Never miss the opportunity...

Today's Happy Hump Day post is inspired by one of my very close friends.
Read her touching story here on how her world changed eight years ago (link). Reading it made me, and many other people, reach out to their mums or people in their life - just tell them how much they love them!
Remember, time goes by fast; never miss the opportunity....

Happy Hump Day everyone ♥

PS: Exciting news; in the next day or two I will be changing from Blogger to Wordpress and the blog will have a new look. I am a little nervous about the transfer but I have enlisted the help from people who actually know what they are doing when it comes to web-stuff so fingers crossed it all goes smoothly! 

My NYE Sparkly Smokey Eye Makeup

This year my NYE celebrations weren't anything too crazy and wild but more a local, fun low-key affair! With a group of my dear friends, we had booked several tables to enjoy a delicious set course NYE dinner at The Oak, accompanied by a few glasses of bubbly of course. The Oak is a cosy restaurant in Notting Hill and upstairs they have a great bar, where we ended up dancing until the wee hours on the first day of 2013.

Outfit wise I was wearing my Zara combined leather look dress (as seen here) accessorised with a H&M bejewelled bib collar necklace. So for my makeup I wanted a dark smokey eye but with a bit of sparkle because New Years is the one night where glitter is always acceptable :)

Products used in this makeup look:

Mix of Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation &  Estee Lauder Double Wear Desert Beige (2N1)

FYF Mineral Loose Impeccable Powder (as seen here)
Benefit High Beam Highlighter on my cheekbones/bridge of nose (see how to apply this here)

Sleek Brow Kit to fill in my brows
Clinique Superbalanced Bronzer Powder (as seen here)
NARS Orgasm Blush

MAC Paintpot in Blackground (base all over lid)

MAC Carbon eyeshadow (lid)

MAC Haux eyeshadow (blended into crease to soften the black)

Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow from NAKED Palette (lightly blended in crease) 

MAC Eyeliner in Fascinating - white (applied to tearduct area)

MAC Vanilla Pigment (applied to tearduct and browbone areas to highlight)

AVON Supershock Gel eyeliner in black (applied to waterline)

L'Oréal Paris Super Liner Perfect Slim (upper lashline)

NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara

MAC Reflects Antique Gold Glitter (lightly padded onto lid for that perfect NYE sparkle!)

What do you think of my NYE makeup? I hope you all rang in the New Year with a BANG!

Sales, sales, sales.....

January is a difficult month for my mild shopping addiction. You can't seem to walk around anywhere without noticing the huge SALE signs trying to lure you in, making it impossible for me to resist all the amazing bargains! And then these days it's not only on the street we have to resist temptation from, no, also the web shops are doing their best to tempt me to spend, spend, spend! FeelUnique recently had their big winter sale and I ended up caving to their 30-50% discounts and got the following beauty purchases!

Kérastase - Ciment Thermique

St Tropez - Gradual Tan

Narciso Rodriguez - For Her 

Kérastase Resistance Ciment Thermique Heat-Activated Reconstructor Milk (link) is an oldie but a goodie! I used to always use this product pre-blow dry on my hair but the last year I have hooked on Argan Oil. When I spotted this product in the sale it made me want to go back to an old favourite for a while. I seriously love this product! All I do is squeeze a small (coin size) amount in the palm of my hand, I then rub my hands together and run them through my hair to distribute the product. Then I just brush it to untangle and blow-dry as usual. Ciment Thermique a heat protector but also makes your hair shiny, smooth and super healthy looking! Oh and it smells pretty damn good too :)

The fragrance 'For Her' by Narciso Rodriguez (link) is one of my all time favourite perfumes. I always make sure I have a nice big bottle stashed at home but it's also convenient to have a smaller version that you can put in your handbag to refresh yourself with when on the go. For when I go out at night time I usually bring a perfume atomizer, which fits into my clutch nicely, but this 30ml bottle will be perfect to carry around with me anytime!

I wasn't so fond of the little white ghost I kept seeing in the mirror looking back at me in the recent months (Ahhh I need myself some SUNSHINE!) so I decided I could do with some gradual tanning lotion to give me a bit more of a healthy glow! I apply St Tropez Gradual Tanning Lotion (link) in Light/Medium about 1-2 a week only to my chest, arms and face area. Hey, its not like I'm parading around in a bikini anytime soon right...? I love this gradual tan because it doesn't have a very strong smell and doesn't stain my clothes but helps making me look a bit less vampire like during these cold winter months. 

