Wonderful Holiday Memories

Hey my lovelies,
It's that time of the week again already!

Happy Hump Day!
'Things End'....Sigh, they sure do! Like holidays and summer, booohooo :(
But my memories of the amazing time I had on my recent holiday will last forever.
Here a collection of photos of my time in the Amalfi Coast in Italy.

♥ Perfecting the art of eating pizza!
♥ Boat trip to Capri, the stunning hole in the rock
♥ Pretty romantic little town of Ravello
♥ Soaking up the sun

♥ The amazing view from our private hotel balcony, over looking Positano

♥ The BEST pizza I have ever had in Napoli

♥ Boat girls having fun :)
♥ Postcard worthy views from Ravello Gardens overlooking the Amalfi Coast

♥ Gelato!! Nom nom, but so hard to chose what flavour...
♥ On the boat by Positano
♥ One, two, three......JUMP!

♥ Dressed up for one of many romantic candlelight dinners together

♥ Pretty lights; night time view over Positano from our balcony!
♥ Sun bathing from the private 'no kids, no dogs' area! Heaven haha.
♥ and more GELATO! My favourite flavour has to be chocolate
♥ Candy floss on 'The Assumption of Mary' Festival celebrations followed by amazing fireworks!

The weather here in London has now turned to drab and it feels like summer is well and truly over.
Lucky me that I have these memories to look back on. Did you create some wonderful new memories this summer that you will remember forever? xoxo

A night to remember..

On my holiday in Italy I had many great evenings, but one night me and my friend went out for a super 'romantic' dinner at Cafe Positano. This is an lovely restaurant, located higher in the town of Positano. Sitting on the outdoor terrace you can admire the splendid panorama of Positano.  

This is what I wore for our evening out :)

These photo's were taken on the balcony of our hotel room in Positano, amazing view right!?

I got this dress in London from the shop Oliver Bonas; but the dress is actually from the brand Vera Moda. I was just browsing with a friend and spotted it in the sales rack, pulled it out, had to try it on and was blown away by it. Lucky me it was the perfect size and only £19! I love how it is long, chiffon, flowy. It has little ruffles at the front neckline and a low V shaped back.  

Makeup wise I used my trusted Urban Decay Naked Palette:

I applied the shade 'Toasted' all over the lid, then on the outer third and lower lash line I applied 'Gunmetal' and I used a mix of 'Buck' and 'Naked' to blend out and soften the crease. Some black eyeliner in the water line and a bit of mascara on the lower lashes (still loving my lash extensions!) On my cheeks I am wearing NARS Orgasm and on my lips a Lancome Juicy Tube in Marshmallow Electro.  The earrings were a birthday gift by a friend of mine - she got them for me in St Tropez! 

This is me at the restaurant; we had such a FAB and yes 'romantic' evening...

The whole restaurant was filled with couples and then me & my girlfriend. 

But you know what, I had the best night with her and wouldn't change it for the world :)

And this my friends, was the view:

Ahhh........so romantic right? It was definitely a night to remember ♥ xoxo

High Tea Ladies

The day after my birthday, me and three girlfriends went out to spoil ourselves to a fancy high tea in London at the Dorchester Hotel! Tada this is us as High Tea Ladies :)

I'm wearing this silk blue/floral dress from ZARA which I picked up in the sale a while back for only £29. When you put it on it's very long and shapeless but with a little belt at the waist it becomes a lovely floaty dress :)

Us enjoying some high tea and you know me, I love my scones with cream and jam, nom nom!

And all together now: "YUMMMM!!!" :)

Have you ever had a high tea before??? xoxo

NOTD: Lucky Lucky Lavender

Wow, this week has been a little insane....I honestly can't believe it's Friday tomorrow already!! As you know I just got back from holiday on Sunday, which meant work has been pretty hectic; isn't that always the downfall of a holiday - when you come back you have SO much catching up to do? But on top that I am also looking for a new home at the moment to move into by the end of September, which is proving to be rather time consuming and a little stressful. I currently live in Clapham, which is south west London, but have decided to move north of the river to one of my favourite burbs in London: Notting Hill!! ♥ 

I am really excited but until I find somewhere, it's all a bit unsettling. However, I have faith and will keep smiling - I know things will work out :)

I have so many great posts lined up that I want to do at the moment but unfortunately I just haven't had the time to sort photos and write reviews this week. Therefore just posing a quick NOTD. My friend who I went to Italy with is quite the nail polish 'addict' so during the holiday every few days she would paint my nails with one of her many gorgeous polishes. Here is OPI Lucky Lucky Lavender:

I love this fun light lilac/pink lavender shade. I think this was either 2 or 3 coats.

