SPRING IN MY STEP

Ikat print pumps via Pink & Pepper | Madewell red mini skirt - similar here |  Sandro silk top | Blazer thrifted | Rebecca Minkoff bag - old, also loving this one | House of Harlow etched stack cuff & pyramid wrap ring via Glamhouse |  ASOS claw ring & spike stretch bracelet

I would like to start by announcing the winner of Boticca International Giveaway! Congrats to Laura from Le Monde De Laura who won a $100.00 GIFT CARD! Hope you enjoy it:)!

Running away from the scorching hot LA temperatures, Emil and I find ourselves spending more and more time in Malibu. Not that we ever need an excuse to visit our favorite part of LA:) Usually 10-15 degrees cooler than the rest of the city, we love the fresh ocean air, a variety of cute little shops and of course a great selection of fantastic seafood restaurants. Ok, so maybe I like the shops a little more than Emil does:) 

Yesterday, we had dinner plans to check out a new restaurant in Malibu, located right on the beach. Well, new to us, anyway. I thought this was a perfect opportunity to wear my new ikat print heels. How amazing is the red ankle strap? Simply can't get over how cute they are, completely classic combo of black and red in the front and ikat drama in the back:) Love from the first sight!:)

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle

WELL SUITED & REED KRAKOFF BOXER TOTE

Ruffle black patent flat via Pink & Pepper | Reed Krakoff Boxer tote via Neiman Marcus | Zara white blazer & white studded shorts | J Crew bright pink bracelets and sunglasses | ASOS claw ring & spike stretch bracelet, also loving this one 

I've been living in LA for about 6 years now, and I still can't get used to how cold it gets at night. Seriously, once the sun goes down the temperatures can drop 10-20 degrees easily. When I first got here, I never knew what to wear. Now, I never leave home without a blazer or a jacket, which is why you see so many of them on my blog:) 

I got this cute little blazer from Zara to wear with my new patent leather flats. Something about white tweed and patent leather always looks chic to me:) Oh, and the little tassels, so cute, right:) These are my favorite, go to flat shoes at the moment! Running around in heels all day long gets pretty tiring, and who needs heels when you have such a fabulous pair of flats:) 

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle

NEIMAN MARCUS ARMANI BEAUTY EVENT

Theory Lanai twill jacket | Reed Krakoff Boxer tote via Neiman Marcus | Trina Turk pleated skirt - similar here | Tibi Amber high heel sandals | ASOS claw ring & spike stretch bracelet, also loving this one 

Recently I had the pleasure of attending Naiman Marcus Armani Beauty event and got my make up done by Rhona Samuels, who is the National artist for Armani Beauty. Since I already use a lot of Armani products, I was eager to learn more about Armani beauty and preview the New Bronze Color 2012 collection. So, I'd like to take this opportunity to share some of the tricks and techniques I learned to achieve perfectly bronzed summer look. 

Face: Rhona started by applying Regenessence Multi Corrective Rejuvenating Cream all over my freshly cleansed face, which unlike other moisturizers did not feel heavy but rather made my skin look radiant and  velvety smooth. She then applied Luminous Silk Foundation in Golden Beige on my face and High Precision Retouch Concealer in Pale Peach under my eyes and alongside my nose. Now, you know how I feel about foundations in general, but I have to say I really like the Luminous Silk Foundation because it doesn't feel like a mask at all and creates a gorgeous luminous glow. Next, Rhona applied Sheer Bronzer in Golden Sand across my forehead, along cheekbones and temples, basically all the high points where the light hits your face naturally. Finally, she swept Sheer Blush in Sand over my cheekbones for a natural looking flush.

Eyes: I've been wanting to try navy smoky eye for a while now, so I asked Rhona to show me how I can achieve this look without looking like a raccoon. So, her advise is to apply color in layers and gradually build intensity to a desired effect. To achieve soft navy smoky eyes, Rhona applied Gray from Eye Palette 2 all over my upper lid, and Inky Navy, from the same palette on lash lines and on the outer corners of my eyes. Finally, Rhona lined my eyes with Smooth Silk Eye Pencil in Black to create my beloved cat eyes.  

Lips: to keep the look soft To balance bright eyes and to play up the bronzed skin look, Rhona applied Rouge d'Armani Sheer Lipstick in Dolce, a very pretty peachy shade. 

