Sunday 17 December 2017

Fenty Beauty By Rihanna Review

The moment Fenty Beauty was available I was one of those people that could not wait to try it but I was also one of those people that could not be bothered to stand in queues at Sephora and wait in line to get my products as I just don't have time for that so on-line shopping it was.

I bought a wide range of products and enough to create a Fenty face!

Firstly I just want to say YES, the products are as amazing as everyone said and I have been testing them/ using them for a few months now and I literally love what I picked out.

Fenty Beauty is made by the same company that makes Kat Von D and Marc Jacobs so I had high expectations.

First of all, the outer packaging of this range is lovely, very chic and the actual packaging of the make-up is just so stunning. I am loving the frosted glass bottles which are super heavy and super luxe!

Anyway, without further ado, I bought the Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer in Soft Matte. I love primers and needed a new one so this came at the right time and it is so smoothing and my foundation applied so well on top of it. It creates a beautiful base.




I also ordered a Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in the shade 190 which was a perfect match and considering I chose my colour online, I did a pretty good job. I am just loving this foundation as it gives a full coverage and I believe it is the first matte foundation I have tried as I normally go for a more glowy look.

Fenty Beauty offer 40 shades of foundation which is just incredible. They literally cater for the lightest to the darkest colour skin so there is a shade suitable for everyone.

Next, I ordered the Match Stix Trio in the shade Medium 200 (Bamboo/Mocha/Trippin) which just won me over as they looked pretty cool with their magnetic honeycomb look. This offers to conceal, contour and highlight and I am obsessed with the contour stix which is just gorgeous. I have used it every day since purchasing it and Bamboo is a great concealer for my skin tone and I love its creamy formula. It doesn't budge from my face. Lastly I've been using Tripping as an eyeshadow... I just love the colour of it and think it looks great on the eyelid. It is kind on a peachy colour and also its great for its actual role of highlighting!

I love when you find products you can use for a multi purpose use.


The Kilowatt Freestyle Highlighting Duo in the shades Mean Money and Hustle Baby are stunning. It can be used for cheeks, eyes or anywhere you want to glow basically. The packing is gorgeous. It's a white gloss with a holographic sheen to it. The product is fab with a subtle matte highlight on one side and a glistening full-on highlight on the other.


I've also tried the Invisimatte Blotting Power and the Invisimatte Blotting Paper. The Blotting Powder comes in the same packaging as the Highlighting Duo and the texture of the product is nice and light. Its perfect for an instant refresh and gives an on-the-go filter effect. The Blotting Paper packaging looks very cool, a portable anti-shine tool which mattifies on the go but it is quite hard to take out the blotting paper... On every attempt I ended up with a small ripped amount that was useless so unfortunately I will not be purchasing the refills for that. :-(



And last but not least, I purchased the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer called Fenty Glow which has an addictive shine, nourishing wear and universal finishing touch. It is a very neutral shade that just gives a lovely soft natural glow. I love it! The bottle is very chic and the colour suites every skin tone.


I'm just loving Fenty Beauty!!

Hope you enjoyed this post....

Love ðŸ’—
dubaicitychic
xoxo




Saturday 12 August 2017

The Ordinary by Deciem Review

Recently I tried the super hyped products by Deciem to find out what everyone has been raving about.

I discovered the brand on You Tube, where every vlogger in the UK had tried the products and it seemed everyone had fallen in love with the cheap skincare brand!

Deciem is a Canadian Company who started in 2013 and they have many brands under their umbrella including The Ordinary, NIOD, STEMM, Fountain and the Chemistry Brand.

As I live in Dubai, I ordered my products online from ASOS who delivered them very efficiently and quickly to me.

I only ordered products from The Ordinary as I know the products are stripped down to a very basic level of ingredients that are proven to work.

The packaging is very basic and clinical looking and the price is very affordable! All products are between 4 - 12 GBP.


I have 4 products and the first one being the Advanced Retinoid 2% (A Stable Emulsion of Next-Generation Forms of Retinoid). It has a little dropper to release the product and overall it was very effective on my skin. The product is amazing and has a nice texture. I was very impressed with this great anti-aging serum! 


