M.A.C Autumn/Winter 2011 Trends Recap

MAC has just released a their Autumn/Winter 2011 trends recap.
In the recap they provide summaries and images on the key beauty trends that emerged from the AW11 season, details of the key products were used to create these looks, quotes from key makeup artists on inspiration and more! 

Here are two of my favourite trends from the recap:

The 'Mod-Ernist' Trend is the sixties look through modern eyes. Think beige, think lashes, think a little bit mod and feline. Flawless featherlight foundation, highlighters, super sheer powders and gloss, gloss gloss (looking lovely and luminous all-over) Love the lip shade from the Chloe show, the combination of glossy orange eyes with bubblegum pink lips in Donna Karan and the sexy mod flicks on the Behnaz Sarafpour models.

Amber to grey (and every shade of rust, rose, sand, bark, lavender and burnt gold in between). It's all about a palette of twilight shades, applied in stains and washes. Softer-edged makeup but still cool and contemporary. Bold lips and bold brow combo for Hakaan is stunning and love the rust and purple smokey eye on the Norman Ambrose model.

I love reading about the lastest makeup trends from the world of fashion to find inspiration for my daily make up looks! Do you? Check out the full recap by MAC here! xoxo

Be Liptastik with Eyeko

Right on trend with the bold lips 'hype' this summer, Eyeko has released a selection of Liptastik Glossy Lip pens. Basically they are a liner, colour and gloss in one; perfect for girls on the go! The lippy is easy to apply, direct from the chunky pencil.The Liptastik Glossy pens come in three trendy shades: 
♥ Lip Lover - a sexy red
♥ Loud Mouth - a bright rosy pink (right)
♥ Hot Lips - a fuchsia pink (left)

Swatched here are Hot Lips (top) and Loud Mouth (bottom). This is just the pens on their own, no gloss!

I think these are lovely lip pencils. Super smooth glossy texture, long lasting, moisturizing and they provide an intense colour at a bargain price! The Liptastic pencils retail at £6.50 each. Eyeko actually has them on sale at the moment with an offer to get 3 for the price of 2. Available online here.
Also use my ambassador code E15072 to receive a free gift with all purchases over £15/€18/$20! xoxo

Bourjois - Delice de Soleil Bronzing Collection

This month Bourjois launched their 2011 Bronzing Collection, perfect to create that gorgeous sun-kissed look for summer (without having to leave the country)! So let me introduce you to the Délice de Soleil Bronzing Collection. The range consists of a bronzer, bronzing foundation, bronzing mist and two effet 3D summer collection lip-glosses.

First up, Bourjois has designed this cool made-to-measure mineral powder foundation. Using a super clever two-in-one system it comes with two different shades of mineral powder so you can custom blend your own perfect colour. Each shade can be used separately or blended together. It has a movable flap to  allow you to dispense the exact quantity needed.

The mineral foundation has a formula of cocoa beans for radiance, orange blossom extract for moisturizing plus your skin is protected by the SPF 15 sunscreen. The powder gives you a light to medium coverage that feels soft and fresh, blends smoothly and gives your skin a lovely natural glow. I have used this as a foundation (on top of tinted moisturizer or liquid foundation as I prefer a slightly heavier coverage) but I also really liked using the darker shade on its own as a bronzer. This product is definitely one of my favourites from the collection. The foundation comes in two shades 'Fair/Medium' & 'Olive/Tanned' skin and is priced at £9.99/€14.99.

Next up,  is the Bronzing Powder (spray) for face and body. This spray allows you to deposit a light coating of bronzing powder onto your skin, without the need to blend! The powder is super fine, smells delicious and can be applied to face, chest and even arms & legs.

This product is perfect to get that last minute sun-kissed 'boost' all over, for when you have no time to 'fake tan'. You just spray it on, without minimal need to blend it in, and run out of the door. It gives you a natural bronzed glow (non shimmery) without rubbing off on your clothes and it washes off again easily when needed. The spray comes in two shades 'Fair/Medium' (12) & 'Olive/Tanned' (14) skin and is priced at £7.99/€11.99.

