Here Comes the Sun...dermalogica

On Tuesday I attended the launch ( or rather the re-launch) for the new improved daylight defense system from dermalogica.

For those of you that do not know...this will be my new office from 03 September. I am joining the dermalogica KZN tribe to be an educator.
This is a dream come true for me and I am sure it will live up to all my expectations.

Picture from the dermalogica website

The launch was informative, interesting and full of awesome facts, new product technology and in true dermalogica style - a product for each of us to take home.
I managed to get the super sensitive shield SPF 30 and I am in LOVE with the product ( what else can you expect?) after just one application.

Something that really hit home for me and I want to share with you; is the clip that was played to us before the talks began.
Being someone who is fair skinned, ginger haired and skin cancer prone; this clip really made me think and become more aware and I want to share it with as many people as possible!

Please can I ask you to do the same? Tweet it, facebook it, blog it and share it.
You may think now that it won't happen to you...but what if it happens to one of your loved ones?

Look out for information on the new improved daylight defense system by dermalogica here
Information should be coming onto the website in the next month or so so keep checking the website.

Please also have a look here for more information on the "dear 16 year old me" campaign.

Wear sunscreen. Everyday.

LaurenLeigh cc

Andre Rieu live in concert

Picture courtesy of the official Andre Rieu website

Last night we were lucky enough to recieve complimentary tickets to Andre Rieu at the ICC in Durban ( and 8 rows from the front...eeek!)
This was very last minute but as tired as we were; we HAD to go.

Just this last weekend we went up to Lesotho for the boyfriends birthday and on our 4x4 tour, we shared the vehicle with a dutch couple who told us that Andre Rieu was the best Dutch export they had.
So after hearing this and then being offered tickets, how could we refuse?

He was entertaining, had the audience spellbound and took classical music and opera to a completely new level.
Performing with the Sowetan Gospel Choir and a full orchestra, Andre played for a good 2.5 hours and had the crowds begging for more.

I think it is so important to open our eyes to other experiences and elightenments. Try new things, experiment and live a little bit out of your comfort zone.

This show is recommended to all ages and my favourite part of the show was probably when he played the waltz ( sorry I can't remember the name) and all the elderly folk got up and danced together. I hope I can still be doing this kind of thing when I am that age.

Live a little!
What have you done recently out of your comfort zone?

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Linkin park

Linkin Park in South Africa in November! Cape Town and JHB.
Pre sale ticket are on sale today and official bookings open Thursday 26 July and Friday 27 July.

If they your thing...best you start saving. Tickets range from R690 to R315.

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Fundraiser for Layla

I came across this information on this beautiful little girl and how Spotlight productions are trying to raise money for her surgeries and I had to share with as many people as I could so that hopefully some of you would try and support a good cause.

Spotlight Productions is a non-profit theatre company that was started by two ladies who both have full time careers but their mutual love for the theatre and performing lead them to open this company that can help raise funds for various charities by producing and performing shows.

Layla was born with Hemi Facial Microsomia. This means that one side of her skull did not develop properly. This is not something that Layla's mom did through her pregnancy or any hereditary condition - during her 7th week of growth some of the cells split and one group developed faster than the other.

Layla also has no hearing on her left side and currently needs a new type of hearing aid devise which will cost between R26 000 to R45 0000!!
On top of this Layla still needs to undergo the following procedures;

* jaw bone - this needs to be repeated 3 more times
* remove and replace fatty tissue
 * ear reconstructions - another 3 to 5 operations
* BAHA transmitter ( new type of hearing aid devise above) to be implanted

The show is running from the 18th - 21st July and tickets are only R80.
Please see details above on how to get tickets through Kirsten on 0794292898

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i heart market

i heart market time this weekend.
Probably my most exciting start to a month and my sister and mom are coming with me to market. A good morning of girly fun and markets.

Picture from iheartmarket.blogspot.com

Hope to see you there!

Laurenleigh cc

Whole food Night Market

Tomorrow is the first Thursday of the month which means its the Whole Food Night market.
I have unfortunately missed quite a few of these but tomorrow night is market night and ladies night with friends.
This month they have chosen a venue with a twist...a street market in Oldham Road Stamfordhill.