The next product I tried is another serum, the Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (A Hydration Support Formula with Ultra-Pure Vegan Hyaluronic Acid) I must say, this serum is also amazing as it penetrates different layers of the skin in order to hydrate those layers. It has done wonders for my skin and it definitely helps living in the heat of the UAE. The texture is great and it sinks straight into the skin.



I have tried the Azalaic Acid also which is a Brightening Formula. (Multifunctional Brightening Formula) It helps with skin pigmentation and it mentions great for acne prone skin.  I have used this twice a day in the morning and in the evening and the texture is very smooth and it really helps to brighten the skin.


The last product I tried is the High-Spreadability Fluid Primer (Spreadability-Enhancing Lightweight Surface Smoother and Primer) This has been my favourite product up-to-now and I love the fact that it is so lightweight when applied. It is a silicon based primer and my make-up goes on so well afterwards.


The Ordinary basically make really effective products for really affordable prices and I definitely recommend that you check the Deciem website and learn more about the products.

Overall, I'm very impressed by all of the products that I have tried! Looking forward to trying the foundation next!

www.deciem.com


Love 💗
dubaicitychic
xoxo

Tuesday 18 July 2017

My top 5 Body Oils

I love a good body oil and its something I've used for years. I love applying after a bath so normally only once a week as I shower every day and then on a weekend when I have more time I take a bubble bath. Its such a treat to be honest. I put the kids to bed, run a bath and relax. Of course, I take the opportunity to have a full pamper session and use a lot of products including a body oil.

These are in no particular order and some are highstreet and very affordable and others are quite luxurious and indulgent.



1. Bio Oil





This has to be a proven favourite of mine as I used it during two pregnancies and until this day I do not have one stretch mark on my body! I used it quite religiously during my pregnancies and literally over my whole body (well as far as I could reach!!). It feels really warm and silky soft when applied to the skin and is rapidly absorbed. I really love this oil. It is a specialist skincare oil specifically designed to target scars, stretch marks, uneven skin tone, ageing and dehydrated skin. It works a treat and it should be applied twice daily for a minimum of 3 months to really notice results and if pregnant, use twice daily from the beginning of the second trimester. It can be purchased from the pharmacy and is very reasonable in price. It can be used on face and body, is suitable for sensitive skin and contains many vitamins including A & E and also Calendula, Lavender, Rosemary and Chamomile oils.

2. MOR Body Oil




The thing I love about this body oil by MOR is its Marshmallow scent! It smells so good! The packaging draws me in with a gorgeous glass bottle and pink outer box. It contains moisturising Avocado and Wheat Germ oils. It is a very light oil and great for hydrating the skin leaving a silky velvet finish. Its a light oil which comes in a spray bottle. Mango and Peach extracts leaves a delicate scent on the skin. It gives moisture to the skin and a renewed radiance which feels amazing!
After a fine spritz, the oil can be gently massaged into the skin leaving it gorgeously smooth. Top Notes are White Carnation and Marshmallow; Middle Notes are Jasmine, Althaea Fower, English Rose and Base Notes are Sugar, Madagascan Vanilla and Snow Musk.

3. Johnson's Baby Oil




A very mild oil  for the skin and lets face it, if its good enough for baby skin then that in itself proves
how amazing it is and it is clinically proven for its mildness. It is pure, mild and gentle and can be used all over the skin and contains Aloe Vera extract and Vitamin E acetate. Perfect ingredients for moisturising the skin. It is only mildly perfumed and absorbs into my skin quickly. Only a small amount is needed as a little goes a long way. It is not at all sticky and can be used on all skin types. A firm favourite for my baby and me.

4. FarmHouse Fresh Agave Nectar Ageless Body Oil.



A gorgeous lightweight body oil which smells beautiful! A powerful mix of extracts including Sandalwood, Barley and Amurense Bark significantly improves skin's rate of water loss, bringing a radiant, hydrated and less wrinkled appearance. Nourish your skin with a spritz of this oil after showering or taking a bath and it will nourish your skin and leave it feeling dewy and soft. This oil is suitable for Vegans and is 96% natural, Paraben and Sulfate free. Another luxurious oil in a beautiful glass bottle! Can you tell I'm a sucker for packaging?

