My Top 5 Women's Fragrances for Christmas

There is only one thing I want for Christmas... EVERY year... FRAGRANCE! PERFUME! A New Fashionable Scent!

This year, I've picked these 5 women's fragrances as my favorites: 

Gucci Guilty Intense

Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola!

Prada Candy

Burberry Body

Elie Saab Le Parfum

The Ectomorph Male Body Type

As promised, some dress tips for the Ectomorph male body type.

To recap: The Ectomorph is naturally very thin, has little shape & muscle, has quite a linear body & have seemingly longer limbs, aka your typical "skinny guy".

It's important to remember that a slim frame is much easier to dress than a large frame for two main reasons: 1. Clothes generally hang better on you and 2. designers design with you in mind, therefor high fashion and trendy garments seem to look extra good on you.

For your build, smaller retail stores like Hilton Weiner, Vertigo, Aca Joe, YDE, Country Road, Trenery, etc are better shopping options than the larger retailers like Edgars and Woolworths as they seem to have graded their sizes up (sizes going up to 3XL) to accommodate our overweight population in South Africa. (You might recall the results of a recent study putting SA right up there in spot nr 3 regarding countries with the most obese residents.)

Never wear over sized clothes in an effort to bulk up - this will have the opposite effect and place emphasis on your narrow frame.

When out shopping, look for "slim fit" as opposed to "regular fit" styles, especially in dress shirts (aka button shirts).

Avoid skinny jeans; unless the look you are going for is skater/ rocker. Straight leg or slim-fit, boot cut jeans are the better options. The taller you are, the more of a boot cut you may wear. Being short and wearing a wide boot cut will make you appear even shorter. If you want to wear jeans to work, for a business casual look, opt for darker shades in denims as they tend to look neater.

Vertical lines on dress shirts do not have a "slimming" effect, as previously believed. Choose shirts with a pinstripe rather than plain.

Avoid wearing dark colours from head to toe as this WILL have a slimming effect. Break up your outfit by wearing lighter coloured shirts like white, shades of light grey and shades of light blue. By wearing a lighter colour up top, your upper torso will appear larger and that will create the illusion of the ideal "Mesomorph" male body type.

Wear jackets with 1 or 2 buttons only. The more buttons you try and "cram" into a shorter space, the more of your length will be lost.

Also choose crew necks over V-necks for the same reasons as mentioned above.

Happy dressing or happy dressing your Ectomorph man! x

Skin Talk - Update #3, 3.5 and 4!

I've skipped update #3 - and then I missed to update you on that update, so I've decided to skip right to my final update (#4), aka the conclusion to my skin make-over:

+ I've managed to up my daily water intake - which seems to be a healthy habit now.
- On most days I couldn't cut down on my coffee intake to JUST 2 cups.
+ My overall eating habits have improved!
+++ I've managed to re-introduce exercise to my daily routine and am enjoying my new source of energy as well as better skin.
- I've discovered that the Age Loc gels that I use with my NuSkin Galvanic Spa makes my skin break out. -1
+ I've discovered that all facial products have either a negative or positive current, and by identifying which of my skincare products has + and - currents, I can now use the products that I know work with my skin with my Galvanic Spa for optimum results in anti-aging and skincare.
+++ I've discovered the wonders of coconut oil for my skin. It has anti-bacterial properties and is an excellent source of the perfect moisture balance to be used on my face and entire body. PLUS it's organic and natural, no bad stuff, scoring extra points!

With that being said, my skin is almost back to how I like it. Another month like the last, and I might just sport supermodel skin! ;) Might. Will keep you posted.

Style Yourself Thursdays

The days are flying by and I'm not getting to my blog as much as I want to! With planning Miya's 1st birthday party (yes, a year has gone by at the speed of light!), I've neglected sharing my style & shopping habits and the "condition of my skin" with the world ;)

With so many events to look forward to on the social calender, it is with sadness that this year is coming to an end. It has been such a good year. InBloom has been blessed beyond what I could ever have planned for year number 2 of it's formal existence and I feel overwhelmed by all that's going on and the potential that it has.

Which brings me to my idea for tonights' post: The Male Body Type.
Up until very recently, I had no idea that there were male figure/ body types.
After hours of research and many GB's of downloads and videos, I've found that there are three main male body types and their respective descriptions are as follow:


The ECTOMORPH is your typical skinny guy. They have a light build with smaller joints and leaner muscles. Usually Ectomorphs have longer limbs, but you do find many shorter 'versions' of this body type. Their shoulders tend to be thin with little width. They find it hard to gain weight due to their fast metabolisms.
Typical traits:
Small frame & bone structure | Linear bodies | Flat chest | Small shoulders | Thin naturally | Lean muscle mass.

