Our Dubai Life

GUCCI 2020 Cosmetic / Makeup Reveal

2020-11-15T23:46:00.004+04:00

I remember back in November 2014 when Gucci initially launched their beauty line, I liked the collection but with it generic dark packaging and large GG logo's it fell short and merged in with the plethora of similar-looking beauty lines.

Then one day the line completely disappeared, and we all forgot that Gucci ever had a cosmetic line;

Roll onto the summer of 2020 and BOOM the new and improved GUCCI cosmetic line was launched!

As soon as I saw the pastel pink powder compacts cropping up on the internet, I fell instantly in love. Fickle I know but the soft pastel hues and vintage 50's packaging made me need to get my hands on the collection to add to my dressing room table.

The new collection is must-have for us, lux lovers for the LOOK alone, but is the makeup line more than just beautiful, is it usable?

I grabbed all the essential pieces from the NEW & much-approved makeup/cosmetic line from Bloomingdale's store here in Dubai, which is also available in all Gucci boutiques and here are my thoughts on the pieces that I picked up.

Poudre De Beauté Mat Naturel Powder - Shade 03

I can confirm the powder is excellent, not only good looking this powder is more than a trophy wife, its makeup bag staple.

The formula is soft and blendable and leaves no caking. The powder melts over your foundation, to soak up excess oil to provides a mattifying effect. I like to flit between this and YSL All Hours Setting Powder and find them comparable in the finish.

Poudre De Beauté Éclat Soleil Powder - Shade 01

Even though I live in Dubai, my European skin cannot take any darker than the shade 01 or 02; I went with 01 as felt this tone was natural enough and could be built upon for a subtle look;

I chose right thankfully, and the soft buttery powder bronzer in 01 is the right shade for me. I like how it can be built upon to go from a light application to provide a sunkissed glow to a heavier application for more of an impactful look. I like the undertone and find it natural opposed to a dirty OR muddy shade you can get from some of the lux bronzers out there in the market.

The stunning turquoise compact case and embossed product design are almost at too pretty to use, but if you do dare, you will not be disappointed with the effect.

Mascara L'Obscue - Shade Black

Currently only available in shade black, this mascara with a real brush (not plastic bristles) is a lash lifting buildable mascara. The formula is longlasting and does not smudge or flake, even after a full days use.

I personally take off the excess before application for an everyday look or use as is, for a more dramatic evening look.

I also want to talk about the advertising for this mascara, the campaign focused primarily on the singer Danni Millers purposefully heavy built-up spider lashes and divided the crowd. I loved the aesthetic of the vintage vogue ad shot by the legendary Martin Parr Studios, with the models twiggy '60s lashes the focus. The ad campaign against the overtly feminine packaging was a clever juxtaposition that makes the GUCCI cosmetic line stand out in a frankly oversaturated luxury makeup space.

Rouge à Lèvres Lipsticks

The range of lipsticks shades are amazing, and each case is phenomenal. Available in several formulas, I picked up one of each of the following types as a starting point > Satin / Matte & Balm.

Again the ad campaign for the lipsticks, which showed a closeup of the models perfectly imperfect teeth caused more of a reaction than the mascara campaign. The ad is difficult, but only as we're used to seeing airbrushed perfection, the raw and unique GUCCI beauty campaign embraces the human quirks and differences, and I think it's perfect.

Rouge à Lèvres Mat Lipstick - Shade 201 : The Painted Veil

The golden lipstick case with vintage turned line design is amazing, and the soft velvety matte finish of this lipstick is excellent.

The application with full coverage is longlasting, and I particularly like the shade 201 The painted Veil. Mattes are my preferred formula for lipsticks, and I'll be picking up a few more shades from the matt collection range shortly.

Rouge à Lèvres Satin Lipstick - Shade 103 : Carol Beige

Shade 103 Carol Beige is a perfect nude shade with a subtle sheen. Again this lipstick is longlasting and easy to apply and the fancy golden lipstick case, in turned design is stunning.

Baume à Lèvres - Shade 3 : Renè Pink

This balm is hydrating and offers a subtle hint of a sheer shade. I don't generally buy tinted balms and tend to stick to transparent, however, I could not resist this gorgeous red shade against the minimal bakelite style turquoise case.

Although the name suggests pink, I found the colour to be more of red shade and reminiscent of a glamorous nan shade.

Powder Eyebrow pencil Crayon Poudre Sourcils - Blond

Blonde eyebrow pencils are incredibly challenging to find, and most brands stick to producing a weird TAUPE shade for their fairer audience, which did not suit my once almost invisible brows. When I saw the pencil from this range, I thought I would give it a go, and am pleasantly surprised.

I had my eyebrows micro bladed last year and now love the shape and colour they are now right now and was looking for an eyebrow pencil to define the arch and tail slightly, and this shade is great for that. This is now 100% my go-to brow pencil and is an excellent colour match for my blonde brows, the pencil is easy to use and has a soft creamy texture blends easily and comes with a pretty pink sharpener so well worth the price.

Vernis à Ongles Nail Polish - Shades: 713 Dorothy Turquoise & 212 Annabel Rose

Last but not least, the Gucci nail polish. I only really buy Chanel nail polish, so I was keen to see if the coverage and ease of application were comparable.

The bottles are gorgeous, in a heavy glass bottle and pink tops and come with 10ml of product. Coverage is good and takes two layers to really pop with an ultra-shiny finish. The brush is a good size to coat the nail, and the application is effortless, with little mess. This is a good quality nail polish, and with a good, topcoat are longlasting and cannot wait to add the other three shades to my collection.

713 Dorothy Turquoise

A stunning tiffany blue shade, I cannot get enough of this colour and is my favourite from their range of nail polishes.

212 Annabel Rose -

This shade is a soft pink hue and looks amazing paired with Dorothy Turquoise to create a stunning pastel manicure.

I'm very impressed with the new GUCCI cosmetic line, not only do the pieces look and smell amazing, they are now firm staples in my luxury makeup bag for years to come.

Please check out my Instagram and Pinterest for more shots, and please follow.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the new GUCCI makeup range, and if you any recommendations of any pieces I have not yet picked up from this line, please do let me know :D

Speak Soon

Hayley

LV Cruise 2021 Collection Game On : My Thoughts

2020-10-24T12:57:00.005+04:00

Ever since the anticipated Louis Vuitton cruise 2021 collection pre-view hit the internet, my heart skipped a beat! There is something quite alluring with Nicolas Ghesquière new playful cruise collection "Game On."

I'm usually not that keen on cruise or resort collections and tend to stick to classics aside from the LV XMAS animation, but there is something with this inter-season line.

Quite similar in design to the Multicolored Monogram which made its debut on the runway at the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2003 and was an instant hit, the 2021 Cruise collection with Alice in Wonderland vibes, will more than likely follow suit.

I understand this collection will not be to everyone's taste, but there are some key pieces, which will be super desirable, and are my top picks:

The HEART bag - Swooooon

Let's start with this bag which is my personal favourite from the collection. I would say this one fits more into the category of a classic monogram handbag.

What I mean by this is the canvas is a standard monogram not multicoloured and the only link to the underlying playing card themes running through all of this collection, is the unassuming tiny heart emblem in the top left-hand corner.

The bag is reminiscent of the Boite Chapeau Souple and from the released images appears to have the same style non-removable strap and a double zipper. I'm interested to see if the bag is structured enough to stand as a heart on its own and if the double zipper has any impact on the ease of use of this bag?

We will find out shortly, as I was lucky enough to have been able to pre-order and will do a review as soon as this new beautiful bag arrives here in Dubai.

Review to follow shortly

Pochette Kirigami

The Kirigami is a three-piece pochette set which comprises of different sized canvas envelopes which fit inside each other. The set consists of of a large-sized pochette which can hold items such as an iPad or notebook, a medium-sized pouch for things such as passport or keys and a smaller one like a wallet can fit cards, notes or coins.

The Pochette Kirigami is always a popular piece even in monogram canvas. Still, I think this colourway with two-pieces in the black and heart, print and small white envelope will be a huge hit and will even rarer than the standard monogram print.

Vanity PM

I think the Vanity PM handbag alongside the heart handbag is going to the most sought after bags from the 2021 cruise collection.

The Vanity PM is one of the newer handbags from Louis Vuitton and released Spring-Summer 2020. The bag is an update of the Nice vanity and features a new gorgeous leather chain strap. The shape and design I think look amazing against the latest cruise printed canvas and believe it's available I both black and white colourways.

The Dauphine

I adore my Louis Vuitton DAUPHINE MM from the SS19 collection. This bag is a classic and love how different it looks with the new "Game On" print.

The shape and whimsy with boxy shape really lend itself to the Alice in Wonderland vibe the best from all other bags from this collection.

The black trim and white print with pops of blue motifs and red hearts really stand out and think this one is a real show stopper!

Petite Malle

The Petite Malle handbag is based on the fashion houses steamer trunk is always sought after tiny bag with a big personality barely big enough to fit a lipstick and wallet this bag is most difficulty a collector's piece even in general terms.

The gorgeous cruise black print works so well on this tiny covetable "little trunk." So if your a Petite Malle collector or looking for a rare sought after piece from this collection you may want to consider adding this one into your collection.

There are so many unique pieces for the 2021 cruise collection and think this collection will divide the LV lovers out there. I'm a fan and love the pieces I picked out above and cannot wait to get my hand on the heart bag - review to come soon.

Love to hear your thoughts on this collection and if you have your eye on any piece before this sell collection drops Early November 2020

Speak Soon

Hayley

NOTE > All images owned by Louis Vuitton

LV Montsouris PM Backpack : New Release 2020

2020-10-09T10:55:00.002+04:00

I've been looking for the perfect backpack for a long time, so when I saw that Louis Vuitton had re-released the MONTSOURIS Backpack for Fall / Winter 2020, I knew it was the next bag for me!

Little did I know that my exceptional hubby had the same idea and had already arranged for our sales associate to hold the backpack in Noir and Natural as a surprise present and took me Saturday to try them on!

As you may know, I have quite an extensive luxury handbag collection but am lacking a high-end backpack. The backpack has over the past several years made a resurgence on the bag front, so could not wait to add one into my collection but to be honest, I've struggled to find one I like.

