How to stay Stylish, Fabulous and Warm this Winter.

Don’t you just love it when you stumble upon something new? That very thing happened to me just last week.

I have just discovered Marikit, the beautiful hand made knits designed by the equally stylish designer Kitty. And I have to tell you a secret…I think I am in love! I have fallen in-love with Marikits designs, not only are they such a stylish pieces of clothing they are also all hand made by Kitty.

Starting of selling her fabulous design at Sydney’s Surry Hills markets, Kitty now stocks her knits at Museum in Paddington and Bondi Junction, not to bad for a lady who said she had no idea about knitting and designing when she first started out.

“Believe me, my first knitting piece was the weirdest shape – I remember it was bright yellow and it was meant to be a rectangle, but it ended up being the shape of an omelette with holes through it as big as your thumb!!! I’m a stubborn chickie, and with mum giving me more encouragement – I continued…” and lucky for us,  she did!

Another thing I just love about Marikit is that Kitty does all her knitting from the heart, you know that every piece she knits is made with love and you can really see that come through in her designs. No surprise then that the first piece she knitted was for her first boyfriend (so cute);

“I remember my first garment – don’t laugh – it was for my first boyfriend when I was 16!!! I was so proud of myself – I slaved over it for so long, and when I gave it to him – he was just so impressed! That’s why i love knitting so much – knitting is such a loving gesture because you think about the person while you knit every stitch – and the person will always remember you when they see the knit you created”.

“Also when people meet me and see my style – from the outside, knitting is so not me….and that’s the other thing – it’s such a shock tactic when people realise I can make something from scratch….knitting is such a dying art nowadays. It also gives me freedom, like theres no wrong or right way – honestly, I don’t follow any patterns when I knit (I can hardly read one) – I just see something and then I just whip it up!!”

If you love Marikit as much as The Makeup Case does and and you want to be warm and stylish this winter you should check out Marikit Facebook page.

Marikit also custom makes their knits so if you are looking for something special and unique Kitty will design something amazing! And with all knits under $100, you will be a silly little Vegemite not to.

You can place an order for your own Marikit knit through the Facebook page or by emailing TheMakeupCase and we can pass your deets along.

PS: Do you want to hear something super cute? The name ‘Marikit’ came about because Kitty wanted to share Marikit with my husband (who’s Philipino) –  and the name is actually Filipino for ‘lovely/beautiful’ (awwwwwww).

Versace Yellow Diamond…Our Number 2 Most Fav.

Does this look familiar?

 

Then if it does, you would already be aware of how amazing this perfume is!

Versace recently introduced another gem into their long line of delicious fragrances, and her name is Yellow Diamond. Such a pretty name for a stunning perfume. As soon as you breath in this fragrance you can taste the sophistication, the sensuality, the freshness and the glamour that is Versace.

Yellow Diamond is a floral perfume that you can definitely wear during the day or night, and let me tell you, you are going to get a lot of people saying “Oooo, what is that perfume you’re wearing” (except maybe your bf, if he is anything like mine he will tell you your hair smells nice but never notices your perfume..ooo boys).

Now down to the important stuff..the ingrediants.

Head: Citron from diamante, pear sorbet (as soon as I typed this I wanted to eat some, neroli and bergamont.

Heart: Nymphea, fressia, orange blossom and mimosa.

Dry Out: Amber wood, palo santo and musk.

They are some pretty sweet flavours. Now to quote the lady herself…Donatella Versace.

 “The yellow colour recalls the brightness, sensuality and great energy of this fragrance, able to depict and emphasize the charm and femininity of a woman”. And why wouldn’t we all want that?

 RRP: $59.00 for 30ml, $75.00 for 50ml and $99 for 90ml. Available from Versace stores, Myers and David Jones.

*This product was sent to The Makeup Case for editorial consideration – please see our disclsoure policy.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie

Happy Australia Day everyone!!

We hope you are all out there enjoying the day and celebrating this beautiful country of ours (and hopefully enjoying a bevy or two).

Since it is Australia Day, we thought this would be a great opportunity to share with you all our most favorite Aussie beauty brands and products.

Bourne Naked Handbag Liners – You may remember our love of the Bourne Naked range of invisible bag liners. They have been keeping my handbag and makeup clean and in an organized manner for a while now. I still love them as much as the day I bought them and now I can’t imagine my handbag without a Bourne Naked Liner in there!

Uberkate – We ran a competion late last year to win one of Uberkates one of a kind necklaces. Uberkate is such a fantastic Aussie company, creating unique pieces of jewlery for woman and men. You can have anything you like engraved on a design of your choice, letting you keep loved ones and those special memories close to you wherever you go. Check out Uberkates website and create a wishlist of everything you want that special someone to buy you on Valentines Day.

Eco Tan – I cannot stop recommending this brand to people, I just love them! Eco Tan is an Australian company dedicated to creating safe, organic and chemical free tanning products for us Aussie beauties. They have such a fantastic range and there is something there to suit everyone. I am still loving my Eco Tan Invisible Tan and Eco Tan Tan-Away Glove, I use them so regularly I am nearly ready to order my second batch, I just can’t get enough! Unlike every other tanning product I have used, Eco Tan actually comes out brown, not some disgusting orange colour. And to top it off, the smell is delicious! Order some for yourself at Eco Tan.

