A day out at the Races - Royal Ascot!

On Saturday the 18th June I went to the famous Royal Ascot Races at Ascot Racecourse.

Royal Ascot is one of Europe's most famous horse race meetings, and dates back to 1711 when it was founded by Queen Anne. Every year Royal Ascot is attended by Queen Elizabeth II and various members of the British Royal Family, arriving each day in a horse-drawn carriage. It is a major event in the British social calendar, and press coverage of the attendees and what they are wearing often exceeds coverage of the actual racing! ‘Tradition, pageantry, fashion and style all meet in a glorious setting at one of the most beautiful racecourses in the country.’

What does this mean??? DRESSING UP TIME! :)

I’d done all my shopping and had found the perfect outfit at Reiss; a stunning green Grecian style dress!
I matched my dress with a colourful fascinator (that I already owned) by Australian Designer Alannah Hill.
MakeUp wise this was my Face of the Day:
♥ Face
MAC Studio Fix concealer in NC20
Estee Lauder Double Wear (Stay in Place Makeup; SPF10) mix of Fresco (N2N) & Desert Beige (2N1)
FYF Cosmetics –Impeccable Mineral Loose Powder in Medium
NARS Laguna Bronzer
MAC Warm Soul Mineral Blush
MAC Charcoal Brown e/s fill in brows
MAC clear brow gel to set brows

♥ Eyes
NARS Dogon eyeshadow Duo (light shade all over lid & dark colour in outer lid, crease & lower lash line)
MAC Fluidline in blacktrack applied with MAC 210 eyeliner brush
MAC Smolder kohl liner in waterline
NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara

I proclaimed my love for the NARS Dogon eyeshadow Duo back in April at the launch of NARS's Summer 2011 Collection. You can read my original review here. I think this is such a beautiful duo and I have been using it lots! I love wearing the lighter colour all over the lid with the darker shade in the crease (as done in this FOTD) but have also used the two colours on top of each other for a stunning charchaol green smokey eye!

♥ Dogon Duo Eyeshadow (Limited Edition) £23.50 - get it online at Nars Cosmetics

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!

NARS Dogon Swatched:

From left to right: light colour, dark colour and both mixed together

Left: No Flash                                                                 Right: With Flash

Here some more pictures of my day at Royal Ascot!

Loved my green dress! Reiss is one of my favourite shops here in London.

Oh and my friend’s blue dress is also from Reiss – it’s the blue version of this one!

I had a lovely day at the races; I got to see the Queen, drink (quite a few) champagnes, placed some bets on the horses (actually WON £20!) and watched a fashion show. Might have to do this again next year :)

Have you ever been to Royal Ascot or a day out at the Races in your country? xoxo

Happy Hump Day with Carrie Bradshaw %

“Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back.

But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself.

And if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous”

~Carrie Bradshaw~

♥ Every girl loves Sex and the City! ♥

I adore the above quote and here are some more of my favourite quotes by the fabulous Carrie!

“As we drive along this road called life, occasionally a gal will find herself a little lost. And when that happens, I guess she has to let go of the coulda, shoulda, woulda, buckle up and just keep going.”

“After all, computers crash, people die, relationships fall apart. The best we can do is breath and reboot.”

“I like my money right where I can see it...hanging in my closet!”

“As we speed along this endless road to the destination called who we hope to be, I can't help but whine, 'Are we there yet?”

“It’s like the riddle of the Sphinx…why are there so many great unmarried women, and no great unmarried men?”

“People say ‘Everything happens for a reason.’ These people are usually women. And these women are usually sorting through a break-up. It seems that men can get out of a relationship without even a ‘Goodbye,’ But, apparently, women have to either get married or learn something.”

“If you are single there is always one thing you should take out with you on a Saturday night… your friends.”

“Maybe our mistakes are what make our fate. Without them, what would shape our lives? Perhaps if we never veered off course, we wouldn’t fall in love, or have babies, or be who we are. After all, seasons change. So do cities. People come into your life and people go. But it’s comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you’re very lucky, a plane ride away.”

“I don't believe in email. I'm an old-fashioned girl. I prefer calling and hanging up.”

“The fact is, sometimes it’s really hard to walk in a single woman’s shoes. That’s why we need really special ones now and then to make the walk a little more fun.”

This list could have gone on and on....so many great quotes!

