As the hustle and bustle of Joburg continued as usual on a Thursday afternoon,we were treated to an exclusive Fake Bake launch. Some fun in the sun was needed, and what better way to end the day than to sit and mingle with beautiful women and men.
It was strictly bare legs and sandalled feet for the beach party at African Pride Melrose Arch Hotel. The poolside at this five-star hideout was transformed for Fake Bake’s new coconut tanning serum for the body and face.
The beach party, city style, took place at the hotel’s poolside. It seemed slightly quiet at the hotel until we went up the elevator to where the party was. We were greeted by a complimentary drink and a photo snap, where the Fake Bake banner was. As I savoured the moment, I really felt like a celebrity, considering I’m always behind the scenes.
The wooden flooring gave us the illusion of beach sand, and the trees around the pool in huge metallic plant pots, added to the serenity. These trees were not those idyllic palm trees, but one could easily lose one’s way in the scenery and believe one was on a secluded island, somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
Jay Anstey's floral maxi dress was a show-stopper.
This self-tanning product gives off a very well toned bronze-like colour, not to mention the health benefits we all like to hear about when it comes to skin care. There was a little spot where the demonstration for the spray tan took place. The actual process can be a bit of a put off, as it takes forever, while that woman’s body just put us to shame. She was all muscled up, and the tan just made her look like something from a movie where she was a lead actress.
Looking cool and sexy by the beach is, of course, key, but we don’t want to be sunburnt afterwards. After all, this is a well-rounded product for those who love to soak up the sun, with all its goodness.
Ryan Hignett carried off the debonair beach boy look with aplomb.
This is what Shashi Naidoo said she was hosting, and she shared how she used to struggle to find a product that would really have all the qualities she looked for in a product, and the health benefits too. She looked gorgeous with a striped black-and-white cropped top, with a skirt to match. The pink bowed stilettos really made the outfit pop.
Singer and songwriter Tamara Dey stunned all and sundry in her black ensemble, with the red hair making her look young and fresh. The pool was a show-stopper; there is nothing like soaking your feet in the water, beach party city-style. The water was slightly drained from the pool - a signature theme for the hotel - and the table and chairs were placed in the pool, under patio umbrellas.
Tamara Dey’s shocking red hairstyle caught everyone’s attention.
The waiters served us bubbly and a variety of canapés that complemented the sparkling Sauvignon Blanc we were sipping.
Actress Jay Anstey walked in a little late, while the speeches were going on, but she stuck to the Island theme. In fact, if we were going to have best dressed for the day, the award would have gone to her, with that stunning maxi dress she wore.
Laura Fullerton and Tamsin van der Spuy looked stunning in their little black numbers.
Dr Reza Mia was also there, giving a talk on aesthetic medicine and the do’s and don’ts of skincare. He said when the sun hits your skin, the ultra-violet rays go directly to your skin and can damage certain parts of it. He even dug into our fears as women - the big b-word, blemishes.
He said the basics were very important when going out in the sun, and that sunscreen was not overrated.