Somewhat controversially I'm not too fond of the Palm Springs backpack this is mostly due to the puffy sport straps which look bulky and a turn off for me; Goodness knows how many times I've tried on this backpack over the two years hoping to fall in love and every time the straps just put me off!

I didn't want to go down the vintage pre-loved market so when they re-released the Montsouris I was ecstatic.

I wasn't sure which colour-way I preferred out of the Noir or Natural and at first glance on the website, I thought maybe Noir as it matches our keepall 45, my Serene and Neo Noe are both in Noir leather, but luckily my hubby reserved both colours from our SA.

The 2020 Montsouris backpack rendition is now available in two sizes PM (Large) or BB (Small) and five variations:

Monogram Empreinte - Noir / Crème or Tourterelle
Monogram - Black and Natural

The store had limited stock of all five variations, so luckily I got to try on all five, and although the Empreinte is beautiful, it's not was I was personally looking for on a backpack.

So between the PM Noir or Natural, both colours are gorgeous, but something clicked when I tried on the natural, and I instantly knew that was right for me!

I love the sleek design on monogram canvas and cowhide leather. The bag has a vintage buckle purely decorative as the bag closes with magnetic snap closure, outside zipped pocket (large enough to hold a keyholder or phone) and good-sized interior. The top handles and adjustable thin leather straps, allows this bag to be worn a few different ways which make this a perfect all-round bag.

I know I can pair this backpack with a tracksuit and trainers (FrontRow or RunAway are my current favourite LV trainers) or dress it up with a pair of jeans and t-shirt or summer dress and sandals, for a day trip to shopping trips etc.

Detailed Features :

27.5 x 33.0 x 14.0 cm

(Length x Height x Width)

Aged natural leather
Monogram coated canvas
Cowhide leather trim
Textile lining
Gold-colour hardware
Leather handle for hand carry
Two adjustable leather straps (length: min. 77 cm/30.3 inches, max. 83 cm/32.7 inches) for backpack or shoulder carry
Magnetic buckle closure with leather drawstrings
Outside zipped pocket
Inner open pocket
Removable LV charm

I cannot recommend the Montsouris PM backpack enough it looks like a perfect all-around bag and very comfortable to wear. I know this backpack will be a well-loved addition in my bag collection.

To top it all off my AMAZING hubby even picked out the Xmas animation Ferris wheel Zippy Coin Purse in Monogram with pretty pink interior, to pair with my new bag - What a MAN!

Love to hear your thoughts on the Montsouris PM and if you're considering this bag what colour and size will you chose?

Speak Soon

Hayley

Iphone 11 Green Review : Minty Fresh

2020-10-02T09:57:00.002+04:00

I thought long and hard over writing this article, as let's face it, I'm pretty late to the iPhone 11 game as Apple officially launched this model back on September 20, 2019.

Anyhow the reason I'm late was to be quite honest is I didn't upgrade my phone until late May 2020.

I love a useful gadget and even considered myself at one point quite the gadget girl, however recently I haven't really felt compelled to buy or upgrade any of my existing techs. I'm not sure, if this is more to do with the times we're living in (COVID) or if actually, it was just what I already own is adequate?

I know I referred to myself above as somewhat of a gadget girl, I mean I was never camping outside an Apple store for three days type, but did like to keep up to date with new releases and did upgrade my phone & watch pretty regularly, though to be honest I personally still rate the iPhone 8+

Maybe I just got bored with the Apple hype and for the first time in my life (well at least since I got my first iPhone in 2007) I actually considered moving away from Apple and trying the Samsung Galaxy Note, (which may I add, looks stunning!)

I guess what ultimately made me decide to stay with Apple was I wasn't keen on having another ecosystem to manage. I like iOS as an operating system, and the App Store is pretty useful. Having android also to deal with wouldn't do much for my OCD.

I practically grew up with Apple and know how to use it!

So when it came to me deciding between the iPhone 11 / iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone Pro Max, I had to weigh up the pro's and con's and ultimately here is the reasons why I chose the iPhone 11 and money wasn't the only factor!

Design

The iPhone 11 features a glass body that comes in six colours: yellow, black, white, red, purple and green the latter two colour being new additions for the 2019 model whereas the iPhone 11 Pro / Max models only come in the four generic colours: space grey, silver, gold, and midnight green.

The iPhone 11 doesn't look much different than the iPhone XR in the general spec; however, Apple has updated the glass the toughest found on any smartphone in the market;

Previously I would edge toward gold as it's my general aesthetic and matches my Macbook / watch and Ipad, however with this phone upgrade, I actually fell for the mint green shade which sits between a Tiffany Blue and Pastel Candy.

Camera

As a keen photographer, my adoration of the iPhone is generally the camera quality.

The iPhone 11‌ dual 12-megapixel camera with wide & ultra-wide lens suits my needs, and I'm enjoying the night mode feature which allows for cleaner crisper images in lower light. I'm impressed with this feature which does capture accurate eye quality light levels (Finally!)

The portrait mode which diffuses the background has also been improved, and I can see the difference.

The additional third telephoto lens found on the iPhone 11 Pro or Max is pretty redundant for my needs and being that this is the main difference aside from the OLED display on the 11 pro or 11 pro max it just wasn't worth it for the additional cost.

iOS

The iOS14 update is available for iPhone 6s and later models and Apple will keep releasing new updates but this latest update looks incredibly sleek on the iPhone 11 brighter display.

I really like the features of this update. I have enjoyed personalising my phone with custom widgets which makes a generally bland iPhone home-screen into an aesthetically pleasing PINTEREST mood board.

Check out my fancy iOS 14 iPhone Aesthetic Inspo & Tutorial with tips & tricks on how to create an Aesthetically pleasing home screen yourself.

Storage

The iPhone 11 comes in three capacities : 64GB / 128GB / 256GB.

I Chose 128GB which retails for AED 3,159.00 (779.00 GBP / 749 USD) as I feel this is the right size for my needs. I've currently used: 49.1GB with 8664 photos and 102 videos and have plenty of storage left for the future.

I'm pleased I chose the iPhone 11 and generally happy with the upgrade but let's see if the upcoming iPhone 12 will tempt me, or if I will stick with the iPhone 11 for a few years?

Like to hear your thoughts and if your an Apple Fan will you be looking to upgrade to the iPhone 12 or are you happy with the phone you currently have?

Speak Soon

Hayley

iOS 14 iPhone Aesthetic Inspo & Tutorial

2020-09-26T03:02:00.008+04:00

One of the biggest trends to hit the planet right now is the iOS 14 update which allows you to create a perfect home screen with custom widgets that turns your once bland iPhone home-screen into an aesthetically pleasing PINTEREST mood board.

I suggest firstly choosing a style/theme for your homepage, for example, do you want your iPhone to match with your website or Instagram theme or with a favourite room in your house? Maybe your inspo is based on a colour scheme - Do you prefer Neutral / Beige tones or are on the current NEON trend? Whatever your style, once you have the theme in mind your good to go!

I started by creating an Inspo Pinterest board & saving all my resources into the one location and pinned Backgrounds / Art to Quotes, all matching my chosen theme, so had lots of choices when it comes to finalising the design.

I'm pretty obsessed with this update and spent a good few hours planning and designing a neutral-toned aesthetic and wanted to share what I'd learnt, with an easy step by step overview of the process, to get you quickly up and running with making your own -

Here are some of my favourite images that which I saved to my IOS14 Inspo Board:

The Nitty Gritty -

Sofware you'll need

IOS version 14 or later

Patience!

Before you start -

IOS version 14 has an excellent app library (enter this by scrolling your home screen to the right until it opens) this allows you to remove apps from your home screen and have them all in one place (finally tidying up your phone freeing it from a million apps!).

If you tap and hold in a space on your home screen, the apps will start to shake, and you can then delete the App (yes, press the x!) You'll be asked if you want to delete or 'send to your library' - If you choose to 'send to library' it won't delete the App but instead stores it away in a section which is excellent and helps you spring clean your iPhone.

Step 1: Choosing a background

As above, search the web for INSPO - Pinterest, Instagram were, in my opinion, the best places to find inspirational designs and find a perfect sleek background. The best advice I have is keeping it simple, stick to one colour and don't make it too busy. If you do go for a pattern or similar, try to keep it to two colours only and with limited use of the second colour. For your apps/widgets, you'll then want to choose an accent colour. Without going into colour theory in too much detail, take a look at a colour wheel, and you choose a colour that is opposite to the selected colour or, if a third colour, make a triangle on the colour wheel to pick your pallet! Here is an excellent video to watch on this topic (I'm no professional!).

Step 2: Apps you'll need

You don't have to get all of these; however, these are the apps that I used to create my home screen. Please note that there are some paid options on these apps. This tutorial is not a paid advertisement for any of the apps mentioned and only what I found useful in achieving my desired theme.

The following App's are available for download from the App store:

Shortcuts - This handy little App creates a 'short cut' which you can give a picture to on your home page. You're giving the illusion that you have replaced the icon of the App - this is not the case. The only downside is that the 'shortcuts' App will open for a brief second before opening the link. For some, this will be a fair trade-off for a striking home screen - for the OCD people, this could be a step too far and bear in mind that as this is a shortcut some of the notification may not appear.

Widgetsmith - This useful App is the best currently available in the IOS14 widget game and allows you to create a calendar, clock face, tidal graph, star chart, moon phase tracker and a picture box for a chosen picture and a few more. You can choose the size, colour and font! Not too bad for a free app, and we will be using this to create a useful widget to use on a day to day basis. With all the attention this App is getting, I'm sure the creators will expand on the options shortly.

Colour Widgets - So ignore the incorrect (OK, American) spelling of colour lol. This App is similar to Widgetsmith but currently limited to a clock widget. The best feature of this App is the option of allowing you to place any chosen image behind their clock face, this adds flair and helps personalise your home page further! As its currently limited to a clock widget, I'm sure with all of the buzz surrounding the new iPhone update, the creators will add more features soon but in the meantime its a useful free app!

Step 3: Creating a widget using Widgetsmith

It's effortless, to get started, open Widgetsmith and you'll be asked if you want to create a small, medium or large widget.

I went with a mix or medium & small-sized apps as best fit with my theme Medium size for the calendar/to-do list at the top and small for the inspo image I placed as a decoration piece;

Once you have chosen your background, try to stick within that aesthetic.