Happy Hump Day everyone :) xoxo

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Red Carpet Style

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has been all over the internet recently. This is because she is on the promotional tour for the premiere of the new Transformers movie: Dark of the Moon. She has taken over from Megan Fox to play Carly, the new love interest of Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) in the Transformers 3 film.

The 24-year-old Victoria’s Secret model and now turned actress certainly knows how to ROCK a red carpet. 
I suppose she's had plenty of practise from her years as a model on the catwalk and it seems that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is turning her movie red carpet outings into something of an art form. To me, Rosie is one of the most stunning models around at the moment. Her hair, makeup and outfits are always perfect. Glamorous and sexy but still very elegant! 

Check out some of my favourite recent looks by the British model below:

♥ Stunning at the London premiere in a midnight blue, backless satin dress, custom-made for her by Burberry. This look is just perfection to me; makeup, hair, dress - love it!
♥ Rosie in a gorgeous metallic gown by Naeem Khan at the premiere in Berlin, Germany.
♥ Looking bronzed & glowing at the Glamour Woman of the Year Awards in London in Stella McCartney.

♥ Showing off per amazing pins at a photo call in Moscow. Wearing a hot pink silk jersey draped asymmetrical gown from the Spring 2011 Michael Kors Collection
♥ Super glam and sexy in a Michael Kors bodysuit as the makes her way in to the Ed Sullivan Theatre to tape an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman (super hair envy....)

♥ Rosie at the premiere in Moscow, wearing a Gucci maxi chiffon dress with hand-painted flowers.
♥ Showing off her back in a Max Mara dress as she hits the red carpet at the 2011 Maxim Hot 100 Party

Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon will hit the big screen on Wednesday (June 29) in the United States and the UK. Do you think you will go see this movie? I saw the previous two and actually quite enjoyed them. Shia makes laugh and Josh Duhamel is yummy eye candy! :) xoxo

My new watch!

So for almost a half a year now I have been lusting after a Michael Kors watch. My big dilemma however was, which one to get! Everyone seemed to be getting the gold big style watch and I seriously tried this on in the shops about twenty times but couldn't never quite make the step to buy one. I wanted a big chunky gold watch but then again, I don't wear a lot of gold. And it would be such a shame to buy a nice gold watch and then never really wearing it....

Hmmm so what's a girl to do?? Duh, get a silver one instead! So after months and months of checking out watches I finally decided on the Michael Kors 'White Mother of Pearl' Chronograph Watch MK5020.

Check out my new baby:

"Stainless steel bracelet and case. Stainless steel bezel with knurled texture. White mother-of-pearl dial featuring three subdials, date window and square crystal index markers"

I am seriously in love with my new watch. ♥ It's big and chunky but also a bit more girly because of the mother of pearl dial and crystal index markets! YAY am so happy with my final choice! :) What do you think? xoxo

The Scent of Summer with Ted Baker

“This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath, May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet”.
William Shakespeare

T H E  S C E N T  O F S U M M E R

'Waking up with light streaming through your window, the sound of the ubiquitous ice cream van, a barrage of BBQ invites, fresh strawberries and cream, warm afternoons well spent outside and long conversations held late into balmy nights. However brief, an English summer brings with it a delight of expectation.' 

I have to say, I loooove summer time! Waking up to the birds chirping, sun streaming in, picnics, BBQ's, summer dresses and I could go on and on :) 

Inspired by his new spring summer collections, Ted baker has released a new limited edition version of his fragrance called 'Woman'. This lovely summer Eau De Toilette features top notes of Bergamot, and Lily of the Valley which dry down into a sandalwoody/ylang ylang and musk base. On the way you will experience the heart notes of basil, rose and orris. Perfect for hot days and warm nights!

I think this is a lovely fresh scent, perfect for a day in the park. It's a bit like summer in a bottle :)

RRP £24.00, 100ml Eau de Toilette.
Available at selected Department stores, Pharmacies, Perfumeries and online at Tedbaker.com

Revlon - Peach Smoothie NOTD

I've had my eye on getting a lovely peachy/nude nail polish for a while now, so when my I spotted Revlon's Peach Smoothie nail polish at Boots the other day, I had to pick it up. Plus I was very intrigued to test this whole new 'scented' nail polish concept!

Check out my Peach Smoothie NOTD here:
Revlon’s Peach Smoothie is an adorable colour! The perfect nude/peach with a pretty subtle gold sparkle. The formula is quite sheer and a little streaky so it does needs 2-3 coats for good coverage. Now onto the smell; basically the ‘scent’ develops as soon as the nail polish dries. I wouldn’t say it smells of peaches but it definitely has a sweet fragrance. The smell actually reminded me of those sugary candy string necklaces you used to get at kids parties!

