June Favourites | Zahra

Oh hello there end of June, how did you get here so fast?

I honestly can't believe that we're already over half way trough 2014 and I'm still writing 2012 on all my work.
Even though it's almost July, I still think (most UK people will agree with me here) that having a coat is still a necessity to have on hand because after that week's worth of a heatwave, *sigh* the rain has kicked in.

Anywho, let's get onto my favourites...

L'Oreal Fibrology Thickening Shampoo
- my hair naturally is quite thick but genetically, through my dad's side of the family, hair tends to get a lot thinner, so unless I have my mum's hair side, I sort of need this.
This shampoo is amazing- after one wash I noticed that my ends were so much thicker and my hair just looked a lot more voluminous than it had done previously
I do use the matching conditioner with it, but conditioner wise I'm not all that phased- as long as my hair feels soft, I'm cool.
Borjouis Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick- Peach Club
- I had heard so many people talk about these and I was so tempted to go out and buy one, but my sister kindly bought me one for my birthday 2 months early. These are soo nice- they're really creamy and glide on smoothly and last for hours. You have the choice of going all out on the colour or just dabbing some on your lips and blotting it out with your finger but either way it's still looks really pretty. The colour I have is 'Peach Club' and it's a nudey/ coral pink and is a really flattering tone on all skin colours.
L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint Foundation
- I'm definitely more of a person who goes for a medium/ high coverage but I actually really like this one. This foundation feels and looks like there's nothing there (apart from my concealer)- even though you can't see it and you can still see some redness,spots and whatnot, it still makes your skin look flawless and it smells nice- like a mix of petrol and perfume (not everyone's cup of tea I know).
Oz Botanice Heat Defence
-This lifesaver actually has a very uninteresting story behind it which is really short, but I'll tell you anyway
      - I ran out of both of my heat defence sprays (I have a lot of hair, so hair products are like oxygen to me) and so I asked my mum if she could buy me some but she replied with the     same thing she always says to me: 'I have some that you can have' so I took it and I love it so much.
  -First of all, I'm pretty sure this is from poundland so it's not pricey whatsoever and secondly this smells INCREDIBLE- it's really fruity and fresh and it doesn't leave your hair feeling sticky and gives a nice shine.
Umberto Giannini Backcomb In A Bottle Hair Spray
-A few moths ago I wanted to get something that would volumise my hair a bit- especially my so called 'fringe' which tends to just flatten out as I have so much hair. I started off hating this at first because it made my hair feel sticky but a few weeks ago I needed to put a bit more umph back into my hair and I decided to give it another go and I really like it- it doesn't feel sticky anymore and keeps a nice hold.
L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil
- You might be wondering why this is in Spanish- I bought it in Spain because it worked out cheaper there than it did here for some reason.
I've been using this for over a year now and there isn't much I can say other than it makes my hair feel really silky and smooth.
Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Body Mist
- I've had this for a while now but I just stopped using it- I'm not too sure why I did because it's so light and fresh and not at all floral and perfect for the summer.
Last but not least is a book by 'Sophie Kinsella' called 'Can You Keep A Secret' if you've read the Shopahollic series then you'll know who she is, but I really love her books- they're all really easy reads and funny and you don't have to think about them too much.
I'm not going to tell you what happens in this apart from a woman tells a man on a plane loads of her secrets, thinking that she'll never see him again but he turns up to her work one day...  

As you can probably see, I've been loving my L'Oreal products this month (I didn't mean to do it) but I can't help but love them.

Thanks for reading 
Bye!

Frizzy hair rescue - A DIY recipe | Ayesha

If, like me, you suffer from frizzy hair syndrome made worse by city air and humidity, then this is for you. I had heard about the properties of these two ingredients and had tried the mask a really long time ago, and have only just rediscovered it!

All you need are 2 ingredients:

Yes, almond oil is featured again, and yogurt! 