If, like me, you already are a huge fan of Bourjois' Délice de Poudre bronzing powder (with its yum chocolatey smell and look) then you are bound to also love the their latest bronzing compact!
This is the Délice de Soleil Bronzing Powder:The new bronzing powder now comes in a sophisticated and modern compact, complete with brush, panoramic mirror and a pivoting hinge which means the mirror can swivel 360 degrees. I’m personally not a huge fan of these kind of thin bronzer brushes so I tend not to use my contour or bronzer brushes instead but it’s handy to have it there for moments on-the-go. The powder has a highly pigmented ultra-fine texture, the same addictive cocoa smell and is excellent to use all over the face bronzing or as a contour because its matte finish (with a very subtle hint of gold shimmer). The Délice de Soleil bronzing powder comes in two shades; ‘Fair/Medium’ (12) & ‘Olive/Tanned’ (14) and is priced at £8.99/€12.49

Last but not least are the two Effet 3D Summer Collection lip-glosses:

For this collection Bourjois have released two glistening new shades (with speckles of gold) that do not only look great, but also protect your lips (SPF 15) and they have the Effet 3D’s lovely non-sticky moisturising balm formula. Best of all is that they smell so summery – the tropical coconut fragrance transports my mind directly to a scene of sun bathing on the beach sipping pina coladas!:)
The two new shades are: Rose Pacific (49); my favourite, a STUNNING sheer coral gloss & Brun Exotic (50). Brun Exotic looks quite dark in the tube but once applied it’s a lovely sheer, bronzed shimmery gloss. Both glosses are priced at £6.99/€10.49.

So what do you think of the new Bourjois Summer Bronzing Collection? Any products you have your little eye on or have already purchased? I really like how even though they are a cheaper drug store brand, Bourjois, still launches new collections for different seasons and trends. This one is perfect for summer. Bring on the hot sunny weather I say and thanks to Bourjois I am ready for it! ;) The collection is available now at most local drugstores or for more stockist information visit the Bourjois website. xoxo

Happy Hump Day %

Hi my lovelies,
Sorry that I have been a little M.I.A. (missing in action) the last few days! This was because I was away for a long weekend at home (The Netherlands) spending some quality time with my friends and family there. I had planned a few days away with my parents by a lake in Friesland, enjoying the sun, some sailing, biking etc however the weather gods didn't agree with that plan - it rained almost the entire time!! But, I have to say, I still feel like I've had a mini-holiday; relaxing indoors (by the lake) watching movies, catching up with family and eating lots of yummy food. I got back yesterday morning and had to head straight to work from the airport. I'm still feeling a little tired so am glad it's hump day already :)

Today's Happy Hump day message isn't that 'happy' but more reflective.....because when something terrible happens to someone you know, it definitely puts your worries and regrets in perspective! My thoughts are with a friend of mine at the moment. Sometimes life can be so unfair, especially when it throws you a massive painful curve ball. Plus it's horrible that in those times, there is nothing you can really do for that friend, besides letting them know that you care and are thinking of them :(

Therefore my message today is - live your life with no regrets, love, laugh and enjoy every single day... you never know when it can suddenly be taken away from you! Happy Hump day xoxo

Temperley for Twinings %

To celebrate the launch of their new and improved Earl Grey blend, iconic British tea brand Twinings has teamed up with another British icon, fashion designer Alice Temperley, to create an exclusive Temperley for Twinings print, which has been turned into a limited edition scarf!

Alice hand painted the beautiful design herself, representing the incredible journey of the original Earl Grey blend, created by Twinings in 1831, as it travelled across the oceans from China to the UK. 
This exclusive print will be featured across a range of products, starting with this gorgeous scarf! 
Below is a detail of Alice Temperley's mood board which inspired the Temperley for Twinings Print:

The scarf is simply stunning; it's huge (135cm x 135cm) it's made of 100% silk and I love the soft yet striking combinations of different blues in the print. I feel it's a very classic but modern scarf which goes with so many outfits. Plus it really seems to bring out the blue in my eyes :)

Here a recent outfit of the day with my Temperley for Twinings scarf:

Trousers: blue jeans by ZARA Basics 

Top: White Linen t-shirt by ZARA (available in different colours online)

Shoes: Metallic Ballerina's by ZARA (available online)

Watch: Michael Kors (available at ASOS)

Only 1000 of these scarves have been made so if you want to get your hands on one of these iconic scarves; you better be quick! The Temperley for Twinings scarf retails at £115 and can be purchased through the Twinings or Temperley website now! 

What do you think girls? Do you like it - I know I do! :) xoxo

New MAC purchases: Warm Soul & Richer, Lusher

So when I was at MAC getting my makeup done for the Pre-Wimbledon party (see the post here) I ended up buying two new MAC products to cover my £25 fee for the 'make-over'.