The MESOMORPH has a larger bone structure, larger muscles and a naturally athletic appearance. These body types find it easy to gain and lose weight and are naturally stronger.

Typical traits:

Athletic | Defined muscles | Rectangular body shape or broader shoulders & narrower waist | Medium boned | Lower fat levels naturally.

The ENDOMORPH body type is solid with larger bones and more "soft" as they gain fat very easily, especially in the abdominal area. Endomorphs are usually of a shorter build with thicker arms and legs. In many Endomorphs, the leg muscles are extremely strong.

Typical traits:

Increased fat storage, especially in the mid-section | Rounded face, trunk & thighs | Larger bone structure.

Most men will find that they are a combination of either mesomorph & endomorph or mesomorph & ectomorph. These body types can be altered with regard to fat and muscle by diet and exercise.

While you take the time to get to know your body type throughout the coming week, you can look forward to a post on which styles to wear & which styles to avoid for each male body type in the weeks to come. Starting with the Ectomorph. Next Thursday. 

stationary style

why not keep your stationary in a stylish carry-all, like these pretty pencil cases by Lou Harvey? it's bound to brighten up your desk and most probably your mood in your cubicle too!

priced at R 140 each - these make gorgeous Christmas stocking fillers for students and scholars.

for more info or to order, send an email to info@inbloom.co.za

pencil case in Blotch Star Orange

pencil case in Cabbage Rose Grey

pencil case in Sophia Pink

pencil case in Lacey Lou Donkey

pencil case in Rose Aqua

pencil case in Scallop Stripe

pencil case in Summer Stripe Orange

ALL by LOU HARVEY
from InBloom Style Studio | info@inboom.co.za | +27 82 629 3919

Skin Talk - Update #2

Week 2 of my skin make-over is done and I can definitely see an improvement in my skin texture and overall appearance.

My skin has stopped flaking after the chemical peel and is now breaking out much less. I still have concerns about blackheads forming due to dehydration - and I'm really trying to get back as much moisture into my skin as possible - without causing more/ new breakouts.

Top product for this week was definitely my Dermalogica PreCleanse.

I love the feeling of massaging this oil based product onto my face - knowing it's dissolving all the build-up in my pores caused by make-up and general doing through the day.

Followed by washing my face with my Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, my face is clean and fresh, with-out feeling dry or tight.

To read more on the PreCleanse, click on the post title to take you to the Dermalogica Website.







I've also found that the Dermalogica Bedtime for Breakouts from the Clean Start range, leaves my skin feeling moisturized at night, whilst containing the active ingredients to combat future breakouts.



I'm doing research on what currents the different Dermalogica products have, to be able to use these with my Galvanic Spa, instead of the NuSkin products. Will post on this next week.

pretty stylish babes with Thandana nappy bags

Any mommy with a sense of style will NEED one of Thandana's super funky Nappy/ Kids Travel bags for her(self) offspring.

Thandana is the brain child of  Durbanites,Taryn Dunston-Smith and Carla Ashton. Visit the Thandana website for their story and to take a look at the full range of bags in their online catalogue.

Levi design front view

Levi design back view

Reese design front view

Reese design back view

 

Riley design front view

Riley design back view

Hi. I'm Madeline & THIS is my job

Yes... my job is to blog about my job - my day job as an Image Consultant and professional Wardrobe Planner.

Now I hear you ask (just as many before you have asked): "What is the difference between Image Consulting and Wardrobe Planning? Is it not the same thing?" This is my answer:

NO! No, no, no!!!

image from Google

An Image Consultant is a professional trained to, by taking all factors about you (like your age, demographics, lifestyle, budget, figure type & personal colouring) into consideration, help you develop a personal style. This includes hairstyles and make-up looks that would suit YOU best. Image consultations takes a great deal of insight into who you are and how you choose to be perceived by those who come into contact with you.



Wardrobe planning, on the other hand, is the art of strategically translating your style to your closet.
A wardrobe planner plans all elements of an outfit for you to create outfit combinations with ease. She does seasonal reviews and adjusts your wardrobe to suit both your evolving personal style needs as well as seasonal requirements.
She helps simplify your wardrobe - and by simplify I mean : help you create a versatile wardrobe with just the right amount of items that still keeps your wardrobe a workshop of ideas and an uncluttered space in your home.

That's the best description for these two job titles I could come up with.

Skin Talk - Update #1

So week 1 of my skin 'make-me-over' is done and there's 3 more to go.


I had a slow start : trying to drink much more water than I normally do per day & cutting down on my coffee intake, was and is, as I suspected, HARD! Hard, but do-able.


Monday mornings' Dermalogica Deep Cleanse facial @ Chianti's consisted of the normal cleansing and massage, steam, extractions, mask and moisturize. I was happy with the cleanliness of the result and afterwards I took a long good look in the mirror...


