This category is dedicated to the fabulous women, past and present, whose spirits move and inspire us. From Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Edith Piaf, Tamara De Lempicka, Florence Broadhurst, Billie Holiday to modern day marvels. They follow their hearts. They express a beauty from within. They have a clear defined sense of self. They have grace and style. They have unstoppable spirits. They push boundaries. They live by their own [...]

Today I write with much sadness, for today is the day one year ago your beautiful husband died. You have been my friend since forever. I met you at high school when we were 11, back in the day when Rivers and spiky fringes were the height of fashion, and you weren’t anyone unless you had a pair of Doc Martens and an Esprit T-shirt. We got along right from [...]

Published in Onya Magazine on the 23rd of November 2009 “Confessions of a Beauty Queen is the new column from Onya’s Beauty Editor, Gaynor Alder. You could say Gaynor (a self confessed product addict), is a tough crowd, and you’d be right. She’s dedicated to sharing, with you, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, in her quest for fabulous Australian made and owned beauty products. Follow Confessions of [...]

Washing Dishes in the Sink Yes, the unthinkable happened – my dishwasher broke down. I hit the on button and swanned to my bed to lay down, but instead of the usual hum, there was silence. I opened and shut the door a few times and still, nothing. Frantically, I pushed previously unused buttons in the vain hope I could get it working. When I realised, that yes it was [...]

FACEBOOK CODE OF CONDUCT 2.0 @ There are certain things that should never be updated on one’s status – this includes your every bowel moment and that you’re eating toast for breakfast. @ Do not post and tag less than fabulous photos of your friends. You’ll soon rub them the wrong way when you always look like a supermodel, whilst they look like a ‘stars without their makeup’ or a [...]

Three of my entries have been shortlisted for the Beauty Blog Star Awards on Beauty Heaven. Beauty Heaven’s BlogStar promotion calls on you to decide who should win this fabulous competition. If you feel the love, I would be ever so happy if you would vote for me. Here are excerpts and the links to my 3 entries: To Botox Or Not To Botox That Is The Question “In my [...]

Published in Onya Magazine 13th November 2009 As delicate spring breezes linger with the scent of sweet jasmine, signaling to my heart that the long cold days of winter are over, I can’t help but be overcome with happiness. If winter is a seductive vamp with its dark red nails and fish net stockings, then spring is an undeniable flirt, whispering promises of continued sunshine and summer sultriness. Click here [...]

I guess you could call me a bit of an expert on hair care – that’s if you were to measure it on the number of different brands I have tried in the search for the Holy Grail. It’s not that I don’t want to swear an allegiance to one brand, it’s just that I’m blessed with rather uncooperative curly hair, which means I have to change brands like I [...]

First published in www.beautyheaven.com.au – shortlisted for Beauty Blogstar Competition. After passing the agonising hump that was two weeks sans nicotine, I decided to splash on out on some Kerastase Nutritive shampoo, conditioner and treatment. I’m not adverse to spending money on product, however, I must admit that I did gulp when I handed over my plastic and discovered that it came to $120! I found myself paralysed mid transaction, [...]

In my 20s I worshipped organic products, but as soon as I declared the war on wrinkles at 30, I demanded the full arsenal. It was time to bring out the big guns, and if it didn’t have science behind it or some revolutionary new ingredient that promised to make me look 5 years younger in 30 days, I’d turn my nose up at it like a cosmetics counter girl [...]

In my 33rd year, I’ve not only come to appreciate the male anatomy more, I realise that I am in fact a bit of a snob. They come in all different shapes and sizes, but quite frankly, most of them are well, let’s face it, ugly. In particular the uncircumcised ones I have encountered in my travels over the years have left me cold. I bought up the topic at [...]

As I sit here sipping on a sauv blanc on a sultry Sunday evening, I find myself still high on the weekend’s shenanigans. I feel like a bride who spent months planning her wedding, to wondering where the day went and how fast it passed – can we do it all over again? After spending an hour in a taxi to get to Flemington, I arrived hankering for a champagne [...]

I swanned into the city today, 3 hours before my pedicure, thinking I’d pick up a dress and shoes for the races on Saturday. Yes, that’s right, I am going to Flemington on Saturday, and I still have the tiny matter of a dress and shoes to find. I walked into David Jones, thinking I’d kill a number of designers with one stone. Alas, as I circled the store, nothing [...]

Published in Onya Magazine October 30 2009 We are coming down the home straight of the final Fascinators & Fillies, and nothing lets down a show stopping ensemble like chipped polish and cracked heels. Sally Hansen makes a french manicure sound so easy, even providing the white strips, but no matter how steady your hand, or how hard you try, at best, your nails will still look like a 6 [...]

“The thing is, you liked this one, really liked this one. But you were never going to let your guard down, and the poor girl didn’t stand a chance”. (The Break Up) As my life continues to move in new and beautiful directions, I find myself pondering my lucky escape from my ex. I wonder how a strong woman like myself ended up in such a mentally abusive relationship? I [...]

Published in Onya Magazine Monday October 26 2009 For a social occasion such as the races, a professional spray tan is definitely the way forward. Even though DIY fake tan formulations have come a long way since their inception (stained hands were always a dead giveaway, but that’s only if you could get within cooee of the smell), many people’s technique has not. Click here to read the full article [...]

Every now and then we have an OMG consumer experience. Yesterday I sent a courtesy email politely declining the services of a design agency to redesign my blog. There were a number of ways the director could have chosen to communicate her discrepancy with my reasons not to spend my money with her company. Branding me a Gen Y loser (at 33) who couldn’t afford her services, (amongst other things) [...]

Published in Onya Magazine on October 20, 2009 Following in the footsteps of last week’s makeup looks, the screen sirens are back with four signature hairstyles and tips for Spring Carnival glamour. First, we need to get your hair in prime condition. Make sure you book a trim and colour before the big day, and start putting an intensive treatment through your hair one to two times per week. For [...]

As the estrogen that has been surging through my veins, starts to release its grip on my mind and body, I now find myself with the urge to contemplate on the lovely, the good and the fabulous. At the risk of sounding of like Oprah (I must confess I do have a soft spot, especially for those makeover shows), I am starting a love list. Here are the things I [...]

As my hormones continue to hammer me, I am riddled with self doubt and dancing on the precipice of sliding down the slippery slopes of depression. Even though my golden rule of navigating the roller coaster of hormones, is to disregard everything that my brain is telling me as complete crap, I can’t help but evaluate the balance (or lack-there-of) in my life. After spending most of my 20s sick, [...]

Two weeks of working into the early hours and spreading myself too thin, and I am mentally, emotionally and physically shattered. How have I ended up exhausted and lost in the middle of other people’s problems and needs? I’ve always had a strict guest list only door policy, but it seems the bouncer has let too many people onto my red carpet. As women, for us to maintain our well [...]