Beauty Solution: Dry Nails

I do not often wear nail polish, I find it always chips quite quickly, and end up taking it off a couple of days later, because I feel it looks too messy.  However, I do like to looked groomed, and healthy strong nails are essential to this.  

I wash my hands a fair bit; probably a bit too much, and get really dry cuticles and nails.  Then when they are dry, they get weak and break.  I do tend to slap on the hand cream a lot, but I needed extra help.  This is where these two products came in...  

Dr Bronner's Magic Organic Body Balm - Orange Lavender

Despite the name, I definitely would not use this as a body balm.  I guess you could put it on really dry elbows and knees, but I suspect it would be uncomfortably sticky.  But for nails, it's great!  It can be quite greasy, particularly during the hot weather, but you really only need a tiny amount, and it is a good one to put on just before you go to bed.  As a bonus the Orange Lavender has quite a relaxing, herbal-y smell.  

The Body Shop Almond Nail and Cuticle Oil

This product has quite a nifty brush applicator.  The product itself, is quite thick, and does not tend to slip everywhere, even after being on warm hands for a while.  I think the thick texture is useful in that it holds the product against the nail for longer, letting the almond oil do its work.  However, I would not recommend it as a before bed product.  While the Body Balm can be rubbed into the nails, I think this stuff would just come off on your sheets.  However, it is great if you are, say, sitting and watching TV, reading a book, or typing.  

I have been using both these products for over a month now and my nails are in the best condition they have been in a long time.  Highly recommend!

Book (Play) Review: Miss Julie, August Strindberg

This play takes only a couple of hours to read, but if you are anything like me, your mind will be turning it over for weeks to come. 

I stumbled across the trailer for its latest incarnation, starring Jessica Chastain in the title role.  Thinking it felt familiar, I did further research and realised that I had seen an earlier adaptation years before, starring a luminous Saffron Burrows as Julie.  Upon further research I found a 1987 adaption featuring Janet McTeer, and even a post-war re-interpretation with Geraldine Somerville.  And these are just some of the English language performances of this play.  I watched all these versions (and will no doubt see the Jessica Chastain version when it hits Australian cinemas).  I realise this may seem somewhat obsessive.  Perhaps it was.  I can attribute this obsession party to too much free time (uni student on holidays), but in fact, it is also partly the nature of the work.  Even after watching all these versions, as well as reading the original play, I still find myself wondering about the relationship between Julie and Jean, specifically about the various power plays at work. 

The action takes place over the course of one Swedish Midsummer evening.  Miss Julie is the lady of the house; the only one left upstairs after her father has gone to celebrate the evening elsewhere.  Jean, the valet, and his fiancé Christine, the cook, are the only staff left downstairs in the kitchen.  The raucous celebrations of the other staff take place elsewhere; their cheers and drunken singing sometimes heard off in the distance, like the menacing rumble of distant thunder.

Miss Julie ventures downstairs. 

What happens between Julie and Jean?  Is it a class war?  A gender war?  A love story?  In this late nineteenth century Swedish society, who is at a greater disadvantage?  A patrician woman or a plebian man?  When both fall, who will rise again? 

All the more interesting is watching the different incarnations in the play.  It was interesting to see how differently directors could interpret, essentially the same script.  Some versions seemed like a colourless translation, while others had the rhythm of poetry. 

I think I found the Saffron Burrows version the most interesting and nuanced, both for its directing, and for the insanely strong performances from Ms Burrows and Peter Mullan.  I also think I had better access the Julie’s inner life through Ms Burrows, rather than being baffled and irritated by Julie’s sometimes seemingly irrational behaviour.  She has strength and intelligence, but she has been hot-housed for so long, she has no idea how to direct any of that energy.    

Both characters seem to have slipped their moorings as they ricochet between desire, disgust and desperation with dizzying speed.  In some versions I went with them on that rollercoaster; felt, even if I didn’t understand, the bewilderment.  Other versions seemed flatter; Julie was spoilt and capricious, while Jean was a vicious and ruthless social climber, discarding Julie when she became neither use nor ornament.  All these things are true, but not only these things.     

I think these questions are best left open, rather than neatly resolved.  The play is more of a question than an answer.  I will certainly be reading more Strindberg in future. 

Book Review: Before I Go to Sleep, S. J. Watson

I went through this book like a hot knife through butter.  Seriously.  I am not a particularly fast reader, and I read this in 3 days.  

Christine wakes every morning with no idea of where she is, who the man sleeping next to her is, or even her age.  Christine is an amnesiac and every night her brain wipes any memory she formed that day.  

I don't want to say too much.  The author drip feeds information to the reader, so that he/she is left to gradually piece together what has happened, mirroring Christine's own painful detective process.  

Ok, perhaps it may not count as great literature.  And there were some occasions where I felt the difficulty of a male author writing from a female perspective.  But is was definitely entertaining.

