New Sweater ♥

Hi everyone! I recently got this sequined sweater and have been obsessed with it, it hasn't even gone in my closet yet - I leave it out on the side of my couch just so I can see it lol :) It will be perfect for wearing when going out to a smart / casual dinner paired with some jeans. The lights reflect of off it so nicely. Too much for some people? Noo.. I think everyone looks good in sequins! One of the best parts - it's from H&M and I only paid around $39 for it, yay ♥

Right now I'm off to start my busy day consisting of work, school and running some errands. It's supposed to snow and rain here today so I'm wrapping up real warm. Hope everyone has a great day! Talk soon! XOXO

New Video!

Hi everyone, back with a new video :) I've wanted to film this one for a while because I think it's important to value what we have when we're young. I finally got around to filming it last Friday and edited it this morning. Feel free to share any tips and/or advice you have with everyone below in the comments. Hope you enjoy! XOXO

Juicing Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-h5ENggTQI 

Oscar Glam!

Last night (whilst building my new Ikea desk!) I watched the stars walk down the red carpet at the Oscars and this dress made me take a double look. I think she looked absolutely gorgeous! The dress just sparkled so nicely, and I love the structure and shape of it. The long sleeves and the low back are so elegant and i love her hair and makeup. This was definitely one of my favorite looks from the evening. Perfection! Did you watch it and if so, which dress was your favorite? Share below!

I just finished editing my next video and it's uploading now, so it should be live in few hours. Excited to share it with you guys :) And thanks for all the sweet comments about my new channel! It's a little nerve-racking but I know it's the best thing to do!

Hope everyone's having a great day! XOXO

Nicole Richie Inspired Makeup

XOXO

NEW Channel Announcement!

So happy to announce my brand new channel on YouTube "AnnieJaffrey"! It will be my one and only channel from now on and "AnniesBeautyLife" (although so near and dear to my heart) will not be used anymore. My blog is also changing to www.AnnieJaffrey.com. As some of you may know, I had a few technical difficulties with my channel, but I can finally put all those issues behind me! I've waited and prayed for this for MONTHS. This goes to show that the good will come around to everyone and "what you think about, you bring about" :) Go ahead and check out my new channel and leave me video requests in the comments! XOXO

Happy Sunday

Hi everyone, happy sunday! Things have been a little crazy this weekend, but all will hopefully be calm again by tomorrow evening. Tonight I'll be posting a new video with some news, for me it's huge and so exciting :) I'm currently out of the city for the weekend enjoying the suburbs with my dad. Yesterday the weather was gorgeous, beaming sunshine, and all of the sudden it started snowing! I'd never seen weather like that before. It feels like the cold makes its way to your bones. Anyway, appropriately timed my dad invited me to go to Los Angeles with him for a few days next week so I am in the midst of planning that. It would be absolutely amazing to soak up some sun for a few days! Yesterday I went to IKEA (hejsan Sverige!!) and bought a new desk which I am so happy about cause the one I have now is tiny. I'll take pictures when it's all set up :) Now I'm relaxing after a delicious breakfast which consisted of two sunny-side up eggs, whole wheat toast and a big glass of fresh green juice. In about half an hour I'm off to a 90 minute vinyasa yoga class. Those are my favorite because you keep moving, and don't get bored. 

Feel free to share your sunday plans with me below! Be back with another post tonight :) XOXO

Gold Glitz

I was at the pharmacy yesterday and I saw this gold / silver glitter nail polish. It was calling out my name, so just had to get it :) I think it's so pretty and girly but still edgy. I only applied it to one nail for now, but might do all my nails tonight with the weekend coming up and all :) Anyway I am in love with this combination! I think the grey really compliments the silver and gold glitter flecks.

