A Morning at the Benefit Boutique

Early in May, Benefit Cosmetics and blog superstar Lilian Tahmasian of Butterflielilian teamed up to create a competition based around the Benefit products. The prize would go to four lucky girls who would spend a morning at the Paddington boutique with Lilian being pampered. To enter, you just had to comment on the Butterflielilian blog page about your favourite Benefit product. This was my entry:

I was quite proud of it once it was posted (even though I did use the word ‘spot’ twice).

The winners contact date came and went, and I thought I’d missed out. I didn’t give it any more thought. That is until an email from Lilian appeared in my inbox a week ago telling me I was a winner! I was to be at the Benefit store in Paddington on Monday 17^th June. Oh how stoked I was!

I arrived at the store and, as usual at a Benefit store, was overwhelmed and excited by all the beautiful products in their unique packaging, the pale pink and custard yellow striped walls, the posters in ornate frames, and the little character busts on top of the shelves. I was like a kid in a candy store!

As we were escorted to the Brow Bar at the rear of the store we were offered mini cupcakes with Benefit character faces. Too Gorgeous!

We each had a brow tint and wax (mine have never looked so amazing!) before getting to play with the cosmetics during a makeup tutorial. The three of us prize winners, Lilian and the beautiful Benefit staff had plenty of time to chat about all things beauty and blogging; they were all absolutely gorgeous! The other two winners (the fourth winner didn’t show up) turned out to be bloggers as well; Clarissa of Clarissa Explains It All and Nella of Beauté Gazette.

We left with a special little purse shaped goody bag with some Benefit products for the road… I always LOVE getting makeup!

Benefit cosmetics are high quality, and designed to provide simple solutions for beauty dilemmas in true ‘Fake it ‘til you make it’ style. Every Benefit product I have tried has been an instant love.

Benefit products used in this image:

Porefessional primer AUD $53

Boi-ing concealer AUD $37

Benetint AUD $55 (used on cheeks and lips)

High Beam luminiser AUD $45

They’re Real mascara AUD $38

A huge thank you to Benefit, Butterflielilian and the other gorgeous winners for such a fabulous morning!

xoxo

   

  

Dove Colour Live & Nuffnang Event

When we think of Dove… we automatically think of the iconic beauty bar ‘with ¼ moisturizing cream’. I was intrigued when an event invitation landed in my inbox for a Dove Colour Live event (thanks to Nuffnang). I began to wonder if the iconic brand were delving into the world of hair colour, or perhaps cosmetics. It had my attention.

I arrived at Luxe Studios, Darlinghurst on the evening of the event at the same time as Caitlin of Closet Confessions (we’d never met before). We were the first two guests to arrive so we latched onto each other and began to discuss all things plus size fashion blogger related. With a glass of Moët & Chandon in hand (The other option was a cucumber based ‘hair juice’ served in a jar) we eagerly anticipated the evening’s events.

We began in a small room with 30 clear Perspex chairs facing a screen. The room was lined with black curtains, illuminated by magenta lights. As the remaining guests arrived and settled down, the lights changed colour. All was silent with the exception of a voiceover of a woman talking us through the associations she has with each colour the lights changed to. We were shown a brief promotional film about the woman from the voiceover, where it was established that she was blind, and could feel colours based on her other operative senses.

The lights returned and we were ushered into an adjoining room: this was a large photographic studio of pure white illuminated in the same magenta lights. Little groups of white pouffes and ottomans had been arranged around the space. Each group was presided over by a woman in an amazing Camilla Kaftan.

A speaker was introduced, and to my astonishment I recognized her as Judith Briggs of Colour Consultants Australia (a fellow member of the Designer Chicks!) Judith spoke of colour; it’s associations, it’s emotions, it’s capabilities; and how these were relevant in our wardrobes and beauty regimes.

We were then engaged in a group activity featuring a total of 8 girls. Julie (our Camilla Kaftanned lady) was an Image Consultant, and took us through an interactive process of discovering our ‘season’ of colours. As expected, I can wear ‘jewel’ hues of intense, true colours (winter). I took a sneaky photo of Caitlin while it was her turn.

Have you guessed what the event was promoting yet?

Dove Damage Solutions, Colour Care hair care system! I found it hard to draw much of a connection between the event itself and the product it was promoting, but I gladly took my gift bag as the event ended.

