Shimmering Bronze & when in Spain...

Part of the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Soleil Collection for Summer 2011 was the limited edition Pure Nail Lacquer in Shimmering Bronze!  So while on the beach in Spain, I thought this would be the perfect time to try out this gorgeous bronze colour on my nails: Check it out!

I have never worn a shade like this before and I admit that it took me a little while to get used to, but it's definitely grown on me. As much as it is marketed to be a summer polish, I also think this shade would be lovely to wear in Autumn or Winter! Above is after applying two coats. The polish has quite a thick consistency but is easy to apply and nice and shimmery/glittery without being too over the top! If you like this nail polish, you better be quick because it's limited edition! It's on sale now at House of Frasers and going nationwide from 2nd May (£14) What do you think of Shimmery Bronze - would you rock something like this to the beach?

Also some photo's from my Easter Holiday in Puerto Banus, Spain:

When in Spain...
♥ Read magazines and sunbathe by the pool

♥ Stuff yourself every morning at the amazing buffet breakfast…

♥ Check out the local shops

♥ Stroll along the Marina boulevard regularly, dreaming you owned one of those amazing boats!

♥ Dress up and have a big night out dancing in the bars!

♥ Eat lots of amazing Spanish Tapas and Seafood Paella

♥ Check out Marbella Old Town which is filled with lovely Spanish little streets

♥ Eat ice creams (Ben & Jerry’s to be exact, nom nom)

♥ Relax and spend quality time with a great friend!

Hope you all had a lovely Easter break and got a visit from the Easter Bunny?! xoxo

Viva La Juicy on the Go!

"Since Juicy girls are always on the move, they should always have their Juicy Couture wherever they go." That’s why Juicy Couture created two adorable little Eau de Parfum travellers, complete with the juiciest strawberry or yummiest cupcake charms...so now your Juicy Couture spritz, is always at your fingertips!
They created them for their famous fragrances 'The Juicy Couture' and 'Viva La Juicy'

I was so very lucky to be sent one of these gorgeous little travellers to take with me on holiday this Easter:

Viva La Juicy is a sweet and fruity fragrance. The top notes are of wild berries and juicy mandarin. These are the scents that will initially reach your nose and it is fruity but not too strong. The middle notes are of jasmine, gardenia and honeysuckle, all sweet scents but nice and mellow. The base notes include amber, vanilla, carmel, sandalwood and praline. These rich tones give balance to the sweetness, making it a full and complex fragrance. It has a light scent and is not at all overpowering. You won’t want to stop smelling it. The scent is long lasting, and it will bring joy to your mind and body. If you are young at heart and love life, you will love Viva La Juicy!

I have loved wearing this frangrance and the handy little traveller size is perfect to take on holidays or pop in your purse for a night out on the town! Viva La Juicy is a really nice glamorous and fabulous smell, love it :)

Juicy EDP, 30ml Travellers priced at £39.50 / €51.00

Available UK wide from 12th April 2011 in Selfridges, Harrods, Debenhams , Harvey Nichols, The Perfume Shop, The Fragrance Shop, selected House of Fraser and John Lewis stores, Brown Thomas and Arnotts in Ireland.

Happy Hump Day %

♥ One Republic - The Good Life

Amen! I'm going to try to live by this motto from now on ;)
Wishing you all a fabulous hump day!
Love xoxo Roz

Some recent retail therapy...

Being the little shopping addict that I am check out some great little purchases I picked up recently:

Stone/Beige coloured wedge heels from New Look - £22.99

I had been looking for some natural coloured wedges for a while and think these will look great with jeans or a simple dress. Plus major bonus points because they are comfy!

Everyone raves about Primark and yes as much as Primark is such good value and you can find some great items there, the Oxford Street shop truly terrifies me. I can never be bothered trying things on or actually standing in the queue for an hour to pay for things I want. It's always SO messy and SO busy plus my heart rate increases and I get stressed out the minute I walk in haha! However, a few weeks ago I risked my life and had a wee shopping spree at Primark. These are some of the items I picked up: 

Black & Gold Waist Belt - £5

Set of gold rings - £1.50

Genuine Leather Bejewelled Sandals £12

Have you had some great retail therapy recently? Tell me about your new purchases :) xoxo

Fake Tanning with He-Shi

With all this increasing sunny weather, which means showing off more skin I am ALL about looking tanned! I'm definitely a big fake tanning fanatic and I normally use St Tropez Tanning Mousse, Garnier Ambre Solaire spray or Garnier Summer Body daily moisturiser. Recently I got offered to try a brand I hadn't heard of before which promised 'no streaks, no patches and no chemical smells'. This all sounded fab so I said, where do I sign up? ;) Introducing the He-Shi Tanning Range:

♥ What they say:
He-Shi is a leading professional tanning brand of Irish origin. Their comprehensive range of easy-to-use face and body products is designed to give a natural and hassle-free tan for both men and women. He-Shi gives sun-kissed colour on contact with the skin so you can see where you go and there is no risk of unsightly streaking or tell-tale white patches.

