The Review: Majlis Al Henna Salon, Al Khuwair

Last week I really wanted some pretty henna to adorn my hands and I cam across Majlis Al Henna Salon. I had called them previously for Eid Henna but they were fully booked so I thought why not try again.

I chose a really good time as only I was in the salon and  the service was prompt. I was given a cute tray with a mini tub of popcorn and a fizzy pink drink too. It's always the little touches that make a place special and unique.

The artists are from Kenya and are so very lovely. I had a lovely chat with her about henna and her  background and it was so nice. I decided to try out the 'blue henna' which was news to me as I had never heard of it before. The paste is different to regualr henna as it is more of a gel. I chose 2 patterns from their instagram page and sat back and relaxed. It took about 30 minutes but I stayed 15 extra minutes to dry off the gel - most of it was but I think next time I would prpbably stay a little longer and not pat it.

I had it on for a few hours and then I was at City Centre Muscat and went to he toilet and washed my hands and some of it has washed off so I decided to remove the rest. It left a faded stain which darkened quite quickly by the time I had gotten home. The next day it was blue-almost black and I loved it.

It has been a week and the design has faded which is fine as I wash my hands A LOT plus it's natural too. I think I actually prefer it over the normal henna because even though it has faded it looks much better than when brown henna fades.

Update: Since my first visit I have been back 2 times and I've loved each and every design I've chosen. The artists are lovely and I would recommend this salon to those interested in henna too.

Overall I rate it 10 out of 10 because I was impressed with the the clientele service and in salon treatment and outcome of the henna.

All Loved Up: November Beauties

Another new feature I hope to be committed to! All Loved Up is basically my favourites for the month.

#1 Nars Blush in Madly: I have missed using this beauty. This was one of first high end blush purchases and I have repurchased twice. It doesn't look appealing in the pan but such a gorgeous warm peachy brown tone to the face.

#2 Laura Mercier Creme Eyeliner - I have been using these for going out and love the texture, creaminess and colour payoff. I really want to purchase the black one now.

#3 Laura Mercier Highlight in 01 - the most perfect highlighter EVER. It is the best one I have used! It provides a soft highlight without too much shimmer and sparkle and really enhances your face.

#4 Sephora Eye Pencil in Black - I love the smoothness and softness of this eye pencil and have already used half since I have returned from the States. I wish I'd purchased a few more!

#5 Lipstick combo - MAC Cut A Caper with Rimmel Nude Delight - I have been wearing this pretty much every day since the start of October. It's a peachy/pink nude that is perfect with any look.

Unfortunately I seem to have put my creme eyeliner somewhere so there is no pic for this post until I find it! Sorry!

Love & Blessings,
Sara xx

Travel Diaries #3 : Exploring Abu Dhabi

Sorry this is an uber late post! During Eid a few months ago I decided I wanted to see the most magnificent Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE. I decided to go during all of my Eid holiday so I spent 2 and half days in Dubai and 1 afternoon in Abu Dhabi.

Whilst I love the Middle East and the culture, Dubai is only worth visiting for shopping and of course a detour to Abu Dhabi.

So below are a few pictures of my visit to the splendid Sheikh Zayed Mosque. I would definitely recommend everyone to visit this Mosque as the architecture is just amazing and the interior so beautiful too.

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

What Look Am I Rockin'?....Halloween Black Cat..Meow!

This blog is a 'Halloween Special' showcasing my simple black cat look for 'Dress Up' day at school.

From teaching in the Kuwait where Halloween was not really mentioned or celebrated due to it being associated with Paganism, I was surprised that Oman is tolerant to acknowledge it. Also in comparison to the UK where I don't recall celebrating it the schools I have worked at either it is a change! As a school we focussed on the fun and games and dressing up as ghouls and familiar characters. Each year group also designed a game for the 'Halloween Carnival' which the kids loved! I came up with the 'Pumpkin Toss' for Year 2 and it was a hit! The kids really enjoyed bobbing for apples too! All in all it was a lovely day for the kids :)

So, usually I would opt for the easiest option of being a witch but this year I felt that I wanted to experiment with using make up to create a look. I decided on the black cat (without the tail!) Haha! I did just want to focus on my face as I knew I would be outside for a large portion of the day and did not want to wear anything uncomfortable or something I would sweat profusely in. The weather in Oman is sunny and hot which is fine but when the humidity is high, it is not so nice.

Anyways, so I scoured Google and Youtube for a few cat looks and I guess I merged a few into one. First off I bought a cat ear hairband from Claire's which was super cute. The rest of the look was creating using a few bits of make up as noted below.

