Facial Co.

A beauty post for you today with my most recent online discovery, Australian owned and operated online skincare and beauty store, Facial Co. and some wonderful Australian made and owned cosmeceutial skin care products by Asap.

My favourtie of all was the Asap Daily Exfoliating Facial Scrub. I had actually been trying to find the perfect scrub when Facial Co. contacted me and this scrub has ended my search.  Scrubs which I had purchased at the supermarket (where I usually buy beauty products) were always too scratchy with big particles, this facial scrub is lovely and fine, and feels like it is shedding those dead skin cells without damaging my skin.  Plus the smallest about goes a long way and leaves my skin glowing.

To compliment the facial scrub is the Asap Daily Facial Cleanser which is gentle and non-drying.  I love that it has Glycolic Acid for protection against free radical damage and White Tea, an antioxidant with anti-ageing properties.  The big 4 0 is not far off now so I'll definitely take all the help I can get!

Finally the Moisturising Daily Defence SPF50+; for me a day moisturiser has to have the sunscreen step covered.  I am extremely time poor and if I can skip a step that is excellent!  Plus I always get confused, no matter how many times I read Amazing Face, as to what order sunscreen and moisturiser are supposed to be put on.  This solves all of that! Again this moisturiser has anti-ageing ingredients, another absolute must for me.  One tip for this one is give it a bit of a shake before use, I found it separated just a little. 

Facial Co. offer free shipping Australia wide, free samples with every order and a 30 day return policy. They have a huge selection of brands with expert advice available - well worth a look.

Dyson V6 Absolute review

You know, British fashion designer and Vogue cover girl Victoria Beckham and me, hanging, doing our vacuuming with our Dyson V6 Absolute! It really must be the perfect vacuum cleaner, why else would Victoria be using it!!!! Also good to know that this lovely machine is actually available to all of us mere mortals.

I received this Dyson V6 Absolute last week and have absolutely loved using it.

My two year old Ash is prone to upending a bowl (make that the box) of dry cornflakes or weet-bix onto the carpet, add to that crackers and biscuits and whatever else he gets his hands on, and for extra giggles will grind it with his feet.  Hilarious stuff.  This is when this Dyson stick vacuum cleaner is at its element! I can whip it off its docking station fully charged and ready to go, suck up the mess in an absolute instant, empty hygienically straight into the bin and pop back into its docking station for next time... probably 30 minutes later :/   But seriously, juggling full-time work, being a mum, blogging, and life in general; anything that can makes things a bit easier is a real bonus.  I'm sure a lot of you are with me on that one.

I've also found that because this Dyson stick vacuum cleaner is SO powerful I haven't actually used the 'proper' vacuum cleaner at all.  Also the convenience of not having to lug out that 'proper' vacuum cleaner is fantastic, particularly considering we have carpeted stairs which always makes vacuuming extra fun (not).  The Dyson V6 Absolute easily gives me just as good a result without the extra weight (its only 2.3kg), plus I don't have to worry about filling up the bag and losing suction because the bag is getting fuller, and the extra expense of bags. It's also reassuring to know that the filter expels air cleaner than we breathe, so that means no little dust particles and allergens in the air to irritate sensitive lungs.

I also find it really handy to vacumn the car, again with a two year old, something that is done rather regularly.

Drilling down to details, the Dyson V6 Absolute comes with TWO Dyson engineered cleaner heads; one best for hard floors and one best for carpet.  Add to that a mini motorised tool, crevice tool, combination tool and a docking station and you may as well toss your 'proper' vacuum cleaner out the door.  You can read more about all the specs on the Dyson website.  I honestly highly recommend this product, it gives a fantastic result, is easy to use and a real time saver.

TOTEM by Cirque du Soleil - now in Melbourne!

This week I had the absolute pleasure of attending TOTEM by Cirque du Soleil, currently in Melbourne.  Oh my glob!! THE most incredible spectacle; I can simply not recommend it strongly enough.  I think the show has quite a broad appeal as well so take the whole family.

I also had the added bonus of a behind the scenes tour following the show, and an insight the amazing costumes and the design process.  Absoluty incredible!