It’s not a very strong smell, so don’t worry about it interfering with your perfume or anything. I could only really smell it when I ‘sniffed’ my fingers or my fingers were close to my face. The smell was the strongest on day one but after I’d had a shower I found it vanished quite quickly. It’s fun and different to your standard nail polish but just a bit of a gimmick really…

Revlon's (Limited Edition) Scented Nail Enamel is available in 8 shades. Check out the full range of colours available here. I also quite like the look of 'Pretty in Papaya' and 'Mad about Mango'. Revlon Scented Nail Enamel is priced at £6.49 and available from Boots.com now (while stock lasts)

Think you will treat your hands to some sweet smelling nails? ;)

A little bit retro...

I opted for a red glossy lip and winged eyeliner look the other day and for some reason I felt a little retro hehe but I loved it :) Check out my Face of the Day:♥ Face
Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer
Revlon PhotoReady Foundation
MaxFactor Translucent Loose Powder
NARS Laguna Bronzer
Body Shop Blush in Tea Rose
MAC Charcoal Brown e/s fill in brows
MAC clear brow gel to set brows

♥ Eyes
NARS Abyssinia eyeshadow (Makeup Your Mind Palette)
Urban Decay Naked & Buck eye shadows blended into crease
MAC Fluidline in blacktrack applied with MAC 210 eyeliner brush
NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara

♥ Lips
Bourjois Effet 3D Balm Action Gloss in 06

Hair wise I was inspired by a post on The Beauty Department which featured the lovely Marianna (she's got a fab blog!) See the post that inspired my twisted, textured hair-do here. It comes with instructions on how-to create it yourself - super duper simple!

What do you think of my 'a little bit retro' look? xoxo

Marie Claire Inika Freebie

I picked up a copy of July's Marie Claire (UK) the other day, for my reading pleasures while working out at the gym, and lucky me it came with an awesome freebie! This month Marie Claire comes with a free Inika Mineral eyeliner or eyeshadow with every issue. I chose the eyeliner which is the shade 05 - Graphite.

Inika is an Australian natural cosmetics company that uses mineral pigments in its products and avoids the use of petrochemicals, paragons, phthalates, talc or bismuth oxychloride. I'd never heard of this brand before so was keen to try it out.

I really like the eyeliner, it's super creamy, long lasting, blendable plus makes a great eyeshadow base.  Graphite is a gorgeous slightly shimmery grey/lead colour which is nice as an alternative to my standard black options. I have been wearing this eyeliner applied to my waterline or smudged quite heavily along my lower and upper lashes with a simple grey or nude eyeshadow on the lid for a different smokey effect. The eyeliner also comes with a handy sharpener, which is built into the cap. 

This eyeliner usually costs £11.75, so it's a pretty good deal scoring it for the £3.60 price of the magazine. Marie Claire is also offering a discount code to their readers...but I will sneakily share it with you all now (shhhh!) To get 20% off your online order at inikacosmetics.co.uk enter the discount code 'inikalovesmc'. This offer is only valid until 1 July 2011, so be quick :)

And last but not least, being Wednesday....

Happy Hump Day!

Am currently loving Coldplays new song 'Every teardrop is a waterfall' ♥

Can't wait for their new album to come out....

Samantha Wills Jewellery

Recently I was ‘introduced’ by a friend of mine to the Australian Jewellery designer brand ‘Samantha Wills’. She had this stunning necklace plus a collection of funky bracelets by the designer and I was instantly in mesmerised. I knew I had to get my hands on some!
♥ A little bit more about Samantha Wills (who is amazingly beautiful btw as you can see in the pictures above!)

“Raised on the beaches of Australia’s East Coast, Samantha Wills moved to Sydney and established her self-titled accessories company when she was just 21 years old. Just 6 years on and the label enjoys the loyal support of glamorous customers the world over and is worn by Kate Bosworth, Rihanna, Kate Hudson, Eva Mendes, and Jennifer Lopez.

Samantha’s Creative talent, media profile, modelling background & media training have been the driving force behind her success. Inspired by a jet-set lifestyle, Samantha's handcrafted, stylish and luxurious designs exude her unique style. The SAMANTHA WILLS brand is not a follower but has its own confident style. Described by fashion writer Inez Mendoza to be “Australia’s biggest export since vegemite’, Wills is Inspired by world travels, culture & life experiences. Samantha travels to different parts of the world 8 months of the year & also divides her time between her homes in Sydney & New York City.”