You definitely need at least two coats to get a more opaque finish. 

Definitely a cute summer or spring look! Have you ever tried this kind of shade on your nails? xoxo

Everyone has a book in them!

Wow I can't believe it's that time of the week already - Happy Hump Day!

They say that “everyone has a book in them” but in truth few will take the time to write it. In the past some stories were told from generation to generation but that was in the days when people communicated person to person more than we do now. So if you have a book in you - begin it now!

The reason for this quote today is because one of my dear friends has just started her own blog ♥
On this she (The Bright Blonde) has just begun to tell the stories of her life so far, her first post beginning in the future, at the very end and yet somehow putting a positive spin on her own epitaph!

Miss Bright Blonde is one of the bubbliest, funniest and most talented girls I know and I am so stoked she's decided to start this blog to share her stories with the world :)

Click on the image below to be directed to her blog! I am definitely following, will you?

 I hope you all have a fabulous Hump Day! Plus a big Hip Hip Hooray to my Big Brother who turns 31 today! (I will give you a big birthday hug this weekend) Lots of love xoxo

Bourjois, little round pots now more intense!

Did you know that Bourjois eyeshadows have been around since 1863, when the first unique baked little round pots were developed? That's almost 150 years! Over the years there have been several changes to the formula used for the little round pots and at a recent Bourjois event I got introduced to a brand new range of pots they have released this summer called Bourjois Intense Extrait!

 

Made from 87% mineral pigments, precisely measured and selected, the Intense little round pots are highly concentrated for 2x more coverage than a classic eyeshadow in one single application and is said to last up to 16 hours! The range (almost identical looking to the regular versions; just a little slimmer in size) comes in 10 gorgeous new shades.

I picked up the following little round pots from the Bourjois Intense Collection to have a play with:

From L-R: Shades 10. Charcoal Black, 07. Light Brown and 01. Golden Beige

I love the look of these eyeshadows which really do offer a really intense finish, and can also be used wet as an eyeshadow or eyeliner.

Swatched on hand. Even though they call 07 a light brown, I personally think it's more a muddy grey/brown/taupe colour. Whatever it is....I like it :)

I recently created the following smokey look with these three new shades:

I applied the gold shimmery colour all over the lid and blended the brown/taupe shade from the middle of the lid into the crease and along the lower lash line. I used a tiny bit of the black in the outer corner of the eye to darken it and used the black to line my lash lines (top and bottom)

Here is the full face of that day:

What do you think? I really like combination of these shades together. The eye shadows definitely have great pigmentation and are long lasting. Some people swear by Bourjois Little Round Pots and others have complained about poor-pay off, so for those people I think definitely give these Intense ones a swipe - I think you'll be impressed.

Check out the full range of colours from the Bourjois Intense eyeshadow range online.
The pots are available now and retails at £6.99/ €10.49 each. Think you will give them a go?

Summery Jumper OOTD

Hey everyone, Yesssss I am BACK in London after the most amazing, relaxing, stunning and sunny holiday with one of my besties in the Amalfi Coast, Italy. It seems that you (like me) enjoyed all the fabulous guest posts that featured here on Dutchess Roz while I was getting some R&R in Italia. Oh that brings me to say welcome to all my new followers in recent months. It truly means so much to me! :)

I promise that soon lots of pictures of my holiday will follow but for now I just wanted to post a quick outfit of the day post that I still had saved from a few weeks back. I got this stripey jumper from VILA in Stockholm and just love wearing it. When I spotted it in the shop, I knew I had to have it. My friend loved it just as much so she ended up buying the same jumper but in red/white. The jumper is really thin and light which makes it a great summer casual cover up. And you know me....I love my stripes!

Jumper: White & Navy stiped light cotton jumper from VILA
Jeans: Dark super skinny jeans from River Island

Necklace: Triple Threat necklace from Samantha Wills
Shoes: Old pair of tan leather boots
Watch: Michael Kors
(hehe I took that first photo in the changings rooms at ZARA that day..)