Essie "Sand Tropez" & Pop Beauty "Gold Glitz"

Last Day With Kim

Today is Kim's last day here in New York and we will definitely miss her! Whenever someone comes to visit, it brings people together and you end up seeing and doing things you wouldn't have otherwise. Last night we went out to eat at an adorable little French / Belgian restaurant called La Petite Abeille. It's so cute and cozy in there (another great place to go if you're visiting New York). I also loved the fact that they actually spoke French! 

The next time I'll be seeing Kim is in Holland! I've never been and would love to visit this summer with Em. 

Emily, Kim and I

We love you girl! XOXO

Bold Lip Colors

Whenever I'm in a hurry but still want to look somewhat glam, I put my hair up in a sleek ponytail, apply a light layer of foundation, a couple coats of mascara and go for a bold lip color. It really makes it look like you put a lot of effort in to your look, when you really didn't :) 

I know some people are afraid of bold colors, but I just happen to love them and think they look great on everyone. If you're new to makeup, or are unsure of wearing bold colors, begin by just applying your lip color as a stain by tapping the color on to your lips, as opposed to in long strokes. A tip for making it blend naturally, is to gently rub the color in with your finger so it melts into the lips. 

"Russian Red" by MAC

I bought these two berry / pink colored lipsticks today from the drugstore. I'm so happy I found them because I was looking for this exact color! The first is a lipstick by Maybelline in the color Hooked On Pink. It's really creamy and the color is gorgeous. The second one is a lip pencil by Rimmel called Indian Pink (love the name!). I love wearing lip pencils as lipsticks because they last a lot longer and the finish is truly matte, which is my favorite.

"Hooked On Pink" by Maybelline & "Indian Pink" by Rimmel

Do you guys have any favorite bold lip colors? Share them with me in the comments :) XOXO

80's Flashback

What I'm Wearing ♥

Leopard Skirt, Forever 21

Black Top, H&M

Black & Gold Chain Belt, Zara

Rose Gold Watch, Michael Kors

Lipstick, "Pink Nouveau" by MAC

Friday Night

Hey everyone, right now I'm relaxing and looking through some pictures from Friday night's "festivities" lol. We took so many! I never use to take lots of pictures before but I think it's really worth it in the end. It's always nice looking back at fun times with your friends. You may notice (or not lol) that I look a little more tanned than usual, and its because I'm trying out a self tanner by l'Oreal called Sublime Bronze. So far so good! I'm planning on using it a couple more times to get a good sense of it, then I'll do a little review of it here on my blog, "sunshine in a bottle?" :)

This is what I wore on Friday. I wanted to wear something bright and picked out this neon green/yellow top by H&M and paired it with a chunky gold necklace from Aldo. My blazer is to die for! It's also by H&M but unfortunately you can't really see the detail in this picture. It's very structured and has amazing bold shoulders. It compliments the flowy top really well.

Dinner took place at Sushi Samba, a Japanese - Latin fusion restaurant. Definitely a fun place to check out if you visit New York. So delicious (and quite healthy)!

 Mixed Seaweed Salad & Tuna Tataki
(We also had Edamame to start & the Rock Shrimp Tempura with spicy mayo)

Samba Special Roll called "Ezo" along with some spicy tuna & salmon rolls

 My ladies! Emily and Kim

PARTY

Hope everyone's having a great weekend! Last night I went out with my lovely ladies to EAT and DANCE :) Here's a picture from last night :) Will upload more when I get home. Now I'm on my way out to dinner and later to another venue to enjoy the night. Kim has gotten us all in a party mode, love her! This is the first time I've properly been able to spend time with her, she is so sweet and funny! Hope everyone has a fun and safe Saturday night! XOXO

Comedy Night

My cheeks are hurting... and I can feel my abs got a work out :) I just came back from a really fun night out with my friends. Emily's cousin, Kim, is visiting from Holland (woot!) for 10 days so this weekend will be fun! We decided to go to a comedy show tonight and shows like this can either be a hit or miss. Thankfully it was a hit! We were seated RIGHT in front of the stage, and of course got picked on all night lol. The place was small and cozy with a real old hollywood feel. There were about 5 different comedians performing, each with their unique style. I liked the last performance the best because the comedian kept feeding off of the crowd and the jokes weren't "planned", so it was natural and flowed really well. 