After browsing their website I decided to get the ‘Triple Threat Necklace’ in Gold:

‘A classic piece, executed by a timeless quartz centre stone’
Pendant height – 83.8mm
Pendant width – 21.6mm
Chain Length (when worn) 430mm

Even though Samantha Wills ship worldwide I was very lucky that I knew someone coming from Australia to the UK so when I placed the order I got it send to them and they brought it over for me, yay!
I have been wearing my new necklace LOADS - I just love it to pieces! Here is me wearing it on Sunday :)

Jeans: River Island, Flats: Primark, White Top: ZARA, Blazer: Bershka

For more information on Samatha Wills (to drool over the amazing jewellery) check out:
Website: www.samanthawills.com.au 

Facebook: Samantha Wills Fan Page
Twitter: @Samantha_Wills

I definitely know I will be checking all of the above for more items to add to my (ever growing) lust list... ;)

xoxo Roz

Polo in the Park +

About two weeks ago, me and a group of girlfriends went to Hurlingham Park in London to attend the annual ‘Polo in the Park’ event! We just got general admission tickets (about £25 each) which gave us access to the grounds, viewing the polo matches all afternoon, the Harrods Food Court, the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Garden and the Mahiki Bar! All summed up it’s just a fun day out with the girls, dressed up in colourful pretty summery dresses, sipping champagne whilst also (maybe) watching a bit of the polo….perfect! :)
We were blessed with a warm sunny day so I that made it a great day for it!

I decided to wear a bright turquoise dress that I bought in Paris at a little shop called ‘Territoire’ (8–10, rue Montmartre, in the 1st). I stumbled across this little shop and loved all the dresses in there but ended up picking up this short aqua number. Loved the little details and the colour just made me go ‘I want, I want’. I got lots of comments on the dress so am very happy I got it!

Makeup wise I went for a bronzy gold glowing look – check out my FOTD:
♥ Face
MAC Studio Concealer in NC20
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation
Flawless You Forever Impeccable Loose Mineral Powder
Estee Lauder Sea Star Bronzing Blush (love this product it gives me such an amazing glow!)

♥ Eyes
NARS smudge proof eyeshadow base
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Half Baked (lid)
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Smog (crease & lower lashline)
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Virgin (tear duct & browbone)
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Darkhorse (to slightly darken outer crease)
Bourjois Effet Smoky Pencils in Ultra Black (waterline)
MAC Fluidline in blacktrack (lightly lined upper lash line to define and darker the lash line)
L'Oreal Voluminous mascara

Estee Lauder lipgloss in Rock Candy

Loved this photo from the day! ♥ We took this on my Canon Compact Camera, playing around with the colour accent feature. It's a little Tiffany & Co don't you think? ;)

xoxo Roz

Estee Lauder - Island Oasis Eye Shadow Palette

Remember my initial love shout out for the the Island Oasis palette when I attended the launch of the Bronze Goddess Soleil Summer 2011 Collection? You can read about it all here! Well, I ended up getting this amazing palette and wanted to share a quick review including swatches.

Estee Lauder describes the palette as ‘Shades of paradise. Highlight, define and dramatize your eyes with the shimmering metallics and sunlit satin shadows of summer.’ The luxurious compact contains six complementary shades to wear alone or together – the possibilities are endless!

The shades in the palette are unnamed but I’d describe them from left to right as:
♥ a very dusty dark cypress green with gray undertones
♥ a, sheer to light coverage, warm yellow gold. A knock out on girls with blue or green eyes!
♥ a mediterranean aqua shade. More blue than green, therefore a cooler colour, applies light to medium.
Looks amazing applied as a pop of colour along the lower lash line, like I did in this tutorial for example :)
♥ a rose gold (light copper) shade. My absolute favourite of this palette!
It looks amazing on it’s own or blended with gold and bronzed brown shades.
♥ a deep copper colour, very warm and lovely in the crease with the gold or rose gold shades on the lid.
♥ a cool silvery/white. The most shimmery colour in the palette. Great as a highlighter or applied in the tearduct.

