Thursday, December 29, 2011

Movie Rewind: Best of 2011



Here are my Top 20 Favourite Movies of 2011:


1. Fast Five (Fast and Furious 5)  
2. Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon
3. Footloose
4. In Time
5. Friends with Benefits 
6. Burlesque
7. Tangled
8. I am Number Four 
9. No Strings Attached 
10. Thor
11. New Years Eve
12. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn
13. Abduction
14. The Adjustment Bureau
15. The Lincoln Lawyer
16. Country Strong
17. Whats Your Number
18. Soul Surfer
19. Something Borrowed
20. Beastly


Best Disney Movie:
Tangled 


Best Classic Re-Make:
Footloose


Best Action Movie:
Fast Five



Best Romantic Comedy:
Friend with Benefits




2011 Movies I still want to see: The Smurfs, Green Lantern, Monte Carlo, Super 8. 


By far my favourite movie of 2011 was Fast Five... I saw this 4 times at the cinema including 3 Gold Class sessions. I also bought the DVD the day it was release and have watched it several times on DVD. I loved it!  I also really enjoyed Transformers 3, In Time, Footloose and Friend with Benefits and Burlesque. Each of these movies I saw twice at the cinema. I love the whole cinema experience, so if I love a film, it's likely I will see it again at the cinema. There is usually something extra that I will see that I didn't pick up the first time around. I am just such a huge movie buff - as you can tell!


2011 was also a great year for kids movies (or big kids at heart like me) with Disney's Tangled, Cars 2, Rio, The Smurfs and The Lion King all doing well at the box office. 


Romantic comedies were also really great this year - Friends with Benefits starring Justin Timberlake & Mila Kunis being my favourite along with No Strings Attached, Something Borrowed, What's Your Number, and Footloose


When it came to action and drama I would have to say that In Time was one of my all time favourites of the year. I was fascinated by the whole concept of the movie. I really hope they make a sequel as I would love to see more of Justin & Amanda on the big screen.  I also really enjoyed I am Number Four and Thor and hope that both of these movies also have a sequel. 


For the year ahead... in 2012 I really look forward to seeing The Vow - a romantic comedy starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams. I also can't wait for G.I Joe: Retaliation  starring The Rock, Channing Tatum and Bruce Willis. 

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone



Since starting my Vegetarian journey at the start of this year, I have come across many Vegan friendly resources but my favourite has been a book I purchased from Amazon. The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. I have been a huge fan of Alicia - as an actress - since her early acting days and even had the opportunity to see her when she came to Australia many years ago promoting Batman & Robin. 


The Kind Diet is described as a simple guide to feeling great, losing weight and saving the planet. I feel that since reading this book I am doing all 3. I feel great, my skin is much clearer and hydrated, even the whites of my eyes are brighter. I have lost 6 kilos already since switching to a Vegetarian diet and I know that with my Kind Life approach I am saving the planet with every meal by not eating animals. It feels great! 






In the book, Alicia discusses the nasty foods and the kind foods... The nasty foods are the ones that are hurting the planet and aren't good for your body, so these are foods that you want to avoid from your diet. The Kind foods are all the yummy delicious foods that your body needs and loves and these are the foods we need to incorporate more into our diet, so live longer and be healthier and live the kind life. 


Nasty Foods:
1. Meat
2. Dairy
3. White Sugar
4. Processed Foods


Kind Foods:
1. Vegetables
2. Whole Grains
3. New Proteins
4. Desserts


If you are looking for a book to assist you with a transition to a Vegetarian or Vegan lifestyle I highly recommend this book; The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. 