You can use any oil for this recipe, the first time I made it I used olive oil which also worked nicely. The oil strengthens the hair from the root and adds shine, whereas the yogurt acts as a smoothing agent to combat the frizz. I mixed equal parts of each ingredient into a cup, about a heaped tablespoon of each worked for the lengths of my hair. Apply it from root to tip and leave in for however long you want. The beauty of this recipe is that it's so rich, I literally kept it in my hair for 10 minutes before washing it with normal shampoo and conditioner and it felt amazing afterwards; the frizz was definitely reduced! I gave my hair an extra boost using John Frieda Frizz Ease serum while it was still wet, and I was left with very soft and smooth hair. If you want a really intense mask, leave it on overnight. 

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Review: Bourjois Java Powder | Ayesha

I'm not much of a powder person, it's not something that really excites me. I bought a Bobbi Brown powder for my engagement party, but it made me look a bit cakey and in the photographs my skin looked shiny - clearly it didn't do what it was supposed to! I then drifted towards a translucent powder. I bought Mac Prep+Prime which I do quite like and love how there's no faff about matching up to your skin tone. However, it makes my skin look a tad too mattified - I like a bit of dewyness. Cue a trip to Boots.

I had read some good reviews about it but they never mentioned how AMAZING it was! Firstly, there is a little bit of history. Bourjois has been around since 1863, but it was this Java powder that put them on the map. Obviously the formula is not the same as the original, but I am really impressed by the quality and formulation of the product. This is my face after wearing it for nearly 12 hours:

As you can see, there is a little shine on my nose but the rest of my face seems quite dewy. I also haven't touched up all day! 

Pros:

Price. It's cheaper than the high-end brands at £9.99, but probably on the higher end of the scale for a drugstore price. For me though, instead of repurchasing the MAC powder, I will just be getting this in future!

Smell: This powder has a rose scent to it, possibly because it contains rose extract! However, if you're not into rose smells, this could be a con for you. I know some people are allergic or sensitive to parfum in products, so be careful if this is you. I have sensitive skin and I've been fine with it, but just test it out for yourself to make sure you don't get a reaction.

Formula: I was impressed by how fine this powder was, so soft and light to the touch. You can barely feel it's there. It's also pinky in shade, but does not appear pink on the skin. Instead, it gives it a slight luminous quality and has subtle flecks of shimmer, so it acts as a multi-use product as there would be no need for highlighter. 

Cons:

Packaging: I'm talking more about the interior of the packaging more than the outer part (if something works, I don't care what it looks like). Somehow, no matter how much I clean it up and keep the tub straight, a lot of loose powder falls out. I can be so careful and yet some product is wasted. Why does it do that?! Maybe I'm just clumsy?

That's literally all I can think of!

I hope this has helped you make a decision if you wanted to buy a new powder. Have fun!

Shopping list - what I want to try | Ayesha

I've been reading some other beauty blogs and there have been a few products I have been meaning to try. However, my local Boots isn't the largest and only stocks the basics you would find in every store. I can't believe I'm saying the Boots in Coventry is way better - sorry London! It could be that the Boots in Coventry is the largest one in the whole city and London has many of them... anyway, I digress.

So, on my list are the following products:

Lanolips antibacterial hand cream. This stuff apparently cleans your hands AND moisturises at the same time. I am a frequent hand gel user/hand washer due to working with young children (nose picking, thumb sucking, dribbling (yes, yuck), you get the picture). I could do with something like this.

Chance, Chanel. My sister has this perfume and it just smells lovely.

Origins Drink Up 10 minute mask - I have dehydrated skin, no matter how much water I drink. It's worse in winter due to bitterly cold weather and central heating, so this one might be a good one to try.

No7 Stay Perfect Superlight foundation - I have heard of this as being a very good dupe for Chanel's Vitalumiere foundation, but half the price.

Have you tried any of the above? What do you think, and are there any cheaper alternatives to the more expensive items?

Jean Shrimpton | Zahra

60's supermodel

Vogue cover girl

Famous for her thick fringe, large doe eyes and arched eyebrows, Jean Shrimpton was known to be one of the most beautiful women at the time.

