The launch of the Rae Morris collection

L’Oreal Paris Makeup Director Rae Morris is one of the most influential makeup artists in the world. She has not only worked with a number of the most well-known fashion houses but also some of the biggest stars including Cate Blanchett, Jessica Biel, Pink and Miranda Kerr.

Last weekend the makeup extraordinaire launched the Rae Morris Collection, the ultimate makeup brush set, 26 tailor-designed and made brushes that provide professional makeup artists and the everyday woman with the tools needed to create a professional look.

I was invited by the Sweaty Betty team to an intimate session at Rae’s studio last Friday where she would personally introduce her collection and share some how-to beauty tips.

This was going to be my first event as a beauty blogger and I was excited because Rae’s books, Makeup: The Ultimate Guide and Express Makeup are permanent fixtures on my makeup table and are continuously used in an effort to look glamorous!  

Rae's gorgeous studio

Wearing my new bright (and I mean bright) pink blazer and a champagne in hand I sat down and listened to the passionate (and very beautiful) Rae introduce her brushes.

Listening intently to Rae

When I’m asked what you need to do amazing makeup, the answer is simple – amazing brushes!  The right brushes make everything easier and a lot more fun! 

Over the last 2 years, I have personally designed and tested each brush to ensure that they are the best in the world.  These brushes, are the brushes I use everyday as a professional makeup artist.  I honestly could not do makeup without them.

 –Rae Morris

When Rae was approached by Crown Brush to create a collection of brushes she was initially hesitant and gave them a list of standards she thought were impossibly high; the average brush price was to be $35, the handles were to be made out of recycled bamboo and the hair had to be animal-cruelty free.  Crown agreed to all of Rae’s ‘demands’ and they worked together to create the ultimate brush collection.

Rae Morris's Brush Range - photo thanks so Sweaty Betty

I was so impressed by Rae’s dedication to creating animal and environmentally friendly brushes, using un-dyed recycled bamboo and USA PETA approved Blue Squirrel hair – the squirrels are sheared like sheep whilst sleeping and are apparently treated better than humans. Rae then takes her environmental passion a step further and for every brush sold a tree is planted.

As Rae went through the session we were handed the brushes to touch and play with. Now I have owned a few makeup brushes in my time and without a doubt these are the softest brushes I have ever felt, even the synthetic ones. (I could have kept brushing my face with one of these delights if it wasn’t going to weird-out my fellow bloggers). The softness of the bristles means that the skin doesn’t move, so the makeup goes where it’s meant to and blends with each stroke.

Rae Morris's SUPER soft brushes

Each and every brush is carefully designed by Rae and made by only two people in the world.  Each brush is distinct in what it does and will help makeup artists and the everyday woman create a professional look.

After two years in production the Rae Morris Collection was launched at IMATS in Sydney on 24^th and 25^th September. The initial 500 sets had sold out before the weekend even ended, but don’t worry you can secure your set by pre-ordering or putting down a $100 deposit on Rae’s website:
http://shop.raemorris.com/

The limited release Rae Morris Brush Range sets are $899 – I know you might gasp at the price but it is definitely worth it for those who are serious about makeup, and remember your average makeup brush from professional makeup brands range from $40 – 700 so 26 custom designed and made brushes for $899 is definitely good value for money.  I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these sets!

A HUGE thank you to Rae Morris for inviting us into her studio to share her exciting news and a MASSIVE thanks to the gorgeous Sweaty Betty PR girls for organising such a fantastic event and for extending an invitation to little old me!

The highlight of the night was having Rae demo ‘widening the eye’ on me.  I think I have smallish eyes and jumped at the chance to sit in the makeup chair.  Although I’m a few years past the ‘Snooki/Taylor Momsen’ days (for a photo check out my post You too can have an AMAZING FACE) I still have an addiction to black eyeliner and I just can’t seem to kick it. Anyway, black eyeliner when not applied correctly can make your eyes look smaller but Rae was able to show us a way to widen the eye using shadowing and liquid eyeliner.  Unfortunately I wasn’t able to see her putting it on me but I got photos of the end result and it made a HUGE difference to my face. Rae is a genius and over the next few months i’m going to share some of Rae’s beauty looks, tips and tricks but if you’re more eager to learn them now then you can always go and buy her books – www.raemorris.com.au

Beauty bloggers unite!

