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the curated

Beauty, Fashion & Beauty

The Curated: Beauty product loves

17th June, 2020

If there’s an area of my life where recommendations are always welcome, it’s in the beauty department. I love hearing what products people are loving and why they rate it so highly. So when The Curated panel offered up their fave beauty go-tos used at the height of iso, I was excited to find a few new products to add to my list. Hopefully after scrolling through the below you’ll also find a new fave or two to fall in love with.

The Curated panel: presenter, journalist and producer Ksenija Lukich; artist and style curator and founder of Where did your style go? Tash Sefton; influencer Nadia Fairfax, stylist Elliot Garnaut, influencer Rey Vakili; Ostelin and Johnson’s baby ambassador, Phoebe BurgessElle Effect founder and creative director, Elle Ferguson; influencer, Anna Heinrich

Me

“Fake tan, always a mood lifter! At the moment I’m loving the range from Bondi Sands.” 

Anna Heinrich

“For me it’s about sticking to my usual beauty regime and continue to put on makeup, for me to feel alive and somewhat “normal”. My go-to foundation is currently Too Faced [in the shade] Born This Way.”

Elle Ferguson

“[My go-to products would have to be] Elle Effect Self Tanning Mousse and Kora Organics Noni Oil.” 

Nadia Fairfax

“[I am using] Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex,  anything from Lanolips and masks from Aceology, Rationale and Magicstripes.”

Ksenija Lukich

“[I use] AHC Hydra Gold Foil masks. I normally save them for special occasions but as there aren’t many at the moment I like to treat myself.”

Tash Sefton

“[I am currently using] face oils (oil cleansers and oils) from Rodin, Votary or Drunk Elephant and The Body Shop face masks—my fave is the coffee mask.” 

Rey Vakili

La Mer’s The Concentrate is my all-time favourite beauty product. It leaves your skin feeling like silk. And of course La Mer’s moisturising cream which I’ve also been using on my hands as well because they’re dry from all the sanitising!”

Elliot Garnaut

“I am literally slapping on Elle Effect self tanning mousse weekly. Nothing makes you feel better than having a tan.”

Phoebe Burgess

“Quarantine has been the rebirth of daily masking. Living make-up free and wearing tinted moisturiser for very special occasions like my bi-weekly trip to Bakers’ Delight means my skin has been able to breathe and I’ve been able to invest time and love back into it.

I’ve branched out from my usual Société Rejuvenating Peptide Masks (via The Clinic in Sydney) to exploring Aceology’s Modeling Masks (followed by a quick facial massage to smoosh the serum into my clean skin using their GuA Sha Facial Massager which is amazing [for treating things] like tension, inflammation and lymphatic drainage).”

Fashion

The Curated: fave apps

10th June, 2020

What’s the most used app on your phone? While Instagram definitely gets a work out, and Facebook is just a given, what other apps are people scrolling and loving? I turned to The Curated panel to see what their current top fave apps are. While there are some definite tried and tested faves in the mix, scroll down to discover an app for doing everything from making lists, to editing videos to getting beautiful visual daily reminders of past events.

The Curated panel: presenter, journalist and producer Ksenija Lukich; artist and style curator and founder of Where did your style go? Tash Sefton; influencer Nadia Fairfax, stylist Elliot Garnaut, influencer Rey Vakili; Ostelin and Johnson’s baby ambassador, Phoebe Burgess

Me:

Timehop: “I love seeing all photos of my kids over the years and adore getting the daily reminders.”

Tezza: “Great for editing photos and it has so many great filters.”

TouchRetouch “A useful app for removing objects from photos. So good for when you have the perfect photo and there is something in the background you wish you could remove!”

Anna Heinrich:

Safari: “I’m constantly googling absolutely everything.”

Masterclass: “A great app to learn from the best in the business.”

AutoSleep: “Great for tracking you sleep. It shows me that I definitely need more.”

Elle Ferguson

Splice: “I have been loving Splice, its a video editing app that allows you to link videos together, speed them up and edit them.”

Dropbox: “It’s where my team and I share images, creatives and projects we are working on.”

Tetris: “I know it sounds strange but I LOVE Tetris. It calms me down and zones me out if I’m feeling a little stressed.”

Nadia Fairfax

Whatsapp: “I love my friends.”

Evernote: “I like lists.”

EZGlitch: “Fun for editing videos.”

Tash Sefton

Pinterest: “An amazing source of inspiration for me as you can search specific things and find soooo many wonderful images.”

