Saaf Complexion Boosting Serum- | Liquid Gold for Your Skin |

I'm always on the lookout for skincare to help with my pigmentation and acne marks, so having received a sample of the Complexion boosting serum I was anxious to try. After finishing the sample I was impressed by the results so far and decided to purchase the full size. My order came with two free samples- the eraser body oil and foot softening balm, which I have given to my mum (aren't I a lovely daughter :) )

My order opened!

The serum

Two mini products I received with my order

The serum is ideal for oily/congested or dull skin, although I think every skin type will benefit from it.

The description on Saaf's website:

The potent, purifying and sebum-regulating botanicals in Saaf’s Organic Complexion Boosting Serum help to balance oily skin, clear breakouts, smooth away blemishes and improve skin tone and texture. Highly absorbent, the clarifying serum also helps skin resist the ageing process, giving it a soft velvety quality and promoting healthy skin renewal. You should soon notice a significant improvement in tone, texture and appearance as your skin looks clearer, brighter and more radiant, while feeling intensely hydrated.

So far so good...

So what does it contain?

The serum is packed with goodness including black seed oil, jojoba oil and rosehip seed oil. I like to use black seeds in my cooking for its health properties so it must be beneficial for my skin too! Rosehip seed oil helps to lighten pigmentation and acne marks, which is what I'm looking for. The serum is also halal and suitable for vegans- a definite plus! (A full list of ingredients are available from the Saaf website)

The smell is very earthy but soothing at the same time. The texture is light (almost like a liquid) and doesn't feel heavy or greasy on my face. Once massaged into my skin it is instantly absorbed. I have been using both in the morning and evening and it hasn't caused a problem with my makeup. However I only wear concealer and powder, so if you plan to wear foundation then you may wish to skip this. In the summer I may stick to using in the evenings only, with spf for mornings.

Packaging

First impressions count and once I purchased the full size bottle I was very impressed by the look. The box is very sleek and the bottle looks expensive and great on my dressing table. I like that it has a pump, which is hygienic and allows the right amount of product to be dispensed without wastage. The only quibble I have is that because it's made from glass and I'm a clumsy person, I'm frightened of it dropping and smashing on the floor. But apart from that its a thumbs up from me.

Conclusion

I am VERY happy with the serum and only wish I had discovered it earlier! In the short time I have been testing (a month) my skin appears much clearer. I've noticed that my acne marks has lightened a little and my skin is left with a glow. It has not broke me out at all which is amazing for me! I have also given some to my mum to test out as she has sensitive/oily skin, and she's given it a thumbs up too.

I think I will continue to use this for full results.

You can purchase from Saaf for a limited special offer of £29.99 for 30ml, and also receive 2 mini samples with every purchase.

**Small print- I received a sample of the serum but having loved the results, I purchased the full size with my own money**

Lush-A feast for the eyes

Today's review is of a Lush product as written by guest blogger Cairo backpacker 

Entering Lush is like being transformed back to my childhood. The perfumed smell and coloured display tempts me through the doors, where I can't contain my excitement. Large slabs of coloured soap bars resemble blocks of cheese, releasing their fragrant aroma when cut. Seductively presented on the shelves are bath bombs that remind me of giant gobstoppers. I am blown away by the fusion of smells hitting my nostrils; lemongrass, mint, blackberry, lavender, jasmine and even honey. There are also other delicacies such as fresh face masks, shampoo, massage bars, shower gels, cleansers, perfumes, and a whole array of other luxury items.

I want to touch every product available. To smell it, admire it and sometimes if it looks tempting enough, to have a sneaky lick. I know that may sound strange but if you've ever been into Lush then you'll know just what I mean.

One product I purchased recently was the Godiva Shampoo Bar with added conditioner. The product is made from a combination of jasmine, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, ylang ylang oil and a host of other desirable ingredients. It comes without the unnecessary packaging, which is a plus for the environment. Instead you can purchase a metal container from the shop where your bar will fit snugly inside, making it great for travelling.