Tap add widget, click the default widget to be presented with the style, location, font, tint colour, background colour and border colour options. Go through these to create a device that fits your aesthetic perfectly (or just copy mine!). Note, you can choose a photo option here. It will create an image only widget, which is purely for decoration which looks great on the screen. I use this box for quotes or a picture that summarises my theme.

Note: Some widgets do have a lock on them, and will prompt you to sign-up for the premium version of Widgetsmith if you want to use any paid options. Developers work hard designing these apps, so please chose the options that best suits you. (I am not affiliated/paid or sponsored, just wanted to note the different options available on the App)

Once you have created your widget press and hold your home screen to make the apps do the wobble dance, then at the top left of your screen you will see a + sign, press this and scroll down to chose the Widgetsmith icon, then it will prompt you to choose from the small, medium or large widgets. Select the medium size, tap add a widget, tap the widget again whilst it's wobbling and then click choose. Select the newly created widget and slide it to the best place on your home screen. Tap anywhere on the screen or done in the top right corner.

Step 4: Creating a widget using Color Widget

If you've done step 3, step 4 is now easy peasy.

Open Color Widget and click on a widget which has the aesthetic you like best as the starting point (don't worry, you can change it later). Tap edit widget you have the option to change the font/colour and add an image. If you add a picture, you can import from your camera roll, and the chosen photo will be behind the clock.

Note: This App also offers paid premade designs Please chose the options that best suits you. (I am not affiliated/paid or sponsored, just wanted to note the different options available on the App)

Once you have chosen all of the widgets you want, you can play around, and by sliding the widget around, you can place them into the formation that best suits your needs or theme.

Step 5: Finishing it off with Shortcut app

Now how can you customise your standard app front covers to match with your new beautiful widget? The answer is in the polarising app Shortcut. As mentioned above, this App is a lot more powerful than what we will be using it for it's almost a 'macro' to use with other apps, but that's not something we'll go through now as this was using this for Aesthetic purposes here.

Again search Pinterest, Instagram or Google Images to find Icons for your home screen, e.g. A camera Icon for your Camera App - Its best to stick to individual images or if not best to crop each image to be a stand-alone icon.

Using this App is a little more challenging than the others, so I'll go through step-by-step here,

We will be using this App to amend the icon of the original App effectively but without actually doing it; we will just be creating our icon that will act as a path to opening the actual App that's sitting in our App library.

OK, deep breath, this can be a little tricky at first, but if I can do it, you can too!

Open Shortcut

Tap the plus in the top right

Tap add action

Tap scripting

Tap open App

Tap choose

Choose the App you want to open

Tap the three dots in the top right corner

Give the shortcut a name.

Tap add to the home screen.

Tap the smaller icon next to the name you gave

Select Choose photo

Choose the icon you want to use from your photos.

Align the icon to the centre or appropriate place

Tap choose

Tap Add

Done

Now go to your home screen, and you should see your icon! You can now move this to a spot on your new home screen!

Don't forget to tap your new icon to make sure it works. You'll see Shortcut app opens for a split second before the actual App itself opens, unfortunately, that's necessary.

Now you have one icon ready, repeat these over and over until you have the apps ready.

Please check out my Instagram and Pinterest for more shots, and please follow.

Love to hear your thoughts on my theme and cannot wait to see your home page themes

Speak Soon

Hayley

LV Christmas Animation 2020 Reveal

2020-09-25T14:28:00.012+04:00

Every year Louis Vuitton unveils its stunning animated series to celebrate the upcoming festive season (albeit a little early) for the past two years I've fallen HOOK LINE & SINKER!

When I got the release notification from Louis Vuitton that the 2020 collection was available I was beyond excited and chose a few select pieces from this year's EXCLUSIVE illustration of Vivienne at the Luxury LV FUNFAIR!

I haven't done a blog post on my 2019 haul yet, which the illustration focused on Vivienne's luxury travels around to Paris, Shanghai and Italy, this year I was determined to do a dedicated blog post showcasing the stunning 2020 pre-launch items;

I picked up three pieces from this year's collection, which stood out the most to me, not only for the fun illustrations but are useable, functional items that make great additions to my ever-growing Louis Vuitton SLG collection.

I was unsure of animation pieces in general, pre the 2019 launch but as soon as I saw the craftsmanship and design it made me do a complete 180, and I'm head over heels for these very sought after and unique pieces to add to my luxury SLG collection.

The Christmas animation series are always super exclusive and sell out very quickly. I heard within 30 mins on both the UK and USA websites had sold out on the 18th Sept launch date. Luckily for me living in Dubai, I'm able to get my hands on the pre-launch collections, and all of these pieces are still mostly available on the Middle East website;

Here's My Haul:

Ferris Wheel Passport Cover with Rose Ballerine Pink interior

Bumper Car Round Coin Purse with Coquelicot Red Interior

Ferris Wheel Zippy Coin Purse with Rose Ballerine Pink interior

Louis Vuitton Trunk Roller Coaster Clemence Notebook

This year pieces are super vibrant and precisely reminiscent of that of a FunFair / Amusement Park, paired with the classic monogram design and in-house symbols such as LV initials and monogram flowers, these accessories are beautiful.

I'm thrilled with the pieces that I picked up and hope Louis Vuitton stick with Vivienne adventures for the foreseeable future for this collection and cannot wait to see what designs the team at LV come up next year :D

Love to hear your thoughts on this years Xmas animation collection and see what you picked up this year and please head over to my Instagram for more images!

Speak Soon

Hayley

Louis Vuitton Dauphine Bag : Luxury Reveal

2019-04-01T18:51:00.001+04:00

As soon as I laid my eyes on the Louis Vuitton DAUPHINE MM from the SS19 collection, I fell instantly in love.

Dubbed the new 'IT' bag of the season this beauty from Louis Vuitton, sold-out as quickly as it was released for general sale but I was super fortunate to get my hands on this must-have luxury handbag, as soon as it was released.

My adorable sales associate, recalled how much I raved about this bag a month before the release date and when seven pre-orders arrived in Dubai, she called me up and asked if I wanted one? Of course, I couldn't contain myself and jumped at the chance of adding this stunner into my collection, so replied with a resounding YES!

I've had this bag in my collection for a while now and like my Pochette Metis reveal wanted to give you my thoughts of this must-have handbag of 2019! Initially introduced in the '70s, so naturally has that elegant vintage aesthetic, which immediately attracted me, but been cleverly rejuvenated by Nicolas Ghesquière for its Spring / Summer re-release.

The bag shape remains the same on the MM size and still features the classic front lock in gold hardware with large LV logo, albeit an addition of a circle around the LV lettering.

The updates although subtle, add just enough to bring this handbag back 'in vogue' including the combo of monogram with monogram reverse canvas and heavy-duty hexagonal chain strap encapsulates the fashion house's ability to refresh vintage pieces.

The Dauphine bag is super chic, and as a handbag enthusiast, I'm ecstatic to add this sensational bag into my collection.

My only con with this bag is with the inside. Due to the concertina base shape, the interior is quite small even on this larger sized MM model, and to retain the shape of the bag I've had to learn to pack light.

To be honest, at first, I found the limited interior space a bit challenging to use as an everyday handbag, but with my sudden love of smaller bags, I've now had to be frugal with what I carry.

By using a tiny pouch as my main bag organiser and by using the interior middle zipped compartment, which I generally find redundant on my high-end bags, I've managed to adapt this bag to fit all of my daily essentials.

As a special touch, this bag comes with two straps. The first being an adjustable leather strap with a nifty concealed extender, the second a heavy gold chain strap, which enables this bag to be worn in many ways and dressed up or down to fit any occasion;

If you're lucky enough to get your hands on this elusive bag, I'd be a little cautious with using this gold chain daily, as I have found the heavy chain has a tendency to sit flush on the bottom trim and if left on over a prolonged period, could cause damage with denting or chipping.

With that said the hexagonal chain strap is a great addition which adds that extra 'je ne sais quoi.'

Like many LV classic pieces, this handbag is a head-turner, which I will continue to be besotted with for many years to come. If you'd like to see more of this bag or any of my lux collection, do check out and follow my Instagram for regular posts.

BIG REVEAL

Detailed Bag Features :
Size : L 9.8 x H 6.7 x W 4.1 inches

* Monogram and Monogram Reverse coated the canvas
* Calf-leather trim
* Black microfiber lining
* Gold-color hardware
* Removable, adjustable leather strap
* Detachable chain shoulder strap
* Magnetised front lock
* 2 inside compartments
* Middle zipped pocket
* Multiple carrying options

Love to hear your thoughts on this bag or any of the latest pieces from Louis Vuitton and please leave your comments below.

Hugs

Louis Vuitton Pochette Métis : Luxury Reveal

2019-02-28T00:57:00.003+04:00

My Louis Vuitton appreciation has skyrocketed, and it's quickly become my favourite lux brand next to Gucci, as you probably can tell from my ever-increasing monogram collection.

In December 2018 the Pochette Métis really came to my attention and headed no1 spot on my Thingspiration Wishlist. I went on a crazy pinning spree saving every image on Pinterest and watching every 'Pochette Métis Monogram review' & 'What's inside in my Métis' available on YouTube knowing this would be my dream bag!

In the past year, my bag lusts have steered more toward crossbody style, which all began with the Gucci Marmont camera bag. I have found it so comfortable to wear and perfectly sized for my daily needs. Still, the beautiful Pochette Métis is a hugely coveted bag, and with a waiting list as long as your arm I was resolved that it would be no easy feat to acquire and to merely keep dreaming!

What makes it so irresistible is the versatility of this bag, based on the vintage on the 1986 classic Monceau 26 it has that perfect vintage style;

I never imagined that I would find, let alone own this beautiful unicorn but the unbelievable has actually happened, and my fantastic #thebesthubby did it again! Not only did he make the impossible possible, but he also did it with style ... SWOON.

Within three days of speaking to our lovely SA and telling her how much he wanted to get me this bag as a VDAY surprise (I've seen the whattsapp messages), he managed to beat every waiting list, and my new bag was delivered instore ready for collection.