The show, written and directed by Robert Lepage, is a journey into the story of evolution. TOTEM starts with the organic life in the primordial ooze. Featuring Neanderthals, Cro-Magnons, primates and men in suits, among others, the show depicts a world of archetypal characters who, in their own way, witness and act out the perennial, existential, questions of life.

Australian Kym Barrett, costume designer for TOTEM, was inspired by real animals, plants and birds as well as traditional cultural and tribal designs to source her fanciful, inventive concoctions.  To recreate such a broad range of textures, colours and markings found in nature, Kym concentrated on the treatment of fabrics rather than on the fabrics themselves: advanced printing techniques, fluorescent pigments, mirror fragments and crystals allowed her to “paint” on canvases as varied as Lycra and leather, with results that constantly interact with and adapt to the show’s ever-changing lighting.

Backstage, after the show we met The Crystal Man who opened the show, representing the life force.  His costume was dazzling!! Covered in about 4500 reflective small mirrors and crystals on a stretch velvet leotard the costume weighs about 4 kg.

We were also able to see the costumes featured in the opening marsh scene close up.  The patterns and colours come from real fish and frogs, including the most poisonous frog in the Amazon jungle.  The textures of the fabrics are also a close match to the skin of fish and frogs found in nature. The end result resembles a community of human amphibians!!

We also had the pleasure of meeting the stunning identical twins who performed the foot-juggling act.  Each of their costumes are adorned with 3,500 crystals and the two headdresses each encrusted with a further 1,000.  It was astonishing to find out that each of these costumes was worth close to $30,000!!!!

The Cosmonaut was another performer we had the honor of meeting.  The body-hugging Lycra suits glow dramatically in the dark, but as soon as the stage lights kick in, their look is completely transformed. We got to see the glow in the dark effect in the last act, which was one of my favourites.
 

Some other fascinating things we learnt during our backstage tour included that the 750 costume pieces seen on stage in TOTEM (and the exact same amount of back-up pieces traveling with the show) are all very carefully looked after.  After every performance the costumes are washed, and daily tasks include repairing and maintaining all pieces, double-checking all elements impacting the performance (falling sequins, loose beads, etc.).  Each costume is custom fitted to the bodies of the artists and handcrafted at the Cirque du Soleil International Head Quarters in Montreal. The average lifespan of the TOTEM costume pieces is 6 months.  Only 6 months!!

A few more interesting facts:

• Since its Montreal World Premiere on April 22, 2010, TOTEM has been performed more than 1,600 times in 28 cities across Australia, Canada, New Zealand, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.

• To date, more than 3 million audience members have been mesmerized by a performance of TOTEM.

• The production features a cast of 46 acrobats, actors, musicians and singers from 17 countries (Australia, Belarus, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States).

• The cast is supported by a dedicated team of 64 technicians and employees from 7 countries (Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States).

The mission of Cirque du Soleil is to invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of people around the world.  There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that they have met their mission with TOTEM.

For more information head to www.cirquedusoleil.com

TOTEM by Cirque du Soleil is playing until March 29 under the Big Top at Flemington Racecourse, before heading to Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

To read one of my fellow Melbourne bloggers, Candice DeVille's review head HERE.

- Photos from the show thanks to Cirque du Soleil, all other photos by me

Thriller Live

I had the utmost pleasure of attending the opening night of Thriller Live recently.  A spectacular concert created to celebrate the King of Pop Michael Jackson and the magic of his 45 year musical history.

Expect your favourite songs delivered by an exceptionally talented cast and band, including: I Want You Back, ABC, Can You Feel It, Off The Wall, The Way You Make Me Feel, Smooth Criminal, Beat It, Billie Jean, Dirty Diana, Bad, Rock With You, They Don’t Care About Us, Dangerous, Heal The World, and Thriller.  I couldn't help but get up on my feet to dance and sing along. And be sure to keep on cheering because the encore performance is well worth seeing!

Sadly the Melbourne season has finished now, but you can still catch the show in Sydney, Thursday 26 February to Sunday 15 March, 2015 at the Sydney Lyric.