Image from the Lush website

A friendly sales assistant asked me what hair type I had (oily but dry ends), and chose a bar based on my condition. Of course when purchasing the product I had to have a good sniff! She also offered me a tester of a new creation, the R and B Hair Moisturiser, a leave in cream for hair in need of some TLC.

When I got home I couldn't wait to use the bar. The only problem was that I had just washed my hair the day before and it was still squeaky clean. To resolve the problem I cooked an oily curry for dinner, hoping the smell and grease would penetrate my hair. It worked, as after my hair was in dire need of a wash.

How to use

To use the bar, place it under running water to get it wet, and then rub it directly onto your hair. It formed a generous amount of lather unleashing a concoction of calming smells and transporting me to The Garden of Eden. I found it easy to apply and not messy at all, in comparison to shampoo that tends to drop onto the shower floor when I squeeze it out of the bottle.

You can get over forty uses from this one bar, but after Mr S (my husband) liberally applied it to his hair every day, it soon finished quickly. After using it a few times though I was left partly unsatisfied. Despite the product containing added conditioner, I felt that my hair was left dry and brittle. I needed to add conditioner to my hair separately in order to give it the necessary moisture it required.

Conclusion

In hind sight I think I would stick to using liquid shampoos such as the Big Shampoo from Lush, and if needed add a conditioner on after. Coincidentally I just realised that I've ran out shampoo. I think that's a good enough excuse to make a trip to Lush and eye up more of their new and exciting products.

Lush, Fresh Handmade Cosmetics

www.lush.co.uk 

 You can check out her blog here and follow on Twitter

Can a tool box be used to store jewellery?

In my recent YouTube video I've shown my sisters' ring collection and the box they are stored in. This was bought a long time ago from B&Q- not somewhere you would traditionally look for a jewellery box right?? Well it's actually a tool box!!

I've scoured the B&Q website to find the same one, but as it's been a long time since the purchase I couldn't find the exact one. I did however find similar.

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Ok so it's not exactly the same, but it does have seperate compartments and a handle like the one in my video. The various sections allow you to store different size rings, brooches and even necklaces. A great all rounder for your jewellery. You can purchase from B&Q stores or online

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Another storage box that deserves a mention is an aluminium silver case that would be ideal for all your jewellery or a great case for your makeup! Where tools would be kept at the top, us girls can substitute for makeup brushes! Again this is from B&Q. Purchase online here

The website also have a few more storage boxes for under £30 which if you are a professional makeup artist, or makeup junkie can really benefit from.

There are TONS of everyday boxes/tool boxes that can be used for other purposes. Even an empty honey jar can be used to store pins/paper clips.

Want to find out more ideas? Watch the videos I've made with plenty of tips :)

• Hijab Pins/Brooches and Makeup Brushes Storage Tips

• How to store your accessories/hijabs/hijab pins and brooches 

• Hijab and Clothes Storage  

Also check out Sam's blog post on how she stores her makeup using acrylic boxes from Muji. The idea is genius!!

What are your favourite storage ideas? Please share, I would love to hear :)

Lush Carrot Bath Bars

I paid a visit to Lush last week to pick up my usual cleanser- Herbalism. You can find my review of this here

While in the shop I couldn't help but notice the super cute Carrot bath bar and just had to take a photo!

looks tasty enough to eat!

Have you tried these?

Review: Cure Natural Aqua Gel

I first heard about this product in 2010 on YouTube and had to try it! There was a lot of positive feedback and I thought it sounded like the key to perfect skin! (lol I know but hey a girl can dream) I searched on google and made my order from Beauty Carousel. It cost around £21 and postage to the UK was £5.

In my package I was also given a very generous amount of of gel sachets, which I gave to my sisters and friends to try out.

So what is Cure??

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On first impressions there is a lot of product- 8.82 oz to be exact. I love that they have thought carefully about the packaging and added a cap in the middle of the pump to stop the product from pumping out. This makes it easier to carry in my travel bag without fear of spillage.

So the blurb on Beauty Carousel's website states the gel as:

"Best-selling skincare product in Japan for 9 years! 1 bottle is sold every 12 seconds!