It actually arrived a week before Valentine's day, but as this was a complete surprise for me, he cheekily hid it in plain sight in one of my real shopping bags on top of my display unit ready for the SPECIAL Valentine's day surprise. ♥️

You can imagine my confusion when on Valentine's day he pulled out the gift box from the LV bag that was there the whole time right in front of my eyes and when I opened the box I couldn't believe my eyes ... What a FANTASTIC man and what a surprise it was!!

The Bag

This bag is fantastic, not only is the size perfection, I adore how I can transition this bag between work / casual weekends to a night out, and the soft, supple leather is mesmerising. Inside the three perfectly sized compartments with luxurious chocolate brown microfibre, fits enough of my daily essentials for this to be my perfect bag?

I know this is a bold statement, but aside from the Dauphine bag (which I can tell you is up there in the perfection rankings) this bag is flipping amazing, and if your lucky to find this bag in stock I recommend you grab it with both hands immediately.

I did initially consider letting the top handle patina naturally, as I'll never be selling. Still, for now, I opted for an obligatory top handle bandeau to make it more personalised.

When I went to show off my beauty in person to my lovely SA, I ended up picking up the gorgeous 'Jeu de Louis BB Bandeau scarf', and she kindly and tied it for me. The bandeau was the finishing touch to this divine and just perfect bag, thanks to the best man I have ever known.

Would love to hear your thoughts on the Métis and What's your perfect / dream bag?

Hugs

My 7 Month Wellness Journey Update

2019-02-13T00:51:00.002+04:00

Looking back to the beginning of our of wellness journey seven months ago, it all began with a decision to give up meat and cut out all processed foods laden with salt/preservatives from our diet and incorporating a proper exercise regime of going to the gym three times a week;

A few simple steps were crucial in adding to my life, namely learning to enjoy or at least tolerate cooking! neither myself or my hubby have ever particularly enjoyed cooking and found it more of a chore than anything else, but that has thankfully changed with our mindset and were actually loving cooking together and developing our meal prep menus.

I have also incorporated yoga and a few simple meditation techniques, to help me relax and wind down after a busy day or week and found this really beneficial.

Wellness Encompasses a healthy body, a sound mind, and a tranquil spirit. Enjoy the journey as you strive for wellness.” ~Laurette Gagnon Beaulieu

We decided to cut out meat and cow milk from our diet, and after researching meal prepping on all the fantastic Pinterest boards, I knew instantly that weekly meal prepping would work for us. We drew up some Veggie meal prep menu ideas and narrowed this down to around five main components, which I could never get bored with as I enjoy it too much;

A crucial part of changing my eating habits was making myself eat at least three meals a day including BREAKFAST. I was never a breakfast lover and could count on my hands how many times a month I would ever eat breakfast, and truth be told I would generally fast all day until dinnertime and crash.

I'm now an advocate of meal prepping and nightly breakfast prepping, as I feel this practical and straightforward cooking process is a real game changer!

“The food you eat can either be the safest & most powerful form of medicine…or the slowest form of poison.” ~Ann Wigmore

Diet / Meals

I've never had much of a sweet tooth, and my issues were to do with starving myself until dinnertime and then trying to fill myself up as quickly as possible. I have suffered from terrible IBS for years and decided this year I had to get this under control with trying to cut out as much bread as possible from my diet (which was a huge cause of this issue)

I do allow myself around four slices a week of gluten-free freshly made loaf over a weekend as I cannot give up my amazing hubbies poached eggs and avocado toast!!!

For my breakfasts (which I now eat daily) I stick to apple or banana overnight oats, with a dollop of dairy-free yoghurt or a pure berry or cinnamon apple breakfast granola with a green smoothie filled to the brim of veg and fruits such as kale/apple/pear/blueberries with a large heaped tbsp of Amazing Grass Green Superfood Powder which I whizz up it all in a blender with ice, which is so refreshing is extra filling.

I cannot start any day without a mug of black coffee, and we buy french pressed Starbucks coffee beans to enjoy at home. This has saved us a small fortune, which means I can put the money to better uses such as luxury goods haha.

All our fruit & veg is purchased from a weekly food market here in Dubai, and for all for all additional weekly essentials is bought from our local Organic Supermarket including our home cleaning products, deodorants, shampoos, toothpaste and washing powder as we no longer use anything not natural or organic. Friday morning is our food shop and meal prep day, and by 11 am were home starting our 3-hour meal prep stint. To get into the cooking zone, we make sure we're fed and watered and pop on one of the favourite records like Billie Holiday.

We're 100% vegetarian but not a vegan, as we do enjoy eating eggs and vegetarian cheese (no rennet for us) Our main proteins coms from three eggs each a week, alongside Quinoa, Chia Seeds, Brown Rice, Homemade Nut Butter, Asparagus, Avocado, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Spinach and Sweetcorn.

Gym and exercise

Living in Dubai, most of us have free access to gyms and pools in your apartments or communities so we don't bother with a separate gym membership and enjoy the perks of our pretty quite community gym which overlooks the gardens and pool. My apple watch is great for tracking my daily move goals with a set move goal of 360 calories deficit, and I like to rotate my hour-long exercise between weights and the elliptical machine.

I do also add into my exercise routine, at least one outside walk generally between three to five miles usually go to our favourite beachfront and a morning weekend desert yoga session.

“Exercise to have fun and be healthy, not just to lose weight.”

My Personal Goals

Although I have done pretty well, I do have some more personal goals which I aim to crackdown -

Sleep:
Sleep is a biggie for me at the moment, and I am surviving on around six and a half hours which is not ideal. My barky Pomeranian Yorkshire terrier mix (who is easily disturbed) is breaking my sleep with a morning wakeup call at 5 am, and my goal is committing to eight hours of sleep with my earplugs inserted.

Tracking:
I'm a journaling addict, and with my new Louis Vuitton personal agenda I'm using this daily as a way of monitoring not only my habits such as sleep and water but my gym sessions and as a general creative outlet to vent and record my goals/reminders and thoughts. My aim is to commit to filling out my journal on a daily basis for one hour an evening.

Beauty /Skincare:
Now in my 30's I want to preserve my skin for as long as possible, I'm lucky enough to have great genes and aim to my skin fresh and youthful for as long as possible so want to focus on three step rule of cleansing, toning and moisturising.

Hydration:
My water intake does have to get better, my aim is to drink two to three litres of filtered water a day to help my kidneys flush out toxins. I picked up plenty of herbal teas which are great for increasing fluid intake and assist in the cleansing process.

“Being healthy and fit isn’t a fad or a trend, it’s a lifestyle.”

PRO TIPS

These simple tips have helped stick to my goals and aided me and wanted to share what has kept me motivated for seven months :

1. Calorie counter app - I downloaded a free daily calorie counter and used this for the first five months to track my eating habits and keep me motivated to eat a set three meals a day with two sets of healthy snacks. I no longer daily calorie count as I stick to the same type of balanced meals each day and generally don't deviate so know exactly a good guesstimate of my daily calorie intake.

2. Invest in a smartwatch with built-in exercise tracker - Having the ability to accurately measure performance in the gym or daily move goal is essential and will inevitably increase your movement and incentivise you to keep going to match or beat your own set personal goals. Invest in a smartwatch or Fitbit to help track your movement and gym sessions and keep a daily reminder of how you are performing.

3. Setting personal goals and tracking them -
Writing down your own goals is therapeutic and extremely useful in having a visual reminder to help motivate you!! I use my LV agenda to track my move/exercise and the meals I eat each day, which allows me to stay focused on my wellness journey. Having this document is a great reminder, and when I began this health initiative, I purchased an inexpensive large A5 agenda and again left my myself morale-boosting messages // goals // track my habits and list my meals and movements per day all followed from my smartwatch.

4. Cutting out shi# from your life - Whether it be processed food/meat or sugars from your diet, reducing all the late nights or even cutting out as many negative people from your life (as possible) I recommend cutting some bad things from your life;
Remember wellness is not only about your physical health its also about your mental health too and although not entirely possible to remove everything negative thing from your life, at least try and limit or reduce the airtime that badness gets and let some quite peace enter your life!

5. Wellness is not a number on the scales - Wellness is more than losing weight or weight gain and really shouldn't be your only goal in your journey! Losing weight will happen naturally if that's one of your goals, but the main message is knowing what you may need to be changed, removed or incorporated into your lifestyle, in order to be the best version of you!

“Embrace and love your body. It’s the most amazing thing you will ever own.”

My personal goals were primarily to cut out meat and milk / eat breakfast lunch and dinner at set times of the day and re-add more exercise into my life, and with these straightforward goals, seven months later I'm happily sticking to them. We have lost weight which is great but more than that has come a renewed sense of achievement.

Overall we're feeling great, and all these changes are permanent lifestyle changes which are working for us. I highly recommend finding what works for you and stick to it, to get to where you want to be for 2019 and beyond.

Good luck on all your journeys and let me know your goals and tips for a Healthy 2019

UAE Desert EXPLORER | Sharjah Big Red

2019-01-31T20:06:00.000+04:00

Nothing is as glorious as pure desert sand with endless rolling sand dunes, and we’re lucky to be surrounded by this magical landscape on our doorstep here in the UAE. You don’t have to trek too far, to find swathes of these magical golden droplets of precious stone that will take your breath away!

Before moving to Dubai I had never seen a desert, so my preconceived notion was of an arid baron setting with little life and certainly not a place of beauty - how wrong was I was!

The desert is far from baron, in fact, its rich in animal and plant life but you just have to look a little closer to find it, and when you do, it’s a magical feat.

“What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.

Antoine de Saint

The UAE Is formed of 7 emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al Quwain and within 6 months of moving here we had proudly visited all of them. Each emirate is unique even down to the sand colour and as an explorer in my heart, you will always find us on a weekend road trip in one of these amazing emirates!

Last weekend we spent our time exploring the Al Badayer area, affectionately referred to as the ‘big red’ located in the heart of the Sharjah desert with saffron-coloured endless dunes, this is a truly magical location.

Reminiscent of what I can only imagine mars to look like, the deep orange sand is a spectacular sight to behold and with our flask, packed lunch and camera we set off for a mini adventure and mini photoshoot.

Amongst the shade of the rock, we set up our blanket to enjoy our lunch and sat and watched the wild camel our our own safari.

I cannot rate getting out and exploring enough and recommend all my fellow expats to out of the city one weekend and go exploring the vast exciting desert.

