People Profile: Claire Stollery

Perfecting a make-up collection can be one tricky business, it's incredibly easy to get swept up in all of the pretty packaging and BIG promises; but it doesn't have to be.

Experimenting with different looks and products has been a passion of Claire’s for quite some time and I consider her my personal make-up guru and guiding light, someone to tell me whether it's really worth forking out $40 on that new mascara, or if there's a dupe that will create the same effect for a fraction of the price.

In this people profile, we find out more about the creative mind behind clairelouisaloves ! Her road tests, reviews and hauls are always honest, super informative and every week she highlights a make-up artist of the week for you to discover, what more could you want?

- Miriam

Social media is forever changing the way we connect and communicate. Why did you decide to take your love for make-up online?

I've always loved to write, but it would feel strange just reviewing products in a diary! Blogging is free and simple - in the past, I'd have to get a job at a magazine or distribute flyers to make myself heard. Now, I can link friends to my posts in an instant. Having used the tumblr platform for personal and 'fandom' blogging in the past, it seemed like a natural choice. 

As a full time university student, has the blog been a creative release of sorts for you? How else do you embrace your creative side?

It's definitely a creative release! I'm studying Arts/Law and so I'm constantly having to conform to strict formal writing styles. On my blog, it's my rules! I still keep a structure to my posts but I can write as if I'm chatting to friends (and on subject matter that's always interesting!). I'm not particularly artistic, so I guess my other creative releases would be in the way I present myself. I'm no makeup artist, but you don't have to be one to enjoy playing with colour and texture! I also love fashion - my ASOS receipts would attest to that!

Wearing make-up allows us to present ourselves in certain ways, but do you believe you can judge a book by its cover?

No, definitely not. In my previous life as a One Direction blogger, I befriended some incredible people who would've scared me in the real world! Like makeup, piercings and tattoos can be used to present an image to the world, but that image is just one part of the story. We're all more complex than the face we put on on any particular day. 

I think it's also really important not to judge people by the way they do their makeup. You see memes all the time mocking women for the way they style their eyebrows or contour their face. In reality, we're all learning, and we all have personal tastes. Supporting others is so much more fulfilling than tearing them down.

Describe an 'epiphany' moment you've had

Does discovering winged eyeliner count?? In all seriousness, I think one was towards the end of Year 8. Before then, I'd been really stuck on this narrative of non-conformity, especially when it came to dress and appearance. I judged other girls for what they wore and the uniformity of that, but the day I started rolling my school skirt up (no joke) was the day I realised that being 'like other girls' wasn't a negative thing. Girls are my best friends and biggest supporters, from my days at a girls' school to the makeup community. I still have an individual style but I have no shame about following trends; why wouldn't I want to follow in the footsteps of my mentors and friends?

What is your most prized possession in your make-up kit?

This is such a hard question! I think I'm going to have to nominate two: from a practical standpoint, Benefit Stay Flawless primer, because it holds my makeup in place impeccably all throughout the day. From a fun point of view, I'm in love with my Benefit High Beam highlighter. A dab on the cheekbones gives an effortless glow and allows you to shape your face without a full contour.

One cult beauty product that really isn't worth all the hype.

Mac Penultimate Eyeliner, a felt tip liquid liner, was a real disappointment for me. It's just not black enough! I also know Kat Von D products are lusted over, but her Lock-It foundation stinks to high heaven. Good coverage, but I personally don't like having a face that smells like chemicals! 

And finally, what's your secret to the perfect 'selfie'?

Two things: lighting and practice! No filter can compare to natural light; find the best window in your room and practice, practice, practice! It takes a bit of time to find your best angles and expressions, but it's a fun journey!

Blog: clairelouisaloves.tumblr.com

Movie Review: Appropriate Behaviour

Since the midsemester break of university holidays has come around and the typical July cold has settled in Melbourne, I have developed an addiction to watching all types of films on SBS On Demand. A few cold wintery nights ago I sat down with a nice glass of shiraz, a blanket wrapped around me and the cat I take care of occassionally on my lap. I opened my macbook typed the letter "s" and the link for SBS On Demand turned up staright away. Sweet! I was feeling a comedy so of course I searched through the comedy section. The film title Appropriate Behaviour caught my eye. Without any hesitation I clicked 'play' straight away (which is what I do with most films on SBS On Demand, and let me tell you they never disappoint). Much to my liking, it did not disappoint one bit.