A gentle, non-abrasive water-based exfoliating gel made of 90% activated hydrogen water and plant extracts of aloe vera, gingko and rosemary. Contains no fragrance, no alcohol, no artificial preservatives or colouring. Suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skin.

It removes dead skin cells gently and effectively to help in skin renewal for softer, smoother and brighter skin. A basic skincare must-have to prevent skin problems such as enlarged pores, blackheads, pimples, blemishes and dull skin tone."

The active ingredients are aloe vera leaf extract, glycerin (for moisturising) rosemary leaf extract and gingo biloba extract. There are others, but I'm not sure what they are!

 The label at the back is written in English and give instructions on how to use the gel. It recommends to use on dry skin and rub gently into your skin in circular motions (not too hard!!) until the gel turns white, and then rinse. 1-2 pumps is sufficient for the entire face. The Gel helps to rid dead skin cells from your face (avoiding the eye area) and really works! At first I have to admit I thought it was a gimmick but my face instantly felt soft and pores seemed to be minimised. I also felt that it helped to loosen blackheads. In Winter I have dry skin, especially on my nose so I find this effective in removing the dry flakes. It doesn't irritate my skin at all so I can use 1-2 times a week. if you have sensitive skin maybe cut down usage to once a week.

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Gel on skin

Gel rubbed in with the dead skin cells revealed!

The best thing about this is you can use on any part of your body including feet, elbows or knees- basically where there is likely to be a build up of dead skin, and it removes it instantly! It also provides a smooth surface for a face mask and helps your foundation to glide on effortlessly.

The bottle recommends to finish within 1 year of opening, but I have to admit nearly 2 years later and I still have some left! This is after I gave some to my sister. I'm not sure if it's still okay to use but it hasn't affected the efficiency of the product. Just remember to apply a spf when using this as your newly revealed skin may burn easily.

Conclusion

If you are after a facial 'scrub' that isn't harsh and does the job then this is for you! Although it doesn't penetrate the skin, it helps to keep the top layer of your skin clean and healthy so to prevent pimples and blackheads forming. It's also fun to use and the bottle lasts a long time.

You can also find reviews of the gel on MakeupAlley


Have you tried this gel? If so please let me know your experiences :)

Instagram: Week in Photos

Here's my first ever Instagram week in photos. Yes I realise its like a week late, but I totally forgot about the post!

1) A firm favourite of mine, a necklace from Morocco
2) Cupcakes galore!
3) Hijab teamed with a hat does work! I've styled a plain black pashmina with a floppy hat from Primark. For a hijab tutorial to go with hats have a look one I made on my YouTube channel
4) My signature perfume- Miss Dior Cherie :)
5) Bangles I recently purchased from New Look. You can view the haul post I made here
6) Pretty lilac roses hijab,  perfect for Summer from Princess Rockz
7) Nail and jewellery candy! The ring is from primark and the bangles are from New Look. The Nail polish I am wearing is from 17's Candy Collection in Parma Violet
8) The hijab I'm styling in the photo is the Pom Pom hijab from Princess Rockz, also available in black. I've yet to do a YouTube tutorial on this style, but hopefully I will get around to it sometime (cant say when lol)

Hope you enjoyed my first 'week in photos' feature. My username is: aalia_princessrockz. If you have Instagram please leave your username in the comment box below :)

Three Hauls in one and Fashion Tip!

So I made a video recently about a few hauls from the past few months and I thought I would provide you with the links for where I purchased the items (because I'm kind like that ;) )

Arrghhh arm candy!!

1) Both set of bangles are from New Look- they have an offer at the moment where you buy any jewellery and get the other for free.

Bangles on the top row cost £4.99 and can be purchased here 

The brightly coloured bangles on the bottom are £6.99. Click here to buy online.

Who doesn't love a bit of makeup??

2) I've been wanting to purchase the Sleek Au Naturel Palette for a while so glad that I finally got the chance to. It cost £6.49 and can be purchased from Superdrug stores or online

The MUA bb cream was bought on a whim. Well I have been meaning to try it but there was only one tester in store that wasn't my shade!! So I did what I wouldn't recommend any of you to do and guessed I'd be a medium shade- oopps! For some reason I can not locate this online, but you can find in any Superdrug store.