♥ How to use:

Ready to Bare in just 3 simple steps which prepare the skin and achieve the perfect and most natural tan, He-Shi is designed for both summer and winter use, for an all year round natural tan.

♥ What do I think?
Firstly I have to say, I love the exfoliator! I have tried different exfoliators over the years and I never really like the effect or feeling they give my skin so tend not to use them that often. However, the He-Shi exfoliator is lovely, its smells deliciously of strawberries and isn't too harsh on my skin. It truly leaves my body feeling refreshed, smooth, cleansed and moisturised. 

The dark tanning mousse is quick drying and easy to apply. It has a tinted formula (like St Tropez) which prevents streaks and patchiness, because you can see exactly what areas you may have missed to get an overall natural looking tan. I'm also a big fan of the He-Shi tanning mitt. I normally use my St Tropez mitt but bonus points to the He-Shi mitt because it has a fab lotion proof barrier which ensures your hands remain stain free! Brilliant stuff! 

Smell wise, the He-Shi Dark Foaming mousse is pretty good. Initially when you apply it you don't get any of the usual fake tan smells but I did find that after say an hour you can smell it, but only lightly!
When I woke up the next morning I was impressed with my smooth deep dark tan. It's probably a little bit dark for me at the moment but it would be perfect for summer time. You can see what the tan looked like on me here, here and here. A few of you actually commented on my tan and summer 'glow' in the pics! Another thing: the tan was really long lasting, it lasted almost a whole week, which is especially amazing considering the fact that I was useless at moisturising regularly. The tan never started flaking, it just slowly faded which is so nice because I hate the flaky effect that some fake tans get after a few days!
So overall I think this is a great tanning range and am keen to try their express liquid tan or gradual tanning moisturiser!

I also got their Fusion Multi Bronzing Powder plus a handy sized kabuki bronzing brush. I have been using this light bronzer all over the face and chest quite a lot and love the sheer natural bronzed glow it gives me! 

The full He-Shi range of products is available at House of Frasers, Harvey Nichols, selected salons and spa's across Ireland and the UK plus online at www.he-shi.eu. Happy fake tanning! xoxo

The Beauty Department with LC!

A bit of fun news came across my desk the other day that I thought I'd share with you all. Well it turns out that Lauren Conrad  has decided to take her beauty knowledge online! Lauren was by far my favourite on the MTV show 'The Hills' and the girl was smart enough to get off that show before it became a bit loony! Anyhow, ever since she left the show LC has been really busy focusing on her career designing clothes, writing books and sharing her love or fashion and style with us! I personally love Lauren's sense of style and beauty, she's one of my fashion and beauty icons! ♥

So now LC has decided to launch her own beauty website, called 'The Beauty Department'.

With the help of her makeup artist, Amy Nadine, and her talented hair stylist, Kristin Ess, she will be sharing all her knowledge, looks and inspiration with us regularly. How exciting right!


What they say "This is a site for anyone who’s ever had a beauty question or gotten into a fight with a hair brush and lost. We’ll be covering all kinds of hair+makeup how-to’s, nail trends, skin issues, tools, current obsessions & inspirations, as well as countless quick tips."

One of the first hair tutorials posted on the website shows you how to create gorgeous vintage curls!

Click here to see step-by-step instructions on how to create this look! Love it :)

I've got to say I am very impressed with thebeautydepartment.com, so LC definitely has my vote & support! Hopefully she'll feature a tutorial soon on how to create those famous soft curls and perfectly winged eyeliner, I can't wait! :) What do you think, will you be checking out and following LC's new site? xoxo

Happy Hump Day %

♥ Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song

Happy Hump Day Everyone!

"There are two kinds of secrets. The ones we keep from others and the ones we keep from ourselves."

Frank Warren

Also I can't believe it's almost Easter already, time is just flying by this year!
We've been so lucky with amazing hot sunny weather in London recently. However for the Easter holidays, four day long weekend, I am off to South of Spain with a girlfriend.
Fingers crossed we get sunshine and warm weather there too!