I wore a black long-sleeve scoop-back top from Zara, with my favorite leather leggings from H&M. I love these two together because the flowy top really balances out the tough leather. I wore black suede booties along with my fur collar and a beige rain jacket. Kept my accessories minimal, with my rose gold Michael Kors watch and big diamond earrings.

My outfit of the night!

Before the show we had a drink and some hummus at the cafe next door, which was yum! 

Outside the Comedy Cellar

Kim and I ♥

I thought this was so cool! The tables were like mini chalkboards. 

Now its time for bed.. looking forward to this weekend! I'm filming tomorrow morning, yay! Thanks for being patient with the videos. Two are ready to be uploaded, just waiting for all the changes to be made to my channel first.

Goodnight! XOXO 

Lower East Side, Paris

Last night, I went to this absolutely gorgeous little restaurant in the lower east side. I'd heard of it many times, but never actually been to it. It looked like it was right out of a story book. I snapped this quick picture with my phone to send to my friend and it actually turned out pretty good. The restaurant continues back into a bigger room, decorated with these gorgeous little lights. I love the small chairs and tables, it reminds me exactly of Paris. It's so cozy! I was only there for a short while for a meeting, but will definitely be back. We shared the tuna tartar, it was delicious! 

Love at first sight at Pink Pony

Happy Valentines Day MY LOVES!

I want to wish everyone a sweet happy valentines day! Whether you are spending it with a boyfriend/girlfriend or not, today is about celebrating LOVE ♥ Give everyone an extra hug or kiss today :) 

I am running super late so will have to add to this post when I get home later and fill you in on my day & weekend! But just wanted to wish you all a great day and sending you all my love! ♥ 

XOXO

We Will Always Love You

I was almost brought to tears last night when I saw the news coverage on Whitney Houston's death. In my mind, Michael Jackson was the King and she was the Queen, and to have talent that great gone, is very sad. I remember when I was 15 years old, I bought the "Best of Whitney" CD and played it non stop for months! Her incredible voice gave me the chills. Me and my mom loved her music. No doubt did she have her public struggles in the media, but I always hoped she would come back strong and fierce, and kick butt like she did in the 80's! The entertainment industry is a though world and sometimes the negativity can get the best of a person. I hope this will serve as an example to the world that dealing with pain by using drugs and alcohol is never the right way to go, whether you're famous or not. 

And above all, talking bad, bullying and gossiping about anyone is pointless and only makes this world grim. Instead, we need to empower one another, bring out the best in people and experience joy - and that's what I think Whitney did through her music for us.     

Her incredible voice, her spirit and the happiness she spread throughout the world is what should be remembered! 

Here is one of my favorite songs by Whitney (recorded when she was only 24), which I still jam out to in my apartment! :) Another one of my favorites is "My Love is Your Love".

♥ Rest in peace Whitney! We will always love you!! ♥

Hot Rollers

Yay it's the weekend! Got a good 9 hours of beauty sleep last night and woke up this morning to a snowy New York. It's the first time its snowed since I've been back, the weather here has been totally bizarre. But I'm not going to complain cause I love the warmth and spring time is right around the corner! 

Today I attempted to put my hair in hot rollers for the very first time! Let me just say, it's not as easy as I thought it would be! It took me a few attempts to get the hair rolled into place, and to make the pin stay properly in the roller. But practice makes perfect and I eventually got them into place... sort of :)

I left the rollers in whilst I did my makeup and cleaned up my apartment, so for about 30 minutes.

 

Patiently waiting...

Et voila! The finished result!

