Author: Eleanor Pendleton

Eleanor is an Australian award-winning beauty editor who has been published in InStyle, Harper's BAZAAR, The Sydney Morning Herald, Refinery29 and many more publications.

She has a penchant for dewy skin, SK-II and stand up paddle boarding.

Makeup

Beauty Talk with Lucia Pica, Chanel’s Global Creative Make Up and Colour Designer

Post author By Eleanor Pendleton
Post date November 19, 2018
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There are dream jobs and then there are dream jobs like Lucia Pica’s.

Italian-born Lucia Pica has indeed one of the best jobs on Earth. As CHANEL’s Global Creative Designer for Makeup and Colour, Pica’s job is, well, to dream in pigments. She travels around the world several times a year in search of colour inspiration and returns to Paris, where she calls home, to identify the 50 or so lucky colours that eventually get made into a CHANEL beauty collection. Did you put yellow varnish on your nails earlier this year? Yep, Pica came up with that.

It’s 6:30PM in Sydney and 9:30AM in Paris when Gritty Pretty phones Pica. “Hello, bonjour,” she says in that creamy French accent. Instantly, Pica’s warmth and friendliness is felt – she says “it’s a beautiful, sunny morning here in Paris” and she is “so excited” to be speaking with me. “I really wish I was with you in Australia though,” says Pica. Instead, we suffice with a chat that feels between friends – both of whom are passionate about beauty.

Here, Pica reveals what her job is really like and the exploration of matte texture that inspired CHANEL’s new Le Mat de CHANEL collection.

If you aren’t already a fan of Lucia Pica, prepare to become one…

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For your 2017 collection, you took inspiration from a road trip you took in California and for your spring 2018 collection, you went back to your home town, Naples. What served as your inspiration for the new Le Mat de CHANEL collection?

“When I’m working on new collections, I like to take myself out in the world and start documenting my surrounds. Sometimes I will travel with a photographer in search of colours like I did with Naples. Then I come back to the studio in Paris, where I work on a moodbook and create the concept. I look at the colours I’m naturally attracted to – and I will ask myself, “Which will make a good lipstick or eye shadow?” I then like to spend time in the studio mixing up pigments and colours. Afterward, we send them to the lab, and the lab transforms them into recipes. I’m really involved in the process.

For this collection, my approach was a little different – perhaps a bit more abstract. I was interested in the way that artists used certain types of textures – mostly matte textures – to create intensity. I wanted to do the highest research I possibly could into the texture of matte. I wanted to go deeper into the tactility of it — sort of like what I did for my first collection, exploring red to its deepest points. I wanted to explore how to express matte texture but in different ways for the lips and eyes.

Normally, when you think of matte, you picture something a little old-fashioned, heavy, ’80s, and maybe it doesn’t blend well. In this collection, matte is really modern — it’s almost velvety, like the touch of cashmere.”

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If you could pick one favourite product from the new Rouge Allure collection, what would it be?

“I’m really excited about the Liquid Powder but for the lips. I know that sounds weird, like they should oppose. It’s a new texture we’ve dreamed up that gives you a thin veil of colour, but still a lot of lip pigment. It feels more like velvet than powder on the lips. It’s nice for people who want bold lips but aren’t comfortable with the heaviness of a lipstick. It’s blurred, almost diffused, which is a good word for this collection actually. It’s like a gentle welcome to the world of bold lips. I think this product is really different and I love it.”

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Pica wears: CHANEL Les Eaux de CHANEL in Paris-Venise EDT Spray.
“It’s light yet ambery and glamorous – it’s my favourite fragrance.”

You’re never without red lipstick yourself – it’s become somewhat of a signature of yours. Why do you love the colour red so much?

“Red is a personal favourite of mine, and I’m obsessed with it. I love how red represents power, femininity, vulnerability, sensuality and innocence. It is everything a woman might be and more. I need a few for myself – I use R ouge Allure Liquid Powder Liquid Matte Lip Colour Blurred Effect in Avant Gardiste (a fresh berry red, which you put on when you want to feel fresh – I also like to pop this onto cheeks as a blush), Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur Matte in Impulsion (it’s a dark red with a brown base, which is strong, powerful and I personally like to wear it every day) and Rouge Allure Velvet Extrême Intense Matte Lip Colour in Ideal (a true, glamorous red. I love to wear it with jean, a white t-shirt and a bare face and taupe eyeshadow. This colour instantly takes you from casual to chic).”

You travel a lot for your job. What are your in-flight essentials?

“I always travel with a men’s cashmere jumper; my CHANEL pumps, which I put on when I arrive at my destination; CHANEL Huile de Jasmin, which is a nourishing yet light face oil and my music – I like to listen to everything from Nick Cave to Drake and Italian classics.”

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What specific lip shades do you recommend for different skin tones?

FAIR SKIN: CHANEL Rouge Allure Liquid Powder Liquid Matte Lip Colour Blurred Effect in Invincible, CHANEL Rouge Allure Velvet Extrême Intense Matte Lip Colour in Impressive and CHANEL Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur Matte in Subversion.

OLIVE SKIN: CHANEL Rouge Allure Velvet Extrême Intense Matte Lip Colour in Épitome and Éternal.

ASIAN SKIN: CHANEL Rouge Allure Velvet Extrême Intense Matte Lip Colour in Idéal and Modern.

DARK SKIN: C HANEL Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur Matte in Impact, CHANEL Rouge Allure Liquid Powder Liquid Matte Lip Colour Blurred Effect in Avant Gardiste, CHANEL Rouge Allure Velvet Extréme Intense Matte Lip Colour in Épitome, Extrême and Impressive.

Tell us, do you wear bold lipstick?

What are your favourite brands and shades?

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Hair

Dyson Launches Airwrap, A Game-Changing New Hair Styler

Post author By Eleanor Pendleton
Post date October 10, 2018
No Comments on Dyson Launches Airwrap, A Game-Changing New Hair Styler

Speak to anyone who owns a Dyson vacuum cleaner and we bet one of the first questions asked is, “Is it worth it?”.