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3) One thing I failed to show in my video is the MUA blusher in shade 4 This is the perfect shade for me (I'm NC30 in MAC) and at £1 you can't go wrong!!

4) The trousers were £5 on sale from New Look (no pic sorry I got lazy)

5) Grey dress from H&M. Again I was too lazy to take pic of it! But you can see the dress in my video.

6) No7 BB cream in normal/oily skin I purchased with a £5 off voucher from Boots. The few times I have tried it I like! However I will have to try it out properly before giving my final verdict.


7) MUA concealer stick- still unsure about this one but it is similar to Rimmels hide the blemish stick Can't find it on the website but pop into Superdrug to grab one. Its only £1 so may be worth a try. Again no piccy of the concealer (can you see a pattern? Lol) but it's in the shape of a stick so can't be difficult to find...

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8) Grey Maxi Skirt is from New Look and also available in black and maroon! The skirt comes with a detachable belt which can also be matched with your other outfits. The thin belt also gives the illusion of a tiny waist :)

For anyone looking for decent full length maxis that aren't see through, New Look is a must, especially if you are a student as they offer 20% discount.

Watch the haul video below:



Hope you enjoyed the haul. Please do let me know if you have tried any of the BB creams mentioned and your thoughts :o)

Review: No7 Beautiful Skin Eye Makeup Remover

I have been on the lookout for an eye makeup remover which removes my makeup quickly and with ease. I was recently given this in a beauty swap by Tanzina from MakeupAtoZ and was excited to try it out.

"This gentle dual action formula conditions while it cleanses, removing all traces of eye-makeup even waterproof mascara."

This product claims to be hypo-allergenic and suitable for all skin types.

As you can see I have used over half of the remover- so what did I think of it?

I found the formula to be a little oily, but this doesn't bother me as I believe this is effective in removing makeup. It doesn't feel heavy on my eyelids and did remove most of my makeup (eyeliner and mascara) with a cotton wool pad, however I did find I had to use more product to remove my Maybelline gel liner as it is pretty difficult to remove, but none the less it did a good job.

This did not sting my eyes and I quite like the packaging as its sturdy enough to pack into your travel bag without fear of spillage.

To effectively remove makeup soak a cotton pad and leaveon your eyelids for a good few seconds before gently wiping away. This will allow the product to work on your eyes without having to wipe so many times.

I don't wear waterproof mascara so can't judge whether it lives up to the claim, but overall I am happy with this and will definitely purchase again- especially once I have the £5 off No7 voucher which Boots give away every so often.

The cost is £7.75 but with a £5 off voucher it's less than £3!!

You can purchase from Boots stores or online

Have you used this before, or can you recommend any other eye makeup remover?

Makeup Master Class with FrootiBeauty

Two weeks ago I attended a masterclass held by Safiyah of Frootibeauty in East London. I was really looking forward to this class as I was excited to learn how to create the Arabic look. I'm pretty good with applying eyeliner but when it comes to eyeshadow I definitely need guidance!
 
You can view the look that we created here

There were a small number of girls, which allowed for Safiyah to pay special attention to each one of us. We were given a demonstration of how to apply eyeshadow, blending, and also tips on picking the correct foundation for your skin type. During the session Safiyah answered any questions we had relating to the class and also about makeup in general. I learnt a lot through this and think it would be very useful to have a seperate question and answer class.

So here is the overall look of my eyes (Photo is courtesy of Safiyah)

I think I did a pretty good job considering I thought it would turn out terrible! With practice I'm sure I can master this look, which would be perfect for weddings or parties :)

I throughly enjoyed the class, met some lovely people and learnt some makeup tricks-not bad for the cost of £15:)

You can find Safiyah on facebook and view makeup looks on her blog

Blog Event plus Goodie Bag!!

Today I attended a blogging lunch organised by the lovely Hafsa from Muslimah Beauty. I thoroughly enjoyed the event and got to meet some lovely ladies :)

So the event was held in a Somalian restaurant, as I have never tried Somalian cuisine before, I was really looking forward to it.