The market runs from 6pm - 10pm and the market will be full of treats, wholesome foods, delicatessens to take home and live music.
Entry is free and its a wonderful social event for the entire family.

For more Details visit Whatson website
What else can you do on a Thursday evening?

Laurenleigh cc

Kelsey Rose Hair Design

Picture taken by Debbie Jean Malton Pictures

I think I must be THE worst client for a hairdresser. Well, I used to be.
I would go and have my hair cut or coloured or "trimmed", leave the salon, get home and then burst into tears because I hated what the hairdresser had done to my hair.
I would then return the next day and ask them to fix it.
This happened every time I went to my hairdresser that eventually I started trying different hairdressers out.

Luckily for me, my cousin Kelsey decided to become a hairdresser. With her humble, patient and professional personality she has now made me putty in her hands and somehow I trust her COMPLETELY with my hair.

Kelsey has been cutting my hair for well over two years now and she has been working from her own home studio for about the same time; Kelsey Rose Hair Design ( please click on her page to like her facebook page).

Somehow Kelsey has held her tongue when I complained like a 3 year old, convinced me to stop dyeing my hair blonde ( I am a natural strawberry blonde / auburn) and cut my hair into a short pixie style. She is the ONLY hairdresser I have ever allowed full control to and it has nothing to do with the fact that we family.

From cuts, blow waves, trims, upstyles, cutting childrens hair from young, wedding hair and hair for the Durban July Fashion shows; Kelsey is someone I can recommend with ease and I know that person will be one happy customer.

Please contact Kelsey on her facebook page Kelsey Rose Hair Design or give her a call on 0848451323.

LaurenLeigh cc

ELLE Female Factor

A few weeks ago I was chosen as the lucky ELLE reader to be part of Durban's leg of Female Factor Discussion.
I was over the moon, scared, nervous, anxious and proud to have be chosen.
Questions fluttered through my head like what should I wear? What if I cannot contribute to the conversation? What if I am out of my league?
But after the discussion I realised that those questions are exactly why 30% of women do not follow their dreams or pursue their thoughts. The "what if/" question.

Female Factor is all about women and everything women related. ELLE has some great articles and you should go and have a look here to read more.

The discussion for the Durban leg of FF was the last leg as Cape Town and JHB had already had their conversations. At first the conversation started off slowly with born leaders starting the discussion and it was slightly daunting with a videographer shooting the entire discussion.
Discussion topics ranged from owning or starting your own business and entrepreneurship, the "work - life" balance, mentor-ship and women as we are today and how we were back then.

Ladies present in the discussion were Tarryn Gill ( Perfect Score - and thank you Tarryn for a wonderful opportunity and smoothly organised event), Jackie Burger ( editor of ELLE magazine), Jenna McArthur ( ELLE magazie), Annelize Visser ( ELLE magazine), Unilever and Beirsdorf marketing managers, a women of the year and McCarthy CSI manager, a performer, young entrepreneurs, owner of Ice Model Management and an attorney amongst many more. These ladies may have been "labelled" by their titles or job descriptions or what they do for a living but in the end they are all women, mothers, wives or partners, care givers nurturers and dream followers.

I was blown away and in awe of ALL of these women and they made me realise that I too have the "fight" in me to dream and follow my goals and one day achieve EXACTLY what I want.
With 85% of brand decisions being made by females in the work place, we have a very important role within society and the economy but we are not using it to our full potential.

Statements that stood out for me on the day were:
" How do you define success?"
" Why is it only a dream and not a reality?"
" Put the fish on the table"
" Let us be visible!"

I could keep on writing on this topic for ages but if I do that I will end up eating the entire Lindt mousse chocolate slab from the ELLE gift bag. Thank you for spoiling me ELLE with the opportunity to take part in this discussion and for the gorgeous gift bag.

So as a women with a DREAM...what are you waiting for?

LaurenLeigh cc

P.S. I stumbled across a picture of myself on the ELLE website today ( mixed emotion moment) and that picture was taken at the ELLE Female Factor Discussions morning. So my outfit choice was a good one. Always trust your gut and go with it!

South Africa vs England Rugby

Today at 5pm will mark one of the biggest games in Durban for 2012 - South Africa Springboks vs England.

