Viva La Juicy Eau de Parfum by Juicy Couture

I was lucky enough to attend the Viva La Juicy fragrance event yesterday and boy was I in for a treat (literally).  Juicy Couture is a fashion brand that has focused their target market on the glamorous, stylish, fashion forward girl about town.  This girl is one that knows what she wants and goes out to conquer her goals while maintaining her chic appearance.

 Juicy Couture showcased three of their gorgeous fragrances yesterday, all of which I'm loving.  Viva La Juicy is the most perfect  daytime fragrance.  Viva La Juicy Noir is a little bit more alluring, mysterious and quite sexy.  Noir is my favourite of the fragrances because, as you know by now, I love stronger fragrances that are perfect for wearing out at night.  New to the range is Viva La Juicy Gold Couture which I'm extremely excited to try out as I've never used it before.  

To celebrate all things Juicy Couture we had the most wonderful high tea at The Patisserie in Illovo which is one of my absolute favourite spots for tea and a slice of cake so I was in my element.  We learnt a little bit more about the brand and that there will be a lot more from Juicy Couture coming to South African shores soon so watch this space for more details on that! 

Have a wonderful Friday everyone!

Luscious Lips

It might sound crazy but my favourite moments in a day often involve applying a bold lipstick.  There's something in the process of taking that moment to apply my lipstick that makes me feel confident and inspired to keep going and keep developing myself.  It's a personal treat for me, something I do for myself.  When I come across someone else wearing a beautiful bold lip, I see that they feel it too.  Maybe there is magic in our lipsticks.  Any way, here's a post dedicated to my favourite magic wands.  Let's begin by keeping our lips luscious.

1.  Moisturise

I don't know about you but this winter has completely dried out my skin.  I'm constantly applying moisturising balms to my lips.  There is no ways I would even dare wear a bold lipstick if my lips were all dry and flaky because that would just leave my lips looking pasty and one hot mess.  Not cute.

One of my favourite moisturisers this winter have been Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream.  I take this with me wherever I go.  I recommend it to everyone who has never tried it.  For anyone who is taking Roaccutane, I assure you this will become your best friend.  It is so thick and luxurious that it stays on your lips for ages and it moisturises your lips beautifully.  If you apply it before going to bed, guaranteed, you will wake up with it still on your lips in the morning.  Ah-ma-zing!  

Another favourite this winter has been Maybelline's Baby Lips.  For starters, how cute is this packaging?!  Each time I pull it out of my bag, everyone always has the same reaction: "Oooh what's that".  I have only just started using these (thank you Leigh) and I'm really so impressed.  Leigh sent me the Baby Lips in Peach Kiss which has a subtle nude tint (seen above).  I loved it so much that I rushed out and bought the Mint Fresh one too.

Once you have gorgeous, soft lips, you are ready to break out the colour.

2.  Colour Crazed

I've been using this Bobbi Brown Art Stick in Bright Raspberry as of late.  I can't help but feel the excitement I had as a child when picking up a bright pink crayon and scribbling all over my canvas.  Nothing has changed other than the crayon has become a lipstick and the canvas has become my face.  I have been wearing this colour non-stop.  It's the most perfect raspberry shade that I have come across.  It also has staying power and wont disappear unless you want it to.

If I want to gloss it up a bit, Revlon's Super Lustrous lip gloss in Fuchsia Finery is my favourite shade to compliment it (see full review here).  The two are a match made in heaven.

My final lip favourite today is another Bobbi Brown winner.  This one is a Rich Lip Color in Miami Pink.  It is a beautiful combination of pink and peach.  It is a shade that really brightens your face and brings out your eyes which is what I love most about this colour.  It has quite a creamy texture so it doesn't leave my lips feeling dry at all but rather keeps them feeling smooth all day.  

What are your favourite lipsticks and shades at the moment?  I'd love to try out your recommendations so please leave them in the comment section.  Thanks so much for reading!

April Make Up Favourites

I've got a couple new favourite items that I've added to my daily routine and I think they're so good that they need to be shared.  I find all these products really effective and worth every cent.  If you've used any of these products, I'd love to know your thoughts on them in the comment section down below.  Right!  Let's get started!

Concealer

1.  MAC Pro Longwear Concealer:  I'm currently loving this concealer because it really is long lasting.  It's a lot lighter than MAC's concealer that comes in a pot but it still has full coverage so even if you have a foundation that doesn't provide full coverage, this will pull your make up all together and add a dimension of light to your look.  A little of this concealer really goes a long way so I'm convinced my bottle is going to last a long time!

2.  Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Correcting and Highlighting Perfector: this product comes as a pen with a brush on the end and a pump on the top to release the concealer on to the brush bottom.  My pump delays the release of the product to the brush which is an unfortunate manufacturing fault.  In any event, I really do love this product.  It glides on smoothly and it's very light so I don't feel like I'm sitting with a face full of make up.  It adds a beautiful effect to the overall look of your make up.

Foundation

3.  Charlie Longwear foundation: This foundation I bought for my trip to Zanzibar because I didn't want to use my (expensive) Estee Lauder foundation when I'd be spending all day swimming in the sea.  I was actually so impressed with it that I've since bought another bottle.  It has a dewy finish which is great for a healthy summer glow but it can also be set with powder to give a matte finish.  It really does have staying power, provides good coverage and at less than a quarter of the price of the Estee Lauder, it's an affordable gem for everyone's make up bag.

4.  Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation: I have spoken about my love for this foundation on the blog before.  It will always be one of my favourite make up products.  It gives great coverage and once it's been applied, it sets with a matte finish.  No powder needed.  This is great for combination or oily skin because it sets without powder but  I sometimes find that if my skin is dry in winter, this is going to dry me out a little more.  If you have a dry skin type, you'd probably prefer the Charlie foundation.

Make up remover

4.  Dermalogica precleanse wipes: I'm generally not a fan of make up wipes because they dry out so quickly that by the time you're half way though the packet, it feels as though you're using tissue paper to try and remove your make up.  These, however, are fantastic.  They're quite oily so this makes the process a whole lot easier as your make up slides off rather than needing you to scrub with force to get it off.  They're perfect for late nights when a long skin routine seems as daunting as climbing Mount Everest.  These smell also delightful which is also a win!

5.  Rimmel Gentle Eye make up remover:  This is my go-to make up remover.  It isn't very oily so it doesn't leave residue on your skin but rather leaves it feeling refreshed and cleansed (even though it isn't a cleanser).  My bottle has lasted four months too which is always a win!

Polka Dots

Zara dress | Accessorize earrings | Dolce & Gabbana sunnies | Forever New clutch and bracelet | Michael Kors watch | Europa Art shoes

Hi everyone

This past weekend I had a girlfriend's birthday.  It was the most fun I've had in ages.  We went to watch a show (Time Warp) at the Barnyard theatre in Rivonia followed by a night on the town.  We sand along to all the songs we knew, we danced and we had a gr.eat time celebrating.  I wore this dress which is probably my favourite dress in my cupboard.  I love the high neckline and the fun polka dots.  I really wish I could have this exact dress in a knee length version so that I could wear it for work.  If you've seen anything remotely similar around, please let me know!

If you haven't already entered by Revlon giveaway, be sure to do so here before Wednesday. Don't miss your chance to win!

A night with Elizabeth Arden

Last Thursday I had the incredible opportunity of joining the Elizabeth Arden team at their announcement of the new brand ambassador for Africa, Adeola Ariyo.  When I arrived at the venue I couldn't believe how beautifully it had been decorated.  It felt as though I had stepped into a fairytale.  The night was spent sipping on champagne and enjoying a delicious dinner with all the beauties behind the brand in celebration of Adeola's new position.  What a magical moment in time.

Elizabeth Arden skin care

I really believe it is so important to take care of your skin.  Not only must you eat right, drink lots of water and wear sunscreen, you should also pay attention to the products you use on your face.

Lately I've been trying out Elizabeth Arden's Visible Difference range of skin care products and I couldn't be happier with them.  I've been using these products since December so I thought it was time I shared my thoughts on the products with you too.

1.  Skin Balancing Exfoliating Cleanser

 This is a very gentle exfoliating cleanser so it is perfect for everyday use.  It smells so amazing that I always look forward to using it.  It leaves your skin feeling soft and fresh without that tight feeling that far too many products give your skin.

2.  Skin Balancing Toner

This is also a light product that makes my skin feel so fresh and healthy.  It always amazes me that this toner can still clean more from your skin even though you have exfoliated already.

3.  Skin Balancing Lotion

I don't like any lotions that are heavy on your skin during the day because I like my make up to set in  place to last the whole day.  This lotion is perfect for just that because it quickly absorbs into my skin to make it feel soft and moisturised without leaving residue oil on my skin which is perfect for the day.

4.  Skin Balancing Night Cream

This night cream is probably my favourite of the whole range.  It is also lighter than most night creams but I can feel how my skin loves this product once I've washed off the make up of the day and applied toner.  It laps it up!  In the mornings I can see that my skin looks fresh and well moisturised. It's soft and full and I barely need to apply any make up at all.

My verdict?  This range really does take care of your skin.  I've been so impressed by this range that I am going to continue using it.  It really is the perfect combination of skin care for combination skin.  Have you tried any products in the range?  I'd love to know what your thoughts are.

Little Red Riding Hood

Old top | Mr Price skirt | Zoom heels | Elizabeth Arden lipstick in Red Door Red

Here's a midweek post for you today.  I'm considering making my hair a little lighter, what do you think?  Happy Wednesday!