Competition time!

 

So the Bellas are having the most awesome competition:  We are looking for a Charity Ambassador.  Wow.  I wish I was 18 again so I could enter...  and fit into those clothes again, haha!   For once it’s not all about looks and bodies... it’s about how you help your neighbour.  This is one of this things that I love most about Bella Donna:  Yes we teach etiquette and style and make-up and all that jazz... but we also teach social responsibility. 

 

So many young girls out there have no idea what kind of an impact they could have on their environment if they just took 1 hour a week to do something worthwhile.  There are so many shelters (animal and human) out there that could do with some help, so many people who need clothing, so many elderly who would love someone to just visit them.  Yet we never seem to have the time.  I for one am looking forward to doing some of the social stuff with the entrants from my area.  I want to really be there for them and to encourage them every step of the way.  And if one of mine wins... well, even better!

 

The prizes are beyond this world and include photography shoots, pamper sessions, a weekend getaway, a house party, money, a limousine ride, facial products... to many to mention!  But mostly, she will be standing for a good cause and be our Bella Girl, our face.  I get exited just thinking about it!  The crowning evening promises to be a gala event, with celebrities, music, lights and evening gowns.  Every girls dream!

       

So why not enter?  Come on, you have nothing to loose!  And so much to gain...  For once this is a chance for the girl in the corner to strut her stuff, show her skills en be reckoned, without having to worry about beauty or the perfect body.

 

Go see what it’s all about on our website at www.belladonnaclasses.com – NOW!!

10 Timeless makeup tips - MSN woman

 

10 Timeless makeup tips -  MSN woman

Women apply cosmetics to look better and enhance their beauty, not detract from it. Get the look right every time with these hints........

Photo © Hemera

10 Timeless makeup tips

Women apply cosmetics to look better and enhance their beauty, not detract from it. Get the look right every time with these hints.

Despite changing trends, fads and fashions some basic beauty rules never go out of style. Make sure you follow them and to look your best whatever the whims and wants of the season.

Crossing the line

Although not everyone wears it, there are definite rules when it comes to lipliner. Gone are the days of dark lipliner and light lipstick. If you use dark liner, like a red or berry shade, fill in your mouth completely, and then top with clear gloss, not a light lipstick. For a more subtle effect your lipliner should be in the shade closest to your natural lip colour. Line and colour in your pucker, then top with sheer gloss.

Making your lips look kissable

Your pre-school teacher was right! Colouring outside the lines is a no-no! To get luscious lips, simply line the border of your lips with a lipliner, colour in with a matching lipstick and apply a plumping lipgloss. A dab of clear or light gloss on the centre of your lower lip will reflect the light and make your lips appear fuller.

Awesome eyebrows

Women with lush, full brows should skip any added colour; all they need are tweezers for stray hairs and some brow gel. To plump up sparse brows, dip an angled brush into brow powder. Move the brush along the natural line of the brow, extending it to the edge of the eye.

Flawless foundation

To avoid a telltale foundation mask make sure you select the right shade. Our necks are often a different colour to our faces and chests, so it's important to blend foundation down into the neck for a uniform colour. Use a makeup sponge to create a seamless edge.

Wipeout wrinkles

Suffocating your skin with a heavy cover-up will only draw attention to the problem you're trying to hide. Mix in a little moisturiser with your foundation, to prevent it from seeping into fine lines and highlighting wrinkles.

Lovely lashes

Long, clump-free lashes are always in! Before you apply mascara, wipe wand against the opening of the tube to get rid of any excess mascara. Wiggle the wand from side to side, while applying mascara from the base of your lashes to the tips to avoid clumps. Before the mascara dries, comb through your lashes with an old toothbrush or an eyelash comb.

Blend your blush

Use a bigger brush to distribute cheek colour evenly. Tap the brush gently to get rid of excess powder. Smile and apply the blush in short, upward strokes on the apples of your cheeks, blending up to the hairline and ear. When in doubt about what colour to choose, stick with a pinky/peach hue with a soft shimmer.

Minimise blemishes

Caked-on foundation is a definite no-no and only serves to highlight what you're trying to conceal. Opt for a natural, even light foundation with full coverage for pockmarks and acne. Gel and mineral foundations works best as they look most like real skin.

Come-hither eyes

A strong, hard line all the way around your eye can make your peepers look smaller and closer together, but lining them only halfway looks silly. Opt for a softer line to make your eyes look bigger, Line your top and bottom lids at the inner edge of the iris and extend the liner to the outer corner of your eye. Then, gently smudge the line toward the inner corner of your eye.

Simple shadows

Eyeshadow trends change often and easily. A nude, natural look is always pretty and appealing. Simple apply a taupe or neutral shade to your lids and finish off with a lighter, brighter shade in the inner-corners of your eyes and on your brow bone to highlight.

Keep it pretty and fuss-free whenever you're unsure of current trends and you'll always be in style!

Author : Serisha Singh

BIO : Johannesburg Editor Serisha Singh is loving fun and fab big city life! A fashionista at heart, she brings you the lowdown on what’s taking the fashion world by storm and practical advice on how to make trends work for you. A go-getter with extreme energy levels and a positive attitude, she's intrigued by everything from gender empowerment to legal developments and health and beauty. A fan of old school glamour and classy elegance, she’s a strong believer of the power of accessories: shoes, bags, earrings, rings – they can take your outfit from drab to fab! Follow @Serisha_S on Twitter or drop her a mail at serisha@all4women.co.za.

Bella Donna Classes Brackenfell Branch had our certificate evening!

On the 22nd of July 2011 our Brackenfell branch had our certificate evening and fashion show for our first class. What an affair! It was a no-holding-back, glitz-and-glam evening... Held in a factory! Jip, you read right, a factory. It took some hard work from my team (hubby, dad, friends, myself and of course the girls' tables) to turn it from drab to fab in a day, but miracles do happen!

Of course we had some hiccups: Trying to find a caterer to fit our budget was impossible, so my husband Herman's rep at his business, Lucinda, offered to help with the food by making lasagne and salad. My dad made butternut soup for the first time in his life, while Lucinda's daughter Chanel made her famous Malva pudding for desert. None of our sound stuff wanted to work together, so we phoned Mandy from HQ who helped us out with sound AND lights. Two of the girls (sisters) had to pull out at the last minute, leaving me scrambling to find 2 models to replace them and having to cut on costs due to less ticket sales. Then, as I was soaking in the bath (my thinking space) the Thursday before the show, it hit me: the Bellas of the future! My own 2 little girls, Chené (7) and Mia-Mari (3) could stand in for them. Obviously the clothes wouldn't fit, but mommy made a plan, while my friends bought tickets to help me out!

On Friday night the girls arrived around 5 pm to set up their tables and be taken through their steps again by model master Kevin, before being beautified by our team. My friend Lana played hostess and saw to the guests, while I still got dressed upstairs. After the welcome to all, we were ready to begin! The girls entertained their own guests at their tables while the starter was served. After the starter, they went to get dressed in their fashion show best, while I chatted to the guests about our sponsors and the girls themselves. All during our evening the girls were judged by phantom judges on some of the things they were taught, as we had some wonderful sponsored prizes for them. And then the show began. We had a range from Chanel Sauerman from Revival Style as the girls’ first outfits, then cocktail dresses, then the most beautiful evening gowns – both sponsored by The Princess Project. The girls wore masks for the evening gowns, taking them off after making their first turn on the runway – symbolizing that they are not the same person they were before the classes. The masks were repeated in our décor on the tables as well.

Once the show was done, we had our main meal and then the prize giving. After thanking all my special helpers, we announced the winners in each category. The girls had WOWed the guests and quite a few sisters / cousins / friends were VERY jealous and made sure to take a pamphlet! Pudding was served and people chatted away for a while afterwards. It seemed as if people had fun, as it ended off an hour later than I had anticipated – despite everything running (roughly) on time! I was so proud of my girls and it took all I had not to cry. We were also very honored to have Mandy and Marilet from head office there to share in the evening.

The evening was a resounding success, thanks to everyone’s hard work. We were truly blessed by so many people and I would like to mention them now:

- Mike from Fox & Brink in Epping, for organizing us a donation of fresh veggies towards our food costs.

- Graham Ross for the use of his sound equipment after ours failed.

- My husband Herman, for his help, support and doing our sound at the show.

- My dad Henry, being everywhere I needed him.

- My friend and ex-marketer Lana Smit, for all her help.

- Trudie Kotze, for lending us her heating plate for the food and her gas heater for the cold factory.

- Lucinda Moses, for stepping in and making our fabulous food.

- Suzaan Saayman (my sister) and Amelia Kotze for doing our ladies' fabulous hair.

- Tanja Williams and Louisa Marais for the professional make-up they did on our girls.

- Chanel Sauerman from Revival Style for supplying us with part of her fashion range for our show.

- The Princess Project, who sponsored the ladies' cocktail and evening gowns. They are a non-profit organization who supply underprivileged ladies with gowns and accessories for their functions, at no cost.

- Janine and Wikkie van Rooyen from the mR 5 stores for sponsoring so much of our décor of the evening, as well as the table arrangements on my tables, made by Janine herself.

Our prize sponsors were:

Connie Prinsloo from Connique Jewellery, who sponsored this beautiful set for our best hostess winner, Ané. As Connie says herself, her work is ’A Personal Statement of Elegance and Charm’. Please visit her facebook page to see more of her work - It truly is a work of art!

http://www.facebook.com/ConniqueJewellery

Wikkie and Janine van Rooyen from the mR 5 Stores, who sponsored the prize for the best table winner Louise – a gift voucher to shop at their stores! From personal experience, I know that she will have too much to choose from… See their FB page here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/MR-5-store/117131251671049

From Natacha Wadsworth of Natacha Wadsworth Photograpy, who sponsored a free photography session for our model winner, Heather. Knowing Natacha since our school days, I’m sure she will make our girl look pure BELLA! Can’t wait to see those pics… See her website here:

http://www.natachawadsworth.co.za/

Please check out our photos of the evening on the Bella Donna Group Page on Facebook – there are some really nice pictures there. Once again, a warm thank you to everyone involved. To my girls – you were gorgeous, really Bella-esque… I will miss you!

Faking it: 8 wine terms you should know (or fake)

07 April 2011  by Anna Malczyk, Get Smarter

Wine connoisseurs tend to use a wide range of complex terms to describe their wine drinking experiences. As with any kind of jargon, the terms can be very difficult to follow if you don’t quite know what they mean – not to mention that many self-professed “experts” use them incorrectly.

Tannins
What it means: A tannin is a chemical that contributes to the feel of a wine in your mouth. Though you cannot taste tannins themselves, they are responsible for the drying sensation and sense of bitterness that some red wines have.

How to use it: “This red wine must contain a lot of tannins – it’s very dry.”

Vintage
What it means:   The vintage is the year in which a wine was produced. A vintage wine is one that is made out of grapes picked in a specific year. Often, a particularly good year will be noted as a prized vintage.

How to use it:  “2004 was a great year for local wines and produced some superior pinot noir vintages.”

Terroir
What it means:   Terroir is a broad concept that denotes the environment – especially the geography, geology and climate – in which wine grapes grow, and the specific effects this has on the grapes’ taste and characteristics. However, it’s not completely clear how much the environment actually affects the end product.

How to use it:  “The French believe that their terroir makes their wines superior, but South African wines are just as good.”

Breathing
What it means:   When air interacts with wine, it starts the chemical reaction called oxidisation (this is the same process as when rust forms). Oxidising is supposed to enhance the flavour of wine by taking away the initial sharpness of the wine and replacing it with a mellow, smooth taste. It is generally only necessary for red wine.

How to use it:  “You need to let that Merlot breathe for a hour before you drink it.”

Corked
What it means:  A corked wine is one that has been spoiled by a fungus that occasionally grows on the cork and produces an unpleasant chemical. When the wine comes into contact with the cork, it gets an unpleasant musty flavour – sometimes barely noticeable, sometimes intense. It’s possible that up to 5% of all wines that are sealed with a cork will become corked.

How to use it:  “We opened up the 2001 Pinotage but unfortunately it was corked and we couldn’t drink it.”

Varietal
What it means:   A varietal is the name for a wine made out of one “type” (or variety) of grape. A varietal wine is one made from primarily one grape variety, while a blend is one made from several varieties.

How to use it:  “Chardonnay is a varietal, whereas an SMV is made out of the Shiraz, Malbec and Viognier varieties.”

Nose
What it means:   The nose of a wine is, in essence, everything that you can smell in a wine. It includes the wine’s aroma (the inherent pleasant smell of the grapes) and bouquet (the smells that originate from the fermentation and aging of the wine), as well as any specific unpleasant odours that signal defects.

How to use it:  “This wine has a well-balanced, subtle flowery nose with hints of vanilla.”

Palate
What it means:   The palate involves all of the wine-drinking experience that takes place in the mouth – not only the taste and flavour of the wine, but also the sensations that it creates (this latter part is called, quite descriptively, the “mouthfeel” of the wine. For most people, appreciating and identifying the palate of the wine is the crux of the wine-drinking experience.

How to use it:   “This wine is quite acidic on the palate, with hints of red berries and a full, tannic mouthfeel.”

To learn more about wine tasting, consider the Stellenbosch University Wine Evaluation course, presented completely online by the GetSmarter. Visit www.getsmarter.co.za or call Emma on (021) 685-4775 for more information.

Breakfast... Bella Donna style!

 

We had our quarterly get-together, aka ‘BD breakfast’ on Saturday 02 April 2011.  What fun!  We met at Caffé Villagio near Canal Walk Shopping Centre, Cape Town, and had a wonderful time catching up with the ‘old’ branch owners as well as meeting a few ‘new’ ones.  To these ladies we say – welcome aboard!  May we have lots of fun together, teaching the girls the finer things in life!  

As usual, Mandy Ross - our operations manager, inspiration, voice of    reason, leader...  um, you get my drift – spoilt us rotten with goodie bags and, contrary to what we teach in etiquette class, we were squealing like teenagers at all the nice things we got.  Mandy explained new additions to our training manual and gave advice and tips, as well as handy tools for each of us.  Nice to be so well looked after, huh?

I was honestly mesmerized, being lucky enough to sit next to branch owner Cleo, to hear how she’s been doing with her classes, the ideas she’s come up with to make her classes interesting and the support she’s been getting from her family.  Cleo really lights up when she chats about ‘her girls’, making it her mission to get to know them personally.

Melanie, a newbie, sat on the other side of Cleo and was bristling with energy to get started.  She was asking questions and getting very exited listening to all of us tell our stories.  The other newbie, Gaynor, was a quiet lady of dignity, with a smile ready whenever someone called her name to get her attention.

Karishma looked fabulous with her hair all sleek and chic.  She did those high-heels she wore justice!  (Mandy had on a mean pair too!)  Marilet, branch owner and Mandy’s right-hand lady, did a wonderful PowerPoint presentation which will be used for introduction to companies and schools in the future.  We are very proud of your hard work, Marilet!  She also taught me a thing or two about my laptop (which I’ve had for more than a year) as she has the same one.  Mmmm, wonder how I missed that?!

I was very fortunate to recently acquire the marketing skills of Lana Smit, an image consultant and marketer.  She has taken all the planning and phoning and talking off my shoulders, which leaves me to concentrate on the classes.  Lana came along to meet the ladies and many were keen to make use of her as marketer for their branches as well, as Lana’s bubbly personality is catching!

After a lot of talking and a lovely breakfast, we said our goodbyes... only to stand outside the caffé and chat some more.  It seems we have so much to share that a morning together simply isn’t enough.  So here they are – the first official photo:  The Cape Town Bella Donna Girls!

Front:  Cleo, Melanie, Marilet & Gaynor.  Back:  Mandy, Karishma, Corné & Lana

Keep on polishing!

Something Fun: Home-made Face Masks:

 

You can use basic ingredients found around the house to make your own simple, hydrating masks.  If you have oily or acne-prone skin, mud or clay-based masks are great for balancing out your skin. Dry skin will benefit from hydrating masks made from glycerine, honey and oils.  Ginseng or green tea masks are great for soothing sensitive skin.

a) Egg White Face Mask (for all skin types):

Model Shalom Harlow calls this homemade face mask (only 2 ingredients required!)  "Moisturising and soothing."

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

1 egg white, separated from the yolk and placed in a bowl

1 tablespoon of plain yogurt (I like Greek yogurt)

Preparation:

Separate the egg white and place it in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of yogurt (do not use flavoured yogurt!).  Mix it up and apply to face. Leave on for a few minutes then rinse face in warm water, followed by a warm washcloth.

b) Banana Face Mask (for oily skin)

This is a soothing face mask and great if you have bananas around the house.