So want to take this time to wish you all a wonderful Easter!
And enjoy the Chocolates - which is obviously the BEST part about Easter right??? ;)
Lots of love xoxo Roz

A day at the beach OOTD #

I recently went back to the Netherlands for a few days and while I was there I had a such WONDERFUL day at the beach with one of my best friends! It was a little windy but we found ourselves a gorgeous calm, sunny spot at Beach Club 'Vroeger' in Bloemendaal and chilled out all day in the sun, eating, drinking and lots of chatting & people watching haha! Thought I'd share my outfit of the day which includes some recently purchased items!

Jeans: ZARA Basic Blue Skinny

Top: Primark white long racer back tank top (new, only £5)

Scarf: GUESS light pink scarf (new)

Sunglasses: H&M (picked these up at Amsterdam Airport! Only £3.99)

Bracelets: Tiffany & Co and H&M 

Here some more pictures of this great day!

Love my new bracelets from H&M! I picked up the colourful ones at Amsterdam airport. They were only £1.99, what a bargain right? Think the mix of coral, pink, gold and turquoise makes them perfect for summertime :) Oh and if you wonder what those weird balls are; well they are one of my favourite naughty snacks to eat when I am back home called 'bitterballen'. It's deep fried ragout/meat balls that are served with mustard to dip into. Delicious! Check out the excitement on my face ready to dig in! :)

If you love summer weather at the beach then....JUMP!

 Wooohooo! Thank you to my dear Lulu for such a perfect day at the Beach :) 

Bring on summer and more beach visits.... xoxo

Invisible for Black & White

To celebrate the launch of NIVEA’s innovative new Invisible for Black and White Deodorant, they have teamed with leading online fashion retailer ASOS to create a limited edition capsule collection of high fashion dresses, exclusively available to win online!

The competition runs from today until 31st May, with 50 lucky competition winners receiving the exclusive range each week, courtesy of NIVEA and ASOS.

The four-piece monochrome collection gives minimal silhouettes for maximum effect, with clean cuts and precision pleats appearing across 2 ‘60s style shifts, a midi-length sheer- waisted dress and a full skater skirt dress. As every fashionable wardrobe testifies, the Little Black Dress (LBD) is a stylish staple. In contrast to the season’s bold brights, white is also back in the spotlight, making the LWD just as important as its counterpart – dominating the summer minimalist trend.

My favourite two pieces of the collection are:

♥ Left - The Skater Girl Dress: 

"As seen on the Victoria Beckham and Narcisco Rodriguez S/S'11 catwalks, the skater skirt dress is summers easiest shape to wear. This dress comes complete with capped sleeves and chic slit at the decolletage to add a sassy vibe. Wear with chic flats for a garden party and add a colour pop heel for evening cocktails – what' not to love?"

♥ Right - The Forever Dress

"There's nothing more classic than a Little Black Dress to add to your wardrobe, it's the most versatile piece you'll ever invest in. This sleeveless version will become your go-to summer piece come day or evening. We love the A-line shape of this one – wear with sky-high heels and bright accessories to be the envy of the party."

So you now have the opportunity to WIN one of these dresses from the timeless Black & White collection. 

And it's soooo simple: 

♥ To enter the competition, visit www.asos.com/nivea

♥ Accessorise the dresses by dragging and dropping the right accessory looks and enter your details!
♥ Four styles - 50 lucky winners each week!

I have already entered several times, hehe, here's to hoping I win one of the dresses or maybe even the whole collection? ;) Check out some of my picks from playing with the accessories online:

The white skater girl dress is so cute and stylish, I want I want....FINGERS CROSSED!

Thanks Nivea for giving me the opportunity to win one of these cool dresses.
I'm quite interested in trying out their new Invisible for Black and White Deodorant too! Because it promises "protection against white and yellow deodorant stains. Plus as well as white marks on black clothes becoming a thing of the past, their technology helps prevent the yellow stains that develop over time due to a mixture of deodorant, sweat and washing powder – amazing!" Sounds good, gotta hate white marks or yellow stains, yuck!

So come on, what are you waiting for......enter this fun competion :) I know I have and will enter a few more times; the more entries the more chance of winning right? GOOD LUCK to everyone xoxo

(This post was sponsored by Nivea & ASOS through Handpicked Media)

Black & Grey Smokey Look $

Last weekend I had a friends birthday drinks so a group of us went out to celebrate! We were going to Kensington Rooftop Gardens in London so I wanted to look 'glam'! I decided on a very smokey black and grey look. Check out my face of the night below...