Before you’re met with a resounding thud of a “YES!”, we get that you’re weighing up the cost. Starting from $599 for the V7 Cord Free and working all the way up to $999 for the mega V10 Absolute+, it’s no wonder. But, when considering such an investment, first consider this:

When British inventor Sir James Dyson invented his first Dual Cyclone vacuum cleaner, which hit stores in 1993, he spent 15 tedious years and created 5,126 versions before he made one that worked (yes, you read that right—5,126 attempts). A firm believer in failure, Dyson sees it as an essential part of his success—a step toward a truly innovative solution that solves a problem. The payoff was a multi-billion dollar company that remains privately owned by Dyson today and is known for its creativity and forward-thinking designs.

Given the company’s tenacity, it’s no wonder that when Gritty Pretty was recently invited by Dyson to travel to London to visit Dyson’s head office in Malmesbury for the top secret global launch of Airwrap™—Dyson’s first hair styling tool—whilst we had no idea what exactly was being launched, we went into the press trip knowing full well that Dyson would not just be creating another hair styling tool with no point of difference. Never being ones to rest on their laurels, Dyson’s team of female and male engineers and scientists turned their attention to styling tools.

Sitting in the large courtyard at Dyson’s HQ, which feels like you’ve walked into a university campus twenty years from now with mirrored exterior walled buildings, perfectly placed green trees and some of Sir James Dyson’s favourite inventions including a small plane, I’m met by 29-year-old Veronica Alanis, one the Advanced Insight Engineers. “When creating the Airwrap™, we had three objectives: we set out to 1) solve a problem for women, which is creating a hair curling styler that is genuinely easy to use, 2) building a styling tool that doesn’t use extreme heat, which is so damaging on our hair and 3) aesthetically looks beautiful in any woman’s bathroom,” says Alanis.

Here’s everything else you need to know about the new Dyson Airwrap™:

WHY IT’S DIFFERENT

Before you think, “Is this just another hair tool—like all the others—that sits in my bathroom gathering dust because they’re too hard to use?” then wait, hold up.

It works like this: Using a V9 motor, air, when propelled at the right speed and pressure, naturally follows an adjacent surface. The Airwrap™ does what it names alludes: it creates a spinning vortex of warm air around the barrel that attracts, wraps and curls hair.

There’s no heated ceramic plates on a straightening iron (which no matter how many times you try, you just can’t get the wrist action right); there’s no scary chamber your hair is sucked into (and hopefully spat out unharmed or unburnt); and there is no conical-style wand for you to burn your fingers on. No, no, this is different.

Best used on damp hair (hello, time saver), the Airwrap™ also measures temperature over 40 times a second to prevent any extreme heat damage. This ensures your hair is protected at all times and is one less thing for you to worry about.

WHICH HAIR TYPE IS BEST SUITED

Simply put: all hair types.

Whether your hair is frizzy, dead straight or curly, there are six attachments with each designed for:

Pre-Styling Dryer—prepares wet hair for styling so it’s damp and ready to be curled.

40mm Airwrap Barrel—Ideal for thick, coarse and frizzy hair with natural kinks. Creates loose, beachy waves.

30mm Airwrap Barrel—Ideal for all hair types. Creates voluminous curls or waves.

Soft Smoothing Brush—Ideal for finer, thin hair. Creates a smooth, blow-dry finish.

Firm Smoothing Brush—Ideal for thick, coarse hair. Creates a straight style and tames frizz.

Round Volumising Brush—Ideal for fine, thin hair. Adds volume and shape.

WHY IT’S WORTH $699

Considering you receive six varying attachments to create varying styles, it works out to be $116.50 per styler. Add in the time you’d save in the morning (given it works best on towel-dried hair) and the money spent on in-salon blow-dries.

Having met the engineers and scientists who created Airwrap™, the level of testing that went into the tool—not just from a motor perspective but from a biological analysis of hair and how different types of hair responds to different stressors—I was not only blown away by the painstaking meticulousness, but also by the commitment, creativity, passion and smart young minds from everyone I met behind the scenes.

WHERE CAN YOU GET ONE (IMMEDIATELY)

To shop the Dyson Airwrap™ styler, click here.

Tell us, would you try the new Dyson Air Wrap?

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Skin

This Cult Nordic Skincare Brand Has Just Launched A Cleansing Line

Post author By Eleanor Pendleton
Post date August 19, 2018
No Comments on This Cult Nordic Skincare Brand Has Just Launched A Cleansing Line

It’s the brand Karl Lagerfeld calls one of his favourites.

Specifically, EGF Serum by Icelandic skincare brand BIOEFFECT has been praised by the CHANEL Creative Director himself as one of his personal beauty must-haves. But, what exactly is EGF? And, what of BIOEFFECT?

Well, make yourself a cup of tea and settle in because it’s time to get schooled on a little thing called EGF—the next frontier in anti-ageing and an acronym worth reading up on. Here we go…

EGF (which stands for Epidermal Growth Factor) came to the beauty market by way of modern medicine. A polypeptide (or molecular chain of amino acids) developed to speed wound recovery, EGF stimulates skin growth deep at the cellular level. EGF’s success as a healing agent (success is a bit of an understatement actually; scientists have been awarded the Nobel Prize for this breakthrough) has led many in the beauty industry to parlay its powers in anti-ageing products.

In other words, EGF is said to activate cellular regeneration, which as we all know slows as we age. So basically it compensates for where nature might be getting a little lax on us, by grinding the ageing process to a halt, evening your skin tone, and just boosting your overall skin health.

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Enter the front runner: BIOEFFECT. The Nordic brand is based entirely around EGF but allow me to preface with this: BIOEFFECT is not your average skincare company. In fact, true story, the brand didn’t even set out to become one. The discovery of EGF inspired three Icelandic scientists to develop a method of bio-engineering a plant-based replica of EGF, a naturally occurring human protein, in barley. The barley seeds are planted in volcanic pumice and grown inside of carbon emissions-free greenhouse. The barley, with its naturally-occurring EGF, is then harvested by hand, purified and placed into the aforementioned, EGF Serum.

After several months of testing said serum, and even travelling to its place of origin in Iceland, this beauty editor can confidently vouch EGF Serum is a skin serum worth the investment ($195). And, here’s why… The fragrance-free serum is compromised of just 7 (yes, seven) ingredients (others usually have over 40 ingredients, many of which are synthetic) and comes in a 15ml vial. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that good things can come in small packages and this particular face serum has no scent, no irritation and a little goes a long way. It leaves skin smooth, hydrated and radiant without unnecessary chemicals, additives, stabilisers, parabens, or preservatives.

