INFUSED Excuse M A G AAGorgeous Z to catchI up N E with the girls
Picture Perfect Hanging your artwork with confidence
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FOO D & BEV E R AG E
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B EAUTY
HOM E & LIF ESTYLE
MARCH/2020 6/FOOD & BEVERAGE
10/ HOME & LIFESTYLE
Our resident wine expert Kate Day introduces Naked Wines.
Tips for decorating with pictures.
8/ BEAUTY Making your makeup last from dawn to dusk.
12/WELLBEING Self efficacy, what it is and how to do it better.
14/FASHION Style Advice with Carolina Giraldo from Carolina Lifestyle.
16/ENTERTAINMENT Binge-worthy shows that are a must stream.
Dear Reader, Welcome to the March issue of Infused. This is the month that our new Gorgeous Excuse events get underway! If you haven’t heard, our Gorgeous Excuse events are like an extension of Infused. If you love carving out twenty minutes every month to enjoy the content we bring you on food, wine, health, beauty, lifestyle and wellbeing, you will love our handcrafted new events. Our new events are smaller and have limited seating – ticket price includes wine, tapas-style brunch, lunch or dinner, masterclasses and boutique stalls. Some are already sold out! Check the website to see if you and your girlfriends can book your special 2020 experience today! They will allow you to spend time with the special people in your life over a beautiful meal while you enjoy exclusive masterclasses run by experts in their fields. For example, a wellness masterclass run by Dr Natalie Flatt (see page 12 for Dr Nat’s advice on developing self-efficacy). Or a beauty seminar by celebrity makeup artist Melli (this month, Melli gives us the lowdown on perfect makeup from dawn to dusk). Wine expert Kate Day appears at our events to advise us on spending and sipping wine wisely (Kate introduces our new wine partner Naked Wines on page 6).
My best tip of the month is to sign up to A Gorgeous Excuse or risk missing out on getting intel on our new exclusive events. Even if you have been to our previous events, you will need to express interest in A Gorgeous Excuse for us to be able to give you the latest updates, exclusive deals and competitions. More information here. Make sure you gather some girlfriends and lock in a date NOW! For information and chances to win gorgeous prizes, Like our NEW Facebook page HERE and Instagram HERE. Best,
Want to say hello, have a question or feedback? Drop us an email at admin@thepeppermintgroup.com.au
FOOD & BEVERAGE
With our Gorgeous Excuse events kicking off in March I wanted to whet the appetite and introduce you to our amazing wine partner for the year, Naked Wines. I’m sure the name Naked Wines brings you a vision of a sexy man with a very large … glass of red wine. Or is that just me? In all seriousness, Naked Wines are an amazing wine business who support Australian winemakers (such as myself) directly. Since 2012 they have built a tribe of over 100,000 “Naked Angels” who have invested over $120M and helped 52 independent winemakers realise their winemaking dreams. Becoming an Angel means you have even more satisfaction when you sit down and pour that glass of wine on Friday night after a mad week at work, because you know you have personally had an influence on getting this wine into bottle. So how does it work? It’s easy and really is the best way to invest in wine. You decide you want to join this awesome tribe and sign up to deposit $40 a month into your Naked Wines account. Just $10 a week! If you’re like me and have the patience of a 4-yearold you can use your credit card to buy whenever you want. There is no need to wait for your wine account to accrue. On the flip side, if you’re more patient than Bridget Jones waiting for Mark Darcy to pop the question and let your wine account grow into a nice little nest egg, this will be perfect for that time when you realise you have your sister’s birthday this
weekend, need wine pronto but a new dress more. Effortlessly, you just log into your account, see that you have a nice lump sum waiting to magically be turned into wine and order a dozen. Hey, presto. If you order before 3pm and you live in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth metro areas, the wine will turn up on your doorstep the following day. No commitment to quarterly wine drops, you order when and what you want. I hear you say, how can it get better than this? Well, it can. Because the wines are exclusively made for the Angels who fund them, they are significantly cheaper than retail, so your investment buys you a lot more plonk for your buck. Now if that doesn’t make you say “shut up and take my money,” I don’t know what will. I can’t wait to meet as many of you as I can at the events throughout the year. I will be talking to you about wines made by exceptional winemakers from all over Australia who have amazing wines and stories to tell, which wouldn’t have come to fruition unless Naked Angels gave them their winemaking wings. If you want to become an Angel too, go to https://www.nakedwines.com.au/ infuse to redeem $100 on your first case, take flight and become part of the Angel tribe.
Kate Day is a sommelier and wine making expert who will be presenting special workshops at various Gorgeous Excuse events in 2020 – watch our website to see when she is on next!
BEAUTY
DAWN TIL DUSK Getting your makeup to last throughout the day can be a challenge, but Melli gives us some industry tips.