Apart from Marylin Monroe, Jean is one of my all time favourite 'vintage' models.

Photo from Pinterest

Photo from Notorious Magazine

Her makeup is what really amazes me: fanned out bottom lashes, the classic wing, natural lip colours, and the typical black crease line.
Fashion wise, I love most of the 60's style dresses (especially with collars) and they're what she pulls off effortlessly. For her jewelry, I really like her bold statement pieces like necklaces and massive, colourful rings. 

To me, it looks like Lana Del Ray has taken some inspiration from Jean's look (I don't blame her)...

Photo from Thatericalper

Photo from Thatgrapejuice

As you can see, she's gone for the natural(ish) lips in the top picture and the classic wing in the bottom, both of which were famously worn by Jean. Voluminous, slicked back hair was worn in the bottom picture which was worn my Jean a few times too.

I love Jean purely because of how she (sort of) naturally looked like. Obviously there was no photoshop so editing couldn't really be done (especially in the vast quantities of how it is now) and don't even get me started on how much I love her hair.

                          - even though I'm too afraid of cutting my hair, and even though it probably wouldn't suit me very well, I'd love my hair to look like that- messy/sleek and super voluminous.

                   Do you have any 60's models that you have weirdly fallen in love with?

Friday Night Cinema Fun | Zahra

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Oh my god. What a film

Today I went to the cinema with a few friends and lets just say (nearly) all of us had a little break down- one quote that one of my friends (that I will never stop laughing over) was : 'Zahra?! Are you crying *starts hysterically crying*' Me: 'Yeah *stares at screen for ten seconds then starts shaking*'

I won't give too much information out because I am fully aware that some people haven't watched or read it yet (shock horror, neither have I.)
The reason I haven't read it was purely because I don't actually own the book, although I did have a very splendid first 3 chapter sample on the 'Kindle' app.

The general story: Hazel Grace Lancaster has cancer and meets a boy named Augustus Waters. They fall in love, but all gets twisted...

                                                 
I highly, highly recommend this to everyone. I assure that if you're a pretty emotional person that takes the tiniest thing to set off (like myself) you're going to cry, but they're good tears.

Okay?
Okay.

Food containers as makeup storage | Ayesha

I am currently going through a phase where I suddenly want to organise everything in our flat. I started with my makeup collection in the bathroom, as things were strewn across the cabinet in an organised mess. (I knew where everything was, it just didn't look pretty). So, without a Muji nearby for neat little storage containers, I got creative and noticed some empty food containers. I only needed 3 of them to organise my bits and pieces. I emptied another makeup bronzing kit which handily left a deep and wide crevice in which I could stash all my eyeliners. 

Here is the finished result:

It is now just organised!

Onto my clothes next... gahh. 

Almond oil as... makeup remover?! | Ayesha

Have you ever found yourself rubbing your eyes raw with makeup remover? Even the ones that suggest you should leave the cotton pad soaked in remover over your eye for 10-15 seconds then gently wipe away leave a lot of residue for me. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. Well anyway, I was feeling very conscious that I could be causing damage to my eyes and if I want nice eyes when I'm 40, then I have to look after them now. This when I discovered I could use this:

Honestly, I wore eyeshadow, mascara and some waterproof eyeliner the other day and in one swipe my eyeshadow had melted away. A couple of extra gentle wipes removed my mascara. I no longer had red, raw looking eyes and the added benefit is that the oil is moisturising. As it should, seeing as it's oil... The only downside, however, is that my eyes feel like they've been underwater too long after I've used it. Perhaps it's the way I apply it to my eye?

For other benefits of almond oil, read my cousin's blog as she does an amazing review on it. 

Hope this helps!

Banella Milkshakes | Zahra

Now I get cravings, and I really like chocolate (who doesn't?) and I also like bananas so.... why not put them together in a milkshake? Seems simple does it not?

