Braids for Spring Racing Carnival...a hair how to.

This fun hair style is a great idea for Spring Racing Carnival, especially if it's a windy day. Pantene were kind enough to share their step by step with me. You can see my DIY version and everything I used to create the look at the end of this post.

This look was inspired by the SS14 Moschino show, which marked the 30^th Anniversary of the Fashion House and created by Sam McKnight, Global Pantene Stylist Ambassador.

Two hair looks were created for this special show – good girl vs evil girl. The ‘good girl’ hair look was inspired by innocence and youth and comprised of a braid on either side of the head that met in the middle above the nape of the neck and was twisted into a delicate bun.  This ethereal and angelic look juxtaposed the sharp side parting and slick finish of that of the ‘evil girl’.

Get the Good Hair look:

• Start with freshly washed and conditioned hair using Pantene Ice Shine Shampoo and Conditioner
• Apply Pantene Styling Treatment Foam Soft Curls through the hair from root to tip and brush through
• Blow-dry with a round brush if you have curly hair and rough dry if your hair is straight
• Apply Pantene Intensive Damage Repair Oil to the ends of the hair for a smooth and healthy finish
• Create a centre parting all the way down the head (I did a zig zag parting) and section off into two pony tails either side of the head
• Braid the hair at each side of the head from front to back along the sides of the head and join the braids together just above the nape of the neck
• Tie with elastic and then fold the tail of the braid back up on itself, forming a bun
• Tease the braids for an imperfect texture and spray with Pantene Stay Smooth Hairspray to keep everything in place

Time for a colour touch up too!

Stay tuned for some more 35+ beauty and make-up posts for Spring.

x Marnie

Disclosure: These products were provided for editorial consideration. 3pickles has no affiliation with any companies mentioned and has received no remuneration for posting this review. All opinions are those of the author.

Beauty Favourites August

Well August is drawing to an end this week and Spring is almost here!! I'm looking forward to some sunshine and warmth as Melbourne certainly did it's best to freeze me from top to toe this year.

In Winter, I find my already dry skin cops a beating from the cold and artificial heating and too many hot showers.

Below are a few of my favourite products that I've been using this month.

This is Pantene's NEW Ice Shine, Pantene’s new silicone, dye and paraben-free collection that protects against damage to give you a healthy, natural looking shine with zero weight and zero residue....that's the claim and now that I've been using it for a while, I can tell you that it is fantastic. I don't feel that build up in my hair like I do with a lot of products on the market. My hair seems to hold the style longer since I've been using this too.

 I've been slathering the Aveeno Stress Relief Moisturising Lotion on after a shower. The lightly scented lotion absorbs really well, so I can dress quickly...there's nothing worse that waiting for a body lotion to absorb while you freeze your bits off or dressing while it's still wet and your clothes feel gross on you. I regularly skip body lotion for this reason and wonder why my skin feels so dry. Happy to have found this little gem.

 I was asked by Aveeno if I'd like to try this facial moisturiser, BUT I already had it and have been a fan for many months. 

I like how I get an SPF in this moisturiser but it doesn't smell or feel like I'm wearing a sunscreen. There are natural "light diffusers" to give you a slight glow...and yes it DOES! I normally would think this was a bit of advertising fluff, but it does give your skin a lovely radiance. 

I took this great for travel bottle with me on a recent road trip and used it every day and bonus...no leaking!

Ahh, Jurlique...you know I love you so. 

These 4 products are my dry skin lifesavers. You have probably heard me go on about the Skin Balancing Face Oil in the past and on my Instagram or Twitter. The Herbal Recovery Gel has been a star on my skincare regime this season and is a must under the oil after too many late nights.

If you have dry skin, do yourself a favour and try this out! I wear it under makeup too.

My tweezers are always going walkabout, so I purchased some girly looking ones from my local hairdressing supplier. Very cute and hidden in a secret place......

How many times have you been in the shower with a treatment in your hair....your standing there, reading the instructions on the bottle where it says "gently comb through hair"? Doh! So then you have to get out of the shower, drip everywhere, freeze your bits off (again) to rummage through looking for a comb.....well not anymore!  I picked up this cute comb from Priceline for around $3 and it easily hangs on the shower tap. And it's PINK!! 



So there you have my little list of faves for this month. 


I'll be back tomorrow with some 20 minute meal ideas and maybe a giveaway. 

See you then xx

Marnie

Disclosure: These products (Jurlique and Pantene) were provided for editorial consideration. 3pickles has no affiliation with any companies mentioned and has received no remuneration for posting this review. All opinions are those of the author.

The Great Gatsby Hair with John Frieda

I have my computer back! That means I can blog freely once again. Woohoo.

Today I want to share some pics of my boys and their beautiful locks. I always get asked what I use in their hair. This is one of my secrets..John Frieda Clearly Defined Styling Gel...the very same hair gel used by John Frieda Hair Designer Kerry Warn used to create signature looks for the cast and hundreds of extras in the Baz Luhrmann film The Great Gatsby.

This is before pickle #3's haircut (they all had their haircut over the weekend).

 I love using the gel to take it from messy and unkempt to very Leo DiCaprio.