Working as a makeup artist in the entertainment industry I’ve learnt many a trick over the last few decades to create a polished look that will last under the hot lights and doesn’t require too many touch ups for the actors and presenters. For foundation, the trick is layering. Before you apply foundation, prep the skin, applying a primer. I like to use a primer that does double duty as a skin retexturizer. The Velvet Mousse primer does just that: it’s a mousse, so it works almost like Photoshop, smoothing out the skin. It also helps the foundation stay in place and apply beautifully. Then, then when it comes to your foundation, stippling is the best option. It’s a rolling and pressing bouncing action, and I use it to apply several layers, rather than one thick layer which doesn’t look as good and definitely won’t last as
long. I tend to go in with a buffing brush for the first sheer layer, then lightly layer again with a damp Airbrush FX Sponge. If skin is quite oily or has enlarged pores I will also do a little trick where I buff in a small amount of High Def powder over the top of the primer in the T-Zone area just before the I apply foundation. It really does work. Finish off the base by applying the High-Def powder again, concentrating mainly in the T-Zone area using the damp Airbrush FX sponge. Another tip: always make sure you aren’t too heavy-handed with your moisturiser in the morning, and give it time to soak in before you start your foundation. Getting eyeliner to stay all day without smudging is something I am asked about a lot. Both on set and in everyday life I always set my liner with an eyeshadow. Do this by using a tightly packed small eye brush and run your brush across a similar toned eyeshadow. Then press the shadow into the liner. This locks it in and stops the ‘migration’ effect. I also love how it tends to soften any hard lines. Finally, do carry a compact. I think women have lost the art of checking their face in a compact. It’s a beautiful feminine act of self-love to pull out that compact, reapply that lippy, lightly powder your nose and smile confidently, knowing your makeup looks fabulous!
When not creating addictive wearable shades and pretty packaging for her Cruelty Free Makeup Range, Melissa “Melli” Carter freelances as a makeup artist looking after some of Australia’s best-known faces in the TV and film industry. Her favourite thing to do is to share the ‘magic tricks’ she has collected over the last few decades with everyday women to bring out their confidence and natural beauty. Meet her at our exclusive Gorgeous Excuse events in 2020. Click here for more details.
HOME & LIFESTYLE
picture perfect
Seven tips for decorating your home with pictures
Nothing makes a home personal and pleasing like some good artwork or photos on the walls. It can complement your furniture, tell a story about you, bring some colour to the room or just cosy it up. So here are our top tips for putting pictures on your walls.
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If you rent or don’t want to commit to a nail hole, look into the self-adhesive options, which can be very good, especially for canvases that don’t weigh too much. I have to admit I haven’t had success with anything other than the Command brand, but there might be some others out there.
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If you have something really heavy, you will have to hammer in a nail in order to safely hang your picture. And you’ll want to make sure you hang it in a secure place. A stud wall is a timber frame behind your wall, holding it up, and it’s the most secure place to hang a picture from. You can find it by knocking on the wall or by using a stud-finder. You can get everything you need at your local hardware store, usually in a kit form. There are lots of how-tos on the web, e.g. here and here and here.
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Apparently, most of us hang our pictures too high. Experts recommend hanging so that the
middle of the picture is at eye level, and some give around 145cm as the magic number.
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Another tip is not to hang your picture in direct line with any doorframes or furniture, which can look awkward.
If you’re going to hang pictures in a group, or a “gallery”, remember that the magical number of 145 cm (from the floor) for the centre of the group. Keep the space between all the pictures equal.
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To keep your picture straight once it is on the wall, get some peel-andstick rubber dots and put them on the four corners, at the back, of your picture. They will give your art some stability.
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Similarly, felt dots at the corners on the back of your picture will protect your walls from scrapes.
WELLBEING
S
Yes,we can
Dr Natalie Flatt gives us the best tips on boosting our self-efficacy – the ability to believe in our own success and then achieve our goals.
elf-efficacy is your belief in your own ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task. Your sense of self-efficacy affects how you approach goals, tasks, and challenges. Consider the following ways in which you can boost your self-efficacy; leading to happiness, greater confidence and overall life satisfaction and success.
1. Master Those Small Tasks Focus on what’s immediately ahead of you. Setting small tasks will build your level of self-efficacy. This might be getting to the gym three mornings a week, spending more quality time with the kids, eating a super healthy meal once a day or arranging a cluttered room in the house to function better. Whatever you decide to do, make the tasks small. They’ll gradually build back the faith in yourself that you can achieve positive results. Creating a list of these tasks and crossing them off once you have finished is also a great way to see your achievements. 2. Peer Modelling Take a look at positive friends, family or colleagues and what they do every day. What are their personal successes and goals? What do they accomplish and how do they go about this? Ask questions about how they achieved what they needed to do and see if there are any strategies you can use. Observing how others succeed will be an important source of inspiration you can take with you into the
future. You can also follow those you admire/ mentors on websites such as LinkedIn and Instagram. 3. Create ‘Space inspiration’ The environment you surround yourself in each day can affect your mood, motivation and overall self-esteem. How does your office desk look? When you wake up in the morning, how do you feel about your kitchen bench/ bathroom/family room? You should have a positive space to go to every day where you feel relaxed, prepared and confident. Surround yourself with what makes you happy and inspired. Research has shown that de-cluttered spaces can make way for a better problemsolving mindset. Natural light is important, so make sure your space has plenty of it. Plants are a great way to boost the oxygen level to draw the excess carbon dioxide from the environment, resulting in a more energising space. 4. Become Your Own ‘Positive Psychologist’ Research supports the notion that positive selftalk leads to success, reduction in stress, higher confidence and an overall happier life.