Ideal for anyone who wants to prevent ageing or even reverse some of the aging that has occurred on their face. Best applied at night after cleansing, this serum is so deeply moisturising that it even overthrows the following step of a face cream. Yep, you read right. Nada. Apply 2-4 drops, go straight to bed and wake up to plump, glowing skin. Really.

While Lagerfeld’s beloved EGF Serum is a cult product in Northern Europe (over 30 per cent of Icelandic women swear by it), it’s the launch of the brand’s new cleansing line, which consists of a micellar cleansing water and face mist, that join the existing volcanic exfoliator – which has this skin care aficionado really excited.

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BIOEFFECT’s Micellar Cleansing Water dissolves dirt and makeup like other micellar waters (tiny balls of cleansing oil molecules or ‘micelles’ work like magnets attracting impurities without drying out the skin) only unlike other micellar formulas, this one contains something different: pure, soft, Icelandic water. The natural resource is both sustainable and purified as it is geologically filters through layers of inert volcanic lava over time resulting in pristine water. In a nut shell, it’s this process that makes it ideal for all skin types especially sensitive.

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Body Fragrance

Poppy Delevingne Chats To Gritty Pretty About Her Favourite Thing In The World

Post author By Eleanor Pendleton
Post date July 11, 2018
No Comments on Poppy Delevingne Chats To Gritty Pretty About Her Favourite Thing In The World

“Bath time is one of my most favourite things in the world,” says model, actress and British IT girl, Poppy Delevingne, closing her eyes with a smile on her face.

It’s as if the model, actress and British IT girl is imagining herself having a perfectly crafted soak right now. And, we wouldn’t blame her.

Poppy, who Gritty Pretty meets at Sydney’s Park Hyatt, is dressed in a beige Zimmermann knit and a long silk skirt as she takes in the views of Sydney Harbour. She looks extraordinarily glowy for someone who has jetted in from London for just 24-hours to celebrate the launch of her limited-edition Queen of Pop bath and fragrance collection for Jo Malone London.

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On set, Poppy affectionately refers to everyone in the room as “darling” as she reveals some of her beauty staples: Medical Beauty Research Cleanser, SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum, Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream for day and Crème de La Mer for night. She also only ever wears CHANEL Le Vernis on her nails (today’s shade is signature ‘Ballerina‘).

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While Poppy’s love for beauty is authentic and strong, her adoration for Jo Malone London didn’t start with baths, as you might think. It started with roses. “[Red Roses Cologne] was actually the first fragrance I ever wore! For me, it’s like an old friend—it just reminds me of life,” she says of the scent she began spritzing at aged 18. This iconic cologne– together with two others – make up a trio of signature scents of her new collaboration.

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Amber and Lavender is “a cologne my husband wore when I met him,” a perfume she now carries with her everywhere. A third beloved signature scent, Peony and Blush Suede, is “feminine, floral, but with a warm edge,” she says. “I like to spritz them onto skin fresh out of the bath, when you’re all warm.”

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In addition to buoyantly colorful candles and colognes, the line also features the English fragrance house’s first ever bubble bath. In keeping with the brand’s ethos that fragrances should always be layered. The three bubble baths—Velvet Rose and Oud, Nectarine Blossom and Honey, and Black Cedarwood and Juniper—were chosen by Delevingne to feel “indulgent, sumptuous, and almost transportive,” she says. Not to mention stylish, considering the entire collection is patterned with playful ’60s Pop Art stripes. Delevingne chose the candle scents, too. They come in Blackberry and Bay, Grapefruit—which she loves because “it’s zingy!”—and Basil Neroli: “The most quintessential fragrance Jo Malone has done.”

And just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be more beauty rules, Poppy tells us about evening routine – in her best ‘Strayan accent.

See the full video below.

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Bridal

Gritty Pretty’s Eleanor Pendleton Reveals Her Wedding Day Beauty Prep

Post author By Eleanor Pendleton
Post date June 24, 2018
1 Comment on Gritty Pretty’s Eleanor Pendleton Reveals Her Wedding Day Beauty Prep

I was never one of those girls who grew up dreaming about their wedding day.

I never had a scrapbook of pictures I had cut out of magazines. I never watched funny, romantic wedding movies. It just wasn’t something I ever thought about.

That is, until, I became engaged to my longtime partner, Mathew. When Mat perfectly proposed to me overlooking our local beach in April 2016, we had already been dating for seven years. I knew he and I would get married one day but I never really imagined what our wedding day would be like let alone what dress I would wear.

Mat and I were in no rush to get married (we enjoyed a leisurely two-year engagement) so we spent the first six months floating on cloud nine (it was heavenly and overwhelmingly joyful – in fact, I wasn’t prepared for just how happy our family, friends and work colleagues would be for us). After six months or so, Mat and I began discussing what would our wedding day look like and more importantly, what marriage meant to us.

From the outset, we decided an intimate destination wedding was “us”. We researched multiple venues throughout South East Asia (where we often travel to together) but we settled on The Shangri-La Resort & Spa, Boracay Island, Philippines. Being situated on a private beach (the ocean is a part of our daily lives) and with me also being half-Filipino, it was the perfect fit.

Once our wedding venue was booked, what followed was 18 months of planning and prep. Now, let’s be honest: Weddings can be a logistical nightmare especially if project management isn’t your full-time day job (lucky for me, it is for my now-husband) but what I found the most surprising of being a bride was how much I enjoyed it. I mean, I really, really loved it.

In the lead up to my wedding day, it dawned on me it was likely the one time in my life I was “allowed” to put myself first. For once, I could be truly indulgent and I didn’t feel guilty for making time to do a work out or disappearing for hours at a time to get a facial.

Throughout the entire process, I took note of, well, everything. And, as someone whose day job involves being invested in skin, cosmetics and fragrance, I’ll be perfectly honest with you: even for me, it was a lot of work. But if not now, then when?

Here’s exactly what I did…

24 MONTHS OUT

When Mat and I became engaged, my hair was shoulder length. I decided to grow it out immediately to give myself more options come our wedding day. I had regular trims (which for me is every 3 months because I’m ~~lazy~~ low-maintenance when it comes to my hair). My hair stylist Remington Schulz at Sydney’s Edwards & Co looked after me; and I used a hair mask once a week (usually Oribe or David Mallett).