♥ Face:
NARS Pro Prime, Pore-refining primer 
Revlon ColorStay Foundation in 180 (normal/dry skin)
FYF Impeccable Mineral Loose Powder in Medium (loving this powder, review to follow!)
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess, Sea Star Bronzer Blush 
He- Shi Bronzer, all over face
NARS Super Orgasm Illuminator (Gorgeous! Review to follow)
BobbiBrown Browshaper

♥ Eyes:

MAC Black paint pot (all over lid as base, softly blended into crease)
MAC Black Tied eye shadow (all over lid)
MAC Scene eyeshadow (crease & along lower lash line)
MAC Copperplate eyeshadow (blended into crease)
MAC Shroom eyeshadow (applied to tear duct)
New CID Cosmetics i-open pencil (applied under brow bone & blended as brow highlight)
MAC Smolder kohl liner (waterline)
Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner pen (upper lash line)
Bourjois Volume &Fast Perfect Mascara

♥ Lips:
Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Sugar Rush

It was such a fun night out! Great music so definitely had a boogie! Here some more photos of us girls...

Spot anything different about me in these photos? Well, yes, I had a haircut! However, if I am honest, I'm not really happy with it because I came out with more of an actual fringe, rather than a deep side fringe...Also when going out that night I was a bit frustrated with my hair because he'd styled the fringe to the opposite side that I normally wear it and it was just annoying me the whole time. Think ill be growing it out a little (hopefully that won't take that long) and then i'll get it re-cut to more side, blended style. Outfit wise I am wearing a new dress that I recently got at Zara for only £29.99. I received a lot of compliments on the dress so feel it was a good little purchase! You can get it online here.

Also, am loving the NARS Pore-Refining Primer that I wore that night! It recently launched as part of their Pro Prime series. It's an oil-free primer that instantly refines the look of pores, regulates shine, and creates a matte surface to the skin for smooth and long-wearing makeup application. Mineral Powders manage oil in the T-zone while blurring the look of pores, fine lines, and wrinkles.

Key ingredients include:
* Natural Bisabolol & Butterbur Root Extract, known to calm and soothe skin
* Vitamins A, C and E, known to protect the skin from free radical damage
Plus its oil-free, paraben-free, synthetic fragrance-free, non-comedogenic and dermatologist-tested.

It makes my skin super smooth (which allows easier & longer lasting makeup application) plus it controls shine on my face all day and night! Great new product, find it at www.narscosmetics.co.uk for £24.

NARS Runway Trends & Summer 2011 Collection

Recently I attended an event by NARS showcasing the Autumn Winter 2011 Runway Trends and the looks created by some of NARS's best makeup artists. See a selection of the looks below!

From left to right: 

Show: Honor - Trend: Graphic Eyes 

Show: Marc Jacobs - Trend: Blushed cheeks and lined eye

Show: House of Waris - Trend: Lined eyes with a hint of color, complemented by sun-kissed skin 

Show: 3.1 Phillip Lim - Trend:Theatrical eyes

Show: Mandy Coon - Trend: Art-deco “inside out-lined” eyes

Show: Thakoon - Trend: Tribal eyes and muted lips 

As much as I love this bold style of runway makeup, they can be a little unwearable for everyday people like you and me. However I really liked the simpleness of the Honor, Marc Jacobs and House of Waris looks!

Also on display at the event was NARS's new 2011 Summer Collection! Created by NARS Founder and Creative Director François Nars, collection is a range of warm, sophisticated, shimmering shades, punctuated with shots of vivid, nature-defying color. Eyes are washed in icy sea foam, silver-green and frozen turquoise. Lips are infused with mandarin orange gloss and hot pink matte color. The look is finished with nails in bold sunflower yellow or matte opaque white for a modern, edgy effect that’s strictly NARS.

My favourites picks from this lovely bright collection are:
♥ Dogon Duo Eyeshadow (Limited Edition) £23.50
Named for the Mali-based culture, this metallic taupe (with icy green sheen) and charcoal black duo eyeshadow delivers an unexpected twist on an otherwise neutral color combo. Blend the lighter shade from lashes to brow and smudge the darker hue in the crease and along lashes for added impact. When blended together, the shades create an iridescent green cast on the charcoal hue.
♥ Exotic Dance Duo Eyeshado (Limited Edition) £23.50
A well choreographed pairing of metallic white with silver sheen and metallic gold, creates a dazzling duo eyeshadow. The shimmering hues can each be worn alone or layered for a mixed metal look that has added intensity.

