We think we have found Auckland’s best-kept secret, a luxurious island escape just a 30-minute drive from the city. At this secluded heritage venue, our gorgeous guests spend four hours enjoying the sunshine and exotic garden with wine, food, fashion and the latest beauty innovations. Check out all the action from our recent long lunch at the magical Puketutu Island Estate.
FOOD & WINE
From the first sip of Piper Heidsieck to the best from Central Otago Rockburn Wines, our guests were served lunch with a perfect food match curated by Urban Gourmet. From the selection of bread and dips to the main, an Ancho chicken roulade, with Greek-style aji salsa verde, spring onion, orange and fennel salad. Accompanying the main was a pear and hazelnut salad, with a feta, lemon dressing and delicious English-style roast gourmet potatoes tossed in fresh herbs and butter. Followed by platters of cheese canapes and petit fours platters, including charcoal ash goats’ cheese, honeycomb and walnut praline. Whipped ricotta filo tart, with sauvignon blanc gel, and caramel tartelette hazelnut chocolate cups. The wines of the day were Rockburn's flagship Pinot Noir, renowned for quality and excellence or Rockburn Stolen Kiss Rose, which all started with a kiss…a Stolen Kiss Rose back in 2006. When winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis "stole" some Pinot Noir grapes destined for Rockburn's flagship Central Otago Pinot Noir. Fast forward to today and this rose is a top seller. According to Rees-Francis, "Once unleashed into your glass, its candyfloss and crème-brûlée aromas shall sashay into a flirtatious toffee-apple and simmering strawberry palate smeared with cheery lip-gloss." We agree.
BEAUTY
Four hours to indulge in the latest and greatest beauty innovations never seems long enough at a BeautyEQ Lunch. Our guests got to try, touch, feel and buy from our pop-up beauty bars. This was the perfect opportunity to plan their beauty wardrobes for spring and ask our experts all their burning beauty questions.
Avène Skincare
Well known for soothing and softening the skin, Avène's team were on hand to offer one-on-one skincare advice to our guests while sharing their brand-new Hyaluron ACTIV B3 collection. Made for maturing skin and designed to arrest skin dryness, thanks to the moisture magnet, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, or vitamin B3. Avene believes vitamin B3 will become the future's anti-ageing active ingredient, well ahead of hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. Another hot topic was sunscreen; on what was a perfect 19-degree day, fortunately, there was one of the best SPFs on the market at the ready.
LUST Haircare
Redefining natural haircare, LUST creators believe ‘true luxury lies in nature's offerings for hair health’. This clean New Zealand-formulated haircare is loaded with botanical ingredients specifically selected for their natural benefits. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, this haircare nourishes hair from the shower to your styling routine. It strengthens the hair, boosts texture, and leaves your locks with a mirror-like shine. From backstage with our models to the pop-up bar, the team at LUST Haircare was on hand to add the polish for our models and guests all day.
Michael Kors
The weather was full sunshine at Puketutu Island Estate, perfect timing to take a spring scent journey with Michael Kors. Centre stage was the latest, named Gorgeous, heady and fresh; it also leaves a woody, musky trail. Michael Kors believes, “This bold floral, woody fragrance knows how to make an entrance.” Thanks to our fragrance experts, Gorgeous, Sexy Amber and Wonderlust helped our guests complete their fragrance wardrobe with the perfectly matched summer match.
OFF & ON
Powder Brows is one of the best among the many semi-permanent makeup offerings at OFF & ON. Forget the look of harsh, blocked lines or greenish tattoos; these clever brow fanatics can create a bespoke, natural-looking brow treatment to suit any face shape or style. Complete with a before and after, the results wowed our guests as you can see (below) a youthful-looking, fluffy brow sporting a faded front and a crisp, flattering tail. Each guest got the chance to have a one-on-one consultation from the team at OFF & ON and the knowledge of how this beauty service can update your look and refresh your face.
Before & After Powder Brows by OFF & ON
Shiseido
Our guests were the first to see Shiseido’s latest makeup innovation, Revitalessence Skin Glow Foundation SPF 30, which hits stores in October. This natural-looking makeup improves your skin while wearing it and is dubbed a serum with benefits. Not only does it blend seamlessly, but it’s also got the essential SPF 30, and from the busy pop-up with makeup matching on the day, complemented by a touch-up of the TechnoSatin Gel lipsticks, we had very happy (gorgeous-looking) guests.