The first product I got was the MAC Mineralize blush in 'Warm Soul'. The makeup artist used this in my look for that night and said it was his all time favourite blush. I normally tend to go for more pink or coral toned blushes (like MAC Well Dressed or NARS Orgasm) so this warmer more beige toned isn't something I would have picked myself. However, once he applied it on my cheeks, I just loved the effect! 
Mineralize Blush is baked mineral refined into a powder formula to provide exceptionally sheer and lightweight application. Colour builds lightly, layer after layer, without heavy coverage. It enhances the cheekbones with a luminous pearlised shimmer.   MAC describes this blush as a 'mid tone beige with gold pearl'.

Here is the blush swatched:

Natural Light                                                                    Flash

Really loving this blush. It gives me warmth and a subtle glow at the same time :) It has a lovely sheer pigmentation but you can easily build up the colour. I think Warm Soul would also look amazing on darker skinned girls or for people that are scared of using bronzers as it gives such a nice warm glow without the brown/orange undertone of some bronzers.

Warm Soul retails at MAC Cosmetics for £19.00/US$23.00/€23.00

The second product I got was MAC Cremesheen Glass in 'Richer, Lusher'. For a while I have been looking for a sheer peach toned lipgloss and this gloss just caught my eye! 

Cremesheen Glass is a creamy, milkier gloss than say MAC Lipglass. Even though it's very creamy, it's not too sticky or thick on the lips. It's vanilla-scented and has a nice colour/sheer effect on the lips.

Richer, Lusher is a creamy, peach coral. When you see the gloss in the tube or even on the swatched on your hand; you think the colour is going to be very in-your-face peach coral and very rich......

But once on my lips, it actually gives them a lovely soft peachy look! Great smooth, non sticky formula ♥
Warm Soul retails at MAC Cosmetics for £16.00/ US$18.50/€19.00

Have you bought any new MAC Goodies recently that you are loving? Please do share :) xoxo

Suffering from closet envy....

Good morning my lovelies,
I'm seriously drooling over these celeb's AMAZING wardrobes at the moment causing  me severe closet envy! Especially now that my cheap freestanding wardrobe from Argos is pretty much broken, on a lean and feel it could collapse on me any day! However, has this stopped me from shopping.....??? Nah! ;)

Eva Longoria

Special Collections: Christian Louboutin espadrille wedges "a beautiful pain",
50 pairs of jeans and more than one pair of Ugg boots.

Christina Aguilera

Has not one but two expansive closets. First stop: Shoes. "Everything on my shoe wall is grouped by designer—Louboutin, McQueen, YSL—all in their own little family,"
(how adorbs does her little son Max look in this pic!)

Olivia Wilde

Laurie Frank, a well-known L.A. gallerist and decorator, convinced her to construct a sophisticated cedar-lined closet—outfitted with translucent panels, a plush rug from Cantoni, and a black-glass chandelier from Lawson-Fenning. A perfect home for her many red-carpet dresses and favorite red shoes. The walk-in's decadent centerpiece is a 19th-century mirrored vanity (flanked by two mirrored chests from Anthropologie). "It's from the South of France and has never been restored," she says

Paula Abdul
 All her outfits and coordinating accessories are numbered with tags so she can easily pack for trips and events. Her impressive shoe collection is made up mostly of high-heels—"I always wear heels unless I'm working out,"

Mariah Carey - one word....WOW!!!

Even this massive space can't contain all of Mariah Carey's shoes. "I have about 1,000 pairs of shoes. But lots are in storage," she says. Mariah designed the sweeping space with gold-leaf and bleached-wood floors. "Like Louis Vuitton luggage," she says, "it will only look better over time." Few girls would be able to fill the closet, which is arranged by color and material, as well as in event-specific groupings!
Nicky Hilton

It boasts two "very organized" couture-filled walk-in closets. Her shoe collection, which isn't raided by her friends or family because of her size 10.5 foot, is organized by designer."My Manolos are together, Chanels are together, Louboutins together." Besides the 200 or more handbags she owns, one of Hilton's prized pieces is a Roberto Cavalli beaded butterfly minidress that the designer gave her for her 24th birthday. "I was in Milan and he told me to pick whatever I wanted from his showroom!" she says.

Fergie

 "We knocked down the wall between two rooms and Josh named it Fergieland!" she says.
"I designed it myself, so there's a boudoir-boutique feel." The large room is just for Fergie's things (organized by color and category of course), while Josh's clothes are kept in his own closet in the master bedroom.

