HOW TO | Cider with Rosie

My everyday makeup look!

24.05

P I N K , G R E Y , + N U D E

I had a question pop up via my Instagram recently about how I do my makeup, and it got me thinking about the fact that I’ve never actually shared a tutorial for my everyday, so-routine-I-could-do-it-half-asleep, makeup look!

That’s probably, I guess, down to the fact that it’s taken me a little while (easily a good couple of years!) to work out exactly how I like my makeup to look on a day to day basis. I still do tend to fiddle around with it fairly regularly (some days I’ll swap in liquid liner instead of a shadow line, other days I I fancy a bold lip), but this is the base look I come back to time and again.

It’s a pretty muted, natural look, with softly defined eyes (using a charcoal grey shadow for liner, in place of pencil or liquid), a subtle contoured cheek, and peachy pink blush and lips.

Here’s the how-to! >>

01. Apply your favourite base- right now I’m using Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, and a beauty blender-type sponge for a flawlessly light and natural finish. Add concealer beneath the eyes and to any blemishes.

02. Sweep a light, creamy toned shadow over the whole of your eyelid, and up onto the brow bone.

03. Work a light grey shadow into the outer corner and crease of your eye socket, blending it in with the base colour.

04. Using a fine brush, carefully line the top of your eye using a charcoal grey shadow, and then use the flat of the brush to smudge a little along your lower lash line too.

05. Blend a rosy pink blusher into the apples of your cheeks- I love Benefit Bella Bamba for its gold highlighting qualities, but since it’s been discontinued, plan on buying Nars Orgasm soon as an alternative.

06. Using a large fluffy brush, sweep bronzer down from your temples through to the contour of your cheeks. Blend well, so as not to create a strongly contoured look- I went a little darker than normal here for the sake of the photos, but usually like the bronzer to be super pared back and subtle!

07. Use a peachy pink liner or matte lip crayon to line the lips, and then go over with your favourite nude-toned lipstick. This Max Factor has been my favourite since last summer- and it’s on its last legs, now!

And that’s it, the finished look! If you recreate it (and I’d love to see photos, if you give it a go!) I hope you love it as much as I do.

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The Summer Wedding Guide.

13.07

As Jason and I are getting older, both the quantity and frequency of wedding invites that land on our doormat (and are delivered straight to our hands by Teddy, the ever-eager postman’s assistant), is without shadow of a doubt on a serious incline. It seems that every time we blink, another of our friends or family members are announcing engagements and setting wedding dates, and it’s such a thrill! And hey, we’re contributing to the trend ourselves!

Whilst my own outfit for that Big Day in July is pretty much set in stone (bar the endless last minute panics about hair styles and accessories I’ve been having…), I always think that the task of dressing for a wedding as a guest is a tricky one. You’ve got to contend with the ‘no white/cream’ rule, and the fear of accidentally showing up a dress that looks like you’ve come as a bonus bridesmaid. You need shoes that’ll carry you through the whole day blister-free, and that’ll stand up to at least 4 hours of shimmying on the dance floor. You’ve got to try to match the tone and feel of the day (will it be super formal, or a relaxed affair?) without looking like you’ve tried too hard. It’s a minefield!

And so, to help navigate this etiquette-laden minefield, this summer I’ve teamed up with Anthropologie to assemble not only the perfect summer wedding ensemble (or at least, I think it’s pretty perfect anyway!), but a charming and personal gift for the happy Mr & Mrs too!

Hold onto your fascinators friends, because we’re going Off Registry… ;)

T H E O U T F I T

If you ask me, the most failsafe choice for a summer wedding is a patterned maxi.

In opting for a patterned dress, your chances of committing the Oops I Look Like A Bridesmaid faux-pas (can you tell I have a mega paranoia about that?) are reduced to 0.01%- trust me, I’ve done the maths. And a full length gown will look glamorous and elegant and all those other wonderful things, *but*, it’s also comfortable and effortlessly bohemian AND you don’t have to wax/shave/tan your legs! A no brainer, right? This beautiful one is soft as can be (it’s made from jersey), and just begs to be danced in.

For the extras (shoes, accessories, you know the drill), I say go timeless and versatile.

A chunky heeled sandal is, as every woman knows, just about the comfiest high heeled shoe imaginable, and these ones are so heavenly I’m debating whether or not to do away with the inevitably painful ivory stilettos I’ve got lined up as my wedding day shoes, and to just wear these instead! ;) They’re the sort of shoe that’ll pair with any dress imaginable, and for those among you who, like me, obsess over a new pair of shoes and like to wear them as often as is humanly possible, they also work just as nicely with jeans as they do with dresses.

What I’m wearing ::
Dress - Nova maxi
Shoes - Talena heels
Bracelet- Gilded Paths cuff
Clutch - Rosie Raffia

T H E G I F T

I remember my Grandma telling me years and years ago about the old fashioned concept of a ‘bottom drawer’. It was, so I learnt, a little set of crockery and linens and all sorts of other homewares that a young couple would collect together and save, ready for when they could afford to move into their own house and set up home together. I thought that that concept, of a little collection of gathered pieces with which to furnish your first home, was such a charming and sweet one that it captured my heart and has stuck with me ever since.