I hope you've all had a fantastic week and even though I have had the best holiday; it is kind of nice to be back in London, back to work, friends, routine and of course blogging (I've missed it...)! xoxo Rozy

Sooo why are you still single?

Hello you lovely Dutchess Roz readers, PinkLouLou here, PLL for short. Guest blogging for Miss Roz while she is on "holiday" as she says (I just used my very best english accent) nothing better than a southern gal trying to sound British right? ;)

Anyhoo, not sure how much you know about me, but if you need the background, here ya go. Grab a cocktail cause my love life story is out of control, and  you are gonna need it. I am from the South (for you overseas readers, YES I am from Kentucky, born and raised.) As the gorgeous Ashley Judd once best put it:

"Sure, the girls from New York, they are tough. And girls from Georgia, they are sweet. But those born and bred fiesta Kentucky girls, they are the ones you have to look out for. We have sugar and fire in our blood. We can ride a horse, be a debutante, throw a left hook, and tell you the entire UK line up all while making sweet tea. And if we have an opinion, you get to know it. We're both the pride and the downfall of the Bluegrass…" 

Now let me tell ya a little difference about the South and oh, all other parts of the country. We get married young. I am 26, and for the past four years my summers have been filled with 8-10 weddings a piece. No lie. Now don't go thinking I am all anti-wedding or anything like that. I love weddings. Open bar, dancing, seeing your best friends find true love, I love all of these things. But there comes a point when you reach your mid- late twenties, and you are nowhere near matrimonial wedded bliss, that you get confronted with this question: 

"Sooo why is it that you are still single?" 

All.the.time. 

"I mean, you are a pretty, smart, fun girl, I am just surprised you haven't found anyone…"

Well obviously there must be something HORRIBLY wrong with me if I haven't been scooped and married before I turn 30. Ha, I mean seriously you would be surprised by how many times I am asked this question. I mean what is this 1964 Jackson Mississippi? No. It is 2011. And guess what, times ain't like the use to be kids. One time my mother actually said to me "Sometimes I feel sorry for you girls, I just always had your father…" that is great mom. I am glad you and dad met when you were 13 and have been together ever since. But guess what, I happen to LOVE my life. I am 26, I have the best girlfriends in the world, and I have had some pretty amazing times being single and 20 something. 

Do I want to find that perfect person to spend my life with? Absolutely.All I ever wanted growing up was to be a momma and housewife. But I am NOT in a rush to make something work that isn't right. I have been there. I have had that 4 carat Tiffany sparkler on my left hand. (ok maybe it wasn't four carats ;) and it was hearts on fire not Tiffany, but whatever HA) but I was there. I called off my engagement for Pete's sake (click here if you want THAT whole story). If I had wanted to get married for the sake of not being that 'single girl' don't' you think I would have done it? But it wasn't right, and this chic is NOT settling. 

So it just burns me up when I get the standard "how come you are single?" pity question. Seriously makes me want to chug a glass of wine and say "because I like to kiss any cute boyI want" HA! 

So girls that are married, I am so happy for you and I hope to be there one day. Girls that are single and feeling the pressure, STOP it! Go get your best girlfriends together, put on a hot dress, grab a martini and go HAVE FUN! I promise you, you will miss these days. So LIVE IT UP! And RELAX, quit putting so much pressure on yourself! It will happen exactly how it is suppose to. And if I hear you are wasting your time moping around and 'woe as me-ing' instead of our there LIVING your twenties, I am gonna march my tail over to your house, with all my best dresses in tow, margarita in hand, give you some super fab southern hair, and take your hot ass out dancing! Don't test me, you know I will do it. 

So. In conclusion, for the love of ALL single twenty somethings everywhere, please do NOT ask the dreaded "why are you single" question. I promise you, we are gonna be just fine. And we are gonna look hot as hell doing it ;) 

xoxoxo

        PinkLouLou

Roz: Oh PLL you are just TOO cute! Honestly girls, I only found PLL's blog a couple of months ago but ever since then I have been hooked. She's such a typical Southern Belle with the biggest heart and her blogs posts always make me smile, cry or just crack up out loud! She also has some amazing hair 'poofing' skills worth checking out but most of all I love her upbeat personality and 'zest' for life. I know for sure that if I was living in Kentucky, we'd be besties hehe :)  Also I SOOOO agree with this post - I (plus many of my fabulous single girlfriends) always get asked, so why are you single? And it's really really frustrating! So thanks PLL for this lovely upbeat post and all you girls out there make sure you check out her blog - I bet you'll get hooked on it just like me! xoxo

Stay stylish with Anna!

