Guerlain Haul.

Hello everyone :)

I paid a little visit to Areej in the City Center the other day, because I needed some sunblock cream and yes, I ended up not only buying sunblock cream, but buying a few more things from the Guerlain counter.

What caught my attention in the beginning was their nail polish. They had this wide range of gorgeous colours. I wasn't intending to buy any at first but after trying a few, I felt like I had to have some new additions to my nail polish collection.. Well, a girl can never have too much nail polish, right? :P

Anyways, I ended up getting 2 nail polishes, a lipstick and a compact powder foundation.

 

Lingerie De Peau nude powder foundation: I was a bit reluctant to try this powder foundation when the lady at the Guerlain counter recommended it to me. I usually don't use foundation, but when I tried this, I found myself absolutely in love! The moment it was applied to my face, my face instantly lit up! My complexion appeared smooth and even. 

It is very light and soft on skin and that makes it very natural looking and hence the name 'Lingerie De Peau'. It gives a matte finish with a little bit of glow. It also has SPF 20, which adds extra protection against the sun.

Kiss Kiss in 321 - Red Passion: I'm all about classic red lips and that is why I couldn't say no to this one here! This lipstick has a matte finish and thus very comfortable on the lips. It is also well pigmented and very long lasting.

Colour Lacquer nail polish in shades 212 - Rouge d'Enfer, a red shade that matches the shade of the lipstick that I got & 168 - L'Heure Bleue, which is a gorgeous wintery shade. 

Nail polish shades from this 'Colour Lacquer' collection are created to match the iconic Guerlain lipsticks shades, so for each and every lipstick shade, you'll have a matching nail polish colour - which is absolutely glamorous!

The nail polish comes with an easy to use brush, that is wide and flat enough to ensure an even application of the polish.

Have you tried any of these products? If yes, tell me what you think about them :)

Out & About | A weekend in Abu Dhabi.

Hello everyone.
I was able to spend a weekend with my friends in Abu Dhabi recently. It was my first time in Abu Dhabi as I usually only stay in Dubai when I'm in the Emirates. It is true that you get a better shopping & cruising experience in Dubai, but I found Abu Dhabi much more quiet and comfortable and way less crowded.
We stayed at the Millennium Corniche hotel for which we had to pay 100 OMR, which is a very nice price for 3 nights stay considering that it's a 5 star hotel.

breakfast at Lips Cafe

let the feast begin

macarons!

Going to Abu Dhabi, everyone expected me to visit Ferrari world, but as I was only there for a short period of time, I wanted to have a sense of Abu Dhabi cafes & restaurants, do some shopping & spend some quality time with my friends. I didn't want to go to any theme parks!

I had a chance to go walk by the Corniche, which was very crowded, but pleasant nonetheless. I also took a brief visit to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque; which I found absolutely stunning. everything was white and there were many tourists admiring the architecture of the mosque. There were also little carts that looked like golf carts, which people used to wander around the mosque.

Al'Reem Island

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Jareer bookstore

I also made sure I visit a few malls including Marina mall, Abu Dhabi mall & the Galleria. Most of the shops had 50-75% off discounts, so I found myself very tempted to buy a thing or two :P
When I was in the Galleria, I came across a little bakery called Magnolia bakery. The name immediately sounded so familiar to me, then only when I went in and saw all the swirly icing on the cupcakes I remembered why. The original Magnolia bakery was founded in New York and was featured in Saturday Night Live & Sex and the City. Of course I HAD to try their famous cupcakes! I had red velvet cupcake and iced mocha & I am not exaggerating when I say it was the most delicious red velvet cupcake I've ever had in my life! Magnolia bakery was without a doubt my favourite part of Abu Dhabi. My friends and I ended up spending about 45 minutes there. The atmosphere was warm and staff were very welcoming. The decor was somewhat vintage.

Christian Louboutin's store at the Galleria

Godiva

Magnolia Bakery

Magnolia bakery swirls!

red velvet

In the end of this post; I apologize for the poor quality pictures. I forgot to take my camera with me and I ended up saving pics from my Snapchat!
If you'd like some relaxing time joined with some shopping, Abu Dhabi is the place to go! Hope you enjoyed this post ♥

Pretty Little Things | Bi-Facil Makeup Remover by Lancome.

