This is happening right now

I suggest you get onto it. Godspeed!

Interview: Kate Morris (Adore Beauty)

I am aware that just a couple of posts ago I was poking a little bit of fun at a very different kind of Kate; a waity, idle sort that made no discernible name or career for herself bar a few vague months as a buyer for a fashion chain, a 'job' that handily squeezed in around Swiss skiing trips and polo events. WELL. You know I like to mix things up around here, and today's Kate couldn't be more different. 

She is Kate Morris; Adore Beauty founder, retail pioneer, beauty maven, brilliant businesswoman and all-around nice person. I'm sure you're already more than familiar with Adore Beauty, and so you bloody should be. Over the past 11 years, Kate's business has forged a name for itself as a premier online beauty destination for Australian women needing a pretty fix. 

Adore Beauty launched at a time when the only things I thought the Internet contained were MSN Messenger, Amazon and ICQ. Well, well! Look how far we've come, people. Adore Beauty is pretty much an ol' stalwart of this cyber world, but doesn't she look good for her age? Clever, too. Personally, I feel the most affinity with the part of their business model that stipulates 'free chocolates and samples with orders'. Business is so awesome that Adore just moved to new, super duper, bigger premises so they can keep filling orders at lightning pace.

Kate's been nominated for the Instyle Women of Style Awards in the Beauty category, alongside Poppy King and Miranda Bond. There are nine categories all up and Instyle look to celebrate inspiring women that are trailblazers in their field. Um, hello? SHOO-IN. Gee, I hope Kerrie McCallum is reading this and taking note. The winners aren't announced until Wednesday but Kate, I have my fingers, toes, and all possible joints crossed for you. 

I was lucky enough to ask Kate some questions and even coerced her into playing Agony Aunt on here with some ripper beauty dilemmas....

the love of pink: Congratulations on your Instyle Women of Style awards nomination! What was your initial reaction when you heard?

Kate: Thank you! I was very flattered and surprised. Clearly they don’t know about the hot pink ugg boots I wear at home (ssshhhhh).

Tell me about Adore’s growth over the past 11 years.

Well, for the first four years or so I was home-based;  I started by myself in my bedroom, with only 2 brands and the stock stored under my bed.  From there I took over the garage (chilly in winter!), and then an actual spare room. In 2004 we moved to a proper business premises, and then took over more and more space, until today where I have 10 staff, 112 brands, and a 600m2 office/warehouse. 

Did you ever imagine Adore would grow into the success story that it is today?

Actually, yes.  I think most entrepreneurs start their businesses with complete belief in imminent success – that’s the only way you’d be able to stick at it.  I probably didn’t realise it would take 11 years though!

You were a pioneer in the online shopping world before many people even understood the concept. What made you believe women would buy beauty products over the Internet?

Well, I already knew from growing up as a beauty junkie in Tasmania that it was next to impossible to get hold of half the products I saw in magazines. And then when I moved to Melbourne and started working in department stores, I discovered that many city women found beauty counters to be quite intimidating, and that it was difficult for them to make good choices with the level of information available.  So I was pretty confident that through online shopping I could make beauty products more accessible and give women the power of choice.

The online shopping phenomenon has been causing much consternation to Australian bricks-and-mortar retailers. What do you think are the main reasons consumers are turning online?

From what our customers tell me:  convenience, more choice, better service and better information.  Unfortunately customer service in bricks-and-mortar stores seems to be pretty dire these days, so people are having to help themselves, and online is the easiest way to do that.

Do you feel threatened by overseas online retailers?

I think we’re moving into a new reality now, where national borders are becoming a thing of the past and we have to recognise that Australian businesses have to be globally competitive.

The thing that does concern me though is that many Australians are buying cosmetics from grey market sites overseas, without even being aware that the product they are buying is not from an authorised source. This puts them at risk of using a product that might be expired, or even fake – and they won’t have the protection of Australian consumer laws if something goes wrong.

The beauty industry seems very Sydney-centric at times. Have you ever thought it’s a challenge being in Melbourne?

