Hey lovelies, if you are a makeup fanatic like moi, and love to review and receive complimentary makeup, join Influenster ME asap here. If you are curious to know what Influenster is, do check this helpful article here.

This month’s Influenster box came with the Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir mascara, and I was beyond essited to have received this box. If anyone follows beauty gurus on YouTube with a passion, you would know that this mascara was hyped by every beauty guru under the sun and essentially cemented the status of Marc Beauty in the makeup industry.

So does it live up to the claims and the hype?? Scroll below, my loves….

Packaging and price

Marc Beauty treads the line between mid range affordable and luxury, and the packaging is testament to this.

It is bulkier and sleeker than the average drugstore mascara and has a jet black finish to give the Noir vibes. The wand is long and is able to reach and cover the lashes well enough. Sephora ME sells this 9gm tube for AED 140 ($38), which is more expensive than Tarte Lights Camera Lashes (AED 110), but lesser than Dior Show Iconic (AED 179).

Formula and Wear-ability

The formula is jet black and slightly on the thick side, but on application, you can control how much ends up on the lashes. I go with a light hand to evenly coat the lashes and then go back for a second application for a thicker coat.

You immediately see an obvious difference after applying as the lashes are lifted and are more thicc. It lends a very natural look and does not look (or feel) clumpy or overloaded.

But the main reason why this mascara is well hyped and ultimately takes my approval is the wearability test.

I have been using this while doing my daily exercise routine for about three weeks now and it is safe to report that this doesn’t budge at all. I’m the literal personification of the sweaty girl from Liza Koshy’s Zumba video, but despite all that, this mascara stayed onto my lashes and gave my otherwise no makeup face some life!!

Soooo definitely buy it, if you are up for a bit of splurge! HMU in the comments below if you are a fan of this mascara too!!

P.S. Influenster also previously sent us complimentary Max Factor products which you can read all about it here.

Hi-fives to those who resist the temptation to hog, and instead take your phone/camera out first for the social media….

I could rave about the appetizer alone in this post, because it is the absolute best thing I’ve ever tried.

Dad’s birthday celebration took us to Peppermill Dubai, located in Dubai Festival City. An Indian cuisine restaurant that caters to all diverse tastebuds (read: cannot handle the spiciness) here in Dubai.

The interiors are designed in a colonial era style that has some stunning views of the DFC waterfront. Since we went on a working afternoon, the place was quiet and we loved the pleasant ambience.

First up, the appetiser. Anyone who loves chaat should try their chaat platter or just their Karare Palak Chaat aka Crispy Spinach chaat (AED 26). It is honestly the best I’ve ever had (waddup Drake reference!) Spinach leaves fried in thin batter alongside yogurt, pomegranate, red chatni and sev makes this mouth wateringly delicious and if shared with others, gets over in minutes.

For the main course, we had their Awadhi Murgh Korma (Chicken curry in a cashew sauce) and Dal Makhani (lentils) with Butter Naans (AED 48, AED 35, AED 6 pp respectively). Loved the creaminess in both the dishes and the entire family had a butter overload moment from the naans and the Dal Makhani.

The Mutton Biryani (AED 60) was probably not one of our favourites here. Even though it was well prepared, it lacked the spices that makes a biryani stand out. This is usually prepared to accomodate all tastebuds, therefore a true biryani lover may not find this as appealing.

Since the staff knew about the birthday occasion beforehand, they gave a Coconut Pannacotta dessert with a birthday message in chocolate and sang a Happy Birthday song too. Props to them for the enthusiasm and the lovely presentation of the dessert (AED 26).

My Thoughts

A wonderful Indian restaurant for a night out. The ambience and service was superb, and so was the food. My only suggestions are to increase the food portions slightly for the price paid and perhaps some more items within the menu for those who love their masalas.

~By Sahrish~

So, finally coming away from our summer break with some profound experiences, we are back with a bang. We cannot wait to give our beauty and makeup reviews and photograph flatlays for products we’ve tried over the summer break.

Meanwhile, to all our old followers and to the new ones (Hey there!), we wanted to thank you all for sticking with us, and decided to use our design skills to create free desktop wallpapers for you. It is as per the remaining calendar months of 2018, so do check them out. Your feedback would be highly appreciated in the comments below

We won’t bother you by asking your email address and subscribe to us; just follow the dropbox link below and download them as many times as you want. If you do like them, show your love by sharing them with your friends.