And due to our spoil at Christmas time last year; we have season tickets to go and watch. Excitement!!!!!

The atmosphere, crowd, support and commitment to our Bokke will be there is full force...especially if it is raining and everyone stays put!

So here is to holding thumbs we kick some serious English butt, no rain and a festive night out and about Durban.

Hope you all have fun!

LaurenLeigh cc

Miss Molly Fashions GIVEAWAY

How amazing is this giveaway that Miss Molly is doing in conjunction with Sass Diva, Stuttafords and Zaba Simbine?

Go and look at the details here and enter!

Picture from Miss Molly Fashions Blog

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Genevieve Motley Competition

Amazing competition from the very talented Durban jewellery designer Genevieve Motley.
Have a look below and follow her on facebook here

Picture from Gen Motley Facebook page

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Vintage Mondays with Marie Claire and Bonnie and Clyde

A few weeks back I tweeted a picture of myself in a coral sheer pleated skirt with white polka dots teamed with a white vest to Marie Claire magazine for their #VintageMondays hashtag competition and I was lucky enough to win a R250 gift voucher from Bonnie and Clyde in Glenwood.

Situated behind Corner Cafe coffee shop in Glenwood, Bonnie and Clyde boasts both old, new and vintage collections of outerwear, accessories, shoes, handbags and coats.

Last week I went in to go and see what I could get with my voucher and I stumbled across these gorgeous, crazy and loud silver metallic court shoes. And I fell in love with them.

And how retro is the bag I left the shop with? We have used it twice on picnics to carry our blankets and cushions. Attention to detail and being able to use the bag afterwards - awesome for me as a customer.

So if you are in the mood for some vintage shopping then please go and have a look at Bonnie and Clyde. And the coffee at Corner Cafe is to die for!

LaurenLeigh cc

DSOC: comedy night at The Keg

Tonight I will be attending the DSOC event at The Keg and Trout in Hillcrest. I got four tickets ( thanks DSOC) and free bottle of vino so it will be a great way to end my last exam for this semester and catch up with old friends.

Nothing better than a good laugh, good company and supporting local awesome talent.

I will let you know the outcome on the weekend.

LaurenLeigh cc

Lisa Raleigh 30 day detox - Week one

I decided to partake in the Lisa Raleigh 30 day detox. Yes, crazy I know but to people who don't understand healthy eating and way of living; I am sure there are plenty of things that health fanatics do that you think are crazy.

Week one ( well actually this part of the detox lasts for 10 days) includes no meat, sugar, dairy, wheat or stimulants.
Say what? OMG!
But you know what? It has been easier than I thought. Even my boyfriend is doing it with me.
This week has been a combination of oats, boiled egg, lentils and quinoa with pesto, bean and rice salsa mix , fruit, fresh oven baked fish and guilt free potatoe wedges ( this was the boyfriends favourite and he ate this at nearly every meal).
I even took recipes supplied and added my own twist onto them to create some really yummy wholesome meals.

Eating healthy isn't about stopping your life; it is about choosing the right foods, ensuring you have time to prepare them and eating regularly.
The minute your food isn't prepared and you rushing, this is when you reach for unhealthy "bad" food.
We actually look forward to cooking our meals now and cannot wait to eat the freshness and taste of the food.

I am already feeling healthier internally, not craving sugar as much as I used to and feeling more energetic.
The down side is that eating this way is a bit more pricey on the wallet pocket but in the long run it is so worth it. And if you happen to go somewhere where there is no healthy food ( like the baby shower I attended yesterday and there is no healthy food ) I cheated but it was 3 things and now I'm back on track.

Well, my fresh potatoe and leek soup is brewing on the stove so I will leave you with this...
Try the detox. What do you have to lose besides the toxins in your body and a few percentages of fat?

LaurenLeigh cc

Keep vintage

Awesome new ladies at the i heart market - KEEP.
I met them at the May market and they were wonderfully friendly and so excited as it was their first market.
I got a beautiful emerald green belt with stars embroidered on it...too vintage!
They have some lovely goodies at the market but they also sell things on their website - KEEP

I will be popping by next month too as these lovely ladies have some gems in stock.
Support a fellow Durbanite and check these ladies out...vintage heaven!