This little wedding gift box is a nod to that sweet ‘bottom drawer’ tradition of gathering. Instead of the usual registry selection or vouchers, I propose picking out some lovely activity for the couple to do together, and putting together a gift box filled with items around the theme. Perhaps pizza making (think pizza stones for creating crispy bases, basil plants, and a wooden serving board) or a cocktail kit (shakers, martini glasses, muddlers, and a bottle of the couple’s favourite spirit)?

For this one, I’ve gathered up all you’d need for a beautiful and lazy weekend morning breakfast in bed- sweet blue-edged glasses to sip fresh juice from, cups as big as side plates to hold froth-topped coffees, beautiful handmade bowls (perfect for granola or oats or for catching the syrup running off a stack of pancakes) and even love-themed porcelain spoons to eat it all with. And, to round out the set, candy striped napkins (for colour and also to act as bed linen protectors…), and a sweetly scented something to brighten up the morning.

Charming, unusual, and oh so personal.

Summer wedding season? We’re ready for you.

* This post was created in collaboration with Anthropologie. *

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5 of the best nail varnishes for Christmas!

15.12

I like to think that nail varnish is one of the few things we can legitimately treat ourselves to during December, a month in which buying for oneself is unoffically prohibited. Within my family anyway, we try to hold off buying ourselves the things we want most during the weeks leading up to Christmas, so as not to spoil any surprises that might be coming our way on the 25th. Not that we always manage to stick to that rule…but we try! And that rule is especially important since both my sister and I are December babies, so we’re double trouble to buy for!

Nail varnishes are just tiny enough to slip under the radar though, if you ask me. You can totally sneak them into the house tucked away in the depths of your handbag after a Christmas gift-buying expedition, and your fiancé will never, ever realise that there’s another little bottle been added to your already somewhat silly collection. So I’ve heard, anyway…

I went through a funny phase of not wearing nail varnish for months and months (laziness got the better of me) but just recently I’ve been back on a major nail polish kick. Today, I’m sharing five of my absolute favourite nail varnish shades for wearing throughout winter, as well as the Christmas season. Oh! And whilst we’re talking of laziness- that Bourgeois 1-second nail varnish remover is witchcraft, I tell you! Honestly and truly, it removed two/three coats of even the darkest colours photographed here in a single swipe, without even a jot of staining! Well worth picking up.

Now, let’s talk colour…

T H E E L E G A N T G O L D ::

Essie ‘Buy me a Cameo’ - £7.99

I love this polish for two reasons- 1. Because it’s easily the most wearable, elegant shade I’ve ever tried on. It finishes off just about any outfit imaginable (and I like to think makes you look like the sort of woman who only ever wears matching underwear, and never forgets to brush her hair), and 2. It dries quicker than a flash. On countless occasions I’ve thrown on a coat or two of this just before running out of the door in a mad panic, and found it’s dried even before I’ve reached my car. Truly the best thing to have on hand (Ha. On hand. D’ya get it?) for those ‘I can’t go to this wedding/meeting/fancy meal out with bare, unmanicured nails’ emergencies.

T H E T R U E R E D ::

Tanya Burr cosmetics ‘Riding Hood’ – £4.99

It’s taken me a long time to feel comfortable wearing red polish. I’d always felt that you could only pull off red if you had beautfifully long, almond shaped nails, and since I have just about the squarest nails you’ll ever come across and an extreme aversion to long nails, I thought it just wasn’t for me! But slowly slowly, as it’s become de rigueur to have shorter nails, I decided that maybe it was time to dip my toe into the scarlet-hued waters. This shade is a beauty. It applies smoothly, and is the most festive shade of red imaginable. Maybe the perfect Christmas day nail colour?

T H E M U T E D G R E Y ::

Essie ‘Master Plan’ – £7.99

Even though Christmas and winter are traditionally a time for bright, jewel-toned shades, I just can’t help but go muted and minimal every now and again too. A grey-toned nail varnish is go-with-everything staple, and truly, you just can’t go wrong with Essie. This one dries quickly and applies smoothly, and is the beautiful elephant-grey shade I love so much. Wear with black skinnies, a Breton and a red lip, and do your best impression of a super-chic Parisian.

T H E I R I D E S C E N T M I D N I G H T B L U E ::

Max Factor Colour Effects ‘Cloudy Blue’ – £3.99

This one might just be my favourite from the whole selection. Navy nail varnish is always a winner in my book, and so one shot through with the most incredible iridescent, sky-at-night shimmer was bound to be a good’un. It sort of reminds me of those galaxy nails that were popular a couple of years ago, but without all the effort of having to mix colours! ;) Oh, and since it’s important to know these things, even though I didn’t use a top coat after applying this (I just bought a new one, and found it was smashed when I open up the packaging, sob!) it still lasted a good couple of days without chipping. With a decent top coat, I reckon it’d be a solid five day-er!