Appropriate Behaviour is one of the few character driven comedies about manic twenty something year olds in New York. Directed, written and starring Desiree Akhavan as Shirin a twenty something from Brooklyn, struggling trying to succeed at being an ideal Persian daughter to her parents, a politically correct bisexual, and owning the hip young brooklyn girl persona; yet her attempts at all three fail. We first meet Shirin leaving her fallen out realtionship with girlfriend Maxine establishing Shirin as an emotionally untamed and distraught women trying to hold onto a cliche, yet finding herself upset and alone, she feels no point in moving on or forward in her life from Maxine. Slightly autobiographical the narrative goes back and forth from present time to the times and memories that Shirin shared with Maxine and her attempts at becoming that hip young, Persian, bisexual brooklynite .

This hip, indie comedy film for me idolises a trend of shows and films being made over the last few years, displaying the lives of frenzied twenty something New Yorkers, like the TV series Girls or the film Tiny Furniture both starring Lena Dunham. Featuring a range of characters' establishing their place within society, making mistakes, experiementing with interests, essentially trying to find themselves in the "Big Apple".

Films and shows like Appropriate Behaviour are a new wave of films that display contemporary youth culture, connecting young viewers, and appeal and alleviate the idea of being alone in their personal development as adults. For myself the film was something I felt I could realte to in terms of youthful tribulations, of finding who I am in the world today, as well as displaying the eccentric and whimsical nature of becoming a young female adult. Set with a truthful and realistic tone, as well as asserting the fun and crazy nature of youth.

- Isabella

A thriller, a fantasy, and a lesson in life and love.

Over the past three weeks I have done about 50 flying hours. Between the bad chicken salads and many episodes of 'VEEP', I managed to fit in a fair amount of reading. The following books were my three holiday reads, each very different in genre, but all equally enjoyable.

The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins:
You were just getting over ‘Gone Girl’, you thought it was finally safe to start trusting people again, but oh how wrong you were…  In the latest book to become an instant cult book club read, Paula Hawkins' thriller 'The Girl on the Train' proves no one is as they seem, and the only person in this world you can truly trust is yourself (no, I'm not exaggerating).

In a nutshell, the plot revolves around the experiences of three female characters - Rachel, Anna and Megan, whose lives are complexly intertwined by lies, misunderstandings, murder, and a conveniently placed train line. The book challenges how we view those around us, and our tendency to fantasise when - for the most part - all we get are passing glances. While at points the timeline was a little hard to follow, jumping between characters and experiences spaced months apart, Hawkins had me hooked right for the start and I was finished in a couple of days.

Stadust - Neil Gaiman:
I fell in love with the film 'Stardust' years ago and have since seen it many, MANY times, but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I decided to pick up the original book. It's very rare for a book or film from the fantasy genre to capture my attention but I just adore 'Stardust' in both forms. 

There are subtle differences in the plot between film and novel but essentially, a young man named Tristan sets out on a grand adventure to find a fallen star in an attempt to win the heart of a girl in his town. In the magical town of Wall the star takes the form of a woman and many are after her. Unicorns, witches, royalty and murder all feature but perhaps it's the simple love story that's so captivating.

At only 194 pages it's a short and snappy read and I could definitely seeing it being a perfect mid-semester distraction, save the lengthy 'War and Peace' style plot.

Us - David Nicholls:
David Nicholls' 'One Day' is one of my all time favourite novels, so perhaps I was slightly biased going into it but I just love Nicholls' writing voice. One night Douglas Petersen discovers that his wife of over 20 years has decided to leave him, but not before journeying around Europe on a grand tour to provide their son with a grand cultural experience. Their travels take them to London and back, and between all the galleries and art pieces they discover themselves.

It may be my inner 40 year old but I was surprised by how well I was able to connect with the the middle aged, male, scientist protagonist. Largely his conflict between his desire to stay in his comfort zone vs. the artistic and impulsive attitudes of his wife and son.
 
Across his work, David Nicholls seems to truly capture what it is to grow up, and grow old*, expressing it in the most eloquent and quotable way.

 *At 19, I can admit I say this with absolutely no authority.


- Miriam

* Mosaik does not take credit for the images used in this article

San Telmo Restaurant

If you need somewhere to impress a first date, I would recommend San Telmo. This is a restaurant that offers delicious Argentinian food bursting with flavour and encourages that its consumption be communal. The location is chic with a romantically dimly lit, yet energetic atmosphere. Having a cheeky feel of the cow-hide menus and placemats was a pleasure, as was watching the waiters bring your food in beautiful leather aprons. 