FASHION
Milford centre show
Everything you need to build a trans-seasonal wardrobe, from workwear to relaxed living, can be found at Milford Centre. Our style director got to curate our first fashion show from the premium fashion retailers on offer at Milford Centre, including Marlow, Moochi, Trenery, Storm, Flo & Frankie, Sportscraft, Repertoire, Ella + Eli, Mi Piaci and Merchant. Our guests got the chance to embrace the new season trends at Milford Centre over our relaxed four-hour-long lunch.
Look 1: Marlow trench, top, pants, hat and bag. Deuce sneakers. Look 2. Marlow blazer, knit and cargoes. Mi Piaci slides. Look 3. Sportscraft blazer, t-shirt, skirt and bag. Mi Piaci heels. Look 4: Sportscraft blazer, shirt and jeans.
Look 1: Flo & Frankie dress, blazer, earrings bag and sunglasses. Mi Piaci heels. Look 2: Flo & Frankie blazer, pants, cami, earrings, bag and sunglasses. Mi Piaci sandals. Look 3: Ella & Eli dress. Look 4: Ella & Eli shorts, top and jacket.
Look 1: Moochi shirt, shorts and trench. Deuce sneakers. Look 2: Moochi suit and t-shirt. Mi Piaci heels. Look 3: Repertoire dress, bangles and ring. Mi Piaci heels. Look 4: Repertoire blouse, pants and bangles. Deuce sneakers.
Look 1: Trenery dress. Mi Piaci heels. Look 2: Trenery shirt, skirt and blazer. Merchant 1948. Look 3: Storm top and pants. Look 4: Storm blouse, skirt and vest. Mi Piaci heels
New Zealand designer show
It was a beautiful spring day to showcase what’s on offer for a special occasion or the festive season from some of our favourite New Zealand designers. From Adrian Hailwood, Ruby, Yvonne Bennetti, BW 36.174, Trelise Cooper, Karen Walker, Kathryn Wilson, Nicole Rebstock and Zambesi. Our style director captured a party vibe for our fashion finale with some of the best looks to kick off our favourite season, spring.
Look 1: Cooper dress. Kathryn Wilson bag and heels. Gucci sunglasses. Look 2: Cooper dress. Kathryn Wilson heels. Look 3: Karen Walker dress and sunglasses. Kathryn Wilson heels. Look 4: Karen Walker jacket, top and shorts. Kathryn Wilson sneakers.
Look 1: Ruby dress. Kathryn Wilson bag and heels. Gucci sunglasses. Look 2: Cooper dress. Nicole Rebstock heels. Look 3: Zambesi suit, belt and boots. Look 4: Zambesi jacket, shorts, top, underwear, socks and boots. Balenciaga sunglasses.
Look 1: Yvonne Bennetti dress. Kathryn Wilson bag and heels. Look 2: Yvonne Bennetti dress. Kathryn Wilson heels. Look 3: BW 36.174 dress. Saint Laurent sunglasses. Kathryn Wilson belt. Nicole Rebstock heels. Look 4: BW 36.174 dress. Balmain sunglasses.
Look 1: Trelise Cooper suit. Nicole Rebstock heels. Look 2: Trelise Cooper dress. Mi Piaci heels. Look 3: Hailwood dress. Kathryn Wilson heels. Look 4: Hailwood dress and jacket. Kathryn Wilson heels.
OUR GUESTS
We are honoured to spend four hours in the company of our guests. Nothing is better than being in a room full of 180 happy, incredible women. From the corporate tables to the BFFs who took the day out of their busy schedules to be with the BeautyEQ team - thank you for helping us create an unforgettable day at one of Auckland’s most beautiful venues - Puketutu Island Estate.
We hope you enjoyed the afternoon and can’t wait to host you again soon.
Editor Trudi Brewer wears Storm suit and Kathryn Wilson heels. Style director Louise Hilsz wears Trelise Cooper and Crocs.
Photography and video Vivid Creative.
Check out all the action from our spring event at Puketutu Island Estate here
In The Living Room on the Waitematā Harbour, November 8th.