Did you buy anything in the recent online beauty sales?

Seche Fast Dry One Coat NOTD - Signature

If you are a nail polish enthusiasts, you are bound to know about Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. If not, please familiarise yourself because it is one of the bestselling top coats on the market. Now it was really only a matter of time until Seche would enter the world of nail colour. And, ta-da, in October 2012 Seche launched their very own collection of Seche Nail Lacquers in 33 beautiful colour options. The Fast Dry One Coat polishes promise to deliver full colour opacity in just one coat and to dry quickly and down to a naturally shiny finish.

Lucky me received aSeche - The Fast Dry One Coat nail polish in the shade Signature as part of my December Glossybox. Here is my recent NOTD:

Signature is described as a True Red Crème - £9.95 (14ml). I really liked the formula of this nail polish, smooth and it did dry quite fast. It definitely leaves a nice shiny finish which meant I skipped on a top coat – easy peasy! :) The shade is very much a true red which is vibrant yet classic and elegant.

Have you tried one of the Seche - Fast Dry One Coat Nail Lacquers yet?

This is your year!

Hope you are all having a great refreshing start to 2013? I have been keeping it nice and quiet in January; focusing on healthy eating, exercise and just taking a breather after a manic few months! As you know I am a big lover of quotes and I think these are all ones I will aim to live by for the year to come..

Some other New Year’s resolutions and goals I have set for myself this year are: 

• To run a ½ marathon  which is 21km! My training is going well which means I should hopefully survive the The Hague ½ Marathon that I am running 8 weeks.  
• Keep a memory jar (read about it here) 
• Learn how to use Photoshop 
• Give the blog a revamp. I have been working on this already in January and hope I can show you the new look soon!
• and 2013 is going to be my year of YES and putting myself out there :) 

Do you have any resolutions or specific goals for this year? I’d love to hear them! Happy Hump Day! x

My Monica Vinader Personalised Charm

At home, with my family, we don't really give each other presents at Christmas time, because we celebrate St Nicolas in the Netherlands instead, but I was still very spoiled and got a couple of lovely presents friends!

One of the presents I got was a gorgeous personalised silver charm by Monica Vinader. Shame on me but I'd never really heard of this brand before. Turns out that Monica, a Spanish born, UK jewellery designer is very popular amongst the celebs with an ever-growing stylish following including Cameron Diaz, Claudia Shiffer, Keira Knightly and Elle MacPherson.

"From a strong desire to wear jewellery in all the varied moments of life, Monica Vinader brings us pieces that balance elegance and luxury with practical and simple designs. Silver and 18 Carat Gold is hand set with semi precious stones, bespoke cut and faceted to showcase their personality. The jewellery reflects the designer's passion for the shapes and colours found in nature, her search for the timelessness of the simple form."

Monica Vinader is a regular these days in glossy magazines such as Vogue, Harpers, Elle and Grazia and now lucky little me owns a beautiful personalised charm by the brand!

My flatmate got me a small round pendant in sterling silver that she got engraved for me! You can wear the pendant on a necklace, bracelet or combine it with a Monica Vinader chain adding more pendants or stones as you please, this way designing your own necklace (link)

I love my 'Roxy Rocks' charm! I'm pairing it here with my Tiffany & Co bracelet!

Had you heard of Monica Vinader before? 

There are definitely a few items on her site that I'd love to make my own....

Best Dressed: 2013 People & Critic Choice Awards

This week both the 2013 People's Choice & Critic's Choice Awards took place in Los Angeles. Here are my best dressed picks from the red carpet.

Emily Blunt is absolute perfection in this white Miu Miu dress! The back of the dress, the flawless makeup, the red lips and the glamorous hair...just WOW!

Lea Michele sparkled in this pink Elie Saab dress. The mix of lace and sequins is cute and the colour is just so fun. Her legs look smokin' hot and I really like the purple makeup (she even manages to pull off purple lashes!) to complete her look.

Taylor Swift was a sexy vision in white in this daring low plunging gown by Ralph Lauren. The dramatic bronze makeup and turquoise earrings completed her essemble perfectly.

How cute is Julianne Hough's sparky number! Her make up is impeccable and love her fun and messy bob hairstyle.

