Beauty Updates #6 + Giveaway

Hello Angels 

Beauty Blender
Ain't we all familiar with these Hot Pink cult favorite??!! That being said i am quite late to the party! OMG, they are not just one of the best makeup tool inventions but addictive too.

Wet the sponge, squeeze excess water before application. Super easy to buff in and the 'Pointed' corner allows easy application towards corners. Makeup looks flawless and neat.   
Good News - These babies launch in Sephora outlets Dubai this November. They are also launching Micro Mini versions, designed for eye + nose contouring. I wasn't very sure about the need to have mini ones. But after a demo by the makeup artist. i totally wanted a dozen! Are you a Beauty blender fan??

Sephora Lipstick Remover

You never realize the need for certain products until your introduced to it. Lipstain Antidote by Sephora falls under this category for me. We all love our long lasting lipsticks but lets agree to get them off becomes a pain at times. 

This oil in gel formula based product removes lip stains and dark lipsticks within seconds. Comes in a very convenient small tube that can be slipped into your handbag. Such a handy product, isn't it??

AED35/USD7

Sephora Rouge Extreme Liquid Lipstick

Sephora is definitely upping their game on a cosmetic front. Their liquid lipstick was a major hit and this fall they have launched Rouge Extreme Liquid lipsticks. A slightly refined version of the former. 

Firstly i love the packaging. The texture is creamy and OMG pigmented. The only low down being all colors in the collection are dark. If you are on a look out for long lasting lipstick this babe from Sephora is a STEAL!

AED85/USD17

Now for the exciting bit. Am giving away each product mentioned in this post. UAE Residents only. Rules? Simple, leave a comment below telling me what is your favorite makeup tool along with email address. All the Best!

Hope you found this post useful my loves. Have a safe and fun weekend.

Love

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara | Review

Hello Angels

When it comes to Mascara i think we are spoiled for choices. Literally. There are sooo many out there doing an above average job. Volumizing, lengthening are key look out factors. This week i fell for a new launch from Urban Decay.  

Perversion by Urban Decay is super pigmented. Dark jet black. The brush is densely packed with bristles. These kinda brushes are good to add volume. On application, first thought that crossed my mind was SOFT! 

What sold me to this product?? The bristles are super soft and the consistency of the Mascara is slightly liquid-y, making the application smooth and easy to 'pull' (even after 2 coats!!). 

No clumping. Adds good volume. My lashes look fuller and clump free. With the bigger brush, yes application on lower lashes is tad bit difficult but i guess this is a common issue with most mascaras. 

I love the sleek packaging and length of the wand. All in all am doting on this product at the moment and highly recommend it.  

Cost Approx AED 180/USD22. Available at Sephora Outlets.

The special edition box comes with a mini Subversion Lash Primer. A renewed version of UD's discontinued lash primer. The product basically allows smooth application and preps your lashes. But with Perversion, you can easily do without this primer. 

However, with other slightly more thick textured mascaras this primer comes in use. 

Give this mascara a try ladies. Love

BareMinerals BareSkin Serum Foundation | Review

Hello Angels

Bare Minerals Bareskin Serum Foundation - Bare minerals is well known for their mineral powder foundation, staple to many, though i haven't used one yet!! (Shocker!) Powder foundations and me don't get along so well. 

Bare Minerals have come up with their 1st liquid foundation and with a massive cult following, the hype over their latest launch came as no surprise to me. Firstly, true to name, BM products are mineral based and they take skincare into great consideration. This foundation as a build in serum that promises to reduce dark spots and brighten skin. 

The product uses comparatively reduced ingredients to other foundations in the market. This also being the reason why the instructions insist on 'shaking' the bottle well before each use. Mainly because there are no chemical binders to hold the ingredients.

Moving on to the actual product and its performance. I used the recommended Bare Mineral Perfecting skin brush. This brush, yes, looks very unique. With a reservoir dent in the middle to hold the foundation drop. The application is super smooth. After a couple of use, my thoughts are somewhere in between, so i literally listed down the Yay's & Nay's for you guys to decide..