Leather detailing aside, the food really stood alone in its amazing flavour imparted by the use of their Argentinian charcoal grill, the Parilla. The dishes we tried and loved were the Polenta, corn and basil chips paired with a lively chipotle mayonnaise, the fried provolene cheese (although the serving size was small in comparison to price), and the main event, the corn fed half chicken with garlic. Not a crumb was spared and the unique interiors served as a talking point. Another novelty was seeing the waiters carry out a small pig, head and all to a large table of chatty customers... I wouldn't recommend San Telmo for vegetarians but for the carnivorous among us, it's a fabulous night out with food full of flavour at an accessible laneway location. 

San Telmo is open 7 days from 12pm till late and take bookings online or over the phone.

Phone: +61 (3) 9650 5525

14 Meyers Place, Melbourne

Between Bourke & Little Collins Street

-Beth 

For The Oceans.

Aren't we sick of the word "sustainable" being put in front of the word "fashion" to guilt us into buying clothes we would otherwise never buy?

Well our prayers have been answered, sustainable fashion is no longer associated with that recycled potato sack someone tried to sell you as a dress that one time. The fashion world is slowly catching on to what we want: subtle sustainability, which is fashion without the sacrifice of design or aesthetic. 

It is a breathe of fresh air. 

And some of that air is a breeze from the ocean. 

One of the main companies adopting this idea of "subtle sustainability" is G- Star Raw who, in collaboration with The Vortex Project, Bionic Yarn and Pharrell Williams, have created a collection that addresses the issue of plastic in our oceans while simultaneously reducing the impact of the plastic debris that is killing our sea life and slowly entering our aquatic eco-system's food chain. G- Star Raw is already known for pushing the boundaries, and - no pun intended - making waves in fashion, as they centre their business around sustainability and simultaneously manage to make innovative denim. 

Their new collection RAW for the oceans is based on the ideal that you reap what you sow. This new denim capsule collection contains plastic waste collected from the shores of Indonesia, with the first limited collection containing up to 10 tons of recycled PET plastic bottles, or roughly 700,000 bottles. While that is an amazing statistic it parallels with the devastating fact that today oceans contain 6 times more plastic then sea life. Therefore, the collaborators have agreed to continue the capsule collection (now in its second run), increasing the percentage of plastic with each instillment  Currently, the collection is constructed from three different types of Bionic yarn containing between 35- 60% of recycled plastic, depending on the thread. All bottles are tested to ensure they comply with G-Star Raw's quality control and safety standards and those that cannot be used are recycled by The Vortex Project in other collaborations or are recycled in a regular process. 

The use of recycled PET plastic is really the ultimate form of sustainable design, as it is normally used as the core of the yarn so that the look and feel of natural material can be maintained but the final result is a more durable textile, resulting in longevity and minimal care. 

You could really say the entire collaboration is a stroke of pure Jeanius. (pun completely intended)

- Alessandra 

*Mosaik does not take credit for any of the images used in this article

From The Mind Of: Michael Marinelli.

I do not hasten to admit that at one point in my life I acted as if I was interested in watching a long and weirdly named play just to strike up a conversation with Michael because I knew

he loved it. Three years later and it seems this pursuit of friendship has proven successful and I consider Les Miserables to be my favourite stage show and a beloved passion.

Michael has always intrigued me in the way he has a quiet opinion about so many topics and an inherent willingness to gain more information. Prompted by curiosity to better know those around me, I asked Michael a few questions about himself and his experiences and opinions -in the broadest sense.

-Beth

If a biography was to be written about you, what would it be called?

Hmm. Toughie. Depends on what I do in my life. Maybe a Voltaire quote like “A Witty Saying Proves Nothing” or something cryptic like that. I find that most biography titles are pretty vague. I could even have “Where The Wind Blows?” or “It’s Simple Really; Nothing is Simple”. You wouldn’t know what they were about, but they’d sell.

But this would have to be a biography when I’m dead and not an autobiography or one while I live. I say this with intense absolution. Any biography / autobiography of a living person is out of date the minute they stop writing the final page. Immediately. It only works if they focus on a specific contained time period or event rather than a whole life. Michael Caine wrote an autobiography back in 1993. NINETEEN NINETY THREE. So he had to write another in 2011, because guess what? He continued to live and have experiences throughout that time. And now we’re four years later, and he’s been in another ten movies in that short time with probably another round of great anecdotes. I’m placing a bet that we’ll get “Michael Caine: III” in the next ten years.

In this biography what would they say matters most to you?