T H E P E R F E C T P L U M ::

Essie ‘Bahama Mama’ – £7.99

Bahama Mama has been my favourite autumn/winter nail varnish since time immemorial. I mean, just look at it! It’s just dark enough to be classed as ‘vampy’ (but not so dark you feel like you’ve journeyed back to your pre-teen goth phase- yep, I had one…) and makes a statement that says ‘I take the winter months seriously, don’t you know’. It’s my favourite shade to wear with a simple nude trench coat and a wide-brimmed hat, for days spent wandering through Christmas markets and drinking mulled wine that matches the colour of your nails.

What I wore :: Pyjamas by Yawn.

Which colour’s your favourite? Do you go bright and sparkly over the Christmas season, or stick to elegant, muted shades? :)

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How to :: cook the perfect strip steak!

18.11

Today, we’re talking steak!

Steak used to be pretty hit and miss, for me. I just couldn’t for the life of me find a way to get it consistent when cooking it at home! I’d take this dark-red, finely marbled dreamboat of a steak, and either make it so rare and bloody inside it was practically still mooing, or totally overcook it and wind up with a shrivelled little hockey puck of a steak. A crime against good beef, I tell you! But since Jason and I take our steak pretty seriously (along with all other food ever), we decided that enough was enough. Time to get on my steak-cooking A-game!

I’ve spent pretty much a year tinkering around with different ways of cooking steak, and now, I think I’ve cracked it! This recipe here is totally foolproof, and never fails to make delicious (and I think pretty darn perfect!) steak!

Let’s get to it…

Let’s get to the nitty-gritty for a second. The steak I like best is Waitrose Hereford beef rump steak, and I always go for the ones with a nice edge of fat on them. Call me gross, but I sort of think it’s the best part ;) Sirloin doesn’t do it for me, rib eye is great but the bone gets in the way, and fillet is lovely but not so flavoursome. Rump is where it’s at! The one photographed here cost about £4, and serving it ‘strip steak’ style makes it magically stretch and serve two people generously. Hello there midweek steak dinners! ;)

So, let’s start with the marinade! In a wide, shallow dish, pour in one part balsamic vinegar to four parts olive oil, and then mix it all together using a sprig of fresh rosemary. Add in a pinch of flaky sea salt and another (smaller) pinch of dried thyme. Crush two large garlic cloves (or more, if you’re a real garlic fiend!) using the back of a knife, and then add them in to the marinade to infuse.

Put the steak into the marinade, turning it over a couple of times so it gets well coated. I usually leave mine to marinade for about an hour, covered over on the kitchen worktop. That way the steak can come to room temperature whilst the marinade works its flavour-infusing, tenderising magic! If you’re marinading further in advance, cover over and store it in the fridge before bringing it to room temperature ready to cook.

Now, here comes the important stuff. The packet will tell you to cook the steak for 8-12 minutes. This is nonsense, if you ask me! For lovely pink (medium-rare/rare) steak, all it needs is 2 minutes each side, 4 minutes total. Here’s how I like to do it:

- Heat up a large frying pan and add in a knob of butter. Throw in the garlic cloves from the steak marinade to flavour the butter, and then when the butter’s totally melted and begins to sizzle, place the steak carefully into the pan.

- Set a a timer for exactly 4 minutes, and start it the moment the steak goes into the hot pan. Keep the heat under the pan medium, and turn the steak every 30 seconds or so to make sure that the heat distributes evenly.

- When the timer pings and the 4 minutes is up, immediately transfer the steak to a large sheet of tin foil, and fold the tin foil around it so that it creates a loose but airtight parcel. The steak can now rest and relax and continue to warm through, but won’t overcook. {n.b. If your steak is a particularly skinny one, I’d maybe go 3 minutes total cooking time instead of 4 to keep it pink.}

- Whilst the steak rests (I usually leave mine to rest in the foil parcel for 5, but sometimes up to 10 minutes), finish off assembling any extras. The tastiest spinach ever can by made by pouring the leftover steak marinade into the still-warm pan, then adding in a couple of big handfuls of spinach and a pinch of sea salt and cooking gently until the spinach is totally wilted.

After the steak’s rested for at least 3 or 4 minutes, take it out of the foil and transfer to a chopping board. Cut into 1/2 centimetre slices, drizzle with the juices left in the bottom of the foil, and season with a big pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve with sticky rice, or homemade chips, or green beans, or in a sandwich, and definitely with some of that delicious wilted spinach.

Easy as pie! Do tag me in your photos if you have a go yourself, I’d love to see how you get on! Find me on Twitter: @ciderwithrosieb & on Instagram at ‘ciderwithrosieblog’, but then you knew that already, right? ;)

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Posted in FOOD, FROM MY HOME TO YOURS, HOW TO, RECIPE, SAVOURY