The Kind Diet: www.thekindlife.com

Read my Eco Glamazine Article: Alicia Silverstone - Living The Kind Life


The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone Book Review:


Monday, December 26, 2011

OUTFIT OF THE DAY: Christmas Day


Outfit of the Day 
Christmas Day 

Here is my Christmas Day Outfit of the Day... For a casual Chrissy day in Summer on the Gold Coast, I paired a pretty coral babydoll-style summer dress with jewelled silver toned wedged thongs. For my accessories I wore gold disc drop earrings and 2 butterfly rings, one silver & gold the other silver and light peach. I am never afraid to wear silver and gold together. 



For my hair flat ironed it straight for a natural summer look. After lunch I wore half of my hair up in a silver hair clip that I scored as my gift in one of my Christmas BonBons! 




Today's makeup was simply and natural with gold smokey eyes as featured in my Christmas Kisses makeup tutorial paired with subtle nude lips. 


Christmas Day Makeup

face
Revlon Colorstay foundation 
Mary Kay mineral foundation
Mary Kay concealer
Benefit blush (dallas)
Smashbox Soft Lights (shimmer)

eyes
Too Faced Shadow Insurance 
Too Faced Naked Eye shadow collection (birthday suit, lap dance, stiletto)
Too Faced eyeshadow duo (totally toasted)
Sugarpill Chromalust loose eyeshadow (goldilux) [vegan eyeshadow]
Mary Kay liquid eyeliner (black)
Smashbox Limited eyeliner (onyx) [to line waterline] 
Smashbox Hyperlash mascara (black)
NYX jumbo eye pencil (milk)

lips
NYX lip pencil  (natural)
Lime Crime lipstick (coquette) 
Smashbox lip enhancing gloss (illume) 

Friday, December 23, 2011

MAKEUP TUTORIAL: Christmas Kisses


Christmas Kisses 
MAKEUP TUTORIAL

Tis the season to be extra festive... In the spirit of the season I've designed this holiday inspired Gold and Red makeup look just in time for Christmas! My "Christmas Kisses" makeup look features my all time favourite gold eyeshadow - Goldilux by Suparpill

This naughty Christmas Look also features Aphrodite lipstick by Napoleon Perdis my all time favourite red lipstick! 



After applying this sexy Christmas Kisses look you might end up on Santa's naughty list! 


 


Aphrodite was the Greek Goddess of beauty, fertility and sexual love 

Featured Products:

face
Revlon Colorstay foundation 
Mary Kay mineral foundation
Mary Kay concealer
Benefit blush (dallas)

eyes
Smashbox Photo Finish lid primer
Too Faced Naked Eye shadow collection (birthday suit, lap dance, stiletto)
Too Faced eyeshadow duo (totally toasted)
Sugarpill Chromalust loose eyeshadow (goldilux) [vegan eyeshadow]
Mary Kay liquid eyeliner (black)
Smashbox Limited eyeliner (onyx) [to line waterline] 
Smashbox Hyperlash mascara (black)
NYX jumbo eye pencils (milk, iced mocha)

lips
NYX lip pencil  (plush red)
Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess lipstick (aphrodite) 
Mary Kay lipgloss (berry sparkle)



Christmas Kisses  holiday inspired makeup tutorial



Watch Video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Hvq5rj30ngo
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Sunday, December 18, 2011

ECO TAN: Invisible Tan


ECO TAN Invisible Tan 

Introducing ECO TAN... the world's first 100% Natural Certified Organic Tan! 

This is by far the best fake tan I've ever used. It's going to be my beauty secret weapon this summer, thats for sure!

Created by Sonya Driver, a single mother, after her sister was diagnosed with melanoma, she knew there needed to be a safe alternative to spray tanning and fake tanning that was natural. After testing many products and discovering that many of these "fake tans" contained lots of toxic chemicals Sonya set about creating a safe, natural, organic tan. The result after many years of formulating she invented Eco Tan. 100% Natural Organic Tan. 

