Get to know our special lady, Lorina - Make up artsist for Sundari Cosmetics

 Lorina is a make up artist within the Sundari Cosmetics team, she has been an 

  instrumental part of our events such as Melbourne Racing Club, Ted Baker & hair stylist

  on our recent website shoot.

 Lorina brings a quirky sense of humour, loads of personality and fun to our team.

  So here is a little insight into our special lady Xx

 1.What is in your hand bag now?

  5 lipsticks usually I can never just pick one shade of lippy haha. A go to lip gloss and keys and wallet. 

  Oh and always, always carry a lip balm around with me!

 2.What is one beauty product you cannot live without?

  Moisturiser! Earthly Body Butter is the best!

 3.What do you most enjoy doing in your spare time?

  I love watching Box set series, anything and everything.. and also watching documentaries... 

  and playing with  make up while watching the box sets haha!

 4.Who is your biggest inspiration & why?

  Fluvia Lacerda. She is a Plus size model and totally gorgeous! She promotes that everybody is beautiful no

  matter what size you are and shouldn't be ashamed of what you are born with. 

 5.What has been your most enjoyable experience/moment

 working with Sundari Cosmetics?

  Defiantly Ted Baker! To be in the same room as TV personalities and creative people in the industry was

  amazing!! 

Fashion is a colour

We are so pleased to be part of the 2014 Australian Indigenous Fashion week, set to take place next April and represent woman of ethnicity, with supermodel Samantha Harris as the Ambassador.

Founder of Sundari Cosmetics, Lea Rajendran says ' we have been very fortunate to work alongside some great organisations in Melbourne, which have been instrumental in exposing our brand and giving it some street cred. I always wanted to expand beyond Melbourne and be part of something that really depicted what Sundari Cosmetics is about, empowering woman of colour'.  I dont see beauty as just products that enhance our looks, it is an inner confidence, determination and self belief that in life anything can be achieved if you put your mind to it....
Australian Indigenous Fashion Week (AIFW) is a great platform for upcoming designers and artists to show case their talents and help increase awareness & improve the economic status of indigenous  communities and ethnicities. Lea says ' it was natural for us to be part of this, growing up I struggled with feeling that my colour would mean less opportunities & always trying to prove myself worthy. I know this not to be the case now, so it is important we help others to realise there dreams.

Lea will be working closely with super model, Samantha Harris teaching the models how to look after their skin, apply make up & prep them for the runway using Sundari Cosmetics. This journey will be published in a mainstream magazine, which will take the brand to another level and reach a greater audience.

Sundari Cosmetics will be supporting this event & designers, who will be mentored by the likes of Australian fashion icons, Sass & Bide. 

The future is bright for Sundari Cosmetics and the people & organisations we support.

Creating a winning Winter look

Remember its all about keeping the skin clean & fresh, the eyes natural and awake and the lips fun and bold.

Skin: After prepping the skin with a good moisturiser, a must in winter, use a foundation to even out the skin tone with either a brush, sponge or your fingers.

Try: Sundari Creme compact foundation

Brows: Brush the brows and fill in with brow dust. Strong natural brows brows are beautiful, so only pluck the strays

Try: Sundari brow dust

Eyes: Apply a generous amount of mascara, layer if you wanted more drama and try just keeping the eyelid naked for a minimal look or for some glamour, apply a gorgeous shimmery charcoal/black on your lid and blend out with a brush to the brow bone. Remember to also add the same colour below your lower lash line to keep it dark & brooding. Line the inner rims of your eyes with a black pencil.

Try: Sundari lengthening mascara, Intensive eyeshadow discs and NEW eye pencil

Blush: Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks and sweep towards your temples. Make sure it is a shade that compliments your lip colour & a bit of shimmer in your blush will pick up the light

Try: Sundari Sheer Blush

Lips: If you are going for a natural look go for a nude or clear lip gloss, otherwise winter is all about lipsticks, so apply a beautiful red or berry to achieve this look.

Try: Sundari Silk lipstick

Dark circles be gone!!

For half of my life, I have had to battle the dreaded 'panda eyes', worse when I have not slept or cried....