Pros

• The texture is amazingly smooth, soft and light as feather.
• Leaves a very natural look with decent coverage.
• Mineral Based.
• Gives a dewy and bright look.
• The brush is excellent. Evenly distributes the product and very soft on skin.
• No silicone and No fragrance. 
• Build in serum with coconut, Jojoba, Vitamin C and Lilac plant stem extract for skin brightening and toning. 
• Recommended for sensitive skin
• SPF 20
• Available in 20+ shades. Though in Dubai i think only about 12 is launching. 

Cons

• Too dewy for me! I love glow  but this product somehow makes my face look slightly oily.
• The 'How To Use' instructions says 1-2 drops for a natural coverage, i however had to go for almost 6 drops to get a neat coverage. 
• I personally won't recommend the product for oily skin unless your ready to touch up/powder frequently.  

The foundation though may not be my go to foundation, i can definitely see myself using it during days when i need slight coverage yet want to keep things simple. Give it a try before you make a purchase. 

Cost $29/AED 170 approx. Available at Sephora. 

Let me know your thoughts ladies. 

Love

Lovin' | Nails & A Book

Hello Angels

What's up my lovelies?? 

About the title, Nails and Book! Yes, i know they don't really blend. But i thought i would share 3 of my early September favorites. By profession am a Finance Analyst, so my day to day work life is not very colorful or glamorous. However, i add tad bit color to my so called 'professional attire' with the help of accessories or in this particular week using nail paints.

This light lilac-y blue color by KIKO is an old favorite. To this i added Barry M's Amethyst Glitter. I so so loved the combination and received compliments too! woop woop! Am growing rather fond of this style and may try it out with other colors too.

Another find - Monumental  by X Formula. I love love X Formula's pastel collection and this one is truly the perfect nude shade. It goes well with all outfits and i cannot stop starring at my nails!!

If i wasn't painting my nails, i was mostly glued to this book - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. International best seller and that says it all. Though it did take me a couple of chapters to really get hooked. And then there was no separating us. The story revolves around a couple Nick and Amy and their disturbed marriage. Amy disappears on the morning of their 5th anniversary.

The book takes us through several events in a parallel fashion - Investigation/Interrogation by Cops, Nick turning out to be not so 'Perfect Husband' after all and narrations from Amy's Diary about her life with Nick.

I won't let out any spoilers but do make sure you add this thriller to your list.

Love

Where to Eat? #2

Hello Angels

Weekend is around the corner! 

The ultimate two days meant for relaxation and catching up with family and friends. And if the same can be set in a pleasant restaurant or Cafe?? Nothing like it...

Am on a constant hunt for good cafes and restaurants. Last 2 weeks i was lucky enough to come across few really good ones. So here you go...Hope this helps your weekend 'Where to meet up' dilemma

Hamptons Cafe, Dubai

Located in Jumeira, Umm Hurair road is a beautiful Villa turned into Cafe. I love the homely vibe it carries plus the interior is fantastic. I mostly visit this place with my friends or mum for tea or breakfast. They have a good collection of Tea/Coffee's along with snack options.  11/10 for presentation. Their Wifi facility makes it a good place to get some work done peacefully! 

Must Try - Vanilla Tea, Hot chocolate and Butter Milk chicken. Good selection of cakes as well.

Mint Leaf  (Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC)

Indian fine dinning. Ahh this place is gorgeous and the food is mind blowing. Literally! Pricey but occasionally i don't mind spending for the experience and awesome food. Excellent service.

Must Try - Punjabi Chicken Masala, Tandoori Jheenga, Allo Chaat and Brownie.

Clinton Street Baking Company (Downtown Dubai)

This place is highly recommended for breakfast. Pancakes and Waffles are amazing. I once dropped by for dinner and ordered their Grilled Chicken Sandwitch...simply delicious!

Unfortunately i don't have any good pics to share :(

Have a fab weekend ladies

Love

Breakout Savior | Esthederm Intensif Vitamin C

Hello my loves

Hope you guys had a fab weekend...