Close up of my Black Cat Look :)

Make up used:

Face: LM Tinted Moisturiser, MAC Prep and Prime in Peach Lustre and Bright Forecast, Giorgio Armani Maestro Concealer, ABH Dipbrow Pomade in Chocolate, LM Baked Highlighter.

Cheeks: NARS Blush in Madly, LM Baked Highlighter.

Eyes: Collection Liquid Eyeliner, Sephora Eyeliner, Huda Beauty Mink Lashes in Bridget.

Lips: Collection Liquid Eyeliner on upper lip, Rimmel Nude Delight on bottom lip.

How I created the look:

1. First I applied my base and then on my upper lash I painted on my eyeliner in the form of a 'Cat eye flick'.

2. On my lower lash line I used the a black Sephora pencil eyeliner.

3. After I applied Huda Beauty Mink Lashes in Bridget using Huda Beauty Lash Glue in Black with my tweezers. I must be getting good as I applied in one go and they were purrfect :P

4. Then using the liquid liner I painted on the nose and drew a line connecting it to my upper lip. I then painted them both in using the liner (amazing staying power in this heat and humidity too!). I extended the corners of my mouth to a little flick to accentuate the mouth better.

5. As I finished that, I drew 3 whiskers and 3 dots on each side of my face, going up towards my cheeks.

5. Using Rimmel lipstick in Nude Delight, I filled in my bottom lip.

6. I finished off with a spritz of MAC's Fix+ et voila my look was complete.

I hope you enjoyed my 'Halloween Cat Look'.

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

Teacher Talk: What's it like to teach in the Middle East?

'Teacher Talk' is my new feature where I will blog about all things education related. I hope you find this interesting :)

Teaching in the Middle East - Oman

*1 month update*

Over the past few days, as a teacher I have been involved in teaching my children, planning with colleagues and preparing resources for my lessons. I have also been thinking a lot about the role of teachers here in Oman but across the Middle East.

A year ago, after teaching in London for two years I was yearning for a new challenge but also for the chance to teach and travel abroad. The Middle East stuck out immediately as I had visited a few countries as a tourist and also as a volunteer. I also favoured it because the culture is similar to mine not mention the halal food!

For those of you who read my blog I definitely had an experience in Kuwait. It wasn't so much with the children. They made my stay thoroughly enjoyable. It was members of management, a few teachers and HR. So after an interesting and at times shocking experience in Kuwait I decided to move to Oman.

I had visited Oman on vacation and fell in love with the people and the country. They had a real humbleness about them and were so friendly too. The country of Oman is just spectacular with their range of mountains and natural springs. It really is amazing.

Now back to the focus of this blogpost, teaching. So the negative attitudes of teachers and their shockingly low expectations of the kids really made me question what the role of teaching includes.

As a teacher my personal opinion is that we are there to teach every single child the curriculum we follow whether it is British, American or IB. This also means to differentiate, scaffold and ensure that every child can access the learning. I rarely saw this in Kuwait and teachers were astounded by having to differentiate in their class. They just didn't want to do it and consistently complained it was too much work! Curiously, it made me wonder how they taught back in their home countries and if all their children progressed well.

Having only been in Oman for almost 3 weeks now I have also noticed that these low expectations of the children are evident and this saddens me as a teacher. A few weeks ago I had a conversation regarding Literacy (now this is Y2 we are teaching), and was basically informed that independent story writing is taught towards the end of year. That in itself shocked me because as a teacher you have to teach them the skills and give them opportunities to develop their writing.

Yes we have to ensure that the children understand the fundamentals to learning but also if we don't give them these crucial opportunities like writing stories, practically constructing inventions or even allowing them to make mistakes and reassure them, they will never reach their potential but instead will just be coasting for the rest of their primary education.

I came to the Middle East with the mindset that I will not treat these children any different to how I treated the children back in the UK. I also said to myself that my expectations would remain high to ensure they make the required and if not more progress by the end of the year.

So have I stood by these promises or pledges since I started teaching here?

I am proud to say yes I have and I will continue to do so. Parents are investing their money knowing that us teachers will help provide an enriching education to their children. It is unfortunate that a lot of schools in the Middle East deliver a very poor to basic education to their children without the parents knowing. Sometimes I wish that parents knew exactly what happens inside the school but it is because they put their trust in the schools that they will never find out.

At times, yes I may be seen as a rebel  when I change some of the plans for the week but it is because I am ensuring that my children are learning the skills expected in Y2, being challenged and also working to high expectations and do they come out with the results. YES! This is because of the high expectations and positive attitude of the teacher. I am in now way berating myself. I am merely doing my job which I feel should be given 100% wherever you are in the world. I really wish I came across more teachers like myself who feel passionately about delivering an excellent education to children.