♥ Carthage Pure Matte Lipstick (£18.50)
Named for the string of cities that line the Gulf of Tunis, this matte, hot pinkhue saturates lips with rich, bold color. The pure matte lipstick creates a sophisticated, eye-catching statement that’s both timeless and modern.
♥ Mayflower Lipstick (Limited Edition) £17.50
This nourishing, sheer raspberry lipstick, delivers subtle color with a shimmery finish. Wear alone or with other lip products, it’s the perfect complement to a bold eye.

Oh and another thing that really caught my eye was the Orgasm, Albatross, Laguna 'Blush/Bronzer Trio'. This handy portable zip-around compact contains the three most iconic NARS products!

I love my Orgasm blush to pieces plus Albatross and Laguna have been on my lust list for sooo long....meaning this compact may be something I just need to get my hands on. Because it's limited edition and priced at £39, I reckon this will sell out fast!

This new NARS collection will be available in the UK from May 1st, 2011 at narscosmetics.co.uk or from any major department store. Have you spotted anything that tickles your fancy? xoxo

Loving my recent duty free splurge!

The people that follow me on Twitter or Facebook, will know the item I recently picked up at duty free! The Estee Lauder – Pure Color Gloss Collection, which is a travel exclusive. One of my friends took this little collection of gorgeous glosses with her to Marrakech, which gave me a serious case of envy ;) So when I saw them (calling my name) at Gatwick Airport, I couldn't resist. And to be honest, it wasn't that much of a splurge because I think £27 for 5 (mini) glosses is pretty good value for money.  I hadn't tried an Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss before but have to say I am in love with them and am now definitely keen to get myself some more colours.

The pack includes 5 stunning individual glosses (4.6ml each):

♥ Sugar Rush (44)

♥ Electric Ginger (03)

♥ Impulsive Coral (20)

♥ Rock Candy (09)

♥ Racy Raspberry (30)

Tom Pecheux (Estée Lauder Creative Makeup Director) says  "Gloss brings sensuality to a woman's face" and I completely agree with him! :) Here are the glosses swatched on my lips:

Am seriously in love with these glosses! They feel light and luscious and are not too sticky. They smell/taste divine and provide my lips with shimmer, sparkle and all with sheer to medium coverage. My favourites are probably Impulsive Coral, Rock Candy and Sugar Rush. 

 

Have you ever tried any of the Estee Lauder Pure Color Glosses? If so, which one do you love?! xoxo

Happy Hump Day %

Hey lovelies,
Wishing you all a fantastic Hump Day!
My message today is all about that important four letter word: L.O.V.E :)

Why so love focussed? Well a quick congrats is in place for my parents, because it's their wedding anniversary! Today they have been married for 38 years ♥

Happy Anniversay Mum & Dad.
I hope you have a wonderful day and of course share many more of those together.
Lots of love xoxo

Spring time in London#

Hey lovelies,
Yay on Saturday it was a such a nice sunny spring day in London! At the moment I'm really into my pink and coral colours - love them, they make me feel so summery and girlie :) 
Thought I'd share my outfit of the day:

Light blue jeggings: H&M

Light pink cotton top: recently purchased in the Netherlands at de Bijenkorf (available online)

Silk Scarf: Alexander McQueen

Nude/Pink ballet flats: Topshop

Necklace: Tiffany & Co

Watch: Guess

On this nice day I ended up meeting a friend for a yummy brunch in South Kensington and afterwards we strolled through Hyde Park and enjoyed a beverage there whilst soaking up some rays in the sun lounges!

 It was a little windy so I teamed my outfit with a ZARA grey blazer.

Me in Hyde Park

(Bag by ASOS & sunglasses by BVLGARI)

Saturday afternoon I went to the hairdressers for a cut and colour..

My fringe ended up a bit shorter than was planning on, so am still 'adjusting' to it haha! xoxo

Eyeko BIG Eyes

A while back I got the Eyeko Big Eyes Mascara from ASOS and have now used it for a while so thought I'd do a quick review to let you know my thoughts :)

What they say:
"Long & Luscious in one easy squeeze! Seeing is believing...
The cult classic blacker than BLACK mascara that lengthens, thickens and curls in one! Transform and intensify lashes with a single stroke of the unique brush.Evenly dispersed bristles coat and separate lashes with highly pigmented colour. The lash friendly formula combines natural oils and silicones with added Panthenol (Vitamin B) to prevent dryness,premature breakage and promote lash growth."

Here are my eyes with the Big Eyes Mascara:
PS: makeup wise I am wearing Urban Decay Baked e/s on the inner lid with Urban Decay Darkhorse on mid/outer lid, blended into crease and along lower lash line. Bourjous Effet Smoky Pencils in Ultra Black on the waterline and MAC liquid liner on the top lash line.