Noami Watts looked amazing at both award shows where she was nominated for Best Actress for her outstanding performance in the film The Impossible. I watched this movie on Sunday and admit that I haven't cried so much at a movie for ages! A very touching and intense story about the 2004 Tsunami; so if you go and see it (which I truly recommend you do) make sure you bring a box of tissues!

Jennifer Lawrence in a Prabal Gurung gown with leather detailing and a sheer train. Loved her edgy yet elegant look.

Two other honourable mentions needed are for Amy Adams and Helen Hunt. Both look beautiful. The white and navy Grecian high split gown is sexy and really compliments her lovely porcelain skin. Helen shines in red; the lace detailing is stunning and how incredible is her body for her age; she turns 50 this year!

Who were your favourites of these Awards shows? I can't wait for the Golden Globes and Oscars.  I just love award season :)

Be the type of person you want to meet!

This is one of my favourite quotes! To me, it doesn't mean you should need to change who you are,  because I am definitely all about being yourself and loving yourself, but I do think it is important to sometimes think about the concept of; you get what you give!

"We all want positive influences in our lives and many of us are searching for them relentlessly -foraging friendships and letting those go who don't inspire us - but often we forget to ask ourselves if we are positive influences. We go through life looking for positivity and seeking it in others without really assessing what it is that we're giving back to others.  Cliche as it sounds, you get what you give!

So, take a moment, stop what you're doing, and ask yourself these questions:

• What kind of vibe do I give off? 
• How do I convey my beliefs and thoughts to others? 
• How enjoyable am I to be around? 
• What makes me interesting? Fun? Positive? 
• What am I giving back to those around me?

Honestly, when I stopped and really answered these questions for myself, I wasn't as happy with the answers as I would like to be. There are times when I'm just plain not fun to be around. I'm in a rush or I'm stressed or I'm thinking to myself, "What's next?" And who wants to be around someone who isn't enjoying the moment, but is instead thinking about what she has to do next? I certainly wouldn't want to be around someone like that, and yet, I am someone like that more often than I'd like.

The whole "get what you give" concept is cliche, yes, but it's also true. If you want to be around a certain type of person, you need to be that type of person. If you don't feel as if you are the type of person you would want to spend time with, you must ask yourself: What can I do to make myself the kind of person I want to be around?

Of course, I'm not at all suggesting that you change who you are. At our very core, we have certain attributes and characteristics that make us who we are. We should be true to ourselves. But there are parts of ourselves that we can alter and tweak so that we are more enjoyable to be around. It might sound like this is changing ourselves for others, but, in reality, the more enjoyable you are to be around, the more people will want to be with you and the more enjoyment you'll find for yourself."

Food for thought don't you think! So would you like you if you met YOU? 

Happy Hump Day :)

Source: Positively Present 

Vintage Hairstyles & 1920s Party Photos

When I posted some personal photos on Instagram back in December from my work 1920's themed Christmas Party, some of you commented on how you loved my hairstyle! Well as I admitted here; a lot of us ladies had our hair professionally styled by Jess from Powder Puff & Pin Curls who specialises in vintage hairstyles. We recently received the professional photos from the party and thought I'd share some of the gorgeous black and white pictures that really add to the whole vintage feel of the event :)

More photos after the jump....

Keeping warm with my Etre iPhone gloves!

One little fact you probably don't know about me is that I can't handle the cold very well. Now, I know that no one really enjoys being cold but for me cold weather can actually be quite painful. Ever since I was young I have suffered from Raynaud's disease. Now that sounds all very serious but it just means that I have a condition that causes some areas of my body (mainly my hands and feet) to feel numb and in pain in response to cold temperatures or emotional stress, caused by a problem with the blood supply to the skin. The condition occurs because your blood vessels go into a temporary spasm which blocks the flow of blood. This causes the affected area to change colour to white, then blue and then finally red as the blood flow returns. Raynaud's is not a serious threat to my health but it can be quite annoying to live with.

Anyway this means I am always trying to keep my hands as warm as possible because even the slightest moment of coldness can tricker an attack. I have a large supply of toasty warm gloves for the autumn and winter time but because we all have smart-phones these days, I was finding that my fingers would still trigger attacks when I removed my gloves to call or txt (or just to look at google maps to find my way around London haha).  So I decided to hunt around for the perfect pair of iPhone gloves. In my search I came across a few brands but the one that stood out to me most was Etre Touchy! This is a British company that started a sensation back in 2007 with their Etre Touchy Gloves, which have missing thumb and index fingertips to provide you with the freedom to use your smartphone, iPod, iPad, camera or other electronic devices.

