The Sassy Minx » Beauty Queen

I want your Kiss….

Aimee — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 07:36:35 +0000

Today is July 6th, which is National Kissing Day! Now, I’m not usually one for celebrating random holidays, but I feel quite strongly about getting my smooch on, seeing as its one of my favourite things to do!

I have had many favourite kisses and I am sure you have had too-from the fiery, overwhelmingly passionate ones, to the slow movers that would make many a Mills and Boons novel, and I am sure you have, too. Here are some of my most memorable…

Teenage Kicks are hard to beat-Lancome Juicy Tubes, 14.00@ debenhams.com

When I was fourteen at a school disco, I snogged forty boys and rated each of them. Perhaps slightly evil, it gave me good stead for the future.

Stick 'em up-MAC Vegas Volt, 12.50 @maccosmetics.co.uk

Being crushed against a seafront railing with a reunion from my school days, with hands on top of mine like Rose in Titanic-which is one film I didn’t love-with the sea crashing behind me, the wind making my hair blow about. Sometimes the setting makes it more than it is!

My lipgloss is poppin' YSL style-Gloss Pur, 20.00@selfridges.com

When I went on a first date with the beau. I was really nervous and got through it by getting drunk on a dodgy cocktail and asking questions like ‘What is your favourite cheese?’ which luckily he found hilarious. He took my hand as he walked me home that starry night (and it really was), and it literally was movie star, as he moved slowly in for the kill like a gentleman. I still think about that kiss.

TLC comes in this three; Kiehls Lip balm, SPF 15, 12.00 @kiehls.co.uk

Finally, the endless kisses on my cheek and the hugs from my mum when I used to come home from Hong Kong. There is no comfort like a hug from a loved one.

Care to share about your most memorable smooch? Or your favourite lip salvation?

The Cherry Picked Pop Up Pamper Parlour

lisa — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:59:41 +0000

Minxes, you are going to LOVE this!

Nicola Carley is my new idol girl. She’s only worked 7 weeks in the past 9 months, so in a bid to create an income, she has set up the Cherry Picked Pop Up Pamper Parlour with only five pounds in her bank account, a bunch of fabulous friends and experience and skills gained through studies, travel and previous jobs…

The Cherry Picked Pop Up Pamper Parlour will give you the chance to get fruity for a cheap-but-most-definitely-chic pop up event at Anexo in Turnmill Street, London at 7.00pm on the 30th June 2010.

Describe the girl behind the label, Nicola Carley, in 5 words?
Feisty, alternative, arty, intelligent, romantic.

What is Cherry Picked Style exactly?
Cherry Picked Style is a mix of couture and culture, best served chilled. It’s about helping girls accentuate their best side without the pressure of feeling the need to look perfect every day. By the same token, I want to create an environment where women will feel comfortable showing off their best side. And by that I mean not only their looks but; their photography; their artwork; their writing; their producing etc.

I want Cherry Picked to showcase the best in female talent in a fun environment and to encourage female creativity. I’m not talking girl bands here. I want to create a platform for women who have something interesting and important to say. And maybe, now and then, we’ll let the boys in. Just for a peek. But we’ll see.

You’re planning an event on Wednesday 30th June – tell us all about it!
The Cherry Picked Pop Up Pamper Parlour? It’s a cheap, but most definitely chic, pop up event for girls and the aim is to make them feel like pampered princesses for an evening without spending a fortune. With the £11 ticket, they’ll get a glass of bubbly, a cupcake and clothes swap. So if your wardrobe is a little tired and your purse is exhausted, come along to the Cherry Picked clothes swap corner for a revamp.

Or, update your look by getting on the ‘pamper production line’ for a mini-makeover. You’ll have your make-up applied professionally, hair styled by London Fashion Week’s Sonya Howie and you’ll get pictures to take home at the end – all for only £50.

There’s also a mini market featuring clothes from FrockingFabulous.co.uk for those vintage fiends, handmade jewellery from Kei vs Ivy and accessories courtesy of Accessorise-me.com. We’ve also got a beauty boutique where girls can purchase a reflexology taster treatment for only a fiver or an Indian head massage. Julie at www.newvintage.co.uk has kindly loaned me some beautiful pieces to decorate the event and in all this heat, it’ll be a relief to have it set to the background of some cool and summery tracks from DJ KiRA.