This gel keeps the hair in place all day. I've tried so many over the years but most won't keep the style in place all day, or they go flakey etc. The John Frieda Clearly Defined Styling Gel is a winner in my book.

Post haircut...and a happy little pickle.

This is pickle #1's serious look...I think he had better things to do than pose for me (like get on his ipad...) This kid had very, very thick hair and the gel still performs...I like to spike his up...he usually does his own hair, but I took over for the photo...lol

My hair is also very thick and can get super frizzy, so when I used the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Moisture Barrier Firm Hold Hairspray on this wavy style, it held in place all day (and the next) with no boofy frizz head......happy. This hairspray is great for anyone who wants good hold and would be especially great for wet or humid climates. Definitely going with me on my next Gold Coast trip.

Have you been inspired by any movies recently? I'd love it if you'd share your tips in the comments.

Have a great hair day!

Disclosure: This product was provided for editorial consideration. 3pickles has no affiliation with any companies mentioned and has received no remuneration for posting this review. All opinions are those of the author.

BEAUTY NEWS: Kérastase Paris pops up at Adorebeauty.com.au

Just popping in today to share some exciting beauty news! 

If you love luxury hair care, then you'll want to know all about this....this is a FIRST!!! And you heard it right here :)

Luxury hair care brand Kérastase Paris is about be offered to Australian online shoppers for the first time. Kérastase’s new collection for long hair, Cristalliste, will be available online exclusively for a limited time only, via a “pop up shop” at www.adorebeauty.com.au from today, Friday March 1st.

“We’re very excited to partner with Kérastase Paris for the launch of Cristalliste,” said Adorebeauty.com.au founder Kate Morris. “It’s such a luxurious range and the products are amazing for long hair – you get that amazing luminous shine without weighing your hair down.”

The Cristalliste Collection:

• Cristalliste Bain Cristal Fins - Luminous Perfecting Shampoo - Fine Hair - $38 
• Cristalliste Bain Cristal Epais - Luminous Perfecting Shampoo - Thick Hair - $38 
• Cristalliste Lait Cristal - Luminous Perfecting Conditioner - $44.50 
• Cristalliste Lumiére Liquide - Luminous Perfecting Essence - $44

Kérastase Paris joins Adorebeauty.com.au’s extensive range of leading prestige brands, including Lancôme, Clarins, philosophy, SK-II, Biotherm, Benefit, Aesop, Laura Mercier, BECCA, Napoleon Perdis, L’Occitane and Jurlique.

drool......

Adorebeauty.com.au is Australia’s leading online beauty retailer, and the official online stockist of over 120 brands and 4000 prestige, niche and salon skincare, makeup and haircare products.

Now lets go shopping........................

Have a great weekend xx

Review: JoBaz Everyday Straight Hair

I've just used the JoBaz Everyday Straight Hair and I am so happy with the results that I had to share it with you. 

Before I share my before and after pics, let me tell you about my hair...

I have very thick, wavy hair that's a little on the dry/dehydrated side. On most days I like to straighten it with a flat iron. When I straighten my hair, it usually lasts about 3 days before it needs washing.

This delightful before picture is what my hair looks like after I wash it and let it dry naturally.

It's a pain to always straighten it and as a Mum, I don't always have time, so it will usually go into a ponytail. So when I had the chance to try the JoBaz Everyday Straight Hair at home, I thought it just might be what I needed.

The photos below are before  and after.

Both pics are of freshly washed hair that has been left to dry naturally.

Incredible! 

I know, right?

 This is with blow dried hair and I did a little curl/flick thing on the ends.

And this is with a quick run through with the flat iron.

I put the JoBaz product in my hair by myself and it was pretty simple to do (the instructions a very clear), but it would be even better if you have someone to help you. Allow at least a couple of hours to complete the process (it's worth it).  They claim it lasts for 3 months, so I'll let you know..so far I couldn't be happier with the results.

You can get your own JoBaz Everyday Straight Hair from Big W or Priceline.

Disclosure: This product was provided for editorial consideration.   3pickles has no affiliation with any companies mentioned and has receives no remuneration for posting reviews. All of my opinions are honest and are only influenced by the awesomeness of a product or service. No BS on this blog.

3pickles receive lots of products to review, but only the things that we (Marnie & the pickles) love end up here on the blog.

Wish lists {part one}

Window shopping for you.

Wishlist 1
with BeautyBlender, Japonesque, Real Techniques

BEAUTIFUL LENGTHS LAUNCHES NATIONAL DONATE YOUR HAIR WEEK

This is such a worthy cause....unfortunately I'm not a good candidate, but I thought I'd share this in case you are, or you know someone who is and would be willing to share their locks for a woman undergoing cancer treatment.

 Hair donation event in Sydney CBD on Monday 12th  November 2012

Monday 12th  November will mark the launch of the inaugural Beautiful Lengths National Donate Your Hair Week in Australia kicking off with a hair donation event at Martin Place in Sydney CBD with Pantene ambassadors Barney Martin and Zoe Foster.