I wanted to have perfect teeth on my wedding day (I had terrible, crooked teeth as a teenager – kids teased me and called me “Bucky Beaver” – so it’s always been a spot of insecurity for me). I decided to see Dr. Stephen Moate at Beachside Orthodontics in Balgowlah. Invisalign is a commitment (in terms of both time and money) but what I loved most about it was how discreet it is. Most people, including my own friends, didn’t know I wore clear aligners for almost 18 months and I was able to be 100 per cent confident on my wedding day wearing my best accessory: my smile.

12 MONTHS OUT

I’ll be honest with you. One year before our wedding, I wasn’t in great shape. My business had taken priority and my health had not. I was working 14 hour days, 6 days a week, and not making any time for me to exercise. Twelve months out from our wedding day, I decided I needed to stop with the excuses and make more me time. In the past, my body has responded well to reformer pilates but I had struggled to find a studio and an instructor on Sydney’s Northern Beaches who could challenge me – that is until I signed up at Vive Active.

Vive Active is reformer pilates like you’ve never known it before. Combining synchronised light and sound (think ’90s hip hop), I quickly became addicted to Vive and I started training 3-4 times a week. I loved it. Mat also signed up and we started doing couples workouts together before our wedding. As I’m 5’3″ and naturally petite, I didn’t want to lose weight and I was mindful that becoming busy or stressed close to the wedding could cause me to lose weight without realising. I didn’t want that to happen. Instead, pilates toned my body, increased my strength and defined my muscles in a way that still kept my physique feminine. I also wanted to find a form of exercise that wouldn’t just be a wedding goal; I wanted to make a lifestyle change and I love that I’ve been able to continue training at Vive well beyond our wedding.

9 MONTHS OUT

Skin. It’s one of the biggest concerns for any bride – perhaps equally as important as The Dress. When our complexion is clear, we feel our best, confident selves. For me, I wanted my skin to be reflecting so much glow that my husband-to-be could barely see me coming down the aisle! Kidding. But, not really.

As our skin operates on a 28-day cell cycle turnover, I began diligently scheduling facial appointments. Nine months out from the big day, I saw this as only nine opportunities I was able to truly improve the health, texture and tone of my skin.

Jocelyn Petroni has looked after my skin for almost ten years. Jocelyn put me on a course of Omnilux red light therapy, which my skin loves. I began having facials with Jocelyn every month, which included a combination of Reiki, Shiatsu and Lymphatic drainage massage to increase blood circulation. Jocelyn’s facials open the heart chakra, which allowed me to release any stress or tension (I told you it’s the one time you’re allowed to be indulgent and not feel guilty for it!). Each appointment, Jocelyn created custom facials for me depending on my skin during that time – I had a lot of fruit enzyme peels, lactic acid, AHAs, BHAs, Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

6 MONTHS OUT

Once I was six months out, I started having one facial every fortnight (excessive, I know!). I also had a few Sodashi facials and I saw Joanna Newham for a facial the week before my wedding.

At home, I started using a retinol product every few days (nighttime only). HydroPeptide Nimni Cream and Alpha-H Beauty Sleep Power Peel were my go-to’s and my skin responded well to them resulting with plump, glowing skin the next morning after use. On other nights, I would use SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream followed by a deeply nourishing facial oil (Go-To Face Hero and Korres Wild Rose Brightening Oil were my saviours). I would also take a bit more time and care with my application and really massage each product in – something we don’t do enough of.

During the day, my skin care routine looked like this: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, Ultraceuticals MD Brightening Serum and La Mer The Moisturising Soft Creme with Mecca To Save Face SPF 50+ to finish. On Sunday evenings, I did a face mask at home (Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery PowerFoil Mask or SK-II Facial Treatment Mask).

I was mindful not to test any new products less than four weeks before my wedding in case of possible adverse reactions.

1 MONTH OUT

I had already asked my dear friends Remington Schulz (hair stylist) and Ania Milczarczyk (makeup artist) to look after me on my wedding day. Because both of them have done my hair and makeup numerous times before I didn’t need to have a hair & makeup trial. If you aren’t able to get your hair and makeup done by someone you know and trust, I would strongly advise having a trial two months before.

1 WEEK OUT

The day before we left Sydney and flew to the Philippines, I scheduled an appointment with lash queen, Amy Jean. I find lash extensions too high-maintenance (they annoy me after a couple of days) so I decided on what I believe is not just the next best thing but even better: Lash Elevate. Think of it as a perm for your eyelashes.

I booked a brow appointment with my brow guru, Lien Davies; and I had a naked manicure with Jocelyn Petroni so my nails would be shaped to perfection and ready for polish (CHANEL Le Vernis in Ballerina) on the day.

I’m naturally tanned so didn’t require a spray tan but my bridesmaids had St. Tropez spray tans a couple of days before.

ON THE DAY

The morning of my wedding day was perfect. I look back on it with such fond memories and I’m grateful for the time I shared with my tribe of incredible women. I slept soundly the night before and woke up just before 6 o’clock. I spent 30 minutes meditating. My best friend and bridesmaid Gabriella is a yoga teacher so she taught a beautiful, heart-opening practice. After yoga, I had an ocean swim before a beautiful light and healthy breakfast with my bridesmaids and mum. We started hair and makeup five hours before the ceremony.

For my makeup, I asked my friend and makeup artist Ania for the “Ania glow” – this is her signature. Ania is an editorial makeup artist and doesn’t usually do weddings but I was lucky she made the exception for me.

We kept my skin dewy, natural and looking like skin using Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturiser, La Prairie Skin Caviar Concealer Foundation (what I refer to as my “special occasion foundation”) and M.A.C Studio Conceal & Correct Palette. On cheeks, Laura Mercier ‘Blushing’ from the Enlightement Eye & Cheek Palette. For a subtle contour, M.A.C Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder in Give Me Sun was swept just underneath cheekbones while a Tom Ford highlighter made my skin glow – as did a mix of metallic, neutral M.A.C eyeshadows. I also requested waterproof mascara (for obvious reasons). For lips, I chose my favourite lip colour (which I also wore to our engagement party): CHANEL Rouge Allure Ink in Amoureux – I picked it because it’s the perfect pink and I knew it would stay all night. For touch ups during the day and night, I kept La Prairie Skin Caviar Essence-In-Foundation SPF 25 in a purse, which I had monogrammed with my married initials from The Daily Edited.