♥ Pro's
Cute packaging and comes in squeezable tube (which means no product is wasted)
The brush is thin and long, with widely spread spiral bristles. I really like the wand because it coats every lash and allows you to apply the mascara with precision. 
Very long lasting, without flaking or smudging throughout the day
Nice strong/deep black formula which is non drying
Mascara lengthens, volumises and really holds the curl to my lashes.  Great for a dramatic look!

♥ Con's
The mascara applies quite 'wet' and will start to thicken when it dries. This is fine but does mean that you need apply your second coat of mascara before the first coat has fully set and dried because otherwise it's nearly impossible to add another layer.
The other main downside for me is that the mascara is really hard to remove. I prefer mascara that removes easily (say with water in the shower) and I don't tend to wear a lot of waterproof mascara. This mascara isn't marketed as waterproof,  but there is no way you will get this product off without makeup remover (and even then you need to apply quite a bit of pressure to get it off!)
When removing, the mascara kind of disintegrated into little pieces instead of dissolving. However the plus side to this is that the mascara is super long lasting. Therefore I tend to wear this mascara if I am going out at night so I know my lashes will look lovely all night long! :)

Overall I think this is a great 'drugstore' mascara, especially if you are looking for long lasting dramatic 'Big Eyes' :)

Priced at £8.50 from the Eyeko website (only available online)
However use my ambassador code E15072 to receive a free gift with all purchases over £15/€18/$20!

Amber Lights FOTD

Happy Friday Girlies!
Recently I the lovely Laura of Lollipop Loves held a blog sale and I managed to score two great purchases! Actually think there might still be a few items left so feel free to have a peek here!
The two items I got (for a bargain price, yay!) were MAC Amber Lights Eyeshadow & Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Lip Pencil in Naked. They arrived the other day with a cute note from Laura, loved the little cupcake print! See swatches below:

Amber Lights is a golden peachy-brown eyeshadow with golden shimmer (frost). I have been eyeing up this shade for a while so when I spotted it in the blog sale, I took this as a sign that I was meant to add it to my collection ;) Such a beautiful colour and think this shade is a must have for people with a warm skin-tone or blue eyes! 

Just like the 24/7 Glide-on Eye pencils, the Urban Decay 24/7 Lip Pencil is very long lasting! Naked is a neutral pink shade and suitable for many skin tones. "Urban Decay 24/7 Lip Pencil in Naked is formulated with jojoba oil, vitamin E, and cottonseed oil to nourish the skin and improve the smoothness of application." It looks a lot darker swatched then when applied on my lips. I love this colour when gently applied to lip with a clear gloss on top. It would also be great under any neurtral or pink toned lipsticks. The formula is very creamy and glides on very smooth. It also doesn't make your lips dry which is great!

Thanks Laura for these goodies, I am very pleased with my purchases! Of course I couldn't wait to start playing around with them so I created a FOTD:

♥Face:
Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer
Revlon ColorStay Foundation in Sand Beige (180 - Normal/Dry Skin)
MaxFactor Loose Powder in Translucent
Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder (contour)
Estee Lauder - Sea Star Bronzing Blush

♥Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Amber Lights eye shadow (all over lid up until crease)
MAC Nylon eye shadow (applied to tearduct)
MAC Charcoal Brown eye shadow (softly blended in outer corner)
MAC Dazzlelight eye shadow (brow bone highlight) Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pencil (upper lashline)Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect 'Rotatif' Mascara

♥Lips:
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Naked
MissGuided Lip splash (clear gloss)

Do you have Amber Lights eyeshadow? If so in what combinations do you like wearing it? xoxo Roz

Estee Lauder - Bronze Goddess Soleil Summer 2011

Recently I was invited to a stunning (10th floor!) hotel suite at the Metropolitan Hotel, overlooking Hyde Park, to get a preview of Estee Lauders 2011 Bronze Goddess Soleil Collection! The Collection is inspired by the warm hues and atmosphere of the Mediterranean. 

"Experience the casual luxury and seductive spirit of a goddess with shades that sparkle, shimmer and shine for eyes, lips and nails, while face and decolletage are transformed into golden, glowing perfection!" Check out this beautiful promo shot for the collection featuring model Hilary Rhoda:

Click here to see step-by-step instructions on how to re-create the makeup look from the above photo!