Start noticing your self-talk. Is it more self-deprecating? If you constantly say “I can not”, you can easily convince yourself that this is true. Challenge each thought pattern and replace it with a positive statement. Write down those statements and stick them in conspicuous places to help maintain that mindset. Further, don’t forget to remind yourself to– • Acknowledge your accomplishments, no matter how small • Never compare yourself to other people • Tell yourself you are forgiven and allow yourself to move on • Give yourself grace when things get tough • Avoid those toxic people in your life who get you down and create negative thinking • Gather evidence of your successes each day in a journal before bed 5. Road Mapping your Future Goals A roadmap shows you a manageable route to the bigger win. How will you get there? Do you need extra assistance to get there (whether it be with a personal trainer, a dietician, extra education etc?). How will you go about that? Larger goals take time and with the right road map they can be achieved; step by step. These steps are super important to build your self-efficacy along with way. They will also provide you with the necessary skillset to find the confidence you need to fulfil your goals.
Dr Natalie Flatt is the co-founder of Connect Psych and Connect Wellness. She is passionate about wellness and support for all women. Dr Natalie is one of our wellbeing experts at our 2020 Gorgeous Excuse events. Check out the website for more information!
FASHION
Style Advice
We talk to Gorgeous Excuse’s resident stylist, Carolina Giraldo, founder of Carolina Lifestyle, for an insight into her best ideas for styling yourself like an expert this year.
Q. What is your number one tip for taking daytime work clothes to evening parties? A. Accessorising is the key. For work we wear more elegant and subtle clothing but at night you want a more eye-catching outfit. So convert your daytime outfit into evening wear by adding accessories such as jewellery, a metallic belt or a small evening clutch. A pop of colour is always a great idea. Q. What’s your advice for dressing to suit our body shape, be it curvaceous or slim? A. Know and love your body. Feeling confident is the key to looking great whatever your body shape.
A. For us this season it is all about the prints, bold and bright prints are a must. When choosing colours it is very important to consider your complexion. Choosing the right colour helps you look fresher and brighter. Q. Is there someone whose style you’ve always admired? A. Olivia Palermo – I love everything about her. She has a sophisticated chic style which embraces a fusion of timeless and classic looks, wherever she goes she always looks great!
Q. Are there any on-trend colours coming up this season that you particularly recommend?
Carolina Giraldo is the creative director of Carolina Lifestyle. She will be giving masterclasses in personal styling at various Gorgeous Excuse events throughout 2020, so watch out for her name for your chance to learn more about upping your styling game.
ENTERTAINMENT
Dreaming of Streaming Ready to cosy up and order in? Here are some bing-eable series worth looking into.
I am Not Okay With This (Netflix) This teen-horror-comedysupernatural fantasy, based on the comic book of the same name, was released on Netflix last month. The episodes are brief, making it perfect before-bed TV when you’re too tired to invest in something heavy and taxing (see Babylon Berlin, below). There are several nods to the Steven King classic, Carrie, as well as lots of 80s and 90s fare, so there is something there for the older viewer with a teen heart. Killing Eve (Stan) Fantastic cat-and-mouse show in which a psychopathic killer-for-hire wreaks havoc all over Europe (but in fabulous dresses) and a charming but nerdy detective attempts to hunt her down. This was written by the brilliant Phoebe Waller-Bridge (she of Fleabag fame) and it’s both funny and over the top. Eminently watchable. Catastrophe (Stan) Irish primary-school teacher Sharon has a week-long fling with a charming American business executive and after he returns home she finds out she’s pregnant. But they rather liked each other, so he moves back to London and they make a family together. This wonderful sitcom with big themes aired from 2015 until last year. It’s got an amazing cast and the coolest kooky wardrobe. Well worth a look if you haven’t already.
Babylon Berlin (Netflix) Set in the Weimar Republic on the eve of WWII, this crime thriller will utterly grip you. It is full of twists and turns, but it’s all in German so bring your specs. You’ll fall in love with the characters and become obsessed with the history. And, of course, the hats. Netflix has just released Season 3. Dogs (Netflix) You don’t have to be a dog-lover to enjoy this weird and wonderful documentary series, but it would definitely help. Each episode, though, really delves into the people who love dogs, whether they be a dog groomer in Japan, a fisherman in Italy, a young girl affected by severe epilepsy in the US or a dog rescuer in Costa Rica. It’s full of widely different, heart-warming stories. And lots of lovely dogs. Season Two is on its way.
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