I love the look of these striped (surprise, surprise haha...) Etre Touchy gloves for example!

But unfortunately for me the missing finger tips solution is a no-go! I need all my fingers covered at all time to ensure they stay warm. Luckily the clever people at Etre also design the Etre fivepoint wool gloves! They have special contactwoven fingertips, that do what other gloves don't: they let you use touchscreens without having to take them off! Woop woop :)



They come in various colours but I got the classic black ones with charchoal tips - £40 (link)

Before buying these, as they are a bit pricer than other versions you can find online or in technical stores, I did do my research and found these were truly the warmest ones on the market. Other gloves are often made with synthetic fibers which means they work perfectly with your smartphone but don't do such a good job at keeping your hands warm. The Etre Fivepoint gloves however are high quality and made with 95% virgin lamb wool. I absolutely love these gloves and can't live without them anymore! So don't let the cold get between you and your facebook or twitter updates this winter ;)

Etre Touchy or Fivepoint gloves are available from their very own online store, Etre Shop, and other selected stockists worldwide. How do you keep your hands nice and toasty during the cold winter months? 

Win a pair of L.K.Bennett sandals & win shoes for a year!

L.K.Bennett definitely know how to start 2013 off with a BANG!
To celebrate their Win Shoes For A Year app, I’ve paired up with them and I am super excited to announce that I am giving you the chance to WIN a pair of their gorgeous snake print Sandy sandals.

To be in to win these sandals (worth £225) - all you need to is the following:

Enter below via Rafflecopter and leave a comment on this blog post to enter!
To even further increase your chances of winning you can get some EXTRA points if you:
- Like the DutchessRoz Facebook FanPage (link) +1 point
- Follow me on Twitter (link) +1 point
- Plus get an additional +2 points if you tweet about my giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Oh and don’t forget to also enter their fantastic Facebook app competition. You and a friend could each win 6 pairs of beautiful L.K.Bennett shoes. Now that's what I call the perfect New Year treat!
Enter here before the 7th January: http://bit.ly/LKBshoes

My giveaway is open internationally and closes Thursday 10 January!

So what are you waiting for? Enter NOW :) Good luck!

New Year: Create a Memory Jar!

A new year = a new start! I personally love the idea of fresh starts and using New Years as a time to reflect on everything that happened in the year and from that set new goals and resolutions for the year to come! 

One of the things I am going to do in 2013 is keep a memory jar :)

Also I love the below for my goals this year. It is a great reminder to always find joy in life :)

Do you have any specific New Years resolutions?

HAPPY HUMP DAY EVERYONE!

2012 - My beauty year in review >

Wow I can't believe how this year has flown by! With 2012 coming to a close I thought I would outline some of my favourite beauty looks/posts/products that featured on the blog this year. Here we go...

♥ Way to Glow - Loving this glowing look (link)

♥ Chanel Les 4 Ombres Palette in Mystic Eyes - I now use this regularly (link)

♥ Dermablend Vichy Ultra Corrective Stick. (link)

I found out about this product through GlossyBox and it is now one of my favourite concealers.

♥ Grey smokey eye and product love for Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow all over Radiance Crème (link)

♥ Burberry Lipcover in Rosewood - a regular lippy for workdays (link)

♥ Argan Oil has been my Holy Grail hair product discovery this year (link)

♥ Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation. My all time favourite drugstore foundation this year! (link)

♥ MAC Melba blush - to create the perfect peach touch of colour to your cheeks (link)

♥ Summer statement lips with MAC So Chaud lipstick (link) Love how it makes my eyes POP!

♥ I fell in love with Shellac Nails this year (link & link)

♥ Pretty glittery FOTN. Reflects antique gold pigment is a must have MAC product for me! (link)

♥ Clinique bottom lash mascara. How did I live without this for so long? (link)

♥ Bourjois 1 Seconde Nail Polish remover made cleaning my nails a breeze! (link)

♥ Summer was all about bronzer! Some of my favourites in 2012: link & link

♥ Bridal makeup for my best friend. Was a bit scared at first but she looked amazing, phew! (link)

♥ A cheapie but a goodie! I love the Sleek Brow Kit (link)

♥ Top coat love for Essie - Shine of the Times (link)

♥ Bright pink lips + MAC Tan pigment on my eyes = perfect beauty combo! (link)

What were some of your favourite beauty finds, looks or products this year - I'd love to hear!