LinkedIn: “Because it’s an intelligent version of Facebook. Facebook is sooo PG and LinkedIn has so many interesting business posts.”

Instagram: “…But can they just stop already with the stupid algorithm!!”

Ksenija Lukich

IMDB: “I love movie and TV trivia. This is the hub for it all. Also helps with those times where you see an actor but can’t remember where else you’ve seen them.”

Insight Timer: “I’m a terrible sleeper and this gives me access to hundreds of different meditations. Next time you can’t fall asleep listen to Jennifer Piercy “Yoga Nidra For Sleep”, thank me later.”

Whatsapp: “This has been wonderful during iso. I have groups for my family, cousins, in-laws, girlfriends and overseas mates. It helps me feel more connected talking to a group.”

Rey Vakili

Strava: “I just started using this one. It was recommended by a friend. Apparently its really popular but I’ve only just heard about it! I think its because I used to go to the gym, but its especially helpful when you’re running outdoors.”

Podcast: “Does that count as an app? My favourite is The Daily by The New York Times. If we’re not counting that as an app, then Audible. I’m a huge fan of audio books.”

Elliot Garnaut

Covidsafe: “Stop making excuses and start saving lives.”

MatchesFashion: “If I’m not scrolling Instagram, I am scrolling MatchesFashion for my next purchase.”

HouseParty. “Absolutely the best way to connect with friends all over the world. Log in, chat over a vino and play some games that are built into the apps software. Who needs bars??”

Phoebe Burgess

Deliveroo: “I use this whenever I’m in Sydney!”

Fashion

The Curated: Online shopping sites

3rd June, 2020

This is a big one! Considering the panel is made up of the most stylish, fashion loving, shopping savvy people I know, their top go-to online stores are definitely worth paying attention to. I asked everyone to pick just three sites, and in the mix you’ll find great suggestions for a designer fix, slightly lesser known shopping destinations, and also some fun stores if you’re after basics to activewear and a new addition to your home decor. Happy shopping!

The Curated panel: presenter, journalist and producer Ksenija Lukich; artist and style curator and founder of Where did your style go? Tash Sefton; influencer Nadia Fairfax, stylist Elliot Garnaut, influencer Rey Vakili; Ostelin and Johnson’s baby ambassador, Phoebe BurgessElle Effect founder and creative director, Elle Ferguson; influencer, Anna Heinrich

Me

Net-a-Porter: “Love the whole buying experience from start to finish.” 

David Jones: “Great for Australian designers and cosmetics.”

Cotton On Kids: “It’s my go-to for quick and easy fashion for my kids.”

Anna Heinrich

The Iconic: “Lots of fabulous Aussie brands.”

Net-a-Porter – when I feel like a bit of luxe in my life.

Farfetch: “I’ve been eyeing off a pair of Tom ford Shoes for about a year now. I can’t justify buying them so I’ll just continue to look at them.”

Elle Ferguson

Babyanything: “Because they have the best fine jewellery on the market.”

Skims: “I think I’ve bought something new from here every week I’ve been in ISO… it really is that good.”

Alo Yoga: “With all the at home workouts I seriously can’t get enough of this brand. The high waist airbrush tights are my go-to.”

Nadia Fairfax

Mode Sportif, The Webster, Maimoun Store and Moda Operandi…”

Ksenija Lukich

Shopbop: “Great finds at a reasonable price [on this US site]…unfortunately the AUD is terrible right now!”

The Iconic: “Not necessarily my favourite range of clothing but I can’t go past three hour delivery.”

Adore Beauty: “Fabulous range of beauty and hair essentials. Fast delivery and a Tim Tam with every order.”

Rey Vakili

Matches Fashion: “This is probably my favourite site for all things fashion.”

Moda Operandi: “It has the best curation in my opinion and is a great place to discover new designers.”

Amazon: “[It’s a favourite site] because its Amazon! The Everything Store!”

Elliot Garnaut

Matches Fashion: “Their customer service and buy is second to none. I spend hours on their site weekly and truly buy the majority of my clothing from Matches.”

FarFetch: “A curation of the world’s best boutiques means you can find competitive pricing on the same items. Their breadth of stock is unparalleled.”

Moda Operandi: “[This is a favourite site because of] their HOME buy. It’s honestly the best. VERY unique.”

Phoebe Burgess

Mode Sportif: “I was a mag girl, so cruising through sites like this, which is great for edits, discovering style makers and picking up new labels loves is what I love when I have the time.”