I have tried a billion products that claim to be the remedy, the cure to banishing dark circles, so I get sucked in time & time again only to be disappointed!!

Until I was told why dark circles actually appear.  Ofcourse it is hereditary however, it also happens with skin around the eyes becomes thinner as we get older & the blood vessels are more prominent. It can also relate to poor nutrition lacking in Vitamin K, C, E & A, liver dysfunction,  dehydration, hormonal changes & allergies.

So with this list it might seem like a big mountain to move in finding a cure.  However, there is a few products that can assist in making these annoying dark rings around your eyes appear lighter & I have trialled them myself & seen the results!!

Here is the verdit.....drum roll please......

Peter Thomas Roth - Vitamin K eye cream.....LOVE!!!

This little jar od cream with caviar like burst of particles has been the saviour that really packs a punch and does what it says. It minimises dark circles, bruising, fatigue and overall hydrates the eye area to diminish those fine lines

Perricone MD - Vitamin C Ester serum oil - I like to put a bit of this on at night time after the PTR Vitamin K for an extra boost, I also feel it helps strengthen the skin area & my dry lines are slowly diminishing. A dry oil with dropper makes it easy to apply & feel like instant hydration is immediately taking place

So where to get these products?

Peter Thomas Roth Vitamin K Eye Cream - Kit Cosmetics www.kitcosmetics.com.au

Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester serum oil - Mecca Cosmetica www.meccacosmetics.com.au

The best Skincare on the the planet...Pigmentation be gone!!

The new cult products to hit Australian shores and her name is Sunday Riley.

Hailing from Texas USA, Sunday descends from years of Native American tradition that has bestowed upon her wealth of invaluable beauty secrets. Combining this with cutting edge technology, Sunday Riley skincare takes botanical treatments to the next level. Her formulas are cult worthy favourites, with a celebrity following.

So I start with some samples, a little sceptical at first to try something new with so many claims it almost seems too good to be true.  The smell has me captivated, reminded me of lemon meringue. I start with Ceramic Slip cleanser with french clay to tighten skin and minimise pores, instantly I feel this, so next is the magical serum - Good Genes which has a statement of botox in a bottle attached to it. This serum packs a serious punch - tingling on my skin at first but not burning ( so I know its working. My skin is immediately plumped and looks like I have just had 6 months in a tropical island or just the right amount of filler, hydrated to the MAX!!

Next we have the moisturiser retailing at $270 it better bestow a spell to make me want to pay that amount, so I out in on before going to bed and when I wake the next morning, my skin feels like I am a teenager again, so youthful, glowing with radiance, firm and so easy to then apply my make up. The canvas is picture perfect....so I am happy to loosen my purse strings for this potion.

OK Sunday Riley.....you have me hooked, lets see how you fair in 3 weeks!!

Well here I am 3 weeks on and my pigmentation spots have faded on the top of my cheeks are fading to almost nothing, my caramel skin is no longer uneven in tone & my confidence to wear full coverage make up is slowly fading & confidence is rising...

I AM SOLD!!

Thank you Mecca Cosmetica for allowing me to try such an amazing skin care range, you have me hooked on this brand already.  Now its time to put my Sundari luminous powder foundation, the mica in this makes my skin radiant and the splash of Sundari sheer bronzer on my cheeks has people stopping me on the streets asking what I am wearing...yep I am loving it all Xxx

Skincare at its best.....

There is so much choice now in skincare. In my day, you had a few brands like Lancome, Clinique, Estee Lauder or anything basically that was at the Myer make up counter was deemed to be the best.

Now we have new technology, skin science, access to herbal, chinese medicines, ancient rituals, the list goes on.  It can send anyone into a confused state of panic when you have a specific skin concern & dont know where to begin.....

So where do you begin?  Well, I think you need to assess your skin type first, then work out what specific concerns you have.


Here are a few simple questions that made it much easier for me:

Do you find your skin is dry with a feeling of tightness?

Do you find you are oily by mid morning?

