Oscars 2011 - Which one did you love?

So the Oscars 2011 was on last night and there was a lot of fashion paraded on the red carpet. My favourite for best dressed, best hair and best makeup is Scarlett Johannson.

I love her simple yet elegant hair style, her makeup was perfect and her dress is stunning, she wears it really well.

My second pick was Reese Witherspoon. I love her hairstyle, its so sophisticated and classy. Her dress is quite nice too elegant and sleek.

Who did you think was best dressed?

What makes you happy?

I love thinking about things that make me happy. Its weird because life is so full on and busy that sometimes I can't see past what is happening at the moment. If you sit back and take fifteen minutes and just think 'what makes me happy?' its interesting what you come up with.

Here is my list of things that make me happy at the moment. A random list but when I think of these things they put a smile on my face.

Flowers

My handbag

Music

My children

Reading 

Cheesecake

Winter jackets

Car

Photos

Socks

Shopping

Makeup

Jewellery

Phone
My Blog

What are some things that make you happy?

Tips: How to treat acne and pimples?

We have all at some point experienced skin breakouts, pimples, blackhead and acne. They are horrible little things that cause pain and discomfort. As a teenager I went through a few years of pimples and blackheads, and now as a adult I still have the occasional times when I breakout.

Looking after your skin when you have acne takes a little more work and time for it to work. For me, when I have breakouts I try to:

1.Cleanse twice a day with a cleanser that has salicylic acid. ( When my skin is good, I only cleanse once at night and in the morning I just rinse with water)

2. Use a exfoliant cleanser ( every second or third day) that has fine granules or salicylic acid in a mild form so that it is a gentle exfoliant.

2. Use a light lotion/moisturiser that has salicylic acid.

3. Usually in the evening, I use a spot treatment.

4. If wearing makeup - use water based oil free makeup

(If you want to know more about what salicylic acid is read this post - here)

Some products that I have tried that have worked for me are the Burts Bees Anti - Blemish Solutions range, Dove, Dermalogica and Neutrogena products.

A few other things you can do:

1. Pore strips are great that you put on your nose or chin and then strip off to pull out the oil from your pores. (I currently use the Biore strips)

2. Do it yourself facial by placing a warm washcloth over the area can help open up the pores of the skin.

3. Ice can reduce the look of a blemish if it is swollen or red. Wrap a ice cube in a cloth, and place it on top of the blemish for a few minutes.

Of course the all time rule to any blemish is don't pick at it!

What do you do to treat skin blemishes? Are there any products that have particularly worked for you?

Head and Shoulders Treatment Scalp Massage Cream review

Do you suffer from a itchy scalp, dryness or dandruff?

I have found a great product that I wanted to share with you. I have been using the Head and Shoulders Treatment Scalp Massage Cream for a few months now. It is a product that is now permanently in my shower.

This is so easy to use. Once you have used a shampoo and conditioner, you place some of the cream on your fingers and using a massaging action, massage your scalp for a minute and then rinse off in the shower.

It helps to maintain and nourish your scalp and helps to fight off dryness, itchiness and dandruff. It leaves my hair feeling soft and you can feel the results instantly, no more itchiness or dryness.

As I am always using different shampoos and conditioners, this is great if I am having those days where my scalp does get dry or itchy. Even after one wash with the Head and Shoulders Treatment Scalp Massage Cream I feel the difference it makes to my scalp.

The Head and Shoulders Treatment Scalp Massage Cream retails for about $8.95 and can be bought at supermarkets or department stores.

Have you tried this product? What do you think?

Book review Through Our Children's Eyes by Margaret Jarvinen - and a Giveaway (CLOSED)

Ever wanted to know what children think about their parents? Children are amazing, so full of life and joy. If you stop and ask them anything, they will always give you a honest answer.

When I was asked if I wanted to review the book Through Our Children's Eyes by Margaret Jarvinen, I jumped at the opportunity. This book is such an inspirational and insightful book for parents and children.

Through Our Children's Eyes is a book that has quotes from children between the ages of three and twelve years about how they perceive their parents. The book is easy to read and follow, has great drawings and is a interactive book. The book layout is fantastic for children to follow and it has spaces for you to write yours and your child's quote too - a great way to share some insightful moments with your children and keep forever.