Hello beautifuls.
I got this little sample of the Bi-Facil makeup remover when I paid a visit to the Lancome counter at 4U department store in Muscat Grand Mall 2 weeks ago. The moment I tried it, I instantly fell in love with it! It is ah-mayyy-zing!!

This is actually an eye makeup remover, but I use it for my entire face. It removes water-proof makeup (including mascara) so gently, yet thoroughly - no rubbing/tons of cotton pads needed. It leaves skin feeling fresh and hydrated, so you don't even need to moisturize after using it. It is suitable for people with sensitive eyes as it never irritates the eyes.
I am definitely going back to the store to purchase a big bottle of this makeup remover, because I am so impressed! If you are looking for a great makeup remover; I would totally recommend this for you.

This is going to be my last post before Eid holidays. I don't know if I'd be able to post new posts during the holidays or not! Anyways; happy Eid Al-Adha to all of you celebrating & enjoy your holidays :)

My Favourite Five | Red Lipsticks.

Hello beautifuls!

Okay, first of all as you can see; {my favourite five} is a new series of posts in which I am going to take you on a guide of my favourite things. I am going to publish a new post once every month.

The premiere of my favourite five will be on red lipsticks, so without further ado; here are my five musketeers:

Starting from left to right:
Rouge Dior in shade 999 - N°999 by Christian Dior: this one is a unique orangey red in colour; and that's exactly what I love about it. I looked for this same shade from other brands, but I could not find the exact same shade! I usually wear this lipstick during the day because it is very bright. It has a creamy texture and a slight gloss. If you want something vibrant; this is the lipstick for you!

Rouge Pur Couture in shade 55 by YSL: this one is red with a slightly coral colour; the kinda red that you can wear at any time of the day. It has a semi-matte finish and is very comfortable to wear.

Rouge Allure in shade 99 - Pirate by Chanel: this one is deep red with blueish undertone. It makes teeth look whiter! It has a matte texture so it it very long lasting and very comfortable. I always go for this lipstick when I'm invited to formal events, because it is a deep, classic red!

Rouge in Love in shade 185N - Rouge Valentine by Lancome: this one is a dark pinkish-red lipstick. It has a matte texture, thus very long lasting and comfortable to wear. I think this lipstick is suitable to wear at any time of the day, because it is not too deep, but not too bright either.

Rouge Volupte Shine in shade 04 - Rouge in Danger by YSL: this one is the one I wear almost every day. It has a bright cherry-red colour, so it will add a pop of colour to your whole face, making look fresh. It is glossy and very moisturizing, but doesn't leave a waxy feeling, so it is very suitable for everyday use.

All of these lipsticks are slightly pricey, but I think they're worth their price, because they are very pigmented and long lasting, especially the Chanel and Lancome ones.
So these are my favourite five red lipsticks. If you are a red lipstick kinda girl like me, then I totally recommend you try these. If you would like me to post full reviews on any of these lipsticks, please tell me on the comment section below.
In the end I would like to say that life's too short, make every day a red lipstick day! Have a wonderful weekend ❤️

Marks & Spencer's Creamy Coconut Collection.

Hello beautifuls. I hope you all are well and happy.
I am someone who cannot go a day without bath and body products and of course passing by the goodies in Marks and Spencer, I found myself very tempted to try the ones they had. There were so many differently scented bath and body products, but since I love coconut scent so much, I decided to give this creamy coconut collection a try. I didn't get the full collection as I only needed the moisturizing body better, hand & body lotion and the shower gel.

Moisturizing body butter: this body butter is very moisturizing & makes my skin feel smooth, but I find it too thick! You actually need a chunk of the product rubbed hard on your skin so that skin can absorb it properly! It would really be much nicer if this body butter was a little bit more creamy.

Hand & body lotion: I LOVE this lotion! I love it's smell, I love how creamy & moisturizing it is! There's absolutely nothing negative I would say about this product; it's perfect <3

Shower gel: ok, to be honest the only thing I liked about this shower gel is that it doesn't leave skin too dry. Other than that, I was not very fond of it! It has a smell but it's too slight! Plus it doesn't smell like coconut at all!