Hope you enjoyed my visual post and please pin and comment below.

PLEASE PIN

Where's your favourite place to visit here in Dubai or the UAE?

Hugs

GUCCI Marmont Reveal | Special Birthday Haul

2019-01-03T00:30:00.002+04:00

Being a New Years baby, while most people are nursing themselves back to life, I'm extra busy opening BIRTHDAY PRESENTS and this year was a GUCCI fest!!

We spent new years eve on a flight back home to Dubai after an extraordinary XMAS in England and to top off the unbelievable trip home, the #besthubbyever whisked me off to the Heathrow GUCCI boutique for a Birthday spree!

The Gucci airport boutique was terrific really well stocked with all the main collections, and the sales assistants were excellent and not overbearing (which I cannot stand). This enabled me to browse the store and pick up all the items remaining on my wishlist, which let's be honest, after the Christmas I had, was not much all!!!

As you know from my handbag collection post, I prefer classic shape structured bags in black, brown and nude colour palettes, this is why the Marmont range fits my style perfectly. The Marmont line has been everywhere since its release in 2016 and has re-invigorated the brand, propelling the fashion house back into cult status. I refrained from indulging until the initial hype had cooled down, but could no longer resist and recently fell head over heels ...

I cannot praise the #besthubby enough, and thanks to this spectacular man, my 2018 ended with a BIG BANG and a ton of pink GUCCI gift bags to stare at all the way home!

Reveal

THE BAG

As soon as I walked in and saw the Marmont bags sitting prettily on the shelves, I fell for the black GG Marmont small matelassé. The shape, which is generally described as a camera bags a great size, and will be a perfect everyday crossbody bag (not something I currently own in my collection)

I did try on the Pink version of this bag but found the shade more of a mauve, and as I already own the most perfect Pink GUCCI bag it made no sense to get another, so I stayed true to my gut choice of the classic black.

I'm over the moon with this present and think she's really spectacular!

THE SHOES
Next on the list was the leather mid-heel sandals, these have been in my wishlist for a long time and after trying them on in-store, glad to report that these babies came home with me!

The block heels are pretty comfortable and the heel height perfect, especially for a girl of 5'8. I love that these sandals are understated but paired with my new bag, look chic and classy.

THE BELT

The coveted Leather belt with Double G buckle in smooth leather and mid-size GG's was temptingly sat near the counter and caught my eye immediately. After trying it on, this was also added to the PINK GIFT BAG!

I love the cinched effect, and this is a striking statement piece elevates even the most basic of outfits as I'll be wearing mine as a high waist belt over shirts, I opted for the mid-size GG's to stand out and make my outfits pop.

I'll be making a post shortly about how 'I style this belt' / My Gucci heel review & 'What's in my new bag' so please look out for these, in the coming month.

After what felt like a sprint around the store, the spree came to an end and with a from grin ear to ear, the smile didn't disappear until we boarded the plane and after a few tears, we were travelling back home to Dubai.

After arriving home and unpacking, I finally got to lay out all my goodies and admire my new Marmot beauties alongside my Louis Vuitton Xmas presents!!

What an end to the year and here's too fantastic NEW YEAR 2019!

Hugs

Louis Vuitton XMAS Haul Reveal

2018-12-31T00:42:00.001+04:00

Winter is MY very own present season beginning November: Anniversary / December: Christmas / January: Birthday & February: Valentines Day.

So for four months, I'm non stop spoilt, and although hubby feels the pain, he at least has nearly nine months before it starts again haha! I love PRESENTS, and with a husband like mine, Christmas presents are always guaranteed to be extra amazing.

2018/19 has been no exception, and as soon as all the large orange bags began appearing under our UAE tree, pre-flight, I knew I was in for a treat ...

I was so right and as per usual was extremely spoilt! So here's a cheeky look at my fantastic Luxury XMAS presents Haul 2018

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton - Packing Cube
As soon as I unwrapped this beauty, I fell in love! I'm obsessed with the Art of Packing, and this Packing Cube is designed to fit in all your luxury essentials while travelling. Handcrafted in the softest leather, this gorgeous soft case in iconic Monogram canvas with leather trim is not only a thing of luxury beauty but extremely versatile.

I am currently using this as a handbag organiser day today. Still, on our flight home, I used this case to hold together all my personal belongings inside my luggage and comfortably fit all my flight essentials - Beats headphones/ collagen face-pack / sugar lip scrub/ Clinique moisture surge face cream/chewing gum / Elizabeth Arden 8hour hand cream / Luxury Jewellery and Keepall padlock.
The size of this cube is impressive and can also be used as a toiletry case.

Louis Vuitton - Cosmetic Pouch GM
Hubby knowing I'm a makeup lover thoughtfully picked out this stylish Monogram canvas Cosmetic Pouch GM size. This luxurious accessory with shiny golden brass details holds my daily essentials and fits perfectly into the majority of my handbag and looks so elegant.

This is such a thoughtful gift, and after getting to grips of packing this lovely pouch with your luxury makeup correctly, without any side puckering, you will ask yourself how did I manage without this? What's in my makeup bag blog post coming soon.

Louis Vuitton - Petit Soupcon Cat Eye Sunglasses
Ok so these are pretty expensive, especially for a pair of sunglasses; however, I can justify it by explaining that its a quite rare not to need your sunnies here in the UAE. With basically every day being summer, I am never without mine (even on the odd occasion that the skies are overcast), so sunglasses become a pretty much a fashion staple all year round, and these sunglasses are everything!!!

The shape, size, colour and gleaming golden arms with acetate trunk style hinges are beautiful and if I don't mind saying so myself, are 100% me.

Louis Vuitton Medium Ring Agenda Cover
Agenda obsessed is the understatement of the year, and my collection predominantly consists of around ten large rings (A5) Kikki K's, which can I say I adore!!

I also have the odd Filofax the coveted nude planner and was very lucky to get gifted back in 2014 the extra special Temperley of London Guinea luxury Filofax. Made out of luxury quality pony skin, in a unique black and white print pattern inspired by guinea fowl feathers, edged with a gold-finished frame with zip closure reminiscent of an evening clutch, started a love affair of lux agendas.

It's not rare to see a planner on my wishlist, and Kikki K agendas are exceptional, and my beautiful mummy always gets me one to add to my collection each year. This year I got the attractive Wonderful A5 agenda, and it's so gorgeous up close and personal.

Being a #plannergirl the holy grail for all us girls is the one, and only Louis Vuitton agenda and excitingly this unicorn has now been added into my collection, courtesy of the #besthubby including the matching Louis Vuitton 2019 Medium Functional Weekly Agenda Refill.

Other Beautiful Gifts

Chanel Limited Edition Perfume
Gucci Premiere Perfume
Ordinary foundation
Ordinary Primer
Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream
Robotime model Greenhouse
Kikki K Wonderful Agenda

Clothes
Silk Negligee and Silk Wrap

I was well and truly spoilt, and I'm so thankful for my exceptional presents managed to cross off about 85% of my DEC Wishlist. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and were on Santa's nice list.

Love to see your Xmas gifts, so please leave your links below so I can see what you got this year!

Festive Hugs

Beautiful Christmas 2018 Home Tour

2018-12-29T01:19:00.000+04:00

As we bid a fond farewell to 2018 Xmas, I wanted to share a look at our very special UK Christmas Decor with a mini Christmas Home tour 2018, created by incredibly talented Mum!

We had such a fantastic trip home and got to spend Christmas in England surrounded by our family for the first time in three years, and I'll be cherishing the memories forever.

My beautiful mum created a wonderful festive Wonderland, for our return home and looked so wonderful in our Edwardian home.

Very excited to show it off so please scroll down for the tour!

Entrance Hallway :
As soon as you entered the house, you were transported to a wintery wonderland with even the stairs getting a special sparkly makeover! The stairwell featured my favourite white poinsettias, golden shimmery fairy lights and lavish white gold touches -Breathtaking

Lounge / Living Room :
So chicly designed, the mantlepiece focal point was stunning, and the room got even cosier by the lovely touches such as cream fur throws & holiday-themed cushions.

The cute little animal cloches dotted around the room were so sweet and handmade by my mum, and the spectacular tree (including an array of pretty baubles such as the ballerina / Polar bear, Seal, Hearts, Penguin and Unicorn) honestly blew me away. So much attention to detail that I was literally transported into a magical wintery fantasyland that made me squeal with delight at being home for Christmas!!

Dining Room :
The dining room was transformed into an Edwardian Christmas extravaganza complete with the second tree. Shimmery golden star trickled down from the chandelier and aroma of cinnamon and frankincense candles was delightful.

The dining room table setup, gorgeous as you can see! Featured not only pearls, pinecones and vintage bird ornaments, my mum also incorporated a few sentimental items including the 'guardian girl' which was the last Christmas gift to my mum from my great nan, before our nan sadly passed four years ago. These pieces made the design even more unique and warm.

Bedroom :

My mum even got me this branch Xmas tree for our bedroom, and on our arrival, we got to open some presents, which were these gorgeous Disney Beauty & the Beast decorations to hang on my very own mini tree.

So thoughtful and how lovely are these Beauty and the Beast keepsake ornaments, which I'll cherish forever.

I am incredibly fortunate to have the most thoughtful amazing mummy who really made 2018 Christmas extra special to me.

I would love to hear your comments and see pictures of your holiday decor for a final reminisce, as Xmas comes to a close for another year!

Hugs

Home For Christmas 2018 | Expat Trip Home for the Holidays

2018-12-24T05:25:00.000+04:00

Winter, especially Christmas is my most favourites time of the year, but for the past three years, we have celebrated our Christmases in the warmth of the UAE desert. But this year we decided to do something extra special and go home to spend Christmas in England!

I cannot say we haven't enjoyed doing XMAS summer Dubai style and have found the novelty of warm sunshine on Christmas day pretty fun and the opposite of what we have grown up experiencing (UK winter although mild are still generally bleak)

Every year we have made an effort in creating a little Christmas all of our own decorating our tree with palm tree decorations and usually visiting the beach then onto a fancy restaurant for a lavish Xmas brunch.

Although being away from family at this time of year is extremely difficult (the pitfalls of being an expat) we do still try to enjoy it, and the UAE is very accommodating to us with everywhere you turn you'll find beautiful Xmas trees and decorations, but nothing can beat being in your home country hopefully cold and snug and surrounded by Family.