Harmony Ball

Harmony Ball- thanks to Harmonyball.net.au

Striped Tee- thanks to Bohemian Traders

Basket of Dreams cuff- thanks to Najo Jewellery

Dannii Minogue Petites jacket- Target (here, or similar here)

Pants- Cotton On (similar here)

Heels- Steve Madden (old, similar here)

Sunnies- RayBan (here)

All about wardrobe staples here today, especially this classic striped tee by the boho masters at Bohemian Traders.  The best striped tee I've come across, beautiful soft, thick, quality fabric and the perfect amount of swing.

My necklace is particularly interesting today.  The pendant is a Harmony Ball, and inside there is a small bell that chimes with movement, just like a tiny wind charm! Traditionally, in Balinese and Mayan cultures, Harmony Ball pendants are worn by pregnant women on a long necklace so the pendant rests against their baby bump.  It is said that from about 16-20 weeks the baby can hear the soothing sound of the soft chimes.  After bub is born, traditionally the mother will shorten the necklace so that it can be played with by the baby whilst breastfeeding or rocking to sleep.  Of course, the sound of the harmony ball will be a familiar sound associated with warmth and comfort, just like their mothers soothing voice. The harmony ball then becomes a precious keepsake passed on from mother to daughter.

The Harmony Ball itself is beautiful and of very high quality.  Made of sterling silver it has a lovely weight in your hand and chimes prettily.  It arrived in a little blue gift box with a 45cm necklace length.  A longer necklace is also available which I'm wearing above.

I should add, these pendants are a beautiful fashion statement of their own, with or without a baby bump or baby!

Harmonyball.net.au have over 250 Harmony Ball designs to choose from, plus heaps of information about the benefits of Harmony Balls and tips for spotting a fake.  Birth stone models are also available, so you could wear your own birth stone, of that of the due month of the baby if pregnant.  Such a lovely idea don't you think!

Oh, and no I'm not pregnant ;)

Britax Affinity Stroller review

  

Recently I received the Britax Affinity Stroller to review. For this review, I thought it would be most helpful to run through putting it together, functionality and aesthetics.  If you have any questions about the stroller please don't hesitate to ask in the comments below.

Assembly:

The stroller arrived in two boxes, one big box with the base model parts and a smaller box with the colour pack parts.  Putting the base model together was as simple as opening the frame and clicking the 4 wheels in.  I actually muttered to myself several times "that's easy!" as the wheels easily clicked into place (and were just as easily removed).

The seat unit is one of my favourite features and with the click & go system is literally CLICKS into the frame facing either forwards or backwards. SO easy.  The arm bar, machine washable seat pad (fantastic!), boot cover and basket inlay are also easily fitted.  The arm bar also swings open to assist with putting bub in the stroller.

(seat unit facing both directions)

(arm bar)

Attaching the canopy from the colour pack admittedly had me baffled and I did need to call upon my husband for assistance.  I couldn't get the connector 'tongues' to face the right direction- as it turns out I was being a bit gentle and my husband was able to move the tongues and click the canopy into the stroller.

(colour pack, colour pack pieces and pieces on pram, minus hood)

So there we have it a stroller ready to go!  It probably took me an hour to put together during Ash's morning sleep.  That includes following the manual and taking photos along the way.

Functionality:

Well do you know what baffled me straight up. The harness!  I could not figure out how to click it back together and had to find the picture in the manual to get some guidance.  Basically the waist buckle goes through the strap buckle, and then into the main buckle if that makes sense.  It's a bit fiddly compared to what I am used to, but you do get used to it quite quickly.  All straps are adjustable, and there are three different shoulder heights.

(the puzzle for the day)

Okay, so once I got 13 month old Ash buckled in we decided to take the Britax Affinity out for a spin.  As I mentioned earlier the seat faces forwards or backwards- it's super easy to swap the seat around.  There are four seat positions from fully reclined to upright.  The footrest is also adjustable and has seven different positions.  To change the positions is quite simple but you do need both hands and to face the stroller square on.  Ash likes sitting upright and looked very comfortable in the seat.  I think the seat pad as well as the shoulder and crotch pads also made the seat extra comfy.  He was happy to remain in the pram for the entire outing without any fuss, not necessarily normal behaviour for this speedy toddler.