I can't wait to see what 2013 will bring me! This year has been seen my blog grow a lot and am so thankful for all my readers out there. All your comments and support means the world to me. I have many looks, posts and product reviews lined up for the blog in 2013 so I hope you will continue to follow me next year! Happy New Year :) xoxo

Jewellery Trend: The Statement Necklace

One popular jewellery trend of 2012 has definitely been the statement necklace. Chic and bold; statement necklaces are extremely popular because they can transform any simple outfit into something more special. Statement necklaces can be beaded, embellished, layered, twisted, feathered or geometric. The trend has featured in designer shops to the high street, all in different shapes, sizes and styles. You can wear a statement necklace with several different outfits to create many eye-catching looks. For example a statement necklace can instantly transform a LBD for a party while a casual t-shirt can be accessorised with a dramatic piece to add some flair to your day look.

Being a fan of this trend, a few weeks back this little beauty from Zara definitely caught my eye!

ZARA Cobalt blue stone with metal & ribbon woven statement necklace. Now sold out but you can still buy it on eBay it seems! (link)

The blue, green and orange in the necklace really brighten up any simple outfit! What do you think of the statement necklace trend, is this something you have been wearing? If you are worried about how to pull this trend of then just remember to keep rest of your outfit simple and and let the necklace make a statement all of its own!

Christmas Party - 1920s Inspired Makeup

December is always a month full of parties and events which is great because it often gives you an excuse to dress up or sparkle in your best outfits! A few weeks ago we had my office Christmas party and this year it was 1920’s themed. It wasn’t meant to be a very strict theme but it encouraged everyone to make an effort to look old school glamorous! Most people straight away started planning ‘what to wear’ but as a typical beauty blogger my main focus was on how I wanted my makeup to look for this party. After googling for 1920’s beauty inspiration I came across this image (link) of Charlize Theron which I absolutely loved so I decided to go for a very dark berry lip with a nude/rustic look for my eyes.

This is my finished look of the night:

Products used: 

MAC studio finish concealer NC20 

Clinique stay matte foundation – Shade 9, Neutral (link) 

MAC bronzer in Golden 

The Body Shop – cheek colour in Sweet Nutmeg, an oldie but a goodie! (link) 

MAC Mineralize blush in Warm Soul (as seen here) applied as highlight on cheekbones 

MAC Pigment in Vanilla applied to tear duct & brow bone 

Urban Decay NAKED palette – eye shadow Virgin (all over lid)

Urban Decay NAKED palette – eye shadow Naked (blended into crease area) 

MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow (Duo) - Play on Plums (as seen here)

Applied the plum/burgundy shade along my lower lash line. I really love this limited edition eyeshadow duo and am gutted it is running on empty; can anyone recommend a good dupe for the plum/burgundy shade? 

L’Oreal Super Liner in Black – my current favourite liquid liner pen! (link)

NARS NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara (as seen here)

On my lips I'm wearing Berry Vamp by LookBeauty from their Loud Lips range. The packaging of this lipstick is a bit cheap but the colour is really stunning and the fomula is smooth, highly pigmented and long lasting. Not bad for only £7 (link) I have changed from being more of a sheer lip gloss girl to quite loving a darker lip – what do you think of this lip shade?

Jewellery wise I kept it simple and wore these vintage clip-on earrings that used to belong to my grandmother! My hair was done by the lovely Jess from Powder Puff & Pin Curls, who specializes in vintage hair-do's! She came to our office and did the hair of about ten ladies to get us all looking in style for the 1920's party. I will post some more photos of the party in another post :)

Dress wise; I couldn't seem to make up my mind and with December being so busy, I just hadn't had time to find the perfect outfit! Until last minute that was,  because the night before the party I saw this dress in Zara and it was love at first sight! I didn't own a long black evening dress yet so I felt it was a much needed addition to my wardrobe ;) The dress is part of the new collection by ZARA as seen here in their Woman Lookbook Twelve. I adore this recent collection by Zara, it is so classic and elegant.

 ZARA Combined Lace Dress - £69.99 (link)

The dress falls beautifully and the fabric is very soft and pretty. I love how the added touch of the lace in the back makes it that little bit sexier whilst remaining classy. For me, it was the perfect Christmas party dress and I really liked my slightly different to usual look! What do you think of my 1920s inspired look?