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new toy!

I wanted to appologise for the time between posts over the past few weeks. I am now shooting on my mum's DSLR camera and it's taken a little while to get a card reader for the SD chip.

But I'm back on board now and have some great posts all ready to go for the coming weeks - so make sure you keep your eye's peeled for those!

ajarose xo

Vogue and Kerastase Special Offer

I wanted to share with you a great promotion Vogue Australia is currently offering and if you're a beauty-buff like me it will be right up your ally.

When you subscribe to the magazine for $69 for 12 issues (that's only $5.75 an issue) you will receive a Kerastase Paris bonus gift pack valued at $126.50!

The gift set features Kerastase's new luxury Cristalliste line which has been designed specifically for long hair. With two different options, Bain Cristal Fins for long fine hair and Bain Cristal Epais for long thick hair, the formula focuses on leaving your hair weightless and voluminous without any of the nasties - no silicones, parabens or colourants.

Image: Kerastase.com.au

You'll receive your choice of either Bain Fins or Bain Epais shampoo (250ml) Lait Cristal Conditioner (250ml) and the Lumiere Liquide Serum (50ml).

If you were considering subscribing to Vogue already or like me, wanting to try the Kerastase Cristalliste line why not get two for one!

The offer ends February 10 2013 so be quick!

Order online here

ajarose xo

This or That? Dry Shampoo Review

Dry shampoo is something to be picky about. You're lazy enough not to wash your hair but geez, you’re not going to leave the house with white powder at your roots, are you? So finding the perfect substitute to actually washing your hair can be tricky.

I’ve been a fan of the Batiste line for the past couple of years, trying out a few random ones here and there but always coming back to Batiste.

One brand I had heard good things about but for some reason or another never tried was, Klorane.

I broke down and bought it the other day and now it’s time for a this or that comparison.

Batiste?

I like the novelty aspect of this line with different scents and packaging to choose from (my favourite would be the tropical scent) - also it’s pretty much stocked everywhere so that’s extra handy.

The actual powder sprays on quite opaque though, which means you have to take a little more time working it in to your roots. Not a good thing when you want to sleep in for as long as possible and not worry about doing your hair.

Klorane?

The first thing I noticed was the powder was much clearer than the Batiste and brushes through extremely easy, which for someone with dark hair is a plus. The smell is nice too, but there is only the one scent to choose from so if it turns out you don’t like it, well you’re not in luck.

Overall? I prefer not having to spend as much time working the product in, over cute packaging - which is hard for me to admit because I’m all over something with cute packaging. If I had lighter coloured hair my preference would probably be reversed, but unfortunately I’ll never know if blondes really do have more fun, so I’ll be sticking with Klorane for now.

ajarose xo

summer essentials

On an extremely, ridiculously hot day like today one must keep her summer beauty essentials at arms reach - and with today’s forecast reaching a top of 42 degrees I thought this would be the perfect day to share mine with you.

1. Victoria's Secret Coconut Passion Fragrance Mist - Coconut anything is a must have for me during summer and this vanilla and coconut body mist is insanely divine. I layer this with the matching body lotion and find the staying power brilliant.

2. Avene Thermal Spring Water - I'm definitely a fan of facial mists all year round, but come summer this bad boy is my best friend. I sprits my face with this after cleansing, when my skin is feeling dry, in hot temperatures, before bed, randomly throughout the day - the use for this product is endless.

Another facial mist I recommend is the Jurlique Rose Water Spray which smells beautiful.

RR TIP: Take the purse size mist in your bag to work or school to freshen up your makeup throughout the day – works a treat.

3. Le Tan Coconut Lotion SPF30+ - This is a new discovery I found when on the hunt for sunscreen. I burn ridiculously easy and need a high SPF but can you guess why this took my fancy? Yep, coconut scented. After using this and not getting burnt it gets two thumbs up from me and the non-greesy texture is a plus too.

4. L'Oreal UV Perfect Advanced UVA+UVB Protector - I use this under my makeup everyday without fail and love the high broad spectrum protection.

RR TIP: If you don't already use a daily facial SPF you MUST! Protecting your skin against UVB and UVA rays helps prevent premature ageing and hyper-pigmentation like brown spots and acne scarring. If you don't want to use another product under your makeup, find a mouisturiser with SPF in it - but add your sun protection somewhere!

5. MAC Tendertone Lip Balm SPF 12 in Purring - Holy moly do these smells ah-mazing! A mix of strawberry and kiwi, you can smell these on your lips well and truly after applying it. Giving a wash of coral colour to my lips, aswell as protecting them from the sun, this lip balm is a must-have!

I'm off to grab a glass of water, lay under the fan and dig into this issue of Vogue,

ajarose xo

The World's Best Cleanser!?

It's a pretty damn big claim to make - but Vogue UK went there describing the EVE LOM Cleanser as the "best cleanser in the world."

This amazing pack was my Christmas present from my boyfriend (who, I might add, went in to Mecca Cosmetica all by himself to find this for me).

It features the hero products from the EVE LOM skincare range, including the legendary and cult Cleanser, Morning Time Cleanser, Rescue Mask, Kiss Mix Balm and Muslin Cloth.