A close up of the brushes

 

I was lucky enough to have Rae demo 'widening the eye' on me. She is AMAZING!

and the brushes are magnetic!Rae Morris Collection Launch

You too can have an AMAZING FACE

THE ULTIMATE BEAUTY BIBLE

If for some reason you’ve been living in a very deep hole and haven’t heard of Zoë Foster’s book Amazing Face then I suggest you go out right now and get it! Seriously go get it because this book contains everything you need to know about beauty! 

Zoe Foster's Amazing Face

Sometimes a lady just needs to know how to do the definitive smoky eye, or how to choose the perfect shade of lipstick or eye shadow.  And there’s no reason she shouldn’t know which foundation or moisturiser is best for her, either.

All the answers are here, in this top-to-toe beauty extravaganza.  Former Cosmopolitan and Harper’s BAZAAR beauty director Zoë Foster suggests makeup colours and brands for every occasion, skin care routines and products for every age, and step-by-step instructions for winged eyeliner, sensational red lips, foolproof tanning, simple updos, sexy-second day hair, and much, much more.

Zoë, oh how I wish this book was around when I was a teen, maybe then I could have avoided the Snooki-like bronzed face and the Taylor Momsen heavy, heavy eyeliner I sported for a while there.

Ah my teenage years!

This book is a comprehensive guide to beauty for women of all ages and the step-by-step instructions and photos (of the beautiful Zoë) make it SUPER easy to follow.

Apart from the amazing content, what I love most about this book is the way Zoë’s personality comes out of the pages.  I feel like I’m sitting with an easy-going, hilarious friend who’s sharing her beauty tips with me over a coffee (actually make that a bottle of wine).

I have a habit of marking important pages in books and magazines that I can read again, well I started doing that in this book and had to stop because I was tagging the whole thing! Each page it’s like a light bulb moment ‘doh, of course you don’t exfoliate your cheeks’ or ‘of course you apply foundation first THEN concealer’!

All the tips in this book are important but my absolute favs are:

• A fun and foolproof way to apply bronzer – did you know you don’t just brush it all over your face? There is an art to it!
• How to instantly make your eyes look bigger – great tip especially for those who aren’t blessed with lovely big wide eyes
• How to do an updo at home – second-day hair is the key
• 

  How to create the perfect updo

I could talk about this book for hours but I won’t because that would be wasting valuable time that could be used to go out and buy this book! You can find Amazing Face at Dymocks, Booktopia, Fishpond etc

Want to know more about Zoë, visit her website
http://zoefoster.com.au/

Want to see Zoë demonstrating some of her tips and techniques or watch her interview with Mamamia’s Mia Freedman, okay then click on this link ->
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Zoe+Foster&aq=f

Here are two of my favourite clips:

Have you read Zoë’s book? What was your favourite tip?

A weekend of eating and drinking in Mudgee

Mudgee (Aboriginal term meaning “nest in the hills”) is a beautiful country town set in the scenic setting of the Cudgegong Valley just over three hours north west from Sydney. The town with its wide tree-lined streets is not only known for its beauty but for its hospitality with many cafes, vineyards and quaint little bed & breakfasts around the town.

Beautiful Mudgee

My husband and his family are from Mudgee so I’m lucky enough to visit there quite regularly… I love the town so much that we chose to marry there earlier this year.

A few weeks ago my very good friend Alex and I were talking about two of our favourite topics ‘food and drink’ after our weekly pilates class and I suggested that we spend a weekend in Mudgee indulging in both! So last Friday afternoon we packed up the car and took the fairly easy and picturesque drive to Mudgee.

We started our food and wine inspired weekend by visiting the Farmer’s Markets which are held on the grounds of St Mary’s Catholic Church on the main street every 3^rd Saturday of the month.

Mudgee's Farmers Markets

And then I found them…

Its not a huge market but the stalls that are there are absolute quality and it was here that I came across colourful macarons on the Mudgee Made stall!

Mudgee Made's Macarons at the Mudgee Farmers Markets

Mudgee Made is a catering company run by Lara Hooper and Tanya Scott who have pursued their cooking dreams whilst raising young families on farms close to Mudgee.