Again; this collection contains more than just these three products. If I remember correctly; there were also hand & nail cream, talcum powder & bath foam. I don't remember the exact prices, but these didn't cost me much at all, so the good thing here is that you get loads for your money.
Would I buy these products again? I might repurchase the hand and body lotion, but not the other two!

Style Crush | Fan BingBing's Red Carpet Style.

I accidentally came across a few pictures of Fan BingBing on the internet and I immediately found myself falling in love with her red carpet style! Those of you who have never heard of FaFan BinBing; she is a Chinese actress who has been voted the most beautiful person in China in 2010 & also the best dressed international star in 2012. The media describes her as a fashion icon, which is something she deserves very well in my opinion.

Left to right: Chris Bu, Fan BingBing & Elie Saab

For red carpet appearances, she is always looking admirably classy & very elegant. The picture above shows her with her stylist; Chris Bu & the amazing Lebanese designer Elie Saab.
What distinguishes her from other celebrities is her simple sophistication & her signature bold red lips that suit her very well. I leave you with a few pictures that show different red carpet styles from this fashion icon.

Fan BingBing also pays a lot of attention to her jewelry and what clutches she's carrying to the red carpet:

Fang Bingbing is someone who is very good at looking glamorously majestic at all times. I love that simple elegance about her red carpet style and the harmony in her different looks. What about you guys? I would love to know your opinion on Fan BingBing's red carpet style.

L’Oréal Professionel Pro-Keratin Refill.

Hello beautifuls.
In this post I'm going to share with you my point of view on the L’Oréal Professionel Pro-Keratin Refill collection, which consists of shampoo, conditioner and a mask. I tend to change the products I use for my hair regularly, because my hair gets used to them pretty quickly!

I bought the L’Oréal Professionel Pro-Keratin Refill collection from a local hair salon when I was looking for something that will provide treatment and nourishment for my dry & damaged hair. The three of them cost me about 25 OMR.

I have been using them 1-2 times a week for the past one and a half month. For the shampoo (250 ml), which feels very gentle on the hair, you simply apply it evenly through damp hair before rinsing it thoroughly. The conditioner (150 ml) and the mask (200 ml) are thick and are applied to washed and towel-dried hair & should be left on for 5 minutes before you rinse them thoroughly. They all smell very fresh and nice.

This collection contains keratin & L’Oréal says that it will "rebuild lost keratin in the hair to reconstruct and reinforce weak, fragile hair."
Using these products I expected my hair to feel smoother and become shinier and much more healthier. The shampoo works very well cleaning my hair and as I said before it is very gentle, so it doesn't leave my hair feeling dry after washing it. The mask works very well giving my hair the moisture it needs. It's like it wraps a protective layer around my hair making it feel smoother and healthier. The conditioner has nearly no effect on my hair compared to the mask.

Will I repurchase these products again? I would buy the shampoo and the mask again, but not the conditioner, because the mask works way better than the conditioner on my hair & I was very happy about how smooth it makes my hair feel. If you would like to give this collection a try, I'd recommend you buy the shampoo and the mask only.

Have you tried the L’Oréal Professionel Pro-Keratin Refill collection? What do you think of it? What hair products would you recommend for me to use next?

Clarins Instant Light Eye Perfecting Base.

Hello Everyone .. ♥♥♥

Up for another review? .. yes? then scroll down and keep reading :-)

This is a review on the instant light eye perfecting base by Clarins. When I purchased this product I wanted something that is light on skin & can be used everyday. I didn't know what to expect from this product in the beginning, but I decided to give it a try! Here are my thoughts & opinion on this eye base:

Price 

13 Omani Rials for 2 mL. 

Packaging

I like the packaging of this product; the gold, white & red colours go very nicely with each other, don't they? :3 .. As you can see in the pictures; this product comes in a plastic pen with a brush on one end, through which the product is dispensed. 

You need to twist the base of the pen for the product to come out through the brush. This actually ensures that you can easily control how much of the product you want to use.