For my hair, I wanted to look like the best version of myself. Remington created loose, tousled waves for a relaxed and feminine feel that complemented both my personality and the tropical island setting. We used a mix of Oribe, La Biosthetique and OUAI (the Memory Mist).

When it comes to fragrance, this was possibly the hardest decision I had to make throughout my entire wedding prep. No joke. I found the entire wedding planning process fun and easy but selecting the wedding fragrance was another thing. As a beauty editor, I have smelled just about every scent. The wonderful thing about fragrance is that it’s connected directly with our olfactory (the part of our brain associated with memory), which is why every time you smell a certain aroma you’re immediately flooded with memories of that summer in ’02, baking cookies with your grandmother or running around the garden sprinkler with your siblings.

I felt a lot of pressure to find the perfect fragrance – one I had never worn before so that I could forever associate it with my wedding day. To help end my search, I made an appointment with the fragrance expert at MECCA’s boutique in The Strand and got to work smelling. I couldn’t possibly choose one and I realised I didn’t have to. I chose two: Byredo La Tulipe for the ceremony (also investing in the hand cream and hair perfume for triple the goodness) and Grandiflora Madagascan Jasmine for the reception (jasmine is one of my favourite scents and because it’s a night-blooming white flower and we were married in an exotic destination, I knew it would be perfect). I also purchased a fragrance specifically for our honeymoon (Le Labo Lys 41), which was printed with my married name. On the day, Mat wore Tom Ford Oud Wood, which he also gifted to his Best Man and Groomsmen.

And, because I also wanted a scent our guests would remember our special day by, each of them was gifted a Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt cologne. I also burned a matching Wood Sage & Sea Salt candle whilst I was getting ready the morning of my wedding day – this kept me grounded and connected.

MY ADVICE

If it’s your skin you want to prioritise, book an appointment with an experienced skin expert for an in-depth consultation. Work closely with them on a long-term plan and stick with an at-home skincare regimen for at least 4-6 months.

And above all, enjoy the ride – it’s truly wonderful and it happens so fast.

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Interviews

Here’s What Happened When Gritty Pretty Met Meghan Markle

Post author By Eleanor Pendleton
Post date May 14, 2018
No Comments on Here’s What Happened When Gritty Pretty Met Meghan Markle

Originally published in Gritty Pretty Magazine’s spring 2015 issue.

When Meghan Markle dropped Gritty Pretty an email in 2015 admitting she’s a fan, it wasn’t an email to be ignored. Instead, our editor Eleanor Pendleton flew to New York City and caught up with the Duchess-to-be to discuss all things style, digital and politics. This shoot, captured a couple of months later in Brooklyn, was the result…

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Introducing an overachiever. Actually, odds are you’ve already met actor Meghan Markle, all razor cheekbones, laser wit and Burberry separates as hotshot Rachel Zane in New York City law-firm drama Suits. It’s everyone’s current TV obsession. Right now, we are Skyping Meghan at her home in Toronto, the city where the show is taped, and it’s a tick past her 1pm. Technically, she’s on a brief hiatus before wrapping filming for series five (be cool. No spoiler alerts.), but she only got in late last night from New York, this morning she’s already burned through a full schedule, and 20 minutes from now a photo crew is going to show up for another magazine shoot. Even the girl’s downtime is level-up.

The second she answers our call, it’s obvious the fast, sexy-smart talk we hear from Rachel on Suits isn’t all scripting. Meghan thinks rapid-fire. Fashion, Hilary Clinton’s campaign, feminism, the fact (indisputable) that Jo Malone’s Bluebell is one of the best fragrances you could possibly layer with another perfume in summer…all splice in and out of her conversation easily. We can tell Meghan’s not just trying to dazzle us into liking her. So we love her.

Truth be told, we’ve already been stalking Meghan on TheTIG.com, the addictive lifestyle, beauty, travel, foodie site Meghan founded [she has ceased editing dating Prince Harry]. “People had been asking me for food, restaurant or travel recommendations for so long – even before I joined Instagram and Twitter (Markle has since shutdown her social media accounts) – so I got the idea for a hub that would produce content on all things that I love, that fascinate me,” she tells. We know; celeb sites are a crowded space but you won’t get macrobiotic missives on consciously uncoupling with entire food groups, diet dictation or streams of pout-face selfies on The TIG. Prior to closing the site, Meghan authored all of her own articles.

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“I love talking to chefs, whether they are Michelin-starred or under the radar, about how to compose a beautiful plate. Then another day you’ll read about Heidi Klum, the next you’ll read an interview that I did with Serena Williams, the next maybe you’ll read about someone like Fatima Bhutto, who you’ve never heard of but perhaps you should know about,” Meghan says of her wide-open edit. Meghan’s heard “criticism” that girls who tuned into The TIG for the food porn and skincare advice won’t know who some writers or political female influencers that Meghan interviews are. But she hates the assumption that they don’t care.

“This is so much at the core of what I am really opinionated about. As women, we are so multi-faceted. We can be inspired by it all. I wrote an article for the Irish Independent [newspaper] last year and one of the [points was] that you can wear lipstick and be the president! I feel very confident that you can be a feminist and still be feminine, you can be a sexual creature and a mum and run a company,” she says. “I think it’s a sad misconception that the second you have more intellectual prowess or become a CEO that suddenly those other facets [like beauty, fashion] of being a woman go out of the window. You truly can find a way to have it all – and all of those elements make us interesting and dynamic.”

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Another article on gender politics that Meghan wrote on The TIG got so much traction that the United Nations picked up the phone – she is now a UN Women Advocate for Political Participation and Leadership – something she spoke at lengths to Gritty Pretty’s editor Eleanor Pendleton about. “On one trip, I went to Rwanda to a refugee camp, meeting women in grassroots leadership there and then I went to parliament to see women there…

“I feel really inspired and excited by [women in high-level politics]. When women say we want women leaders, the push-back is often that people say, ‘Oh, so you want any woman…'” she says. “But of course we want a qualified, capable, amazing woman. There are so many of them – Michelle Bachelet in Chile, Angela Merkel in Germany, Mary McAlesse from Ireland… Forthe US to follow suit [with Clinton], I would feel very proud of my country.”