For those of you who haven't heard of EVE LOM, her skincare philosophy is based around creating perfectly glowing skin by effective cleansing and exfoliating.

The skincare regime is designed to be used in either 2 ways - if you have blotchy, congested and/or erupted skin it is recommended to follow Eve's 7 Steps for Beautiful Skin twice a week. But if you're already blessed with clear skin it's recommended just to skip straight to step 7.

RR Tip: If you ever plan to have a facial at the EVE LOM London Salon, you may want to book ahead as waiting lists average at least 3 months!

So what did I think?

Morning Time Cleanser:

This cleanser comes out like a balm consistency and after heating it up between your fingers for a few seconds it melts down to an oil form which makes it easy to apply to the skin.

The smell is very herbal and refreshing which I assume they were trying to go with for the morning cleanser as it is designed to 'wakeup' your skin.

Leave it on for 2-3 minutes and wash off with warm water. I noticed my skin looked clean and felt really refreshed and not tight or stiff at all, which a lot of harsh cleanses do when they strip your natural oils.

Rescue Mask:

I applied the Rescue Mask to dry skin after washing the Morning Cleanser off.

This clay mask can be used as an all over face mask, a spot treatment or even watered down can be used as an under-eye treatment to lend a hand to puffy, tired eyes.

The mask smells a little minty which I liked and dried without the (horrible) stiff feeling that comes along with most clay masks.

Leave on for 15-20 minutes and wash off with warm water and the muslin cloth - my skin felt extremely soft and clean! Love this product!

Kiss Mix:

This minty and refreshing lip balm helps with chapped lips and would be a great nighttime treatment for people who wake up in the morning with dry lips.

Great to apply before you start doing your makeup so by the time you get to lips it has sunk in and worked its magic!

And last but not least the cleanser...

Using this cleanser was, in one word - luxurious.

There is nothing more disappointing than when a product, loved all over the world by many doesn't live up to the hype when you try it... I definitely didn't have this problem, thank god!

After following the 7 steps, which include a facial pressure point massage, the process is finished off by soaking a muslin cloth in hot water and placing it over your face. Releasing the essential oils in the cleanser this is an extremely relaxing regime.

RR Tip: When cleansing your face, try using a muslin cloth instead of a flannel - they are far more efficient and the grain is used as a natural exfoliant.

End Result?

Over all EVE LOM Skincare does exactly what it says it does - create a simple yet effective regime based around well cleansed skin.

The white, heavy packaging and luxurious feel and smell of each of these products instantly creates a spa in your own home, all you need to do is light a candle (I recommend Archipelago Botanicals Home Soy Wax Candle in Caramel), put on your favourite tune and skip the 3 month waiting list!

EVE LOM is available at Mecca Cosmetica in store and online here.

ajarose xo

A New Year, A New Blog

Welcome to Rosie Recommends and to the first post for 2013!

As it is one of my New Years resolutions to regularly post, I wanted to get this up before the end of the day was nigh. It wouldn't be unlike me to have failed at my resolutions before the year has even begun!

But a pat on the back is due, as it's still the 01/01/2013 - so let's see how long I can keep this up.

Rosie Recommends is going to be a channel for all things beauty and lifestyle and as I have a tad shopping problem in the cosmetic isles I thought this would be the perfect platform for sharing the great hits, unfortunate misses and ultimately, what I recommend in the world of beauty.

Today's post is dedicated to the New Year and what I wore to welcome the 12am festivities in - I hope you enjoy!

One of my beauty favs for 2012 and possibly ever has been the Urban Decay Naked Palette. This gem is everything a gal needs to create any look and unlike it's new baby sister, the Naked 1 Palette has a plethora of warm coloured shadows (Naked 2 is definitely a lot cooler in tone).

I layered the shadows 'Half Baked' (the sixth colour from the left) and 'Smog' (seventh colour) over this MAC Paint Pot in Genuine Treasure.

Paint Pots have a love hate relationship with a lot of people, but I personally love them, this one in particular. The shimmer shines through whatever shadow you layer on top and adds another dimension to your eye makeup. Definitely perfect for a NYE look if I do say so myself.

For my base I went with my go-to product for 2012 and that is Garnier's BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector in Light.

This would have to be the closest dupe I have come across to Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation, which was another favourite for the year past - but the price tag isn't as friendly to my wallet.

This base is great for anyone who likes to wear something on their skin but doesn't like the look or feel of heavy foundation. I actually find this product very build-able anyway, so for night outs this can look very polished.

Oh, MAC's Lipstick in 'Lady Danger' can do no wrong. This amazingly smooth lipstick goes on like cream, but has a matt finish which looks really chic. In my opinion there isn't a time not for a red lip.

RR Tip: This bad boy sells out so fast and if you want to get your hands on it you'll have to find a MAC Pro Store as the concession stands don't stock it!

I wore on my nails NARS Nail Polish in 'Anardana' from the Thakoon Collection and just being real here, I probably would have painted them OPI's 'Big Apple Red' if I had time but I had an icey cold beverage calling my name so I didn't...