Hey everyone! I'm Anna from AnnaSaccone.com and I'm so happy to be guest posting on Roz's blog today! 

I thought I would do something that is a regular feature on both of our blogs -- an outfit of the day post! I am always inspired by Roz's style so hopefully you guys will like mine too ;)

My fiancé and I recently moved into our new house, so this is what I wore furniture shopping today. 

The style is quite inspired by the masculine trend, with boyfriend jeans from ASOS, a boyfriend blazer by Zara and my favourite oversized Phosphor watch. I just bought these sandals from New Look and they are sooo comfy - yay! 

I'm also wearing a simple white tank top from ASOS, my name necklace, crystal stud earrings and a brown leather Modalu London satchel with silver hardware. Oh, and I totally posed for these pictures in a flowerbed -- haha, yup I'm classy like that!

Stay Stylish!

Anna

Roz: Great outfit Anna. LOVE your watch and every-time you wear that blue blazer I go 'I want, I want' :) I really like the boyfriend masculine trend too but I am not sure I could pull it off....maybe you will inspire me to buy some boyfriend jeans Anna! To anyone who hasn't heard of Anna before, c'mon, have you been hiding under a rock?! Anna's blog is not the only fabulous thing about her; she has her own super successful YouTube channel which has had over 7,5 million views to date plus another funny YouTube channel with her hubby-to-be that features daily vlogs  that is so entertaining to watch! And on top of all that she's written an amazing book called 'The Style Diet' which is full of practical tips and tricks on styling, confidence and healthy body image! I'm super flattered that Anna was willing to guest post on my blog so want to say a HUGE thank you and hope you come to London for a little visit soon so we can finally meet in real life :) xoxo

Happy Hump Day: Operation Beautiful by Laura+

Aloha Roz's Readers! I've been asked to do a guest blog post while Roz is sunning it up on the Amalfi Coast (lucky devil!) and so, because I adore Roz and her blog, here I am, wishing you a Happy Humpday! :)

Some of you might be wondering who I am? Well... I'm Laura and I'm the author of Lollipop Loves. It's a bit of a random blog, just like me! Today's picture to celebrate the hump? This:

I'm a little bit obsessed with Operation Beautiful. If you are not familiar with it, the concept is to make people feel good about themselves. How do you do it? By leaving a little note with a lovely message, like the one above. To be more precise, Operation Beautiful is "transforming the way you see yourself, one post-it note at a time".

I really believe that self-belief and confidence in yourself is imperative to happiness, and little random gestures can brighten anybody's day. Tell me you wouldn't smile on finding a little note staring at you when you are feeling pretty rubbish. The world seems to be obsessing on looks and weights, and with all of the photoshopped images in magazines, it's easy to understand why people (especially women) put pressure on themselves to strive for perfection. But what is perfection?

Let me tell you.

YOU are perfection.

Yes, you!

You with the braces, and you without.

You with the blue eyes, and you with the brown, hazel and green.

You with the blonde hair, you with the brown hair, and you with any colour of the rainbow in between.

You who is a size zero, and you who is not.

Every single one of you.

Beauty is more than looks. It is more than tanned skin, perfectly coiffed hair, a dazzling smile and a slim figure, and this is why I love Operation Beautiful. It spreads the message that (to quote Bruno Mars) "You're amazing. Just the way you are." Warts and all!

To spread the happiness, all you need to do is carry a post-it note pad and a pen and leave an inspirational message where someone might find it - the mirror in the ladies' loos, inside a lift, inside a changing room - anywhere. Anywhere that someone can read it, and anywhere that someone can appreciate it. I know I do, and even though I never find out if someone's read my message, I know that if they have, I've managed to make them feel good, if only for a nanosecond. 

With all the negativity that's occuring lately, isn't it about time we spread some happiness and love?