Probably my parents and family I’d say. I don’t really know what matters most to me. Even if you’re always fighting, it’s the one thing that when all is said and done I end up thinking about. Maybe even the continued existence of the planet? That sort of encapsulates everything that matters to me I suppose. Preservation actually. Preservation and conservation of antiquities, stories, nature, animal species… things like that if I had to pick something that wasn’t family.

And what makes you the happiest?

I like animals, little kids, slow music from the 40s and 50s, good book cover design, laughing and making people laugh. Or just when I see something that is absolutely brilliant or crazy. I don’t know. Moments make me the happiest, like sitting in the same seat I always go to at the Astor cinema and watching movies like Ben Hur by myself in amongst this big crowd. I enjoy those sorts of moments.

What fascinates you?

This is probably the easiest question for me to answer; I find everything fascinating. I’m no expert in any one thing, but even just for a day or a week, subjects grab hold of me and it’s all I can think about; flowers, classics, geology, astronomy, English, insect taxidermy, ancient history, IMDB trivia for every movie I’ve seen. It doesn’t matter, it all fascinates me even if it is just for a fleeting minute, day or week. There are so many things that fascinate me, and a lot of those things work as a relief from the complexity that human beings present. Most of what I do as part of my University course revolves around people, their motivations and all that sort of stuff. When you’re reading about genocide, power politics and climate change, you’d be surprised what a welcome relief it is to enter the relatively simple world of the old Sherlock Holmes books for instance.

What would you want to have listed in your achievements?

I would like to have done something good for humanity. I want to leave at least one substantial positive impact on a group of people that lasts rather than something potentially impressive but ultimately fleeting. But I don’t need that listed in my achievements, I think I just need to know that I did it. Also maybe go into space, I think that would be cool. Space is cool.

What do you like about space?

I don’t know. I think I still have that very 1940s childlike wonder at space and the future. Even though maturity and greater awareness would tell me that the world will continue quite disastrously, I do still get those moments of optimism where the future is all those shiny chrome buildings and we have reasonable contact with martians and aliens and things. I like space because even with all we know about it, it’s just out there, untraversed and unexplored. And by ‘out there’ I mean literally everywhere where we are not. It’s an incredible thing.

What do you admire in the people around you?

Everyone has different things to admire, some more than others, but everyone has something. I think I admire the way people get through things. I know a few people in particular who continually impress me with their ability to move through hardship with such grace.

Then what is something you admire about yourself?

Hmm, I don’t like questions like this for the reasons that most people would cite, but if I had to say something, I guess I don’t remember doing something because of peer pressure or out of a want to fit in. I walk around the city alone, I see dozens of movies alone, I eat alone and the relative weirdness of these things has never phased me. I never had a problem with reading comics in the library at lunchtime at highschool many, many times when I didn’t have a lot of friends because that was what I felt like doing. Sometimes it works well and sometimes it ends terribly, but I think I’m pretty true to myself in whatever situation I’m in, in the sense that I don’t let things get in the way of my principles.

Do you believe in karma?

I don’t, no. Just act in the moment. Did the scores of children who are killed each day steal a pen or talk back to their parents? I think the idea of Karma is a bit bizarre. I categorically reject any sort of idea of people ‘getting what’s coming to them’. Lots of good people have terrible lives and lots of terrible people have terribly good lives.

So do you believe that things happen for a reason?

Absolutely! Things definitely happen for a reason. I should clarify. Originally I wrote a long paragraph explaining my answer that was actually terrifically long and tragically violent. Instead let me say this: no, I don’t think things happen for a cosmic, karmic reason because the Universe made it so, but I would say that things happen because of cause and effect based on peoples motivations. 

Do you believe you can judge a book by its cover?

I can judge them and I do. One of my pet peeves is bad cover design. It just makes no sense to me. Some books I see, I just want to find out the process of how that cover was chosen and who actually designed it. Surely everyone just knows a friend who is good at graphic design and I refuse to believe a publisher couldn’t find one. If you’re in doubt, just use a black cover with some nice lettering. Having said that, reviews on websites tend to be my opinion-makers rather than a cover.

In the metaphoric sense about people, I suppose you can tell some things from appearance, but if I know myself and my friends, I’d say most people are a lot more complex than other people realise.

If we interviewed you again in 10 years, which question would you like to have a different answer to?

All of them I would think, haha. I feel a little boring so I hope in 10 years I’ll have worthwhile, insightful, incisive responses to all of them. Maybe the question on achievements, because it would be a wonderful thing in 10 years’ time to look back and say “well, I already did those, so it’s time to think of something new”. Yes, including going into space.