New Beauty TEST TUBE

I am having so much fun discovering some really amazing beauty brands and stores stateside! There are endless amounts of new brands and products available in USA and select few make the cut here on my blog and I get so excited when I find those really special ones. Earlier this week I was invited to visit New Beauty at the Fred Segal Store in Santa Monica to make my very own Test Tube!! 

I HAD AN ABSOLUTE BALL.. The girls couldn't get me out :)

Before I spill what I chose for my beauty TestTube.. Let me just say if you havent been to New Beauty in Fred Segal! IT IS A MUST SEE! One of the best beauty stores I have ever visited.

I saw brands I new and loved!

and brands to discover..

But the most amazing thing about this store that makes it so unique and such a fun shopping experience is.. Not only were the staff so wonderful and informed! They have these amazing walls where they gather products from all different brands that they sell and help you shop for a specific concern! 

Yes you may go in for a particular product.. but why not see what else could potentially be right for you. Compare ingredients, prices. Most perfect place for gift shopping too! Lots of wonderful treats in here.

This is one example.. they have grouped products for anyone concerned with Ageing! So rather then limiting yourself to one brand.. here they introduce you to many brands so that you find the perfect product that will be best fit for you and your concern.

Again another brilliant wall.. Find the right Mascara! Compare your mascaras on offer to find the right one without running from counter to counter.. store to store! Just so clever.

My TEST TUBE...

So for peeps that don't know.. Test Tube goes for $29.95 plus postage. You subscribe and receive every 3 months a mixture of FULL size and sampling size products to enjoy and a new/current edition of 'New Beauty' Mag too. Must I add.. very generous sampling sizes are given.. I was really pleased!

Customise your own like I did.. Simple steps. Pick up a Test Tube, fill with products, grab a New Beauty Mag and be on your merry way!

TEST TUBE... (From left to right)
I went for brands I had never heard of or never tried for my custom tube..
1. FULL size Kimiko Hydrating Performance Skincare Treatment (im currently using morning and night to fight environmental stress, current Love!)
2. The ever popular Xen Tan Dark for face and body (yet to try)
3. Amika Nourishing Mask (for Hair, contains Argan oil, smells divine and makes your hair feel salon treated!)
4. Pur-lisse spf 30 (Daily Face moisturiser with spf20 perfect for normal/dry and sensitive skin)
5. Ligne St Barth Avocado Oil for Hair and Skin. (Very simple ingredients which I love)
6. Kniepp Pure Bliss Mineral bath salt (Nourishes the skin, and completely relaxes you! Anyone stressed.. TRY THIS

Shop till you drop!

We all love our Diptyque.. In the fragrance room at New Beauty Fred Segal.

There is also a magical fragrance bar. Gorgeous scents and soooo many too choose from. you could literally spend a whole day in here! 

Thanks to New Beauty for having me.. and to the lovely girls I met at the store..

http://www.newbeauty.com/

xx

COOLA Organic Suncare Collection

As you all know.. I have landed in LA and from what I hear from the locals the weather has been abnormally hot for this time of year!! I'm just hoping it stays this beautiful all year round'. One absolute necessity in SUN CREAM. I have not left the house without it since I arrived and urge you all to do the same. Protect your skin at all times!!!

 I stumbled across a sun care brand that really stood out for me and just had to blog the brand and spread the word.. COOLA.

Coola is sold in the US, Canada and around the globe! 

The smell of the Coola sun spray is the best I have ever smelt of all sun care brands (and being a Sydney gal growing up in the sun, I have tried my fair share). Sun sprays are becoming more and more popular as they are just so convenient and make for less mess and make the boring chore of applying suncream that much easier and that much quicker. Its fragrance is gorgeous and offers full protection too for you and your family.

Coola uses natural ingredients such as Arnica Oil, Aloe Vera, Avocado Butter, Jojoba Oil (all ingredients we know and love that are known for there great skin benefits.