Not surprisingly, Meghan studied politics at university and interned at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires. “I was so comfortable in that world,” she says. But there have always been other passions bubbling inside these bones, too. Meghan’s mum was a travel agent and the two racked up miles together early on. “I’ve got the bug – I want to see the roads less travelled. I’m going to Iceland and India later this year. Australia’s really high on my list.” Dad was a showbizzy type and mini-Meghan grew up behind the set of Married with Children. “I was there every day after school for 10 years,” says the L.A. native. “I’d be there in my little Catholic school girl uniform and you know the content of that show – someone like Traci Lords [the former porn actress] would be on in her little uniform too and I’d be like ‘Oh, she’s a school girl too!’ and Dad would say, ‘That’s not the same Meg – why don’t you go help out in craft services…'”

So instead of stage-craft, Meghan got into the crowd-pleasing art of cooking. “I’d help make snacks to take to the producers or [to the set] and I think that’s how I learned to present food and how much joy you can bring people with food. My love of entertaining really started there.”

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Meghan’s epicurean obsessions are so unavoidable IRL that they’ve been written into Rachel’s character on Suits. “I still love taking things into the set – but I think my baking is less consistent than it was in season one,” she laughs. “We’re all really good friends and we do pot-lucks at each others’ houses and we celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving together. I love being the point person on that. Last year, I smoked a turkey and I can’t tell you how proud I was of this epic bird. When Rick [Hoffman], who plays Lewis on the show, started carving it wrong, I was like, ‘Get your hands off my bird!'”

It’s so good to talk to a sexy famous person about food without having to talk kale and anti-sugar, we observe out loud. “I’m into eating steak, then another day I’ll go on a gorgeous health retreat or find the best vegan restaurant, then I’ll have a beautiful glass of wine,” she says. “It can all co-exist. My philosophy on The TIG is that you don’t always have to colour within the lines. I just want to enjoy every facet [of lifestyle], not be so stringent,” she shrugs.

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“For me, it’s all in the balance. I’ve just turned 34, so it’s just that I can’t eat like I do and not work out. I’ll do a workout class with friends but it’s not the be all and end all.”

We guess easy going, chill balance comes kind a natural when your mum’s a yoga teacher and you’ve been bending and stretching since you were seven years old. “I still know when I need to go to my mat – it’s not always about my body, it’s for my mind,” Meghan says. “But it’s so funny – that’s when I think I get great results for my body, when I’m not focusing solely on my body.”

Her flow? “I love hot yoga. I do a practice that is a sequence of moves, but every week I’ll also pepper in two vinyasa classes. I’m working on my inversions right now.”

We love a girl who’s not afraid of hot, raw sweat. “I think that people look their prettiest when they have the yoga glow and no makeup on,” she raves. “Oh my gosh, it’s my favourite when all you see is my freckles and my skin and the happiness that I have after my practice.”

Originally published in Gritty Pretty Magazine’s spring 2015 issue.

Words: Tracey Withers

Photography: Christian Blanchard

Styling: Sadaf Razi

Hair & Makeup: Lydia Sellers

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Makeup Hair Skin

WHAT IS LO-FI BEAUTY?

Pared-back beauty and lo-fi routines are kind of our jam.

From multi-use products and barely-there makeup, to dewy skin and natural ingredients, Gritty Pretty champions the lo-fi life and we know you do too (#busy).

Here are 11 beauty products to up your laid-back game and keep your beauty routine less complicated so you can worry about more important things.

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1. Bioderma Photoderm BB Cream

Unless you’re a professional makeup artist by day or beauty vlogger by night, WHO has the time to do a full face of makeup every day? Why not kill two birds with one stone with multi-use products? This SPF 50+ BB Cream melts into skin to match its natural tone, covers imperfections and redness and even out the complexion. Plus, it works as an anti-ageing moisturiser and leaves the skin hydrated but with a non-greasy matte finish.

2. David Mallett Hair & Body Wash

Is there really such a thing as a body wash and/or shampoo and conditioner for men and women? While our pay grade does not reflect like-for-like (we’re hopeful this will soon change), we’re absolutely equals. This hair and body wash is designed to be gender neutral. Australia-born, paris-based hair stylist David Mallett says, “In our very busy day-to-day lives, beauty rituals need to be efficient and enjoyable, but also simplified. For that, we have to come up with a solution that suits both men and women alike.” This cleansing solution works a treat in the hair and on the body (you’ll smell like Italian Bergamot and so will your significant other) and it’s free of harsh chemicals. “Keep it simple – at all times,” says Mallett. Touché.

3. YSL Glow Shots

Get glowing skin with this backstage beauty secret. For a top shot, pat a small amount onto the cheekbones, brow bones, corner of the eyes, bridge of nose and Cupid’s bow. For a mixed shot, mix a drop into your foundation before applying. And for a naked shot, wear it all over the entire face. Versatile never looked better.

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4. Embryolisse Lait Creme

Introducing Le Miracle. This cult crème is four products in one: makeup primer, face moisturiser, treatment mask and makeup remover. Simple and effective (like the French do it), your skin will be supple tomorrow and your makeup last longer tonight. No joke.

5. Garner Skin Active Hydrabomb Tissue Mask

Garnier Skin Active Hydrabomb Tissue Masks are an inexpensive but oh-so effective at-home skin treatment. Applied to the face, this one with green tea acts like a hydration wrap and quenches your dry skin barrier. Wear it during an episode of The Bachelorette and enjoy.

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FOR THE FULL LIST:

CLICK HERE TO READ GRITTY PRETTY MAGAZINE SPRING 2017 ISSUE

Photography: Ana Suntay-Tañedo.

Hair & Makeup: Kristin Brett.

Styling: Jessica Rolfe.

Model: Stephanie Joy Field @ Chic Management.

Photographer’s Assistant: Shannon Connor.

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Makeup

Gritty Pretty Tested Kim Kardashian West’s Contour Kits & Here’s What We Thought

Post author By Eleanor Pendleton
Post date September 27, 2017
No Comments on Gritty Pretty Tested Kim Kardashian West’s Contour Kits & Here’s What We Thought

When Kim Kardashian West launched KKW Beauty to the world, her range of cream contour kits sold out within 3 hours netting a whopping $14.4 million USD in the bank for the social media star.

Since then, KKW Beauty continues to sell out online, has recently been crowned 2017 Allure Best of Beauty Award for Best Contour and we’ve been asked by many of you our dear readers, “Are Kim Kardashian’s beauty products really any good?”