Here's the ridiculously easy recipe:

               - 1 frozen banana
            - about a tablespoon of nutella
            - milk

Method? 
Blend and serve

You could probably be able to go without the banana but it just makes it so much thicker, creamier and gives it a bit of texture but you don't have to.
I managed to get about 2 servings out of this of this which can be shared (or you can keep it to yourself)

Cheers. See you soon :)

What my face wore today | Ayesha

L-R 

Revlon Lip Butter in Sorbet, NARS blush in Madly, MAC 129 brush, Collection clear mascara (used as brow setting gel), Stila waterproof eye pencil (they lie - hay fever made me cry my waterline away but I still love it), MAC brow pencil in Stud, Rimmel wake me up concealer, MaxFactor Masterpiece Max mascara.

I would have applied some other face product e.g. powder/BB cream but my husband kicked me out of the bathroom! (Not literally).

A Guide To Coventry | Zahra

Some might say that Coventry is one of the most boring places in England and quite frankly,   I agree with them. 

Coventry is located (sort of) south of Birmingham and is apparently the 10th biggest city in England (that just shows how small England really is)

I've lived in Coventry for pretty much my whole life so I know what's here and there so if you do ever find yourself stuck here, here's a guide on what you should do.

Shopping
1. Primark-it's pretty big with 3 floors and it always being packed- PLENTY of clothes to be bought.
2. Tescos (Ricoh Arena)- bit weird but it's HUGE and even has shops around and inside.
3. City centre- even though I prefer to go to the Bullring in Birmingham because it's so much bigger, Cov still has some pretty decent shops too (it's even better at Christmas).
4. Car boot sales- if you to the outskirts of Coventry there are quite a few nearly every weekend, so go grab yourself some bargains.
5. Central 6 Shopping Centre and Ikea- both very close to each other a good range of shops if you don't want to go through the stress of going into the city centre.

Activites and food
1. Ice- skating- huge ice rink next to Ikea and it's not that packed.
2. City- centre- Nandos. End of story.
3. Drayton Manor Theme Park is only about 20 mins outside of Coventry (does that count?)
4. There's a small area in the city centre full of places to eat whether it's Subway, Starbucks or something new.
5. War Memorial Park- this park is filled with war memorials, a little play section and enough open fields to raise a the amount of sheep in Wales (just kidding).

Sightseeing
1. Coventry Transport Museum- a museum filled with cars, lorries, planes that have been preserved for years.
2. The Herbert Art museum- old, classic paintings to modern new sculptures.
3. The Tudor road- this road has been around for centuries and was miraculously not bombed during WWI+II.
4. The Cathedral- now this was bombed during World War 2 I believe and hasn't been re-built but is strangely very fascinating- inside and out.
5. The Bus Station- wow, creative. You might think it's a little strange but it's actually really nice (outside) and the transport is right outside plus there are a few statues there too.

So that concludes today, I hope you found it somewhat helpful and I'll be back next week.

Bye.

On Wednesdays We Wear Pink | Zahra

Hi

Sorry I didn't post anything last week as I was on holiday boiling my ass off but anyway, I thought this was a pretty, appropriate look for summer (that is, if it doesn't feel like November where you live *sigh*.)

Products in clockwise order: 

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Retro Glam mascara

Topshop lipstick- Brighton Rock

Soap and Glory blush- Peach Party

Sleek eyeshadow palette- Storm (the purple and pink at the end of the top row)

L'Oreal Superliner

Nars Multiple Blush- Orgasm

(Middle) Mac eyeshadows- Paradisco+Sushi Flower

Hope you had a good weekend and so far, a good week and hopefully I'll speak on Sunday so hope you enjoyed this filler for last Sunday and bye for now!

Dress- Primark

Everything else I managed to smear on my face:

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer- Medium cool

Mac Studio Finish Concealer- NW25 (both ^^^^ under my eyes and the Collection concealer on any other parts of my face)

The medium/ dark brown- Sleek Storm (that has sadly hit pan) on my eyebrows

Mac Pearl cream highlighter.

Also, sorry that my nose looks slightly brown on one side- not too sure where that came from!