Kimora Lee Simmons
 "I wanted my closet to look like a boutique," she says. It contains over 500 pairs of jeans, 35 custom-made Hermes Birkin bags and an extensive collection of jewelry. The closet, which is decorated with leopard-print carpet, marble columns, a mini-bar, and flat screen tvs, only holds some of her clothes—the overflow is stored in other bedroom closets. Everything in her closet is photographed and stored on her computer so she can easily put together outfits!

Oh Kimora, a computer system is just so 'Clueless' of you!
Ever since seeing that movie, isn't that every girls dream?

And because it is Hump Day; here some funny quotes about shopping (one of my favourite hobbies)...
♥ "I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet." - Carrie from Sex and the City
♥ "On the one hand, shopping is dependable: You can do it alone, if you lose your heart to something that is wrong for you, you can return it; it's instant gratification and yet something you buy may well last for years."
♥ "Shopping is a woman thing. It's a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase."
♥ "Shopping is better than sex. If you're not satisfied after shopping you can make an exchange for something you really like."
♥ "When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It's a whole different way of thinking."
♥ "Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping."
♥ "Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination."

Happy Hump Day Everyone :)
xoxo Roz

Max Effect Mini Nail Polish in Silver

A while back MaxFactor released the Max Effect Mini Nail polish collection containing 12 new colours. When I spotted the mini bottles at the pharmacy it was definitely the little number 20 'Silver' that caught my eye! It's a tiny bottle packed full of dark shimmery glitters. Even though it's called Silver I would say it's more a light antiqued taupe brown with (predominantly) silver micro glitter. I applied two coats here but say it would need three to get an opaque colour.

Because of the glitter in the polish I was a little concerned about smoothness of applying this polish but I found the formula was very fluid, fast drying and easy to apply. The little brush actually allowed for pretty precise application. I like how this polish seems to change shades under different lighting; ranging from dark brown, to gold and silver.

How cute is that wee bottle right? One downfall I found of this polish was that it wasn't very long lasting. Even with a topcoat it started chipping on day two :(

The MaxFactor Max Effect Mini Nail Polishes retail at £3.99 and are available at your local drugstores like Boots & Superdrug.

Fashion & Tennis at the Pre-Wimbledon Party 2011

Back in June (yes this post is a little late) I was very very very lucky to get an invite to the WTA Tour Pre-Wimbledon Party held at The Roof Gardens in London. This yearly event, hosted by Richard Branson has become quite the highlight for tennis stars and celebs to celebrate the kick off of the Wimbledon season.

When I received the invite, through a close friend of mine, I was so estastic and knew I had to find myself the perfect dress to wear. So out shopping I went! I ended up finding this uh-mazing dress at All Saints. Sparkly, one shoulder, mini aka sexy but glamorous....L.O.V.E.D it!! Priced at a (whopping) £295, I knew it wasn't cheap but I felt for this one-of-a-kind party, I needed a one-of-a-kind dress.

To prepare myself for the event, I ended up getting my makeup done at MAC in Covent Garden. Just for fun and convenience because it only costs £25 which is redeemable in products (recommend doing this!)
See here my Face of the Night:

You can view a copy of the MAC facechart here that shows the list of the products used by my makeup artist . Because my dress was going to be so 'in your face sparkly' I didn't want to go for anything too dramatic on the eyes but focus more on a lovely glowing look with peach/gold accents. My MAC makeup artist thought it would be nice to dark rim the eyes and make them pop that way. You like?

So then after getting my makeup done, I headed to my friends house (who was also coming to the event) to get changed, snap some pictures in our outfits and have a quick drink before making our way to the venue. See me/us looking all glammed up ready to go & party it up with the tennis stars and celebs!

However, right before we were about to leave in a taxi to the event.....disaster struck! The great 'concealed side zip' of my brand new dress BROKE. Yes broke! So there I was stuck in a dress that left me completely exposed and there was nooo way to fix the zip (I even had to wiggle myself out of the dress to get it off!) I was SO SO gutted. I'd bought this special, not very cheap, dress for this specific event and I now had nothing to wear because this dress was the only outfit I'd taken to my friends house.

My sweet friend managed to calm me down and we went through her wardrobe to find me a replacement dress to wear. Luckily she had this lovely black, long sleeve, sequin dress (from REISS) that fit me so I ended up wearing that to the party. I looked nice, dont get me wrong, but it did ruin my night a wee bit! See here some pictures of me at the event below (...the photo booth was SO much fun!) 