Net-a-Porter: “I will always find a similar vibe [as Mode Sportif] (or pick up a sneaky sale steal) on Net-a-Porter.”

Wardrobe.NYC: “I love what Christine Centenera has done with Wardrobe NYC. The ethos of slow and considered consumerism, buying a collection of pieces to create multiple looks and vibes is, I believe, where fashion is headed. You are purchasing a lifestyle, and as she is my number one forever-and-always style inspiration and total icon, you’re purchasing a bit of what CC is about. It feels personal. From the whole shopping a wardrobe experience to the arrival of the clothes and the packaging, it feels as though your dollars have been respected from start to finish.”

Tash Sefton

Matches Fashion: “My fav place to get my designer fix—the edit of products and brands is perfect —it’s like going into a boutique.”

The Iconic: “Perfect for my whole family… kids especially. Also I like the mix of branded price points and their sustainable shopping section.”

Zara: “The Zara site has stock, especially shoes, before they hit stores.” 

Lifestyle, Lifestyle & Social

The Curated: What to read

27th May, 2020

There’s something about a great book recommendation. I love hearing what books people are reading and past books they’ve loved because it helps me add to my own list of books to read. So if you’re looking for a book to sink your teeth into, here’s what The Curated panel are currently devouring, and also the books that have stayed with them long after the last page.

The Curated panel: presenter, journalist and producer Ksenija Lukich; artist and style curator and founder of Where did your style go? Tash Sefton; influencer Nadia Fairfax, stylist Elliot Garnaut, influencer Rey Vakili; Ostelin and Johnson’s baby ambassador, Phoebe BurgessElle Effect founder and creative director, Elle Ferguson; influencer, Anna Heinrich

Me

“I feel like my reading has taken a back seat since I had kids and all my books seem to be parenting related, so I’m a bit behind in all the best sellers! However I’m currently reading Becoming by Michelle Obama ( I know I a bit late to the party) and thoroughly enjoying it.” 

Nadia Fairfax

“[I’m reading] Born or Bred? Martine Bryant: the Making of a Mass Murderer. Could Port Arthur have been prevented? You read and decide.”

Anna Heinrich

“I’m currently reading pregnancy books. I don’t think these are for everyone so I’ll leave it there :).”

Tash Sefton

“[I’m reading] This Is Me which is a book by friends of mine (Julie Adams and Georgie Abay). It features unretouched portraits of women and their stories of their journey to acceptance and self love (I’m in it but that’s not why I’m mentioning it ….the stories are wonderful and every woman should have a copy as a reminder we need to be kind to ourselves). Also the book Loulou & Yves. My friend Liesel just gave it me and I’m about to start it. It’s a behind the scenes look at the fashion world.”

Ksenija Lukich

“This will be on a lot of lists but Boy Swallows Universe is an absolutely stunning book. It’s an instant classic. Persevere through the first 30 per cent of the book. It’s well worth the slow start. 

Where The Crawdads Sing is phenomenal. I never thought a marsh could be the location for a love story but the way Delia Owens writes is truly captivating. I finished it so quickly I’m about to go back and reread. 

And I just finished Pretending by Holly Bourne. This book is a rom com with a triggering edge. Following the story of a woman who is trying to overcome her sexual assault and find love. A really heartwarming, funny and educational book.”

Rey Vakili

“My all time favourite book is Emma by Jane Austen but I most recently finished American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins which I loved. A book everyone should read is Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. Scary stuff! And finally, I recently read Robert Iger’s memoir and loved it.”

Elle Ferguson

“I am so bad, I’m a magazine girl. I also have been, even since high school. I love the articles so I also buy the local and overseas Vogues, Elle and Harpers.”

Elliot Garnaut

“My consumption of media leans toward the dark side. I love horror, always have. A book that had a profound effect on me was Brett Easton Ellis’ American Psycho. For those not as wacky as I, I couldn’t recommend the Harry Potter series more. It’s escapism at it’s best, no matter what age. I am currently reading Bridget Collins’ The Binding, a gift from my sister-in-law from my birthday.”

Phoebe Burgess

“I’ve just picked up Marian Keys’ Grown Ups. Juggling work and kiddies means I need a storyline I can jump into straight away – as 20 minutes reading time is the usual after the kids have gone down, and before I am out cold with them.