I used the Conair Instant Heat Rollers & a small spritz of Elnett to set the curls

I really love the way it came out. It's looks big, natural and wavy! It's also much less damaging for your hair than using a curling iron, since these rollers don't get as hot. Definitely going to try this again :) Let me know if you've used hot rollers before and what you thought. 

XOXO

Casual Friday

Hey everyone! I just came back from a lovely dinner with friend Emily - the one with the gorgeous green eyes :) We had sushi uptown at a really cute place that had a huge Buddha in it, similar to Buddha Bar, but more casual. Always love hanging out with her!

I wanted to do a proper outfit post but was really running late so I just snapped a quick picture before leaving. I recently got this gorgeous silver sequined top from Zara, which I paired with dark blue demins and classic white converse. Of course my new Aldo bag & fur collar go with me everywhere these days :)

Quick picture of my outfit before leaving

This was so exciting to see! My dads cousin is in the new NBC's show called SMASH. I watched the first episode on Monday and it's so good! I love the glamour of it. So in the pyramid of people shown, he's the 2nd one from the left (with dark hair). He plays Katherine McPhee's boyfriend ♥ He used to perform in the broadway play Mama Mia in London for several years. So happy for him!

My dad's cousin, Raza Jaffrey on a NYC cab for SMASH! Woop!

Just taken :)

Now I'm back home & in the midst of getting ready for bed. Am exhausted from this week! Excited to sleep in tomorrow morning :) Any fun plans for the weekend? Let me know below! 

Hope everyone has a great night! 

XOXO

Questions! Health, Hair & Confidence

How do you cut your hair? Do you color it?
One of the most asked questions I get is about my hair color :) My natural hair color is medium brown, which makes up about 90% of my hair color, the other 10% is highlighted. When I highlight (very small strands), I always get a blonde caramel tone and a gold toned highlight, and my stylist alternates them. I only highlight the top half of my hair. I haven't done this, however, since last August. I've recently been using honey and coconut oil to naturally lighten my hair. It works but takes a few times to see the effect. And my hair is cut in long layers in a V shape :)

My current hair color. As you can see the highlights have grown out since August :) Will continue with my natural honey lightening.

I would love your opinion on natural shampoos & conditioners that don't contain all those horrible ingredients like silicon & parabens. I have tried a few however they left my hair feeling really dry.
Shampoos are meant to clean, not really moisturize. So what you need is a good conditioner. Try at home ones, they work great and are completely natural! Read reviews about products before buying them (makeupalley is a great website for that). That helps eliminate lots of trial & error. Natural brands I like are Nature's Gate, Jason Natural and Giovanni. 


How much and what kind of exercise do you do? And how do you stay so strict on healthy food?
I try to be active every day eg. I'll use the stairs instead of elevator / escalator, I walk instead of taking a taxi or subway, I dance in my apartment (yes lol) etc... I do "formal" gym workouts whenever I get the chance, which is rare these days, so I try to incorporate as much natural exercise as I can (have also been doing workout DVD's at home and I love it). I eat healthy because I eat for my body, not for my emotions. I know what my body likes, and I feed it accordingly :)

I used to be 20kg (40lbs) heavier than I am now. I learned how to eat right and exercise, that is the only way :)

I’m a little bit insecure and I have low self-esteem. I would like to know what to do to get better and what are your tips for a person like me.
Having a good self-esteem and confidence is all about trusting yourself, being your best friend and knowing your own worth. You have to LOVE yourself (not in a conceited way, but in a healthy way). Get to know yourself and write down what you really admire and love about yourself, and start to think "Hey I'm a pretty good person!". Always know that you are more beautiful than you believe, smarter than you think and capable of anything in this world. Have a good attitude and you wont only be confident, but you will also attract positive things (people, situations, ideas) into your life.