Prep Time: 4 minutes

Ingredients:

1 banana, preferably ripe (you can keep ripe bananas in the freezer. Let it thaw before using)

1 tablespoon honey

An orange or a lemon

Preparation:

Mix the banana and honey together. Add a few drops of juice from an orange or a lemon. If it’s too runny you may consider adding some oatmeal just to bind it a bit. Apply to face for 15 minutes before rinsing with a warm washcloth.

c) Aspirin Face Mask (for acne, pimples, rashes)

Apparently aspirin is brilliant at spot-treating pimples, clearing up acne and itchy patches. In fact, the aspirin mask gets more than 2030 on Makeupalley.com and 85 percent of these reviews are by women who would "try it again."

Prep Time: 7 minutes

Ingredients:

1-3 aspirin

Coffee cup or glass cup

Shallow dish

Warm honey (runny honey), moisturizer made for the face or natural oil such as almond, olive or coconut.

Preparation:

Depending on the amount of coverage needed, use 1-3 aspirin.  Crush the aspirin into small pieces by rolling a coffee cup or glass cup over them.  Place aspirin in a shallow dish.  Stir in a few drops of water to help the aspirin dissolve into a paste. Add warm honey, moisturizer or a bit of oil (almond, olive or coconut works). Stir well.  Apply as a mask or spot treat the pimple or itchy area.  Allow to dry.  Wash off after 10 minutes.

d) Avocado and Honey Face Mask (for dry skin)

Avocados and honey are particularly moisturizing.  This mask is particularly great for mature, wrinkled and dry skin.  It's best to use a ripe, fresh, organic avocado.  Make sure to mash it up into a creamy pulp.

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:

½ avocado

¼ cup honey

Preparation:

A classic recipe for dry skin. Mash the avocado in a bowl and stir in honey. Apply to skin and leave for 10 minutes. Rinse face with a cool washcloth.

March Update from Ops Manager Mandy

 

Autumn is almost upon us as March has come to an end, but if you’re thinking that everything will go into hibernation as winter approaches... think again!  The Bella Donna Franchise is growing faster and faster and there is no time to slow down with so much happening!  Before we look at what’s been happening this month, first take a moment to take in our new awesome image!  Classy!

Welcome

We have 2 new branch owners joining the franchise, Stef Espag and her daughter Lorika from Richards Bay (Empangeni etc)

AND

Melanie Davidson from Cape Town Central.  Welcome to the Bella Donna family!

Stef is a “life change facilitator” and a registered counsellor. Her daughter is a teacher… we are very excited to have this dynamic duo on our team.  Melanie has worked for Blue-chip franchises before and has travelled across SA with them. Loves doing event management (Organised the Hyundai Fan Park 2010)

Branch Feedback

Cleo of Retreat:
Cleo is very excited that her classes have begun and has gotten into 2 schools.  She also got hold of her local community newspaper and asked them to do a piece on her
Princess Project.   After getting a half page insert (!) where she asked for sponsors, the calls came flooding in!

Ereeza of Centurion:
Ereeza has found permanent premises out of which to operate.  She has put signage up and it all looks terribly smart… we would expect nothing less of her !

Gaynor of Stellenbosch:
Gaynor has recovered from a large operation and is getting itchy toes to start her marketing. The ladies from CT will meet her at their next breakfast on the 2^nd of April.  Glad you are all recovered Gaynor.

Gilda of Grassy Park:
Gilda is going ‘great guns’ with her classes in Grassy Park. Every 2 weeks she is ordering T-shirts from us…  Which I assume is either for her assistants she had to get to help her with the overflow of students or for the students themselves.

Nafeesa & Sadia of DBN central:
Having spent the day with the ladies visiting about 4 schools, it was encouraging to see that the Bella Donna concept was favourably received.  Some teachers wanted to know if they could join the classes (flower arranging/self defence).  The Orient Islamic school has given permission for classes to begin in the new term.  They are fortunate to have a vast range of cultures and economic backgrounds to deal with.