So grateful that this year we decided to do something extra special and book a flight home for Christmas to spend it in England for the first time in three years and were elated!! We spent the countdown finishing off the gift shopping and with our suitcases packed to the brim with gifts and our furbaby safely in Kennels, we were on our way home.

Seems unreal that we are now back home, tucked up in our English bed on this chilly Christmas Eve, just in time for Christmas 2018!

MERRY XMAS

I want to wish you all a fantastic holiday and here's to driving home for Christmas (Chris Rea playing on the radio) and spending time with your loved ones!

Unicorn Xmas Tree

2018-12-18T00:44:00.001+04:00

As a child born in the eighties, colourful plastic toys (think My Little Pony, Carebears and Rainbow Brite) have always been an obsession of mine! So why not at the most fun time of year, go crazy and let my inner child take charge and create a Christmas tree that an eighties kid would go crazy for!

I've never ventured into the world of Pink or White Christmas tree's and stuck to the traditional green, but for 2018 that all changed and we purchased our very first white tree and stocked up on loads of amazing decorations from TYPO and Paperchase (full haul below)

With the help of my very supporting hubby, we created a masterpiece and without further ado, let me introduce you to my very own UNICORN magical Christmas Tree

To create this magical tree we used pink, purple and blue ribbon, pastel multi-coloured fairy lights, sparkly star garlands, kawaii coloured candy canes, Tokidoki Unicorno's alongside colourful glass baubles with masses of Unicorn and Macaroon declarations.

To top it all off, on top of the tree sits a Giant unicorn in full glory!

I think you'll agree, our tree is Kitsche but not distasteful and far too pretty to take down, so may have to stay up until next Christmas!

And now all my special luxury gift boxes have been placed under the tree, I'm even more excited!!

This year we're having double Christmas decorations, so we have this fun rainbowy Unicorn tree here in Dubai and back in England were be having a special wintery wonderland tree, which will be masterfully decorated by my amazing mum.

The theme will be a complete surprise until we walk through the door, so very excited!!

I'm thrilled with how our Dubai tree turned out and here's a closer look at the mega Christmas decoration haul (which looks like something out of my 80's / 90's childhood)

Hope you enjoyed a look at our tree and let me wish you all a MAGICAL holiday and New Year!

Did anyone else decide to go crazy this year with their XMAS tree? I'd love to see!

Hugs

Ultimate Girl Xmas Gift Guide

2018-12-15T03:30:00.001+04:00

Welcome to my Luxury Christmas gift guide for 2018 - The Ultimate #GirlBoss Edition

Here's a roundup of my top 10 affordable luxury gifts, suited for all budgets and will make the lovely girls in your life cheer in delight - ENJOY

1. FENTY Beauty Metallic Eye + Lip Crayon Set
A limited-edition trio of creamy metallic crayons for both eyes and lips – featuring complementary chrome shades in a portable mirrored case for staying frosted on the fly. The shadows are super pretty and the swatch shades even better in real life. Metallic goodness

2. Feminist Journal
This stylish speciality journal is filled with inspiring quotes from feminists past and present, and features a cover stamped with the word "Feminist." It's a must-have accessory for any female and makes a great gift for all the remarkable women in one's life. The book not only inspiring looks impressive on a coffee table or for your chic flat-lays. Bonus!

3. BENEFIT Gimme Some Sugar Set
These 4 full-sized faves come wrapped & ready-to-give in a delicious cake-inspired tin! Come with the iconic Hoola bronzer / high beam / Roller Lash mascara & the POREfessional face primer. The Hoola bronzer is a staple in my beauty favs, and the tin is super KAWAII!

4. Hyper Pearl Compact Mirror Rose Gold
Pearl is a stylish compact mirror with an integrated USB battery pack that can charge iPhone, iPad, Android or any USB powered devices. Pearl is for ladies who need a portable charging solution for their TECH but do not wish to carry a separate battery pack, by combining the portable USB battery with another useful accessory, the compact mirror. I love my pearl mirror, and the vanity ring with light allows you to touch up your makeup everywhere. Highly recommend this is not only cute but functional. Amazing!

5. Jo Malone White Moss & Snowdrop Deluxe Candle
New Limited Edition - The scent of winter wonderment, captured in a candle. Forest-fresh moss and soft snowdrop petals warmed with golden amber and luminous cardamom. Iridescent and sparkling. As soon as I first saw this on the beautiful blog: http://www.katelavie.com/ - I'm obsessed, and I cannot imagine anyone not wanting to find this under their tree this year!

6. Miss Etoile Closed Eyes Cushion White
Fabulous monochrome Eyes Closed Miss Etoile cotton cushion. Perfect on your bed, an armchair or couch. Miss Etoile is super cute and loves the cute girly monochromatic pieces - Need this for my bedroom.

7. GUCCI Bloom Perfume
Capturing the spirit of the contemporary, diverse and authentic women of Gucci, Bloom is creative director Alessandro Michele’s first fragrance for the House. Envisioned as a thriving garden of flowers, Bloom is created to unfold like its name. The smell of Jasmine and Rangoon Creeper instantly transports you to a flower garden in Italy.

8. Pink Marc De Champ Truffles
A beautiful keepsake box filled with Charbonnel et Walker's iconic pink champagne truffles. Luxurious white chocolate truffle with a hint of strawberry and a creamy milk chocolate Marc de Champagne centre, all rolled in a little-powdered sugar for a touch of elegance. Every year I get a lovely little truffle box as a stocking filler, so thought I'd share a fantastic treat if you haven't tried, you 100% must. Yummy!

9. Nike Air Force 1 High Winterized
This version of the Nike Air Force 1 High Winterized maintains the AF-1's iconic look while adding a plush fabric lining to help keep your feet warm when the weather gets chilly. The colours of these AirForce 1's are lovely a pretty soft and powdery pink I just cannot resist and don't think she will be able too neither. Sports Lux

10. Olivia von Halle blush silk pyjama set
Olivia von Halle sleepwear offers a little night-time luxury, with a range of covetable pyjamas inspired by the loungewear styles of the 1920s. Expensive but luxurious...

Hope you enjoyed my 2018 gift guide and leave me links to check out yours!!

Hugs

10 Things I Want | December 2018 Wishlist

2018-12-12T01:05:00.001+04:00

Heres a roundup of my major luxury items that I am currently coveting ...

Top 10 Things I'm Coveting!

Who doesn't love making a wishlist, well I know I certainly do? Check out my full Pinterest wishlist THINGspiration (& don't forget to follow) I think you'll agree that these items are indeed wishlist worthy & may give you some inspo for the loved ones in your life ... well, undoubtedly spoilt ones!

1. So Shine Monogram Shawl

Crafted from a combination of metallic lurex yarns and silk, the So Shine Monogram shawl is completed by the instantly recognisable Louis Vuitton signature. The shimmering golden finish and silk blend provide it with a luxurious aesthetic. This fringed piece is ideal for transitioning from day to night. I own one shawl, and although fragile they are undeniably beautiful, and this one in signature colours is super pretty!

2. Large Ring Agenda Cover

This spacious agenda cover in Monogram canvas features credit card slots, several compartments and a press stud closure. The Large Ring Agenda has been on my wishlist for the past year and every time I get close to buying it, I panic and change my mind (another agenda to add to my EVER GROWING collection and will I use it?) I'd love to take the plunge and finally cross this off my wishlist.

3. Keepall Bandouliere 55

An icon since the appearance in 1930, the Keepall embodies the spirit of modern travel. Light, supple and always ready for immediate departure, the bag lives up to its name: those adept at the art of packing can easily fit a week's wardrobe into the generously sized (and cabin-friendly) Keepall 55. I 'd love to own a vintage keepall with honey-toned patina and wishing & hoping to add this must-have into my bag collection.

4. Cosmetic Pouch GM

In ever-stylish Monogram canvas, the Cosmetic Pouch GM is a luxurious accessory. Shiny golden brass details and textile lining complete its elegant look. I've given up on the ever alluding 26, and this half-moon shaped cosmetic pouch is as stunning and if not, more practical.

5. Petit Soupçon Cat Eye Sunglasses
The iconic Soupçon sunglasses line features a distinctive hinge inspired by the S-lock on Louis Vuitton trunks. With its retro cat-eye shaped frame made of Louis Vuitton-exclusive three layers acetate, they are both feminine and glamorous sunglasses. Although dare I say it hugely overpriced, these stylish sunnies are incredibly flattering and a chic staple for the UAE, so are actually a pretty sensible purchase.

6. Leather mid-heel sandal

The Double G gold-toned hardware is set on the front strap of these mid-heel leather sandals. These perfect heel height sandals look good dressed up or down and would slot comfortably into my classic monochromatic wardrobe.

7. Double G Buckle Belt

A black leather belt with new Double G buckle. This is an influenster favourite, and afraid I've had to follow suit. I think this belt is elegant without being overly fancy & paired with the leather mid-heel sandals above, these two items can make any outfit look a million dollars.

8. Vitamix A3500

This Five program setting Vitamix is perfect for Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Deserts and as a bonus is self-cleaning. This is definitely on my wishlist as we have been on a wellness journey for the past 8 months, cutting out all processed meals and being 100% organic vegetarians so this looks like it would be a lifesaver for our weekly dinner prepping and cutting out the need for a separate food processor & blender.

9. Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick

CHANEL has created this limited edition of ROUGE ALLURE VELVET N°5 in a red lacquered case. A deep red. A velvet-soft texture. A matte, luminous finish. This is the perfect shade for the upcoming Xmas season, and with the fact, its limited edition means that I want this even more.

10. N°5 Eau De Parfum LIMITED EDITION

N°5, the very essence of femininity. A floral bouquet showcased within an iconic bottle. A legendary, timeless fragrance, now available in a limited edition, dressed in Gabrielle Chanel's favourite colour: red. An iconic, original and ultra-desirable red glass bottle. I am searching high and low and must get this before it disappears forever.

Hope you enjoyed my Dec 18 edition wishlist! What's on your wishlist?

Hugs

Gucci Pink Dollar Bag : Luxury Reveal

2018-11-30T05:34:00.000+04:00

If you read my luxury handbag collection post, then you'll know that I've been looking to add a neutral bag into my collection for some time.

