Inside This Issue... Editors Letter Get The Cover Look Contributors Nat Von Photo Pink Rock Candy Inked Hot Young Talent Like Solidifying Memories Rock ‘N Needle Ask Amy So Bright It’s Illegal Wrong To Be Different? Summer Sun The Review How To Be A... Fashion Forward In The Spotlight Diamond Duchess Credits

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Get The Cover Look...

Neck Corsage and Cocktail ring, Topshop

Black leather fingerless biker gloves, Alexander McQueen

Purple shoulder dress, Miss Selfridge

Crystal hair flower and Bib Necklace, Tarina Tarantino

Lime Crime Lipstick in D’lilac (see page 6)

ContribUtors...

Image: Grenouille

Doe Deere

The lovely Doe Deere both modeled for our killer cover, and consented to an interview about her make- up line, Lime Crime on page 6.

What beauty product could you not live without?:

False lashes of course!

Debbi Rotkowitz

Photographer Debbi Rotkowitz shot Doe Deere’s killer cover during a Doe Deere/ Miss Mosh collaboration shoot.

What beauty product could you not live without?:

Her best friend and make up artist Shanda Jade! (Who you may remember form last year’s Lipstick Royalty Summer Beauty tips column!)

Chelsea Rae Simmons

Our Editor Rachel interviews Chelsea on page 10 about the blog everyone’s buzzing about - Pink Rock Candy.

What beauty product could you not live without?:

Blistex 'Lip Medex'. I can't sleep unless I put it on before I go to bed.

Nat Von PhotoShe’s young, talented and looking to the future. Rachel Phipps, Lipstick Royalty’s Editor and Beth Eades, one of our newest staff writers, catch up with one of California’s hottest new photographers, Nathalie Vaughan, to talk about her future, photo shoots in abandoned houses and shooting with a parrot.

What was one of the craziest shoots you’ve ever done? One of the craziest shoots I’ve ever done was with my friend Mare on Treasure Island in San Francisco. We climbed through the window of an abandoned house to shoot inside. We didn’t know if like crazy hobos were inside so we were kind of scared. When we got inside there was weird writing on the walls and asbestos warnings. Probably wasn’t the safest photo shoot I’ve done (laughs), but it ended up being fine and we got really awesome pictures.

Who are your favorite people (models etc) to work with? There have been a lot of models I’ve worked with that I’ve really liked, but Loriel Andre’a (Lipstick Royalty’s Fashion Forward columnist) is one of my favorite models. She is really talented and together we always come up with really cool ideas. Our shoots are so much fun! I also really like working with Jesse Bodas, the photographer from Destroy Inc. I modeled for him once and he is really nice and very talented. He also taught me a lot of the stuff I know about photography.

What inspired you to get started in

photography? And how did you get that start? I have always been into art my entire life, but I just recently realized photography is my passion. Looking at photography on art websites inspired me to get my first SLR camera, and from there I just started doing shoots with friends, which eventually evolved into doing shoots with professional models and clothing companies. How do you fit your work in around school? Do you think it’s important to have school as a backing? I just graduated high school, and while I was in high school I only had time to do photo shoots on the weekends. Now I am about to go to San Jose

Model: Loriel Andre’a (page ___)

State University to major in photography and I will have more free time to do shoots. I definitely think it’s important to have school as a backing. There are still so many things about photography I want and need to learn! What do you think about the use of extremely thin models? From experience, body type doesn’t make someone a good or bad model. It’s more about confidence and creativity.

We love your shots with animals – how did you find working with them? I love working with animals! They are fun to shoot with and make the picture so much cuter! I have had good experiences working with them- like Amanda’s parrot. He was so sweet and loved posing for the camera. I really want to do a shoot with a bunch of kittens sometime!

What are your hopes for the future of your photography? Is there anyone you really want to work with? My hopes for my future are that my photography will be in fashion magazines like Vogue or Vanity Fair. A model I really want to work with is Mosh. I would also love to shoot the CD cover of an artist like Christina Aguilera or Lady Gaga.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a career in photography? If someone is starting a career in photography, they probably already know what they’re doing, so I think a better question is what words of advice do you have for aspiring photographers? Know your camera. The better you know your camera the more you can do with it. Study the art of other photographers and figure out what it is about their photography that you like so you can try to do the same. Practice a lot! That is the number one way to get better. I still learn new things every single time I do a shoot.

Model: Candice Lorraine (page 17)

myspace.com/natvonphoto

Pink Rock Candy

Interview by Rachel Phipps

Among the Lipstick Royalty team, our most recent obsession has to be Fashion Blogs in all shapes and sizes. However, for us three lovely lady bloggers have stood out; August Lipstick Royalty’s Gala Darling, our cover girl Doe Deere and Chelsea Rae of Pink Rock Candy. What were we to do apart from catch up with Chelsea to chat about her life, her style and most importantly Pink Rock Candy!

What’s your favorite thing about blogging?

I love blogging because it keeps me on track. I get really scattered sometimes because I’m constantly finding things I think are interesting and want to talk about, and Pink Rock Candy

is my way of organizing and logging all of those great pieces of inspiration.

Pink Rock Candy was originally an old Blogger account given to you by your sister. Had you ever tried starting a blog before?

Never. When the Livejournal boom happened, I was so against i t and the drama that it instigated in my high school, I vowed to never start a blog. Obviously, that didn’t last. When I started, blogging was my only outlet for fashion anything, and it helped me hone my knowledge about the fashion industry.

Where did the name Pink Rock Candy come from?

Pink Rock Candy was the url for the blog I took from my sister. I liked it because it was sort of off-kilter and didn’t really mean anything. Plus, I had no idea if my newfound fashion leanings would last, so I figured if they didn’t I could always change the topic of the blog, but keep the name. Also, I’m sort of a big fan of the color pink, rock music, and any form of candy that doesn’t contain chocolate, so…

Why fashion? You could have written about food, music... biology...?

Honestly, I think it started off as a bit of a whim. I’ve always been a shopper and tried to dress nicely, but I never saw myself as one of those stylish girls. When I moved from Michigan to Connecticut, I didn’t know anyone. So, clothes and fashion magazines sort of became my solace.

Speaking of Biology, you switched from a Bio major to a PR major. I’m guessing you see yourself with a future in PR then. Any agencies you’d love to work with?

Let’s see… KCD or PR Consulting, but mostly KCD. They pretty much represent every designer I love. I’d also like to work in-house at Alexander Wang, 3.1 Phillip Lim, or Yigal Azrouël. (P.S.: I’m a super hard worker, call me!)

There are some pretty great pictures of you on your blog... Ever thought about dabbling in modeling? Or how about photography?

I’ve thought about modeling, but that’s as far as it goes. I’m super awkward in front of the camera, and I don’t feel like I’m very photogenic. As for photography, I took a class on it in high school that I really enjoyed, but I don’t think I have the eye for it. I usually just luck into my pictures.

Apart from being chosen as Teen Vogue’s “Blogger Of The Moment”, what has been the best moment of your blogging experience so far?

Yikes, that’s hard. I think the best moments of blogging are when someone comments on one of your posts. It gives you this feeling of success and relief, knowing that people actually read and care what you think.

Where do you find your content?

My content literally comes from everywhere. I read a lot of blogs and fashion related websites. I receive loads of press releases. Also, a lot of my content is inspired by my lurking around e-commerce websites, and if I find something I like and will buy/wish I could buy, it gets blogged about.

Tell us about your obsession with bassists...

Well, I love the sound of a bass (the stringed kind), whether it’s an electric bass guitar or a double bass. Something about the deep sound just stirs my soul, but my obsession w i t h b a s s i s t s i s c o m p l e t e l y unconscious. It’s really weird because every time I see a new band, I usually think the bassist is the cutest, even if I had no idea he played the bass prior to seeing them. I guess it’s intuition.