There’s more info on my website: www.cherrypickedstyling.com and tickets can be purchased online here: http://www.eventsbot.com/events/eb831958006.

The first 20 people will get a goody bag which includes a bracelet from Kei vs Ivy, jewellery from Accessorise-me.com and more.

Your story is pretty awesome, Nicola – what made you set up Cherry Picked?
Having worked only 7 weeks in the past 9 months Cherry Picked was a bid to create an income and potentially, further down the line: jobs. I am setting up the Cherry Picked Pop Up Pamper Parlour with only; five pounds in my bank account, passion, the help of friends and experience and skills gained through studies, travel and previous jobs.

I was a PR until, one job after another found me struggling either with stress (which actually made me ill at one point) or trying to make myself fit – personality and looks wise – the organisations I worked for.

With a degree in English, five years experience in public relations working on accounts like Microsoft and the best part of a novel written under my belt, along with a good deal of creativity, you could wonder why this might be so. But the trouble is, I speak my mind, I’m direct and I have principles. If I see public money being wasted, unnecessarily for example, I find it difficult to ignore.

A part time role working for a local entrepreneur left me in an even worse position as he failed to keep appointments and became unavailable for weeks at a time. I was left without any income at all and effectively wasted two months when I could have been trying something else.

This has all forced me, like many others, to the point where, having received a number of emails which begin, “Thank you for your application but…” I had no other option but to try making money myself. I was so fed up. I felt let down and my cash had run down to the minus figures with no sign of anything in the pipeline. And so was born the Cherry Picked Pop Up Pamper Parlour. An amalgamation of all the things that I love; meeting people, making people feel good and have fun, all without necessarily spending a fortune. I did a makeover for a friend, which felt so great making her feel good about herself that I wanted to repeat the experience. I realised that clothes swapping was a great hook for getting people to an event and thought, how about making it easy for people to buy cool stuff from cool people, so I added the mini-market and so on. But I want to take it a few stages further.

I draw, write and paint myself but often feel alienated by the big institutions and the fact that I haven’t studied art. I thought, why not make it even more accessible than the affordable art fairs? So I have big plans for the company. I want it to become a brand that people associate with female talent and female fun. A brand that people will look to for great writers, photographers, artists etc. But I have to prove that I can make this event a success first.

Without the moral support of my friends and partner, I’m not sure I’d have the confidence to do this but right now, I feel excited and hopeful for the future. Needing to sell tickets to be able to pay my rent is one powerful motivator!

What songs would be on a Cherry Picked soundtrack?
Funny you should ask that as my partner – DJ KiRA – is putting something together for Cherry Picked and anyone coming to the event will get one to take home. Personally, I’d be a mish-mash as my music knowledge is somewhat narrower. I love everything from Audio Bully to Beach House and back to Drum n Bass but since you ask I would say, somewhere between, fun, emotive and female power:

Tinkerbells – produced by DJ KiRA. (he made it especially for me – unreleased as yet).
Do you want the truth or something beautiful – Paloma Faith
Kid Creme – Austin’s Groove – Fatboy Slim
Minor Swing – Belleruche
Resist - Kosheen
Pretty woman – Roy Orbison
The son of a preacher man - Dusty Springfield
Baby make your move – Dave Armstrong
Sway – Bic Runga

What’s your life motto?
It’s better to regret something you have done, than something you haven’t.

The Chery Picked Sassy List: .
Book: That’s a tough one given I was rarely without a book until the chase for cash began and I spent 3 years immersed in an English degree that spanned the aborigine through to Shakespeare. I think it would have to be A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth.
Album: Kicking the National Habit – Grand National
City: London. I just haven’t been anywhere that beats it. Though a trip to NY could change that.
Shop: this may be cheating but… Spitalfields Market.
Make-up brand: MAC
Hang-out: Tart Bar in Clerkenwell.

What’s next in the life o’ Miss Nicola?
To finish writing Who is Petite Nicole? And planning for the next event.

Go buy your ticket for the Cherry Picked Pop Up Pamper Parlour NOW! Tickets are £11 and include a glass of bubbly and a cupcake, courtesy of Cory’s Mum’s Cupcakes, you’d be nuts to miss it. Go to http://www.eventsbot.com/events/eb831958006 for tickets or email cherrypickedstyling@yahoo.co.uk or go to www.cherrypickedstyling.com

Hairfree, Carefree…

Aimee — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:06:28 +0000

Sometimes in life there are things that I wish I didn’t have to do.
Washing-up. Hoovering. Anything domesticated, actually. And shaving/waxing/plucking/epilating. Because both are never ending.

