Fashion Scrapbook

Category: Style

  • Beauty Top 3: June ’23

    Beauty Top 3: June ’23

    One thing I was reflecting on recently, is how our beauty routine ebbs and flows. From an elaborate multi-step regime, to one that is pared back. Minimal even. And right now, I’m finding myself in the latter camp. Less desire to try or use new products, instead focusing on a handful of core staples. Seeking out something new to try only when an empty pops up rather than on a whim like before. It reminds me a lot of my routine in my late teens and early twenties. Prior to discovering the world of skincare. Despite not having a robust stash of skincare (I think I may have had two cleansers, and that was it), my complexion was blemish-free and smooth. And I find whenever I’m having an angry skin moment, taking it back to basics (cleanser + moisturiser) is the trick to calming things down. Curious to know whether you do the same…

    Anyway, let’s chat though my top three for June.

    Emma Lewisham Illuminating Oil Face Cleanser

    A bit of a cheat as the Illuminating Oil Face Cleanser from Emma Lewisham literally just arrived in the mail. And maybe I’m jumping the gun here, but this is good. Two pum ps was enough oil to cleanse my face, starting dry and working it in primarily around the eyes which always seems to be a tricky spot for makeup removal. The main thing I noticed was just how clean my skin looked; free from makeup, bright, but luminous. Which is part of the appeal of an oil cleanser. It doesn’t feel like it’s stripping the skin. Instead, quite the opposite. Nourishing by nature.

    I can’t speak to its antioxidant properties, but some of the key ingredients include Organic Chia, Rosehip, Macadamia and Neroli Absolute, along with Camelia oil. Gentle, but deeply penetrative ingredients which don’t disrupt the skin’s natural lipid barrier and act as a hydrator to keep skin looking healthy and plump.

    Also worth nothing that all Emma Lewisham products are designed to be circular; the brand will take back used packaging, or alternatively you can purchase refills if you stumble across a product you love. Safe to say this has been a “brand to watch” for me for some time, and first impressions seem to be speaking volumes here.

    Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Blush

    This next favourite is an “oldie” but a goodie; the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Blush. A product I’m so happy to have rediscovered, because it’s good. And I mean really good. The tell was when I was doing a quick mirror check yesterday afternoon, and realised that my blush was giving me the same flushed appearance as when it was applied, 10 hours earlier. Often, it would be at this point that I’d be seeking out a little top up, especially if I have evening plans. So it was a little surprising as I’d forgotten how well the formula of this Laura Mercier blush adheres to the cheek.

    I’ve been alternating between two shades: Corsica (a heavily saturated peach) and Mediterannee (a washed out peach hue). Which even in the thick of winter, these peachy shades tend to bring out the best in my complexion.

    One thing I will say, is that a little goes a long way. I’ll squeeze a couple of small dots onto each cheek, and blend and buff out with a blush brush. You need to work reasonably quickly as once the liquid dries down, it’s not going anywhere. Also love that you can immediately tell what colour you’re seeking out just from the tube. A total win and one that I’ve been using on heavy rotation (along with my Merit Beauty Flush Balm, and Glossier Cloud Paint).

    it Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream

    This product has a bit of a caveat. I’ve been a long-time lover of the original CC cream from it Cosmetics. The satin finish version, which is high coverage and will high away all matter of redness, while looking skin-like on application. But the shade I have is far, far too dark for my complexion. And while I’d been making it work with a couple of mix-ins, I’d almost run out so figured, time for a top up. The shade I needed wasn’t available in-store, and the closest option was the “oil-free matte”, so I took a bit of a gamble.

    The highlights are generally the same. Coverage is high with little product required, and it’s comfortable to wear. But I find the matte quality of it a little jarring. Especially coming off a good 18 months + of solely wearing base products with a satin or dewy finish. So I’ve been relying on mix-ins to give me a bit of healthy glow. Namely, my beloved ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint. This helps to also thin out the formula a little to give my complexion a little more space to shine through. And it has the added benefit of evening out the shade to something a little closer to my natural complexion. Having olive skin means it can be a challenging feat to find a complexion product that matches the undertone and neutrality I’m seeking.

    While it might be branded as a “CC” Cream, to me this is more of a full coverage foundation. One worth trying if you’re still yet to add it to your rotation.

