I'll Take You There ~ Lisa Olsen for Cosmopolitan Australia

Model Lisa Olsen takes a road trip

Aussie style

for the July 2012 issue of Cosmopolitan Australia.

Decked out in 70's inspired styles chosen by

fashion editor Charlotte Stockdale,

featuring high waisted flared jeans, lingerie bottoms,

knitwear and fabulous boots,

and photographed by Steven Chee,

Olsen takes the road less traveled 

through the land of plenty.

Shannon Click For ELLE France

What's a girl to wear ocean-side this summer?

ELLE France checks out the latest in fab beachwear for their June 1st 2012 issue.

Photographer Nagi Sakai captures model Shannon Click

in sultry summer looks from Princess Tam Tam, Kenzo,

Chanel, Tommy Hilfiger, La Perla, Miu Miu and others,

as styled by Jeanne Le Bault.

Hair by Kenshin Asano

Makeup by Fredrik Stambro

sea beaux sea stars!

Suzanne Emanuelsson for S Moda June 2 2012

Its only fitting that my first blog post 

since coming back to the USA,

is set in the desert. 

Inspired by Elvis' Las Vegas costumes

(I'm thinking fat Elvis, not Blue Hawaii)

model Suzanne Emanuelsson dons some glitzy glam

for a romp under the hot Nevada sun.

Stylist Francesca Rinciari dresses her in designers including

Emilio Pucci, Balmain, Yves Saint Laurent, 

Elie Saab, Lanvin and Gucci,

while photographer Alvaro Beamud Cortes

captures her every rock star moment.

Viva Las Vegas!

8 New Superfoods You Should be Eating

From an article by Allison Young for 

Women's Health magazine,

here is a way to make eating heathily

much more interesting.

Take a look at 8 fresh cancer fighting,

age-defying, energy boosting

ingredients to add to your plate:

Kefir

With more protein and less sugar than yogurt, but the same tangy taste, probiotics and creamy texture, Kefir is thought to be an immune system enhancer, and may protect against colon cancer.

What is kefir?

Try It Instead of yogurt in salad dressings or smoothies. Plain kefir is in the dairy aisle, but Lifeway makes a dessert-ready frozen variety too.

Jicama

This slightly sweet and crunchy root veggie stars inulin, a belly-flattening fiber that acts as a prebiotic to promote helpful bacteria in the gut. It's also an excellent source of vitamin C, which may boost collagen and fight wrinkles. 

Try It Cooked or raw in slaws, stir-fries, tacos, and salads, or tossed in lime juice and sprinkled with chili powder. Find it at farmers' markets or Mexican groceries

Chia

One tablespoon of these nutty-tasting edible seeds has as much fiber as a bowl of oatmeal, plus bone-building calcium and heart-healthy omega-3s.
Chia is also a good source of iron, which many women don't get enough of,
 (Related: 8 Surprising Foods for Heart Health)
Try It On cereal, salads, and soups, or use it to thicken puddings and stir-fries. (The seeds absorb liquid and acquire a gel-like texture.) Available at natural grocery stores.

Sprouts

 

Three-day-old broccoli plants may contain 

up to 50 times more 

of the anticancer agent sulforaphane 

than mature stalks, 

but without the pungent taste.

Try Them On sandwiches, wraps, pizza, baked potatoes, 

stews, stir-fries, tacos, and just about anything else you can think of. 

Black Garlic

 Fermentation gives this garlic its sweet, clove-and-caramel flavor and concentrates its natural antioxidants to nearly double that of a raw bulb. These compounds help lower cholesterol and can help decrease cancer risk, says Janet Helm, R.D., of NutritionUnplugged.com. And the black stuff comes with no nasty breath! 

Try It In fondue, sauces, pizza, and, believe it or not, cookies, brownies, and cakes. Order some at blackgarlic.com.

Kelp

A possible anti-breast-cancer crusader, kelp is loaded with vitamin K, calcium, and other essential nutrients. And its natural alginate fiber may help block fat, says nutritionist Christine Avanti.

Try It In powdered form, mixed into meatballs and soups; use sheets (kombu) as uber-low-cal wrappers. Some specialty stores carry Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles (kelpnoodles.com), which have just six calories per serving!

Nutritional Yeast 

A single serving of these cheese-like flakes has an incredible nine grams of satiating protein and provides more than your RDA of B vitamins to help boost energy, squash stress, and decrease your risk for chronic diseases.
Try It As a dairy-free sub for Parmesan on popcorn, potatoes, pasta, or scrambled eggs. You can find this yeast in specialty markets or health-food stores.

Barley

 

 This sweet, nutty supergrain is rich in niacin (for healthy hair and skin) and cancer-fighting lignans. Plus, "the soluble fiber keeps your cholesterol levels healthy, cutting your risk for heart disease," says Geagan.

Try It In place of pasta, rice, or oatmeal. Or swap Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Barley Flour (bobsredmill.com) for up to a third of the flour in baked goods. Both are available at regular grocery stores.

 

3 Quick Ways To Brighten Tired Eyes

There's no need to walk around looking sleep deprived.

Here are 3 quick tricks to wake up your tired looking eyes in an instant,

and leave you looking vibrant and gorgeous!

1. If you're the girl who likes to wear beige/taupe or neutral shadows:

abandon the flat mattes and use a shimmery version instead.

Or add a shimmer product,  

such as Makeup Forever Star Powder in #926

to the inner corner of the eyelid, and sweep it across

the inner 1/3 of the lid.

The tiniest touch of champagne beige shimmer

under the inner 1/3 of the lower lash line will wake your eye right up too!

2. If you're the girl who normally wears black or brown eyeliner:

Try a navy blue liner instead.

 

When you run a little navy blue under the lower lashes (and blend it) it will make bloodshot tired eyes look brighter

3. If you're the girl who prefers vivid eye shadow colors:

Try lavender eyeshadow.

Lavender is the most universally iris-brightening shade.

Avoid purples with a very deep blue base, stay lighter and fresher instead.

 

Annabella Barber for Plaza Kvinna

I love all things Australiastic.

Sydney feels like home to me.

Model Annabella Barber stars in 

this beautiful shoot by

photographer Jaclyn Adams

for Australia's Plaza Kvinna.

 

Styled by Vass Arvinitas

Makeup by Julie Provis

Hair by Joey Scandizzo

Sometimes life just needs to be simple, sweet and floral.

The 5 Grossest Things You're Eating

This is pretty hideous!
Men's Health magazine ran a piece on 
the 5 grossest things we're eating.
Here's what they said:

1. Grain Products

 Why they're gross: Many packaged breads and baked goods contain L-cysteine-a non-essential amino acid made from dissolved human hair (often from China) or duck feathers (mmmm). Food manufacturers use the ingredient as a commercial dough conditioner, meant to improve the texture of breads and baked goods.

Why it's bad: Eating something derived from the human body violates the religious and ethical beliefs of Muslims and vegans. Plus, eew! If you want to avoid ingesting hair and feathers-and really, who doesn't?-try eating unprocessed whole grains like oats and brown rice, and make your own baked goods whenever possible. (Search: Which whole grains are the healthiest?)

2. Shrimp

 Why it's gross: Depending on where your shrimp comes from, it could be tainted with chemicals used to clean filthy shrimp-farm pens. Just as disgusting, farmed shrimp from overseas is often full of antibiotics, mouse and rat hair, and pieces of insects (yummy!).

Why it's bad: Only about 2 percent of all imported seafood is inspected, meaning this nasty stuff is making its way onto your plate. Contaminated shrimp tends to come from critters imported from overseas shrimp farms, so if you're looking for safer-and more appetizing-options, choose domestic shrimp. (Search: Make sure you're eating the healthiest seafood in the sea).

3. Salad Dressing

 Why it's gross: Big food corporations often add the chemical titanium dioxide-commonly found in paints and sunscreens-to processed foods like salad dressing, coffee creamers, and canned icing to make them appear whiter.
Why it's bad: Titanium dioxide is a component of the metallic element titanium, a mined substance that's sometimes contaminated with toxic lead. Plus, most white dressings (like cream-based ranch) aren't great for you anyway. Both your health and your waistline will fare better if you go with an olive oil- or vinegar-based salad topper instead. Or, better yet, make your dressing at home.

4. Jelly Beans

 Why it's gross: Many artificial food dyes-found in hundreds of everyday foods-are made from petroleum-derived materials. Food producers use these chemical dyes in cereals and candy to make them more "fun" for kids, in pickles to make them appear fresher, and in place of real ingredients in a variety of other packaged foods. Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix, for example, is actually a carrot-free product, with "carrot flavored pieces" cooked up from corn syrup and artificial colors Yellow 6 and Red 40.

Why it's bad: Orange and purple food dyes have been shown to impair brain function, and other dyes have been linked to ADHD and behavioral problems in kids, as well as brain-cell toxicity. And not only are these additives potentially hazardous, but they're also a rip-off! It's cheaper for food companies to use fake dyes in place of real ingredients, so you end up with food frauds like Tropicana Twister Cherry Berry Blast, a "juice" product without a trace of cherry or berry juice (check out our full list of the 20 Worst Drinks in America). Get your brightly colored foods from the produce aisle only!

5. Canned Mushrooms

Why they're gross: The FDA legally allows 19 maggots—tiny, rice-shaped fly larvae that feast on rotting foods—and 74 mites in every 3.5-ounce can of mushrooms. Bon appetit!

Why it's bad: While maggots do have their place in the medical world—they can help heal ulcers and other wounds—most of us would agree that they don't have a place in our mouths. Opt for fresh mushrooms instead, and if you need another reason to ditch canned goods, consider this: Most are lined with bisphenol A (or BPA), a plastic chemical that causes unnatural hormonal changes linked to heart attacks, obesity, and certain cancers.