5. Kosme Anti-Aging Beauty Oil


Last but not least, I recently discovered this brand and fell in love with its Anti-aging Beauty Oil for Body and Hair. I have been using the scent Patchouli, Vanilla and Bergamont and it smells good enough to eat! Your skin is sublimated and this oil contains different ingredients which target different areas. For nourishing the body it contains Camellia. Cranberries for protective care. Jojoba for anti-aging and Apricot to illuminate the skin and hair. It also contains Grape Seed which is an anti-oxidant. Together all of these ingredients work wonders for your skin and hair. It can be applied daily to see quicker results. It is 98% natural and preservative free, paraben free, mineral oil free and silicone free. A beautiful luxurious oil!

If you are confused about which oils to try or are scared to use them like I used to be, then please give them a go, try them out - your skin will be so happy!!


Love 💗
dubaicitychic

xoxo

Sunday 4 June 2017

Doll Me Up Subscription Box Review

I recently discovered a new make-up subscription box called 'Doll me up' in the UAE and of course I had to check it out!



The box arrived promptly with cash on delivery which is an option I love in Dubai. The box is filled with high-end and luxury brands / products.

I received the box for May and it was a fab box with make-up from some of my favourite brands including Smashbox, Becca and Urban Decay....


The first thing that caught my eye was the Becca Line and Illuminate Eye Pencil in Santorini. It is a double ended pencil which can be used for providing definition to the eyes whilst the eye brightener is perfect for giving the wide awake look when used on the bottom rim of the eye. Love it!!


Also, in the May box was the Smashbox Art.Love.Colour Limited Edition palette. If you know me you will know I am obsessed with palettes so this is a wonderful addition to my collection. It contains 6 eyeshadows and a blush colour. The eyeshadow shades are just beautiful and I can definitely use the neutral colours for day time and the blue / mauve colours to create a night time look. The blush is the perfect pink with a subtle shine for day or night.


Next in the box was a lip product by Australis. A mini sized Velourlips Matte Lip Cream in a very natural colour suitable for day wear. I will definitely be taking this travel sized cutie on my holidays! I much prefer matte lip creams rather than gloss. It has good staying power and lasted all day with no caking and flaking! 10/10!!


Lastly, there was a 24/7 Glide On eye pencil from Urban Decay in the most stunning gold colour! The shade is El Dorado and its made with jojoba oil, vitamin E and cottonseed oil. It glides on easily and is a creamy formula which turns into a waterproof finish that doesn't budge. The best part is it is a multi-purpose product that can be used all over the lid as an eye shadow or as a liner. Amazing!



Overall, I've really enjoyed the products from this box. These are all brands and colours that I would normally buy for myself so that's a bonus!

If you are looking for a make-up subscription box in the UAE please check them out at www.dollmeupbox.com - the boxes can be bought each month or as a package of 3 months, 6 months and 12 months.

Looking forward to the next box!

Love 💗
dubaicitychic

xoxo


Tuesday 23 May 2017

Browz


Recently I visited Browz, an exclusive brow bar in the Middle East. 


They have opened a store in The Mall (opposite Jumeriah Beach Hotel) and have brought over from the UK some of the most talked about treatments including everything from Feathered Microblading to High Definition Brows.

If you want to have the most gorgeous fluttery lashes.... read on! 

My Before...



They have introduced a new luxury lash extensions treatment which is what I have experienced and their brow expert got to work her magic on my eye lashes by adding a half set to my natural lashes making them appear longer and much more fuller looking.

Before starting we had a consultation about what I wanted to achieve from this as the beauty about this treatment is you can choose to have a more natural look or you can opt for a very full on glamorous look.  Not being very daring, I went for the more day to day natural look.