Now, I can’t save anyone from doing the cleaning. But hairfree and carefree, I can. The Lumenis Lighsheer Duet is a revolution in hair removal and can zap your hair away FOREVER in fifteen minutes and four-six sessions. It can be used anywhere-face, bikini, armpits or legs, and it is pain free, super safe (it has a chilltip which protects the top layer of your skin) and works on any skin tone. Talking of skin tone, they can also use their amazing IPL technology to zap thread veins, scars and acne so its all just a little bit magical.

With super star fans like Cameron Diaz, Britney, Salma Hayek, its the newest thing on the block in the world of beauty, and its not that expensive either!

Find out more at skinandhealth.com

Tootsie Sweet, Keeping Britain on Its Feet

Aimee — Wed, 26 May 2010 23:00:57 +0000

The sun is out, as are our pins and tootsies, as well as the film that usually pays homage to shoes in more than one way-SATC2. Now your feet may not be the prettiest things in the world, but a little bit of TLC and a good pair of shoes can work wonders, so here is the Sassy List, to make your plates of meat into right Bobby Dazzlers!!
PS;see down at the bottom, for Scholl’s competition that can win you and some friends, 1000 quidders!

Preparation is key, and every girl wants pins that are silky smooth and a joy to look at. I love the feeling when Ive moisturized my legs and slipped them under clean sheets, it makes me feel all fresh and seductive. I don’t need to tell you-I hope I don’t anyway-that a hairless leg is where you need to begin. Which brings in Nair’s Pretty Party Sparkle! With a tropical scent and glittery gel, this is for the utmost of girly-girls.

4.99 from Boots

Cracked Heels are a no-no and its always the first thing those pap lenses pick up when they are checking out Star’s shoes. Not only that, they are dry and sometimes painful, and in contrast, catch the sheets! Scholl’s Cracked Heel Repair, stimulates skin and rebuilds the cells. With clogs all the rage this summer, you’ll truly need it!

5.99, Scholl

For those of us with alabaster legs, Barbie-it up with the new Fake Bake Instant self tan mousse. Super light and fast drying, its easy too which is more suitable for those that rush out of the door in the morning-like me. Its also non-mess, unlike me, with no colour transfer and comes with gloves so you don’t get orange hands. Bonus.

Fake Bake from John Lewis, 24.00

Pretty toes are of course, a must. And with all the fabulous nail colour’s out there, its easy enough to achieve. But stronger nails are the best-and with the extra stress from holiday sand and sea, they usually take a bit of a hammering. I swear by Ruby and Millie’s crystal nail file(16.00 from Boots) to get them in shape, and Collection 2000 for the base and top coat-its cheap enough to change your colour every week, too!

2.99 from Boots/Superdrug

My favourite nail colours this summer, is Nails Inc; Kings of Neon range. A lotta brite, and a little pastel, its a good all rounder and can do all the trends from Romance to Jet-Set. At 22.00 for eight, its a sure-fire hit.

Maintainance;-Its no good prepping and polishing, if you aren’t going to maintain. And with these handy blaggers, it is possible to do in the minimum of time.
Remember those crusty heels we were talking about earlier? Make sure you banish the hard and dead with one side of this Alida foot file, smooth and polish with the other side. Changing your shoes from winter to summer is bound to change the soles of your feet, so this is a good all rounder.

Alida foot file, 9.99, victoriahealth.com

Slather on Soap and Glory’s Intensive foot cream, and slip on some cotton socks so you give them an intensive moisturizing treatment. Make your feet feel like a real silky stocking-those retro pictures of pin-ups in their bath with their pointed feet up?=YOURS.

Soap&Glory Heel Genius, 5.00, ASOS

It would be fair to say that Scholl are truly the feet specialists and I cannot praise their products enough for maintainance. My personal favourites are the clear blister stickers-which are AMAZING because they hide in my shoes neatly, but they also have a gel section which comforts the section of my heel that catches my new Nike Hi-Top sandals.