It was definitely a night where the worlds of tennis, fashion and celebrity colided. Not only were the best in women's tennis wearing the best of quintessential British fashion design, but a large amount of celebrities also graced the Kensington Rooftop Gardens (which is an amazing club/restaurant in London)

The WTA partnered with the British Fashion Council to connect players with British designers, who provided them unique styles for the night. Some of the players in the group were Caroline Wozniacki (who wore Stella McCartney), Serena Williams (Burberry), Maria Sharapova (Alexander McQueen), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (David Koma), Ana Ivanovic (Matthew Williamson) and Jelena Jankovic (Vivienne Westwood). See their red carpet looks in that order below:

 I thought Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic looked stunning!

Celebrities including Eliza Doolittle, Holly Branson, Kimberly Wyatt, Naomi Harris, Alex James, Henry Holland, Alexis Jordan, Holly Valance, Tali Lennox, Patsy Kensit, Lord Sugar and Tinie Tempah joined the tennis players at the exclusive bash. I have to say, it was pretty crazy to be in the same room as all these well known people, but it definitely made for some great people watching while sipping on champagne! One of my favourite outfits I spotted that night was actually Holly Branson, who wore a super cute white & blue sequined shift dress. To see more red carpet looks from the event see click here or here. 

Overall it was a FABULOUS night! Free drinks, free food, celeb spotting, an amazing venue & fun times on the dance floor :) The next day however, an angry me went back to an All Saints store to return my broken dress. They gave me a full refund but was still a little disappointed over the wardrobe malfunction from the night before. I didn't exchange the dress for a new one because felt I'd bought it for this party & wouldn't get that much wear out of it. A shame..but hey in the end I still had an amazing time!
I'm such a lucky girl really.... :) xoxo

Getting Lash Perfect at new Lash Bar!

Last week I was invited to check out the brand new ‘Lash Bar’ in Soho, London. This amazing Lash Bar, which is pretty much a one-stop-shop for anything eyes, lashes and brows, is a new venture by UK’s leading Lash experts Lash Perfect.  Lash Perfect is a UK market leader within the semi-permanent eyelash extension sector, offering a wide range of innovative and high quality eyelash extensions. As an exciting extension to the Lash Perfect family, the stand-alone Lash Bar is a gorgeously styled salon based in the heart of Soho, right amongst the electric boutiques and coffee houses within the backstreets of Carnaby.

They have a huge list of treatments of offer, ranging from only £10 to £270 - so you can visit the Lash Bar for all your peepers’ needs! The treatments, all performed by skilled therapists in the four treatment boudoirs, include semi-permanent eyelash extensions, lasting 8-12 weeks, Lash Baylage eyelash tinting in colours from black to green, Paperself creatively cut elegant paper eyelashes in 13 different designs and a 5 step eyebrow treatment that will ensure that not a hair is out of place. Or for instant impact purchase some strip lashes by La La Lashes (starting from £7.50) and have them applied at the Strip Lash Bar over a cup of coffee with friends and then you are ready to hit the shops or bars in Soho afterwards ;)

For the more adventurous lash lover, Lash Perfect is the only place in the UK that stocks and applies the super creative Paperself Lashes.They pretty much turn your eyes into a work of art!

On my visit to the lash bar I was so lucky to get some semi-permanent lash flicks applied to my lashes in their stunning VIP treatment room! I’ve never had semi-permanent lashes before so it was a fun new experience. The therapist was lovely and explained everything very clearly and told me how to maintain and look after my new fluttery lashes once they had been applied.

See here the before & after shot of my lashes at taken at the salon (sorry the before one is a bit blurry!) 

I ♥ the effect of the flicks, giving my outer lashes some added ‘oomph’ whilst still remaining natural & pretty! Below is my lashes a few days later with mascara. At the salon they provided me with a black mascara by Lash Perfect that is oil-free and therefore specially formulated to be compatible with eyelash extensions.

I’m definitely loving the idea of lash extensions now. Can’t wait to experiment some more, maybe next time I will go for the full shebang ;)

The Lash Bar, 35 Marshall Street, London W1F 7EX
T: 020 7434 4554 W: www.lashbar.co.uk/

Celebrating the opening of their first ever Lash Bar, Lash Perfect have also launched this cool ‘Lash App’ for your iPhone. You can experiment with the look of different lash styles by taking a photo (or using an existing one) and see how the their wide range of semi -permanent or strip lashes suit your eyeshape before committing to any particular look! It’s FREE so fun stuff to play around with :)

Kate Middleton's Canada Fashion Tour

You can definitely say that Kate Middleton, The Duchess of Cambridge Duchess has become a fashion icon in her own right. Here in the UK, she is constantly featured in the papers outlining exactly what she’s wearing. There is now even such a thing called ‘the Kate effect’ – which means anything she is seen wearing is sold-out within hours!