What are your skin concerns? Redness, pigmentation, ageing, acne, flaking or dry skin

Here are three categories your skin can fall into:

Dry - small pores, matte thin skin, flakiness or broken capillaries, dull complexion
Action - gentle cleansers, alcohol free toners, hydrating masques & serums

Normal/Combination - Medium size pores, light shine in t zone, dehydrated areas
Action - PH Neutrals cleansers, antioxidant moisturisers & regular exfoliation

Oily - large pores, shiny thick skin, prone to acne & congestion, muddy complexion
Action - Thorough cleansing, mild astringent toners, Salicylic acid serums & purifying masks

OK we have this part sorted now, but I bet you are stumped. You have this new found knowledge of your skin but what products are worth a look at.  Good news is, I have access to some of the most amazing skincare from around the globe & I want to share my personal experience with some of my favourites.

So first cab off the rank - Eve Lom Cleanser.....OMG!!!
This has cult following across the globe, with its unique formulation using essential oils sucj as chamomile, cocoa butter and eucalyptus. I love the thick consistency that has an oiliness to it as you apply on dry skin. To take it off, use the anti bacterial cloth and wipe over face...the concept of oil attracts oil works so well & I have to say waking up in the morning, my skin feels amazing and the radiance this product has brought to my skin is sensational.  A BIG thumbs up for me.  You can find the Eve Lom skincare range at Mecca Cosmetics.

Next, Perricone MD. Dr Perricone is regarded as the Father of Inflammation & the Theory of Ageing and its connection. He has starred on Oprah and is an advocate for inside/out approach of attaining youthful looking skin. Personally I am a BIG fan of his Concentrated Restorative Hydrating Cream, great consistency, a boost of Vitamin C that really makes you skin feel amazing.  I also love the Vitamin C Eye Serum, the fact that it is an oil and easy to apply, I noticed my dry lines around my eyes started to disappear and my dark circles lightened . Brownie points fot this one!! You can find this extensie range of amazing products that target various skin conditions at Mecca Cosmetica.

So now you have some food for thought, go in and ask the experts at Mecca, a sample if you want to try before you buy.  I bet you will love these products as much as me.

I will be trying more over the next couple of weeks, so will keep you posted Xx

Beauty goss girl......

Ok, so if you are anything like me or most of the female population, you want products that work and dont cost more than the pair of shoes you have been eyeing off for months....well if I had my way it would be the Louboutins, so I could have a years supply of skins products!!

Here it is my feline friends, a couple of insider tips....

1. If you are after a gerat exfoliator that will make your skin radiant in an instant, then look no further than your pantry for some Bicarbonate Soda, mix that in with a water based cleanser (Cetaphil found at chemist is perfect).  Get a teaspoon of bi carb, a blob of cleanser & mix it into a paste, then apply to your skin & rub away.

2. Translucent powder/setting powder is great fro absorbing excess oils, setting your make up but if you are going to a special occasion where you know you will be photographed beware of any powder that contains titanium dioxide (which is good essentially as it acts as a sunscreen), however, when that flash goes off, you will have 'ghost face'

Now onto some of my favourite product finds....

After years of chemical straightening, 80's perms, various colours throughout my hair.  I have managed to frizz the hell out of it.  I have tried serums, potions, mists, spray, oils & NOTHING works, until I stumbled across these two little beauties.

1. L O'real  EVERPURE - sulfate free colour care system shampoo & conditioner. Bought at the local supermarket for $20 for the pair!! Awesome!!

2. Before styling,  I put Redken 12 Align Ultra Straight Balm through damp hair, then blow dry & use a straightening tong to finish the look....I love it!!

Ok lastly, I was asked what skincare products I use?

If I had a choice, it would be iconic EVE LOM cleanser, which is so major in the beauty sphere. However, on a budget I am currently using Neo Strata, which is a US brand and has Glycolic & Citric Acid, as I am suffering from a bit of pigmentation. It is great at clearing it up & refining my skin and at a price point of $40 from Chemist Warehouse and used by Dermatologists, it will do for now.  However, I normally love Aveda, as it is natural & my skin just drinks it up & loves it!!

Hope this has helped, stayed tuned for my next finds and a chat to some of the Sundari Make Up team

Much love

Lea Xx