Download the wallpapers here

Thank you all for your support and love and hope you all have a wonderful day ahead of you!!

-By Naz and Sahar-

Until this July when grandma (aka Dadijaan) came to stay at my house before moving back with us to Dubai. Having lived in a nuclear family, I’ve only ever shared my daily routine with my other 3 family members.

So naturally, I had a lot of questions over this move, (and some not so very good ones too) – how do you entertain an elder where the age gap was far too much to relate with anything; do I always have to dress my best all the time; are we getting a chance to roam around the city and have delicious street chaat (type of Indian street food) or are we forever with her inside the house (she needs constant supervision); will this vacation be worth remembering at all??

Dadijaan was home away from her home, but she never complained about that. I didn’t have to make an effort to talk, she just pulls you into a conversation. She’s clever too – anything I need from her would be given if I managed to get Dad to get her what she likes! (#cheeky) Days started moving to weeks eventually, but I still sulked internally somewhere.

During a random conversation, Dadijaan tells me to buy her a gold bangle and in exchange, see how my wedding bells take off thanks to her prayers. I tell her to better pray for a handsome one. She says it depends on how well I negotiate with my parents on this I laugh on this while going to sleep, thinking of adding more requirements tomorrow and get under her a skin a bit.

Tomorrow came, along with many indecipherable voices early morning. My dad held mine and my sisters hand and took us to Dadijaan. She has this smile on her face but no breathing movement from her. She gave her last in her sleep.

Today, it’s been more than a week. Mom took us all out for the first time since we landed to have our street chaat. We also went and bought some clothes and did everything I yearned to do. Dadijaan knew what my heart wanted, and she made sure she gave it to me.

Grandparents are one of the blessings of our lives and it pains me that what I should have planned instead was ways to spend more time with her, but life teaches you lessons the hard way. We have moved from being with her 24/7 to reflecting over these last days 24/7.

For those wondering why the site hasn’t been active, this is the reason. We will be picking up on blogging from hereafter, but for now, we will be thankful and wistful for remembering a July that never ends…….

-By Nazish-

“I know when that highlight bling” – Makeup Drake

After reviewing the Revlon Cream Insta Fix Highlight in part one, part two of Blinding Highlight Drugstore series is the iconic Wet N Wild Megaglo Highlight in ‘Precious Petals‘. Retailing for AED 25 for 5.4 gms of awesomeness, this is one of those highlights that you are bound to see from space!

Packaging

It has a not so good plastic packaging, especially the lid which does not click on closing. If you happen to break it, you can end up with cracks. The powder is packed in a large metal secured to the bottom and there has been no fallout.

Undertones

The reviews online confused me so so much; it looked champagne on some and pink on others. Since I lean more towards pink tones, I still decided to give this a go. For those confused about the undertone of this highlight, here are the deets – it is a pink toned highlight with a champagne reflect, thus reflecting differently on various skin tones (1$ to you for every time I wrote ‘tone’). The swatch differs from arm to face, and it shows much better on your face.

However, on very fair to fair skin tones, this just may end up looking like a dark pink stripe – Blossom Glow and Golden Flower Crown from the same line is your best bet.

Pigmentation

The pigmentation on this is astounding – just one swipe and the shine comes through. Layer it on, stand under the sun and warn others to wear a sun visor around you.

Final Thoughts

Here in the UAE, it is very difficult to get your hands on these highlighters in a store – Crown of my Canopy (the darkest shade) is the only highlighter stocked at times. The only well stocked WnW stands are in Ibn Battuta Mall and Dubai Marina Mall. For a great price and pigmentation, this one definitely deserves 5/5 stars.

-By Sahrish-

I bought The Ordinary’s 2% Salicylic Acid Solution at the end of January, primarily to see whether this helps with my acne and spots. I wanted to put this to the test at least for about a month or two, but ages passed and yet I could not get myself to write a review. I blamed this on my laziness, but call it a co-incidence that just two days before Eid, I experienced a major incident with this product and I’m glad that I’m writing this review now. More on that below, but first, let’s get the basics covered on this review of The Ordinary 2% Salicylic Acid.