I will continue to update you all on my experience here in Oman. I can say that so far it is much better than Kuwait in terms of organisation, how we assess and the procedure of assessments. The days flows nicely and nothing is sprung upon you like in Kuwait and there is half the paperwork!

*2 month update *
I am enjoying having 20 children in my class and it honestly makes a difference than having 30. I can work with groups and set them off whilst extending others. I've become more creative with my teaching and I have a lovely rapport with the children, parents a d my colleagues. It's like we're a big family :)

I hope you enjoyed reading now off to enjoy my weekend in Doha!

Love & Blessings,
Sara xx

What look am I rockin'?...Super Sleek Smokey look

So this week I ventured out to City Center to pick up a few bits and bobs and have a mooch around the shops.  I decided to have a go at my dark brown smokey eye look and loved the results. However I was obviously more interested in documenting my hair as I haven't straightened in a very long time!

I have listed the products used below:

Face: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser, MAC Prep and Prime Illuminator in Peach Lustre and Bright Forecast, Gorgie Armani Maestro Concealer in 2.5.

Cheeks: Laura Mercier Baked Highlight in 01, MAC Peaches Blush,  Sleek Blush in Suede, Laura Mercier Indiscretion Highlighter

Eyes: MAC Paint in Bare Canvas to prime lids, L'Oréal Palette (I need to check the name!), Collection 2000 liquid eyeliner in black, NARS Mekong eyeshadow ( LOVE!), Benefit Rollerlash, Urban Decay Cannonball, washi tape to achieve a sleek finish.

Lips: NYX Lip Plumper, Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo in 01, Natural Collection Lipstick in Rose Petal, Loreal Lip Gloss ( I can't remember the name..again will check!)

Whilst writing this post I thought I would mention that you don't necessarily have to be labelled as 'official ' make up artist or blogger to experiment with or create looks. I've learnt my makeup application mainly through my own experimentation and YouTube videos from other bloggers. Also, it is completely fine to mix shades together. No look is created from just one single colour. I always mix lip colours together to make my desired shade. That's the art of makeup :)

I hope you enjoyed reading. I am now off to Qatar for the weekend. I hope to blog on my experience of teaching Oman when I am back.

Love & Blessings,
Sara xx

I'm haulin' Lipsticks!

So as promised in my last blogpost I am going to share with you my latest lippie purchases that I made over the summer in The States and also in the UAE. I particularly like the fact how Rimmel have totally different shades than in the UK and I feel they are of a much better quality too.

I absolutely LOVE nudes whether they are pink nudes, brownish nudes, peach nudes or pinky - brown nudes! I LOVE nudes primarily for the fact that they go with any makeup look.

I adore Rose Petal from The Natural Collection (Boots) but the last two lipsticks I have bought have broke so I thought of trying to match it up with a high end lippie and I've been SO close but never an exact dupe.  I ended up getting Hourglass  Femme Nude Lip Stylo in 1, Kat Von D ( Agatha),  and also MAC Hue which similar in shade but each either a tad lighter or darker. 

Hue is my latest purchase which I haven't worn much but have experiment with layering over a lip liner as it is quite sheer being a glaze finish.

I am actually also liking MAC 's Kinda Sexy which is a pinky but more brown tones nude that is of a matte finish. Glaze and Matte finishes from MAC are new to my collection. I do like the matte finish but i do have to make sure I have prepped my lips well beforehand. I tend to go for Cremesheen or Lustre. I love how moisturising and pigmented they are on my lips and also giving off a glossy finish.

So below are 2 images of my lippies. The first is a picture of them in their containers and the second as swatches on my hand. I will be sure to make more use of my newer purchases :)

Love & Blessings,
Sara xx

L -R: HG Femme Nude Stylo in 01, KVD Agatha, MAC Pure Zen, MAC Hue, MAC Kinda Sexy, Rimmel Blushing Beige, Rimmel Coral Blast, Rimmel Shocking Coral.

Lipstick swatches

What Look Am I Rockin'...? Cat-eye, contour and highlight!

Hey all,

I can't believe it has been a month since I last posted on here. I have been crazily busy settling down in Oman and finally feel 'settled' after a whirlwind of a month! My apartment is feeling more homely and I am finding my way around now before it was the norm to get lost on the way to or from the mall..lol! School is going well and it is AMAZING having just 20 kids in my class, I can actually give each one my time which is great. The staff are lovely and my TA is brilliant too.