To answer that question, there was only one way to find out… I purchased the Crème Contour and Highlight Kit in Medium ($48 USD, which equates to $60 AUD) and put the cream bronzer, highlighter and brush/sponge to the test.

The conclusion was this:

Fact: Kim Kardashian West has had her makeup done far more times than us mere mortals. But, what makes her predisposed to being a beauty brand creator is the type of people she’s had the good fortune to learn industry tricks from. Pat McGrath and Mario Dedivanovic, anyone? Being touted as the Queen of Contour seems apt for the 36-year-old beauty so it’s no surprise that when launching her own cosmetics line – and following on from the success of younger sister, Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics makeup range – it made sense that KKW Beauty launched with just three products (available in four shades – light, medium, dark and deep dark) simply to designed to do two things: contour and highlight.

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The contour stick has two deep shades: an ashy contour for creating shadows under the cheeks and for nose contour, and a warmer bronzer shade, which works beautifully on the forehead or if, like me, you prefer a more natural contour. When I first applied the contour stick it really made an impact – there’s a lot of pigment – but because the crème formula is very creamy, it blends out SO well. The brush also makes the blending easy and seamless – it’s pretty hard to stuff the blending up due to the contour sticks’ creaminess (which errs on the edge of oily). The bullets themselves are, well, small. It makes for easy application along the nose and cheek bones, however, it does feel as though you would finish this product within a month (give or take if you use it daily). After a few hours of wear in warm humidity, I noticed the product didn’t last (it looked a little blotchy in areas as if it had moved due to the intense creaminess of the contour). Beauty Editor’s Tip: Set your makeup with a setting powder to avoid it slipping.

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Now, for highlighter fans, this is what I was most excited about. This is what I’d heard positive reviews on; and the shimmering highlighter did not disappoint. Did I mention I have very high standards (BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector, Victoria Beckham x Estée Lauder and M.A.C Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle – am I right?). The shimmering highlighter applied really smoothly, and I used my fingers to dab these onto my cheek bones and brow bones (rather than the sponge). I liked the matte highlighter shade; I just wish it had a little more coverage to cover dark under eye circles by itself.

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A nice addition to the kit; the brush is excellent at blending and while the sponge is good, fingers or a beautyblender also do the job. The muted pink Yeezy vibe packaging also means you’d be proud to have these products in your handbag/cosmetics kit.

At $60 AUD ($48 USD) for the trio and $19 AUD ($15 USD) for international shipping, a rough $80 AUD for three pretty packaged and good beauty products isn’t too bad. It’s not too bad at all.

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Fragrance

Discover Gabrielle, Chanel’s Major New Perfume

Post author By Eleanor Pendleton
Post date September 4, 2017
No Comments on Discover Gabrielle, Chanel’s Major New Perfume

Real talk: you’re either a CHANEL No.5 woman or you aren’t.

Women around the world feel fiercely passionate about their scented armour and CHANEL’s No.5 is the ~~King’s~~ Queen’s shield. So, what should one expect when CHANEL launches its first “pillar” fragrance release since CHANEL Chance in 2002? To understand the scent, you have to understand the woman who bears its name.

Introducing, GABRIELLE CHANEL.

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Before she was the designer Coco Chanel, she was Gabrielle. A rebel at heart and a renegade by example, Mademoiselle Gabrielle was a Leo whom couldn’t be tamed. What better place to get to know her and step into the world and creative mind of Gabrielle than in her home in Paris itself.

Occasionally, words fail me—and as I stand inside of 31 Rue Cambon, attempting to describe Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment, it is understandably one of those times. Putting words to the unmistakable and warm (not eerie) energy I feel upon walking in and only to find myself climbing those iconic stairs where Gabrielle once sat, taking in the house of Chanel’s first shows… Well, it’s a task that’s monumental, to say the least.

By now you can only imagine how it was nothing short of surreal to find myself (dressed in Chanel cream tweed no less), and lounging in all of the same spots Gabrielle did with the likes of Dali and Stravinsky some 90 years ago (oh, to be a fly on the wall…). The space abounds with signature Chanel—from the camellia flower (Gabrielle’s favourite), the glossy, lacquered black surfaces, to the dramatic suede furniture and extensive oriental influences of which I’m pleasantly surprised by. From the motley of ornate gold accessories and that famous chair Gabrielle was photographed in by Horst P. Horst, to the lush, cognac-hues and touches of scarlet red to the gold Venetian lions that felt almost inescapable (I’m told Gabrielle had a thing for pairs); the motifs that have made up countless collections led by Karl Lagerfeld suddenly made sense. After all, it was Gabrielle who once said, “An interior is a natural projection of the soul.”

Throughout the entire tour, my photographer and I somehow manage to restrain ourselves—even if her mahogany desk, etched with infinite scratch and pen marks, is ripe for scattering strands of Chanel pearls and Gabrielle handbags on. Reflecting on the Chinese screens that border the space, it’s clear the apartment has been immaculately preserved—a shop on the ground floor, a studio on the first and her apartment on the second. Being in Gabrielle Chanel’s home, it’s almost as if she never really left. And if the new GABRIELLE CHANEL fragrance is any indication, she hasn’t.

You see, Chanel’s major new fragrance is more than just a perfume. “It’s a genuine revolution,” says Olivier Polge, master perfumer. An abstract floral, Polge created the scent inspired by Gabrielle and focused on four white florals: creamy and heady exotic jasmine, shimmering green notes of ylang-ylang, sparkling orange blossom and tuberose (grown in Grasse – yes, there’s a difference!).

I should note that before I visit Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment, I purposefully wear GABRIELLE CHANEL intensely. Applied generously to skin and deliberately on the lining of clothing, it quickly becomes clear this scent isn’t for just a particular type of woman: young, mature, introverted or extroverted. It’s for every woman who believed she could. It’s for Gabrielle; it’s for me and it’s for you.

To shop GABRIELLE CHANEL Eau de Parfum, click here.

Gritty Pretty travelled to Paris with CHANEL to attend the global launch of GABRIELLE CHANEL.

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Fragrance

EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: GABRIELLE CHANEL CAMPAIGN STARRING KRISTEN STEWART

Post author By Eleanor Pendleton
Post date August 28, 2017
No Comments on EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: GABRIELLE CHANEL CAMPAIGN STARRING KRISTEN STEWART

For those anxiously awaiting the debut of GABRIELLE CHANEL – CHANEL’s first women’s fragrance in 15 years – prepare to be tipped over the edge with anticipation.