(seat unit positions)

(foot rest positions)

Our usual pram doesn't have an arm bar, but I think Ash really liked having this on the stroller.  It was something for him to hang onto, and also handy to attach toys to.  

The canopy has good coverage, and a stiff pull out visor is a great option to give some extra shade.  There is also a mesh section at the rear of the canopy, which would be good to give some air flow on a warm day, as well as a little clear peekaboo window so you can check on bub if they are facing forwards.

(canopy featuring pull out visor and mesh section)

Given the chilly weather we used the boot cover.  It slides over the foot rest and attaches with velcro straps to the arm bar.  There was plenty of room inside for Ash to still move his feet around and a far better option than a blanket which he would kick or throw off.

It was a rainy day so we also used the rain cover which is a perfect fit for the stroller, and slots over the seat unit easily.  Also it's quite compact, so easily stashed away when not in use.  Same with the mesh cover.

(Mesh cover, air holes in the raincover, and raincover)

The handle has seven (!) heights, again easily adjustable.  My husband is over 6 foot and found the highest height quite comfortable.

(Handle range of motion)

The back wheels are nice and big, and are also air filled which made our walk to the train station through cobble-stoned alleyways easy and far smoother for Ash than our usual pram. The big wheels also tackled curbs with ease. The wide wheel base makes this pram feel ultra stable.  

This stroller is compatible with the Britax Affinity Carry Cot (RRP $199), as well as the Britax Safe-n-Sound Unity Infant Carrier (RRP $399), both available in all 5 colours.  I can't reiterate how easy the Click & Go system is to use which would make these accessories very worthwhile if you had the pram from newborn stage.   There is also a Britax Affinity nappy bag available in all 5 colours.

Folding:

This is a biggie! Nothing worse that not being able to fold and unfold the stroller. But again I found it easy- just lock the brake and pull the release triggers on each handle and push down.  To unfold is as simple as lifting the handle until it clicks into place.  One thing to note is that you can only fold the stroller with the seat unit attached if it is facing forwards, otherwise you would have to remove the seat unit.
(Pram folded with seat unit attached)

Aesthetics:

Overall a lovely modern and minimalistic design.

A great feature of this stroller is that you can choose the frame colour- black, white or silver.  You can also choose the colour pack- black, red, brown, blue and berry.  If I had a baby girl I would have most certainly chosen the white frame and berry colour pack- SO pretty.  However I went with the white frame which is is beautiful and shiny, and the black colour pack.  Monochrome and very stylish- and of course will match any outfit ;) My husband is happiest with black too, much more understated.

Cons:

The Britax Affinity doesn't fit in our car (a Suzuki SX4) unless we remove the seat unit and the rear wheels.  However, back before Ash was born it became apparent that our Suzuki has a very small boot as finding a pram that would fit in it was quite a task- the Bugaboo Bee was the only pram that I found that would actually fit without having to take the pram apart.  Dimension wise when folded, the Britax stroller is 33cm high, 60cm wide and 66cm long.  The rear wheels and seat are easily removed, however I think it would be a tad inconvenient to do this all the time, especially when juggling a baby.

Naturally, I'm going to compare this pram to the Bugaboo seeing as it's the only pram I've used.  The Bugaboo Bee is very light (7kg) and extremely maneuverable- compared to that I personally found the Brittax felt heavy (it's 11kg, which actually isn't that heavy) and wasn't as maneuverable.   But the pay off is that the Brittax is far more stable, the seat more comfortable and offers a smoother ride.

The basket is appears to be reasonable size, however it is quite shallow and doesn't fit as much as our smaller pram the Bugaboo.  In needs to be packed careful so things don't fall out.

There is no drink holder or baby tray that I could find on the Britax website that suits this model of stroller.  These would be handy.

Overall:

The Britax Affinity (RRP $899) is a great stroller, its easy to use and the option of a travel system and carry cot is a real bonus.  When we are out as a family my husband does most of the pram pushing, and he also really likes this pram, so much so that he now uses in preference to our usual pram.  It's a smart and stylish stroller, as well as being durable and functional that will keep your bub comfortable from newborn, to toddler and beyond if needed.

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Disclaimer: I was sent the Britax Affinity for the purpose of this review. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.