We all want to have pretty nails, right? Some indulge themselves with manicures and pedicures, while others try their hand at nail art with trendy polish colours. We’ve all spent time maintaining them, whether it be with a nail file, clippers, acrylics, or scissors.

So what exactly are our nails, these things on our hands and feet we decorate? We know that if maintained well, they can be a style statement. We know they grow at a consistent pace throughout our lives. What you probably didn’t know is that our nails are actually mostly made from the protein keratin.

Medical issues such as blood supply, medication, illness or infection can affect our nails, subjecting them to flaking, splitting, ridged lines, in-growth, discolouration or infection.  There are many natural therapies, lifestyle habits and products suggested to us by the team at Blackmores to keep nails strong and healthy.

Flaking or splitting nails can be caused by a number of reasons, notably nail polish remover, frequent washing of hands (especially with detergents) or deficiencies in vital minerals.  Ridged nails appear as lines across the nail plate and are likely to be caused by the ageing process. However, they can also be explained by conditions such as eczema, arthritis or, you guessed it, mineral deficiencies.

Silica is a mineral that’s widely considered to play a vital role in the protein synthesis of connective tissues in the bodies. Australian all-natural skincare brand Qsilica’s award-winning range includes their Strengthening Hand & Nail cream (50mL RRP$14.95), rich in silica to improve nail structure and mend flaking or peeling. Or you can take the Qsilica One-A-Day Formula Supplements (30 tablets RRP$34.95 / 90 tablets RRP$79.95) available at a variety of stockists listed online at www.qsilica.com.au.

Another mineral to look out for is Bioton, an important B vitamin that’s also referred to as vitamin H and is part of an important process in the intestinal tract that helps to keep nails healthy and strong. Bioton is a vital ingredient in Bioglan Daily Repair Hair, Skin & Nails, combined with silica, zinc and a blend of antioxidants. The formula is available in pharmacies nationwide at $26.95 RRP for 60 tablets (Website: www.bioglan.com.au).

Blackmores also have a few great nailcare products on the shelf that nourish the nails and provide them with essential supporting nutrients.

The Blackmores Nails Hair and Skin is a nutrient formula that may reduce brittleness and increase nail thickness. As it’s name suggests, it can also give strength to hair and skin, which are linked to the connective tissue. The tablets are available in a 60 pack for $20.95 or a 120 pack for $37.95.

Blackmores Silica Compound is available at $13.45 as essential support to connective tissues such as cartilage, tendons, bones, skin and of course, nails. These tablets are to be taken three times a day to assist with calcium absorption and support collagen formation.

Finally, Blackmores Radiance is clinically proven to nourish the skin from the inside out and prevent ageing. This antioxidant-rich supplement assists in repairing damaged cells and tissues in 56-capsules at $66.95.

Karon McKendrick-Taylor, OPI Educator, shared her Top Five Things you need to do to keep your nails in tip top shape from the outside:

1. Use a Good Hand Cream; use a hand cream that soaks into the skin as this will actually add moisture rather than lotions that just sit on the skin and are designed to prevent moisture loss.  Try OPI’s Avoplex High Intensity Hand & Cuticle Lotion.  We tend to use moisturise our hands more regularly in winter months, as hands and nails tend to dehydrate, not unlike our skin.
2. A Good Cuticle Oil, this is important to ensure your nails are growing and to avoid cuticles becoming dry and ultimately splitting, we recommend Avoplex Replenish Cuticle Oil.
3. Wear Gloves; if you are regularly at the sink washing up, it is a must that you wear the rubber gloves, this stops the nails from absorbing too much water and detergent which is drying on both the skin and nails, causing cracking and curling to the nail and ultimately brittle nails that have a tendency to spilt. If you like to indulge in a hot bath or spa, try to keep your out of the water.
4. Wear Sunscreen; where sunscreen on your hands as well as your face and body.  Even when you are in the car driving as this will prevent your hands from aging.
5. Take Your Time; once a week perform a simple manicure or visit your local salon.  Set aside some time to ensure that follow each process when performing your home manicure.

If your nails are in really bad shape, Karon suggests using a nail strengther to rejuvenate your nails but avoid using nail strengthener that contain formaldehyde on a daily basis as this will have the reverse effect on your nails, leaving them weaker and spilting. A great product from OPI is their Nail Envy Orignal Strengthener.  It’s designed to be used as a treatment, the active ingredients increases keratin, whilst the hydrolysed wheat protein to prevent peeling, cracking and splitting.  Nail Envy also contains Vitamin E which aids in strengthening and supporting the nail.

So there you have it, using these tips your nails will be in tip top shape in no-time.

Love
Clare

Yves Saint Laurent’s Make up Artist Natasha Severino let us in on the beauty secrets behind Jennifer Hawkins’ glamorous poolside look on the cover of the Myer Beauty Book September issue and we’ve got the complete breakdown for you.

For Jen’s makeup, Natasha says she used all of the products in YSL’s Autumn/Winter Contemporary Amazon Collection, a range of colours she advises are easy-to-wear and suitable all year round.

Beginning with Jen’s complexion Natasha used the new YSL ‘Dare to Glow’  (concentre d’or 3), to add a gorgeous glow before applying ‘YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat,’ a lightweight fluid foundation. The eyes, sides of the nose and chin were concealed with ‘YSL Touche Eclat #3.5.’

Moving on the eyes, Natasha used ‘YSL Pure Chromatic wet and dry palette in #11’ from the lash line to the socket line, blending upwards towards the brow bone. For the inner corner of the eyes, she applied the silver shade of YSL Pure Chromatic wet and dry palette in #10’. ‘YSL Pure Chromatic wet and dry eyeshadow palette #11’ was used in black to define the thin eye line, only slightly flicked at the outer corners.

After applying ‘Mascara Faux cils’ to the lashes, the brows were filled in with ‘YSL Pure Chromatic wet and dry eyeshadow #11 palette.’

With Jen’s sultry eye’s complete, the cheeks, temple and brow bones were highlighted with the ‘YSL Dare to Glow (Concentre d’or) #3 Naughty Pink,’ and the cheeks alone were contoured with the new ‘YSL Palette Couture.’

For the lips, Natasha simply applied ‘YSL Rouge Couture Matt #101.’

The YSL semi-loose Natural Radiance press powder was lightly dusted down the T-Zone as the finishing touch for the face, before the nails were varnished with the ‘YSL La Laque Couture #32.’

And voila! There we have it. How to look as glam as Jennifer Hawkins, straight from the mouth of YSL. You’re welcome!

Check out her behind the scenes video as well:

The Yves Saint Lauren beauty products are available nationally at Myer, you can visit their website for more.

Courtesy of Myer & YSL

Love
Sassi
Your Pop Culture Gossip Girl

Well, not only is Modern Family just a favourite in America; the Dunphy/Pritchett family has also found a place in many Aussie hearts since becoming a hit show on Channel Ten. The show’s hilariously witty writers have now taken their masterwork to print, having released a book that recaps some of the funniest moments of the first three seasons.

Each chapter is introduced by a family member and includes some of the shows funniest lines, still shots and all other moments in somewhat of a collage. While the comical memories are bound to have readers splitting their sides at classic MF moments all over again, all jokes aside, the book’s stories and lessons that touch on parenthood, teenhood, siblings and school provide clever words of wisdom for today’s modern family.

We already know the writing qualities of the brains behind the series and their latest project provide more depth and charm to the characters we already know and love.

Favourite line … it’s too hard to choose a favourite, there’s just too many!

Modern Family: Wit and Wisdom From America’s Favourite Family is the ultimate must-read for all fans of the funniest family on television -

Available now: HarperCollins RRP$19.99

Love
Clare

In the midst of revealing glamorous collections lined up for Spring/Summer 2012 via fabulous fashion shows and a breathtaking safari-themed campaign, Myer has launched an exciting first for their popular sub-brand, Miss Shop. Introducing ‘Sugar and Spice and All Things (Nice) Neon,’ Miss Shop’s colourful new cosmetics range for the lips, eyes and body.

Today we’re wearing the new Love, Peace & Happiness Body Créme ($9.95), a tropical infusion of lime and coconut, drenched in shea butter, apricot and coconut oils. Needless to say, this nourishing moisturiser reminds us of palm trees and bikinis with its lingering summery fragrance.

To follow the success of Miss Shop’s nail polish range that was launched last year, 24 new shades have been introduced in all kinds of gorgeous colours from pastels to brights. One particular favourite shade is Alexander Secret ($7.95), an eye-catching neon yellow and the perfect way to add colour to any look.