At the event we got shown all the products from this collection ranging from products for eyes, face, nails and body. I instantly fell in love with all the gorgeous items on display! So let me break down the Bronze Goddess Soleil collection:

Eyes:

♥ Bronze Goddess Island Oasis Eyeshadow Palette £31.00

Inspired by hues from the surf and sand, this limited edition eye shadow palette  has six irresistibly wearable shades, brightens and defines eyes by day and transforms them by night. The eyeshadows’ delicate iridescent pigments allure with radiance and luminosity in warm sand shades of copper, bronze, gold and coral balanced by cool surf hues of turquoise, seashell pink, silver and seaweed.

It's such a luxurious compact with great shades to wear alone or together—the possibilities are endless! 

I definitely have my eye on this little beauty....

♥ ShadowStick Duo in Gold Bronze and Pink Teal £17.00 each

These unique duo's are the perfect, fun eye accessory for summer. Each pencil features two complementary shades in a water resistant, long wearing formula that is ideal for warm summer months. Whether you want a precise line or a smokey look, with these pencils you can do both! 

I got the Pink/Teal pencil. I'm already a fan of wearing a pop of teal on my eyes, as you can see in this tutorial, so I can't wait to play around to create more fun 'goddess looks' this summer with my new pencil!

♥ Sumptuous Waterproof Mascara in Black £19.00

"A waterproof mascara that gives you gorgeous lashes, just the way you love them. Full, curled and virtually indestructible. Now lashes look beautiful in all wet conditions, from steamy humidity to a splash in the pool!" I don't normally wear waterproof mascara but can see the benefit when in hot weather or on holiday so am going to trail this out when I'm off to Spain for the Easter break! 

Lips:

♥ Pure Color Gloss in Limited Edition Sun Burst Sparkle £15.50

♥ Pure Color Gloss in Blazing Coral Sparkle £15.50

♥ Pure Color Gloss in Plum Divine Shimmer £15.50

♥ Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Tiramisu $24.00

Nails:

♥ Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Limited Edition Shimmering Bronze £14.00

This is a gorgeous bronze nail polish. Swatches will feature in a NOTD soon :)

Face:

♥ Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer £26.00

♥ Bronze Goddess Soft Shimmer Bronzer £26.00

♥ Bronze Goddess Soft Duo Bronzer in Amber Bronze Medium and Amber Bronze Rich £26.00

♥ Limited Edition Bronze Goddess Luminous Liquid Bronzer £21.50

♥ Limited Edition Bronze Goddess Sea Star Bronzing Blush £29.00

The last one, the Sea Star Bronzing Blush, is my ABSOLUTE favourite of the entire collection! It's so beautiful; I almost I didn't want to use it, so not to ruin the lovely design of it :)
"The new Limited Edition Bronze Goddess Sea Star Bronzing Blush is a beautifully-crafted, feather-light illuminating blush that enhances any skin’s bronzed complexion with a perfectly warm sun-kissed glow. Featuring an artful starfish resting on a shimmering sand-inspired background, the silky, soft powder bronzing blush gives skin a naturally radiant, smooth, sun-kissed finish. Color-true and with buildable coverage, this unique bronzing blush enhances your natural cheek color with an added touch more summer radiance with every stroke. Easy to apply and blend, the blush can be worn alone, or over any Bronze Goddess bronzer and will not streak or settle into pores."

I have been using this blush/bronzer almost daily and love the warm, pink glow it gives my cheeks!

The Bronze Goddess Soleil Collection is previewing at House of Fraser now and will be available at Estee Lauder counters and online from 2nd May. 

This collection has definitely got me in the summer spirit (Ok..the recent gorgeous weather in London helped a little too...)  So do you think you will be picking up anything from Estee Lauder to transform you into a Bronze Goddess this summer? xoxo

Happy Hump Day %

♥ Adele - Set Fire to the Rain


I have returned to London after a long weekend back home in the Netherlands. My weekend was a bit mixed, some super fun times but unfortunately also some really sad times. Why? Well, one of the main reasons I went home this weekend was because my grandmother is very ill and this was my last chance to say goodbye to her. I went to see her on Sunday with my parents and it was very tough and emotional to say that final ‘bye’ and tell her that I love her…
Since the start of this week she is now permanently asleep and it probably won’t be long before she passes away. Very sad but in a way you have to think, she is 95 (what a life!) and unfortunately it has come to an end for everyone at some stage..