Overview

Salicylic acid is well-known BHA used for exfoliation and reducing acne related issues. You can either opt for AHA or BHA depending on your skin type – this is explained in my previous post.

If the long review intimidates you, go to the infographic chart made at the end of the article which summarises everything.

Product Description

I purchased this bottle online from dolcevitabeauty.me for AED 40 since no major retailers stock The Ordinary in UAE. It has 30 ml (1 floz) of product and is enclosed in a frosted glass container with a dropper to dispense the liquid. The solution (which has 2% salicylic acid and witch hazel) in itself is a clear runny gel-ish liquid which tends to turn milky if you rub too much in.

The directions state to apply this AM or PM by applying small dots onto your acne/blemish or over a large area. They also give a warning to use sunscreen which is very important while using AHA/BHA in order to avoid sunburn.

My Thoughts

I used this as a spot treatment, directly onto an existing or a newly formed pimple. I was scared to use it entirely on my face for fear of it being too harsh. One drop covers at least two spots, so this product can last you a long time. If you do rub it onto the skin, it does turn into a milky colour which was not appealing at all.

There was little to no smell in this product which is good.

On my acne, it took at least a week to see the pimples getting reduced, which IMO, is a lot of time. Many over the counter spot treatments bring a pimple to its head within three/four days. Another issue was when I put it over newly formed pimples (which hasn’t reached the surface of the skin yet), instead of eliminating it within, it started growing big and ended up as fat as my other pimples.

I used this every three days, then gave a gap of three days before continuing the routine. However, after three days, the skin around the pimples was so dry that it started flaking. Then, my major incident happened a few days before Eid, which ultimately decided my thoughts on this.

The Incident

On two nights before Eid, I put this on my acne spot just right outside the eye area and went to sleep. This particular spot was

(a) right under the eye area

(b) was just on the surface of my skin and had not come to a head since a week, so doubting if it was even a pimple

& (c) it was my fourth day of using the BHA continuously.

I woke up three hours later with a burning sensation right where i had applied it. I had given myself a chemical burn and no amount of water could stop the burning sensation. I applied ice cubes and used my La Roche Posay Lipikar face and body lotion as a last resort over the spot and it finally stopped the burn.

By 10 in the morning, I officially had dry wrinkly skin with little white pustules similar to that of a burn area. I continued to use LRP lotion throughout the day as that gave the skin relief, and allowed new skin to form over the area. On Eid day, it looked much better and I managed to hide it with a cream concealer.

For those asking, I’m combination/dry skin type and I only get random spots at that time of the month.

Final Thoughts

The above incident was really my fault as I was applying the BHA close to the eye area, and was using it continuously for four days. Since The Ordinary has 2% Salicylic Acid (which is the highest concentration of BHA one should use OTC), it is better to have a gap of few days before you use it again.

Overall, I’m less impressed with this product as it took a week to get rid of my acne spot, did not see any improvement with regards to my blemishes, dried the heck out of my skin and I ended up giving myself a burn. This worked less effectively on me as I have combination dry skin, but if you are oily and acne prone, you may have better results than mine, as it truly zaps the oils around the area so that the pimple dries down.

If you have used this or any other The Ordinary products, I would love to hear your comments below.

-By Nazish-

The sheer variety of products available in the beauty world is sign enough of how exfoliation plays an important role for flawless skin. Exfoliation removes the dead layer of the skin and allows other products such as moisturizer/serum to work more effectively.

While you may have heard a lot about physical exfoliation, not many people are aware of its damaging effects if used abrasively on the skin. Chemical exfoliation with acids is the best treatment you could give to your skin for a glowy look (do not let the word ‘acids’ scare you!) Below is a simple guide to help you understand all about chemical exfoliation and what exactly is AHA/BHA:

Types of acid exfoliants

There are two more commonly used acid exfoliants – Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA).

Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA)

Derived from sugarcane, milk etc, this acid is water-soluble and works only on the top layer of the skin by removing the bond between dead skin cells and helps in faster shedding. It also helps in increasing collagen producing cells which helps in generating new skin, making skin plump and smooth. Due to these properties, it is best suited for dry and mature skin types.