LaurenLeigh cc

***Giveaway - Happy Mothers Day!!!

**** Giveaway***

Today is Mothers day and I was lucky enough to win two tickets to Roxette through Galleria mall ( I will be blogging about this later) so I decided I should do a giveaway too.

It may not be for mothers day as the day is nearly over so I am calling it my Post Mothers Day Giveaway!

Logo from Liza Clifford

Liza Clifford ( the woman who has changed my life forever with PROPER fitted gorgeous bra's) has generously sponsored a R250 gift vouvher as the giveaway for May. Please have a look at her website and arrange a fitting TODAY...it will change your life and your breasts.

Here is what to do:

1) Follow my facebook page or the blog

2) Follow me ( @laurenleigh_cc) on Twitter and tweet: I would like to win with @laurenleigh_cc and @Liza_Clifford

3) The more tweets, the more chances you can win :)

Have a super Sunday and I hope all you mums had a good Mothers Day

LaurenLeigh cc

The Monday Blues...And Pie and Pint

It has been exactly 10 days since my last blog...I am not going to apologise as my blog is for my enjoyment and those of you that enjoy my scribbles.
So hello again and welcome back.

Everybody seems to have "the monday blues" every Monday. I seem to feel like that everyday as of late so I decided this Monday is the first day of change.
The boyfriend is sick so homemade chicken and noodle soup is brewing on the stove. Made from scratch and with love...I clearly decided to hang ten on my studies this evening.

But for those of you that don't enjoy cooking...Livingston's Gastropub in Glenashley has an AWESOME  Mondays special. Pie and a pint. You can't go wrong there now can you?
And with winter starting to creep into the evenings, a pub pie sounds way better than chicken and noodle soup for dinner tonight.

Have a look at the poster below or check out their website here

Picture courtesy of Livingstons website

LaurenLeigh cc

Once Loved Sale...long weekend clear the clutter

With the long weekend ahead of us, most of you have decided to go and get muddy at Splashy Fen or take a well deserved break somewhere exotic.
I am stuck at home learning and submitting assignments as my day job doesn't allow me alot of time to get these done.

So my "escape" is my blog for today and what better way than to update the blog and show you what I am wanting to clear out of my cupboard!

These items are well loved but I feel it is time for them to go to a new home.
And 99% of them are only R25!

Have a look and please have a look here, comment on facebook here or email me to make a purchase.

Happy long weekend!

LaurenLeigh cc

Zara...mixed emotions

This evening I decided to pop into Zara in Gateway after work. After all, the hype around the opening of this store has been tremendous and is a huge first for Durban ( and South Africa).

Walking into the store I felt like I was shopping in a store for the first time. A new excitement for retail. I'm not sure if it was because of the hype surrounding this stores opening or if it was the clean smooth floors, vibey music, bright flashy lights and beautiful clothing which was grouped together and displayed perfectly. No crowding or having to search through untidy rails...everything had its place, display and purpose.

And amazing and tantalizing as all of this was, the prices put a massive depression onto my excited shopping experience. Now, this is purely my opinion and might be slightly bias because I work for a clothing supplier and know the value of clothing. And it may also be because I am a total shopaholic and like new things ALL the time, get tired of my things VERY quickly and change my style about 6 times a day! So if ,y entire wardrobe was Zara...my boyfriend may leave me very quickly!

But it is something to work hard towards. Save to go and buy that ZARA coat or pair of ZARA heels or ZARA chiffon pleated skirt. Spoil yourself.
And that is what its about...quality, style and status.

What are your opinions on ZARA in South Africa?

LaurenLeigh cc

me and my spare time

After a good 4 hours of studying, cooking dinner, bathing and trying to sync diary dates with the boyfriend, I am eventually sitting down to my laptop to blog and scroll through some of my favourite blogs ( most of them proudly Durban bloggers).

Here are a few I am looking at tonight and I am hoping to blog about them soon:

Miss Molly Fashions
Hey Cherry
The Thrift Collection
Cupcake Couture
Being Brazen
Blog Milk

Have a look at some of them...maybe it will inspire you to do something different?

LaurenLeigh cc