflect this value.

Their home offering is really quite flawless, and encompasses everything from room sprays to hand and body wash and more. Their evaporative gel formula, Rinse-Free Hand Wash has long been a handbag staple of mine, so the fact that Resurrection Rinse-Free Hand Wash is now available in a 500ml pump bottle is fabulous news. 

For those that are unfamiliar with this little wonder, the moisturising agents in its formula – including extracts of Mandarin, Rosemary and Cedar – ensure hands are not stripped of moisture regardless of frequency of use. The formula’s botanical aroma also makes it an appealing alternative to many other gel-based hand sanitisers, hence its everyday appearance in my bag.

The new, super sized Resurrection Rinse-Free Hand makes it ideal for bolstering hand hygiene in the office, bathroom or kitchen, and an absolute essential during flu season in particular. 

Resurrection Rinse-Free Hand Wash is available right now from stores, counters in selected department stores globally, and at Aesop Online with an RRP of $10 for 50ml and $59 for 500ml.

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Daily delight: Paris Jackson for Rag & Bone denim

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All about: Dermalogica BioLumin-C Serum

The antioxidant properties of vitamin C (AKA ascorbic acid) and its role in collagen synthesis make the sunny-hued little beauty a vital molecule for skin health. Dietary and topical ascorbic acid have beneficial effects on skin cells, and some studies have even shown that vitamin C may help prevent and treat ultraviolet (UV)-induced photodamage. To break the news gently: you NEED the stuff on your face, as well as in your diet. Lucky for us there’s some clever skincare brands doing unique things with it, and formulas to suit every skin.

The latest I’ve been lucky enough to hear about it is Dermalogica’s new BioLumin-C Serum (RRP $159), which arrived on counters this week. A super stable and bioavailable, potent Vitamin C formula to help both reduce and prevent fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and loss of elasticity, its end goal is ‘giving you brighter skin from within’. So what does ‘bioavailable mean?’ you may ask? Well, many topical Vitamin C products contain unstable ingredients that lose efficacy before they're even applied to the skin, or on application. BioLumin-C Serum doesn't talk about the percentage of Vitamin C within the formula, as this doesn't mean anything if it isn't stable or bioavailable.

So how does it do its thing? Well, the high-performance serum works with skin’s own defences to brighten and firm. Advanced bio-technology – the kind of innovation we’ve come to associate with the brand - fuses ultra-stable Vitamin C and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, helping to dramatically reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Delivering more Vitamin C into skin, it aims to out perform other Vitamin C products (including those formulated at higher concentrations) due to its clever make up.

Other key ingredients in the heady mix include Vitamin C Complex for brighter, firmer skin, Lactic Acid to accelerate cell turnover, Sophora Japonica Flower Extract to help return skin to a calm state after experiencing oxidative stress, and Salvia Hispanica (AKA Chia Seed) Oil to hydrate and help quench free radicals.

Smooth this baby over a cleansed face and neck morning and night, after toning and before moisturising, and be ready to see a real change in areas like pigmentation and fine lines. I’ve been using it every second day due to my rosacea issues that seem to have reared their ugly head once again, but once that’s left the building I’ll be upping my dose for sure.

Dermalogica's super stable, bioavailable BioLumin-C Serum is available right now from authorised Dermalogica stockists and dermalogica.co.nz

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Daily delight: Gisele Bundchen for Vogue US

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