Eco Tan ingredients:

  • Avocado Oil
  • Honeysuckle Flower Extract
  • Rosewood Oil
  • Rose Geranium Oil
  • Grapeskin Extract
  • Cacao Fruit (chocolate)
  • Aloe Vera
  • Glycerin
  • Bergamot
  • Chamomile
  • Flower Extract

100% Natural. Certified Organic. Cruelty-Free. Vegan

I purchased the Eco Tan Invisible Tan ($34.95) and is available at ecotan.com.au, at selected health food stores and chemists. Invisible Tan is a deluxe moisturiser that transforms your skin into a gorgeous golden tan. 

I have very fair skin that burns very easy, and with the high risk of skin cancer here in Australia sun-baking is just not an option. I have tried so many fake tanners which always promise to take my skin from pale to perfectly tan but never seemed to deliver the golden tan that I desired. That is until I tried Eco Tan's Invisible Tan! All I can say is Wow! This fake tan is not only organic but it really works and gives me a beautiful long-lasting golden tan. The smell is really nice and after about 1 week my tan starts to fade naturally without looking patchy and yuck. I am so impressed with how easy this product is to use. The first day I wore my Invisible Tan,  I decided to wear a white t-shirt just so see how invisible it really was, boy was I surprised! There was no tan residue or stains on my shirt, I couldn't believe it. I would highly recommend Invisible Tan to anyone who wants to get a gorgeous golden tan without the damaging effects of sun tanning! 


ECO TAN Invisible Tan Review: 



Watch Video on Youtube


ECO TAN  www.ecotan.com.au

Friday, December 16, 2011

Kind Beauty Favourites



On my Kind Beauty Mission to make-over my total beauty routine with all cruelty-free and vegan products, I have recently discovered some amazing kind beauty finds. Read more about my Kind Beauty Mission here to find out why I'm so passionate about only using beauty products that are not tested on animals. These are some of my favourite Kind Beauty Products




ECO TAN Invisible Tan  ($34.95)
organic  100% natural  cruelty-free  vegan  australian made


This is my all time favourite fake tanner! I have very fair skin that burns very easy, and with the high risk of skin cancer here in Australia sun-baking is just not an option. I have tried so many fake tanners which always promise to take my skin from pale to perfectly tan but never seemed to deliver the golden tan that I desired. That is until I tried Eco Tan's Invisible Tan! All I can say is Wow! This fake tan is not only organic but it really works and gives me a beautiful long-lasting golden tan. The smell is really nice and after about 1 week my tan starts to fade naturally without looking patchy and yuck. I am so impressed with how easy this product is to use. The first day I wore my Invisible Tan,  I decided to wear a white t-shirt just so see how invisible it really was, boy was I surprised! There was no tan residue or stains on my shirt, I couldn't believe it! I would highly recommend Invisible Tan to anyone who wants to get a gorgeous golden tan without the damaging effects of sun tanning.
Key ingredients:
  • organic avocado oil
  • honeysuckle flower extract
  • rosemary leaf extract
  • organic aloe leaf juice
  • organic chamomile flower extract
  • organic macadamia seed oil
  • rose geranium oil
  • rose flower oil
Eco Tan  |  www.ecotan.com.au | Read my full Eco Tan story here 



YES TO CUCUMBER Facial Towelettes  (10 pack $3.99)
cruelty-free  98.7% natural  hypoallergenic biodegradable cloth organic

Before I begin my nightly skincare routine I always remove my makeup with a cleansing wipe and these new Yes to Cucumbers facial towelettes are really lovely! They are very easy to use and feel so fresh on my skin at the end of the day. They are available in a 30 pack and a travel size pack of 10 travel towelettes (which are my favourites - because they don't try out). 

YES TO CUCUMBER Daily Gentle Cleanser 
cruelty-free  96% natural  hypoallergenic certified organic

I really have enjoyed using this Yes To Cucumbers Daily Facial cleanser everyday to wash my face after using the facial towelettes to take off my foundation/makeup. The smell is very pleasant, the scent is similar to a fresh salad. It leaves my skin feeling refreshed and clean. I have always used foaming cleansers morning and night for the last 10 years and I have tried many different brands.. This cleanser is one of my favourites and I will be re-purchasing this cleanser and look forward to trying more products from the Yes to Cucumbers/Carrots/Blueberries range! 