On William & Kate’s recent tour to Canada, Kate did all her own fashion styling. She chose not to travel with a personal stylist but to only bring along her favourite hairdresser, James Price, to help her complete her looks for the many engagements on the trip.

I loved seeing all the photos in the papers and was definitely impressed by all her fashion choices. Kate is such a beautiful woman; she always looks impeccable, elegant and glamorous plus she has truly developed her own ‘style formula’ which works!

Here are, what I think, some of Kate’s best outfits from the trip:

From L-R
♥ Jacket by Smythe, dress by Roland Mouret, pumps by Manolo Blahnik & leather bag by Mulberry.
♥ Dress by Erdem and shoes and clutch by LK Bennett
♥ Dress by Issa frock – loved this amazing purple colour on her!
♥ Dress by Reiss (Kate also wore this dress when they announced their engagement, meaning even Kate recycles her clothes!) maple leaf brooch from the Queen, hat by Sylvia Fletcher & clutch by Anya Hindmarch
♥ Dress by Joseph and Natalie Clutch by LK Bennett

From L-R
♥ Blazer by Smythe, a ruffled blouse, J. Brand jeans with a belt & slingback wedges by LK Bennett.
♥ Dress by Marlene Birger, LK Bennett Sledge2 pumps and Kiki McDonough Citrine Drop earrings.
♥ Dress by Jenny Packham and shoes by LK Bennett.
♥ Dress by Roksanda Ilincic and earrings by Kiki McDonough.
♥ Dress by Alexander McQueen dress, shoes & clutch by Jimmy Choo, earrings borrowed from Queen Elizabeth II.

OK......enough drooling over Kate's amazing hair, figure and outfits!
It is HUMP DAY - so here you go :)

I hope you all have a fantastic Hump Day! xoxo

Fresh at Wireless Festival! :)

From Friday 1 July to Sunday 3 July, the Wireless Festival 2011 took place in Hyde Park London with some great acts lined up for the three day event. Me and my friends got tickets for the Friday which featured artists like Bruno Mars, David Guetta, Alexis Jordan, Tinie Tempah, Far East Movement, Chipmunk and the Black Eyed Peas!!

It was such a great day out in the sun sunshine, drinking, eating, dancing & singing our little hearts out :)
Here some pictures:

Outfit wise I went for something casual, summery and fun. I wore a ZARA silky blue jumpsuit that I got last summer, matched with black flat sandals, aviator sunglasses and curly hair with side braids! You can see my 'festival look' in the below picture which is one of my favourite photos of the day!

In this pic is Tanya, a close friend of mine, who beside being a super cool chica is also a super talented photographer ;) She was working at Wireless that day for Barclay/Unwind to film and photograph the event. She's recently launched her own photography website www.tanyaphoto.co.uk and you can check out her brilliant pictures of Wireless here ♥

Also a great product I've discovered recently is Sweet Breath Micro Mist! It's this handy little spray that offers you fast (sugar free) fresh breath whereever you are, because you can connect it to your key ring! It has a highly concentrated formula which means you only need 1-2 sprays to kill germs and freshen breath instantly after eating, drinking or smoking and each little spray contains over 120 sprays. Perfect for days out and about like festivals!
Available at leading pharmacies nation wide retailing at £1.99. A bargain for sweet smelling breath right? :)

Have you attended any fun festivals this summer? xoxo

The TAJ Ring - True to Yourself!

In the Netherlands, Marie Claire Magazine is currently holding a competition for the ‘Marie Claire Starters Award 2011’. The concept is for anyone that thinks they have a brilliant business idea and wants to start their own business to write to Marie Claire with their genius plan in the hopes of winning a €5000 package to get their business started! This interesting award was brought to my attention by a friend of mine because one of her friends has decided to enter. She shared their business plan with me and I was very impressed with their idea. A ring by woman, for woman!