  • Loaded on lipsticks

    Loaded on lipsticks

    I’ve always been that girl who was completely clueless about make up. Following the lead of my friends in high school, I slicked some mascara on my top lashes, and smudged a little black kohl in the bottom corners of my eyes. I couldn’t say whether I ever bothered to moisturize, the only real “regime” I had was washing my face with a light organic scrub. Over the years, this evolved little by little. I discovered bronzing powder, which has become a daily necessity so that I don’t look overly pale, kohl pencil was replaced with liquid eyeliner on the eyelid, and a bit of luminous gold under the eye.

    One thing I always shied away from though, were lipsticks. Finding the right shade seemed to always elude my many efforts, and for a time, I all but gave up. It wasn’t until I went to America two years ago that I finally committed to buying myself at least one lipstick during our many visits to MAC stores around the country. My first purchase was ‘viva glam’, a lipstick with a subtle shimmer, enough to have a slight sheen on my lips but not so shocking as a vibrant red would have been. A couple more lipstick purchases from MAC followed, but nothing of any significance, and those I purchased seemed to be reserved for those few days on which I actually remembered that I owned lipstick of some variety.

    Over the last two months, that’s all changed. My lipstick collection is now bulging at the seams, thanks to some top ups from Fashion Week, PeadPR and a spree on StrawberryNET. In favor of sporadically using a lippie from MAC, my current (almost) daily go-to seems to alternate between L’Oreal and Clinique, a combination of punchy summertime brights and deep luscious reds. Since I appreciate a good beauty tip – as virtually any beauty knowledge is new knowledge to me – I thought I’d share with you what I’m currently loving.

    Clinique Chubby sticks – Most Antipodean bloggers I know swear by these, stocking up big time on their frequent visits to Sephora while in the USA. I love that these are incredibly moisturising, and give your lip a subtle bit of colour, and their double duty as a lip liner. I’m currently using these in ‘chunky cherry’ and ‘super strawberry’

    Clinique Long Last lipsticks – These lippies are virtually what convinced me that I needed to have more in my beauty box. My first, a collaboration between Clinique and Karen Walker which had a zingy tangerine hue to it, slicked on rather effortlessly and stayed on for hours and hours. No lip liner necessary, these were like Lipstick 101 for me. My two current favourites are ‘party red’ and ‘runway coral’, depending on the occasion.

    L’Oreal ColorSensational – Definitely not for the wallflower, or for the girl whose afraid to put a bit of colour on her lips. What I love about these lipsticks is that they are incredibly moisturising, and the colour just seems to pop; such a quick and easy way to add a bit of brightness into what is often a dull winter day. I’ve been swapping between ‘vivid rose’ and ‘shocking coral’, as I can’t decide which one I like most. One has a pink toned base, the other, orange.

    L’Oreal Infallible in ‘ravishing red’ & L’Oreal Color Riche in ‘intense plum’ – Pretty much my ideal winter lipsticks. Both glide on smoothly, with no need for lip liner and seldom require top ups through the day. Having spent a long time looking for the perfect red lipstick, ‘ravishing red’ has pretty much become my go-to, which considering I tend to find a lot of red lipsticks overpowering, says a lot. For days when I’m wearing a lot of black, which honestly is most days at the moment, I’m enjoying wearing the Color Riche ‘intense plum’ lipstick (for Brunettes), slightly gothic with its deep and rich berry tone. Like it would suggest, it seems to complement my dark hair perfectly, just as much as the pale tones of my face.

    MAC – These have rather unfortunately slipped to the wayside, as I’ve found the lippies to be far more high maintenance than the others I own, which is a shame as my favourite berry hue is MAC’s ‘positively dashing’. In my experience, aside from the Lustre lippie in ‘viva glam’, these tended to dry out my lips rather quickly, and weren’t ideal if I was planning on a night out with the girls. Also, lip liner is totally required, and considering how low maintenance my beauty regime is, I haven’t really gotten that far..

    While my experiences using lipstick isn’t as extensive as that of others, I find it doesn’t take long to find a product you like so much that it is almost like a second skin or an extension of yourself, akin to one of those morning rituals you can never seem to break.