So let's crack on. Last night I really wanted to watch a movie but my internet was playing up which was not cool. Anyways I decided to watch some make up videos primarily on 'cat eye' and 'contour' tutorials. I really enjoyed watching 'NikkiesTutorials' which made me laugh but were really clear and her makeup is so beautiful! On my recent trip to Dubai, I bought a cream contour stick from MAC, it is actually called the 'Master Concealer' in 8.5 but the MUA sold it to me. She was actually a pretty good MAC Makeup Artist at the MAC Concession in the Mall of Emirates . I find the majority of MAC makeup artists rude and useless and they always match me up wrong( seriously I look like I have been tangoed and this was just concealer!). This is the second best experience ( my first was at a MAC store in Chicago). Anyways, I bought that along with a repurchase of 'Bright Forecast' for my highlighter and a new lippie 'Kinda Sexy' which I am LOVE with!

Let's get back to the blogpost lol! So I have recently changed up how I apply my eyeliner to more of straight flick than a curve and a flick. But then I saw the cat eye and fell in love so I have been practising and practising and I finally think I have nailed it. I love how it changes how my eyes look and my whole makeup look. I stand by my best liquid eyeliner of them all, 'Collection 2000' in black.

For my contour, I do own the raved about 'Anastasia Beverley Hills' Contour Kit but at times I don't like the way powder in general is on my skin so that's why I purchased the cream contour stick. I did apply a matte bronzer on top which I think worked well. I actually look contoured and not a muddy mess for once! I went through a contour phase for a while whilst I lived in Kuwait but then getting ready for school in a jiffy was my priority! Now I am back in the phase but I only contour when I am going out, never for school. It is not worth all the hassle especially in this hot, sticky and humid weather!

So as always here is a list of the products used below. Oh and apologies for my hair - I wanted to let it au naturale for the weekend as I wash it pretty much all week because of the weather. So yesterday and today it was a scooped up messy bun!

Contour and Highlight

Base products: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser in Sand, Giorgio Armani Maestro Concealer in 2.5, MAC Prep & Prime in Peach Lustre.

Products used to contour: MAC Master Concealer Stick in 8.5, Laura Mercier Radiant Matte Baked Bronzer in 03

Products used to highlight: MAC Prep & Prime Highlighter in Bright Forecast and Laura Mercier Baked Highlighter in 01 (LOVE THIS!) For Blush I used: Milani Luminoso (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!)

Contour, highlight and cat-eye on FLEEK!

Cat-eye liner products: Collection 2000 Liquid liner in black, Laura Mercier Eyelash Curler, Benefit Rollerlash mascara, Maybelline Collosal Waterproof Mascara (new purchase and liking it so far!)

                                       

 An uber close close-up - sorry!

Lip products: NYX Lip plumper, No7 Natural Lip Liner, Mac Hue lipstick, Buxom Lipgloss in Samantha

Hope you enjoyed - I am feeling a lippie post coming up. I might post about some new lip purchases from the USA and Dubai.

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

What Look Am I Rockin'...Pakistani Wedding Makeup!

This Summer, my family and I ventured over to the States as my cousin was getting married. It was a big occasion as he is the first out of all of us cousins to get hitched. It was a really fun event and was nice spending time with my family over there. I spent most of my time in Ohio and then roadtripped to Philly and New Jersey for the wedding which took place over 2 days.

The couple decided on 2 days out of the traditional 3. The groom actually wanted a small and quiet affair but because the bride was the only girl on her side, it had to be lavish!

So, the first evening was the Henna night and it was lovely and colourful. I actually wore a suit I have worn before but I wasn't bothered. I am not so into new suits and designers but into dressing it up with accessories and make up. I chose a mustard and bronze suit and teamed it with bronzy smoky eyes with a glowing base. I wore a 'tikka' for the first time and absolutely loved it! It was so pretty but had to keep making sure it was straight for photos! I have included a few pics so you can see in different lighting. I also wore my HudaBeauty Giselle lashes which really gave my eyes a dramatic look. I love how easy it is to apply these lashes too. I am so going to have to stock up on them being in Oman, I'll have to pop over to Dubai soon!

Me :)

One of my cousins and I

My sister, me and family friends.