The bag contained:

Dove Damage Solutions Colour Care Shampoo 300ml (RRP $6.49)

Dove Damage Solutions Colour Radiance Conditioner 300ml (RRP $6.49)

Dove Damage Solutions Colour Radiance Express Treatment Conditioner (RRP $7.49)

Dove Damage Solutions Colour Radiance Leave-in Conditioning & Care Spray (RRP $9.99)

A small bag of assorted chocolates

Today is precisely one week since the event, and I have used the hair care system every wash since. The system claims to 'keep hair feeling healthy deep down to prolong that 'just coloured' feeling and help women feel confident every day' I am extremely impressed with the results! My hair’s condition has improved 100% since using the products. It has gone from brittle, frizzy, dull and unmanageable to shiny, vibrant, smooth and soft.

Dove Damage Solutions Colour Care range will be available soon from leading supermarkets nationwide (and will not cost any more than your regular shampoo!)

Keep an eye out… I will definitely be re-stocking once I run out!

xoxo

   

  

What Does yELLE Styling Actually Do?

I was a size 16 teenager. 

I loved clothing. 

I had a real passion for design, art and had a flair for dramatics. 

I was obsessed with earrings, beautiful colours, shoes, hats and clothing... the problem was that the clothing I wanted to wear simply would not fit me. Even the items that did fit never looked as amazing as they did on the size 8, perfectly proportioned mannequin. I lost count of the amount of times I ended up in tears over the whole mess that was my wardrobe. My mother would, in turn, become upset at the sight of me feeling insecure and utterly unattractive in my own skin. 

I did tap classes and this is what they made me wear for the concert! Age 14 (2002)

When it came time to search for my year 12 formal dress, the options were limited. Although I had lost 12kgs; enough to make me a true size 14, I still struggled to find a well-cut dress to fit my larger bust, without looking at dresses intended for Mother-of-the-Bride use. 

Size 14 after weight loss. Age 17 (2005)

Mum completely blew her budget by taking me down to Melbourne, where we found an absolutely exquisite emerald green silk dress by designer, Veronica Lodge (no longer in existence). It was much more expensive than our original budget (at $590!), but when Mum & the shopkeeper burst into tears when I emerged from the fitting room, we all knew it was the one! Mum couldn't put a price on my happiness, and finding that perfect, and stunningly beautiful dress made me feel positively radiant! We both would've benefited from someone guiding us to the right places in those days. I think that is where my styling career began. I commenced study at Whitehouse Institute of Design, in Styling & Design Co-Ordination (with a partial scholarship!) and quickly found my talent.

My year 12 formal. Age 17 (2005)

Through my years I encountered Mothers and Daughters in similar predicaments; the daughter size 14+) wants to wear clothes like her size 8-10 friends, but just can't find them in the same places. These girls would feel 'fat', insecure, pessimistic and (incorrectly) unattractive. An hour with my styling prowess would turn them around, resulting in smiles, boosted confidence and a renewed sense of self.

This led me to create the new yELLE Styling concept:

Do you have a teenage daughter with a size 14+ figure?
Does every clothes shopping trip end in tears and frustration?
Does your daughter long for the gorgeous fashions of her peers?
Does your heart break every time you see your daughter feeling insecure in her own skin?
Does your daughter feel she isn’t as beautiful as other girls purely based on her size?

Teenagers often feel that the most important thing in the world is to fit in, and it can be difficult when they are segregated by clothing stores who cater only to the standard size 6-14. Stylist, Elise has been in your daughter’s shoes, and knows exactly how it feels, and has turned herself into the epitome of style and beauty having no dress size.

yELLE Styling can show a young girl that there are places they can find beautiful clothes just like their friends are wearing, but designed to suit their size and shape. By booking a styling session for your daughter, you will see that beautiful smile return to her face when she finds that special outfit that makes her feel truly beautiful.

Shopping can be overwhelming, and often it is hard to perceive how an outfit will look on you when it is flat on a coat hanger. What size is going to fit? And then there are those fitting rooms with notoriously bad lighting and (sometimes) trick mirrors. Elise knows her way around a clothing store, and can guide you to stores stocking items to suit your daughter’s style needs. 

If you'd told me as a teenager, that at age 23 I would walk the catwalk as a finalist in Myer & Bella Models search for a plus-sized model, I would've laughed at you! A size 16 and feeling amazing!

I would love to hear from Mothers or young women about your experiences shopping with/as a plus sized teenager... tell me your stories! 

xoxo

   

  

The Designer Chicks FREE eMagazine, Issue 2!

Have you read The Designer Chicks' FREE eMagazine yet?

Issue 2: The Designer Chicks Vision has been released this morning, with an article contributed by yELLE Styling on page 24-25.

Learn tips to improve your home and business with articles written by a team of professional designers from all fields of the industry, including graphic design, architecture, interior design, landscaping, PR and much more!

Click here to read The Designer Chicks Vision now!

Enjoy!

xoxo