Do you enjoy reading other people's fashion blogs? Whose blog are you really digging at the moment?

I love reading other fashion blogs. I try to keep up with everyone’s blog who has ever commented on PRC, plus a heaped helping of other fashion blogs. I’m totally unsuccessful at being a good regular reader of them all

because I try to have a life outside of my computer, but I do get around to all of them at least once in a blue moon.My Top Five Favorite Blogs: • Secretista (http://www.secretista.com/):

I always read this blog because Dara is a really good friend of mine. We go to the same university, but we didn’t know each other until we met through blogging.

• F a s h i o n Tr e n d G u i d e ( h t t p : / /fashiontrendguide.blogspot.com/): this was one of the first blogs I ever read, and I’m still reading it. That’s a testament to its greatness.

• Some Notes on Napkins (http://www.somenotesonnapkins.com/): Jackie is such a sweet girl, and she has a great eye for interesting clothes and ear for fabulous music.

• C h e a p T h r i l l s ( h t t p : / /cheapthrillsss.blogspot.com/): I just started following this blog, and I’m

obsessed with Raez’s style. It’s beyond amazing. • Voutier Blog (http://blog.voutier.com/): I

fell for this blog when it was still called JustJR, the collages on it are stunning. I wish I was that creative!

What was the most memorable post you’ve ever written and how did you come to write it? I have two, for completely different reasons. The first is a post I wrote about Fitflops, which garnered me a ton of traffic even though I totally bashed them. The second was the post I wrote about the death of my sister. When she died, everything about me changed because she was such an integral part of my life— we were best friends. I literally took almost three months to write the post because I went back and forth about what I would actually say and whether I wanted to say anything at all. It sort of felt like there was a giant elephant in the room every time

I posted something without mentioning her death, not because I talked about her that much, but because she was the reason there was a Pink Rock Candy to begin with. It was the hardest thing I ever had to put into words, but just writing it and pressing post felt good. I’m pretty sure it didn’t encompass even half of what I was/am feeling, but I think it needed to be done, for my sanity.

Did you spend a lot of time promoting your blog, or did it just gain readers organically?

At first I tried to promote PRC using MySpace. I would send total strangers messages telling them I liked their style and asking them to check out my blog and give me feedback. I doubt most of them did, but this one girl wrote back telling me I had bad grammar and was writing about dated trends. It sort of stung, but made me want to get better. After I got bored with MySpace, my blog promoting days were over. Things have just worked themselves out because the fashion blogging community is really supportive and interactive.

The graphics and layouts on your blog are pretty hot! Do you do them yourself?

Thanks, and yes! I’ve become quite adept at fiddling with the Wordpress templates to make them my own. Sometimes I surprise myself at how well I know CSS, HTML, and PHP (that was my little geek out).

What advice would you give someone wanting to start their own blog? Any top tips?

1) Write about what you know and love. There can only be one Style Bubble or Sea of Shoes, so don’t try to recreate them.2) Have fun, because when it stops being fun

then it’s time for a change.3) Be social. We bloggers are chatty creatures and love to voice our opinions (quite obviously), so comment on other people’s blogs and eventually people will start commenting on yours.4) Grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it’s really hard to enjoy a blog when it takes you 15 extra minutes trying to decipher what they’re saying.

So what’s next for Chelsea Rae and Pink Rock Candy?

I honestly have no idea. I used to be the person who always needed to plan things, but I’ve learned to just let things happen, especially when it isn’t a life or death situation. I’m just going to keep blogging and see what comes of it. So, perhaps what I see for PRC’s future is to simply have a future.

Check out and subscribe to Chelsea’s blog at PINKROCKCANDY.NET!

INKED...

by Lauren Merrall

The history of tattoos, and how the technique has been used and has evolved, is important to understand in order to appreciate what it stands for, and to readily accept it as an art form and as a fashion statement. Tattooing is one of the oldest art forms in existence, with the oldest preserved section of human skin ever found embellished with a tattoo, applied when the skin layer was still functioning. It’s a way of expression and communication, and has been used through many cultures and throughout history.

F r o m t h e e a r l y 1 9 9 0 s o n w a r d s , tattooing popularity has had a huge increase

and moved well on from the days of rebellion. Looking over the last decade’s media growth in control and access, it’s not hard to see that there is a strong link between the two, or just how tattooing has turned into another fashion statement.

A tattoo has become something of a must-have and trend more recently, with more and more people getting tattoos to symbolise and mark an important event in their lives, or to express a love and interest. While shoes, jewellery and clothing are elements of fashion that can be constantly updated, one single tattoo is something to carry

Images: Claire Ritche by Lauren Merrall

Image: Andy Boldry by Rob Jamieson

with you for life - whether it is a regrettable mistake, or something with deep meaning, it’s something that has evolved from the days of rebellion to a phenomenal craze in the fashion industry.

Tattoos used to be applied much like how surgery was carried out in theatres; unsanitary and unskilful. But nowadays, tattoo machines are used, and sanitary environments and equipment are not ignored. Moved out of the danger zone decades later, we now see swarms of celebrities like Sophie Ellis Bextor, David Beckham and Angelina Jolie, waving the flag for this art expression, and so it’s not hard to see that the media plays a massive part in the surge in tattoo acceptance and desire, and that tattooing is very much associated with fashion. The much talked about tattoos sported by celebrities are copied and are sources of inspiration for people’s own, and so it’s no different to copying what celebrity women wear whilst walking down the red carpet.

Andy Boldry, who has previously been a feature for Lipstick Royalty magazine, was the

perfect person to seek a viewpoint from on this fascinating growing trend. Resembling the illustrated man, I sought out Mr Boldry and was greeted by a passionate response to LR’s call to expose tattooing as more than a rebel’s game.

“Tattooing has definitely moved away from the days of rebellion, it is a lot more socially acceptable and this is reflected by the number of people who are getting tattoos. As for being a respected art form, I’m not sure it could be so easily generalised. It is certainly respected as an art form by people involved in the tattoo industry, including those who get tattooed, but those unfamiliar with the world of tattoos would not hold it up as an example of art in the same way as say a classic like Picasso or Rembrandt. So I think as for it being a 'respected art form', that is totally subjective. Tattooing has definitely become fashionable, the prime example of this being media driven is David Beckham and how many people were influenced to get tattoos when he got work done. Certain trends come and go in the tattoo world and these are more often than not influenced by celebrities through TV and magazines.”

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to have a friend pose for me in front of my camera in all her tattooed glory, for a rebel/pin-up style theme to the shoot. Claire Ritchie, 33, Milton Keynes, has been embellishing herself with beautiful tattoos for years.

“I love tattoos because they are a way of expressing myself. My tattoos remind me of people I do not want to forget and things that have happened in my life that have made me stronger. They represent spiritual experiences I have had and my childhood friends. I use them to enhance my femininity and cover up evidence of childbirth, and because when I am old I want to remember this time in my life.

I also like the feeling of being tattooed as a rite of passage almost, it makes you feel very alive and I like the feeling of being connected t o m y f r i e n d s , f a m i l y a n d m y general environment. They do that for me”

Tattoos mean many things to different people, and maybe they will fluctuate in popularity,

style and themes from time to time just as fashion does. But tattooing is here to stay. Tattoos were once taboo, but some people now accept skin art. Thirty-six percent of people ages 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). With more and more people choosing a tattoo to mark significant events and feelings, it's fashion in the sense that certain styles are popular and similar between people. But just as equally, tattoos can be a personal decision that has nothing to do with giving into conformity and peer pressure, but simply a colourful way to carry around a piece of art wherever life will take you.