I sat down with my seven year old son and we read the book together. It was great to read what other children thought of their parents. The questions are easy to understand such as 'what do you like the best about mum?' We had so many laughs and fun together, thinking about what we both thought of each other. It was great to hear my son's quotes and it gave me so much joy to know that he was able to express his love for me. There are also questions relating to dad 'what do you like best about dad?' which my son read with his dad and it was great to see them bond and share that togetherness.

As a parent, this book made me realise how fun and joyful it is to find out what my child thinks. I love that I can write in the book and can read it many times over and over again. This book is something that you can keep and treasure forever.

My son loves this book! He loves that we have both written our quotes and thoughts and wants to read it all the time.

Through Our Children’s Eyes is a book that is so interactive and will be enjoyed by children and parents. It will allow you to interact with your child and find out things you might not have known. Definitely a must read for every child and parent. You can see more about this book at http://www.throughourchildrenseyes.com.au/ .

**********GIVEAWAY********* (CLOSED)

I have ONE Through Our Children's Eyes book to giveaway to one lucky reader!

To enter:

1. Let me know, what is a fun activity you and your children like to do together? in the comments below

2. Be a follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect (link up on the left)

Optional and for an extra entry:
Like DanniiBeauty on facebook  - HERE
(let me know in the comments that you have)

Terms and conditions:

•This giveaway finishes Tuesday 8th of March 2011 at 5pm. (aest)

•Open to Australian residents only.

•One winner will be chosen randomly.

•Once the winner is announced, please check back to see if you are a winner, the winner will need to email me their mailing address. It can take a few weeks for the prize to arrive.

Tips for Long Hairstyles : How to Do a French Braid: Long Hairstyles

Learn how to do a French braid with a long hairstyle with expert hair styling tips in this free beauty video clip. It is quick and easy to do that beautiful hairstyle. But in France, they call that sort of braid "african braid"!


Expert: Terri Lynne
Bio: Terri Lynne is a freelance hair and makeup artist for film and TV production. She received her hair and makeup training through the University of Winnipeg in Canada.

Feeling overwhelmed? Today is a new day.

Today is a new day. If you woke up feeling down and sad, or its just all getting too much think of a sunrise.

Every day is a new day, a new beginning, today you can choose to see all difficulties as opportunities to make you a stronger person.

Accept where you are in life and be grateful for it. Every day we learn and grow. Lets move forward  - the past has no power over us. Choose to let it go and look forward only to the future, because you can choose your future.

Every day is a new day with a new beginning and a new end.

Lets enjoy life and make the most of it.

I like writing a list of things that I want to achieve in a week, as this helps me look forward to them and gives me hope that things will work out. I also like going for a walk to think things through and rejuvenate my mind.

What do you do when things just get too much?

Want to do online shoe shopping? Westfield is the place!

Have you done any online shopping lately? I love online shopping, about 80% of my purchases are online. It is convenient and there are great bargains to be found. When I was asked to do some shoe shopping online at Westfield I was thrilled. How could I resist online shoe shopping?

Westfield shoe department is a must for online shopping. There are hundreds of great brands and retailers that you can choose from, its fantastic. Amongst some of them are Tony Bianco, Novo, Colorado and many more. You can buy shoes for the whole family, men's shoes, kid's shoes, womens shoes and shoe accessories.

My choice of shoes are these fabulous Mollini shoes that I am in love with now.

They are leather, sturdy and so comfortable. They look great on and can be worn with jeans and skirts.

So the next time you want to do some online shoe shopping check out Westfield online shoe department, where you have access to lots of different brands and retailers, you will love it like I do!

Have you done any online shopping lately?

Sally Hansen Color Quick Fast Dry Nail Color Pen review

 I recently discovered the Sally Hansen Color Quick Fast Dry Nail Color Pen and love the concept of this nailpolish. I have never used Sally Hansen nailpolishes before, but I have heard that they are great.

So when I saw this one, I was drawn to it because of the unique application of the nailpolish. It is a pen like nailpolish that is easy to hold and you dispense the nailpolish by pressing the top down a few times.

The brush is a good size, its not soft but strong bristles, it can leave a bit of streaking, but if you go over it a few times it gives a good result. The application time is a little quicker than when using a bottle nailpolish.

The concept of this nailpolish is that it is easy to use as there is no bottle so no need to worry about spilling any of it out of a bottle and it's good for on the go. It is a fast dry nail and it really does dry within a minute or so.


close up of me wearing black cherry

The colour I got is Black Cherry. As you can see in the picture above, the colour is a dark cherry colour. The colour on the packaging looks a little lighter than what actually came out, but similar. It lasts on my nails for about four to five days, which is pretty good.