It seemed to me that after the hormonal changes of being pregnant 2 times and over- exposure to the elements when I was younger, left some discoloration marks on my skin - not necessarily pigmentation, more like an uneven skin tone. I decided to book a light chemical peel for yesterday (Friday) morning.


What a chemical peel is and what it does:

image by Google

A 20%, 40% or 70% solution of lactic or glycolic acid is applied evenly onto the face to exfoliate the top layer of dead skin cells. It's perfect for hyperpigmentation (very dark areas), active acne & generally dull-looking skin.


The acid stays on your skin for 15min - 60min (ONLY TO BE DONE BY A CERTIFIED SKINCARE PROFESSIONAL WITH THE APPROPRIATE QUALIFICATIONS TO DO CHEMICAL PEELS).


For permanent results, this treatment should be repeated for about 4 times - spaced 3 to 4 weeks apart.


During the treatment your skin burns a little bit - it's a tolerable burn, almost feeling like an itch. Afterwards your skin can be red and scaly for a few days, but when it heals, the result is gorgeous!


It:

- smooths wrinkles and improves sundamaged skin

- rejuvenates & regenerates

- removes solar keratoses 'sun spots', 'age spots', 'liver spots'

- repairs & Re-elastisizes thin, fragile, damaged skins

- helps eliminate and control pigmentation, restoring normal colour

- helps uneven skin tone, smooths uneven texture

- helps eliminate and control active acne and improves old acne scarring

- helps level and smooth coarse, lumpy, hypertrophic and keloid scars

- improves flexibility and mobility of hard scarred skin

- in certain cases improves function of old scarred areas on the face & body

- helps normalize pigmented or blemished areas following - Laser or Liquid nitrogen treatment

- removes years of damage on even the most sensitive skins

- clearing and tightening of pores

- benefits ALL SKIN TYPES - sensitive, young, mature, white, black, asian, male, female

The cost of this treatment is between R 300 and R 500. Normally you can get a 20% peel for R 300, a 40% peel for R 400 and a 70% for R 500.


For a first timer I would recommend a 20%. Once you're used to the feeling, go for the most effective 40%.


Today my skin is red and flaky around the more sensitive nose area. Not so much that I cannot leave the house. And I can already see a huge difference in the texture of my skin.

My truth be told: Skin Talk

So, to be completely honest - my skin is not what it used to be...

For the last 4 weeks I've been more prone to breakouts and blackheads and I've decided that enough is enough. Be it hormones, dehydration due to seasonal changes, my lack of exercise or too much coffee - I intend to identify and rectify the problem.

My plan of action (and I hope that if you have a similar problem, that you will find these tips helpful too) :

Step 1: get a head start
I've booked a Dermalogica Deep Cleanse facial (R 350) for 8am Monday morning.
My salon of choice is Chianti Health & Skincare Institute @ 353 Elizabeth Grove. In Lynnwood, Pretoria East.
Elrita and Nanzi are professionals when it comes to your skin and they know their products well. This facial should give me the head start I need by removing all the breakout causing build-up from my pores.

Step 2: you are what you eat
As this step has endless possibilities and options to follow, I'll name only a few tips that I feel, WILL make the biggest difference over the next 4 weeks. Healthy eating habits are usually at the order of my days, but to be extra careful of what I put into my mouth now, may make the biggest difference of all.

a) drink at least 1.5 to 2l of water every day - starting today.
The good old 8 glasses. Lets go!

b) cut down my coffee intake from 5 cups to 1/ 2 cups per day only.
This will be the hardest challenge of all for me. But worth a try. Busy on my last cup for today. From tomorrow, I'm cutting down severely!

c) eliminate all "bad skin foods" from my diet.
No sugar or artificial sweeteners : replacing with Stevia drops or tablets.
No chocolate, pastries or bread.
No fruit juices or fizzy drinks. Other than just water, I'm opting for a can of Tab (not more than 2 cans a week) or sparkling mineral water (not flavoured)

d) add "good skin foods" to my diet.
The ideal will be to add hemp oil - but as it goes rancid very quickly I'll opt for Cod Liver and/or Krill oil, which are good essential fatty acid-options too.

Coconut oil to replace all other cooking oils, including olive oil, even over salads. Add's great taste to your food and it restores elasticity and improves circulation in the skin by promoting the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone.