"Soon possible to be purchased: amazing new fair trade rings from Holland. The company name is TAJ, which -in Dutch- stands for 'True To Yourself'. TAJ is for all those women who want to show the world that they are strong, independent and proud of themselves. And on top of their beautiful designs these rings will not only make you feel beautiful, but you will be helping a great cause too for these rings are imported from Africa where strong African women produce them. Support Africa, be true to yourself, TAJ!"

So how can they win this award? Well, first they need to get shortlisted to the Top 3 and one of the things Marie Claire will be looking at is how many views they will get on their YouTube pitch! See the video below:



Sorry that the video is in Dutch. Here is a translation:
'As a woman in there comes a point in your life where you might receive a symbolic ring, but unfortunately with a broken heart also comes an empty finger. In the Netherlands, more than 35,000 woman end up with an empty finger each year! That’s why we thought of this product, a ring that you don’t receive from someone else but it’s a gift to yourself. A symbol of power and being true to who you as a woman really are! The rings that we plan to import are fair trade and made by powerful woman in Africa. Every ring, like every woman, has it’s own story! With the purchase of a ring, a woman here will support a woman there! The idea is a ‘true to yourself’ ring. A TAJ woman shows the world that she knows who she is, is who is and will stay who she is. TAJ means POWER! With a TAJ ring every woman can crown themselves!’

What a FAB idea right? Marie Claire will decide by Thursday who will be in the Top 3 for the Starters Award 2011 and your help & support would be AMAZING. So if you like the idea, please click this link to view the video on YouTube to hopefully get them a spot in the Top 3!

I really do hope they win because I would definitely get myself a TAJ ring! Thanks lovelies :) xoxo

My Fishy Pedicure

Hi my lovelies,

You may have heard about the phenomenon called fish pedicures that has very much been a hype over the last year? If not well, well the basics are this: you put your feet into a tank of little black fish and they eat the dead skin off your feet - yes, really - to give you baby-soft tootsies! After reading lots of reviews and hearing my friend’s stories about having their feet nibbled at, I was keen to give this a go myself.

So this week me and my girlfriend made our way down to Anesis in Clapham Common, which is a popular destination for fish pedicures and manicures in London. We were booked in for a 30 minute Piscean pedicure.
On arrival, our treatment began with someone washing your feel with a wet towel (apparently to remove any dirt and toxics on the skin that could harm the little fish that were about to eat me!). Then we were told to just place our feet in the tank of water which was filled with about 30-40 little fish. I have to admit I was a little nervous…..but in my feet went!

And wow did those fish love it or what? They immediately all stormed to my feet and within seconds my feet were covered by the fish. The feeling? My gosh, initially I was ‘squealing’ with giggles and laughter because I am very ticklish under my feet so the sensation of all these fish nibbling at your skin is very ticklish but after a few minutes you do get used to it and it becomes quite relaxing watching them do their magic. (For the fearful amongst you, it is not painful at all but there were a few slightly bigger, greedier fish that sucked harder than the smaller ones and you definitely knew when they were on you!)

Here they are all nibbling away!!

The fish used for these Piscean pedicures are Garra Rufa fish. They are native to warm climates such as Turkey, Syria and Iran and have been used for softening and cleansing the skin of bathers for centuries. In their natural habitat they act as cleaners to bigger fish removing their dead scales. They release an enzyme called diathanol which also helps to alleviate your problem areas and leave your skin soft and youthful. Plus they must get a good feed, while your feet are exfoliated, making everyone a winner!

So after 30 minutes of having my feet nibbled at, feeling nice and relaxed, a lady at the salon dried my feet and that was it. The result? My feet did indeed feel noticeably softer, with the hardest skin feeling significantly less rough. Plus it’s a fun experience so definitely enjoyed myself!

Wahanda (a FAB online website that provides access to the best beauty & wellness treatments and therapists) is currently offering a great 2 for 1 deal at Anesis in London. Check it out here! Or click here to find your local salon (in UK/Europe) that provides Fish Pedicures!
Think you will let your feet be nibbled at? ;) xoxo

Put your friend on Cloud Nine!

Just wanted to share with you all this great competition Cloud Nine is currently running!

Basically the folks at Cloud Nine are giving two friends the chance to win a visit to a Cloud Nine salon of their choice, for a lush and lavish pampering session! Both of you will be given an all-over expenses paid make-over, courtesy of Cloud Nine.

So if you fancy a trip to Cloud Nine, this is all you need to do to be in to win:
♥ Go to the Cloud Nine Facebook Fan Page
♥ Upload a picture of you and your friend to their wall
♥ Explain why you and your friend are deserving to be put on Cloud Nine
♥ Then get all of your friends to 'Like' your photo because the person with the most 'Likes' will win!