See swatches below  (top with flash, bottom in natural light)

The shadows are all shimmering metallics that will sparkle in the sun but not too glittery! The shades are all very pigmented even without a base. The colours in the Island Oasis palette are as summery as they get. They sing of the Caribbean’s, Greek Islands or Hawaii so it’s perfect for creating those Bronze Goddess looks this summer! I’m definitely loving this palette and every time the sun is out in London, I find myself grabbing it - now I just need to book myself some exotic holidays too ;)

Estee Lauder; Island Oasis palette. Available online at Estee Lauder - £31

Happy Hump Day & the winner is....

It's Hump Day! One of my favourite movies of all time is 'The Notebook' - I'm such a girly girl aren't I haha!

There are just so many cute & romantic quotes in the movie/book. Here some more of my faves:

”Summer romances end for all kinds of reasons. But when all is said and done, they have one thing in common: They are shooting stars-a spectacular moment of light in the heavens, a fleeting glimpse of eternity. And in a flash, they're gone."

"The way I see it, I got three choices. One, I can shoot him. Two, I can kick the crap out of him. Or three, I leave you. Well, all that's no good. You see, 'cause none of those options get me you."

"I am no one special, just a common man with common thoughts. I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me, and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect, I've succeeded as gloriously as anyone who ever lived. I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and for me, that has always been enough."

"So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, for ever, you and me, every day. Will you do something for me, please? Just picture your life for me? 30 years from now, 40 years from now? What's it look like? If it's with him, go. Go! I lost you once, I think I can do it again. If I thought that's what you really wanted. But don't you take the easy way out. "

How can anyone (...well a girl anyway) not love this movie right? ♥
Oh and if you have never seen it - you are so missing out haha, get it out NOW! :)

Now onto more exciting news; announcing the winners of my He-Shi Travel Collection Giveaway!!
Up for grabs were two fabulous He-Shi Travel tanning kits which include:
♥ 50ml Exfoliating Body Wash.
♥ 50ml Express Liquid Tan.
♥ Mini Mitt.
♥ 50ml Day to Day Gradual Tan.

So without any further ado, the lucky winners are......

Comment #4 which is Daniella aka Madame Gourmand and Comment #12 which is Steph aka BeautyRambles! Congrats to both of you ladies! I will be in touch to arrange delivery of your fabulous prize. Thank you to everyone who entered.  Enjoy your Hump Day! Lots of love xoxo

Smell sultry and sweet like Kim K!

Last Wednesday, the one and only, Kim Kardashian was in London to promote her new fragrance 'Kim Kardashian'. Here she is at Debenhams in Oxford Street looking usual her glamorous self! 200 lucky people that purchased the perfume actually got to meet her and receive a signature, pretty cool right?

Unfortunately I was unable to make it to Debenhams that day to see Kim but, lucky me, I did get a bottle of the fragrance to try!! I like the simple design of the logo, bottle and mix of purple & pink on the bottle.

'A beautiful blend of feminine and sensual notes, the debut fragrance captures the many sides of Kim's personality and glamorous lifestyle. Floral top notes of mandarin, honeysuckle and orange blossom reflect Kim's captivating nature; while at the heart pink jasmine, tuberose, sensual spices and lush gardenia evoke her femininity. The last impression of tonka bean, jacaranda wood, vanilla orchid, sexy musk and creamy sandalwood add warmth to represent Kim's softer side'

♥ My thoughts:
I have been wearing Kim Kardashian all weekend and have to say I like, I like! Initially when I sprayed it, I thought, wow this is quite a strong and heavy smell but it softens very quickly to a lovely sexy but sweet smell at the same time. It’s definitely a very white-floral smelling perfume and you can pick the jasmine, tuberose and gardenia as the high notes. The fragrance has excellent staying power, smells like a more sultry version of gardenia’s and I think it’s a heavy white floral scent that is perfect for night but also suitable for daytime (depending on your personality). I have read that it’s very similar to Michael Kors but I'm not familiar with that fragrance so I can’t judge! If you like a mix of sultry and sweet and want to smell like the gorgeous Kim K, then go check it out and decide for yourself :) 

The fragrance can be purchased exclusively at Debenhams (online here) in June but will be available at all leading retailers from July. Kim Kardashian comes in 30ml (£22.95), 50ml (£29.95) and 100ml (£39.95) Eau de Parfum in beautiful deep purple glass bottles.