They started creating macarons when they became aware that no one else was doing it.  The girls were happy to share their inspiration with me “We loved the endless flavour possibilities and being able to use fresh, local, seasonal ingredients from our own gardens and orchards.  Every month we make more macarons to sell and they keep selling out”.

In the beautiful little box I found caramel, chocolate, white chocolate, lemon, violet and raspberry flavoured macarons.  I halved the violet and raspberry macaron with Alex and they were gorgeous! I can’t wait to head back to Mudgee to get my hands on some of the other flavours. 

Mudgee Made Macarons

The girls sell the macarons at the Mudgee Farmers Market and other local events such as the Small Farm Field Days and Mudgee Food and Wine Festival at Balmoral Beach. They can also be bought through their catering packages. For more information check out the Mudgee Made website http://www.mudgeemade.com.au and facebook page (search Mudgee Made Catering).

Mudgee certainly isn’t in drought when it comes to caterers.  Like the ‘Mudgee Made’ girls, Rachael McCarthy is based in Mudgee and caters for weddings, birthdays, corporate luncheons and winery events.  Rachael’s food is divine! I know because she catered our wedding and six months on we still have family and friends talking about the food. Unforunately I was too late to book a table at one of the vineyards where Rachael was cooking last week… but if you make it to Mudgee be sure to find out if the amazing Rachael is catering for one of the wineries and book in, you won’t be disappointed.
http://rachaelmccarthy.com.au/index.htm

After the market it was time for some breakfast and there was only one place I wanted to go, the Butcher Shop Café.  The Butcher Shop Cafe sits on the main street of Mudgee (and also in Rylstone – the town next door) and with its retro interior, excellent coffee and fool-proof menu this little café does a roaring trade.

The Butcher Shop Cafe

The menu is fairly simple but the servings are always hearty and the food is always good, especially the French toast and BLT!

Butcher Shop Cake Brekkie - French toast with bacon and maple syrup & BLT

To the wineries!

After visiting a few of Mudgee’s great vineyards we stopped in at Di Lusso’s for lunch. Di Lusso’s is a boutique vineyard and winery with a big pergola that overlooks ‘Lago di Lusso’ (a little lake).  On the weekends you could be convinced that you’re in the country side of Italy with wine flowing, a bocce game going and the wood-fire oven pizza churning out mouth-watering pizzas. 

It was too hard to pick just one pizza so we picked the following flavours:

Margharita – Cheese and Tomato with fresh basil

Italian Antipasto – Tuscan salami, chorizo, beef polpetti with sundried tomatoes and mozzarella

Pizza Emilia – A northern Italian favourite with reffiano or grana, pancetta and a touch of garlic – served with fresh herbs

The perfect accompaniment to these delicious pizza’s was the Di Lusso’s Moscato. The moscato is a light, semi-sweet, aromatic wine made from the black muscat grape. I liked it so much that I bought half a case J
http://www.dilusso.com.au/index.html

Di Lusso's Moscato

I would love to tell you about dinner at one of the lovely restaurants or wineries but there was a World Cup Rugby Wallaby game on so we ended up at the pub! A pub yes, but not just any pub – we had dinner and drinks at the Oriental Hotel which is famous for its tasty bistro.  If you’re in Mudgee and looking for a good steak and chips or chicken parmigana then the ‘Ori’ is the place for you and if you’re really hungry (and brave) try the Ori’s Prime Hereford Rib Eye.

The Ori’s Prime Hereford Rib Eye

Taking a piece of Mudgee home

Before heading back to Sydney on Sunday we wanted to check out the local produce. Most stores in Mudgee stock beautiful jams, relishes, sauces and preserves and every time I visit I stockpile some for the next few months.  Mudgee’s fine food industry has expanded and now you can get everything from olive oil to thai dressings to chocolate sauce and they are all delicious!  In a few weeks I’m going to do another post about cooking with some of Mudgee’s local produce. Stay tuned!

Some of Mudgee's best fine foods on display at Mudgee Gourmet

So, if you are looking for a relaxing weekend in the country and want to enjoy some great scenery, wine and food then Mudgee is the place for you!

For more information on Mudgee, visit www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au

Do you have a favourite country town you like to visit?