Grilled Sea Bass and Spaghetti

So what was in the goodie bag I hear you ask...well there were products from brands I have heard of before such as Dove, Elemis and Clarins, and others from companies I have heard little of-  Saaf skincare, Nude Skincare and I love Cosmetics.

Cute!

I'm looking forward to trying out all of the products and reviewing them in a future post :)

You can have a look at the vlog I made showing these products on my YouTube channel

Sleek and MUA Haul- BB Cream and Au Naturel Eye Shadow Palette

I couldn't wait to try the MUA BB cream so rushed out to Superdrug to get my hands on one. It's currently on sale for £2, which is quite cheap for a BB cream.

I was kind of disappointed at the lack of testers though, and couldn't find any for shades medium or dark so I guessed and chose the medium shade! On a positive note the MUA section was probably the largest I've seen in any Superdrug store!

I also had a look at Sleek makeup as I've been wanting the au naturel palette (well actually I wanted all of their eyeshadow palettes, but settled for one) Again there were a lack of testers so had to open up a new box to have a look, but I didn't swatch.

Cute Palette

I NEED that lip colour!!

The palette was £6.99, which is a pretty decent price as Sleek's eye shadows tend to be highly pigmented. I Don't wear eyeshadow every day but can definitely see this palette working with black eye liner for an everyday look.

Have you tried any of these products? what do you think of them?

Aloe Vera Gel for Oil Control and Acne Free Skin

I love aloe vera gel for minor skin irritations and as an after sun gel. I'm currently using this one from Holland and Barret's which is 99.9% natural and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
poreless

Recently I have been using the gel before my moisturiser both in the morning and at night. I have combination skin that is oily on the t-zone but also dry (odd I know), so can not leave the house without powder at least! I have repeated the process for around five days now and have noticed that the gel acts as a matifier. The open pores on my face are less visible and my skin feels moisturised. This helps my makeup to last much longer without sinking into the pores. I also feel that my skin has cleared up a lot because of the gel!

It's a great base for makeup, dries quickly and doesn't flake at all! Other uses for this gel are as a skin soother after threading and for cuts. I can not live without this product and have made it a must have in my beauty bag!

Purchase from Holland and Barretts for £3.55

Have you tried aloe vera gel?

MUA Makeup Haul- Blusher & Concealer

Ok so it's not much of a haul but these are the two products I purchased yesterday. I have been on the hunt for a concealer that isn't drying but doesnt turn my face into an oil slick after an hour. I thought I would give the MUA Hide and Conceal Cover Up Stick in shade 2 a try as its only £1! It's only available in two shades, so not much selection. I also picked up their blusher in shade 4. My last MUA blusher dropped on the floor and as a result is no longer useable.

I'm looking forward to trying out this concealer and hope it works! Whilst in Superdrug I spotted the MUA BB cream but thought I'd check out reviews before purchasing.

I wanted to purchase the Au Naturel i-Divine Palette but for some reason there was no Sleek counter in Superdrug- proper gutted :o( Looks like I'll have to check out another store to feed my Sleek fix!

I'll be doing reviews on both so keep a look out for that :)


Have you tried the MUA concealer or BB cream?? If so let me know your thoughts :)

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Re-arranging my wardrobe

A few days ago I decided to clear out part of my wardrobe and make it easier for me to access my clothes! I decided to put clothes into this part of the wardrobe that I won't really be wearing for the next few months. This includes chunky cardigans, thicker tops and jackets.

As you can see before is very messy and shoes are scattered everywhere! In the after photo you can see I put the shoes away and neatly hung the clothes.

I also have a clothes rail that contains clothes I will possibly be wearing in the upcoming Summer. This includes a few dresses, long thin cardigans, tops and t-shirts. This makes it much easier for me to access my clothes in a hurry! I sometimes like to arrange my clothes in order of colour and even item of clothing, but this time I was feeling a little lazy!

*P.s the weather has changed now and has gotten much colder-what happened to the beautiful sunshine??!*

Please leave a comment and let me know how you like to store/re-arrange your wardrobe :)