NARS Lippy Love; Mayflower & Carthage

Hey everyone,

Hope you are all having a good weekend? I'm having a pretty relaxing one and loving it! Just wanted to quickly share my love for two new NARS lippy's! Both are part of their 2011 Summer Collection and I have been wearing them lots. One lovely natural shade and one bold hot pink one! Check them out:

♥ NARS - Mayflower Lipstick (Limited Edition) - £17.50 

Mayflower is described as a sheer raspberry lipstick, that delivers subtle colour with a shimmery finish. It’s semi-sheer, so while it doesn’t deliver opaque color (nor is it supposed to), it does still add color to the lip, giving lips a subtle, rosy raspberry color with a lightly shimmered, glossy finish. The lipstick has a lovely creamy texture that is quite moisturizing.  Mayflower is the perfect all day lipstick for a day at the office but also great to go with a bold dark smokey eye for a night out!

♥ NARS - Carthage Pure Matte Lipstick - £18.50

Carthage is named for the string of cities that line the Gulf of Tunis and is described as a matte, hot pink hue that saturates lips with rich, bold color. It has a slight sheen to it so I wouldn’t say it’s completely matte, and its a really rich, vibrant fuchsia pink with blue undertones. The colour coverage is excellent and its very long lasting, about 4 hours on me. The pure matte lipstick creates a sophisticated, eye-catching statement that’s both timeless and modern.  I love wearing this with simple natural eye makeup with some black liquid liner and lots of mascara! Because the lipstick is so bold, it makes any simple outfit and makeup a stand-out look :)

Have you tried any of these lippy's? If not, I definitely recommend checking them out online or at your local NARS counter! Enjoy the rest of your weekend :) xoxo 

Emily Rossum inspired gold & black smokey eye

A while back I spotted a photo of Emily Rossum at an event in NYC which totally inspired me! I loved the colour combination of the yellow gold and dark eye shadows. She applied black liner almost all the way around the entire rim of her eyes but leaving the inner v’s free of the dark due. This is very smart because it keeps the eyes open and bright, but still leaves them looking defined. So I re-created the look:

The eye shadow application of this look was my favourite bit! The way in which they applied a daring dark hue on the outer corners and blended a gold pigment across the inner v’s is beautiful. To give the eye a little bit of balance, they even applied a very thin line of the dark hue underneath the lower lashes on the outer corner, and ever so slightly taken the gold hue down to where her lower lashes begin. Perfection! Add a mean dose of mascara and you’ve got a great but slightly different smokey eye! So here it is, check out how I created my inspired FOTD

♥ Face
VIE Prime Time Face Primer (a lovely primer for under your foundation to give you a radiant glow & keep your foundation in place throughout the day) Get it online here for £13.00 €16.25

MAC Studio Finish Concealer NC20
MAC Studio Fix Foundation (NC20) mixed with a little Revlon ColourStay Foundation (180)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish
MAC Bronzer in Golden
MAC Peachykeen blush (apples of cheeks)
MAC Vanilla Pigment (highlight on cheekbones)

♥ Eyes
NARS Smudge Proof Eye shadow Base (primer)
MAC Charcoal Brown e/s to fill in brows & set with MAC clear brow gel
Estee Lauder Island Oasis Eye Shadow Palette – Gold shade (lid & lower lash line halfway)
MAC Carbon e/s (outer V, crease until middle and along outer lower lashline)
MAC Smolder Eyeliner (waterline – top and bottom)
NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara
MAC Dazzlelight e/s (highlight underneath brow bone)

♥ Lips
Estee Lauder Lip gloss in Electric Ginger

I absolutely loved this look and will definitely wear this more often.
What do you think? xoxo

Happy Hump Day %

Hey lovelies!
It's Wednesday again already. Honestly I can't believe it's June - time just flies when you are having fun...

If only....... (hehe)

I am also proud today to show off that 'Shopaholic' has picked me as one of their Editor’s Pick: Unforgettable Blogs! This month they decided to feautre ME (so honoured) and also the wonderful Natalya

"Shopaholic is a group of talented writers and avid shoppers with one goal in mind: make shopping simple. Superheroes of the shopping world, our writers have unmatched wit, incredible good looks and, best of all, they are dedicated to fighting buyer’s remorse everywhere. Looking for the best leather satchel or a new overnight bag ? We'll do the research for you so that you can make the best decision with your time and money. So keep calm and carry on shopping! Shopaholic is here for you. Buyer’s remorse beware."

