Pre-racing Prep
Sun Herald
Sunday March 20, 2005
Revive racing glamour with these pre-carnival beauty tips, writes Lucinda Mendel.
1 HANDS DOWN: Good grooming can lift even the plainest of outfits. Unless you're donning gloves and a closed-toe shoe, make sure that both sets of nails are buffed and beautiful.EXPERT ATTENTION: Smyth + Fitzgerald Hair + Beauty gives the best manicures and pedicures in town with the signature short, ever-so-slightly square, perfectly painted nails. At $50 for a manicure and $80 for a pedicure it's not the cheapest around, but the staff are skilful and hygiene standards are faultless.Mecca Cosmetica's Manicure nail bar offers speedy service at its Galeries Victoria and Westfield Bondi Junction stores. Try the 15-minute Paint and Polish for $15. All tools are sterilised after each client. DIY: No time to sit and be scrubbed, filed and painted? Paint yourself pretty with Christina Fitzgerald nail polish, $22. Fitzgerald nominates Rosie (a wearable white) and Sally (a browny plum) as fashionable favourites. They suit fair and dark skins, work for both day and night, can be worn on hands or toes and have that look-at-me factor. 2 THE COVER-UP: While traditionalists frown upon excess flesh at the racetrack, Sydney girls are known for body-baring, track-side fashion. While faux is safer than a real tan, results can range from flattering to frightening (think Donatella Versace) and depend entirely on well-prepared skin, the right product, and a skilled spray-gun operator.EXPERT ATTENTION: At Bronzalicious Tanning Boutique you can choose from six different tanning brands before they load the spray-gun. It's normally $44 a spray, with regular specials and top-up sprays for $30. Another reliable option is Ciao Bella. Staff counsel first-timers on what not to do pre-tan (like wear deodorant and body moisturiser on the morning of). And woe betide if you ignore their instructions. Owner Ina Clow is the most proficient with a spray-gun, though she's usually booked up with VIPs and beauty editors. A tan is $35. DIY: DIY spray-on products can be messy, especially if you have an all-white bathroom. Far easier to master is Ambre Solaire Gloss Bronzer, $11.95, a great budget buy that leaves an instant bronze, while the base colour develops in an hour or two. (It can take some effort to rub the cream in properly, but it's worth it.) If you want an absolutely instant result that washes off at the end of the day, try DuWop Revolotion, $44, an easy-to-apply body make-up. It also contains SPF 15. 3 GO FOR THE GLOW: Glowing skin is the best accessory you can have. On the day, you can touch up at the Goldwell and Napoleon Cosmetic Beauty Bar on Figtree Lawn, but the better your complexion, the less make-up you need; and with your eye on the form, there may be little opportunity to leave the track. EXPERT ATTENTION: Book in for Aveda's Elemental Nature Facial For Radiant Skin, $125, the day before you hit the racetrack. The master massage strokes of the Aveda therapists, skin-refining botanicals and the naturally energising mineral Tourmaline revive skin. DIY: For the effects of a fast-tracked facial in the convenience of your bathroom, try Aveda's take-home Tourmaline Radiance Mask, $79.95. CONTACTS? Ambre Solaire is available from supermarkets and pharmacies. Phone 1300 659 259 for locations.? Aveda Wellness Day Spa, 17 Oxford Street, Paddington, phone 9380 5550. ? Bronzalicious Tanning Boutique, shop 7 Habitat Square, 4-8 Waters Road, Neutral Bay, phone 9904 5877, see www.bronzalicious.com.? Christina Fitzgerald polishes are available from selected salons and Myer stores. Phone 1300 303 913 for locations.? Ciao Bella, suite 2/32a Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, phone 9361 0612.? DuWop Revolotion is exclusive to Mecca Cosmetica stores. ? Mecca Cosmetica. For locations phone 1800 007 844 or see www.meccacosmetica.com.au. ? Smyth + Fitzgerald, shop 18 Stamford Plaza, 33 Cross Street, Double Bay, phone 9326 1385.
© 2005 Sun Herald