I really like the nailpolish, its definitely easy to use and a great idea to have a pen nailpolish. There are 18 colours in this collection, I might try another colour as well.

I got mine from Priceline, they retail for $16.95aud.

Have you tried a pen nailpolish? What do you think?

Six ways to getting gorgeous skin!

This is me and my skin on a good day, no breakouts!

The one most important beauty tip is to look after your skin. Here are some steps in your beauty routine that we must do in order to maintain healthy and good looking skin.

1. Drink water - we all know it, water is important for our general health and the best to maintain elasticity and good health for our skin.

2. Cleanse - find a cleanser that works well with your skin and cleanse at least every night. (This is the cleanser I use at the moment) Be sure to remove all your makeup before going to bed.

3. Exfoliate - at least one to two times a week. This removes the dead skin cells giving you brighter and smoother skin. (This is the scrub I use at the moment)

4. Apply Sunscreen - Sun damage is the number one cause for wrinkles. It is so important to use a sunscreen from the youngest of age, even when its not summer, anytime throughout the year the sun can damage your skin. I always use a moisturiser that has SPF 30+ in it, that way I am using a moisturiser and sunscreen.

5. Night moisturiser - Night time is when your skin is rebuilding and regenerating itself. Your skin needs moisture, so a good moisturising night cream will definitely help. Try applying it before 10pm because between 10pm and 2am is when the skin is doing the most work. True fact!

6. Change your pillowcase often - I have personally found that this helps prevent or reduce breakouts. (Read more about it here) Try it and see if it works for you.

Are there any tips or products that have been great for your skin?

What is the DanniiBeauty blog about?

Its been about nine months since I started to blog. I am really keen to learn more about blogging, so I am participating in the Problogger 31 Days to Build a Better Blog AMB group.

Today is day one and the first task is to write an  Elevator Pitch for my blog. An elevator pitch is in a few words an explaination of what my blog is about and a pitch to make you want to come back!

So here is mine:

Life is beautiful and inspirational - just look around and you will see it!

Danniibeauty is a blog about sharing, inspiring and learning. An honest look on life, beauty, fashion and anything that makes life so much fun. Sharing my thought on products, inspiring and motivating you and a lot more!

(About DanniiBeauty page here)

 

 
What keeps you coming back to DanniiBeauty?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day

Is a wonderful way

To make "I love you"

Easy to say.

 
Happy Valentines Day! What made this day special for you?

Winner of the Smart Memory Bra is...............

Thanks to everyone that entered the Smart Memory Bra giveaway. I love it when I see so many entries, I wish I had a magic wand that could give everyone a prize, but sadly I can't! So.......

The winner has been chosen and is:


Muddled Up Mumma


Congratulations! Please email me your profile name, full name, size, colour and mailing address to danniibeauty@hotmail.com ASAP.

Lisca will be sending out your prize, it may take a few weeks.


Stay tuned for more giveaways soon !!!

Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer review

I have always been on the search for the right concealer. I think I have about five at the moment, but none of them are the BEST one for me. They are ok, but they just don't wow me!!

However there is a concealer that is my favourite at the moment that I wanted to share my review on. It is the Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer.

This concealer is a fluffy whipped texture ( just like Mousse) and feels really soft and creamy. The pigmentation is fantastic, but you need to find the right shade for you. I have bought a few different shades and finally found the right one,  Light 0-2.

It's definitely a perfect match for my skin and covers really well. You only need a tiny bit of this concealer, otherwise it looks really cakey and you don't want that. It is a rich formula and really pigmented, so a tiny dab will cover the whole under eye area. I have fine lines and was worried about them looking cakey, but if you apply it correctly, there is no creasing or cakey look. I found it great to cover fine lines, redness and imperfections. Its easy to smooth and blend in giving a flawless, natural and matte look.

The Maybelline Dream Mousse concealer is available in priceline or department stores for retail $15.95 aud.

Do you have a favourite concealer that you use?

What is life?

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is bliss, taste it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.

Mother Teresa

I love this quote. I strongly believe that life is precious. Tell me what is life to you?

Dove Cleanser and Toner in One Review

I have been using the Dove Cleanser and Toner in One, for nearly a year and love it. Cleansing is such a important part of any facial routine, I find that I need to have the best cleanser to know that I have cleansed my face well.

I have used many different ones and I must say that the Dove Cleanser and Toner in One is one of the best affordable cleansers I have tried.

