During our trip to Australia we went from Brisbane to Cairns, which is like going from the bottom of the Great Barrier Reef, to the top. Besides visiting some of the islands off the city of Cairns to snorkel the reef, we want to explore some of the neighboring towns of the city. One of our favorite stops was Palm Cove, only 20minutes north out of the city. Easily one of our North Queensland destinations, we stayed at the Alamanda, where we greeted by the friendly staff and the beautiful grounds of the estate. Situated on the beachfront, its numerous swimming pools and luxurious surroundings didn’t make us feel at home, it made us feel as though we were royalty. (You can read more about Palm Cove and what to do if you visit Cairns on our previous guide post HERE.)
Lara Eurdolian, Pretty Connected Beauty Blog
Your Perfect Stay: Alamanda at Palm Cove
10 Must Have Wardrobe Essentials
For the past few months, I’ve been updating my wardrobe with some much needed accessories and accent pieces. Here are some of my current favorite, many of which make great last minute gifts!
1. GIGI New York Uber Clutch ($148) – additional colors available. Super chic and season-less. Go for the reptile-embossed leather style for added texture and score extra points if you can get it custom monogrammed.
2. Movado Bold Crystal Accent Bangle Watch ($495) – I received this from a Lucky Magazine event and I rarely take it off. The rose gold makes it fun to mix and match with other metallics (as seen above), gold and silver and makes for great arm candy.
Cozying up to Fall with Lavazza Coffee
While it’s been a complete delight basking in warm weather this past month in Australia, there’s something super strange about hearing Christmas music while being in 80 degree weather. And I love the fall season, so this is my first real day back in NYC enjoying it.
Josie by Josie Natori for the Holidays!
We wear her bras, lust after her clothes, and now — just in time for the holidays — her fragrance is here! Josie Natori recently launched her JOSIE by Josie Natori fragrance, available in an Eau de Parfum Spray (3.4oz/$94, 1.7oz/$75), Rollerball (.25oz/$22), Body Cream (6.8oz/$58) and Body Lotion (6.5oz.$45). The intimate scent is a beautiful musk with fruit and floral notes, opening with Asian Pear and Bergamot followed by a bouquet of Sampaguita flower.
Holiday Travel Giveaway: Mosaic Photo Book + LeSportsac + Knock Out Nail Polish
It’s been an amazing adventure spending this past month in Australia. And I’m so grateful to have a platform like Instagram where I can share so many of my moments in real time. But nothing tops an album to capture the memories forever.
Today, I’m taken over Mosaic’s instagram page (@MosaicBook) and am sharing some of the highlights from the trip. All of the pictures I’m showing will then be turned into a photo book using the Mosaic’s photo app (available for iPhone and Android and can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play).
I’ve featured Mosaic before but for anyone that’s not familiar, Mosaic is a free app, which lets you create a custom photo album book allowing you to pull images from Facebook, Instagram and shared photo albums for just $25. Best of all, it arrives in 2-4 days and takes minutes to create. And if you order between December 11 – 15th, Mosaic is offering free shipping!
It’s one of my favorite gifts to give, especially with the holidays coming up as there’s no better way to capture all your favorite moments then with a Mosaic photo book.
So in honor of my trip and the joys of holiday travel (preferably to warm, tropical areas), we’re giving away 3 of my favorite travel items: The LeSportsac x Ericson Beamon Clutch, Knock Out nail polish in shade, EEL, and a code for a free Mosaic photo book (and shipping) so you can make your own.
There are 2 ways to enter (each counts as a separate entry):
- Liking @prettyconnected and @mosaicbook on Instagram and like/comment on the giveaway picture on Mosaic’s page.
- Like us both on Twitter at @prettyconnected and @heymosaic and tweet about the giveaway using the hashtags #PCxMosaic or by tweeting: RT/Follow @prettyconnected & @heymosaic to enter to win this @lesportsac bag & @kocosmetics #giveaway #PCxMosaic http://shar.es/135XDj
Enter as many times as you would like!
Winner will be announced 12/17. All local, state and federal rules apply.