My handbags do tend to be either black and brown tones, but I've been searching for that perfect blush pink bag and just so happens I have hit the jackpot with my newest luxury bag purchase from GUCCI.

Gucci is easily my number one designer brand! Just take a peek at my wishlist to see how obsessed I am with everything that this brand does (except for the Elton John or NY Yankee's lines) but still they produce enough gems for me to be able to forgive these eccentricities.

When home in England, I rarely pass up the opportunity to visit the luxury outlet village Bicester Village and on the last three visits I've been extraordinarily fortunate to have bagged myself a new GUCCI bag and this recent trip has been no exception ...

While checking out the newly refurbed Gucci store, I spotted this beauty and had to have it!! So without further ado, let me introduce you to my newest baby the Gucci Large Dollar interlocking bag.

This top handle flap bag in soft pink leather with interlocking G closure and detachable chain shoulder strap in soft blush and shiny rhodium hardware is perfect in every way, and extremely versatile to dress or dress down. I usually pair this with soft blush tones tops with skinny jeans and find the size and shape comfortable to hold on the shoulder or straight up by the top handle.

I'm thrilled to add it into my collection & long may my Bicester village luck continue ...

I also managed to snap up the matching wallet and these stunning blush tone trainers, which makes this haul a successful Pretty in PINK Gucci extravaganza. HAPPYDAYS

I'd love to hear your thoughts on my new Gucci bag and let me what Gucci bag you're currently coveting?

Hugs

SHOP PINK GUCCI

Desert Staycation | Tilal Liwa Luxury Resort

2018-04-25T22:55:00.000+04:00

There is absolutely nothing that me and the #besthubbcyever love more than treating ourselves to a few days away from the hustle and going on a staycation, for some much-needed R&R!

After a hectic few months, we decided a well-earnt break was needed, so we headed over to booking.com to find a perfect getaway!

Initially we considered flying to Sri Lanka and being a mere 4-hour flight from Dubai and high on my bucket list, this seemed like an excellent choice of destination, but honestly, we had to ask ourselves what did we want from this trip? And the answer was, again and again, RELAXATION!

Ultimately we decided against flying and instead chose to take a road trip (one of our favourite things to do) over to the western region of Abu Dhabi for a luxury desert staycation.

We packed up our suitcase and my new LV Raspail to the brim with all sorts of home comforts - check out my staycation essentials post for a peek at my recommendations and drove the 3-hours to the secret 4* desert hideaway Tilal Liwa

Why Abu Dhabi? Why Tilal Liwa?

Abu Dhabi is a brilliant capital city, and as you know, we already spend most of our weekends here just exploring the city! Abu Dhabi has such a peaceful atmosphere which feels much calmer than Dubai, and we still manage to find some surprising places and things to adore every time we visit.

Tilal Liwa situated a further 2-hour drive from the capital is set on the edge of the Rub' Al Khali desert, and this chic resort offers relaxation and isolation in abundance, which suites us perfectly!

Itinerary for our stay

RELAXATION

The primary objective was relaxation and just taking time for ourselves, and this beautiful resort can offer that in so many ways and delivered!

We chose to spend most of our days lounging by the stunning infinity pool which overlooks the endless desert and just exploring the grounds, which are just as amazing with authentic Bedouin tented areas for you to sit and enjoy your evening meal, drinks or shisha.

The lush garden areas are glorious, and this tropical paradise set against the backdrop of the endless golden desert is breathtaking!

The sunsets at Tilal Liwa are tremendous and the garden glow in the afternoon light is really something.

Abu Dhabi / Liwa City / Madinat Zayed

I'm an adventurer at heart, so every morning after a big buffet breakfast served in the Al Badiya Restaurant I made hubby take me out exploring, and we took several brilliant road trips to the city Liwa!

The city is old-world, and the landscape with vast amounts of greenery and rows upon rows of date palms and rolling dunes takes you a million miles away from the big city of Dubai. The Desert scapes are breathtaking, and we were lucky enough to get fantastic stormy weather for a few of the days away - Look how cinematic the view looks with the glorious skies!!!

Overview

We have visited Tilal Liwa several times since moving to Dubai, but this trip felt a little different.

This time around we booked a ground floor pool room with a terrace that opened directly onto the infinity pool, we thought this room would be an upgrade from the standard rooms that the hotel has to offer and we paid extra for the privilege. The room, however, was the same in decoration to all rooms and wasn't even spruced up for our arrival like on our previous trips (so not petals on the bed or any welcome fruit basket etc.)

I must say that the constant leaking of the overflow pipe just outside our room onto our terrace was pretty annoying and even after several trips to reception this problem was never ultimately fixed nor were we offered an alternative;

With that said we didn't let the constant noise detract from the overall stay, and we did have a lovely time;

I would still recommend Tilal Liwa for a short trip as the experience and sites are well worth it! but consider your room choice carefully (maybe Garden terrace would have been a better idea)

Extremely excited for our next holiday which is already booked! Going back to England for a short but well-needed visit home, so please do come back to see our future adventures!

Love to hear about upcoming staycations and do you have any recommendations for perfect staycation here in the UAE?

Hugs

Top 7 Essentials to pack for that Perfect Staycation

2018-04-13T11:37:00.000+04:00

Living in Dubai, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to staycations, with hundreds if not thousands of 5 * and 4 * hotels;

For the slightly more adventurous, I highly recommend travelling out of the city and exploring the neighbouring cities or towns and for a long weekend or mini staycation.

Wherever your planning on visiting on your well-earnt time off, here's a list of my travel essentials that can easily be packed into your luggage to make your trip that bit more special!

Here's a look at my top items to take with me on a short trip / Staycation!

+ Basic Outfit

The most critical of all travel outfits, in my opinion, is the basic white t-shirt and some denim shorts! Comfortably packed into any size carryon (even a neverfull) This outfit can be dressed up or down with a pair of Adidas classics, or a cute pair of Chanel sandals, posh sunnies, statement necklace and classic black sunhat.

Nothing says summer holiday like this essential travel garb.

I also tend to take two handbags away with me for short trips and for me the practicality and size of the LV Raspail makes this bag the ideal travel bag and the stunning aesthetic of the Cultgaia bamboo arc bag are my two top picks for a summer staycation.

+ Beauty Goodies / Skincare

I tend to take as many beauty goodies as I possibly can when going away. Usually packing face masks, hair masks, body scrubs, lotions, oils, you name it!
Staycations are for pampering and self-love, and I try and spend as much time as possible on hubby and myself, and these lovely beauty goodies make that possible.
Living in any harsh climate, you need to hydrate and care for your skin. I have become obsessed with the Origins GinZing skincare range which offers everything from Energy-Boosting Gel Moisturizer, SPF 40 Energy-Boosting Tinted Moisturizer, Energy-Boosting Treatment Lotion Mist scrub and eye cream which revs up the radiance of my skin and brightens and zings with goodness. I recommend picking up a few of these fantastic skincare items and treating your skin, while away.

+ Candle

Scent and lighting play a significant role melting away anxiety. I always treat myself to a new candle before a trip away, and these aromatherapy ones from bath and bodyworks are divine.
I like to pop on the iPad for a spa soundtrack, light some aromatic candles and indulge in a couples Glamglow = Perfect Relaxation!

+ Reading Material

I always take a trip to the bookshop before setting off on any journey for a good book and recently picked up The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry and cannot wait to get transported into an imaginary world.

I also recommend packing a few magazines for little poolside reading and cannot go anywhere without the latest copy of Vogue Arabia, which adds that little extra glamour to our getaways.

+ Gaming Console and Electronics

These portable retro gaming systems are so easy to pack and are great fun for an evening in, while away! Although not to everyone's taste, we love to have an option of staying in if we chose too and what a great way to pass the time and getting in some nostalgic nerdy fun.

In my opinion, nothing beats a good snuggle and a quick game of Mario before bed!

+ French Press / Coffee press

If you're anything like us and coffee obsessed, then I would recommend in investing in a french press.

Being on holiday shouldn't mean that you have to miss out on your three cups a day or having to spend a small fortune at the local coffee house. Investing in a coffee press is the way to go people, and we head over every fortnight to the local Starbucks for ground aromatic beans to make our own a home. It's brilliant having a Starbucks in the morning in your own home and let me tell you a bank balance lifesaver!

Coffee presses are so portable that we now even pop ours in a carry case when we're off on our staycations, which means that we get to enjoy our favourite vice anywhere, even from the hotel room!

+ Water Bottle / Lemons

I love to drink spa water or detox water in my regular life, so I always take a water bottle with me when going away, so that I can enjoy my spa water with San Pellegrino and lemon, even while on holiday.

It's so easy to forget even the basic essentials while travelling and a water bottle is a must even for just basic hydration and with all the sightseeing or pool days, you'll be needing a lot!

These are just a few of my Staycation essentials to make that trip just a little bit extra special.

Hope you have enjoyed and given you a little inspiration for your upcoming getaways. Let me know your thoughts and if you have any recommendations.

Hugs

Gucci Bee Espadrilles | Luxury Review

2018-03-05T20:09:00.001+04:00

You may have already read my Gucci Bloom Espadrille review and to be honest they are one of the best shoe purchases I have ever made, so when I saw the new Bee GG supreme Espadrilles online, I knew I had to have them.

My luxury collection is ever growing, but these shoes are not just for show, they get a lot of wear. The durability and comfort make these espadrilles my choice of footwear in a country that's always summer!

Let me show you what I mean...

My Gucci Blooms have rarely been out of use over the past several months and are holding up really well, with no visible damage except the obligatory slight stretch. I like to pair my them with a pair of blue or black jeans and white or fuschia shirt, and they look effortlessly chic but casual.

My colour palette of choice, however, is and will always be timeless classic black, so I have been dreaming of a pair of black trimmed classic GG print espadrilles. When I spotted the newly released GG supremes online, I couldn't wait to try them!

Luckily my local Gucci in the Mall of the Emirates had a few pairs in stock, so I wasted no time picking them up, although not cheap, they are more reasonably priced than others in the world of designer espadrilles;

Design
The gorgeous black leather trim and gold Bee design in metallic gold over the classic GG canvas make these shoes stand out from the crowd.