Finding a long-lasting lipstick that ACTUALLY lasts!

Every morning as I get ready to leave the house I go to my makeup drawer and look at my collection of lipsticks. I carefully select a colour that will compliment my outfit, put it on and head out the door thinking my lips will look that fantastic all day.  Unfortunately most days I forget to reapply the lipstick again until late afternoon if at all.

 I need a lipstick that I can put on in the morning and don’t have to worry about for the rest of the day or at least until the afternoon. So last week I went to Myer and bought the first long-lasting lipstick I’m going to try out.  The MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme and the colour is Love Forever!

Mac Pro Longwear LipCreme - Love Forever!Image from the Mac Cosmetics website

Mac’s website says: Pro Longwear Lipcreme – Lightweight texture, creamy finish and comfortable longwear combine in this has-it-all pro-class lip colour.  Slick in use, applies without need of a top coat – and still lasts up to 12 hours. Won’t feather or transfer, and the colour stays true. Helps lips stay soft and hydrated.

Image from the Mac Cosmetics website

This lipstick was going to get the ultimate test – I was going to spend the day tasting some of Mudgee’s best wine’s and produce.  The Longwear Lipcreme was very rich and creamy and application was easy and flawless.  I applied a single coat at 9am and was out the door feeling like a million bucks! To be honest wearing this lipstick teamed with the big floppy hat made me feel like a bit of an old school movie star

First application

 

 At about 11am I noticed lipstick marks on my wine glass and quickly got out my mirror expecting to see bare lips… I was pleased to see that my lips were still bright and pretty moist.

Lippie mark on my glass

At about 2pm (after lunch and a few more wines) I checked my lips again and noticed that although the colour was still there it had faded so I reapplied… again just one quick, easy glide and it was back and bright and even after a day of wine tasting the lipstick still went on like a dream and stayed between the lines.

By the time I checked myself in the mirror at around 9pm the lipstick had faded considerably but the lips were still a shade of pink and the coverage was still even and not flakey and cracked like some other brands.

Putting the lippie to the ultimate test

This was a great start to my long-lasting lipstick test, I was very impressed with Mac’s Pro Longwear Lipcreme.  Although it didn’t last the 12 hours its been quoted to do it did last for5-7  hours and I didn’t have to constantly check the mirror for smudges, flakey lips or bleeding.

I could write a review on the colour itself, Love Forever! is a knockout colour I can’t wait to wear it again and try out the other colours.

The Mac Pro Longwear Lipcreme can be bought from your local MAC shop or online
http://www.maccosmetics.com.au/product/shaded/168/10179/Pro-Longwear-Lipcreme/index.tmpl

At $40 it is quite pricey but I think its worth it if you’re going to get plenty of long-lasting wear out of it!

Pros

• Fantastic for work or a function where you don’t want to be checking the mirror every half hour.
• Even coverage no bleeding, cracks or flakes.
• The shape and texture of the lipcreme meant easy and flawless application.
• This particular colour was AMAZING

Cons

• I did notice my lips were a little dry after a few hours but nowhere near as dry as other long-lasting lipsticks I’ve tried. Dryness quickly went away after a quick sip of water.
• The lipstick didn’t last 12 hours

Spaghetti in cherry tomato sauce

Some nights I get home from a long day at work and I just want to whip up something quick and tasty for dinner without putting too much thought into it.  Well I found this recipe in the May edition for Delicious Magazine and I cook it at least once a fortnight.

I found this recipe in Delicious Magazine, May 2011.

Ingredients:

500g cherry tomatoes, halved

150ml olive oil

1 tbsp. sea salt

Pinch of caster sugar

6 garlic cloves, chopped

2 long red chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped

6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained

1 tbsp. capers, rinsed, drained

2 tbsp. white wine

400g spaghetti

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Grated parmesan, to serve

Preheat oven to 180°C.  Place cherry tomato on a baking tray, drizzle with 2tbs oil and season with sea salt.  Now for the secret ingredient – sprinkle caster sugar over the tomatoes. Roast for 20 minutes until collapsed and lightly caramelised.

Tomatoes ready for roasting

Heat remaining 110ml oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Cook garlic, chillies and anchovies for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until anchovies melt. Add capers, white wine and cherry tomatoes plus any cooking juices, bring to a simmer and then continue to cook, stirring, for a further 3 minutes until thick and rich.  Taste, then adjust seasoning.