Natio – Did you know that this is an Australian brand? It was started in Melbourne in 1993 and seems to be growing at an escalating speed. Great news! They create cosmetics that are easy to apply and plant based skincare combining natural ingredients with pure aromatic essential oil blends offering you healthier, more radiant looking skin. The latest product we have from Natio is this cute giftpack with the Cinnamon and Tangerine Body Wash and an apple shaped sponge. I haven’t used it yet but it smells delicious, so stay tuned for more info. Check out the whole range at Natio.

*Images courtesy of bournenaked.com.au and ecotan.com.au

Christmas Shopping

Just a few things I picked up today. I was supposed to be doing some Christmas shopping but I picked up one of those Westfield gift ideas magazines and it was all over. All I saw was things I might like……. it never hurts to buy a few sneaky presents for myself, right?

 

1. Clarins – Gorgeous Getaways pack $90 (this one was a real bargain, its valued at $188)

• Beauty Flash Balm 50ml
• Hand and Nail Treatment Cream 100ml
• Pure Melt Cleansing Gel 75ml
• Moisture Rich Body Lotion 100ml
• Foot Beauty Treatment Cream 30ml
• HydraQuench Cream – Normal to Dry Skin 15ml
• Beauty Bag

2. Dusk – Passion Melt (for oil burners) $3.99

3. Collette Accessories – Satin Large Bauble Purse $12.95

4. Gloss – Donut Lip Gloss 3 pack $7.95 (so cute, great stocking stuffer)

5. BYS Comfort Pads – 2 Gel cushion shoe inserts $10 (from Supre) It is the party season after all!

 

*images courtesy of Westfield Gift Ideas magazine

Who wants to know the ultimate makeup secrets? EVERYONE!

On our recent trip to IMATS not only did we see and experience some amazing products, I also had the opportunity to listen to my makeup artist idol, Rae Morris give a very detailed and informative talk on her career and the industry. Rae has worked with some talented people in her 15 years as a professional makeup artist, some of those people include, Miranda Kerr, Cate Blanchett, Jessica Biel, Pink and Hugh Jackman. Not to mention the countless advertising campaigns and editorial work, she has also been the Makeup Director for L’oreal Paris since 2003! Wow, such an amazing CV!

As makeup artists we try and find inspiration from all around us and sometimes through books (or makeup bibles). One of my makeup bibles just so happens to be written by my idol herself, Rae Morris and titled The Ultimate Guide. When I was a makeup student I used to flick through this book constantly, dreaming of one day creating such beautiful work as Rae. So you can imagine my delight when I was able to actually listen to her speak, I was like a fat kid at the corner shop, wanting all the information I could possible get within the one hour time limit.

Rae Morris: The Ultimate Guide is a 256 page teaching masterpiece, every page is full of great tips and techniques and step by step instructions on how to achieve great makeup both for personal and professional use.

In the book Rae goes into detail on creating the best makeup looks for your face shape, such a great piece of information! When you start working as a professional artist this is something that is just so important and something not all people out there understand. Different face shapes whether they be pear, oval, round or long have different features that can be both highlighted to stand out, or shaded to not stand out as much. This book tells you what those features actually are.

If you are a professional makeup artist or an avid makeup lover you should definitely have a good flick through this book. I guarantee you will learn something.

RRP: $39.95. Avaliable from all good bookstores.

* Image courtesy of Angusrobinson.com.au

Our Favourites….in September

There’s lots of things we can’t live without but we couldn’t possible use them everyday. But here are a few of the things that we must and have used everyday in September.

Burts Bees Tinted Lip balm in Hibiscus (official Liptember Lippy) It goes without saying that we use this everyday, after all it is Liptember! It goes on nice and smooth and lasts on your lips for ages. It is only slightly tinted, just enough colour to make me feel like i don’t have a naked face. Oh and it also keeps my lips nice and soft and moisturised. Read about Liptember

David Jones Ultra Mascara in Black. I picked this up one day when I was trying to find a birthday present (i don’t think i did get that present) and I love it. The package says it’s volumising and lengthening but I’m not sure it does both. It smooths on my lashes easily and makes them look longer. I wear it everyday because it makes me feel like I’m ready for anything and it easily removes with warm water. RRP $14.95 from David Jones.

Eco Tan – Tan Away Glove. Now, one of us is not as keen as the other about self tanning. Honestly I just cant be bothered sometimes but I do like to have fresh glowing skin. So from the day I put my Tan Away glove in the shower not a week has passed without using it. I usually use it every 3rd day or so all over my body with my favourite body wash, followed by a lathering of moisturiser and my skin is feeling soft and silky. Click here to read the post

Mac Face and Body. Perfect for everyday or a night out on the town. Goes on nice and smooth and builds for more coverage (when I’m having bad skin days). I usually wear it how it comes for that dewy look but if I’m going out at night I will use a powder over it for staying power and a smooth matt finish. Read our post

What things are you loving in September?

*Images courtesy of Liptember and Eco Tan