The treatment took approximately 90 minutes where individual lashes were applied one by one to my natural lashes. They are not heavy at all and feel very natural and lightweight. I honestly have forgotten already that I have them until I check the mirror and am like ' hello beautiful lashes'.

Of course, like many other treatments, they have to be maintained properly with a visit to the salon every 2-3 weeks for a top up (or removal) to ensure your lashes will look best for longer. 

The results can last up to 8 weeks and are perfect for your Summer vacation or a special occasion.

Another treatment Browz has introduced is the LVL Treatment, meaning Length, Volume, Lift. A treatment that is loved by many celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox. LVL is designed to give the illusion of length, volume and lift and tinting them to make them appear more striking.

This treatment aims to help the natural lashes stretch out so they can reach their full potential and it can last anywhere between 6-8 weeks.

Browz have an amazing menu which includes semi permanent treatments for brows, lips and eyes. They sell an extensive range of wonderful products including Grown Alchemist, HD Brows, Elizabeth Arden and Red Cherry.


Browz are located in The Mall, Jumeirah Road, Umm Suqeim 3 (Opposite Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai.

To find out more, please check their website - www.browz.ae or you can find them on Facebook BROWZ.UAE and Instagram @BROWZ.UAE.

Love💗
dubaicitychic



xoxo


Wednesday 17 May 2017

C is for Candles


One thing I love is candles! Its a little obsession.... I have way too many but I do burn them everyday. I burn them in the morning on my dressing table when I apply my make-up, in my living room at night when chilled watching TV, in the bathroom whilst I take a nice relaxing bubble bath, on my bedside cabinet when I read at night before I sleep....

I thought I would share with you my favourite candles.

1. Jo Malone London - Probably one of my more luxurious candles. The scent is 'Lime Basil & Mandarin'. This citrus aromatic fragrance was launched in 1999. Top notes are limemandarin orange and bergamot; middle notes are basil, lilac, iris and thyme; base notes are patchouli and vetiver.




2. Ralph Lauren - Also a luxurious scent 'ST. Germain' which is a blend of Smoky Bergamot, Leather and Fragrant Spice. This is quite a masculine smell but nevertheless I really like it.




3. Diptyque - This may be one of my favourite ever brand of candles. This one is 'Tubereuse' scent and it is as beautiful as the flower, although quite a strong scent which I love!



4. Sparrow Lake - Wild Bluebell, a fine artisan candle which has the most amazing scent. It has 60 hours of burning. It smells quite sweet. Fragrance Notes: Pineapple, kumquat, juicy currant, raspberry flower, vanilla, fruity musk. 




5. Bath & Body Works - Cinnamon Spiced Vanilla. A 3-Wick candle in a marble glass which radiates scent through its fragrant oils to fill the entire room. Fragrance is fresh Ground Cinnamon, Sugar Crystals, Tahitian Vanilla Bean.




6. Bath & Body Works - Black Teakwood. Also a 3-Wick candle with Rich Mahogany, Black Teakwood, Dark Oak, Frosted Lavender scent.



7. Cath Kidston - Lavender Scented in their beautiful signature print glass jar.





8. PEARCE Jar Candle - Pearce is my maiden name. ;-) The fragrance is 'White Tea' and its displayed in a pretty marble jar.




I absolutely love planting candles around the house and am always on the lookout for new brands and scents.

Leave a comment below and let me know what your favourite candle and scent are?

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Bye for now.

Love💗
dubaicitychic


xoxo







Tuesday 9 May 2017

April Favourites


During April I have been loving so many products that I can't list them all so I have just selected a small few...



Firstly I started using the Reine Michi Body Cleansing Sponge which is such a nice change from the usual sponge that I use.  It gets rid of dirt and dead skin using this handcafted mesh sponge made out of 100% Nylon. Its also hot pink which is a bonus! The best part is it can be used for 18 months...

Being so busy, I normally take a lot of showers but every Saturday its my bath night where I light a candle, apply a face mask and add some bubbles. Lately I've been using a brand called Bubble t. Theyr'e fun and quirky and basically a T-Bag infused with summer fruits tea. It contains raspberries, strawberries and blackberries with a twist of white tea.