So this is what they said about me!
"Roz is a gorgeous Dutch (hence the spelling of ‘dutchess’) beauty and shopping addict living in London. Her fabulous beauty and fashion blog is not only like cupcakes for the eyes, but it’s informative, fun, and uplifting! I look forward to the inspirational ‘Happy Hump Day’ messages (every Wednesday of course); they make the week so much better! It’s really apparent that Roz puts a great deal of her lovely self into this blog. And now, we’ve got her answers to all-important questions.

Q: How has London influenced your personal style?

A: Living in London is fantastic because there is so much more variety here than I was used to in New Zealand. I love the fact that there is a great range of high street brands that sell quality, fashionable clothes. Some of my favourites are ZARA, Reiss, Whistles and Topshop. But then there are also the amazing department stores that allow you to browse along a huge selection of designer brands! If only I could splurge more often…On a beauty basis, again there are so many more brands available to the people which means I have experimented a lot more with different products and brands. I also think I have gotten a bit bolder by wearing more colour (perhaps to compensate for greyer skies?).

Q: Who or what inspires you?

A: I find I get inspiration from so many things. Magazines, movies, celebrities, events and other bloggers or people I see on the streets! People always ask me, “Don’t you ever stress that you will have nothing to blog about?” But no, it’s more the other way around. I am always inspired and have so many things I want to blog about, but with too little time!

Q: Which 3 beauty products would it be extremely difficult to live without?

A: Oh gosh, that is such a hard choice to make but I’d probably have to say:

• Concealer or foundation – to at least be able to apply my daily ‘face’. I am fortunate to have pretty good skin but I will still always wear some sort of foundation or cover. If I am going for a lighter look, say on holiday or at the gym, I will still put on a bit of concealer and some powder to even out my skin tone.

• Mascara is a must-have! I am not blessed with dark, long lashes so I wear mascara every single day to darken my lashes and make my eyes stand out!

• And a kohl eyeliner because you can use it to define your eyes plus create a simple smokey look with it!

Q: What have been the biggest benefits you’ve gotten from blogging?

A: Blogging has very much helped me grow my passion and I feel it’s brought up a more creative side in me, which I didn’t even know I really had! I have been lucky to have met so many lovely and amazing people through the blogging and PR communities and it’s given me fantastic opportunities to attend fabulous events and get introduced to new brands. I blog for fun and I can definitely say that even though it takes up a lot of my time, it continues to bring me happiness every single day!Thanks, Roz!"

Check out the full article on Shopaholic's website here!
Happy Hump Day everyone :) xoxo

MTV Movie Awards 2011 - Best & Worst

The 2011 MTV Movie Awards were held at the Universal Studio’s Gibson Amphitheatre on Sunday (5 June) in California. I always like checking out the looks from the MTV Awards because they are a little bit more fun, young and trendy! Here are some of my Best & Worst pics of the event:

Best

♥ Blake Lively is beautiful in blue! She wore a Michael Kors dress & Louboutin shoes.
♥ Mila Kunis presented an awards on stage with Justin Timberlake wearing a Balmain black top and an embellished skirt from the Fall 2011 collection. As always, sexy, appropriate, fun and LOVE her makeup!
♥ Emma Stone in a sheer Bottega Veneta dress. She’s swapped from blonde to redhead for the upcoming Spiderman movie. I like both blonde and red on her really – she’s very beautiful.
♥ Emma Watson in an ivory jewel encrusted Marchesa short white dress. Emma’s got amazing style, love it!
♥ Brooklyn Decker sparkled on the red carpet in a gold No.21 dress! A little heavy looking on the top but am always a big sequin fan so still liked it lots!

♥ Hailee Steinfeld suited up in a Louis Vuitton tux with Christian Louboutin heels. It’s quite a grown up look for the 14 year old actress but I think it looked classy & loved the red lippy and green little clutch!
♥ Amber Lancaster in a sequin dress, not quite sure who she is but liked the dress and her wavy hair!
♥ Model Erin Heatherton in a cute white dress! Amazing legs and what a smile!
♥ Nina Dobrev looked cute and stylish in a Georges Chakra Couture ruby and bronze bow embroidered strapless dress. Spotted this on a few worst dressed lists and yes maybe it does look a little 'Christmas presenty' there's something about her look that caught my eye in a good way.
♥ Reese Witherspoon, gotta love her, dazzled at the ceremony in a black & great Vivienne Westwood dress that was age appropriate, fun yet sexy! Reese was honoured with the Generation Award. She’s the youngest recipient up to date! She fully deserves it though, Reese is one of my favourite Hollywood actresses!