They sell plenty of options to suit everyone.. For face, body, baby, scented, unscented, lips etc.. So surfers, beach bunnies, guys, girls, moms, dads.. EVERYONE check out the website for yourself: http://www.coolasuncare.com/ 

MY FAV BRAND PICK FOR THE MONTH OF SEP.

All packed and ready for a day out..? Don't forget Coola Sunscreen.

GIVEAWAY

TO ENTER ALL YOU NEED IS TO FOLLOW MY BLOG

STARTS RIGHT NOW! 

ENDS SATURDAY OCT 6th at Midday sharp!

Winner will be random and will get sent to them a Conair Retractable Bristle Brush.

WINNER will be announced Sunday 7th (sometime before midday)  and winner will be notified. 

If you are not already following it is EASY to apply! 

On the right side of my blog just leave your email address under the 'Follow By Email' and press submit and you will go in the draw to WIN.

FOR AN EXTRA CHEEKY ENTRY follow me on twitter @DianeNoorlander and tweet the following... 

"For a chance to win a #CONAIR Retractable Bristle Brush check out Diane's beauty blog http://dianenoorlander.blogspot.com/ "

Every couple of months I hold beauty giveaway for you lovely readers.. Sometimes it's Skincare, other times Makeup.. This time it's a brilliant HAIR TOOL and the lovely people at CONAIR have teamed up with me and are very excited to giveaway one lucky follower of my blog this awesome hair tool.

 CONAIR Retractable Bristle Brush

For a chance to win just follow this blog! Worth $14.99 in store.

This round brush gives you all the benefits without the tangles! I actually haven't seen any other brand do this.. (They have this patented)! The Conair retractable Brush retracts it's bristles for a tangle free salon finished look. This tool is perfect for those who wish to create soft waves, add body to your hair and fun curls.With just a push of a button the bristles retract in to the barrel instantly releasing hair. 

What I love most is that with the bristles retracted.. It makes for the perfect travel brush.. Bristle brushes usually get squished and loose there shape and therefore dont perform as well.. The bristles on this brush are protected which means you will use and love this for longer.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE. x

and HUGE THANKS TO ALL MY FOLLOWERS!

The 64th Annual Emmy Awards

My fav Hair and Makeup pics from yesterdays show.. celebrities on the Red carpet.

Kelly Osbourne looks great.. Hair to match the gown. gorgeous

I thought Kat Dennings looked so pretty. Very simple locks so well done and the perfect blood red to match her dress

Sofia Vergara. This woman just oozes sexy! hair is FAB. Dress is quite a statement so a clean look was  perfect

Ginnifer Goodwin on the left was so bright and perfectly groomed.. A fun eye makeup and toned down lips..

x

Dermalogica's NEW products

Dermalogica recently launched Sheer Tint spf 20 + Cover Tint spf 20

I am all for products with SPF in them ever since moving to LA. Admittedly in London I didn't use so many sun protective products, well not as much as I should have.. though living in LA it is an absolute necessity for your skin! Dermalogica have come out with two NEW products to give your skin that protection from the sun and enhance your beauty. 

Delivered on this very cute artist palette!

Sheer Tint is lovely and light and helps to reduce the appearance of Fine Lines and great for a smooth finish with not too much product on your skin, great day time foundation for a quick even out of the skin. Cover Tint is more of a Full Cover Foundation though leaves you with a gorgeous dewy finish.. There are just 3 shades in each and both great for all skin conditions. 

LFW FUDGE for Meadham Kirchhoff - James Pecis

I never usually write too many brand/ sponsored related Fashion Week posts.. Usually because there is just not enough time in a day to get through it all and I work FW so posts will almost certainly be delayed.. just like this one! Now I had an absolute ball assisting Val Garland in NY on several shows this season.. though this year I am not in London for LFW so a little delayed in the looks that were on the runway.

I was informed of the wonderful work of James Pecis at Meadham Kirchhoff at LFW for SS13 using FUDGE hair care products.. I loved it so much I had to post it so you could all see. James is one of my favourite Session Stylist he is always exploring new shapes, colours, trends and I just love the style of his work its quirky and always fun.. 