Glycolic, Lactic and Mandelic acids are some of the commonly used AHAs in skin care. Affordable versions include Pixi Glow Tonic or The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% and high-end includes Sunday Riley Good Genes, Skin Ceuticals C+AHA and Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel. Maximum concentration for using AHA should be around 8 – 10%.

Lactic acid works best for sensitive skin types as it is less stronger in strength than glycolic acid.

Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA)

BHA is mostly used for acne prone skin and clogged pores, simply because it has the ability to penetrate deeper into the skin surface than AHA, clearing the sebum and all dirt trapped deep inside the skin. It is oil soluble and due to its above properties, it is more suitable for oily/combination skin types. It has skin calming properties when used in lower concentrations, therefore helping with conditions such as rosacea. Maximum concentrations of 0.5% to 2% is used in products.

1% is ideal for normal skin while up to 2% could be used for acne prone skin, depending on how well the skin reacts.

Most popular BHA is salicylic acid which is a common feature in all acne prone face products. Affordable products with BHA include Cosrx BHA Blackhead Liquid Power,Sunday Riley UFO and Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid.

Products containing AHA and BHA

There are products in the market that combine the power of both acids such as Glossier Solution, Biologique Recherche P50, Murad AHA/BHA exfoliating cleanser and Herbivore Blue Tansy – it gives the benefits of both acids for your face.

Things to remember before you switch to acid exfoliation

• Use once a day, and then keep a gap of 3/4 days before you reapply
• Avoid the eye area
• Sunscreen is a must when you start using acids – especially glycolic acid which makes you photosensitive (prone to sun damage), so it is best to apply at night and use sunscreen regularly.
• It is preferable not to apply AHA/BHA together – but if you do, Paula’s Choice website recommends this – “If you have combination skin, where the T-zone is oily and clog-prone with large pores, but the cheeks are dry, experiment by applying a BHA exfoliant to the oily areas and an AHA exfoliant to the dry areas.“ It is also recommended to use them alternatively and not together.
• Acids do not provide immediate results – you will have to continue to use them for two weeks or more in order to get substantial results.
• Acids may also cause purging i.e. dirt hidden deep inside will be brought to the surface and breakouts will happen – this will eventually reduce and go away.
• If you use retinol or any other product, it is best to consult a dermatologist before applying.

I am currently using The Ordinary Salicylic Acid and cannot wait to share my thoughts with you (post coming up soon!). What are your favourite products for exfoliation? Also, if are new to this concept, how likely are you to try this? Would love to hear your thoughts on this!

-By Naz-

P.S. Photo credits to Hanae Akabbal for Pixi Glow Tonic

Take it from this newbie here – blogging isn’t always fun. Your post has the best content – but where are the viewers? Your photos are just not matching your blog aesthetic. Writer’s block and sometimes, plain ol’ laziness just creeps upon you.

After six months into starting our blog, there are definitely some pointers we wished we knew earlier while starting our journey. So all my lovely newbies, here are few tips for new bloggers, by a new blogger ourself :

Sticking to your niche

Always remember why did you initially start the blog. Our focus is primarily on beauty & lifestyle, but we had created a few creative writing posts that did not match our blog purpose at all. Having understood this aspect later, we have now trashed such posts. Your uniqueness in presenting same information floating around is what attracts viewers (and if you aren’t too sure of what that is – going through your popular posts will help you figure that). Readers follow your blog for what you have initially created it for; give them the reason to stay connected to you.

One of our most popular post has been the Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser review, and we try and incorporate the same feel to our other posts too – like this Revlon Colorburst Crayons review – see if you could figure it out too!

Creating an aesthetic

Aesthetic is the visual feel of your blog; and humans are largely visual by nature (this is also why Instagram is better than Facebook these days). Stick to a colour scheme in your blog; and try to follow that. We have made it largely pink and put our focus on creating good flatlays/product photos.

Maintaining uniformity in your blog helps it look visually appealing.

Customise your blog to your like – match your header pictures to your font colours; explore the various themes and use one that matches your style (ours is Button 2 – and its free!). If you feel that this involves a lot of work; then stick to a basic black and white theme; lots of people love minimalistic blogs.