When you're positive, you will attract positive like minded friends :)

You said you had stubborn acne on your forehead and chin, are you referring to blackheads and clogged pores? I have the same thing and i was wondering if "The Regimen" cured that for you?
The acne.org system really worked well for me. I am not sponsored or affiliated with them in any way, and purchase their products every 3 months or so. I am a loyal fan! The acne that I had before wasn't red or inflamed, but it was these stubborn little pimples under my skin that never went away.  The 2% BP treatment really helped with that. I've cut down on the amount of treatment since my skin doesn't need much anymore. The "glow" and overall health of your skin however, mostly derives from the food you eat. Include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet and don't forget to drink water! :)

Do you use some light/lamp in front of the camera to record videos, or you're facing a window using natural light?

I just use natural light from my window :)

Filming can get a little messy sometimes :)

I am going to NY in about a month with a group of friends (a sex & the city trip ;)). I noted down all the products that you suggested which I found useful for my skin and I am struggling in planning where to find them. Do you have any particular suggestion where to go for beauty products (for makeup, haircare, visage creme)? 
Your trip sounds so fun! I am sure you and your friends will have a fabulous time here. Yes, Sephora is a must (you might get lost there for at least an hour)! The great time about the states are the drugstores (or in Europe we call them pharmacies). Here they're huge and stocked with lots of beauty products. Also check out Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales, they both have an entire floor dedicated to high end cosmetics. New York also has various Beauty Supply Stores that are always fun to look in and carry a really big selection of products. Have fun!


Thanks for all your questions! Keep them coming :)
XOXO

Hejsan Sverige!

Som några av er kanske vet, är jag född i Sverige och anser mig vara svensk. Det är så roligt att veta att jag har svenska tittare och läsare, hela vägen från Amerika! Många av er ville veta vilken del av Sverige jag kommer från - och det är Göteborg.

Även då jag flyttade från Sverige när jag var yngre, minns jag fortfarande hur det var att leva där, som det vore igår! Det är roligt att tänka sig att när jag flyttade till Schweiz, kunde jag knappt prata engelska (eller franska!) :)

Sista gången jag var i Sverige var för några år sedan. Vi åkte till Stockholm, Göteborg naturligtvis, och besökte min mormor som bor på landet i Blekinge (pussar till dig mormor!).

Hursomhelst, jag ville bara skicka en speciell hälsning och förhoppningsvis kommer jag tillbaka på ett besök snart! Skulle älska att göra en liten 'meet & greet'!

Kramar XOXO

Pink Friday

I was in desperate need of a good manicure today. When the weather is dry and cold, my hands and nails WILL retaliate if I dont treat them right. So whilst choosing amongst the array of colors, I saw the new Nicki Minaj by OPI collection, and this bubble gum pink color immediately caught my eye. It's appropriately called "Pink Friday". It is very opaque, meaning the color literally turns out the way you see it in the bottle. The color is definitely "Barbie", but it's growing on me and I kinda like it!

Pink Friday by Nicki Minaj OPI

Starting full time classes again has definitely taken up a lot of time, but I am looking forward to graduation which is right around the corner! I've also been doing lots of work on my channel (it's undergoing a makeover) so as soon as that's done, I'll be back to posting more videos! 

One of which is the look I wore in my latest video (shown below). It was a requested makeup tutorial on Nicole Richie's smokey eye makeup. Excited to share it with you!

Now I'm off to watch some late night talk shows, unwind and drift away into la la land! 

Goodnight XOXO

New Shoes

These are probably one of the most amazing pair of shoes I've ever seen at Zara. Beautifully embellished in black diamonds. They have Annie written all over them lol :) Of course I had to get them and they were only $79! I think these could pass for $800 Louboutins. These will go great with so many outfits. I think they would look amazing with skinny black jeans, a nice flowy top and a black blazer. Sexy & chic!

I'm definitely looking forward to wearing these bad boys in the spring! 

I'm also happy because there will be some new changes happening to my YouTube and blog in the next month (all great!) and I'm excited to share them with you soon. Today I'm off to class and will be back home later to edit my new video. Hope everyone's had a great weekend! 

XOXO