Therefore today’s Happy Hump Day message is very close to my heart!
This is a sign that my grandmother (or ‘Oma’ as we call it in Dutch) has had in her house every since I can remember! It’s a very traditional Dutch saying that people had on little Delft's Blue wall tiles or embroidered onto cushions etc. It means ‘For the concert of life, nobody gets a program’. How true is that right? Life just happens, it's unpredictable so you can't get a program in advance! Happy Hump Day ♥

In other news, check my new compact digital camera that I got recently! My old compact died (r.i.p) when I arrived in Marrakesh so I was in desperate need of a new one. I've had a Sony CyberShot for years but I heard so many good things about Canon camera's I decided to go for one of them instead:

When I bought this camera I got an awesome little gadget for FREE with it - the JOBY Gorilla Pod!
I have wanted one of these for a while so it definitely signed the deal when I realised I would get this as part of the package. It is such a cool tripod; it's small, super light and you can bend the legs to connect it to pretty much anything to get that perfect shot! You can get the Canon IXUS 117 HS (including the Gorilla Pod) here

I couldn't wait to start playing around with my new toy so my weekend back in the Netherlands was the perfect opportunity! Check out some shots from the weekend :)

Hope you all have a wonderful day!
xoxo Roz

First Kiss >

Want perfect gorgeous pink cheeks with a subtle golden sheen to it for a bargain price? Then look no further!

I recently discovered ‘17 Blusher’ in the shade First Kiss and have been using it almost every day since. The colour is a great dupe for NARS Orgasm Blush, which is one of my holy grail products. However First Kiss is a more wallet friendly version because this amazing little blush is only £3.49!

First Kiss came out with 17’s Spring 2011 collection. The blush comes in a small screw top container. It’s a nice soft powder, that is well pigmented and lasts all day long. It blends so nicely and is just such a pretty colour! I definitely recommend checking it out. You can get it from Boots here. They even have a great deal on at the moment: get 3 for 2 deal on any of their 17 products!

Thought I'd share a FOTD with me wearing this lovely blush:
♥ Face:
MAC Studio Finish Concealer NC20
Revlon PhotoReady Liquid Foundation
Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Medium Light
17 Blusher in First Kiss

♥ Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer potion (all over lid as base)
MAC Patina eyeshadow (all over lid blended up into the crease)
MAC Satin Taupe eyeshadow (lid only, up until crease so patina still shows in crease & lower lash line)
MAC Shroom eye-shadow (tear duct and underneath brows as a highlight)
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Black (waterline)
MAC Fluidline in blacktrack (to line upper lash line)
Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect 'Rotatif' Mascara

♥ Lips:
Forever21 Nude Lipgloss

What do you think of this blush - will you go check it out?
Plus what other drugstore blushes are you loving at the moment? xoxo 

Travelling Light..

Happy Friday Everyone!
I hope you have all had a good week? I'm very excited today because I am off home (to The Netherlands) for a few days over the weekend. The last time I went was around Christmas time, which is ages ago now, so can't wait to catch up with friends, family and see The Netherlands in Spring time! Love it around that time of the year, with all the tulips and flowers in bloom!

Because I am only going for a 3 day weekend I am flying budget which means I can only take carry on luggage. Therefore I need to pack light! People have asked me this question quite a lot so I thought I would share what (essential) cosmetics items I take with me for a weekend away (when travelling light)...

♥ MakeUp:
Concealer - MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20
Liquid Foundation - Bourjois 10hour sleep effect foundation
Powder - MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Light
Bronzer - Bourjois de Poudre Bronzing Powder (review coming!)
Bronzer/Blush - Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Sea Star Bronzing blush (review coming!)

Blush - 17 Blusher in First Kiss (review coming!)

Liquid Liner - Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pen in black

Mascara - Boots No7 Exquisite Curl MascaraEyeshadows - Urban Decay Naked Palette which also includes a brown & black kohl liner!

These are probably my main cosmetics essentials and I will end up taking different foundations, bronzers, blushes and mascara's etc. depending on the products I am loving at that particular time. However, the Naked palette has become quite a staple for me to take travelling. It's just the perfect palette - so many great options from natural to smokey :)

♥ Brushes & Tools:
Blush Brush - Manicare, Artiste Stippling Brush 17
Foundation Brush - MAC 187 Stipling Brush
Contour Brush - Sigma SS168, Large Angled Contour Brush
Powder Brush - Sigma SS150 Large Powder Brush
Lash Curler - Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler
Brows - Ultra3 Brow Pencil
Small Blending Brush - MAC 217 Blending Brush
Pencil Brush - MAC 219 Pencil Brush
Flat Shader Brush - Sigma  SS239 Eyeshadow Brush
Big Blending Brush - MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush

I tend to use a mix of MAC & Sigma brushes as I love them equally!
I hope you guys enjoyed this post and wishing you all a wonderful weekend :) xoxo