If you guys have any questions about the products or techniques Rhona used to create this look, please shoot me an email, I am always happy to answer:)

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Keep on smiling, 

Love,

Annabelle

THE FINE PRINT

Laura sandal in Black/White polka dot via Pink & Pepper | Rebecca Minkoff MAC Bombe bag |  J Crew neon pink cotton sweater - similar here | J Crew Tiki print shorts - similar here | Crystalized nail ring via Minusey | Liz gold cross bracelet, Maria gold crystal bracelet, Dahlia crystal bracelet, Mariana camel bracelet via Belina

A second outfit with my new favorite pair of shoes, I just can't get enough of these cute polka dot platforms! Style and comfort - what else can a girl ask for?:) Speaking about comfort, so glad I wore them today! My girls and I went out for some shopping and dining, so basically I spent 5-6 hours on my feet. Yeah, shopping takes time:) Point is, after a long day of walking my feet are still intact, no purple toes or anything:) Love it when I find a pair of heels I can actually walk in:)

Oh, and I got a few emails asking me about which tanning products I use. Granted I did get a little bit of  sun in Palm Springs, for the most part my tan comes courtesy of St Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse. Aside from the natural looking color, I like that it dries in 60 seconds, and smells fresh and sweet, unlike some other self tanning products.  

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle

SHORT TEMPERED

Sunburst ombre bubble statement necklace via ILY Couture | J Crew neon yellow shorts  & silk blouse - similar here & here | Zara heels & handbag | ASOS claw cuff bracelet | Crystalized nail ring via Minusey 

Feel like these neon yellow shorts from J Crew are going to be my unofficial uniform this Summer. I am not sure what I love more about them the color or the fit, but I must confess I've been wearing them everyday as of lately. I simply change my tops and heels and voila - a whole new outfit:) 

Today was another one of those blazing hot days in LA and because I had a few errands to run, I threw on this breezy silk shirt to keep me nice and cool. Funny thing about this shirt is that I first saw it on J Crew website but was always too busy or lazy to go to the store to try it on. So, by the time I got there J Crew was completely sold out. After calling a few stores, I managed to find the very last one in size Large. Determined to have it anyway, I tried it on and I have to say that I rather prefer the loose fit.  Guess the lesson is you never know unless you try:)

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle

SUMMER SINSHINE STRIPES

Open back crop tee in neon orange and bandeau bra in hot pink via Victoria's Secret PINK | Giuseppe Zanotti Patent Colorblock sandal  | Woven east/west bright tote via Rebecca Minkoff  | H&M Skirt | J Crew bright pink bracelets | ASOS  spike stretch bracelet  | Crystalized nail ring via  Minusey | OPI nail polish in Y'all Come Back, Ya Hear | YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick in Rose Toupe

After yesterday's post I've gotten quite a few emails asking how I keep my make up from melting off my face Summer time. So, I decided to take this opportunity to talk a little about some of my tried and tested beauty tricks and favorite products. 

Face:

Normally I start with applying Laura Marcier Secret Finish Mattifying gel on a cleanse face, designed to control shine and keep your skin matte, it also helps to keep your make up in place. I've been using it for a while now and so far have not found anything that works better. Since I am not a big fan of foundation and only use it on very rare occasions, I skip it all together summertime and instead opt for a little concealer in a few strategic areas:) All time favorite is YSL Touche Eclat concealer, which provides a perfect amount of coverage and makes skin look absolutely luminous.

Cheeks:

I prefer to use cream blush summertime, I find that it stays on much better than powder. My favorite one at the moment is Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Cheeks and Lips in Pale Pink. Oh, and I know that most make up artists use a brush to apply cream blushers, but I actually like to use my fingers. I think it allows me to achieve a much softer effect and use a lot less product:)

Lips:

I love matte lipsticks, in my opinion, they stay on much better than regular lipstics or lip glosses. Normally, I start by applying a little lipstick using a lip brush, then lightly dab my lips with my finger for a more even distribution. Current favorite is Lancome Color Design lipstick in Stylista. 

Eyes:

Finally, I keep my eye make up minimal, most of the time I line my eyes using a water proof eyeliner like MAKE UP FOREVER Aqua liner and apply a little YSL Volume Effect mascara for some eyelash drama:) 

So, that pretty much completes my everyday look. If you have any questions about  products I use, shoot me an email, I will be happy to answer!

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle

COLOR ME BRIGHT

Open back crop tee in bright blue and bandeau bra in hot pink via Victoria's Secret PINK | Giuseppe Zanotti Patent Colorblock sandal  | Woven east/west bright tote via Rebecca Minkoff  | J Crew neon yellow shorts & bright pink bracelets | ASOS  spike stretch bracelet 

As I have mentioned last week, Emil and I were finally able to carve out some time to go to Palm Springs. Normally we like to go down there in May or September, reason being that it gets pretty hot in Palm Springs Summer time. How hot? Well, this weekend the temperatures soared to about 109F or 42C!!! Now, I don't really mind the heat, but my poor Emil was completely measurable. He spend most of the time soaking in the pool. Boys and heat, don't mix, have you ever noticed? I am always cold and he is always hot:)

Of course I brought half of my closet on this trip but ended up wearing as little as possible:) This top from Victoria's Secret Pink was a complete God send. Cropped and flowy, it kept me nice and cool in the blazing heat! Don't you just love these cotton, easy to wear pieces for summer:)?

To see pics from our Palm Springs via INSTAGRAM, CLICK HERE or follow me at @vivaluxuryblog

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle