THE BEAUTY BOUTIQUES
You’re one click away from beauty paradise …
The best of cult beauty from around the globe. If you want to look like the ultimate English Rose, there’s Jemma Kidd Makeup School. Don’t leave without buying the Rose Glow Lip & Cheek Tint ($45), Waterproof Lash Tint ($39) and Crushed Jewel Crème Duo ($39). Also from England, the cult organic Cowshed bodycare collection. There’s more natural beauty goodness from New Zealand’s Antipodes and Greece’s Korres. If bling is more your thing, American makeup artist Scott Barne’s self-named range has all you need for a little – or a lot of – red-carpet-style glamour.
There’s much to love in this chic online beauty boutique. Juice Beauty, for one - a scrumptiously goodness-packed organic skincare range. Then there’s Reniu - practically Fiji in a bottle. Don’t go past the Sugar Rub in either Frangipani or Coconut. The Corso Como fragrance is another star - it’s a please-everyone scent of such gorgeousness as rose, geranium and sandalwood.
Packed with beauty blockbusters - Nars, Prescriptives, Philosophy, we could go on and on … But our personal favourite is Stila, especially the Eye Shadow in Kitten. We’ve yet to find a lovelier lid shimmer than this little pot of gold.
A bookmark-must for every beauty junkie. Shop here for the best in Australian beauty: Aesop and Ultraceuticals skincare, Becca and Bloom makeup. As well as some of the chicest international names: Clarins, Laura Mercier and Annick Goutal. Not to mention some must-have cult beauty buys: Smiths Rosebud Salve, St Tropez and Tweezerman. First time here? Let us recommend our top buy: Megan Gale Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear SPF30+. The maximum sun protection you can get from a tube; the minimum coverage you need to look neat yet natural.
Top picks: Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisture, which is chock-full of such skin-loving goodness as vitamin C, E, ferulic acid and rosemary extract. And, of course, the cult-status Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, which gives lips the sauciest stain (saucy as in seductive, by the way, not as in ketchup). Also worshippable: the Anti-Blemish range, particularly the Body Treatment Spray and Spot Treatment Gel – little works better for I’m-still-breaking-out-even-though-I’m-not-a-teenager-dammit skin.
M.A.C stores are kind of like candy shops for grown-up girls, so it’s more fun to actually shop in real-world M.A.C. But for those of you who can’t easily get to an outlet or who just want to replenish, this site sure beats a smack over the head with a blush brush. Our best buys are the face-illuminating Strobe Cream and the ultra-glamorous Fluidline (a gel-based liquid liner you apply super-easily with a brush). Also, keep an eye on the Events section - it’s worth booking in for a makeup workshop to learn some of the pros’ top tips and tricks.
So many reasons to love this site. 1 - it’s pink. 2 - you can buy Glossed Nourishing Body Cream, $42, which has the best frangipani scent from here to Tahiti. 3 - you can buy the original and now cult hot-pink-packaged Tan Airbrush in a Can, from $32, which makes you look like you’ve actually been to Tahiti, rather than stuck shopping at your desk. 4 - you can buy some nifty makeup bags (also pink). 4 - you can buy Lash Out Individual Lashes, $18, (black though - not pink) which come with glue and a flirty-lashes guarantee. And 5 - products are dispatched on the day of order, and shipping is free when you buy three or more items.
SOME ONLINE LUXURY
Stuck at your desk working all week? Then maybe you deserve a little bit of indulgence.com …
Unfortunately, as yet, there’s no scratch & sniff service wen it comes to fragrance shopping online. That’s not a huge problem here though. Basically, you can’t go wrong with any Jo Malone fragrance. They’re all stunners. BeautyEditor.com.au’s personal faves: Pomegranate Noir and Vintage Gardenia. Bodycare is beautiful too – the Bath Oil makes for a can’t-go-wrong gift (especially in Red Roses), while the candles are exquisite. On the ultimate wishilist: the $495 Luxury Candle in Orange Blossom. Sigh.
There’s the original cult buy cream, of course (from $250), but another must-try is The Eye Concentrate ($350), which seems to melt away dark circles and puffiness.
MAKEUP & MORE
These clever advice-packed sites are more than just a pretty face.
The hairstylist and hot haircare brand has one the hippest sites around. You can buy his fabulous products here - but it’s so much more than a shopping site. There’s a hair type guide to help you find your perfect matches, some nifty expert tips, and – the star of the site – a selection of podcasts where models talk you through how to best use the products.
A fun, girlie site devoted specifically to young skin issues - you can also buy the Bellaboo skincare range, which was developed by an ex-beauty editor in close collaboration with her target market. Some nice extras: makeup reviews, designer interviews, and anything else girls are into that nano-second.
BEAUTY BLOGS & SITES
Because a girl can never get enough tips and tricks …
Fruity’s daily diary entries run from musings on new celeb looks to how-tos on tricky new looks to product review videos - all in Fruity’s inimitable voice.
Run by the delightful Jen Adcock, a makeup artist and freelance writer, Beauty Marked is a pretty but practical guide to gorgeousness, and specialises in advice for coloured skin.
Packed with beauty goodness, this weekly-updated Australian site offers even more must-know news, tips and tricks. Don’t miss the competitions.
MORE MUST-CLICKS
A blog from the popular author and columnist. Mia has been editor and editor-in-chief of Cosmo, Cleo and Dolly in the past - so it’s no suprise she knows how women think and what we’re interested in. But maybe just a few seconds before we even know it. Make yourself a cup of tea, curl up on your couch with your laptop, and sink in to this site - it’s like a great chat with a girlfriend.
Our favourite place for stars. It’s the most thoughtful, interesting and enjoyable astrology read around - perfectly manicured hands-down. Not really a beauty site, true, but Yasmin will be the first to tell you if it’s time to invest in a neck cream, or if you need to take some pampering time-out.
Writer Sandi Tighello gives a refreshing Melbourne perspective on popular culture, art, music, dining and, of course, beauty, with her very own tried-and-tested tips.