The beauty media are very much Sydney-based, but there are plenty of great beauty companies in Melbourne – Aesop, Bloom, Apivita and KEVIN.MURPHY, just to name a few.   I don’t find it to be a disadvantage.

You stock some brilliant Melbourne-based brands like Bloom and Unico. What else, from a local perspective, is on the cards?

We’ve always got an eye out for great new up-and-coming local brands – not just Melbourne but Australia-wide.  As for what’s coming next? Well, that’d be telling... you’ll just have to stay tuned!

Adore makes a huge effort to boost its online presence across so many platforms – forums, beauty reviews, twitter, facebook. How important is it to have this extra interaction with your customers?

I think it’s absolutely essential to be listening to our customers with as many ears as we possibly can.  I always find it a bit odd when traditional bricks-and-mortar businesses don’t seem to want to know what their customers really think.  In my opinion, retail is ALL about the customer, so we’re dying to know what you guys think and what you’re interested in – however you want to tell us – tweets, phonecalls, Facebook, whatever!

We are still very much in web 2.0 and, looking back 10-15 years, it’s amazing to see how far the online space has come. What do you see for Adore in the long term?

Well here’s a scoop for you – we’re relaunching a brand new website very very soon! I can’t spill too many of the details, but expect to see more video, more reviews, and more ways to navigate our ever-growing product range.

Word on the grapevine is you are a mad foodie. As a favour to all Melbournians who read this blog (and, well, ME), do share your favourite spots to eat in Melbourne.

MoVida (in both its locations) is always great; as is Cumulus Inc – my little sister is an apprentice chef there, so naturally that adds to its awesomeness.  The pork belly sandwiches at Earl Canteen are hard to beat, as are the breakfasts at Mixed Business in Clifton Hill.

(theloveofpink note: tick, tick, tick. Head nods all around. The lady has magnificent taste!)

You are about to become a new mother. Come on, spill. How are you planning on juggling everything?

Well, I guess one of the perks of having your own business is that you can be pretty flexible with working arrangements.  I’m planning to take a few weeks off, and then after that I’ll see how I go with doing a bit from home, or maybe even taking the little one into work occasionally.  

You’re a self-confessed beauty junkie. You have access to - and a thorough knowledge of - the most glorious stable of brands. Solve these dilemmas:

-        Huge zit forming on chin. Big meeting tomorrow. What on earth should I do?

Don’t squeeze – you’ll just make it angry. Hit it with a hot water compress to try and draw out the evilness, then layer up a spot treatment (such as Alpha-H Clear Skin Blemish Control Gel or Clean Start by Dermalogica Hit the Spot) with an absorbing mask over the top (like Ole Henriksen Blemish Attack Purifying Mask). Leave the mask on overnight.

-        I find I have to wash my hair SO frequently. By the second day, it’s getting oily already. How can I turn this nasty pattern around?

The more you wash, the more oil you get, so it’s a self-perpetuating cycle.  Try and extend your washing cycle by an extra day with a dry shampoo (I like Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleaner).  Also, make sure you’re only using conditioner on the midlengths and ends of your hair.

That said, if your hair is very fine, there may not be a lot you can do.

-        At the end of a beautiful few days, my spray tan is parting ways with my skin in the ugliest manner. What on earth should I use to scrub myself a new one to get rid of those last remnants of colour?

I’d suggest a tan remover like the TAN-OFF mitt – this works wonders!  I suggest showering for a few minutes first just to soften up the dead skin cells, and then go nuts with the mitt – your old crusty tan will rub right off.

Be honest. What three products will never, ever leave your makeup bag? (This week, anyway.)

Oh dear... this is a Sophie’s Choice question for me! But I’ll try.  Right now I am loving Benefit Erase Paste undereye concealer, BECCA The Ultimate Mascara, and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser. 