Chantal of Pinetown:
Chantal is going to be known as our “Feisty lady” from now on… she is a wonderful marketer and a no-nonsense gal… Chantal took me to a few schools in her area.  We were well received EXCEPT for my old high school – Pinetown Girls High ! I was horrified… but this shows the importance of getting through to the “gatekeeper”.

Head Office

Mandy’s Durban visit:
Mandy went to Durban for a week to meet with our KZN owners and they had a lovely breakfast attended by Nafeesa, Sadia, Phillipa, Chantal, Mary, Nerisha and Yolanda.  Whilst enjoying the sunny weather, meeting up with a few old friends, spending time with family who stays there and doing a bit of east coast shopping, she also managed to visit 7 high schools and sell 2 branches...  There’s just no stopping her!!!

Our new look:
We had to change our artwork since we couldn’t get all of the original graphics from the previous designer... but as they say – everything happens for a reason, because now we have a brand new corporate image which looks professional enough for corporate clients, funky enough for teens and sassier than any of our competition.

Special thank you to the designer, Wim, from Colourpit Creative Design all the way in the UK!  He provided us with designs of our logo, disc stickers, business cards, flyers and certificates.

T-shirts:
We’ve got T-shirts available in white, pink and black.  You can contact us to place orders and we’ll send it to you via mail.

Bella Donna visits Oostenberg Oasis Women's Camp!

 

Hi all!  I was recently invited to do the Saturday session at my church’s women's camp, which was held at Anatoth, just outside Kuils River.  This being my first official Bella Donna event, I was a nervous wreck for a whole month after being asked!  I had two hours to fill – the question was, WITH WHAT??  We have so many wonderful subjects that we offer that is was close to impossible to settle on only a few.  The theme of the camp was “flying high like an eagle”, which also means upliftment of the body and soul, so I worked around this.  In the end I got a few favourites together and divided my presentation into two parts – upliftment of the body and upliftment of the mind and spirit.

Since I’m a bit of a computer buff, I did a Powerpoint presentation to go with my chat.  Sounds pretty cool, huh?  Only thing is, I would have been LOST if hubby Herman didn’t happen to do the sound at the camp as well – my laptop and the screen wouldn’t listen to me!!!  Nothing worked when I’d set it up!  So he tweaked a bit here and adjusted there... and we had life!  Sooooo useful, these things called ‘men’.  Though I had to work in front of my screen instead of behind it due to cable restraints, I think it worked out well.

 

Some of my favourite subjects to talk about are ‘the many uses of a little black dress’, ‘different make-up styles with just 3 items’ and ‘what to always carry in your handbag’.  I challenged the ladies to bring their handbags and try to match me item for item – they actually did very well!  Some even trumped me!  My husband actually came up with a brilliant idea of what gift to give the ladies that would connect with this subject...  tiny little handbags made from my pamphlet, filled with a lip-gloss and a business card - see pic below.

As an icebreaker in the middle, on BD’s Operational Manager Mandy’s suggestion, I had the ladies do facial exercises – we were in stitches!  Will definitely use those again.  My second half focussed on goal setting and personal growth, especially in your career.  I have a passion for this part, as I have a vision board with my dream for my future pasted on it, which I work towards every day.  I also found a motivational speaker on the internet called Marcus Buckingham, who has done 12 years’ worth of research on what successful women have in common – the results are very refreshing!  Do yourself a favour and go do his test here Markus Buckingham's Strong Life Test to find out what YOUR strengths are, then build your way to a brighter future on those strengths!

Keep on polishing!

Technorati Tags: Kuils River,Corne Basson

Update from Centurion branch…

Our very busy Centurion branch owner, Ereeza Ryland, sent us these lovely pictures of what she’s doing in her classes.  I must honestly say that I am very jealous!  These pics look so professional!  Note to self – must find out who her photographer is…

 

I love the way she encourages the girls to go for the “less is more” option when it comes to make-up.  Young girls need to realise that they should rather enhance the features that they’ve been given, than make themselves look old before their time.  Youth is a virtue… cherish it!

She also sent us some photo’s of the flower arranging and the décor done in her

classes.  Very classy!

Ereeza takes a ‘hands on’ approach with her classes and we are very proud of her!  Look out for a feature on this lady coming soon. 
Keep on polishing, Ereeza!