Images (and on previous page): Courtney Fullerton

hot young talent...

Candice Loraine

18

Sacramento, California

Model

4 years

sushi, having a good time with friends, roller-coasters, vintage, relaxing, traveling and fashion

doesn't hate anything!

Nat Von Photo, Dirty Shirty, Johnston Photo

Full page beauty spread for TEEN magazine

Betsey Johnson

she plans to become a full time model or own a tattoo shop

she sees herself successful at modeling and doing something she loves, and married!

Photo: Nat Von Photo

http://www.modelmayhem.com/clw17

Like Solidifying Memories...

Model: Robert Chappelle

by Amy Claire Thompson

The internet is awash with amateur photographers, trying to make themselves known through their stunning imagery, and photo-editing; however some are always going to stand out from the crowd. I would say - as a fashion writer - that the work of Beck Bygrave (http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckbygrave/) fits this category perfectly.

Beck is not a fashion photographer, however when she turns her camera to human models (as opposed to landscapes), the beauty of the imagery strikes me as fashion photobook material. Her landscapes, too, are stunning - however it is the images with models which catch my attention above all else. Beck explains that this is probably because she sees

her images as reflective of her personality, and therefore the details are brought out to a much greater degree: “I would say I’m a rather lively person and I think that the bold imagery in some of my photography makes my personality show through. I’m also rather interested in horror films (like most people of this age), and so that also weaves its way into some of my darker, bolder black and white images... I feel a sense of achievement if I’ve made a good high contrast image. The reason that I am very fond of black and white images is that it leaves a lot to the imagination; you can imagine which colours go where and I find it fascinating!”

I asked Beck what her greatest inspiration was, and she told me that “the things which inspire my work are favourite places, or sometimes if I’m driving around, I’ll see a beauty spot or something, and if it catches my eye, I’ll

Beck at Work. Photo: Roxy Wonder Photographix

of my questions for her – a brave thing, seeing as it was when I asked her to describe herself in five words. The answers they provided were remarkably similar, with each of them using words like “fun”, “music”, “caring”, “hyperactive”, “dedicated” and “friend”.

Through all of this, Beck’s advice to other aspiring photographers - “try to be as original and creative as possible. Go beyond the stretch of your imagination and allow no limitations.” - seems obvious; and it is refreshing to see someone who is willing to accept her own advice, as well as give it out. She also seems to know exactly how she is going to achieve her ambitions: she has recently taken her A-levels (one of which, of course, was photography), and by the time that this article is published, will be looking forward to beginning a university course which she says she hopes will allow her to build up her portfolio, as well as her contacts list; I feel certain that her perseverance and hard work will pay off, and that this is one young photographer who is most certainly destined to go far.photograph it. My friends also inspire my

work and I think that there’s more of a personal feel to images when they’re of friends not random people; there’s an inspirational feeling to photographing friends - it’s like solidifying memories.” I am in entire agreement with Beck; her photography sparkles with the joy of friendship, and the connection between photographer and model is evident in every image.

Beck has always been drawn towards photography, and is now looking towards selling her images after gigs she plays with her band: “I 've had a vague interest in photography since I was a child, but over the past few years I have developed that interest into more of a career option: I’ve made friends with other photographers, which draws me to it further, because it’s fun to be able to work with other photographers and compare styles and techniques. Now, I’d like to further my band and sell my photography after the gigs.”

Something that became very evident to me through the interview was the importance of her friends; she even got them to answer one

Model: Emma

Rock ‘N’ Needle...Interview by Rachel Phipps, photos by Andy Espin

One of the highlights for Amy and I at Clothes Show London were chatting to Kelly Goss, founder of Rock ‘n’ Needle. It was obvious to us when we looked back on the show in the previous issue that we just had to catch up with Kelly for a quick interview!

Where did the name come from, and what was the inspiration behind the collection? I wanted to have an original concept and name, linking both fashion and rock music. I use a lot of embroidery in my work which is where the ‘Needle’ part comes from and it is also associated with tattoos as I use tattoo inspired

imagery in some of the clothing.

Where does the inspiration for your designs come from? I am inspired by the styles of musicians including Steve Tyler, Madonna and Motley Crue. This always gets my mind thinking of designs and imagery. I get a lot of ideas from tattoo designs by watching Miami Ink and London Ink. Other inspirations include London street style and visits to the V&A museum!

Have you always wanted to work in the fashion industry? Do you have any formal fashion qualifications?

I have always loved fashion and from the age of 14 I decided I wanted a career in fashion. At school however things didn’t go according to plan and I wasn’t allowed to sit my textiles GCSE as my teacher didn’t think I was good enough! That was disappointing but I left school and studied a National Diploma in Fashion and Clothing at Swansea College. It was a fantastic course but when I left I was told I wouldn’t be able to set up a fashion brand without a degree by one of my tutors. I then moved from Wales to London to study at The London Fashion Retail Academy where I studied retailing.

You started the line when you were only 18: Did you find that you weren’t taken seriously because you were so young as a designer? I was lucky that I met the people I did when I moved to London as they were extremely supportive and enthusiastic about Rock ‘n’ Needle. Interestingly enough I have met a few

patronising photography assistants, although in the main most have been brilliant. I work regularly with Andy Espin Photography and Steve Jones Images, who have both been extremely helpful and supportive.

How did it feel to be showing at such a famous show such as Clothes Show London alongside may established labels and designers as well as people who’d been showing at Clothes Show for almost 10 years? It was one of the best shows of my life and I thoroughly enjoyed exhibiting. I learnt more leading up to this event and selling to the public than I could ever have imagined! I feel far more prepared for the Birmingham Clothes Show and it was an honour to be approached for the London one. How does it make you feel that you’ve had such success, so quickly with your label? I am really pleased with the progress of the label in the time span and I am eager to develop this further. I am extremely grateful for the people I have met and the interest shown.

What’s next for both you and Rock ‘n’ Needle? I have the online boutique which is up and running and being developed further, and Rock ‘n’ Needle will also be available to buy in Camden and Brick Lane over the next coming months through the markets. I intend to participate in the Birmingham Clothes Show in December and next year Rock ‘n’ Needle will be exhibiting at London Edge Trade and Buyer Show. The long term plan for Rock ‘n’ Needle is to develop a wide product range which will include a jeans and cosmetic line, stocked in various boutiques (including it’s own) and I would love to see Rock ‘n’ Needle be a Topshop Concession.

Ask Amy...

Make sure you shop smart to coordinate outfits! Photo: Roxy Wonder Photographix, Model: Slim-Mils (Milly)

Our Fashion Editor, Amy Claire Thompson answers all of your fashion faux pas in her e x c l u s i v e m o n t h l y c o l u m n o n l y i n Lipstick Royalty Magazine!Got a question? Drop Amy an email at amy.lipstickroyalty@live.com!

My friends all love Crocs, but I’m not convinced. What do you think?Lizzie

Oh, dear goodness, do not even get me started on Crocs. I heard a while back that they were invented as “Vegan Shoes” – as in “they are not made of leather” – but neither are Converse, and at least they look good! I also read a description of them as “collanders for

your feet” – which makes them sound about as useful as chocolate teapots. Which they are. Seriously. If you have any dignity, don’t go there. Please.

I’ve bought a new skirt, and I was going to wear it the other day until I realised I had no shoes to go with it… but I don’t want to have to buy any more… Any ideas?Anonymous

My first thought as I read this is that perhaps you should have considered that before you bought it, to be honest – I hope that it didn’t cost you too much! To be honest, though, I’m not really sure that I understand the question; surely any shoes would go alright with it – it just depends which tops etc you choose to match with it, surely? If you match it with green, for example, pair it up with green shoes, and you’re sorted? At least… that’s what I’d have thought. And if you don’t have the kind of top that would match any of your shoes, then perhaps it’s time to review the contents of your wardrobe; have a purge and take a load of old stuff to a charity shop. Or, because you say you don’t want to have to buy any more, p e r h a p s y o u s h o u l d h e a d a l o n g t o whatsmineisyours.com to switch your existing clothes, which clearly don’t form ‘outfits’, for new ones, which do! Then again, I did have a similar dilemma myself, recently, and it really was a bit of a problem – the skirt and shoes were fine, but it was the tights which caused the problem… so, on that level, I see where you’re coming from. In which case, I’d take the advice of Carine Roitfeld, the editor of French Vogue, and plan your outfit from the shoes upwards. That way, you’re ready for all weather, and it’s good for the outfit planning, too!

LoveLoveLove- A -

So Bright Its Illegal...by Rachel Phipps

A couple of months ago, totally by accident I discovered a blog. It was a pretty cool, candy coloured blog with some killer content, which was run by Xenia a.k.a Doe Deere. I did a little bit more research on Doe and discovered in the last few years she’s filled the many guises of singer, model, clothing designer, makeup artist and most recently Lime Crime Makeup - the brightest cosmetics around! I was delighted then, when Doe agreed to join us to chat about

her line, Lime Crime’s brand new lipsticks and pixies.... but the thing that made me the most excited, or as Doe would say “gleeful” was the fact Doe kindly offered to send me samples of some of her products...

The moment I got home and saw the package with the Lime Crime logo on the front I was excited (and considering I'd spent the day at Clothes Show London and was as tired as hell that was quite a feat!). I opened it up and out fell three eyeshadows - 'Snow Queen', 'Enchant' and 'Mermaid'. And now can I just say, before even Images (left & right): Grenouille

describing the packaging, don't be worried about your orders arriving in one piece if you live outside the USA. Mine was shipped from Brooklyn all the way to the UK and all the powders remain intact and in the dinky little pots - there was even a big muddy footprint on the back of the bubble wrap shipping package! Lime Crime eyeshadows survive being stamped on - not that I'm suggesting it ladies!

A few days later I took my new eyeshadows for their first ever test run. I coloured in the outside corners of my eyelids with 'Enchant' and finished off the rest of the lid with 'Snow Queen' blending the shadows together in the middle. The effect was stunning. The little plastic covers inside the pots were really hard to get into and I was really worried about spilling it everywhere but as I managed to get them both open without a glitter shower I actually find their strong seal rather comforting. At this point I discovered a tiny little flaw to the product - Lime Crime Eyeshadows are not compatible with cheap make-up brushes. The pigment did not pick up properly with my brushes and were really difficult to apply because of it. Thankfully there are a stunning set of Lime Crime brushes available in their online store, and after putting my thinking cap on I discovered that ( c l e a n ) g o o d q u a l i t y a r t i s t s paintbrushes (I suggest sable) work wonders with Lime Crime shadows. After that little hiccup the colours went on really easily, they were a pleasure to use! (Note to clumsy people... I managed to rescue most of it off the carpet but as they advertise on their website, Lime Crime eyeshadows are highly pigmented, so if you're as clumsy as I am, be extra careful if you want to avoid tears!)

Image: Rock Metal Inc (myspace.com/rockmetalinc)

I went out about an hour later (the only other makeup I used on my eyes were black MAC eyeliner and black Clinique mascara, but I found a fine line of the 'Snow Queen' created a beautiful shimmery bottom line with its fabulous green pigment lost among the whiteness) and I got so many compliments on my eye make up. The greenish black edges and the light shimmery green tinged shadows looked fantastic in the light!

When I got home I looked in the mirror and even though some of the pigment had rubbed off, most of it remained as good as it had been when I had applied it a couple of hours before. It didn't smudge or sweat off either, and with the thin line of shadow acting as eyeliner my usual eyeliner didn't run either which I usually have problems with!

I’m waiting until the lipstick colours go on sale, but Doe can be pretty confident that she’s getting a big order in from me!

Xenia, how exactly did you come to found Lime Crime?

I adore unusually bright colors and always had trouble finding them. Last summer (2008) I decided to launch my own company that will make top-quality, high-payoff eyeshadows for girls just like me!

So you started off with makeup tutorials, and you were teaching girls how to turn themselves into harlequins, fairies, elves and pirates. Why?

To me, life is one big fairy tale. I believe that you can be anything you want, if you put your mind to it. I have this ideal universe in my head and I'm taking steps daily to bring it to life. Cosmetics is just one part of it. What makeup does is boost your confidence and allows you to be the most fabulous, beautiful, sparkly version of yourself.

Where did the slogan "So bright, it's illegal" come from?

It's word play on Lime Crime. We make cosmetics "so bright, it's illegal"!

What's your favourite product?

I am totally addicted to Lime Criminal Magic Dust and can't go a day without Snow Queen! Also, a new lipcolor from my line called D'Lilac. It's a striking pale lavender.

Any others?

This summer I am planning to wear lots of Circus Girl (bright yellow) and downplay it with Twilight (shimmery lilac).

What should Lipstick Royalty readers expect from your new lipstick line? What sort of colours should we be looking forward to?

Image: Grenouille

There is going to be 10 shades all tied into the concept of Candyfuture - a term I use to describe a colorful post-modern world in my mind. I do weekly installments to describe Candyfuture on my blog.

You used to have a DIY clothing line called Lime Crime which did rather well. Why did you give it up in favour of cosmetics?

It's how it all started, actually. Lime Crime was originally my clothing line, my first attempt at online entrepreneurship. It helped get my name out there and laid ground for the cosmetic line. I still get people approaching me with "Hey, I know you! You're from Lime Crime on eBay!"

However, to say that I gave up fashion in favor of cosmetics would be false. Most people see career as a linear progression: pick a path and stay on it for the rest of their life. If it doesn't work out, drop and start a new "line". I see it as more of a puzzle or a mosaic. As I go along exploring music, fashion, cosmetics, etc, new pieces fall into place, creating a certain image.

Every person's image is different; mine is Candyfuture.

Who would you love to see your make-up on?

Ooh, good question. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Lady Sovereign, Skye Sweetnam (actually, Skye is already rocking Lime Crime!). Any bright character!

Any beauty or skin care tips you’d like to share with Lipstick Royalty readers?

Always wear a primer under your eyeshadow and foundation for flawless results. Never sleep with your makeup on.

As well as running Lime Crime you're a recording artist, web designer, a blogger AND a model! How did you get started in all those different fields?

Jeez, sounds scary all written out like that, doesn't it! My strategy is to apply myself in all

Image: Rock Metal Inc (myspace.com/rockmetalinc)

and any way I can creative, and do what I love. I just tend to enjoy way too many things...

And where did the name Doe Deere come from?

Doe is a nickname my husband Mark came up with and it just stuck. He calls me Doe.

Did you know that we both have something in common? We're both OBSESSED with colour! How important is colour in everything you do?

We certainly have that in common! I live, breathe and dream color and cannot imagine my life without it. When I used to work at Calvin Klein, my favorite assignment was matching color swatches. To this day, I can identify and match any color within seconds. Since I got into cosmetics, my interest in color expanded ten-fold. It's a science, to understand the effect color has on us and how we respond

to it. Color trends do not come about randomly. For instance, this spring yellow was a very popular color (I just saw two girls on campus with yellow umbrellas) - this could be due to our need for some sunshine in life during the recession.

Tell Lipstick Royalty readers about GLEE...

GLEE is more than the feeling of content; it's a state of mind when you're exploding with happiness and cannot contain yourself! Example: "the new Harry Potter movie was pure GLEE!".

Something that shines through all your work is, if you don't mind me saying so your totally crazy mental personality! Do your friends and family sometimes find you too much to handle? And what about your poor husband!

Let's address the husband first: he's just as crazy! I have a suspicion that my entire family is a little eccentric but to me, they're as normal as it gets.

Image: Grenouille

People often assume that since I'm outspoken on my blog and dress differently I must be loud and hyper-kinetic in person. I'm not. I'm soft-spoken, highly considerate of others and prefer to listen more than to talk.

What is a typical day for you?

I'm definitely a morning person. I wake up at 8 am, eat breakfast while responding to email that poured in overnight (I'm a compulsive computer eater). Write a blog post for the day (usually comes out around noon), check my Google Reader for updates from fellow bloggers, comment on what I find interesting. Have lunch. Go for a walk down to the park. Hula hoop while brainstorming for ideas aloud with my husband. Sometimes meet up with friends for dinner. Groom my Persians. I try to go to bed no later than midnight.

What has been a really great career milestone for you?

All pieces in the candyfuturistic mosaic are

are equally important but there are some bigger ones that I feel have more significance to me. One such piece is my personal growth. I've been chiselling away at it for a while and only now does it start to resemble something I can be proud of. I used to be somewhat of a cranky person, easy to throw off-balance. One day I decided it had to change. But I've been working really hard to get rid of that and have really found my zen.

What advice would you give to any Lipstick Royalty readers who'd like to start out as a make-up artist or launch their own line?

Do it only if think you can one-up what's already out there, otherwise it's not worth it. You will be competing against the best of the best, so be prepared to bring it!

So what's next for Lime Crime?

On October 1st we are coming out with our line of Candyfuturistic lipsticks. Pre-sales begin September 1st! There is also a secret project in the works that I can't talk about!

Image: Grenouille

Find out more at LIMECRIMEMAKUP.COM!

Wrong to be different?

by Jenny Mak

Is it wrong to be different? That is what 21-year-old Nicola Warren asks in her campaign of the same name. Warren is determined to fight against discrimination towards people who have visible tattoos and piercings, and who generally choose to lead an alternative lifestyle. Already, she is making people sit up

and take notice over an issue that ripples through social circles but hasn’t really come to the forefront. After all, body art is more accepted nowadays and even considered ‘cool’. Celebrities like David Beckham and Robbie Williams are covered in tattoos and display them proudly. Tattoos and piercings have become part of what you might call ‘culture design’, a kind of creed that you physically etch on your body such that it literally embodies and defines you. Yet such

practices have their detractors, and reality is harsh when a visibly tattooed or pierced person is discriminated against, most commonly in the workplace. Warren is vocal in her disapproval of such behaviour and her dissatisfaction with the discrimination law in the UK which does not protect the rights of people in such a situation. Here are some of the questions we asked her about her campaign and what she hopes to achieve in the long run.

What was the first, most immediate thing that motivated you to start this campaign?

Well after hearing about the website and campaigns, it got me thinking more of the troubles people with body modifications have in society and the workplace, and the troubles I and mates of mine have had in these places. Neither my friends nor I liked the situations we were in at times, and I thought to myself if we don't then I’m sure a lot of others wouldn't. So I thought it a good idea to start the campaign.

When did you get your first piercing and tattoo?

My first piercing was my eyebrow at 15. My first tattoo was a star on my leg when I was 18.

How many tattoos and piercings do you have at the moment?

I currently have nine singular tattoos and a half sleeve on my right arm and a lower back piece. I also currently have eight piercings.

How is your campaign going on at the moment? What have you done so far?

My campaign is still going well thank you. So far I have won the Battlefront campaign competition and I have a Facebook page set up

for it. I have my own ‘Wrong To Be Different’ website. In May I held an all-day event of live bands (which consisted of twelve bands coming from Swindon, London, Essex, Reading, Bristol, Taunton and Southend), circus acts, music, DJs etc. to raise money for the S.O.P.H.I.E charity and also to raise awareness in Swindon and the surrounding areas of the ‘Wrong To Be Different’ campaign. I have just finished an interview with some well-known personages on their thoughts, views and ideas on my campaign which will be featured in a local magazine in the following months and I am currently arranging a team of people to go around different towns in the summer doing talks, shows and handing out leaflets on the issue.

Have you yourself been discriminated against? What happened?

I went for a job in a nightclub. After the interview (with the weekend manager) I was contacted that I got the job. After working there for two weeks they asked me to cover a couple of shifts in the week, which I was more than happy to do. But the week manager clearly had a problem with me and would not let me work behind the bar or on the club floor, so I had to work out back all the time. He told me it was because I had visible piercings. When I was first given the job, I was told it was no problem. The next day, I was told I was fired. When I asked why, I was told that it was because they wanted to swap me to work weekdays but the weekday manager didn't think I would be able to cope with it, and that I didn’t fit the work specifications due to my visible piercings.

Some companies may defend themselves, saying that they have the right to apply certain minimum dress standards for their employees, to give a reliable, trustworthy impression to their clients. What would you say to this?

In my eyes and through the survey that I carried

out (207 responses), people agreed about dress standards such as clothes and shoes. But how can having a piercing or a tattoo stop someone from working well? Or from getting contracts? Or from running a business? They can't. To refuse someone a job on the lines that they have a tattoo or a piercing is discrimination. If they say it's to give a "reliable" and a "trustworthy" impression to their clients, that is defamation of character as they are indirectly saying that people with body modifications are not reliable or trustworthy.

What do you think of the difference in public perception—that on one hand you have celebrities like David Beckham and Robbie Williams who display their tattoos proudly, that body art is more accepted nowadays, and on the other hand, discrimination at the workplace still exists?

Personally, I still get a lot of problems with my body modifications with people when I walk down the streets. Body art (tattoos) is more accepted these days than it was in the past but I believe that things like piercings and scarification are not. There are still a lot of problems in society with it, especially in the town I live in. A couple of Fridays ago, there was actually a really big incident at the local rock club where a group of "chavs", as people would describe them, came down to the club with bricks, breeze blocks and metal poles and attacked 15 of the people from the club because they were heavily modified with tattoos, piercings and scarification. People were hurt and ended up in hospital. The group of people (10 men and 3 girls) who started the incident ran off when the police arrived at the club. There are still very dangerous people out there and I personally don't see why they have a problem with body modifications. Whenever I ask people who dislike them why, they never have a valid reason. The main response I get is "I just don't." I also think that people like David Beckham and Robbie Williams can get away with having them proudly on show only because they are celebrities.

From your Facebook group, you say that your ultimate aim is to push for a change in the discrimination law to protect the rights of people who choose to have an alternative look. That’s quite ambitious. Do you think you will get there in the end?

I aim to get there. I know it will take a lot of time, years in fact, but you have to start small to get bigger. I'm going to start with small changes locally and then get bigger. But it is going pretty well as I do have several people from around the world following my campaign, who are spreading the word around to their friends, and also three people working around the UK to set up groups and go around their local areas spreading the word.

Do you think the discrimination will change anytime soon?

I don't think it will change completely anytime soon but I am hoping more people will come to respect the fact that not everyone is the same.

Do you have any idols or people you look up to?

Kat Von D because she is a very strong-minded and strong-willed person who has put up with and gone through a lot of things in her life, especially in the whole discrimination towards people with body modifications. Also the band Anti-Flag, a very well-known band who do a lot of campaign work on their beliefs and views.

Lastly, do you have anything you want to say to our readers?

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Everyone is different.

Summer SunL i p s t i c k R o y a l t y ’ s E d i t o r , photographer Rachel Phipps grabbed first time model Yasmin Hajilou on a sunny summers afternoon for an impromptu photo shoot...

The Review...by Rhian Williams

The great friend break-up Stood there, with nothing on apart from a paper thong, hairnet and ridiculous foam shoes I had an epiphany of sorts. I was about to be spray tanned by a machine I can only describe as hazardously orange, and all the time chatting to my friend like it was the most normal thing in the world. I suddenly realised how rare it was to have a bond like that. Total peace with the fact that someone knows you so well that they still love you in your birthday suit smelling like hobnobs. Priceless. “A good friend will bail you out of jail; a best friend will be sat right beside you” My friends are my partners in crime and I wouldn’t change them for the world. At times friends know more than your lover; that you fancy the guy in your local supermarket, you eat cookies in bed or that in fact you don’t feel like a goddess in 6 inch heels and stockings, but an elephant in a condom. And that’s only the half of it. "Love is blind. Friendship tries not to notice." By your twenties most of your close friendships will have outlived your first boyfriends. Gaz who you once thought was king of your world because he slipped his tongue in your mouth and had some bum fluff is totally a thing of the past, the second boyfriend who you allowed in your bra was awful in bed and eventually snogged another girl (or another boy if you were really unlucky) and the third long-term boyfriend turned out to be a total prick and exactly who your mother warned you about. Boys with Saxos no longer impress you, beards just give you stubble rash and you’d rather never kiss another guy who tried to touch your voice box with his tongue. We see in the papers ever day about new celeb couples, flings, bitch-fights and romances but very rarely are the paps talking about friends, or the break-up of friendships. They just don’t seem as newsworthy. The only great friend break-up which seemed to loom large was the debacle of Paris and Nicole, but it was often other factors like

Nicole’s eating disorder that took centre stage. You only have to hit Google just to see how many forums are chocked full of people asking for advice on the subject to see how it affects people. So why don’t we deem friendship break ups as worthy as relationship break ups? I for one think it’s just as painful and a whole lot more confusing. The boundaries with friendships seem much more distorted than those in a relationship, where there are boundaries set all over the place. But each relationship with a friend is different; and the older I get the more I start to realise how complicated they can be. People change so dramatically from their teens and you can even find yourself in a friendship with someone who you know nothing about, nothing is asked because it’s assumed that there is nothing to be gained; if you were married you’d have stopped giving blow-jobs a long time ago. The art is to know how to drift apart from these friends with no animosity or hard feelings, something nobody seems to have a clue about! You don’t delete their number, go and get your hair done or go on a wild night out meeting new friends for one evening.

"A true friend stabs you in the front." ~ Oscar Wilde

If you’re very lucky you’ll have friends in your twenties who knew you when you had braces and acne - I’m a firm believer that you need the people who knew you when you were young to give you a bit of firm advice; being able to create a whole secondary conversation is a wonderful thing. “Ahhh, his new girlfriends looks nice doesn’t she?” means “Tell me dishwater has more personality”. Alas, some chums come and go like the crazy party animals, the friends of friends and the ones who taught you how to roll a spliff at university, but the steadfast will be there through boyfriends, girlfriends, drunken nights, e n g a g e m e n t s , n e w h o u s e s , c e l e b r a t i o n s , commiserations, holidays, babies and the whole shebang. I think the key is to have few close friends instead of hundreds of acquaintances - as the brain box Aristotle once said “Misfortune shows those who are not really friends” and sadly that seems too damn true.

How To Be A...Jewellery Designer

Interview by Ashley Rieflin

Liz Besanson is the beauty and glimmer behind Bang! Bang! Baby, a collection of handcrafted edgy and feminine jewelry that boast the many facets of what it means to be a girl! From crystal embellished ice cream cone necklaces to silver chains and skull cameos, Bang! Bang! Baby has a piece for every mood. Here, Liz tells us what it took to become a jewelry designer:

Have you always wanted to be a jewelry designer? How did you start out?

Growing up I was always creative but I couldn't figure out what I really wanted to do with my life when I got older. I grew up in Manhattan, NYC so I quickly dove into fashion and makeup. It wasn't until four years ago that someone approached me to join them in their already existing jewelry design company and jump on board to bring some edgy flavor to their very girly line. So that's when I started making jewelry for the first time. It was okay, I knew that I needed to learn stronger techniques and improve my quality quick!

It sounds like you got into jewelry design by being impulsive and following your instincts! Is this something you recommend?

I personally was impulsive because I had no clear direction at first. There was a pulling within me to be creative, I just didn't fine tune it until an opportunity was given to me to design jewelry. However, I would highly

recommend for others to be sure of what they want to do because that's what will bring you joy every morning when you wake up. If you are creative but not sure of what you want to do, try different art forms until you find that sense of fulfillment that you are doing something that is really fun and want to do it all over again in the morning!

Who [or what] inspires you?

As designers, we inspire one another. A great deal of what I create is influenced by designers such as Betsey Johnson, Patricia Fields, and

Tarina Tarantino. However, many things inspire me, people on the streets, moods, color, etc. I find inspiration from things all around me.

According to your website, everything is handcrafted! Do you still make every individual piece or have you found a way to mass-produce them?

Until I hit it big, I cannot afford mass producing. I still handcraft every single item by myself!

Did you go to college and what did you

study? How did your education influence your success as a jewelry designer?

I did not go to college, I could never figure out what I wanted to do or be and I took time after high school to work and decide but as time went on, I kept working and never did enroll. Now that I am 36, I realize that if I could do it all over again, I would go to design school because that is what I'm most passionate about.

Your pieces stand-out as being both girly and edgy. Do you feel it is important for women to stay in tune with both their femininity and their strength, especially as these two traits

are often seen as opposites? Most definitely! I think my jewelry appeals to many ladies because the jewelry clearly makes a statement about their personality. Woman are faceted. We have many sides. I love the fusion of girly and edgy. It's who I am. I have a sweet girly side as well as a strong feisty nature and that comes through in my designs and I believe many ladies can relate.

What’s it like to run your own business?

Running my business full time is very hard work. I run it by myself while my husband is out working and my daughter is in school. So I have other responsibilities as a wife and mom to attend to during the day. It's fun being your own boss, I get to sit in my PJs all day and play with jewelry and the computer, what’s not to love about a job like that?!

How does being a mom influence your creativity?

My daughter is ten years old, and at age ten your imagination is so sharp and vivid. She sits in my studio with me at times and I watch how

bright, colorful, fun and it helps me to tune into her perspective and what she likes as a young girl. When she likes something I've designed, I know I have a hit!

Do you feel that Bang! Bang! Baby would be where it is today if there was no such thing as the internet? I believe that the internet plays a major part in getting to where I am today. Without the internet I would not be able to network and meet very cool people that have influenced me along the way. However, if I had to do my business without the internet, I would be a door to door salesperson and walk into every boutique with my jewelry in hand and catalogs and make them order my stuff!

What advice would you give to aspiring designers ready to make their own mark on the world? We always learn through trial and error. I personally have learned the best that way. I would say firstly to stay true to your own design. Be original, that’s what will get you recognized. Secondly, never skimp out on quality! To make money, you have to spend money and your customers will be willing to lay down the dough if it's worth it!

What do you have planned next for Bang! Bang! Baby?

BBB will be undergoing a new company name change and new website in the next couple of weeks. We are staying true to our style but we are revamping our site to make it a bit more polished as well as offering new exciting items! So please stay tuned and spread the word for us!

Bang Bang Baby! Designs, now Candy Couture Designs can be found at MYSPACE.COM/BANGBANGBABYDESIGNS

by Loriel Andre’a

Hi gorgeous Lipstick Royalty readers,

This month I want to write my monthly column on Health and fitness. I just so happen to get a lot of messages of people asking me how I stay fit so I thought I would give you some insight to how I stay healthy as well as give you a few work out tips to keep yourself in tip top shape.I would say for the most part everyone wants to be healthy and feel good about themselves, right? But it can be really hard to get motivated to work out and eat healthy, trust me I know how it is. It takes a lot of self control to stop eating junk food and do some sort of workout routine daily and a lot of us just really don’t have that much time or willpower to do so BUT where there is a will there is a way and sometimes to do the best things for ourselves we have to try harder so we can truly be happy.

Working out and eating healthy has become a big part of my life especially since I started to take my modeling career to the next level. It is very important in this industry to keep up a fit body, although many girls and guys seem to take this VERY seriously I just want to be healthy and do what I need to to feel good about myself. Life is so fast paced that sometimes you stop and think to yourself where did all the time go. It is important to take a moment out of your daily life to do something for yourself that will make you feel

good at the time and also bring you a long healthy happy life.

There are many different fitness methods I use to keep in shape. It’s a good idea to mix workouts so you don’t get bored of the same routine over and over again.

Dancing:

I love to dance it’s a lot of fun and a great workout for just about anyone. You don’t even have to be a very active person to enjoy dancing and you can dance just about anywhere. At home, alone, or at a party or club with friends. Heck I have even danced in a grocery store parking lot with friends. So go take about 15-20 minutes to have fun and dance your ass of…literally! Ha I am not a morning person at all so some days when I’m having a hard time waking up I will take a hot shower and while getting ready for the day I will blast some music and dance around my bedroom. Music is a necessity for working out. When listening to music I usually play something up beat that will get me in the mood to dance like Santogold, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MIA. I will occasionally go to house party’s or clubs to get a workout and have a fun time. Me and my friends can get pretty crazy dancing for hours and by the next day I am sore from dancing for so long. Heels and dancing do magic for your calves! WARNING Side effects may occur. Dancing may lead to blisters but that’s nothing a little antibiotic ointment and Hello Kitty bandades can’t fix.

Fashion Forward...

Yoga:

Yoga makes you feel better in body, mind, and spirit. Yoga consists of the Practice of postures, breathing exercises and meditation. Yoga brings relaxation while getting you in great shape at the same time. There are many different types of yoga to name a few there is Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kundalini, Bikram also known as Hot Yoga. I have found that yoga is a great exercise if you also want to feel relaxed while getting a great workout. If you decide you want to get into yoga I would take a yoga class first and see if it’s for you. The classes can be a bit awkward but you can learn a lot from the instructor as well as the correct yoga moves that will be right for you. Once you have taken a few yoga classes then you can take what you learned with you to do your own daily yoga routine at home. There are also a lot of videos out there on yoga if your more comfortable learning in your own home.

Bike riding:

When it’s not 120 degrees outside I love to go for a long bike ride about 1-2 hours. I typically go on a bike trail that has lots of hills so I can get a real challenging workout that does great things for my legs. When I’m not In the mood for such a serious workout I will just ride my bike around the neighborhood for about 15 mins. Bike rides can also be pretty relaxing while enjoying the scenery.

Playing sports:

To be honest I don’t care for sports too much but they can be entertaining and a great way to stay in shape. Get a few friends together and go to the park and play a game of football, baseball, dodge ball etc. and remember not to take it so seriously it’s supposed to be fun. Another great work out is to play a game of tennis or golf. I especially love going to the driving range and hit some balls. This is also a great workout to blow some steam if your

having a bad day.

Jump roping:

Yes it’s true jump roping is not just for kids anymore. It’s actually a great cardiovascular exercise. I will take about 15-20 minutes a day to do some jump rope exercises. It’s a great way to tone your arms and legs. I recommend jump roping on a ground that is not too hard since jump roping is high impact. It’s also very important to wear proper shoes such as an athletic shoe to give support to your ankles. It’s not the best idea to jump rope on cement instead carpet or grass would be best. This is a great exercise for someone that doesn’t have much free times on their hands or doesn’t really feel like leaving the house to exercise. It only takes a few minutes out of your life and since a jump rope is portable you can easily take it with you anywhere for a quick exercise.

Jogging:

I cannot stand running but don’t mind jogging for about 15-30 minutes. If you live by a beach then running along the ocean can be a great way to get exercise while enjoying the beautiful view or just find a location that you find to be serene and take a relaxing jog. If you’re going to go jogging make sure you have proper running shoes and running attire so you can be comfortable. Jogging with a partner can be helpful to motivate you to keep going when you just want to give up. I don’t believe in pushing yourself too hard to the point it makes you sick, just take it easy.

Going to concerts or local shows:

Music is a huge part of my life and I love going to support my favorite bands as well as checking out new bands. I have been going to shows for years and I find it to be the funnest most entertaining way to get exercise. If you go to shows to just stand around then you’re probably not getting that much of a work out but if you’re anything like me and go to shows to dance and move around while breaking a sweat then you are

definitely getting a work out. Some of the funnest shows I have gone to are hardcore shows where everyone is moving and singing along to their favorite songs and just having a fun time though occasionally getting hit in the head or getting knocked around often happens but it’s not so bad and you will learn to be more tough. Going to summer tours like Warped Tour can be so much fun and while your watching your favorite bands play you are standing around, walking around dancing around all while getting exercise. Always make sure to drink lots and lots of water to keep yourself hydrated especially if you are outside in the hot sun. I get heat exhaustion pretty fast and I can only imagine how embarrassing it would be to pass out in such a large crowd of people so I make sure to drink lots of water so that never happens.

Healthy eating:

Why eat healthy you ask? Well I think it’s important for you to feel good about yourself inside and out and when you take care of your health the better you will feel and the more energy you will have. You need to provide nutrients for your body to function correctly. Healthy eating provides you with health now and for the future and can help prevent you from getting diseases like diabetes and cancer. Overeating and eating too much junk food will eventually only make you unhealthy and you will not have much energy and unfortunately when you don’t have energy you tend to get lazy and eat more unhealthy foods which can lead to obesity and disease. I am big on organic food. Organic food is food that has been raised or grown without chemicals and processed without additives. I prefer organic food because it seems to me to be yummier, more nutritious, and safer to eat since it doesn’t have pesticides, hormones, chemicals and all the other garbage they put in our food which may cause cancer. Though organic food can be pretty expensive I find it to be worth the investment though I can’t always afford it. I

shop at Grocery stores such as Trader Joes (cheap organic food) Whole foods, Safeway & Raleys. Most grocery stores carry organic foods so if eating organic foods is something you are interested in check out your favorite grocery store to see if they carry organic foods. Over the years I have become very interested in protecting animals and standing up for their rights since they can’t do it themselves. I used to eat meat but after watching a few videos of cruel behavior to animals (just thinking about it makes me teary eyed) I decided it was time for me to make the personal choice of becoming a pescetarian and stop eating meat. A pescetarian is very similar to a vegetarian except for the fact pescetarians eat fish and seafood. I have been extremely happy with my dietary decision and I honestly can say I feel so much healthier not eating meat. Especially red meat which has high amounts of saturated fat. If being vegetarian, pescetarian or Vegan is something that you are interested in I would recommend slowly cutting yourself off from meat products. It can take some time and it definitely takes a lot of self control if you were once a meat lover. Good news for those that are interested in this healthy dietary choice there are so many meat alternatives that taste very similar to meat products you might have once enjoyed. Everything you could ever want for breakfast lunch and dinner. I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. I especially love fruit smoothies there very good for you and if you’re not a big breakfast eater this is a perfect meal to get your day started. For you junk food eaters it is important that you at least take some sort of vitamin to keep your body healthy. Remember you don’t have to get rid of unhealthy foods all at once but just gradually start eating them less.

Combining health and fitness will keep you feeling energized and much more healthy and it really doesn’t take too much effort. Hope that this column has helped answer many of your questions about how I stay fit. Now go get those cute buns in shape but remember to be creative and have fun with your exercises lovelies.

XOLORIELXO

In The Spotlight...Interview by Amy Claire Thompson

"The Hillywood Show", starring Hillary and Hannah Hindi will shock and amaze you as their impersonations of movie characters and parodies, based on popular films, such as, "TWILIGHT" are dead-on. Their incredible costumes and make-up, coupled with their original and cleverly written ideas for sketches will make for a production that would impress even the most seasoned "Saturday Night Live" cast member! With over 1,000,000 viewers "The Hillywood Show" continues to grow!

What’s your story?

We are two sisters who began creating our own web show back in 2006. AOL put out a contest encouraging teens to send in their own idea of a web show. We became one of the Top 5 Finalists in America out of 100,000 entrants! We were thrilled! From there, we gained fans telling us to continue with our show and we have!

So what happens next?

We will continue to create more video productions, but we are hoping that someday our show will make it to a television network!

What’s the rule you try to live your life by?

Live today as if it were your last!

Have you succeeded so far?

We believe so! Everything seems to be coming together slowly but surely. We are gaining more fans and are now touring the US with " Twilight" conventions this year! Plus, we have been told by many fans that we have inspired them in life or film making...and making a difference in someone's life is an amazing experience.

What’s making you smile?

Our fans! Without them we wouldn't be here. They are so supportive of the show and

we can't thank them enough.

What’s your favourite song?

Honestly, we have far too many! It's too tough to choose!

What’s the biggest mistake you ever made…?

Well, we have made many mistakes while on set! IE: Forgetting more DVC tapes, forgetting something to use for white balance on the camera, forgetting to charge batteries, forgetting to shoot in different frames (24 frames or 60 frames), forgetting certain props or wardrobe, etc...

How do you want to be remembered?

We would want to be remembered as two girls who inspired and made a difference in people's lives through film making. That is the best thing we could ask for.

Who’s your hero?

Honestly, God is our hero. We look to Him in all we do and He never fails us.

What’s your favourite food?

Spaghetti and pizza!

If there were an extra hour in every day, how would you spend it?

We would spend it with family/friends. Our schedule is so busy and always booked, so an extra hour would definitely be some quality time with each other.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Hilly is a slave to ice cream and Hannah's weakness is anything chocolate!

Tell us a secret!

Well, if we told you a secret...then "The Hillywood Show" upcoming features wouldn't be a surprise! Shhh!

Where do you wish you were right now?

We are reaching for higher goals in our life, but we believe everything has a time and a season. We are very content on where we are in life at the moment. Everything is a learning experience for us and builds us stronger and stronger. Where can we find out more?

You can find out more info at our web site: www.TheHillywoodShow.com We also have Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter accounts! Look us up and add as as a friend!

Thank you, and good night!

diamond duchess

Illustrations by Yasmine Taherbeigi

Diamond looked up in shock, but relaxed when she realized it was only a little girl; her shadow had made her look twice her height from where Diamond had been crouching on the floor. She straightened up, almost hitting her head on the awning. She looked down at the little girl. Her hair was tied in pigtails in pink ribbons that exactly matched Diamond’s new colour. She had a vendors tray round her neck and was selling sticks of candyfloss. Diamond looked round and spotted the little girls mother, a few meters off spinning candyfloss onto sticks at her seafront booth. Diamond turned back to the little girl, kneeling down so they were on the same level.

“How much for a stick?” She asked her. “One dollar.” The little girl replied. Diamond fished around in the debris at the bottom of her handbag until she found a crumpled dollar bill and handed it to the girl, taking her candyfloss from her outstretched hand.

Diamond walked along the sea front, slowly eating the fluffy pink mountain. It was a windy morning, so without thinking she decided to walk along the pier. She was about half way down when the wind blew a particularly ferocious gust her way and almost the whole fluffy pink ball of spun sugar blew off the stick and stuck itself to Diamond’s face like a sugary pink mask. She went to wipe it away but stopped at a shout from just behind her. “Don’t!” Diamond turned round. “Hold still!” Diamond blinked at the bright flash and despite being told otherwise lifted her hand to free her face, stuffing the sticky pink clumps into her mouth as she went. The person who had shouted at Diamond seconds later walked up to her and stuck out her hand. “I’m Liza.’ She said. Diamond frowned at the stranger and warily shook her hand. “Diamond.” “Wow.” Liza said. “Cool name.” “You wanted something?” Diamond asked her. “What... oh yeah.” Liza said distractedly, pulling herself back on course. “Are you a model?” “What?’ Diamond asked her, still confused as to why a total stranger had just randomly introduced herself. Liza tried a different tact. “Diamond, have you ever considered modeling? “Erm... no?” Diamond said to her, confused as to why the girl was asking her such a question. Is she stupid or something? Me? A model? Seriously? I thought models had to be tall, and thin. And pretty. “Really?” Liza asked her surprised. “No one has ever told you you should be a model?”

“I think you’ve made a mistake.” Diamond said, still trying on free her face from the candyfloss mask that had by now melted into a sticky pink paste. Liza grabbed her arm and pulled her hands away from her face. “Seriously. I think you should get some test shots done.” “You’ve got to be kidding.” “Seriously Diamond, you’d be great.’ Liza told her imploringly. Diamond tried to pull her hand away but Liza held it fast. She put her hand into her pocket and pulled out a big black sharpie marker. She started to write her phone number across the creamy white skin of Diamond's arm where she had rolled up the long sleeved white cotton in the heat. “What are you doing?’ Diamond asked her, trying to pull away again but still failing to gain free from Liza’s iron like grip. “Look I’m a photographer,” Liza told her “I have a studio up by the old school, opposite that night club that got shut down last summer. If you change your mind between now and this time next week about not thinking you’d make a good model I’ll do you some free test shots so you can see what its like in front of the camera ok?” Liza wrote out the last few digits and Diamond felt her vice like grip loosen on her arm. Diamond heard something start to vibrate in Liza’s pocket and Liza pulled out her phone, checking the caller id. Liza then looked back up at Diamond. “Sorry; got to go.” She said with a smile. “Call me.’ She shouted over her shoulder as she walked back up the colonnade and out of sight up onto the main road. Diamond looked down at the spiky black numbers Liza had scribbled across her arm in disbelief. Me? A Model? Diamond shook the idea out of her head and despite the head pulled the sleeves of her top down to cover up the numbers with the thin white fabric. She stood there thinking for a few more minutes before she looked down at her black ruby wrist watch. Shit. I’m late. Diamond set off down the boardwalk towards the shopping district, hoping no one at work had noticed her absence. Her stomach rumbled and she realized she had forgotten to buy herself some breakfast.

Editor In Chief - Rachel PhippsFashion Editor - Amy Claire Thompson

Music Editor - Catharine BanksArts Editor - Lauren Merrall

Contributing Editor - Jenny Mak

Fashion Forward Columnist - Loriel Andre’aThe Review Columnist - Rhian Williams

Staff Writer - Beth EadesStaff Writer - Ashley Rieflin

Head of PR - Eileen OzegbeBeta Reader - Callie Johns

With Special Thanks To: Debbi Rotkowitz, Melissa Woodbury, Miss Mosh, Gasoline Glamour, Doe Deere, Chelsea Rae Simmons, Grenouille, Nathalie Vaughan, Dirty Shirty, Claire Riche, Andy Boldry, Rob Jamison, Courtney Fullerton, Candice Loraine, Beck Bygrave, Robert Chappelle, Emma, Kelly Goss, Andy Espin, Slim-Mils a.k.a Camilla Hamilton, Rock Metal Inc, Nicola Warren, Yasmin Hajilou, Liz Besanson, Hillary Hindi, Hannah Hindi, Yasmine Taherbeigi and the Womble.

Credits/ With Thanks To...