Isn't she lovely? Am committing Kate's beauty-conundrum tips to memory - notice I didn't even say please solve them. The front of me, honestly. I hope you enjoyed Kate's interview half as much as I did. Can't wait to see the new site! x

Ita from the block

This woman is fascinating. Their relationship is fascinating, actually. I don't know what you'll be doing at 8:30 tonight but I for one will be glued to ABC1 to watch Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo. It better bloody be an awesome insight into Kerry and Ita and their ACP adventures because I am very fond of both of them and I hope they've been portrayed well. Oh hell, it'll be worth it just to see Rob Carlton play a young(ish) Kerry Packer! Fun fact: do you know I shared a lift once with Kerry Packer? I was but a young, green workie in the ACP building who nodded and made vague polite small talk, blithely unaware of just exactly who this friendly old man was.. until that moment of recognition hit after I exited the lift and I stood in the foyer whacking my head against the wall. You know, I read The Rise and Rise of Kerry Packer back before I started my journalism degree and I was always convinced I was going to be a fab media mogul just like ol' KP.

Back to his once right-hand woman, there was a stellar profile on Ita in one of the weekend mags last week. She is a trailblazer! The thing I find so wonderful about Cleo is that it's so very Australian and it's cheeky and naughty, and sure Cosmo had all that going for it as well and played the sexual liberation card well, but Cosmo will always be an international brand and who'd want to take all that glory away from Helen Gurley Brown? No matter what incarnations of Cleo pop up in NZ or Indonesia, it will always be firmly Australian in my heart and I know a lot of women in this country can say they grew up with it. Nothing can take away from the fact that it was a firm literary (cough) fixture of my teen years; those formative years when my mag obsession really began its chokehold on my wallet

So 'fess up. Who has a soft spot for Cleo? Who'll be watching this? Has anyone bought Ita's etiquette book yet? Who snickered a little bit at her etiquette rap? Yo, Ita from the block! Look, it may have been poorly executed but I really do feel there's something in that rap for everyone.

WAITY KATIE

Boy meets girl. Girl walks in uni fashion parade in a kinda skanky dress. 

Boy falls in love. Girl waits faithfully for him to put a ring on it. Boy locks it down (eventually). Girl makes friends with a decent brow pencil and makes her face look even prettier. It’s a modern day love story, y’all.

Kate Middleton's eyebrows are looking spectacular!

I'm so excited for the royal wedding. I'm not sure where my invitation is but I'll be sure to chase it up with my postie. Did you hear that Richie McCaw turned down his invite? The nerve. He could have talked bung noses with Zara's fiance. Did Kate Middleton really have a Dirty Dancing themed hen's day? BORRRRING.  I can't say I really love Katie that much - she's utterly vanilla and beiger than Julia Gillard - but I cannot resist the alluring OTT goodness of a royal shebang. Commoners lining the street to catch a glimpse. Long trains and oodles of glitzy jewels. Camilla dolled up to the nines. I really must start a royal countdown. Do you think there'll be commemorative tea towels? Until then, I suppose these Will'n'Katie paper dolls will have to do me...

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, BABY

Aren't reunions grand?

Is this awkward?

Not as awkward as this, I bet:

(I don't blame Diddy. Some days I look at photos of Anna and just want to give her a hug.)

ANYHOO. Thank you for still visiting my little corner of the internets. I know, there was a time there when I didn't ever think this blog would be resurrected, either.

So what am I doing here?

Well, I have actually thought about my blog a lot lately. It's kind of a bit presumptuous to assume that people would 'miss' me, a little bit cocky to assume that I should apologise for my absence, so let's not indulge any of that.

But I do miss the immediacy of blogging and I miss the interaction. Truth be told though, so much other life 'stuff' took over and the love of pink really took a backseat.

So what have I been up to? Well, so much, and yet in some ways, so little. Let me round up the last six months of my life:

I've been inadvertently matching my nails to my meals.

(This is a beetroot and goats cheese risotto at Tutto Bene. I love that place! Do yourself a favour and go. Memo to the girls I'm taking there this week – ORDER THIS.)