Oh and I love Fudge products! I use them on my clients hair as well as my own and have been for several years! You can always count on this brand for great hair results!

Take a look at James Pecis creation for this show.. Makeup looks fab too!

James gives his tips on how to recreate the look at home:

1.     Prep the hair with dry shampoo to remove any grease and make it easy to style the hair.

2.     Using a tail comb, separate the front section of hair just behind the ears.  Tie the rest of your hair out of the way to make it easier to braid your hair.

3.     Using the tail comb to create an off centre zizag parting.  Start braiding the hair in a tight french plait down the right hand side of your head.  Once you get to the nape of the next, plait in the normal way and secure with a snag free plastic hair band. 

4.     Repeat the plait on the left hand side.

5.     Take the plait from the right and wrap back around the nape of the neck and tuck and pin into the left plait.  Repeat process on the left side.

6.     Next, take sections of the loose hair and spray with Matte Head Gas.  Use a thin curling wand to create tight ringlets.

7.     Pin the curls high and forward on your head with curling pins.  Gently ease the curls with your fingers to create more height, and a wispy softness to the style.

8.     Take a length of thin elastic and an upholstery needle and weave thought the curls to secure the style in place – you may need a friend to help you do this.  If an extra pair of hands is not available you can secure the style in place with hair grips.

9.     Finish with a good mist of hairspray such as Fudge’s Sky Scraper to hold the style in place.

Thanks y'all for reading.

FRONT COVER and fashion spread for Four Seasons Hotels

I had such a great time working with this team creating the Front Cover and Fashion Spread for this issue of Four Seasons hotels magazine... Long days to get enough for 16 pages! but well worth it. I did the Hair and Makeup for this shoot and am extremely happy with the outcome. Look out for my work in the (hardcopy) Four Seasons magazine in all hotels globally and also online!

Anyone interested in taking a look at what goes on behind the scenes.. Check out this link below. x

https://vimeo.com/49460373

Check out some screenshots of the Front Cover and fashion spread.. :)

For a bit of luxury.. Check out there locations around the globe.. 

http://www.fourseasons.com/

xx

APIVITA

In 1979 Apivita was born.. Apivita is currently stocked in 11 countries, USA being one of them. I just spent the last 6 years in UK and have recently relocated to LA and am enjoying getting to know brands I have never used before. Apivita were kind enough to send me a selection of samples to try out. Here's how I got on..

Before I ramble on make sure to check out http://www.apivita.com/ for all products.. I spent ages scrolling through there ingredients dictionary. I just love when brands share info of what is being used in each product.. I love learning about the benefits and what you can gain out of a single bottle of product. Check this out here.. http://www.apivita.com/usa/ouringredients.html/

Something I learnt from the ingredient list.. 

"Marshmallow soothes sore throat and relieves cough."

I tried and tested the Express masks and loved these..

My two favourites..

Apivita Express Gold with Prickly Pear $7 for 2 sachets

Apply an even layer on a cleansed face avoiding the eye area. leave mask on for ten mins then rinse off with water. Best used 1-2 times per week.. 

Contains Prickly Pear, Chamomile, Lavender Essential Oil, Shea Butter.. etc

Lavender soothes irritations and is super duper relaxing. Prickly Pear is used to hydrate and moisturise. My skin felt gorgeous and fresh as well as hydrated. I tend to love anything with Lavender in it.

Apivita Express Beauty with Pink Clay Gentle Cleansing Mask $5 for 2 sachets

This particular product is great for anyone with pore concerns. Ideal for normal, sensitive and dry skin. Use same directions as above. my skin felt more taut, crispy clean and rejuvenated.