Now not only will the winners get seriously pampered, your friend will receive 'TheO - Gift of Volume' (worth £199.95) and for being such a great friend you can choose your favourite Cloud Nine Iron to have all to yourself!

The competition will run from 4 July until 31st July and the winner will be announced 1st August 2011.
So will you be entering your friend?? xoxo

Summer Nails with Bourjois

Two weeks ago I was invited by the lovely ladies at Bourjois to come round to their Headquarters to check out all the new exciting products they will be bringing out this summer! Whilst sipping on my cool ‘Karl Lagerfield Diet Coke’ we were taken through the new collections and were able to get our nails done by the talented team from WAH Nails. They had some real funky Nail Art options on offer, but I ended up going for a classic French manicure (wah wah how boring I know haha)

My pretty french manicure and the Karl Lagerfield Diet Coke (such cute bottles!)

So what is new in the world of Nails at Bourjois? Lots!! So let’s get started…
Perfect for summer and right on trend with the whole high-fashion ‘colour blocking’ this season, Bourjois has added 7 bright and colourful shades to their ‘So Laque Ultra Shine’ Range. They have called the collection ‘Paris Show Time’! Forget sparkles and shimmer this summer and go for pure, smooth and radiant colours instead. Check out their new hit catwalk shades ranging from hot pinks, bright orange to fresh lime green!

Shades from L-R
Bleu Model (turquoise blue), Rouge Fashionista (loud red), Lime Catwalk (cool lime green), Magenta Show (bright pink), Orange Creation (juicy orange), Violet Couture (hot violet) & Jaune trendy (warm yellow)

These beautiful nail shades are currently available at Superdrug and will be ready to buy nationwide from mid-July, retailing at £5.99/ €7.99.

The fun doesn’t stop there however: Bourjois have also launched a brand new line, 10 Days Nail Enamel, with 12 shades ranging from natural tones to classic reds and trendy bright colours!

The 10 Days Nail enamel contains a chip resistant pro-silicium formula and a precise angled touch-up brush for a flawless chip-free manicure (that should last up to 10 days ‘with touch up's thanks to its unique formula and brush’). Basically the long-lasting nail polish gives nails colour for up to 7 days, then the special angled brush can be used to smooth over any chips and refresh he varnish for an extra 3 days hold. This range is out now and retails at £5.99/ €7.99.

Check out two NOTD's from Bourjois new nail collections:

Left: 10 Day Nail in Deep Red (#21)                  Right: So Laque in Magenta Show (#43)

            Lovely colour, so classic!                    A great hot pink! Loving this shade on my nails & toes :)

So have any of these new nail polishes caught your eye?  I personally think Bourjois nail polishes are high quality and great value for money. Plus love it that they are constantly adding new shades to keep up with the trends :) Oh and for anyone that's always wanted the highly popular 'For Audrey' shade by China Glaze; Bleu Model from the So Laque Ultra Shine Range is a fantastic dupe! xoxo

The 50 Best Beauty Blogs of 2011!!

Wow, I am feeling a little bit special today. I just got told Dutchess Roz got chosen by EverydaySale.co.uk to to be on their list of what they consider to be the ultimate 50 best beauty blogs! 

There were several categories like: Best Beauty Review Blogs, Professional Beauty Blogs, Stylish Visual Beauty Blogs, Top International Beauty Blogs and last but not least Top UK Beauty Blogs.
The last category is where Dutchess Roz featured - I came 5th!!! Woooohoooo :)

1. Makeup Mole 
2. Nicolavc86 
3. Fleur De Force 
4. Glitterdollz7 

5. Dutchess Roz (me, Me, ME!!!)

6. The Truth About Beauty
7. The Beauty Scoop
8. The Beauty Button

9. My Beauty Blog

10. Make Up to Make Out

I feel truly touched and honoured to be named amongst so many amazing bloggers. It's crazy to see my name there in the same lists with people like Karen, Christine, Carly, Fleur and Holly who are all bloggers I religiously followed before I even started Dutchess Roz. It was blogs like theirs that inspired me to start my own! Check out the full list of winners in all categories here! Well done to all my lovely blogging friends ♥

And because it's HUMPY DAY - I will finish off with a little wisdom from me..

(OK fine, Albert Einstein to be more exact!) 

Happy Hump Day Everyone! xoxo