Clear Gel Blister plasters, 4.39, Scholl

As if they aren’t enough of a saviour, Scholl have also launched a competition ‘Keeping Britain on Its Feet’, searching for the nations hardest working heels. It could be a group of nurses, carers or teachers, and after a vote, they will not only win a pure pamper session from Scholl, they will also get 1000 hard cash. Find out more, here.

The best teachers never stop learning….

Aimee — Tue, 18 May 2010 07:00:38 +0000

They say that the best teachers never stop learning, and here, at The Sassy Minx, we love to find new things and have a go at them for ourselves. Whilst I’ve indulged in pole-dancing and cookery, and Lisa in tarot and hula-hooping, it’s fair to say, we are big fans of educating ourselves.

Here are our top tips for this springs uniquely fun and crafty salons…

Super Swingers and Fascinators…

We have mentioned Ruka@ Sugarlesque and What Katie Did, a few times on Sassy already, so we are quite excited that they’ve decided to team up on nipple-tassle and hat making classes at the Portobello Road boutique. Pastie swingers can learn how to embellish and create burlesque nipple covers for £30.00, and top-hat or fascinator lovers can go wild with feathers, ribbons and trimmings for £45.00. The classes on Sunday 6th June and Sunday 4th July, run from 12.30 to 5.30 and if you choose to go to both, they are available at the lower price of £65.00.

Find out more at www.whatkatiedid.com, or to book, email sugar@sugarlesque.com.

Neck-a-loada this…

We told you a few weeks ago, that one of our favourite jewellery makers, has shut its doors to the public, but this is still not stopping Leona Baker at Lady Luck Rules OK!, from sharing her wisdom with the world. From personalising glittery broken hearts, printed acrylic pendants, fuzzy wooden animals and learning about techniques that can be applied to not only jewellery, but clothing, stationary and homeware, her workshops promise to teach you about the beginnings of product making, like where to buy materials and sampling, to finishing and detailed production information. The three hour classes run on the 23rd, 25th May and 12th June at Superette, Off Brick Lane, in London and are only £25.00.

For more information, email; leona@ladyluckrulesok.com

Beauty-Queen…

Nadira Persaud AKA the Make-Up Mistress, has made up the faces of many: Jaime Winstone, Beverley Knight, Denise Van Outen to name a few, and has also created the make-up and hair for Agent Provocateur and various ELLE and Marie Claire shoots. Now she’s on-hand to offer her expert advice, with her Makeup Mistress Makeover.. Teaching you how to perfect your makeup, she will educate you how to get Lush luxurious Lashes, and show you how to achieve an instant face lift with her High Brow lift. Not only this, she will go through your makeup bag and show you what works-and doesn’t work, so you have star quality all the time.

Contact Nadira through her website;www.nadiramakeupmistress.com

Please Yourself…

Getting to know yourself is one of the most intimate and expressive things you can do, and those clever people at Coco De Mer in London, have formulated a whole range of erotic-based salons from Tricks to Please a Man, Spanking and our featured Please yourself, which is all about female masturbation. Rachel Foux is on hand to teach how to do this and show you how to make the most of your, uhm, potential. Apparently even the staff at Coco De Mer, who are highly experienced in the sexual arts, learned a lot from this lecture, so it’s surely saying something!
Find out more at Coco De Mer.

The Lipstick Queen: Poppy King

lisa — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 07:00:58 +0000

Poppy King is THE Lipstick Queen. Fact.

Starting her own lipstick brand just six months after leaving school, Poppy has finally given girls worldwide something fabulous to pout about. After falling head over Westwood heels in heart with her book, Lessons from a Lipstick Queen, I’ve been pestering her ever since to come share her minx-y lipstick secrets.

In the book, Poppy reveals how she managed to launch a multimillion-dollar business, extracting valuable lessons from the experience as she goes along. Through King’s example, you can learn how to become a real entrepreneur- from recognizing a good idea and finding financing. to marketing yourself and your brand, to approaching the media, and avoiding common pitfalls. In a world where everyone is looking to get ahead it’s essential to think like an entrepreneur. Much more than just a guide to success. Lessons of a Lipstick Queen is a candid adventure story designed to take you on a journey of self-discovery – it’s acecakes.

Poppy eventually gave in and embraced her Sassy Minx-y-ness – come share the lipstick love with us!