Captured by British film director Ringan Ledwidge, the new film campaign showcases CHANEL ambassadress and American actress Kristen Stewart breaking free from the confines of a cocoon and into a liberating run; gathering her speed so she can crash through a wall to infinite freedom.

Set to the track Runnin’ (Lose It All) by Beyoncé, the film takes a bold new direction as it celebrates modern femininity built on confidence, determination, and independence.

Mark September 1, 2017 in your diaries. GABRIELLE CHANEL is set to fly off the shelves for what is undoubtedly one of the biggest fragrance launches of the year.

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Makeup Interviews

How Selena Gomez’s Makeup Artist Went From Living In A Refugee Camp To Becoming One Of
The World’s Top Makeup Artists

If there is one word that sums up Hung Vanngo, celebrity makeup artist and Marc Jacobs Beauty Global Artistry Ambassador, it is humble.

Born in Vietnam, Vanngo reveals, “For me, success is no longer living in a refugee camp.”

When Vanngo tells me this, I’m moved deeply. Truth be told, I knew of Vanngo (what beauty geek doesn’t?) but I didn’t know this. When he reveals this intimate detail to me, I can’t even begin to comprehend what his childhood was like… so I very gently ask him. Vanngo, who is honest and warm, tells me that together with his brother, sister and mother, they escaped Vietnam in 1987. His mother hoped for a better life for children so they fled in an overcrowded boat to try and escape.

“I was six. We got as far as Thailand; and they put us in a refugee camp for three years,” says Vanngo. “At that time, we only knew of America, so that’s where we wanted to go.” Vanngo explains a lot of countries didn’t accept them so they waited until a country allowed them to resettle. “If you’ve never lived in a refugee camp or grown up in a third world country, you will never understand. I can’t explain it. For me, any opportunity I could’ve possibly encountered was better than what I grew up in. Anything.”

After three years living in unimaginable conditions, Canada finally accepted Vanngo and his family. “We immigrated to Canada [in 1990] when I was 9 years old, and the rest was history.” His childhood is undoubtedly a stark contrast to the current life he finds himself living—splitting is time between L.A and NYC and regularly painting the faces of Selena Gomez, Gisele Bündchen, Kate Bosworth and Katy Perry to name a few. Vanngo’s brother has a PhD; he’s a professor at a university in Calgary. “My sister is working and is married with two kids. And I think I’m doing very fine with makeup.”

And, fine he certainly is. Vanngo, who is in Sydney to celebrate the launch of Marc Jacobs Eye-Conic Multi-Finish Eyeshadow Palette (Scandalust is his favourite), says, “I never moved to New York and thought, “I’m going to be a star.” When I left Canada to move to New York, I actually couldn’t get an agent. No agency would sign me so I had to keep flying back to Toronto to earn some money. Once I saved some, I’d travel back to New York and try again. I knew I had to start from the bottom and slowly, over time, I worked my way up. Nothing happens overnight.”

It’s this humble attitude (and his disinclination of beauty trends but rather favouring classics) that has put Vanngo on the map—and on speed dial of major celebrities.

When I ask how Vanngo came to work with Selena Gomez, he reveals, “I actually met Selena through working with Miranda Kerr. Miranda and I were working together a lot on shoots. She was represented by the same agency as Selena. Miranda’s agent was on set one day; he would always watch the way I worked. He was pulling together a new team for Selena and he thought of me. I met Selena and that was kind of it. We’ve worked together ever since.”

“For Selena’s recent film clip, Fetish, she wanted to look really fresh, natural and healthy. It’s very simple.” I quiz the man on how exactly he did this: “I prepped Selena’s skin first by mixing a small amount of Marc Jacobs Beauty Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter into face moisturiser and massaging it onto her skin. In the opening scene, Selena’s skin is sparkling. To create this, I filled in her brows slightly, curled her lashes and no mascara. I popped on a little concealer – no foundation – and to give that extra glow, I applied Marc Jacobs Glow Stick Glistening Illuminator onto the high points of Selena’s face. To finish, I applied Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss Lip Lacquer Lipgloss in French Tickler.”

So, if you’re a budding makeup artist looking to making it BIG, take Vanngo’s advice: “Embrace everything and appreciate everything. Nothing happens overnight. Do any makeup jobs you can – you have to start somewhere and the industry is small; people move around and change jobs. It’s important to start from somewhere.”

True that.

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i-D magazine winter 2009 | Eva Herzigova, Helena Christensen and Claudia Schiffer
Makeup by Hung Vanngo

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Vogue Australia January 2015 | Gisele Bündchen
Makeup by Hung Vanngo

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LOVE magazine #18 | Kesewa Aboah and Kate Moss
Makeup by Hung Vanngo

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InStyle magazine September 2017 | Selena Gomez
Makeup by Hung Vanngo

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Makeup Body

Gritty Pretty Welcomes The Base by Lara Bingle

Post author By Eleanor Pendleton
Post date July 26, 2017
2 Comments on Gritty Pretty Welcomes The Base by Lara Bingle

When you think sun-kissed luminous skin, you think Lara. And if you have to ask “Lara who?”, you’re obviously in the wrong place.

Since December 2014, Lara Worthington’s brainchild The Base by Lara Bingle has democratised that lust-worthy bronzed canvas for all modern women, for all time. The collection of multi-functional, glow-inducing self-tanners and cosmetics promises to elevate and “enhance your inner beauty”.

And now, *drum roll please* The Base by Lara Bingle is available on Gritty Pretty.

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“For years I’ve loved what Gritty Pretty has been doing, so the opportunity to sell The Base within the GrittyPretty.com edit felt really natural. Gritty Pretty is a cult beauty destination offering a unique curation of beauty products – I’m proud to have The Base in that mix,” says Lara Worthington, Founder & CEO, The Base.

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From the cult LB Cream (hello dreamy, luminous, natural-looking skin) and the versatile Velvet Bronzing Makeup Base to the far-from-orange Instant Tan Mousse and glow-inducing Skin Illuminator; The Base is available right here, right now.

So forget the season, forget the weather – glowing skin is always in.

To shop The Base by Lara Bingle, click here.