If you are into pink, check out our moodboard created on Pinterest here

Creating quality content and post it timely

People can recognise when something is created in a half-assed manner, and this will detract them from reading any further. Put a lot of thought in your content, make it relatable, check the grammar and get your close ones to review it before you hit the publish button.

Ask a question to self – would I read this myself?

While you have got that content ready, do post it in a timely manner. Your readers will understand your posting pattern and will expect it accordingly. This will also let Google know that your blog is active. We will be sticking to posting once a week on Mondays, and on rare exceptions – Wednesdays.

Eliminating writer’s block

We could create a separate post on the number of times we have struggled to come up with content. However the solution to this is so damn simple – create a list at the start of every month and work on two topics every week….this way you have control over what you are posting without feeling powerless. Follow this link for post ideas for a lifestyle blogger, if creativity decides to ignore you like an annoyed girlfriend.

Growing our blogging community

Just as you post your dessert pics on social media, use it to share your blog posts in the same way. Social media connects you with tons of people of similar interest (and one day, get your post viral too). Follow us on Instagram and Pinterest, where we are the most active on.

Best social media platforms according to us are Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

Get onto other’s blogs, read and leave a comment, collaborate with other bloggers for some fun post ideas or even, guest post in related websites to get people to discover your blog. Interaction is always the best thing for promotion. Shoutout to all the wonderful blogs we follow and the people who we interact on IG – we love your work a lot!!

Upgrading your skills

The last and final point would perhaps be the most important one! Whether you want more pageviews or just want to be successful, chances are the current strategies you are using may be outdated. Overcome this by visiting few blogs in your niche (especially ones that you eventually want yours to look like), see their latest posts, and get an overall idea of what is currently trending and jump onto that bandwagon. We must emphasise that the above point was to get inspiration, not copy them.

These are a few tips for all the new bloggers out there from the mouth of another new blogger i.e. us. If this has been helpful, do leave a like. If you need any help regarding WordPress settings and customisations, then do get in touch with us in the comments below – we would love to help.

We are thinking of doing another similar article for beauty bloggers – if you are interested, then do let us know!

-By Naz & Sahar-

To start off the series in the most grandest way possible – our first ever item we want to feature on our fashion wishlist is the Gucci GG Marmont Backpack in shade Light Pink.

Can we take a minute to appreciate the beauty – it is made of chevron quilted leather (don’t know what it is, but sure sounds luxurious!!) Love the quilted design on the front, the logo doesn’t look too gaudy, the size is just perfect and the colour – WE.ARE.SHOOK!

This retails for $1,890 (AED 6,937 but should be more in the stores here). To be honest, we do not seeing ourselves buying this anytime soon, but consider this on our must do checklist, I.e. buy a luxury item. Meanwhile, you are welcome to drool over it in the comments section below

-By Naz & Sahar-

“Don’t let anyone with bad eyebrows give you life advice”

These are the things I never learnt at school – calculate taxes, jumpstart a car, buy house and doing eyebrows. But I am so glad I know the Pythagorean Theorem!!

This curly girl may have a mane full of thick hair but her eyebrows are damn sparse (thank you nature!). I also learnt my lesson that I need not shape my brows every month and turn them thinner than Cruella De Ville’s.

For days when I want to look au naturel, how do I do my brows? Enter the Flormar Eyebrow Pencil – my first ever purchase from Flormar and scroll below for some first impressions of the Flormar Eyebrow Pencil.

Packaging – General plastic packaging, the cap and the bottom of the pencil shows the colour of the pencil inside and matches exactly as the actual product colour. It has a comb attached that is best left unused tbh.

Formula – The creaminess of this pencil is perfect – neither too hard nor too crayon-ish. The colour 405 is a dark brown – it’s not too warm toned, but is dark enough to be a good alternative for jet black pencils. It stays on the brow and is non transferable.

Price – I think this is around AED 20.

Overall – Definitely a good drugstore purchase, does its job well for filling any sparse areas and is worth the price. Makes me also want to try their other products too.

Comment below if you liked the first impressions of Flormar Eyebrow Pencil and if you have any favourite drugstore/affordable brow product. Meanwhile, leaving you with a good wish that your eyebrows be twins of each other always.

-By Naz-