What is Lipstick Queen, why and how did you set it up, and what do you love most about it?
Lipstick Queen is my quirky and wonderful specialty brand of just lip products. I set it up because I don’t like the homogenised and formulised approach that the big companies take with lipstick and think women deserve more options and variations in textures. I set it up bit by bit by finding first the right factory to make what I was looking for and then finding the finance. What I love most about it is the women I meet through buying my lipsticks…my customers never cease to inspire me.

Can you tell us a bit about your daily routine – do you get involved in what actually goes into the products, do you have to be creative and business-like? What’s a typical day like for you?
I don’t really have a typical day, more like a typical week, that is most given weeks involve working with labs on new new products, working on general inquiries and email correspondence, promoting the product to the stores that sell my brand, promoting the products to the press and motivating my team. I am involved in every aspect in some way.

What’s your best beauty secret – care to share?
Smiling a lot. A smile makes you look beautiful inside and out.

What’s your favourite Lipstick Queen product and why?
I love them all but right now I am going through a real phase of loving my Fame Pop Art Lip Gloss in the shade 13 Minutes.

What do you love most about being a woman?
LIPSTICK! And the we are just the more interesting sex all round.

What’s your greatest achievement?
Bouncing back from all the disappointments that come along with forging your own way and to keep being inspired to create.

Your biggest life lesson?
There is never just ONE opportunity….keep looking.

Five must-have beauty items that you could not live without?
Shu Umera Eyelash Curler
Medieval Lipstick Queen tint
NARS orgasm blush
Toothpaste
Sunscreen

What five songs would be on a Lipstick Queen soundtrack?
Protection by Massive Attack
Stairway to Heaven by Led Zepplin
Lucky Star by Madonna
Electric Feel by MGMT
Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones

What’s your advice for being successful in the beauty industry?
Work on a cosmetic counter! That is where you really learn about the industry before you can do anything meaningful in it you have to know what the front line is like.

What have you learned about yourself since becoming a business woman?
That I am totally flawed and totally human and that is OK.

Who are your inspir-o-girls? Who kicks your ass? Makes you jump in the air happy?
Rosa Parks the Civil Rights fighter is someone I often think of.
I kick my own ass…I am an expert at being very hard on myself.
Dogs makes me jump in the air happy…just seeing one in the street warms my heart.

Is there anything you’d still like to conquer?
I don’t believe in conquering….I like just trying.
I would still like to try more and more to listen to my instinct and not talk over it.

The Lipstick Queen Sassy List: What’s your favourite…
Book: Anna Karenina
Food: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich!
Clothing label: Azzedine Alaia (can’t afford much of it but I love it!)
Make-up brand: Ah…..Lipstick Queen

Movie: Cabaret
Music: I am all over the place with this one. I have been told I have very un-hip music taste
City: New York City
Shop: Lyell ( a little store near me in New York that my friend also an Australian is the designer for)
Website: Google. It’s amazing!

What does the term Sassy Minx mean to you?
Confidence

Fin out more about Poppy and her awesomeness at: www.lipstickqueen.com

Prod Love: Mineral Veil

lisa — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:03:58 +0000

I am ALL about the pale.

I completely embrace my Kelly-O complexion and will never, ever be found without a parasol in the summer months, but it seems that it’s no longer just myself, Kelly O and Nicole Kidman flying the flag for pale, I don’t know whether it’s the British weather or the latest vampire trend – I’m Team Jacob, in case you were wondering – according to online beauty store Feelunique.com, sales of pale powders and foundations have soared by 200%.

“Porcelain skin is a classic, chic and glamorous look, but has long been shunned in favour of bronzed skin,” says Siobhan McDermott, head buyer at Feelunique.com. “It’s great to see that this trend is making women proud to be pale.” Get the look by dusting on the suits-all Bare Escentuals illuminating Veil, £19, at Bareescentuals.co.uk

Beauty Queen: Laura Rudoe – Evolve

lisa — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:08:36 +0000

Be prepared for serious life envy as I intro you to the awesomeness that is Laura Rudoe, the founder and driving force behind beauty range, evolve.

Laura, who has always had an interest in ethical and environmentally friendly business practices, is also passionate about food and wellbeing, and has worked extensively using alternative medicine and nutrition to improve her own health.

Inspired by natural superfoods, Laura’s deep appreciation for nature is at the centre of the evolve range; “nature is much smarter than we think. there are so many amazingly effective ingredients we have found derived from natural superfoods used for generations such as moringa, acai and argan as well as natural peptides. there is really no need for synthetics.”

