Thursday 5 May 2011

Its all in the brows....


As you know we have our own range of Mineral Makeup and you can have a Makeup workshop during your stay with us if you’d like. 
As a result of this we have to stay on top of current makeup trends and  "this seasons looks" for makeup and is all about the brows. 
As you know a well defined and shaped brow is the frame of the face and can even give the look of a "face lift" if done well.  We recommend having your brows shaped by those that specialise in this area – ensuring you make the most of your brow rather than lose it all together – waxing it to a pencil thin line is not the way you want to go.  The arch of your eyebrow should ideally be above the middle of your iris.  Use a pencil to determine where it should start and end – line the pencil straight up the side of your nose from the outside of the left nostril to establish where your left eyebrow should start and vice versa on the right.  Take the pencil at an angle from the same position on your nose to the outside of your eye to determine where it should finish. 
This year make sure they are thick rather than thin and wispy, if you need to thicken them out use a little mineral eyeshadow colour such as our "Truthful" ($20) and a really good brush such as our "Eyeline/Eyebrow" (usually $39.00, this week $29.00 when you buy a Truthful shadow with it).   This can also be a useful technique if you have “patchy” eyebrows like mine that you need to “infill” as it were,  or if your brows need a little more depth in colour and structure. 
Start by dipping your brush into the mineral powder then tap off onto the back of your hand – its better to go in several times with a little shadow rather than once with too much – you will get better at it as time progresses and start to recognize how much shadow you need to get the look you want.  The brush we use is a brilliant dense texture that allows you to create a perfect line or blend a little.  If you are a bit heavy handed simply use a tissue rubbed into the brow to remove excess.  More about what else you can do with this brush next time we do a makeup update.
Order your shadow online and just write in the notes if you would like a brush too or call us on 0412 884061 to order - happy eyes everyone !  

Sunday 20 March 2011

What's in a bed ?


Have you ever thought how many things it takes to make a good bed to stay in at the Majestic - we've had to think about it again in detail and its amazing just how many parts there are to it ….
There's a good bed in the right size for a start - at the Majestic a single simply isn't good enough - it has to be a King Single and a double certainly isn't (none of our cottages have those!) a queen is minimum and a king is a benefit so we have one of each of those and in fact our king singles can join to make a Superking - can you imagine finding linen for one of those !! Anyway....you've got the bed and of course its a good quality one for comfort and to last. Then there's the valance to cover the base - a simple frill won't do, we need a solid professional quilted number - so that came next, all the way from New Zealand – after what those poor souls are going through with the Earthquake in Christchurch right now it’s a nice to put a little back into their economy – sorry getting off the point…. we chose black for our modern and funky king singles room.
Right, moving onto the mattress - next is a mattress topper for added comfort, then a mattress protector with a cool cotton top. On top of that, crisp white professionally laundered sheets and pillowcases, then we need soft extra large king size pillows, a soft and warm yet light and fluffy quilt, a professional white quilt cover and a beautiful Sheridan coverlet for finesse. But it's still not done - now it needs a stylish designer cushion or two - a bed is naked without one these days,  and a perhaps a throw too in winter - and then finally I've found these gorgeous little boxes which have a blackboard on top so we can place a gift with a message on the bed or a note for our guests - it's those little touches we like to make to show our guests we care, that we enjoy what we do, that we want to make their stay a memorable and special one. So there you have it - that's what makes a great bed these days - amazing isn't it, who'd have thought one bed would have so many parts to it...

Thursday 3 March 2011

The Making of the Majestic & Lavender Cottage and Manor News


The Making of the Majestic & Cottage and Manor News

Lavender Majestic is a whole new concept in accommodation. The concept is it's your very own country estate for the weekend with an in house host that discreetly lives on the premises tending to fires, making beds, lighting candles in the evening, preparing meals as requested, booking restaurants and activities in the area, arranging you facial on site or simply helping out with the complex tv system.... Your host is your butler, concierge, housekeeper, and gardener all rolled into one. It simply means that whilst you have the privacy of the entire property to yourselves as a group you don't spend all weekend doing all the chores you do at home.

This blog is all about setting up the Lavender Majestic - the insights into what it is like to run such a business, the details of what care is taken and probably some amusing stories along the way too...we will also share the latest on Lavender Cottage and Manor to keep our clients up to date with what's happening - we know some of you regard them as your very own holiday house that we just happen to look after for you and we kind of like that, so we hope you like finding out what we get up to to keep them special for you over the year....