Smell & Texture 

Smells nice & fresh. 

The texture is very creamy & lightweight. 

Shades

Two shades only: 00 which is a little bit pinkish in colour & 01 which is brownish-beige.

How to Apply 

Apply a small amount to the area around your eyes. You can apply it using a foundation brush or simply using your fingertips. 

It can be worn alone, with makeup or as a highlighter.

How Much Do You Need? 

You only need a small amount, so it usually survives for so long, but if you use it everyday it gets used up fairly quickly.

I am using shade 01

Coverage & Finish

Because of it's lightweight texture, its coverage is usually light, but you can control how much coverage you want by applying more or less of this product. It will give the eye area smoothness, making it ready for makeup.

Results

Once you're done applying this to the area around your eye, you'll notice that your eyelid area is smoother than usual & your under-eye area is very well concealed. Your eye shadow, kohl & eyeliner colours will be enhanced. The lightweight texture of this base prevents it from giving a greasy finish. Your eyes will look healthier as a result.

In Clarins international website, it says that this base has anti-pollution complex, so when applying this, you will not only be prepping your eye area for makeup, but also protecting it from any aggressions. 

Pros 

Very easy to apply!

Has anti-pollution complex.

Lightweight.

Looks very natural on skin.

Smooths the eyelid well.

Sets makeup, enhances it makes it last longer.

Enhances eye shadow, kohl & eyeliner colour.

Allows eye shadow to be blended easily.

Doesn't give a greasy finish.

Does not fade, so you don't have to reapply it throughout the day.

Cons

Expensive. 

Used up very quickly if used everyday.

Would I buy it again? 

Yes. 

This product preps the eye area for makeup, protects it from any aggressions as well as enhances makeup staying power. 

I also love it's light texture & natural finish, which makes it very good for everyday use. 

Do I recommend it? 

Yes.

If your eye makeup is not staying put & you'd want it to last all day, then this is the product for you!

Hope you found this post useful. If you have any questions about this instant light eye perfecting base, please leave them in the comment section & I would be happy to answer them for you. Or you can tell me about the eye base you're using right now.

Out & About | Moka and More.

Those who know me know that I love going to Moka and More every other day for some refreshing iced-mocha, especially after finishing work. In this post I am going to tell you what I think about this cute cafe. 

Atmosphere & Decor: 5/5

The best thing about Mocha and More is that it is very spacious and quiet. The place is filled with sofas and shelves that you feel like you're sitting in your own living room.

Seats Available: 5/5

Menu: 4/5

There aren't many choices on the menu, but you can find some very nice breakfast choices. Alongside that you also have the fresh cakes to choose from. Again not the biggest selection, but those offered are so good.

Food: 4.5/5 

Freshly made and delicious. I especially love their cheesecakes and their chicken fajitas! They are so yummy, I could probably eat them everyday.

Drinks: 3.5/5

I always have either iced-mocha or iced-mocha shake which are delicious, but sometimes they make them too sugary! There is a great variation of teas and coffees so there will be something for everyone.

Service: 5/5

Service is quick and staff are very friendly & welcoming.

Wifi: Available.

Price: 3/5

Mocha and More is slightly more expensive than other coffee shops. We had 2 drinks, 2 small water bottles, 3 mini croissants, Greek salad, 3 chicken fajitas & 2 strawberry cheesecakes. It cost us 23 Omani Rials.

If you are planning on visiting, you will find Mocha & More in Alghubra, right next to the GMC showroom.

I'm definitely going to be visiting again!

My World in Pictures | Colours of Eid

Hello everyone. 

Eid Mubarak to all of you celebrating.. I hope you all had a great time during the holidays.

I leave you with a few glances of our (my sisters' & mine) Eid Al Fitr outfits. 

Enjoy ♥♥

Our outfit choice consisted of personally tailored Maghribi inspired traditional dresses that were made by one of our favorite tailors located in Dubai. 

The shown jewelry are also traditional Omani gold that are usually worn in celebrations and special occasions.

Watch is by DKNY bought from Al Faisal stores

Shoes by Charles & Keith