For the eyes are pallets of four satin eye shadows ($9.95), which can either be worn alone or blended together. Additionally, the sparkling Glitter Star Eye Liner ($9.95) can be also added for a little bit of extra bling around the eyes.

Finally, the lips come down to A Little Lippy ($9.95) and Gloss Over Lip Lacquer ($9.95), both in traditional lip colours from ‘nude ideal’ to ‘hot spice’ red. A combination of the two makes for a glossy result that’s bound to last all day long.

Keeping true to the department’s reputable focus on affordable fashion for young women, the entire collection is priced below $13.

The full range is currently available in 34 stores nationwide, with additional Christmas gift sets to be introduced in October. Visit myer.com.au or call 1800 811 611 for your nearest stockist.

Love
Clare

I was lucky enough to go along to the sold out Myer Spring/Summer ’12 Fashion Show as part of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Brisbane last week. Labelled one of Brisbane’s most anticipated fashion and social events, of course we just had to go! Styled by Lucia Arias-Martinez, I was dazzled by the collections’ bold brights, soft pastels and rich textures from some of our favourite Australian designers, all in one spectacular showcase at the Treasury Hotel & Casino.

Just days out from the first day of spring, I naturally took a mental note of all my must-have pieces to build my dream spring wardrobe. By the looks of things, it’s going to be one colourful season! Pastels were widely featured this year and one sky blue number from Wayne Cooper caught my eye in particular – a sleek but casual off-the-shoulder dress, the epitome of ‘effortlessly chic.’

Sass & Bide pleasantly surprised me with a galactic, tight metallic dress. Although it was quite a contrast to all the sheer, flowing pieces on display, it was the perfect compliment to the many vibrant colours and eclectic prints on the catwalk. On the topic of prints, Sass & Bide awed me once again in a patterned maxi skirt, styled with a chic feathered top and blinged up with a jewelled belt.

I caught up with Myer ambassador and former Miss Universe Australia, the gorgeous Laura Dundovic, who was looking her usual fabulous self in a divine Ellery dress. Laura and I chatted about our favourite pieces on the runway and she shared her thoughts on the upcoming trends for Spring/Summer 2012.

Clare: Hey Laura, so tell us who are some of your favourite Aussie designers?

Laura: Well obviously Ellery, who I was lucky enough to wear tonight – amazing silhouettes and shapes with her pieces. I also love Arthur Galan, who was in the show tonight and came along, too. Great tailoring and really fresh colours! As well as that, I’ve worked with Charlie Brown for quite a while so I’m a big fan of her still. There’s so much at Myer! Sass & Bide. Oh, Magdalena Velevska really caught my eye tonight: that really bright sort of fluoro piece that came out, I thought was absolutely stunning. I’ve also been lucky enough to be dressed by Nicola Finetti a few times this year – I’m very spoilt by the Aussie designers!

Clare: What are some of your favourite trends you’ve spotted for Spring/Summer 2012?

Laura: I love the whole pastel trend. We saw a lot of brights last year and its great to still see them but I think softening to the pastels is really nice; I think pastels suit spring. Last year, the bright colours came in but the weather didn’t quite match so I think it’s quite nice and soft. I also love that whole South African sort of tribal theme and I’m looking forward to bringing quite a lot of that in with both accessories and clothing. I also love the whole metallic theme, it’s one of those great things that you can sort of take from day to night, just with how your hair and makeup’s done.

Clare: What’s a must-have piece lined up for your Spring/Summer wardrobe?

Laura: I think it’s probably going to be that Magdalena Velevska fluoro number that walked down the catwalk. I did a shoot this morning where one of the other models was wearing it and then I saw it again tonight and thought, ‘I need to get that!’

Clare: What are you most looking forward to this spring? Any big plans?

Laura: Well I’ve just gotten back from summer in Europe so this spring I’m just sort of getting back into things.

Clare: Speaking of travelling, what were your five summer essentials you packed in your suitcase for your trip?

Laura: I definitely had the sunscreen in there because the sun’s pretty strong. I use Skinactive14 which has got 30+ in it, so that was my number one thing. As well as that, a great cossie. You would have seen one of the Cozi pieces that came down: a leopard print strapless bodysuit. They’re fantastic because when you’re packing, you don’t want to take too many pieces away with you. Number three I suppose would have to be a great hat – it’s good at the moment because hats are really big so there’s such a big variety of what you can get. At the Myer show we had in Sydney, we had quite a few hats so that was fantastic. A cool pair of shades. I love a lot of the Sass & Bide ones that have been brought out. Number five would probably have to be just a great little cape. You would have seen the Sass & Bide one that came out tonight that would be perfect for a coolish sort of day, so that you could still have your arms out to enjoy the weather.