Another favourite of mine is Tiger Balm! Now this is something that I have used for years but it has so many uses and lately I've been using it on Mosquito bites! It soothes and cools the bite immediately. I use it also to rub on my temples whenever I feel a headache coming on... This particular tub is so tiny and I just carry it around in my handbag.



I love anything with a cucumber smell and also its one of my favourite vegetables with lots of different beauty uses as well as just generally being good for you so when I discovered Yes to Cucumbers I was very happy! I tried the Soothing facial wipes which are 95% natural and contain aloe vera to help cleanse, remove make-up and nourish skin..... all in one swipe. Perfect!



I've recently discovered a lovely brand, Kosme. During last month i've been using the radiance beauty oil which is really nice and smooth on my skin. I added a tiny amount to my foundation which gave me a beautiful glow and very soft skin.


Make-up favourites include my new all time favourite mascara by Too Faced 'Better Than Sex'. I can't believe this is the first time I have tried it. Its absolutely amazing and gives me the longest lashes as well as fuller looking lashes. Im grateful to have received a sample size which is now empty so its definitely on my shopping list!


Still on the theme of eye make-up, I've been loving the Ciate Skinny Shadow Stick which is a long lasting high-pigment shimmer eyeshadow. The particular colour Im using is 'Power Hour' and its a subtle gold/beige shade which I've been using all across my eyelids for a daytime look. Its very easy to apply and just glides on really smoothly.


Another eye make-up fave is the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner which is a waterproof liquid liner and does a fab job with cat eyes and winged eyes. Again, Im late to the discovery of this wonderful product but will be purchasing it for sure!





Thats all for my monthly favourites!

Hope you enjoyed reading this!!


Love💗
dubaicitychic


xoxo

Thursday 27 April 2017

The Movement - Dubai

Recently I got myself a new bike! A Linus bike from a wonderful little bicycle shop called The Movement in Dubai.




Linus are inspired by French bicycle designs of the 50s and 60s. They preserve the simple elegance and pure form of that golden era, but have all the benefits of modern comfort and reliability. It's a city bike and will be great for my endless journey's to the store and running errands. Its simple and reliable with a personality and style that makes you feel like you’re in an old French movie, not crazy busy Dubai! 



Please bear in mind I have not ridden a bike since my childhood but the saying 'its like riding a bike, you never forget' is very true!



I honestly didn't know this bike shop existed but was very happy to discover this local independent bicycle shop as I am now the proud owner of a gorgeous urban bike with a duck egg colour frame Linus! Its very vintage looking and so pretty that I have literally fell in love with it. The Linus bikes are available in so many beautiful colours, its hard to choose! They also have a great kids selection to choose from.




The quality of the bike is outstanding and they have searched for the best accessories and brands that share their philosophy on quality and craftmanship.

Using only biodegradable, non-toxic cleanser and lubricants at the workshop for all maintenance and repair work. Your bicycle should always be given a little bit of love and be kept well maintained.

The service I received when I collected my bike was wonderful, the staff was very knowledgable and checked the bike over, including the brakes, hight of the seat and adjusted it for my height as well as ensuring the wheels were fully inflated, etc.....



Riding it is just a dream. I been out for a few 10km cycle rides and its very smooth and comfortable. I especially like the fact that it has a slanted frame so I can climb on in a ladylike manor rather than hiking my leg across... and I must go back to buy a wooden crate like basket for the backside.





The Movement is buried in Al Quoz Industrial Estate so I would never had found it, although I was pretty impressed with the space it was in. A cute place called The Collective at The Courtyard, surrounded by art boutiques and cute little arty shops, you literally forget that you are in Dubai!



For more information, The Movement can be found at The Collective at The Courtyard, 6A Street, Al Quoz, Dubai (Tel: 00971 55 953 2144) or you can check their website: www.themovement.ae and Facebook Page: The Movement Dubai.


Bye for now.... happy cycling!!

Love💗
dubaicitychic


xoxo