 

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to packet instructions until al dente, drain, then toss with sauce.  Add lemon juice and parsley, and then sprinkle with parmesan.

(Serves 4)

Voila!

Sticking a frozen piece of chicken into the oven isn’t cooking!

5 years ago ‘cooking’ to me was sticking a frozen chicken Kiev into the oven and serving it with some watery, microwaved packet vegetables… maybe even a boiled potato!

I knew my meal wasn’t restaurant standard but I wasn’t bothered because I thought that in a few years when I marry I will magically become a master in the kitchen, throwing the most lavish dinner parties for friends, greet my kids in the afternoon with something delicious straight from the oven and have all the ladies begging me for my latest cake recipe. 

Well that mentality didn’t change for at least another year.

AND THEN IT HIT ME LIKE A TRUCK

B and I returned to Australia after living in the UK for two years and moved back in with my parents.  To help my parents out B and I would cook a few nights a week; quickly realising my experiments/meals weren’t satisfying the house’s self-appointed food critic (dad), I started to put more thought into cooking.  Pouring over cook books I’d pick out the recipe based on the photo and started to follow the instructions. Voila! I was creating these dishes that the whole family liked and dad was demanding we add to the ‘should cook again’ list – which is a tough list to get on.

… And so began my love of cooking and addiction to cook books and cooking magazines.

SO I’VE DECIDED TO SHARE MY COOKING/FOOD ADVENTURES WITH YOU

I get a real kick out of seeing someone enjoying a dish I have cooked, I am overcome with a feeling of excitement and pride and I can’t wait to try the next recipe I’ve been thinking about.

Consider this blog a food sounding-board… I’m going to try new recipes and bring you along for the ride, I’m going to share with you the best recipes I know and I hope that you will share with me your favourite recipe.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE

I’m not just crazy about cooking, I’m crazy about FOOD! I’m in love with the whole process of creating a dish.  I love looking at food, reading recipes, shopping for ingredients, preparing the dish and most importantly eating it!

And do you know what I love more than trying my own dishes? Trying other people’s dishes! If you’re lucky I’ll take you on some of my adventures to restaurants and cafes to do some amateur food critiquing.

If you have any restaurants and eateries you’d like me to try, please comment below or email me your suggestion.

Hello world!

Hi,

I’m Stephanie and Lipstick and Cake is my blog where I will share with you my food and beauty tips, experiments and mishaps!

Think food and beauty are a weird combination? Well yes I guess they are but both play a big part in my life and both have the capacity to make me feel a million bucks! 

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD!

I LOVE FOOD! I love looking at it, smelling it, cooking it and most importantly eating it! Here at Lipstick and Cake I’m going to take you on my food adventures; whether it by trying out a new recipe, passing on a family favourite or over-indulging at a restaurant!

B IS FOR BEAUTY AND BEAUTY IS FOR ME            

I am constantly on the search for the best lipsticks, vibrant nail polishes and make up that can magically make me look like a movie star.

I look in the mirror way too much and am now very much into finding a cure for wrinkles.

I love reading about the latest do’s and don’ts of beauty and wish to solve many of those beauty myths.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ME

B and I on our wedding day

I am recently married to Beau and mother to a furry little monster who sometimes answers to the name of Maggie.

 

Maggie on neighbourhood watch!

I’m a feeder, not only to Beau but to our wonderful families and friends… and I love having them over for dinner and baking cakes for those special occasions.

I’m clothes obsessed and spend way too much time online building up shopping carts of items I rarely go ahead and buy! (Feel free to send me the name of your favourite online shopping sites )

Constantly itching to travel…. have been lucky enough to live in the UK for two years and travel to a number of other countries with Beau and always trying to plan the next trip. Canada is one of my favourite places to visit and I love skiing.

Big White, Canada

I love taking photos but I don’t think I’m very good at it… hope to start a photography course in the next few months.

So please feel free to contact me! I’d love to hear from you.  Send me a recipe you’d like me to try, the names of restaurants you want me to visit or any beauty myths you want solved!

Email: lipstickandcake@hotmail.com

Twitter: @lipstickcake