See? Told you didn’t I?

Laura, what is it you do exactly?
I create ethical products that help people be a little better in their everyday lives. I look after my super cute 6 month old baby son Daniel. Those 2 things are keeping me quite busy right now so that’s about it.

What is evolve, why and how did you set it up, and what do you love most about it?
evolve is a range of fabulous organic beauty products packaged in recycled milk bottles. I created it to prove that eco products can be fabulous and desirable, without costing the earth. I developed it over the past 15 months, whilst I was pregnant with my first baby, Daniel. I launched it (somehow, not quite sure how I managed it) when he was 4 months old. What I love most about it is that people keep on telling me how much they like the products – it is really satisfying!

Can you tell us a bit about your daily routine – do you get involved in what actually goes into the products, do you have to be creative and business-like? What’s a typical day like for you?
The best thing about my job is that every day is different and that I can be both creative AND business like at the same time. One day I’m at a factory, another day pitching to John Lewis, another doing an interview for a magazine and then next I’m working in a store telling staff and customers about our products. I do actually get involved in what is in the products. I design them all and find the main ingredients. (These days that mostly involves calling up suppliers but I have been up the Amazon to look for ingredients too!) I then work with a UK based family run manufacturer who help me create the finished products and manufacture them.

What’s your best beauty secret – care to share?
Use as little as possible to avoid irritation! I only use 2 products on my face – our soap free gentle cleansing melt and our multi action single cream.
Also keep it natural as that is what the skin knows best – all of our products are edible as we knew if we made it good enough to eat it would be good for the skin. Most women use too many products and expose themselves to loads of chemicals every day that build up in their bodies.

What’s the secret to being beautiful?
Your skin is the biggest organ of the body and beautiful skin reflects inner health. We’ve made our products with superfoods but it is also really important to eat them as well as putting them on the skin. Eat them raw and as fresh as possible to maximise the goodness.

What’s your favourite evolve product and why?
Probably our multi action single cream – I use it morning and night as my daily moisturiser. I formulated it with anti aging peptides from coconut so I wouldn’t need to use another anti aging product and it smells divine – really creamy and coconutty. It leaves my skin matte and really smooth but not greasy.

What do you love most about being a woman?
Being a mother.

What’s your greatest achievement?
My wonderful son. He is such a lovely person and so smiley and happy. I’m so proud of any part I’ve played in that.

Your biggest life lesson?
Do what you love and you will be successful.

Five must-have beauty items that you could not live without?
evolve radiance boost smoothing cream. It really smells divine.
Organic pharmacy lip gloss – just like juicy tubes except natural. And when you eat most of what is on your lips that’s important!!
Clarisonic for gentle facial exfoliation
Sleep (though I’m doing my best right now!)
Love.

What five songs would be on an Evolve soundtrack?
Evolution – cinematic orchestra
Better things – massive attack
It’s only natural – crowded house
We can make it better – Kanye West
Nice work if you can get it – George Gershwin

What’s your advice for being successful in the beauty industry?
Really understand your market, test your products with real people, keep costs lean and get the product out there and then don’t be afraid to iterate towards perfection.

The Evolve Sassy List: What’s your favourite…
Book: I’m an avid reader so too many to choose from! I’m currently rereading “a new earth” by ekhart tolle
Food: Cherries – I’m a summer girl at heart.
Clothing label: I’m loving Whistles – partly because there is one in Hampstead close to my house and I’m lazy….
Make-up brand: Organic glam by the organic pharmacy
Movie: The age of stupid
Music: Gotan Project
City: London. I’ve lived in Boston and Sydney but London is home.
Shop: Content Beauty and Wellbeing in Marylebone.
Website: www.evolvebeauty.co.uk – where else!!

What does the term Sassy Minx mean to you?
A smart woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to use what she’s got.

Go buy dee-lish evolve prods at: www.evolvebeauty.co.uk and read their fabulous blog here

We heart Sugarlesque…

lisa — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:00:01 +0000

So, you know how us Sassy Minxes heart pretty, pretty lingerie? And you know how we dig all things Burlesque too? Well, the gorgeous Miss Ruka, creator-girl of Sugarlesque has combined our two big loves and damn, the result is pretty. Really pretty. So pretty in fact, they make out hearts do a li’l skippy thing – j’adore.