Don't forget, you are beautiful!

xoxo Laura

Roz: Happy Hump Day everyone! By now I (hopefully) should be developing a rather nice bronzed tan in Italy hehe ;) Anyways a big thank you to Laura for taking over my Happy Hump Day post this week. I have been a fan of Operation Beautiful for a while now myself as I love the message it sends and think it's so true that it's important to spread the love and that it can hopefully lift someone's day when they are feeling a little down. It's such a shame to see the lack of self confidence in girls these days - I even see it in my friends that are the most stunning girls! Love yourself girls; each and everyone of you girls out there are perfect just the way you are ♥ 

About Laura; oh where to start, I just love her blog! She's the sweetest and funniest girl. My favourite bits on her blog are the 'Things I have learned..' posts, her book reviews (we adore the same books!),  '120 Happy Things..' posts and all the beauty, health and wedding planning stuff in between. Overall, it's just FAB so make sure you check out Lollipop Loves now :) xoxo

Bruno Mars - Just the way you are 

Candy Striped Nails by Milly

Hello Dutchess Roz readers. It is Milly from Pearls & Poodles and I am honoured today to be guest posting on Roz's blog whilst she is off holidaying in slightly more sunnier surroundings. I have been lucky enough to meet Roz several times now at various events and she is such a lovely person and brilliant blogger. Needless to say I jumped at the chance when she asked if I would guest post for her whilst she is away.

Following a great response to a recent nail art post I featured on my own blog, I thought I would trot my talons over here and show you my latest design. This technique is really very simple, and can be adapted with any colour combinations you fancy. To create the tips I used some nail guide stickers which you can easily find on eBay; literally hundreds of different designs for a few pounds.

CANDY STRIPES

I used No.7 nail polish in Snowflake for the base. Now this isn't an amazing white, it is a little streaky and required 3 good coats to achieve an even and opaque finish, but it was the only white I had so it had to suffice. For the candy stripe tips I used Barry M polishes in:

304 - Mint Green, 309 - Pale Pink, 308 - Pale Purple, 307 - Lemon Ice Cream, 306 - Pale Blue.

After applying the white base coat I waited...and waited some more until it was completely dry. If the nail polish is slightly tacky, the nail guide stickers will just rip it off and make a big fat mess. Next I took the nail guide stickers and placed them on my nails, making sure they were lined up as straight as possible. Once happy with their placement, I painted the tips with my chosen colours. Again, it is important to wait until the tips are totally dry before gently peeling off the stickers.

 Et voila. :)

A really fun and colourful take on your typical french manicure.

Thank you Roz for letting me gatecrash your blog and share this post with your readers. I hope you are having a fantastic break away and eating lots of pizza and gelato!

Is this something you would try?

x Milly

Roz: Thanks Milly for this awesome post! I looooove these fun nails. They are super funky and creative! Pearls & Poodles is such FAB blog - Milly has an amazing sense of style (she actually inspired me to finally go and get my long lusted after Alexander McQueen scarf), her beauty and hair reviews always inspire me and OMG she is miss cupcake extraordinaire!! Definitely recommend you check out her blog now if you haven't seen it before. Thanks Milly again - you are such a darl :) xoxo

Volume Refresher Spray - Beauty Junkie London!

"Hello lovely readers of Dutchess Roz, I’m very happy to be doing a guest post as this is a blog I absolutely love. So hope you enjoy!

First off, please can I just ask that you excuse the angry face… the ‘before’ picture shows that I was clearly very unhappy at how much the volume flops out of my hair over the day... 
Sadly, vanishing volume is something I ‘suffer’ from on daily basis (being a tad over dramatic there…) but I do have fine hair, and whilst I do what I can, I do need an extra helping hand. As the day goes on it does tend to flop. This is why the John Frieda Volume Refresher Spray has become my new savior and earned a place in my handbag.

The reasons I like this over other dry shampoo is that it manages to add volume but without making hair all crispy or dirty feeling – when some other brands do. There is another product I'm going to talk about over on my blog soon does deliver amazing volume but I don't like to use it too often as I don't like the ‘dirty’ feeling.

The final result of a quick spritz around the roots and a ruffle with my hands - hence the messiness. But that's what I'd do to refresh at the end of the work day if I was going out, so it's a fair idea of the difference it would make. It definitely gives my hair a boost, but not to the point where I'll be mistaken for Dolly Parton... which is a good thing for me.