The rubber soles and coated canvas can withstand the sand and heat without any problem and not to mention they are comfortable and easy to dress up or down for Dubai days or nights. The espadrilles have been slightly improved, and the sizing has become more accurate.

Sizing
For my previous pair of Gucci espadrilles in the Bloom design, I upsized to 39.5. I wear a UK size 5.5, and these fit me perfectly;

For these new Bee Espadrilles, the 39.5 were actually too big, and I had to downsize to a 39, which were a perfect and still manage to provide a little natural wiggle room.

UNBOXING

Check out the range at the Gucci website and can be picked up to 1,700 AED or £335

I'm in love with my new shoes, and I would highly recommend these beauties to anyone looking to buy a designer pair of espadrilles.

What are your thoughts and what do you have your eye on this month?

Hugs

Introducing My Cult Gaia ARK Bag

2018-02-25T00:06:00.000+04:00

If you haven't seen or heard the hype surrounding 2017 / 2018 'IT' bag CULT GAIA ARK I'd pretty surprised. Founded in 2012 by Jasmin Larian, the Cult Gaia aesthetic is a chic, bohemian style and this is a classic standout design from her collection and a real bag lovers bag.

This highly coveted bamboo summer bag just landed in Dubai, and much to my excitement the #besthubbyever decided to surprise me with my highly pinned thingspiration gem;

In a country where it's always summer, this beautiful, sustainable bamboo beauty, with its gorgeous, simplistic design, can be loved and adored all year round! I find myself just staring at this almost architectural piece which is proudly displayed in my bedroom, to be revered when not busy in use.

My gorgeous ARK is in the darkest stained chestnut bamboo, matches my style and colour palette entirely, in the medium size (which is sized small) and measures 11" x 3" x 8."

This bag is big enough to carry all my summer essentials like wallet, lip balm, sunglasses and sunscreen;

I love how effortlessly cool this bag is, which is based on the traditional Japenese picnic bag. The ARK is sturdy and sophisticated in design and pretty easy to dress up or down. I really love the shape and how versatile it is, which makes a perfect Dubai brunch or vacation bag and will be accompanying me to my upcoming staycation to Tilal Liwa in a few days.

I highly recommend this gorgeous carryall, which is not going anywhere and still doing the rounds on Instagram. I find the bag reasonably priced and I definitely will be picking up the large tortoiseshell Ark for my next buy from this brand.

SHOP CULT GAIA

What are your thoughts on the Cult Gaia Ark Bag?

Hugs

February MEGA Sephora Haul

2018-02-16T22:22:00.000+04:00

I know I have spoken about this obsession many times before on my blog already, but the Sephora Bug is real!

My gold card arrived in its shiny golden presentation box last week (picture to come), so I took the opportunity to get down to my local Sephora for a little weekend splurging and here is February Sephora Haul in full glory.

Midweek I received an email from Sephora to confirm Laura Mercier had finally arrived in store (hallelujah) so had to try out the much-raved about finishing powder on my shopping list alongside the influenster favourite Origins Ginzing moisturiser and needed to replenish my Georgio Armani power fabric and Fenty pro filter foundations.

Let's take a look at what lovely new products I picked up!

SNEAK PEEK AT MY HAUL

+ Origins: GinZing Energy-Boosting Gel Moisturizer
Blogger favourite, I was pretty excited to try out the most raved moisturiser. The scent is fantastic, a fresh and zingy lightweight cream that freshens and brightens the skin. I apply first thing in the morning alongside a few spritzes of my Slay All Day - Green Tea & Ginger Setting Spray and I love the sensation and effect on my skin.

I love this Origins Energy-boosting gel and its a real winner for me that I will continue to use as a daily moisturiser.

+ Chanel Nailpolish: Nuvola Rosa & Verde Pastello
I have a vast collection of Chanel nail varnishes in an array of colours from the permanent to limited edition collections. I like the brush and find the coverage longlasting so always gravitate to Chanel polishes. These new colours from the spring-summer 2018 collection are beautiful and make a lovely fresh addition to my usual dark colour nail palette.

+ Laura Mercier: Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Ever since I heard about the concept of baking I had my eye on this translucent loose powder and Laura Mercier consistently feature on the no1 spot. With no stockists here in the UAE I continued to use my clinque loose powder, but low and behold I got my Sephora email that confirmed Laura Mercier had just landed so picked this up on my haul.

I am enjoying this powder and find the thin flour-like consistency easily applied with my new beauty blender. Its been setting my makeup in place all day even in the Dubai heat and doesn't look cakey or settle in fine lines that are now beginning to creep in - Eecck.

+ Georgio Armani: Power Fabric SPF 25 Foundation
My current favourite foundation. The full luminous coverage liquid foundation is lightweight and evens my skin tone. This is a restock purchase, and I am honestly not looking to branch out anytime soon.

+ Fenty Beauty: Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
As mentioned before, I like to create my perfect foundation and mix two squirt GA and one squirt Fenty foundation and find this combo applied with a flat foundation brush is great and gives me full coverage without looking overly fake.

+ BEAUTYBLENDER: beautyblender pro
This nifty little blender is perfect for applying my loose power and dabbing off excess oil. This pro tool is a must for all makeup kits, and I highly recommend picking up the pro;

MY FREEBIES

+ Too Faced - Better Than Love Mascara Giftset (200 points)
Brilliant trio of full-sized mascara's, whenever this is the point gift I always pick this up. This set came with the classic Better than love (renamed for the UAE market) the waterproof equivalent and a nifty mascara remover, called melt off.

+ Colorful Eye Shadow Photo Filter Palette: Sunbleached Filter / Sephora Lipstick and Makeup Pouch (Gold Present)
I loved this cute little gold card freebie for spending X amount haha. Especially liked the gorgeous full-sized Sephora branded palette in really pretty neutral tones.

+ Marc Jacobs Birthday Gift
This cute little trio of essentials perfect little pressie for my birthday freebie and the mini lipstick doll sized is adorable.

SHOP MY FAVOURITES :

Hope you liked my February haul. I would really love to to see what makeup items you have been coveting this Feb?

Hugs

My Luxury Handbag Collection

2018-02-05T00:29:00.001+04:00

My name is Hayley, and I am a full blown designer handbag addict.

I make no apologies for my vice and am fortunate to have a beautiful ever-growing collection, thanks to the #besthubbyever

This post is very personal to me, and I am delighted to show off my designer handbag collection, which may I add are never going anywhere, these babies are with me for life!

HANDBAGS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!

Everybody that knows me knows that I’m obsessed with handbags and in the last three years, I had the real means to fund this habit. I still only buy bags to add to my capsule collection that I truly love and will continue use.

My style is pretty classic with an edgy or vintage twist, and I gravitate toward timeless pieces that complement my outfits and lifestyle. I tend to lean more toward the more significant structured, masculine bags with a little femininity.

Bags are my treasures, and nothing sends my pulse racing like a new gem to add to my forever collection.

I'll be doing a review of each bag separately with the info and backstory to each bag and so without further ado, welcome to an overview of my collection.

THE COLLECTION

As you can see, I gravitate to the classic colours in a very structured style, I am really looking to add some neutral & blush pink bags to my collection.

Any suggestions?

Here's my collection in no particular order -

+ Saint Laurent Large Envelope Chain Bag Matelasse Leather

+ GUCCI Cuir Padlock Leather Top-Handle Satchel Bag

+ CHANEL Black Maxi Jumbo XL Vintage Classic

+ LOUIS VUITTON Monogram Canvas Raspail MM Bag

+ PRADA Vitello Daino Calf Shopping Tote

+ GUCCI GG Supreme Coated Canvas Top Handle Satchel Bag

+ VERSACE Large Signature Bag in Black Leather

+ CULT GAIA Gaia's Ark Small Chesnut

I will be doing separate posts of each bag with a review and the backstory of how and why these are in my collection.

In the meantime, if you do have any questions, please let me know.

PLEASE PIN

Let me know your thought on my collection and what's your favourites?

Hugs

High Tea in the Desert | The Farm Al Barari

2018-01-29T01:06:00.000+04:00

For a Brit, there nothing better than enjoying a spot of afternoon tea. Desert living isn't an excuse to miss out on this delectable quintessential tradition, so this weekend we had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful desert Oasis - The Farm Al Barari to savour their high tea offering!

Situated on the private Al Barari estate, created by the Zaal family of the UAE, this gorgeous lush and unique dining experience offers a perfect escape. Even the drive up to the farm, the landscapers have done an incredible job of transporting you away from the bustle of the desert city, into a lush tropical paradise.

AFTERNOON TEA IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA

The restaurant is gorgeous and with fresh produce and ambience being top of their agenda, spending time at this beautiful location is a real treat for all your senses.

High tea begins serving at 3.30pm and costs 175 AED per person or 294 AED for two and includes a selection of scrummy mini sandwiches, petit four desserts and traditional fresh scones served with cream and jam and two drinks per person;

Hubby made an online table reservation, which was quick and straightforward and I like that if your preferred time slot is unavailable, you are provided with the full list of the next available time slots.

We booked our table for 3.30 pm to savour the delights of the High Tea, and we were pretty impressed with the selection and the cost.

The restaurant is divided into sections including the indoor shop area that sells local and fresh produce, the middle indoor eating area located under a gazebo, to three main outdoor areas. As we booked our table, we got one of the best seats, directly overlooking the picturesque lake area.

We were pleased with our seats however the only downside was the people walking straight behind our table even when we were eating, to take pictures of the lake.

The Farm is a bustling but laid-back hangout, filled with locals ranging from families to couples, and as it's a child-friendly restaurant do expect to see some lovely excitable kids running around, but rather thoughtfully, the children's play area has been situated away from the central eating area.

The lake is the spectacular focal point of the lush tropical gardens and provides a tranquil setting and hub for wildlife and birds. Surrounded by thick green tree's its hard to imagine its in middle of the desert. The Farm is a gorgeous place to spend a lazy afternoon, and we thoroughly enjoyed our yummy High Tea for two.

I cannot rate this place highly enough and recommend a visit for the scenery and tranquillity alone. We will be back in the next few weeks, to try out the vast breakfast menu.

PLEASE PIN

https://www.thefarmdubai.ae

Have you visited yet? Love to hear your thoughts and please leave your Afternoon Tea recommendations below!

Hugs