What is Sugarlesque exactly?
Sugarlesque is a lingerie label created by a girl who loves fancy and outrageous underwear for other girls who love fancy and outrageous underwear; with a few more practical pieces thrown in for good measure.

Describe the girl behind the label in 5 words…
Umm … creative, forgetful, indecisive, determined, … and the people around me would say I’m bossy, but I’m not sure I would agree !

How long has Sugarlesque been established and what made you set it up?
I started by making nipple tassels during my first year of university while I was doing a special FX make-up degree and they suddenly got really popular amongst friends and friends of friends, so I decided to set up a website to sell them; that was 2004. A couple of years later I decided I wanted to branch out into lingerie – nipple tassels are really more of an accessory and a novelty item – and so I started a course in bra and knicker making in Leyton. The teacher was amazing; really patient, but I get very bored very quickly, so although I didn’t finish the course I dedicated all of my spare time to teaching myself how to make lingerie. And then at the end of 2007, I decided to register my business and try and take it somewhere substantial – and here I am!

What’s your creative process like – how does Sugarlesque prods go from an idea in your head to items of total prettiliciousness?
I have a memory like a sieve, so as soon as I get an idea for an item I’ll sketch it down somewhere – anywhere ! it usually ends up as a doodle in the pages of my diary-planner or something. Then when I get back to my studio I’ll try and re-sketch it, add some colour and try to make it into a more practical design. Often, the lingerie designs I pluck from my head are so intricate that they would take 12 hours to sew and so aren’t exactly viable options to make and sell; so I try and simplify it if necessary. I’m constantly collecting bits of scrap fabric and trimmings and sparkly things when I’m out, so I’ve amassed a huge collection which I may use to try and make a quick mock-up, put that on a dummy and take a few pics and see what comes of it. From that I can usually scale the whole thing down to create a more practical design and then try and tie it in with whatever the latest collection is that I’m designing.

What’s your fave prod right now?
I have 2! The first is my giant Alice gingham hairbows – I wear these all the time and they’re so cute. I love big big hair accessories and I always feel like a doll when I wear them.

The second is the Duchess high waisted powermesh briefs – they’ve got a long story behind them ! When I was still designing the new collection I was discussing underwear with a friend who is a burlesque performer and pin-up model, Slinky Sparkles. She started telling me about the camera club girls of the 1940s and 1950s who would wear the standard high-waisted stretch mesh panties, but censorship law at the time dictated that they weren’t allowed to show their “bum-cleavage” (for want of a better word …). And so they would have strips of fabric or lines of crystals sewn along the back of their briefs to protect their modesty ! I thought this was a great idea and would look so elegant and unusual on a pair of modern briefs, so I designed the Duchess briefs; which have a black satin modesty panel at the back which leads up into a big heart just underneath the waistband. I love them, they’re so strange but really sexy.

Is it hard to be creative and business-y too?
Yes – very well, for me at least it’s a real struggle forcing myself to sit down and type out invoices or sort through receipts when I could be playing around with ribbons and elastic instead. But I’m getting much better at disciplining myself these days and my time management is definitely improving … slowly.

What do you love most about what you do?
I love creating a finished product from scratch, it’s a really satisfying feeling when you hold up a bra or a pair of knickers and it’s better than something you could go out and buy because you’ve made it to your own exact specifications. And what girl doesn’t love pretty underwear ? I personally think I’m becoming obsessed …

What’s your motto for life?
Nothing lasts forever – good or bad. Sometimes when you’re stuck in upsetting or stressful situations, it’s easy to lose perspective and think things will be like that forever, but life changes so fast. Same with positive situations, it’s so important to make the most out of good times while they last.

If Sugarlesque had a soundtrack what songs would be on it?
All I could do was cry – Etta James
My Boo – GhostTown DJs
Sunshower – Dr.Buzzard’s original savannah band
Slip & Slide – Big Ben & Wordsmith
April Fools – Aretha Franklin

What do you love most about being a girl?
Everything! I love dressing up in pretty clothes and curling my hair and doing my eyeliner and putting on big gold earrings – I like the fact that as a girl it’s so easy to be really girly one day and dress like a boy the next and no one really bats an eyelid.