My all time favourite book – apart from Harry Potter, Twilight, The Alchemist and Kite Runner, and all the must must reads that I adored— is The Bronze Horseman. Looking back, it was pretty  raunchy for a teenager—but it combined history with romance (the starvation of Leningrad 1941). The can’t put down part of a good book to me is all about the relationship I form with the characters I’m following, the people that I can’t let go of. I’ll invest as much time as possible into characters I fall in love with, or hate, or that excite me as opposed to intricate plots…author Liane Moriarty does this so well.”

Lifestyle & Social

The Curated: Must-see movies

15th May, 2020

With more time spent at home these days I’m always on the hunt for great movie recommendations. I feel like I’ve exhausted a lot of my favourites so in my quest to add some new movies to my list, I thought I’d turn to a few people who I know would have some great suggestions. I always like hearing other people’s fave movies, as it saves me trawling through Netflix for ages trying to find something to watch. So I’ve rounded up their picks below (including mine) in case you’re on the hunt for something to watch over the weekend. Keep an eye out over the coming weeks as I’ll be sharing more of the panel’s pick for everything from TV shows to binge watch to the best places to shop online and must-read books—everything you’ll need to get through isolation!

The Curated panel: presenter, journalist and producer Ksenija Lukich; artist and style curator and founder of Where did your style go? Tash Sefton; influencer Nadia Fairfax, stylist Elliot Garnaut, influencer Rey Vakili; Ostelin and Johnson’s baby ambassador, Phoebe Burgess

Me: Little Miss Sunshine: “It just brings a smile to my face every time I watch it.” 

About a Boy: “Hugh Grant is so funny in this.”

The Gentlemen “The best movie I’ve seen this year.” 

Rey: The Sound of Music: “Because who doesn’t love it?! I probably watch this movie once a year.” 

The Departed: “Is one of my all time favourites. Great acting, great directing and keeps you guessing right till the very end.” 

Jojo Rabbit: “I saw this recently and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this film. It’s hilarious, it’s moving, it will make you think, it will make you cry.”

Tash: “I love The Notebook, Age of Adeline and Little Women – because I am a sucker for a romance and these movies I can re-watch over and over again and they make me hysterically cry. I’m laughing at myself really!”

Nadia: Strictly Ballroom: “Classic Aussie brilliance.” 

Overboard (the old one): “I love this because Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell remind me of my mum and dad.” 

Ferngully: The Last Rainforest: “The OG environmental movie.” 

Ksenija: Forrest Gump: “I love Tom Hanks and his performance in this movie is still to this day one of my favourites of all time. Funny, heartwarming and one of my fave movie soundtracks.”

Moulin Rouge/Chicago: “These are in the same vein so I’ll pop them together. I am a massive fan of musicals and these two are definitely up there with my favourites (followed closely by West Side Story). They make me happy and I always end up listening to the soundtracks after I watch the movies. All That Jazz, Elephant Love Melody. Doesn’t get better.”

Titanic: “Leo and Kate, need I say more?”

Elliot: The First Wives Club: “I remember so vividly watching this movie for the first time as a kid with my mum and falling in love with the character of Elise Elliot. I thought she was the chicest thing I’d ever seen. Scary how I see traits of myself in her now I’ve gotten older…”

Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette: “I have always found this film extremely meditative. There is a scene in where Marie is walking through the garden with her daughter that instils in me an ultimate sense of calm.”

The Grand Budapest Hotel: “Anything of Wes Anderson’s has a place in my heart however The Grand Budapest Hotel stands out for it’s quick wit and unapologetic profanity.”

Films deserving an honourable mention: The Devil Wears Prada, Man on Fire, Moulin Rouge.

Phoebe: The Lion King: “I have to put the Lion King for the beautiful circle this movie has done from my childhood to now being part of my own children’s memories. The Lion King is a special moment for any family and has helped me explain the circle of life – in reality – more than once but particularly when my grandmother passed.”

Peter Rabbit: “This has that “kids-movie-that-adults-can-enjoy-too” quality, like what Shrek brought to animation and the kids’ genre to help us through their movie choices. James Corden [who voiced Peter Rabbit] is definitely having his moment in comedy right now.” 

Frozen 1 and 2: “[These movies] have provided us hours of singing, dress ups, dramatic reenactments by [my daughter] Poppy and “Let It Go” is officially [my son] Billy’s very first karaoke moment caught on camera by his mummy who will be saving this for his 21st. Poppy bought me a singing Elsa birthday card that Billy now sleeps with.”

Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash