The Jewels of Australia in Beauty and Fashion

I’m the kind of girl who loves adventure, so I’m headed down under. That’s right, I’m going to Australia!

Please join me as I introduce you to this magical land and a few special friends. They’re obsessed with beautiful stuff, just like I am.

First I want you to meet Rachel, a gifted Australian makeup artist whose work is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Rachel is up on all the latest trends, products and techniques and has worked on many of the most celebrated faces in the world. She has agreed to share some of her favorite products and trade secrets with us.

I love the shot above, by Fiona Quinn for Remix Magazine NZ with model Amanda Booth from Storm Model Management…

…And this one, of model Loren from Chic, photographed by Sebastian Kriete. Rachel is gifted at creating many varieties of looks. We are going to have a lot of fun playing with the products she recommends.

Here’s Rachel, below, working on Caitlin Lovecat Lomax.

Ron Wooley, pictured here, is also from Australia, but he’s all about jewelry–opals, primarily.

Most of us have seen a beautiful opal stone. Neither clear nor opaque, they fascinate because they change as the light hits them, alive with prisms of fiery colors and depth and radiance. I love the giant vintage art deco opal diamond ring set in platinum, from Lang Antique and Estate Jewelry, below.

The Australian desert regions, Ron told me, are home to the most stunning opals in the world due to the fossilization process there. It’s Australia’s unique geological environment that makes Australian opals so spectacular, and quite expensive.

I was riveted as I looked at Ron’s collection from the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, below.

To call Ron a jeweler is an understatement. He does the most magnificent pavé diamond workmanship I’ve seen, but humbly refers to himself as proprietor of Dreaming Down Under, specializing in Australian opals.

He’s designed a unique ring that I’d like to show you, plus he’s a cool guy. I like his style. He knows a lot of famous people and has fascinating stories to tell. Maybe someday he’ll let me tell them to you.