Plus the can is only a little bigger than a small hairspray can, so easily fits in my handbag. Any bigger and it wouldn't be practical.

So there we have it, a speedy review of my currently volume boosting essential!
Thank you for having me as a guest blogger Roz!"

Thank you SO much Jen - Make sure check out Jen's fantastic Blog 'Beauty Junkie London'  now ♥
Jen is one of the bloggers I have been following for yonks; I love her honest reviews and am so lucky that I have got to know her in person since moving to London because she's one of the loveliest bloggers around! Mwah thanks again Jen xoxo

La Bella Italia! #

Hey my lovelies,

I am sooooo excited because tomorrow morning (very early) I will be off on my summer holiday to la bella Italia for a whole week with a girlfriend of mine. We will be going to Naples for one night and then soaking up the sun, gazing at the amazing scenery, eating the delicious food and exploring the sites in the Amalfi Coast! See below what my trip might be like......

OMG soooo can't wait! :)  This means however, no blog posts from me next week - because I will be taking a little break to try to relax and really enjoy some 'off' time!

BUT not to worry, I asked some of my favourite blog friends if they'd be willing to do a guest post on Dutchess Roz while I am away. So some GREAT posts are lined up for the next week; make sure you check them out :)

Ciao everyone!!! xoxo

Birthday Fun!

As promised, here is my post about all the birthday fun I had last Thursday. On August 4, I turned 27 (wow time does truly fly when you are having fun) and I had a GREAT day! I did have to work that day but I didn’t mind. Growing up my birthday was always right smack bang in the middle of summer holidays which was awesome because got to celebrate it in another country with my family whilst on holiday, but it did mean you always had to have your ‘party’ way before or way after the holidays which didn’t make it quite so relevant if you know what I mean. Therefore working on my holiday these days, suits me just fine; that little extra attention is quite the treat I have to admit (OK yes I am a Leo so don’t judge me! Haha)

So here is my Birthday FOTD:  

♥ Face
Collection 2000 concealer (medium)
Revlon ColorStay Foundation in Sand Beige (180 - Normal/Dry Skin)
FYF Cosmetics –Impeccable Mineral Loose Powder in Medium
NARS Laguna Bronzer
NARS Orgasm (blush)
MAC Belightful powder (lightly brushed to highlight cheekbones)
MAC charcoal brown e/s (to fill in brows)
MAC clear brow gel to set brows

For my eyes I used this amazing new palette by Estee Lauder;
the Pure Color - Five Color EyeShadow Palette in Bronze Dunes.

♥ Eyes
Urban Decay Primer Potion (base)
Bronze Dunes – Biscuit cream (milky shimmer) shade applied from tear duct to inner 1/3 of lid.
Bronze Dunes – Champagne gold (shimmer) shade applied to the middle of lid.
Bronze Dunes – Copper bronze (metallic) shade applied to crease and outer 1/3 of lid.
Bronze Dunes – Deep cool brown (shimmer) applied along lower lash line.
Bronze Dunes – Chocolate brown (matte) lightly applied in the crease/socket line.
MAC Fluidline in blacktrack (waterline)
Eyelash extensions by Lash Lab (see post here)
Lash Perfect – Ultimate Black Mascara (bottom lashes only)

♥ Lips

Estee Lauder –Sensuous Rouge Lipstick in Nude Affair

After my day at work where I was treated to cake, blowing out candles and being sung happy birthday to, I headed home to quickly get changed to meet my girlfriends in Clapham (South West London) for a lovely night out. We had wine, an amazing dinner, following by the yummiest cupcakes made for us my my friend and then headed out for a few cocktails.

Outfit wise I was wearing a dress I had picked up in the ZARA sale recently for only £29! I haven't really worn anything that green before, but got lots of compliments so I am glad I got it! And yes...I am wearing my new Tiffany & Co silver ball earrings!