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have witnessed me complaining about my skin going through a rough phase. This perhaps was the worst i dealt with in a long long time. The breakout was a combination of pimples, dry skin, irritation and several small bumps on skin. 

Am still not sure what caused the breakout. There was no new products introduced to my routine and diet was regular. Anyway despite using good cleansing masks and Origins GingZing there was absolute no signs of improvement. 

I never ever use a new product in the midst of a bad breakout but this one product from Esthederm (Intensif VitamineC Cream) made into exception. After careful examination of ingredients/formulation, i decided to give it a go (yes! i was desperate)

We all know French cosmetics are truly the best and they get the job done. Esthederm was a fairly new brand to me. But after a little study/googling i concluded that it was me living under a stone. This brand is popular and sold at almost every online beauty store.

I used the product day and night for 5 days and the results was truly amazing. Redness and spots visibly reduced. My skin appeared wayyyy more problem free and radiant. In fact there was hardly any sign of bad breakout. I would just let my 'Before' and 'After' pics speak for the product.

The texture is thick and requires good blending. Leaves your skin hydrated for 6 hrs+. This product is highly concentrated in Vitamin C and targets to battle pigmentation and harmful effects from free radicals. The brand as an amazing spread of product targeting specific skin conditions (Moisturization, Protection, Purification, Sensitive skin, Radiance and Youthfulness, wrinkles, Pigmentation, firming and so on). You name it they have a product for you.

Cult favorite Bioderma Micellar Water is a part of this brand. Need i say more??

I continue to use this product till my faced is all cleared up. And then i may stick to using it perhaps once a week or so. Cost AED500/USD104. The product is expensive but needless to say you get your moneys worth.

Hope this post was useful. Check out their full range at Feelunique.com, cultbeauty.com or Esthederm.com
Available in Dubai at Boots and Bin Sina pharmacies.

Love

Nail Art | DIY

Hello Loves

Weekend is here! Thank goodness. 

So i put on my creative hat this weekend and decided to try something different whilst painting my nails. Stripes it was (also because it seemed a lot more easier than other designs)

Here are the steps i followed 

• Before you kick start, cut out few pieces of tape in desired width. I went for rather slim ones
• To get a hang of it, start with your thumb nail. Place the tapes on your nails (any desired angle)
• And then paint away (i used Greenberry by Barry M here)
• Be patient and let the paint dry well before you strip them off
• Apply the Top coat 
• DONE!

Once you get a hang of it, you can do all nails together. It does take time but i think the results are worth it. Also it is a fun time pass when you've friends over for catch up or tea.

Have a fun weekend guys...

Love

DiorSkin Star Foundation | Review

Hello Angels

Another foundation in town ladies!! Excited? Well i have every intention to enable you, for right reasons.

DiorSkin Star Foundation - The company claims it to be their lightest formula ever yet meant to give good coverage. When i popped by Paris Gallery to upgrade my Primer (full story here), i came across this beaut and instantly fell for it after a demo.

Thinking of light, good coverage, radiant, almost flawless finish?? Well you may want to think of investing in DiorSkin Star foundation then. Am i sounding too commercial here? That's because I AM actually really really impressed by it, that i would persuade everyone to buy or atleast give it a try. 

The product blends easily, feels feather light on skin and gives medium to light coverage. It evens out discoloration or blemishes yet gives a very natural look and feel to the skin. The texture is smooth and shimmer less. After application your skin looks bright, radiant and healthy (not dewy, which am ok with). And the same is retained for more than decent no of hours.

The bottle is a keeper and the pump is a dream to use. Those who love Dior Nude foundation, is sure to love this even more.

Cost AED249/USD50 (SPF 30)

Am currently loving my foundation routine with this babe. My skin transforms to a better version of itself without looking too made up. Also the foundation is scented, but for some really odd reason it doesn't upset me (scented face products usually gives me a headache!)

I luckily found a true match (030). The product comes in 12 shades, however not every region may stock all of it.

Which foundation do you consider holy grail?

Love