Your top five beauty investments by Veronika

Hi! I’m Veronika and I write the style, beauty and home décor blog, Veronika’s Blushing.  I’m delighted that Roz has asked me to guest blog for her while she’s on holiday and I’m here today to share what I think are your best “beauty investments.”

When you’re a style and beauty blogger, it’s tempting to try a lot of different looks and products. Over the years, I’ve had different hair colors and makeup routines, but I’ve noticed that as I get older, I’m more focused on creating a signature look and enhancing my appearance in the areas where I’ll get the most return on my efforts, both in the short and long term.

Sometimes, it’s tough to evaluate what you should spend your time (and money) on when it comes to beauty products and regimens. Here’s what I think are your best beauty investments:

Full, polished hair- Maybe you can’t afford to get a blowout like the lovely Duchess of Cambridge three times a week, but what you can do is learn how to give yourself a fantastic blowout. There are plenty of great tutorials on YouTube or, if you feel comfortable, ask your stylist to show you how to blow out your hair or go to a blow dry bar and observe the techniques that they use. The best part? A well-done blowout gives you incredible return on your investment---those 20 to 25 minutes you spend styling your hair make it bouncy for days---meaning you can skip daily washes and touch up your hair with some dry shampoo.

Kerastase Cristaliste Lumiere Liquide, one of my favorite blowout products!

Smile- The days of overly-bleached, Hollywood-perfect teeth are over---but a great smile has never gone out of style. Maintain your oral health by flossing nightly, using a whitening or stain-removing toothpaste (I like Crest Vivid White or Colgate Whitening) and if you can, invest in an electric toothbrush. I love my Sonicare toothbrush so much that I even travel with it! I also whiten my teeth once a year to maintain brightness and remove stains. I use professional trays I had made at my dentist’s office, however Crest Whitestrips Professional are also a wonderful an effective option.

Skin- Everyone wants clear, glowing, even-toned skin. For some of us, it comes naturally and for others (like me) who struggle with acne or other skin issues, keeping your skin clear can be quite the challenge. Investing in great skincare products is important---but so is prevention. In your early to mid 20’s is when you should start thinking about using eye creams and moisturizers that will help prevent premature aging, including sunscreen, which you should wear every time you’ll spend any significant amount of time in the sun. Establishing a preventative skincare routine now will be an investment that you’re still patting yourself on the back about 10 and 20 years from now. I used tanning beds a lot when I was in college and once I became aware of not only the increased risk of melanoma but also how much it prematurely ages you, my skin never touched a tanning bed again. Ten years later, I’m still reaping the benefits---at 29, I’m pretty happy with my skin and don’t have a lot of wrinkles.

Probably my most “glowing” day---at our 2009 wedding

Bright-eyed- They say that the eyes are the windows into the soul and I think they’re also one of your most important features to highlight. Bright, defined eyes can make your entire face look balanced and awake. I always use concealer on my lids as a base to even out my eye area and then I use Maybelline’s Eraser Dark Circles in the light pink “brightener” color under my eyes to perk up and lighten the entire under-eye area. I also use Benefit’s Eye Bright on my lower lash line and in the inner corner of my eye. I have a tutorial of my entire eye makeup routine here. By far the most impactful part of brightening up your eyes is curling your lashes. I feel like it instantly makes you look youthful and rested. I heat my eyelash curler with a hair dryer for a few seconds and it locks the curl in all day (and, if you want it to last extra-long, always use waterproof mascara because the formulas are drier and help lock in the curl).

Using light pink under your eyes really brightens your entire face!

Trim and Toned- By far one of the best beauty investments of all is keeping your body strong and toned. From a physiological perspective you’ll have more energy, sleep better, be stronger, more flexible and have more endurance---and from a mental perspective you’ll feel balanced, happier and more satisfied with your overall appearance. My favorite toning workings include The Bar Method, Ballet Beautiful and Pilates. I find that these types of workouts really target such a wide array of muscle groups and they work muscles you didn’t even know you had! There are also fantastic workouts available on YouTube (for free!) by the girls from Tone It Up and BodyRockTV.

On my way to the gym! All gear by Lululemon

What are your best beauty investments?

Leave a comment below or come visit me over at Veronika’s Blushing.
Thank you for having me!

(No Thank YOU Veronika - what a great post. It's easy to see why I love her blog right? xoxo Roz)

When I’m grey...

Everyone is desperate to be in love. It seems to be the primary mission of almost every person I’ve ever met. However, I have recently begun to suspect that love is wasted on the young. I thought I was in love at 17 and in a haze of hormonal angst, I married him. Turns out I wasn’t really in love at all. I am certainly not in love at the moment but I am the happiest I have ever been. One day, I may meet someone who I fall head over heels in love with but by that time I want to be completely sure of who I am.

Some people are scared of meeting too late and not having enough time together but my Great Auntie Nancy met someone when she was around 80, they had a wonderful time, travelled, socialised and giggled like children in each-others company. They had six blissful years together before he died and rather than be a heartbroken widow, she is glowing with happiness because even though he has gone she is still in love.

Some people who fall in love very young can fall out of love later and then their old age is all the more sad and lonely for them. I hope I’m in love when I’m old and grey... Mrs Grey would be nice!

Happy Hump Day ♥

Today's Happy Hump Day post was written by my dear friend (and super talented writer) Erin from The Girl from Clapham. On her blog she writes daily short stories that are funny, touching or just a great read!
Make sure you check it out; often her posts bring a smile to my face! www.thegirlfromclapham.com

Jo Malone Scent Surround Diffuser by Miss Lucy

Hello readers of Dutchess Roz! My name is Lucy and I write over at misslucyloves.com about all things lifestyle, beauty, fashion and interiors. A big thank you to Roz for having me guest post on her lovely blog. It really is one of my favourites! I hope you enjoy this little review of one of my favourite brands, I'm a girl possessed. I'd considered buying a Jo Malone Scent Surround Diffuser for some time as though they're a little pricier than the candles (£7 more) I knew they'd last me longer. I have no concept of 'saving' nice candles and just burn them right down as quickly as possible by burning the same one every single night until it's gone. I realise that this is very foolish but I can't be helped.

Having now tried the diffuser, I'd 100% recommend this to anybody who is as guilty of burning candles too quickly as I am. It's supposed to last 4-5 months depending on how many diffuser sticks you put in at once. I, of course, have put them all in in one go but the scent is so gorgeous and persistent that I don't care. This is a much better investment of your money if you want to buy a Jo Malone scent and I will definitely be repurchasing one of these. On the website they're only available in Lime Basil & Mandarin, Red Roses and one of my other favourites, Pomegranate Noir.

I'll be trying the Pomegranate Noir next time though I do really like the fresh scent of the Lime Basil & Mandarin. It's currently residing in my bathroom but I think it's a scent that will also work well in the kitchen so I might move it around a bit. I'm a huge, huge fan!

Thanks to the gorgeous Miss Lucy for this guest post!
I am a loyal follower of her blog so make sure you check it out.
www.misslucyloves.com  

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