Beautiful Lengths is the first program of its kind in Australia to inspire women to grow, cut and donate their hair to be turned into real-hair wigs for women undergoing cancer treatment.

Zoe Foster
photo by Paul Suesse

Alongside its charity partner Look Good...Feel Better, Pantene will be offering free haircuts with leading hairstylist and Beautiful Lengths ambassador, Barney Martin, and his team of expert hairdressers to the first 100 women who donate their hair.

Barney’s fellow Pantene ambassador, beauty expert, Zoe Foster, will be on hand to offer advice to the women donating their hair on styles and treatments.

A gift bag packed full of haircare products will be presented to every woman who makes the kindest cut and pledges her ponytail, and all donors will be in with a chance to meet Beautiful Lengths ambassador, Naomi Watts, when she arrives in Sydney on 15th November. 

In order to participate, hair donors must be able to travel to Martin Place for 8am on 12th November and have at least 20cm of hair to donate. 

To take part, please visit https://rougemag.com.au/pantenendyhw and complete the registration form.

Hair must also be less than 5% grey, and free from chemical treatments, hair extensions and permanent dye. A detailed list of donation requirements can be found at www.beautifullengths.com.au

Barney comments: “Some of my clients are currently undergoing cancer treatments and I have styled their wig for them. I have seen the effect losing hair has on a woman and it can be heartbreaking to watch them go through that.

20cm of hair may seem like a lot to cut off, but this summer short sleek styles are in and I can’t think of a better reason to update your look.

Beautiful Lengths is a way to help women with cancer feel like themselves again and it’s such a simple way to help – just pledge your ponytail!”

Anyone who wishes to donate their hair but cannot get to Sydney for the event on 12th November can find out how to hold their own donation party by downloading a party host pack from the Beautiful Lengths website.

How to DIY with hot rollers {and a GIVEAWAYT

Crikey, I'm freaking out about this post. 

You see, I'm usually the one behind the camera and not overly comfy in front of it, but I decided if I was going to blog about this stuff then I'd better do it on my own mug....at least I'm available when I need me for a picture.

 I recently purchased a cable/trigger thingy for my camera (originally for longer exposure stuff, like waterfalls etc) but I've found it makes it a hell of a lot easier to take a self portrait........crap...no excuses now.

So, if you'd like to see how easy it is to bung in some hot rollers for a bit of a glam night out (or for grocery shopping...what ever floats your boat)...then scroll on down.

Here's the scary before and after pics.
This post was supposed to be the start of a YouTube series, but unfortunately, my video camera has gone to heaven, so it will have to be still shots for a while. Sorry to anyone who was expecting a video. Hopefully Santa will be nice to me this year.

Check out the grumpy looking woman in this pic.... This is what my hair looks like if I blast the crap out of it with my hairdryer after washing it. Normally it would be 10 times frizzier than this but I used an anti-frizz lotion (Taft Full On- Smooth Operator) I used it this morning too, and blow dried it "nicely"...I didn't even have to straighten it...sweet town.

So, next...once the hair is dry and you've heated up your hot rollers, take sections and spritz with a heat protecting spray. I used Taft's Guardian Angel Straightening Iron Spray, which gives you 220C heat protection and a gloss finish.

Grab a section of hair  from the middle section of your hairline and roll down (roll back towards your head). The beauty of this style is that it's a bit of a messy bombshell kinda look, so it doesn't have to be perfect...in fact, it shouldn't look too structured. Which is why it's perfect for me...I can yell at children AND curl my hair at the same time!

Like I said, not perfect...just random curls. Make sure to roll under, not over and all will be sweet.

At least I look a little happier here. And I've straightened my fringe (bangs).

OK, so after the rollers have completely cooled,  you can carefully remove them. Try not to straighten them out as you take the rollers out. Let them sit for a minute and give them a light spritz with a flexible hairspray.

Good ship lolly pop anyone?

I'm giving a pack of these products away, so scroll to the bottom of this post to see how you can enter.

All you need to do now is tousle your hair with your fingers (whatever you do, DO NOT use a brush or comb or you'll end up a frizz ball) My hair holds a curl really well, so I need to pull the curl out a fair bit.

I've fiddled around and pinned it back at the top. If you need height, then just gently tease the roots and give them another spritz with hair spray.

I didn't need to wash my hair for 4 days after doing this style and the curls stayed in. (I pony tailed the last day...which looked pretty nice, if I do say so myself)

BTW, if your wondering what make-up I used.
Dior Airflash Foundation
Oh, and I did use professional lighting and photo shop on some of the after pics, but ONLY on the whites of my eyes and to lighten my iris, cos I look really tired (that's what 3 kids will do to ya) 

Dior Eyeshadow in Tender Chic

So, if your in Australia and would like to win the 4 Taft products that I used (pictured above), then just jump on Twitter and follow 3pickles and tell me what you plan to do to your "do" for your next night out.

One winner will be announced (here on the blog) on Monday, October 29th, 2012.

This giveaway has now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated.

See you soon.

Disclosure: The taft hairstyling products were provided for editorial consideration and as a prize pack. 3pickles has no affiliation with any companies mentioned and has received no remuneration for posting this review. All opinions are those of the author.