Who are your style icons?
Dorothy Dandridge – so beautiful and graceful, Barbara Windsor – for the hair, I love big hair – bigger the better!  Immodesty Blaize – her costuming is so intricate and beautiful, she really understands the fairytale element audiences want to see onstage; I’d love to make her some underwear

If you could return to a specific era, what would you choose?
I think I’d go back to the late 1950s/early 1960s for the dresses and the hair!

The Sassy List – what’s your favourite…
Book: Dian Hanson’s The History of Men’s Magazines Vol.1, 2 and 3 – most interesting history books I’ve ever read, and it’s a collection compiled by a woman so its fascinating reading about men’s magazines from a female perspective.
Website: OhNoTheyDidnt – it’s a guilty pleasure, but im a gossip junkie
Movie: Carmen Jones starring Dorothy Dandridge & Harry Belafonte
City: Paris, although London is my home and I really really love it here
Hang out: Barnett Lawson trimmings in central London; not really a hangout but if they didn’t have closing hours I probably wouldn’t ever leave …
Food: Pancakes with maple syrup and sausages

What does the term Sassy Minx mean to you?
Someone fearless and not afraid to wield their own female power!

Go check out the Sugarlesque goodness right now at www.sugarlesque.com and come back tomorrow for your chance to win a made-to-measure pair of Sugarlesque Alice briefs – I know, we spoil you!

Five minutes with…Pearl Lowe

Aimee — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:55:34 +0000

Fellow Sassy Minxes, please join Miss Lisa and I as we smudge our eyeliner and smoulder, in homage to one of Britain’s multi-talented creatives, Pearl Lowe.

Pearl was the vocalist of Brit Pop bands Powder and Lodger in the nineties, is renowned for being the Queen of Lace – her homewares and dresses adorn Rock and Roll royalty and has been collaborating with Peacocks on a high street line of dee-lish prodz. She’s a mother of four, a writer, an ambassador for Action On Addiction, was a singer in the Britpop bands Powder and Ledger (as well as being wife to Mr Danny ‘Supergrass’ Goffey), and was briefly the face of Agent Provocateur – phew! With all this going on, it was great to be able to catch up with Pearl and talk to her about her collaboration with luxe lingerie label, Yes Master…

We adore the new pieces that you have designed for Yes Master because they are so decadently beautiful, was lingerie something you have wanted to do for a while?
Absolutely! I love beautiful underwear, so this is something I am incredibly excited about.

Who/what inspires you and why?
People like Vivienne Westwood, Anna Sui, Alice Temperley; basically women that are building empires in the fashion industry. Louise Brooks, the twenties film siren for her glamour and decadent looks.

What has been your proudest moment so far?
I am feeling rather proud of myself at the moment as I have this wonderful underwear collection coming out in the autumn, plus my own range and a vintage style book next year.

What 5 tracks would be on your soundtrack to life?
‘We’ve only just begun’ by The Carpenters
‘Asleep’ by The Smiths
‘Between the bars’ by Elliott Smith
‘I Wanna Be Adored’ by the Stone Roses
‘Happy house’ by Siouxsie and the Banshees

What are your must-have, can’t live without fashion and beauty items?
Repetto dance shoes
Vintage 1940s tea dresses
Coloured tights
Shu Umura pale foundation
Shu Umura red lipstick

What makes you laugh and want to swing from the chandeliers?
My daughter betty and her imaginary friend Zero.

What’s your life motto?
The past is dead, the future hasn’t happened, so one must live in the present.

Pearl’s Sassy List
Shop: Kokon to Zai
Book: “Ask and it’s given” by Esther and Jerry Hicks
Website/blog: Ebay
Hang-out: Babington house
City: New York
Must-have beauty item: doctor Seabagh products
TV prog: Desperate Housewives
Food: Japanese

The super-duper ones at Yes Master have let us have a sneak peek at the new collection which is available at www.figleaves.com, Urban Outfitters and one of my fave lingerie trousseau’s, Miss Lala in Covent Garden.

The collection, inspired by ‘The Silver Screen and Rock N Roll Dreams”, is an eclectic mix of prints and vibrancy and I’m in love with three pieces in the collection – Polka Dot Betty-which is massively pin-up, Dead Mans Ruin-mixing tattoo with girlish attitude and Belle Du Jour-a silky floral sensation will be sitting in my knicker drawer, because not only are they reasonably priced, they are made to fit my 34E’s too! I defy you not to fall in love……

For more information, please go to www.yes-master.co.uk