L’Occitane Launches First-Ever Sampling Box
The holidays just got even more merry! Pamper yourself (or a friend) with L’occiBox, L’Occitane’s first beauty sampling box! Discover the brand’s best-sellers and iconic must-haves and embark on a magical journey to Provence…
The beauty sampling program, L’OcciBox (pronounced “LOX – EE – BOX”) is a $15 sampling box that will offer L’Occitane shoppers mini versions of their favorite L’Occitane products once per season. The best part? No sign-up is required and each box will debut with a beautiful, pre-selected assortment of L’Occitane items and an exclusive gift from a special partner. Partners will change each season, launching with ELLE (so, you can expect the bonus gift to be highly coveted!)
The first L’OcciBox is wrapped as a present and available for purchase at L’Occitane boutiques nationwide. Consider us your Secret Santa because we have an exclusive offer for readers: visit this L’OcciBox link and enter the promo code, ‘DISCOVER’, at checkout for a MAJOR discount.
*Please note the box is listed on the website at its full retail value ($50+), but when the code is applied, the box becomes $15. Also, it can not be combined with any other promotions.
Redken Unveils New Styling Collection
Combining the power of science with the desire for beauty, Redken will unveil a new line of styling products in April 2015. The collection, which consists of Braid Aid 03, Stay High 18, Short Sculpt 19, and Metal Fix 08, is inspired by Guido Palau’s iconic runway hairstyles.
Meet Guido
Redken’s creative consultant and global styling director is responsible for creating iconic runway hairstyles for Alexander Wang, McQueen, and Marc Jacobs. When creating the new Redken products, he had a singular mission: to streamline the styling process, making it faster and easier to translate to “real girl street styles”.
Meet the Styling Collection
Braid Aid 03 is a styling balm made specifically for braiding and twisting your hair (think Lauren Conrad). Applied to damp hair, the solution makes it easier to weave hair back and forth without getting strands tangled together.
Stay High 18 is a volumizing gel-mousse for women with fine hair and was inspired by toothpaste that goes from gel to foam. The root lifting technology turns from strong-hold gel into a mousse, providing both hold and lift without buildup.
Short Sculpt 19 is a texturizing gel for for pixies and bobs, making it the perfect prep tool for this season’s hottest hair trend: the lob.
Finally, the most unique and fun product, Metal Fix 08 is a metallic liquid pomade that comes in silver and gold to create the illusion of highlights. Even on the dreariest of days, your strands will shine like a beach bombshell.
We can hardly wait until April….
In other news, Redken just announced their newest brand muse: top model, street style star and trendsetter Soo Joo Park! In 2015, Soo Joo will take her hair to new lengths with an exciting innovation from the Extreme haircare line. Stay tuned!
Tonight on The House of DVF… Me!
Tonight on the House of DVF, the girls style my friends and I for the Hampton Classic. Things get “crazy” back at the house in true reality tv –umm unplanned — format. Diane @DVF will be live tweeting during the episode so be sure to tweet along.
Check it on at 10/9c on E! Learn more at eonline.com
xoLara
Australia Welcomes Sephora at Sydney Pitt St Mall
It started with a countdown — one much larger then the counting clock on their door — the long awaited opening of the first Sephora location in Australia. While it was announced in April the world’s biggest retailer would be opening in Sydney, it wasn’t until this past Friday it opened it’s doors at the Pitt St Mall. And the crowd went wild! The line since the opening (just to get in the front door) have been so insane they had to create a barricade around the proximity to secure the line and hire multiple security guards to monitor the coming in and out process.
Wanderlust Australia: Travel Guide to Cairns
Cairns – While the stingers may prevent you from being able to go into the ocean (especially during the summer months), there is a lagoon roped off on the pier that allows swimming. The marina on the pier houses countless boats and ferries to take guests to the Great Barrier Reef. We visited both island off Cairns, Green Island and Fitzroy Island and enjoyed the snorkeling around the Great Barrier Reef. Both islands are small and don’t require cars like many we visited off of Brisbane.