I've been pinkifying everything in my life. Don't be fooled, this may look red but I can assure you it is the hottest pink getting around. As if I could cope with a neutral-hued laptop?! (Actually, boyfriend is responsible for this pink goodness. Isn't it spectacular? Thanks darling x)

I've been planning a trip to the USA this year and in the name of research, have really been lapping up the Zagat NYC Shopping Guide and boning up on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

Camille Grammer is batshit crazy! I love her. My favourite moment of the season is when she talks about her Jesus complex. Also, if you're not using the phrase 'I'm 30% busier than the other girls' frequently, you should get onto it.

I have been larfing like nothing else when girlfriends send me photos of wine bars referencing my favourite Jersey Shore cast members.

LOLZ etc

I was unemployed, if only for a brief moment in time. Yup, lost my job back in October. Got a new one rather speedily, but gosh I loved those weeks of nothing. I spent a lot of time eating, watching daytime TV, napping, reading, shopping; you know, the usual. It was like I was back at uni again, but better. I did have plans to start a blog called HOT BROKE MESS but then paid employment came knocking and I bid farewell to long lunches, sleep-ins and afternoon siestas. It was lovely while it lasted.

It sounds very clichéd and life-coachy but redundancy was the best possible thing that could have happened to me. It was the first time since I was 14 that I found myself without a job and it was exhilarating. Redundancy – it's code for Good Times! Anyway, the one big difference between my new workplace and my old is that the deadlines are completely different and hot diggity, I am werking it. There's no quiet periods, there's no catching up on blogs, cyber-speaking I am pretty much in Cyberia. (Get it?! Too much? Really? Rack off.) I am still writing, just in a very different field, and I love my job. I am a firm believer in most things happening for a reason and I feel very lucky that things panned out super duper for me. Popcorn demolished, choc-tops savoured, end corny spiel NOW.

So, things I love about my new job:

People wear shoes. All the time.

My office is awesome.

My co-workers don't eschew the proper enunciation of vowels.

It's very professional.

I have new lunch options to explore.

Things I miss about my old job:

My big shiny Mac.

Lunch dates.

That is all.

So what is the point of this post? Well, for one, I wanted to say that if you made it to here, you deserve a medal for sitting through my self-indulgent tripe without hurling your mouse through your computer screen. Secondly, you seem to like me (hi Mum) and visit me and I am very grateful for that and I do hope we can hang out more on my little site. If you don't like me, troll protocol would dictate that instead of closing the browser and forgetting about me, you should leave a cowardly, snarky comment right about NOW, so I look forward to reading it.

Thirdly, I've completely forgotten what I was trying to say but it goes a little something like this - I don't know what I want to do with my blog, but I think it will be something different. I am a little bit over bloggers espousing 'I love writing! This is why I love blogging!' because at the end of the day, the majority of blog posts are a heap of lovely images slapped together with some joining words and life commentary. That's not to say I don't read some blogs with beautiful prose and talented writers behind it. That's not to say I don't LOVE blogs that offer a snapshot of someone's life. Hello, I am the nosiest person in the world! I am not attacking anyone in any way – you'd be surprised how little I actually care about what other people do on the internets – but I don't really consider this blog a professional extension of my life. I write for a living, I am very lucky to do so, but I have always wanted this blog to be something fun. Here, I use words like homegirl and SRSLY and y'all and shitballs. I leave typos in and I write how I talk, that is, epic sentences and excessive punctuation. I created the love of pink when I was desperately bored in an unsatisfying job and needed something fun to combat the dull editorial I churned out there. Also, MOST IMPORTANTLY…  I love the sound of my own voice (or the patter of my own keyboard abuse).

I am aware that I have posted spiels like this before – what am I doing with this blog, I've been AWOL please forgive, not sure what I want to do with this site, blah blah blah. The thing is! When I started this site, I didn't know what it was going to be like. I didn't even make a real blog header! It grew organically and at no point have I ever attempted to plan or adopt any kind of editorial direction, and at times that has meant I just simply lost interest in my little pink blog. I have been VERY grateful along the way for opportunities it afforded me and I treasure my very lovely mob of commenters and readers. Even the anonymous nasties! Bless you and your agendas. I don't know if I will post regularly here; I'm torn as to whether or not I should direct that time into my freelancing efforts. I am deeply passionate about magazines and should be making more of an effort to wriggle my name into more of those glossy titles I worship so. I thought about creating a folio-type site in my real name and adding content to that, but writing blog posts about Lilo's splotchy fake tan and Anna's steely glare is SO much more fun, you guys!

I love 365 photo blog sites so perhaps I will start posting little insights into my day. These are still the most interesting blogs I read, because I have a morbid curiosity about how other people live, eat, dress and think. I still love beauty products and the way a new lipgloss can magically zap my sourest of moods, and the way a pretty new polish can put a skip in my step. Admittedly, I do feel a bit bad picking on Lilo while she's so rock-bottom right now, but I still adore the ancient art of poking fun at tinseltown's finest (cough). So I hope you'll have me back in your browser, back in your RSS feed, back in your inbox, back in your life etc etc. Let's see where this goes. We're not breaking up. But let's not rush into anything. Let's just take it slow. xx

SUPER EXCITING TREMENDOUS CLICK HERE OMG AMAZING

In case you can't tell, I am feeling a leeeetle bit like my pal LC over here. (Minus the SoCal tan and drink in hand.)

You may already be familiar with the US/Canadian version of rougemag.com, and now we Australians (represent!) have our very own rougemag.com.au to keep us up to date with the important things in life - beauty tips, interviews, how-tos etc. You'll find expert advice from the likes of Melissa Hoyer and Barney Martin (you know how I feel about Barney!), competitions, and a lot of generally fun stuff that I like to browse through on the interwebz and I bet you do too.


To celebrate their launch, they have very generously offered up a stellar competition for a Golden Door weekend escape for two people and quite frankly, if you DON'T enter this, Imma call it as I see it and label you a fool.


The Golden Door is a luxurious health retreat nestled in the beautiful Gold Coast hinterland (the Gold Coast is not all tandoori tans and Indy cars, people) that, direct quote time...


'combines relaxation, spa treatments, activities, health education seminars and delicious healthy cuisine'


HELLO SIGN ME UP.


What you could win
three nights accommodation for two people
airport transfers
a spa treatment for two, worth $400
return flights from your nearest capital city


How you can get onto this STAT
Click the button below, or the one to the right (yes I am letting a clashing red-hued button live on my little pink blog for awhile because the cause is EPIC good), or on the banner below


Why you should take me if you win
Far too many excellent reasons


Things you should know
If you win, I will be ridiculously jealous


In case you are wondering
No I am not being paid to promote this!


I'm not sure why you're still reading this, because if I were you, I would have already headed over to Rouge to enter. okay BYE. x

The only kind of physical exercise I will endorse

RUNNING IN HEELS - NOT JUST A BAD REALITY SHOW

(I couldn't resist.)


This is seriously the cutest, daftest thing I have seen all week. So I generally hate going to the gym, and it is ridiculously funny to watch me try to run, but running in stilettos? With the harbour as my backdrop? For a good cause? Pink SHORTS? I would be all over this like white (brown) on rice. I'm a little bit envious that Sydney gets this - you guys already have miss chu and Zumbo macarons and high tea at the Victoria Room. Enough is enough!


Sydney girls (wistful sigh), the Venus Embrace Closest Stiletto Relay is being held on the 28th September to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This is not only a cracker cause, but a Guiness World Record attempt for the first ever 4 x 100m stiletto relay. Nuts! Crazy! Surely that can't be kind on the joints. Moving on...


You need...


4 runners per team
Stilettos to run in, minimum 3 inches
Smooth pins with which you'll be shimmying into your FREE pink shorts (!!)
To be 18 years or over
An ability to laugh at yourself really would not go astray, I feel


You could score...


$10,000 in cash for the winners
Peep Toe shoes for runners up
A goodie bag for every participant (including pink shorts and a Venus Embrace razor)
Prize packs
Giveaways
A donation to a very worthy cause - you don't need to worry your pretty little head about sourcing donations etc, Venus Embrace will make a donation in your name just for entering. Go you! Go Venus Embrace!


Did I mention the pink shorts? (I may need to get over this.)

