Name: Val
From: Melbourne
Beauty Signature: Pink lips and false eyelashes.
Beauty Icon: Leighton Meester. She never fails to do effortless chic so flawlessly whether it is in Gossip Girl or out of it.
All-Time Top Buy: La Mer Fluid Tint ($165 from La Mer). It delivers perfect coverage (even for eyes), plumps, moisturises and doubles as a sunscreen. Also, Utowa Eyelash Curler ($45 from Mecca Cosmetica) and Dr.Lipp Lip Balm ($34 from Mecca Cosmetica). (more…)

My number-one pick right now is EcoTools Foundation Brush ($9.95 from Priceline). Not only does it lives up to its name in being environmentally friendly, but it actually works as well as most of the pricier professional brushes out there. The fibres feel soft and luxe, but are strong enough to really make things stick. It blends cream foundations beautifully although works quite effectively with mineral powder foundation. It’s a little smaller than most foundation brushes but this means it’s easier to get into nooks and crannies, like around the nose, and to cover problem discolouration patches. In short: super-highly recommended.

The Look: Un-done hair.
The Low-Down: Mussed-up hair is a modern way to wear black-tie – it takes the perfect edge off a gown and swaps it for a youthful touch. To enhance natural movement, apply a sea salt spray to damp hair, and allow to air-dry, scrunching sections to encourage extra texture.
The Lust-After: One of the best is Wella High Hair Ocean Spritz, $21.50 from selected salons, call 1300 885 002

Brigitte Bardot, that ultimate beauty icon, has inspired many a girl when smoking up her sex-kittenish eyes or painting her pouty lips pale pink, or back-combing her bed-heady hair. And now Tocca has paid the gorgeous French actress and animal activist the ultimate beauty tribute: (more…)

Sounds to me like a sign of sun damage. If you wear lots of strappy things and don’t vigilantly sun-protect your skin from the jawline down, the arms, shoulders and décolletage will eventually show such signs of wear and tear as pigmentation, roughness, dehydration and that crepey look you’re seeing. I’d suggest you buy yourself some longer-sleeve tops for summer days and focus on rejuvenating the skin here. To do this, invest in a body cream containing lactic acid – it’s a hydroxy acid that not only resurfaces and retexturises, but also boosts hydration levels, making for a plumper looking skin. Try Priori Hand and Body Revitalizing Lotion ($110, see True Solutions) – a little pricey yes, but it’s super-potent. (more…)