Pink Clay and Honey are two of many wonderful ingredients. Honey is rich in vitamins, has antibacterial properties as well as healing properties. Pink Clay works wonders on cleansing your skin and is a mild exfoliator.

xx

NEW CONAIR Ceramic Flat Iron

NEW Infiniti Pro by CONAIR 

1 inch Tourmaline Ceramic Flat Iron

My hair is curly, unruly, dry, red and quite frankly annoying at times.. but I love her! She makes for the ultimate straightener test! Conair have a NEW Ceramic Flat Iron out which left me with slick, straight, shiny and frizz free hair. :)

This is what it looks like on the shelves. x

The 1 inch is perfect for men and women.. I even use on bangs for a quick blow dried looking finish. The longer plates allow for wider sections to be heated and styled. It takes only 15 seconds to heat up and has several heat settings, the highest reaching 455'F! So not only can you choose the right heat for your hair type but it is ideal for hairstylists and makeup artists too.. Every client has a different head of hair and sensitivities which requires different settings to be used every time with just a switch of a button. Just remember to keep your hair healthy you don't want to use to much heat on your hair.. So general rule for fine/thin hair keep on lower settings.. for thicker and more stubborn hair.. crank it up to one of the higher settings.

Easy to use and  completely affordable.. Invest in one of these and save your self the salon costs.

This baby has an auto off which is safe for when working with clients or even at home. Get creative and try using the Flat Iron for curls, waves and even crimping. There are so many looks you can create with just the one tool. 

The box comes complete with with an Argan Oil too.. which helps to strengthen your hair, condition and help with frizz and static. Some hair may need more then others.. The Argan Oil can be applied on wet or dry hair.. Try both and see which suits best for you. I prefer applying it after I have straightened  on dry hair before any styling products (hairspray etc).. This helps with any frizz and calms any wild strays.

$39.99 Sold Nationwide

Check out other products at this link.. www.conair.com

Missha

Missha

I just got back from NYFW and was so grateful to be assisting the very talented Makeup Artist Val Garland! The sponsor for one of the shows I worked on (Behnaz Sarafpour) were Missha.. (a brand I had never heard of). I absolutely adored the products and must share with you some of my fav pics!! 

After chatting with other beauty guru's I found out Missha are known for there fabulous primers and BB creams. This is  there BB Boomer a product that helps to increase duration of Makeup longevity. Leaves a radiant glow and a dewy sheen. Helos to brighten and helps with wrinkle repair too! $24.99

My fav pics.. Such cute packaging too! Make sure to check out the other products! They have so much on offer and great products to suit all. Really impressed with the payoff. Sold across the globe.. Really keen to try some of there other  products. All these have gone straight to my makeup kit!
http://www.misshaus.com

So beautiful!! Absolutely love this cute design for a compact.. And the eyeshadows are  just so silky smooth!  A little really does go a long way! I love this colour combo too.. you can create quite a few looks with this compact. This is the Signature Velvet Art shadow. No.11 Pastel Combination. $22.99

M Perfect Cover BB Cream spf $29.99
Great foundations are hard to find!!! Miisha offers great colours and this particular leaves a gorgeous  finish. Spreads over beautifully with a light coverage. I used this also as a concealer by building product with finger. I LOVED THIS. I like the packaging, pumps out and stays clean.

I don't think I have ever seen a vibrating Mascara! I like this just for being unique!
M Signature Vibrating Mascara $25.99 
Can use as regular mascara or press on' for vibrate to create more intense curl and volume. Must get right at root for this to be effective. Actual mascara consistency is great. So many wonderful products in this range

 x

Herver Leger NYFW!!!

Day 3.. I was so lucky to be chosen for Val Garlands team for the Herve Leger show.. What a beautiful collection for SS13 NYFW.. Absolutely stunning show!!

Temptu were the makeup sponsor.. so we airbrushed the girls face and bodies for a gorgeous sheen and used the highlight pod to complement the girls.

The hair was absolutely stunning and just perfect for the collection, the makeup, the show.. Great hair team!

Just beautiful!

Clean braids framing the girls face.. 

Show was held at The Lincoln Center NYC

Moments before the show began.. final touch ups for all the girls.. Nice moisturised legs with a nice highlighter  to give that ultimate finish

Manic.. Press backstage.. 

Flawless skin, some contouring, healthy lip and natural balm.

I had so much fun on the makeup team.. x