Add raw cacao to my diet. It is rich in anti-oxidants and can protect naturally from sun damage and prevent discolorations. I recommend adding the cacao to milk and sweetening with Stevia or eating a piece of Lindt 85% dark chocolate daily - this will curb the chocolate cravings too.

e) supplementation
Taking a good supplement to aid my skin's well-being is now top priority for me. I looked for something containing Zinc - which I know is essential in the healing of acne scarring as well as keeping skin, hair and nail cells healthy and strong - and came across this product by Solal Technologies - Acne Clear

Step 3: focus on routine
I've always had a good skincare routine and I recently added a few steps when I changed from RegimA, back to Dermalogica. I like both these ranges, for different reasons. Here's what I currently use:
(More about the products will be posted in the "Beauty" section soon. All prices are from Chianti Health & Skin Institute - email me for their number)

MORNING
-Cleanse with Dermalogica Special Clensing Gel (R 370)
-Dry face with kitchen towels / toilet paper  - towels and washcloths are a bacteria breeding ground :(
-Spritz face and neck with Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner (R 395)
-Put on some Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster (R 710) - I need this as my skin is quite dehydrated after the long, cold Winter we had this year, causing much of my breakouts.
-Moisturize with Dermalogica Active Moist (R 465/ R 675 depending on the product size)
-Apply eye treatment, Dermalogica Multi Vitamin Power Firm (R 585)
-Cover with Ultra Sensitive Face Bloack SPF 25 (R 345). This tinted sunblock is one of my favorite products from Dermalogica. "The last step in skincare = the first step in make-up"

NIGHT
-I like to pre-cleanse with Dermalogica's Precleanse (R 385) This oil based product dissolves surface build-up and make-up so that your cleanser can do its job better.

-Cleanse with Dermalogica Special Clensing Gel
-Dry face with kitchen towels or toilet paper
-Apply Bedtime for Breakouts from the Dermalogica Clean Start range (R 320)
-Apply eye treatment.

Step 4: maintain the cleanliness
-2x per week exfoliate with Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (R 695)

-2x per week masque with Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque (R 480) until the moisture in my skin is restored and then masque with Multi Vitamin Recovery Masque (R 560) which is a good anti-aging treatment.

-2x per week I use my Galvanic Spa II from Nuskin
(contact me for more details on this product: IT'S GREAT!!!)

-regular exercise (at least 3 times a week, but I would prefer to gym on a daily basis)

-2x per week a steam bath/ sauna

-2x per week buff my entire body with a loofah or rough sponge. Annique has a great sponge for this.

Visit the Annique website http://www.annique.co.za for a stockist of Annique products near you.

All of this = my plan to overall better looking, healthy and glowing skin.
You can expect to read posts in the course of the next few weeks of how I'm doing so far!

Hot hair for Spring/ Summer

The favourite look for long hair this coming season is the double hair knot:

This look is quite easy to do.
Most importantly to get it right, is to make sure your hair has some texture. After washing, apply mousse and dry your hair roughly with  a dryer or naturally.
You can ask me for step-by-step instructions to get this look by sending an email to info@inbloom.co.za with the subject: Double Hair Knot

in life, there are some truths...

...and of those truths, this must be my favorite:

‎"To laugh often & much, to win the respect of intelligent people & the affection of children. To earn the appreciation of honest critics & endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others and to leave the world a bit better ... whether it be by a healthy child or a garden patch ... to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - THIS is to have succeeded"

by Ralph W Emerson

Get your Beach Bag, beach ready

It's almost that time of the year = holiday time = fun in the sun!
To look your best, there's an endless list of what to take along to the beach: towels, a book/ magazine or 2, skin, lip and hair protection, drinks & snacks, an extra change of clothes in case you're going straight to the bar for sundowners afterwards, flip flops, etc... and I know of only one beach bag that is large enough to carry all of this, and more, around comfortably and in style. The Lou Harvey Large Beach Bag.

large beach bag in blotch star orange

large beach bag in cabbage rose blue

large beach bag in rose aqua

large beach bag in rose mustard

large beach bag in ditsy floral multi

large beach bag in julia sophia pink

large beach bag in kaleidoscope grey

large beach bag in lacey lou donkey

large beach bag in leopard chocolate

large beach bag in multi blotch spot green

large beach bag is sophia pink

large beach bag in summer stripe orange

All beach bags available from InBloom. Contact Madeline on 082 629 3919 or by email: info@inbloom.co.za

more blog, less talk

I'm sorry. I am. I've neglected my blog ... but as of today I will try my hardest to make daily (or at least every other day) posts about my blessed and interesting life as someone working in the image industry.

Meeting women who eagerly want to make changes to the way they look, having beautiful friends and selling beautiful things surely has its perks - you are never short of inspiration, motivation or ambition to try new things.

All this said, I want to try making my blog entries more like real life diary-entries, for the public. You can expect long or short reports on all things InBloom, all things fashion, beauty and lifestyle - from my perspective. Posts on all things related to my personal battle to eat super-healthy foods, drink my super-supplements, growing my hair until it hangs over my boobs and also, finding a muse to motivate me to get 'gym' back on my to-do list for every day...

But here's a toast to having a "WILL" to do all of this.
And where there's a will...there's a way!