  • Summer vs Winter Style

    Summer vs Winter Style

    Over the years, I’ve spoken at length about why I love the transitional seasons. Cross-pollinating your summer and winter wardrobes for the perfect blend. I tend to find it’s a good opportunity to get a true sense of which style favourites are more than just a seasonal crush. As in, which ones can be worn year round with a little layering or styling.

    Not a new concept – and perhaps one I’ve mentioned in the past – but I was reflecting on how I tend to gravitate towards or favour colour during the summer. But eschew them in the winter. And I don’t think it could be better reflected in these two photo montages. My summer mood seems to punctuate crisp, fresh hues with bursts of colour. Blue, yellow, pink and green. The occasional pop of red brought in through my accessories.

    Perhaps it’s a case of mood, and how warm weather makes you feel. Happy, bright, and light. Whereas in the winter, it’s moody, cold, and still. There’s a longing to be wrapped up in a cosy blanket, a feeling I often try to replicate in my outfit choices of the day (coatigans FTW). Colours tend to have a low saturation point, or devoid of any pigment at all. This monochrome grey look is case in point. Texture instead reigns supreme, and is at the heart of all my outfit-making decisions.

    It has had me thinking about my seasonal wishlist. Or more specifically, the inspiration that will be a jumping off point for the months to come. There’s some pretty strong imagery that I’d like to reference, pairing bold colours like bright pink with a grounded khaki, or a punchy orange with a deep navy blue. I’m not sure how “loud” my interpretation of this will be, but am planning to start by shopping my wardrobe as a starting point. Mood board incoming….

  • What I Wore: Jenni Kayne Oversized Sweater & Tibi Pleated Skirt

    What I Wore: Jenni Kayne Oversized Sweater & Tibi Pleated Skirt

    There’s a backlog of outfits I’ve worn recently, that I’ll probably lump together in a singular post. But for today, I wanted to break down this cosy autumnal outfit I wore in late February for a day of work, and to meet up with my friend Rose for coffee. Sydney was unseasonably cold; usually I’d expect my sweaters to be on hiatus until at least April, but the weather called for it, and I was more than happy to oblige. This one is a cotton cocoon sweater from Jenni Kayne, which has a super fluffy texture. Quite reminiscent of the fit and cut of this alpaca sweater I purchased two years ago.

    Rose is a loyal Tibi fan, so I had it in my mind to wear something from the brand, the majority of which has been in storage. Because the temperature fluctuates quite a bit, I knew it had to be a skirt, and this muted blue pleated number ticked all the boxes. It has common classic elements, but the style is pushed. First of all, it’s a wrap skirt, with an off-beat pleated panel at the front. Visual texture, which we love. Then it has the belt which is worked into the style, that cinches in at the waist or low hip, with a bit of a cut out effect. I love that this allows you to create a peekaboo element that is incredibly subtle. On the colour spectrum, it’s muted and faded. A soft blue which is remarkably easy to style with other colours, but I chose to make it the focal point here.

    Despite the overt femininity of the skirt, I decided to lean into this for the shoes. A low heeled loafer with a squared off toe. Something of a replacement for a pair of tasseled Stuart Weitzman loafers I purchased eight years ago and wore to death.

    To keep things feeling a little more casual, my Lemaire croissant bag. This adds in a muted shine, and is pretty carefree as far as handbags go.

  • How my eye has settled on colour & contrast of late…

    How my eye has settled on colour & contrast of late…

    Been thinking a little bit about how I like to wear colour and create contrast and cohesion in my outfits. And one thing that struck me is around the way I’ll typically wear an outerwear piece. Something I seem to crave and desire – right now, that is – is a consistency in the tones, saturation and depth of colour between my top and outerwear. So, in the first example, wearing a cardigan that is richer in depth, cool-toned, and grey-leaning. Reflecting these same qualities in my choice of outerwear. Which seems to have translated to the bag as well, which is in a darker hue. To me this just “felt right” to finish things off. My eye seems to be fixated on this notion of harmony, and that seems to ring true here.

    The same can be said of the second outfit, this time leaning more on my lighter neutrals. While the coat is slightly lighter than the knit, it still has the same impact. Again, tied in with that choice of bag. What makes it feel more interesting is that little added touch of the pink check. The scarf has a fuzzy almost wispy quality which creates contrast in a subtle way, as it feels lighter compared to the more compact weave of both the knit and the coat.