Key ingredients:
  • organic cucumber extract
  • organic green tea extract
  • organic aloe leaf extract
  • sunflower seed oil

Yes to Cucumbers |  www.yestocarrots.com


NATURE'S ORGANICS Light Moisturiser
cruelty-free  vegan   Australian made  97% natural  fragrance free

Don't be fooled by the name "Light Moisturiser" this is more of a rich deluxe moisturiser. However it is made up of mostly natural ingredients including cucumber and shea butter and the formula has a very pleasant vanilla scent. The texture is very thick and just one pump is more than enough to completely moisturise my whole face. The pump bottle makes application even easier and very convenient for your bathroom vanity but not so much for travelling. 

Key ingredients:
  • shea butter
  • cucumber
  • rose geranium extract 
  • wheat germ oil
  • natural vanilla
Nature's Organics | www.naturesorganics.com.au



ORGANIC CARE Berry Bliss Detangling Conditioning Spray 
cruelty-free  vegan  organic  Australian made 

Key ingredients:
  • organic aloe leaf juice
  • organic chamomile leaf extract
  • ginseng root extract
I love spraying this cute pink kind product on my hair just after I step out of the shower when my hair is wet. It really helps me detangle my wild frizzy curls. The smell is light, sweet and fruity. I love this detangling spray, it's one of my best haircare secret weapons to combat those rainy bad-hair-days! 


HARMONI'S KISS Organic Girl Roll-On Deodorant ($7.99)
cruelty-free  organic  Australian Made  aluminium free

I have been looking for a really nice pleasant scented deodorant for a few months, other natural deodorants I have tried have left me a little on the smelly side. But after trying the Organic Girl deodorant in roll-on variety by Harmoni's Kiss I can honestly say that I'm really happy to have found this gorgeous product. Packaging is adorable - pink, red, green and white plus the natural blend of plant extracts and oils leave my skin feeling clean and sweet smelling. The sodium bicarbonate is the real hero ingredient in this product which actually keeps you dry and odour free for most of the day. I combine this with my Australis Vanilla Dream body spray (which is also cruelty-free) for a gorgeous sweet smell. 

Key ingredients:
  • organic lavender hydrosol
  • organic witch hazel extract
  • organic aloe vera powder
  • organic lime oil
  • organic orange oil
  • organic frankincense oil
  • bicard soda
Harmoni's Kiss | www.harmoniskiss.com.au  | available at Woolworths stores 

BADGER BALM Coco Butter Lip Balm
usda organic  leaping bunny certified cruelty-free  made in USA  

This delicious lip balm smells almost good enough to eat, almost. Great for the girls on that endless diet... the sweet vanilla scent and chocolate taste (cocoa butter) gives you a dessert like feeling on your lips without the added calories. I love this deluxe lip balm and apply it almost every evening just before I jump into bed. If you have a real sweet tooth then you will love this Badger cocoa butter lip balm! 

Key ingredients:
  • fair trade certified organic cocoa butter
  • organic extra virgin olive oil
  • organic rosemary and rosehip extracts
  • organic aloe vera extract
  • beeswax
  • vanilla

BADGER BALM Vanilla Coconut Body Moisturiser (US$13.00)
usda organic  leaping bunny certified cruelty-free  made in USA 

This organic natural deluxe moisturiser is very nourishing and is perfect for dry skin. I love to apply this badger balm on the heels of my feet, on my elbows (they are extra dry) and my ankles. It's very rich and smells like a delicious vanilla pudding that leaves my skin hydrated. I really adore the combination of vanilla and coconut together, it's gorgeous. 