It is a cleanser and toner in one, which is fantastic because I usually forget to use a toner or don't have the time. It is a very effective cleanser and removes makeup and impurities really well. It is a creamy texture that lathers up well and doesn't dry out my skin but rather leaves it feeling clean, smooth and moisturised. It contains a pH balanced skin refiner to gently tone the skin.

The Dove Cleanser and Toner in One retails for $6.95 at priceline and is sold in supermarkets and department stores.

I highly recommend this cleanser, its suitable for all skin types and so affordable.

What is your favourite cleanser at the moment?

Winner of the Rubbermaid Reveal mop is.........

Thanks to everyone that entered the Rubbermaid Reveal Mop giveaway. I love it when I see so many entries, I wish I had a magic wand that could give everyone a prize, but sadly I can't!  So.......

The winner has been chosen and is:

Trish

Congratulations! Please email me your profile name, full name and mailing address to danniibeauty@hotmail.com ASAP.

Rubbermaid will be sending out your prize, it may take a few weeks.

Check the Current Giveaways page for more giveaways and Stay tuned for more giveaways in the future !!!

Sunsmart Posters- every household needs one!

As we all know it is crucial that we are all aware of the dangers that the sun can cause to our skin.

A constant reminder for us and our children is a must!

So SunSmart have unveiled their latest and greatest gizmo that allows families, schools and early childhood services to create their very own SunSmart poster.

This fantastic online resource allows you to make their very own colourful posters for free with you as the SunSmart star!

All you need is a printer and an image of your face to upload. Then all you need to do is follow the three simple steps below:

Step one: Check the SunSmart UV Alert for your area to see if you need to make a sun protection or vitamin D awareness poster.

Step two: Choose a scene, text, add your name and upload the image of your face.

Step three: Press print and get ready to display your personalised poster to all your family and friends! You can also save a copy on your computer.

There are sun protection, vitamin D and snow posters to choose from at sunsmart.com.au/createposter

This is fantastic for adults and children and lots of fun!

One third of all cancer deaths can be prevented. LIKE the Cut Your Cancer Risk facebook page and pick up some top tips to reduce your risk - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cut-Your-Cancer-Risk/154288074618166



What do you do to protect yourself from the sun?

Giveaway: Wanna win a Smart Memory Bra? (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

Ever heard of the Smart Memory Bra by Lisca?

The Smart Memory Bra is definitely extraordinary -  a bra that actually moulds to fit each woman's unique body shape, adapts to changes and fluctuations in size and, boosts the cleavage of the woman wearing it when it detects a rise in body temperature.

It claims to be a comfortable and versatile option that can be worn all year round. It features multiway straps and smooth, seam-free fabric that is ideal for wearing with any outfit, under tight fitting garments or for extra support at the gym.

So the uniqueness of the Smart Memory Bra is that it has revolutionary high-tech cups incorporating a special memory foam that is based upon technology developed by NASA, which softens and expands as it warms to the skin's temperature, adapting to fit the curves of the body and thus totally conforming to the wearer's bust for the ultimate fit.

Available in black and vibrant red.  Sizes range from 10-18 and cup sizes from A-D. Retails for $74.95 aud. To order online visit  http://www.smartmemorybra.com.au/.

Sounds great right? I haven't tried it myself, but its definitely on my list of 'to try products'.  I have ONE Smart memory bra to giveaway. Enter for yourself or it may make a great gift.

**********GIVEAWAY*********

I have ONE Smart Memory Bra ( sizes 10-18 cup size A-D) to give away to one lucky reader!

To enter:

1. Let me know, what appeals to you the most about this bra? in the comments below

2. Be a follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect (link up on the left)


Terms and conditions:

• This giveaway finishes Thursday 10th of February 2010 at 5pm. (aest)
• Open to Australian residents only.
• One winner will be chosen randomly.
• Once the winner is announced, please check back to see if you are a winner, the winner will need to email me their mailing address and colour and size. Lisca will be mailing out the prize. It can take a few weeks.

Cooking: Simple and quick Sausages

One of my favourite quick, easy meals are sausages! Its a hit with the family, kids love them and they are simple to make.

I just buy a tray of thin sausages from Safeway or Coles. A tray has about eight sausages in them. In a frypan, I place a little oil and then put the sausages in. I turn them frequently until they are nice and brown. Serve them on bread with tomato sauce. I also make a cucumber and tomato salad on the side sometimes.

Do you have a quick meal that you like to make?