Worst

★ Gossip Girl Jessica Szohr in an Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet jumpsuit. Too much going on for my liking and not very flattering. She's such a beautiful girl - a shame!

★ Amanda Bynes in an Herve Leger dress. Not sure what's going on with this girl, I thought she'd announced via Twitter she was retiring from Hollywood. I think the dress is a little too tight and short and not very flattering on Amanda. Plus the green Christian Louboutin shoes are really cool but what on earth was she thinking matching them with this dress. Total fail!

★ Bryce Dallas-Howard showed off her baby bump in a J.Crew dress. Didn’t hate it, but didn’t love it either!

★ Nicki Minaj. She’s got some electric and funky style which is great. It’s just not MY style haha.

★ Elle Fanning looked a little bit more festival than red carpet in a Dolce&Gabbana floral romper with matching (hideous) platform wedges.

What did you think - who's look did you love or hate? xoxo

We'll always have Paris =

I'm still dreaming of my amazing time in Paris last weekend! So I thought I'd share my outfit and makeup of one night out partying in Paris. Me and my friend got ready at her place (me doing our makeup of course) and then we headed out to cafe Germain in the 6th arrondissement of the city.  There we had champagne, some dinner and my all time favourite dessert in the whole world! 

Which is.....moelleux au chocolat. It's also known as chocolate fondant or chocolate lava cake. Basically me + warm runny chocolate cake served with a dollop of cold icecream = a very very very happy Roz!

Because it had been such a lovely sunny day I decided to wear a short bright dress with gold makeup:

♥ Face of the night:

I used the Urban Decay NAKED palette to create my look that evening. I applied half baked all over the lid and then used smog in the crease and along my lower lash line. Followed by black winged liquid eye liner and a few coats of NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara (which I am loving at the moment!) I finished off my golden look with Estee Lauder Lipgloss in Impulsive Coral (#20)

♥ Outfit of the night:

Strapless dress by ZARA, from the TRF collection - get it here for £29.99. My friend & I both fell in love with this cute dress (so I bought it in watermelon pink/red and she got it in turquoise!)

Gold earrings from Bershka

Paris - the beautiful city of lights! 

Oh I had such a brilliant weekend. I guess 'we'll always have Paris' ;) xoxo

Want to meet Kim Kardashian?

Well UK girls (and boys?) this is your chance! Kim Kardashian is coming to London next week to make her first UK public appearance at Debenhams for the launch of her debut fragrance, aply named 'Kim Kardashian'

Kim Kardashian is a beautiful blend of feminine and sensual notes that captures the many sides of Kim’s personality and evokes Kim’s glamorous style. Developed with master perfumer Claude Dir of Givaudan, Kim created a modern fragrance for the modern woman.

Kim has said that “when I started developing my fragrance, I really look inspiration from the feminine, pretty things that surround myself with – I thought about what makes me feel confident and special, and translated that into a scent that all woman can enjoy”

Kim Kardashian the fragrance is available to buy as of 10am, when doors open, but make sure you keep your receipt as the first 150 to purchase the fragrance will receive a pass to meet Kim and a signed autograph. Kim will be there between 12.30pm and 2pm. I bet she will be showing off her massive $2 million dollar rock of an engagement ring!!! (Jealous.....)

Location: Debenhams, Oxford Street, London W1
Date: Wednesday 8th June
Time: 12:30-14:00
 
The Kim Kardashian fragrance is exclusive to Debenhams stores until the 4th of July, after which the fragrance will be rolled out nationwide. So always dreamed of meeting Miss K? Here is your chance! Wish I could go but probably won't be able to make it due to work commitments! xoxo

Belle journee a Paris OOTD #

Hey everyone,
As you know I was in Paris last weekend so I thought I'd share a quick OOTD post from a lovely day out and about in this stunning city! I spotted this little summery striped dress at H&M a few days before heading to Paris and thought it would be perfect for a summery Parisian day :) 

Dress: navy & white striped gently flared jersey dress with decorative ties at the shoulders and a gathered neckline. Drawstring at the waist with decorative beads. Get it online now at H&M here for £12.99

These photos were taken around the Montmartre area! This area is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district (where the famous Moulin Rouge is!)

This is me on the Rue Foyatier, one of the many famous streets in Paris, because it consists essentially of flights of stairs given access to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The Montmartre funicular runs alongside it!
Ohhhhh Paris, je t'aime! ♥