Key ingredients:
  • organic extra virgin olive oil
  • vanilla
  • organic beeswax
  • organic rosemary
Badger Balm | www.badgerbalm.com |  www.uncommonscents.com (international shipping)


Kind Beauty Favourites Summer 2011/2012:

Watch Video on Youtube.com

Kind Beauty Mission

I am an Earth Angel... 


After almost 1 year as a vegetarian I am now embarking on a Kind Beauty Mission... 


My mission is to transform my total beauty routine into 100% cruelty-free makeup, beauty, hair and personal care products! Choosing only products not tested on animals, cruelty free and vegan. 


It's BEAUTIFUL to be Kind... 


Since beginning my Eco Glamazine (an eco-friendly digital beauty magazine) 5 months ago I have discovered the truth behind the billion dollar beauty industry and the harsh reality is that some of the leading beauty companies still test their products and ingredients on animals. You may be shocked to learn that Loreal, Maybelline and Covergirl all test on animals! Yes it's true! These precious animals endure brutal cruelty and a life of torture so that these companies can make billions of dollars every year selling you makeup, skincare and beauty products! Well I say that this is unacceptable! We are now in the 21 century and there no excuse and no need to test any products on animals. These animals feel pain and emotion just like we do. If we buy these beauty products from companies knowing that they test on animals aren't we saying that this is ok? Well it's not ok. It's not okay to kill animals just so that I can shampoo my hair! I say NO to Animal Testing! I care about all animals great and small and I refuse to go another day using any products that have been tested on animals! 


This is my Earth Angel pledge: 
to be kind and live my life everyday with compassion for all animals and our planet! To embrace the natural gifts mother nature has given me and to inspire others to follow their heart and go green. 


It's GOOD to be Green... 


From this day forward... I am passionate about living an eco-friendly cruelty-free kind life. I am going back to basics.... learning to appreciate the simple things in life... spending time with my puppy, enjoying a hot cup of green tea, relaxing walks along the beach at sunset, eating lots of fresh fruit, watching inspiration videos, recycling more, surrounding myself with positive like-minded people, drinking more water and spending time reading books. 




Living the KIND life... 


My motto for 2011 was Create Your Dream. I will write a full review of this year later this month (so stay tuned). With the year Twenty Twelve only 2 weeks away, I am looking ahead to the future with a new motto which is The Kind Life. Follow this blog for upcoming kind cruelty-free and vegan beauty reviews! 2012 will be full of changes, new plans, more focus, chasing my dreams, inspiring others, being less materialistic, being true to myself and standing strong.  I invite you to come along for the ride... my kind life

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Creating My Dream



This week starts a brand new chapter in my career journey as a Makeup Artist... I recently quit my Monday to Friday "day job" working in a office, because after 4 years I felt that my days were turning into Ground Hog Day... Now I am focussing my energy 100% on creativity and being a Makeup Artist with a few projects on the side - like new digital magazine Eco Glamazine


I woke up one day (a few weeks ago) and had a lightbulb moment..! Why am I spending my energy and time everyday making money for someone else? When all I get at the end of the week is added stress that I don't need in return for money in my bank account. Money doesn't equal happiness and thats the truth! Sure it can give you access to a higher quality of life and lots of pretty things... but at the end of the day if you wake up in your bedroom surrounded by all your pretty things and you're still unhappy then thats not really happiness is it? 


I want to work for a company that cares more about people and our planet than money! If this company doesn't exist then I will create it myself. My Dream is to one day create a kind eco-friendly business that actually cares! 




So my new journey towards creating my kind eco-friendly business may be years away but from this day forward I am waking up everyday with purpose and passion, ready to focus on my beauty mission to create My Dream. I know that my Dream don't work unless I do. "It's better to create a job than to find one."  I found what I love 9 years ago and that's making people feel beautiful through the art of makeup! 
my daily drive is now my dream not money. 

DREAMS don't WORK unless YOU do


xoxo 
Lauren Day 
MAKEUP ARTIST