Will I go to see the film?  Perhaps.  If I do, I will have to make sure that I do not ask for too much.  I have noticed from the trailer that they have made some changes that may irk me.  While in the book Christine is 47, they have Nicole Kidman playing Christine as closer to 35.  Nicole Kidman, beautiful and talented, is closer to Christine's 'real age' anyway.  Why should both actress and audience be forced to go through this charade?  Is it so inconceivable that an audience can maintain sympathy with, and interest in, a woman over 40?  They have also inexplicably doubled the Doctor's age.  Perhaps again, the filmmakers felt that no one would want to watch a 20 something man interact with a 40+ year old woman for any length of time.  

Perhaps I might wait for the DVD.  

But please don't let my mini rant deter you from the book.  This is a taught thriller; you feel keenly for Christine in such a desperate and vulnerable situation.  With only a limited number of sources from which to piece together her lost years, what confidence can she have that she is getting a clear picture?  Are those sources even reliable?  And what will happen tomorrow?  

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and will definitely be reading S J Watson's second novel Second Life when it comes out later this year.           

Film Review: The Overeater (2003)

I first stumbled across this film on late night TV a few years ago, and so was happy to see it on SBS demand recently.  

Set in a picturesque harbour-side town in France, the scenery was enough to grab my attention.  Add to that mouth-watering scenes of French cuisine, and I was happily entertained for the duration.

Basically it is a nice movie.  The summary online refers to it as 'crime', but really it is quite a novel re-interpretation of Beauty and the Beast.

I felt that the attitude towards food was uniquely French too.  While gorging on food, filling an emotional need, made the reclusive police detective the 'beast', his healing did not involve salad, rice thins and deprivation (although his drawer of Mars bars gave way to a draw of mineral water).  Stuffed Zucchini was still on the menu; he just ate less frequently, and always with a companion.  

I found the detective quite likeable as well.  He was brusque, but seemingly well liked and respected by his colleagues.  He was someone you could root for; you were genuinely pleased when he started to get his life in shape.  

All in all, I enjoyed this film, and would recommend it to anyone who likes French film, has a spare couple of hours, and is kind of curious about what a Twenty First Century Beauty and the Beast might look like.   

 

Brand Discovery: Faith in Nature

I first heard about his brand from Deliciously Ella.  Ella has never steered me wrong - recipes or beauty, so was keen to try.

I purchased Coconut Body Wash and Rosemary Conditioner.  Wow!  Love!  Both products smell exactly as described; not over powering or synthetic.  The Rosemary Conditioner smells of genuine, pure rosemary oil, and leaves my hair shiny and healthy looking.  And the Coconut Body Wash does not smell like a tropical island, just gently Coconut-y.

I have been using both products for a couple of weeks now, and look forward to using both each morning.  As soon as my current shampoo runs out - Rosemary Shampoo - I'm coming for you.

So, to sum up, thanks Ella and thanks Faith in Nature!! 

Product Review: Estelle & Thild All-in-One Tinted Moisturizer

So, I will level with you - it has been a long time since I have used a tinted moisturiser.  For several years in my late teens, I used Clinique tinted sunblocks, and, honestly, not quite sure why I stopped.  They were lovely products.  But stop I did (although always wore a face sunblock - an essential in Australia!).  

Another hesitation I had was the price - $71.00!  When I visited Sephora, initially in search of a BB cream, the very helpful Sales Assistant provided me with a sample of this product, along with several other BB and CC creams.  

I'll admit, the price made me hesitate, and I did not want to like it as much as I did, but it was amazing!  It was by far, my favourite of all the samples I received and I knew I had to get it.  

I am not a fan of the heavy tint look, and would rather wear no foundation than one which looked OBVIOUSLY like foundation.  I would definitely call this light coverage; it blends straight in (I just use finger tips) and evens out the skin - it's your skin but slightly better.  

It also contains hyaluronic acid which keeps my skin moisturised, by without creating an oil slick.  As advised by the Estelle and Thild rep in Sephora, I apply this straight after my toner, and before my sunblock (this product has no SPF so you will need some other sun protection).  

And a note on the price.  I did initially hesitate at the price tag.  However, a little goes a LONG way, so there is definitely value for money.  This, combined with my all round love for he product, means that I am sure this will become a staple.  

Have you guys tried this product?  Or others by Estelle and Thild?  What do you think?  

    

Welcome the Lily Likes

Welcome to Lily Likes.  As you can probably tell, I am new to the world of blogging.  On Lily Likes, I plan to share with you some of the things that make my day that much brighter - for example food.  I love to eat!  I am allergic to gluten, so my recipes will all be gluten free.  I love a good farmers market, and  try to keep it a bit healthy, but also, you have to like a little right?  My other bright spots include film, books and skin care.  

So that's the plan anyway, but am constantly finding new interests, so who know where this can go?