Erin McNaught will be checking heel height and leg smoothness prior to each race on the day. I'm not too sure how I would feel about her touching my legs, but I think boyfriend would LOVE to enter this (shame).


Important deets

To register for the event and to view T&C's (boring), head to 30daysoffashionandbeauty.com.au, as the relay is being held as part of ACP's 30 Days of Fashion and Beauty.


Registration will commence from 8am on the day, Tuesday 28th September, at the Overseas Passenger Terminal. I would highly recommend a soothing cocktail at Cafe Sydney afterwards so you can re-hydrate and rest your tortured legs, but that's just me...


Have fun and good luck! If you compete, please please pretty please report back. x

ME ME ME

Also, because I love the sound of my own voice, or the sound of my own hands banging on the keyboard, I did a guest post over at The Lip Print. Not surprisingly, I'm talking about myself, hair and celebs. And there lie my hobbies and interests, really... kthnxbai.

You only have one set, so you may as well look after them

So it's meant to be the first day of spring today, right, and last night I slept with three doonas on. WHAT GIVES? Pull your socks up, Melbourne weather. It's been a long and relentless cold this winter, no? If you're not careful, this biting, bitter cold will rob your body and hair of all moisture and leave your skin flaky and needy, and your hands dry and shrivelled like a prune.

I'm here to tell you NOT TO STAND FOR THAT. People see your hands first and you want to put a good impression forward. I have a serious weakness for hand creams and I'm always on the prowl for a new saviour. These are my favourite hand creams in the whole entire world...

Clarins hand and nail treatment cream, $40 on counters and from Adore Beauty

I have been thrashing this cream since I got it. It is absolutely perfect for me - it's thick, non-greasy, smells divine (on that note, I love the Clarins plant love and the respect they have for their botanical ingredients) and the tube lasts you for ages. I fly through hand creams because I'm always applying them, but this has been going strong for a few months now. That's gotta be some kind of record for me. I'm sad to see this finish up but I will definitely be purchasing a replacement - yes, it seems pricey but it is incredibly reasonable for what you get out of it. It's a good-sized tube.

Aveda hand relief, $14.95 (40ml) and $44.95 (125ml)

I have always sort of skipped over Aveda products, I never really paid them much attention. Well guess what? I was DELUDED and FOOLISH to ignore their wiles for so long. I was given this hand cream as a gift and it is several kinds of divine. It's luscious and hydrating and smells amazing and it made me so happy. Sadly it's run out but I will be repurchasing it soon.

L'annine citrus hand cream, $22.95 from Kit

I didn't really believe the Kit girl when she told me this was lovely, I bought it for the smell alone but wasn't sure it would be much chop, seeing as I hadn't heard of the brand before. I am surprised I don't hear more about this little pocket rocket of hydration! The smell is awesome (zingy!) and also comes in avocado (I'm a bit mixed on that), mango (YUM) and a lovely jasmine. It's not a heavy duty, slather your paws in goo, thick cream but it's perfect to keep on my desk and the texture reminds me of the Aveda one I mentioned above. Hydration salvation to the MAX.

L'occitane rosebud shea butter hand cream, $16.95 (limited edition)

Can someone please clarify for me whether this rosebud one is here to stay? It was a small 30ml size I bought while shopping with a girlfriend who loves the original shea butter hand cream. This, THIS my friends, is thick and nourishing and feels like a big hearty, soothing serving of carbs for the soul. Perfect before bedtime!

Jurlique jasmine hand cream, $27 (40ml) and $55 (125ml) from Adore Beauty

This is absolutely luscious and I am going to always purchase this one for gifts! The smell is amazing and my fav Jurlique scent so far. It's thick without being heavy, nourishing without being greasy, YOU KNOW THE DRILL. The Rose is also lovely but this is my faaaav. It's not an overpowering smell, either.


So. What is your favourite hand cream?

Did you know my favourite lip brand Lanolips has brought out a rose hand cream? It's definitely next on my list to try. Have you tried? Yay? Nay? Better things to do with your time than yap about hand creams? Orright.

Dear Kimmy...

2005 called. They want their grecian look back.