Check out this super cute little shed that's in the garden of the restaurant we went to in Clapham:

"You'll always be my friend. You know too much" Love it :)
Thanks to all my girls for a lovely evening out xoxo

Spoiled Birthday Girl >

So it was my (27th) Birthday last week and I have to say, I was one spoiled Birthday Girl ♥
I had a lovely evening out with my friends on my actual birthday (birthday FOTD post and pictures to follow) plus had birthday celebrations continuing throughout the weekend with friends visiting from overseas! Wanted to share some of the amazing gifts I got for my birthday :) 

A gorgeous teal Longchamp bag! My sweet flatmates got this for me from Nice (France) and told me the bright blue colour was the colour of the season there! Which is fab because I love bright colours anyway - think this bag will come in very very handy! Plus now that I am the owner of a Longchamp bag I feel properly British ;)

Check out the super funny and creative card my work friends made me! 'The Dutchess' Magazine :)

LOL it just cracked me up so much!

Two of my besties from New Zealand (currently in London woop woop) got me some beautiful goodies from Chanel - they know me SO well ;) A lovely pink lipgloss and a Les 4 Ombres Palette in Mystic Eyes.
Of course a review and swatches post of these items will follow!

Plus also in this picture is a scarf I got from one of my friends. As you know, I am a big fan of stripes so this scarf is perfect for me and the mix of beige, pinks, purples and coral is just to die for.

My dear friend Lulu (who's featured quite a bit on this blog) came from Holland to London especially for my Birthday weekend, awwww ♥! She got me these funky stud crystal earrings from Swarovski. Such a cool black/granite/grey colour - gives them a cool edgy look while still pretty and sparkly. Love them :)

And last but not least - my annual Tiffany & Co present! You may remember that last year I also got some earrings from T&C (read the post here) and so this year I had already chosen which item I wanted from my (ever growing) lust list from my favourite shop in the world ;) My parents got me these beautiful silver ball earrings which I just adore. They come in 8mm and 10mm diameter and I chose the bigger version because think it makes them pop a little more! Thanks mum & dad :)

So that was a selection of my birthday gifts; am I a lucky girl or what!?
Thanks to all my wonderful peeps for the presents and birthday wishes! :) xoxo

Teen Choice 2011 Awards =

On Sunday, August 7th, 2011 the Teen Choice Awards took place at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. It was a night of hot teens, rockstars and heart throbs!
Here are quickly some of my favourite looks that rocked the ‘blue’ carpet!

♥ Rachel Bilson looked uh-mazing in a Chloé Resort 2012 collection dress matched with studded Brian Atwood booties. Love the mix of pretty vs edgy!
♥ Blake Lively showed off her gorgeous figure in a tight & bright dress from the Gucci Resort 2012 collection matched with Christian Louboutin heels and Lorraine Schwartz jewels.
♥ Kendall Jenner (the little sister of Kim Kardashian) star looked all grown up in an Aurelio Costarella dress, YSL shoes & a Kotur clutch. Think she will do well in the modelling world, she's very stunning.

♥ Cat Deeley showed off her beautiful gams with a long-sleeved, embellished turquoise shift.
♥ Kaley Cuoco, the Big Bang Theory actress (who hosted the show) in a Rebecca Taylor dress and Neil Lane jewels. Especially loved her hair and makeup.

♥ Selena Gomez rocked an Erin Fetherston dress and fellow fellow Disney star Demi Lovato brightened up the carpet in a BCBG Max Azria dress and Christian Louboutin heels. Demi's 'mullet' style dress (dress that is long in the back in short in the front) is THE trend of this season. Not sure if I am a fan of this trend yet; sometimes I like it (as in Demi's dress) and other times I think it can look a little odd.

On another note, it is Happy Hump Day!!

Today's quote is inspired by all the madness that has been going on in London since Sunday!
The looting, riots and violence around the streets is just so selfish, painful and scary to see :( I live in the Clapham area of London and the Clapham Junction streets were vandalised the other night (I didn't get much sleep - kept up by sirens and helicopters) and I know people that have personally been affected by the violence. All I can say is, I hope Karma is a bitch to all the people that are looting and causing harm and destruction to innocent people! Shame SHAME on you!

"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent" as said by Mohandas Gandhi. Happy Hump Day xoxo Roz

Wimp to WOW with lash extensions by Lash Lab

Hey my lovelies,
After reading so many raving reviews and having my mini experience with lash extensions a few weeks back…I decided to go for it; to get myself a full set amazing fluttery lashes! So I booked an appointment with the lovely Kym from Lash Lab who is an expert in the field of lash extensions.

Lash Lab is based in the heart of Brick Lane London in Shoreditch, near Old Street which makes it very convenient for people based in the city plus central & east London. They specialise exclusively in semi-permanent extensions for your eyelashes. At Lash Lab, your lashes will be tailored to suit your eyes, face shape and, of course, your personal preference!

Kym offers only full lash sets (priced at £85) and no half or “demi” sets, or “just a few in the corners” because she feels that more lashes add more definition, fullness and longevity to your set. Natural sets look more luscious and fluffy, and bolder sets more sumptuous and dramatic. Incomplete sets are often difficult to blend in with your natural lashes since there are so few lashes to go around, resulting in a look that appears unfinished.

So just in case you are new to all of this, let me explain what eye lash extensions actually are!

Semi-permanent eyelash extensions are the latest beauty craze to take over the world. Wimpey, thin, light lashes are transformed – one lash at a time – into a long, thick, luxurious set. The process involves attaching single strands of high quality synthetic eyelashes, one by one, onto your own natural lashes to mimic, enhance, and “extend” your own natural lashes. A variety of extensions are applied to add volume, length and curl. Styling of lashes will be tailored to suit your eyes, face shape and, of course, your personal preference.

How long do eyelash extensions last? Lash extensions when looked after properly should last 4 to 6 weeks. Over time you will shed your extensions as you lose your natural lashes, and through every day wear and tear. Your lash extensions will become sparse over time, and in-fills can be applied to replace the extensions that have fallen off.

 Lash extensions are really delicate and you do need to take care of them and be gentle to avoid them falling out prematurely.  Exposure to steam, very hot temperatures or water, touching, picking, or rubbing your lashes can weaken the adhesive bond on your extensions and cause them to fall off.

So two weeks ago I went to Lash Lab to get my new fluttery lashes applied by Kym. On arrival she talked me through the process and consulted me on what kind of look I was hoping for. I didn't want a 'Jordan' or very over the top fake lashes look so I asked for natural looking fluttery lashes - basically me but better! The idea would be that they will look the same (or maybe a little bit better) than they normally do when I curl them and wear mascara. After the consultation I was told to lie down on a comfortable massage couch and after about 1 1/2 hours (which was spend chatting to the lovely Kym and OK maybe a little snooze) the procedure was done!

Did it hurt? No, a propert application of lash extensions should not hurt. The extensions are attached to your natural lashes and not the skin and therefore clients do not feel a thing.

The below before and after pictures were taken on the day, actually at the salon, directly after application. In the before pictures I am wearing NO make up and in the after shots it's just my new lashes without any mascara! Impressed? I am :)

How do the eyelash extensions look and feel after the procedure?
Eyelash extensions should look and feel like your natural lashes, and to the untrained eye no one can tell they are not your natural lashes. You should not feel any pain or discomfort in or around your eyes after the procedure. Lashes should be clean and well separated with no clumping or lumps of adhesive visible. Kym told me she has carried out numerous remedial work on clients who have had dangerous and poorly applied eyelash extensions elsewhere where the client has experienced clumping, pain, discomfort, or damage to their own natural lashes – this is not normal! I didn't feel a thing and I have had them for two weeks now and I don't feel any pain or discomfort. They feel soft and you don't really notice they are there (feel wise that is!)

There are numerous reports floating around that eyelash extensions will damage your own natural lashes which was a concern I had before doing the procedure. Kym assured me that properly applied eyelash extensions should not damage your natural lashes. Clients should not experience pain to their eyelids or premature shedding of their natural lashes. Lash extensions may be removed with professional gel remover, and once the extensions are taken off your natural lashes should remain intact and in its normal condition. If I experience otherwise after 3-6 weeks, I will report it here!

Top: Before
Middle and Bottom: After with no makeup! ♥

   

Overall, I have to say it was a brilliant experience and so far am still loving my lashes. It's so nice to wake up every morning and having dark, long and curly lashes. Doing my eye makeup these days is such a breeze with no curling or mascara required :)

Have you ever had or considered getting lash extensions? At £85 it is quite the luxury expense but I think it's great if say you are going on holiday, for your wedding or if you have a month where you have a few special occsaions on; then it's definitely worth the money!

Fore more information on how to transform your lashes from wimp to WOW visit the Lash Lab website or call on +447 807 421 345 to make a booking.