We were also lucky enough to meet up with mastermind designers Arthur Galan and Kym Ellery after the show and asked them about all the details behind their latest collections.

Arthur Galan, whose Spring/Summer pieces were a whirlwind of prints and colour, said the inspiration behind his collection was a ‘celebration of colour.’

Clare: So what key trends would you say make up your Spring/Summer collection?

Arthur: It’s really sort of mixing everything, mixing the pastels with all the brights. There’s a certain sort of chicness in the way it all goes together. Summer’s always a good time because there’s so much on and people really take that extra effort to just wear stuff that’s sort of out of the norm. The beautiful neon fringing over the blouse in tonight’s first outfit has sort of got all that brightness to it but it’s still quite chic in the way all the fringing just flows. It’s really just sort of mixing all that together and just getting boys looking really sharp.

Clare: What would have to be your favourite piece in the collection?

Arthur: I think the full Aztec suit. The Aztec tailored jacket for womenswear, the matching pant and the little Aztec silk singlet, all worn together. Just absolutely chic. It’s my favourite piece.

Clare: Do you have any big plans coming up for spring?

Arthur: We’ve just rolled out four stores in Adelaide and Perth in the last three weeks so we’ve been quite busy doing that. I think we’re going to have a bit of breather for the moment because four stores in three weeks is quite a lot so we’re just going to take it easy and see how we go.

Ellery’s Spring/Summer collection was very architectural, particularly with peplum frills. We also saw some shirtdresses, slim lines and bomber jackets hit the runway. Kym’s collection was inspired by American cults from the 70s; “I did a lot of research about all the different cults and that just kind of drew in the inspiration for the print and somewhat of the colour pallete. It was a little bit twisted but I found it kind of interesting.”

Clare: Are there any pieces that really stand-out to you?

Kym: I really love what I’m wearing actually – the floral print pants. I love it with the matching blouse and we’ve also got a matching jacket that goes with it. There’s also a yellow wool-silk blend fabric that’s really shimmery and I really like that, too, it’s quite bright.

Clare: You just got back from showing your collection to media such as Elle and Vogue in the States. Do you have any other upcoming plans to build the brand overseas?

Kym: “Yes! I’m taking the collection to Paris Fashion Week in September and we’re setting up a showroom there which will be the second time we’ve taken the collection over there this year. That’ll be a big part of growing the brand internationally.”

Clare: Do you have any advice for aspiring designers?

Kym: Be ready to work very hard. It’s a very involved industry and I think you have to really love it to do it. Make sure you just absolutely love it, that’s what you have to do before you work in it because it really is for the people who can’t live without it. It’s lots of work.

With that, I bid adieu to the glitterati of Brisbane, satisfied with my personal insight into all the upcoming trends and more excited than ever to be rid of winter. Bring on the pretty peplums, prints, pastels and a splash of neon!

The new Spring/Summer 2012 Collection is dropping into Myer stores around the country, happy shopping!

Love
Clare

The end of winter is nigh and as the days become warmer, the comfort of hot chocolate will soon no longer be a necessary luxury. Still, the taste of smooth, creamy cocoa isn’t any less divine and there’s no reason we have to part from that heavenly sensation come this spring time (literally just around the corner).

Cadbury, bless their souls, are helping us to make the transition from winter to spring with their two newest additions created especially for women; Cadbury Dairy Milk Double Chocolate and Raspberry Chocolate Mousse. Loving the raspberry flavour the best, these delightful little pillow confections magically melt away into a pool of melt in the mouth bliss as the liquid coulis mixes in with succulent mousse chocolate texture inside and solid chocolate outside, packing together a rich taste and sugar sensation that gives you an instant sugar high straight into Joyville!

These two newest flavours join Cadbury’s existing mousse collection; Milk Mousse Chocolate, Milk Mousse Hazelnut and Milk Mousse Caramel, available in 160g blocks at RRP$4.19. The Double Chocolate and Raspberry Chocolate flavours are available in 145g packs at RRP$3.99 – what’s with the smaller packaging though Cadbury??

Love
Clare