 The next day was the Barat which is where the Nikah ( Islamic marriage ) takes places. It confirms the marriage through a few passages of the Quran and consent from both families. They had a lovely Imam who explained it all in English and made it humorous too. The bride and groom looked stunning together and it was really sweet seeing them married :)

For this day I bought I suit from the UK, I remember going out for the day and not finding anything I liked until we came to the last shop and I saw a few suits but this one stood out. I wasn't sure if it was too bright to wear to the wedding but ah that is what Pakistani weddings are all about! I tried it on and fell in love! It was SO heavy to wear and sadly on the day because my scarf was so long the baubles on the ends broke as I kept standing on them lol. Anyhow the dress was lovely and I was glad I ended up buying it. I will definitely be wearing it to another wedding for sure!

In terms of the makeup, I opted for a more glowing based  and used some of my new USA makeup purchases and also had smoky eyes again with my Huda Beauty lashes to give my eyes the 'wow' effect. I was really impressed with how my makeup and hair turned out considering I did it all myself. There was a makeup artist and hair stylist on the day for our family but I didn't think she was all that great without being rude. I have to say I was so pleased for those 2 days my makeup stayed on flawless for the whole evening and I did not even go to the bathroom to retouch!

My sister and I :)

The groom's mother, my cousin - the groom, my sister and I

Photo bombing the entrance to the Nikah ceremony

I hope you enjoyed reading - more blogs to come soon :)

Love & blessings,
Sara

Update: My Summer vacation & moving to Oman

Aah! It has been TOO long since I last blogged. Honestly it was a crazy summer. I arrived back in the UK in June and then had a break for a week or so and then I ended up working at my mum's school doing all the planning for Art and also for Design & Technology for the whole year for all of the year groups! That was a mission but actually developed my planning more which was great.

After that it was crazy getting together my outfits for my cousin's wedding and sorting things for my move to Oman. I am not sure if I mentioned in any of my last posts but I decided to leave Kuwait after working in a terrible school with some terrible teachers. I found a lovely school in Muscat, Oman and accepted a job offer there. I still felt I hadn't fulfilled my travelling itinerary and wanted one more year of a work/life balance so that's why I decided to stay out here in the Middle East.

After all the madness was over my family and I were in the States for about 2 weeks spending time as a whole family. We also threw in a spontaneous trip to Canada which I am in love with! I love Toronto! Anyways back to the wedding so Asian families are huuuuge not to mention we had lots of family friends over too! It was a lovely time and seeing my cousin get married was really nice. He is actually the first out of all us cousins. Whilst we stayed in Toledo, Ohio it took place in Philly and was very beautiful.

 I miss being in the States! I literally flew back to the UK the day after and then repacked my stuff for Oman and flew out to Oman the day after! I was SO jet lagged and I went into work that morning! Anyways 2 weeks have passed and I feel more settled. Honestly, when I arrived to the apartment ( which I took over from a previous teacher) it was in a terrible state and infested with cockroaches. It was definetly not what I wanted when I arrived from my flight. Anyways it's all been deep cleaned by me and I think I have got rid of the little creepies. I still have a whole bunch of things to sort but it will get there in time.

So that's my update for now - I will be posting blogs on my makeup haulage from the USA, my makeup looks from the wedding and how I prepared my new classroom :)

Keep reading and I will be back very soon - now off to make presentation to welcome my parents/children to Year 2 :)

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

What Look Am I Rockin'?... Summer Special!

I realised I haven't really posted any makeup looks recently but luckily last week I snapped a few photo's of my makeup before I headed out. I have made a few changes to my summer makeup in comparison to last year and I will list all the products used below. I will list my skincare as well as the makeup used. Remember that products that work for me, may or may not work for you. It is all about getting to know your skin and nourishing it with what it needs. It has taken since June for my skin to feel plump and smooth since my return from Kuwait where air conditioning really impacted my skin by drying it out. I am not sure how my skin will change from being the USA for 10 days and then back to London for an evening and then onto Oman :S I hoping by hydrating it well, it should keep soft and supple. Please find below details of my 'Summer Special' look.

Skincare Regime:

1. Cleanse my face with Soap & Glory 'Peaches and Clean'.
2. Sometimes I tone with Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water.
3. Pat Soap & Glory 'Puffy Attack' eye gel around my eyes.
4. Moisturise with Soap & Glory 'Feel Good Factor' which is a translucent BB cream onto skin in upwards motions.
5. After 20 minutes or so, I apply LM Oil Free Primer to prep my skin for my makeup application.

 Makeup Regime:

1. Apply LM Tinted Moisturiser in Sand by blending with fingertips.
2. Conceal blemishes lightly with Secret Concealer No 3.5 and apply MAC Prep and Prime Illuminator in Peach Lustre as my colour corrector under my eyes.
3. Reapply/pat on a layer of LM Tinted Moisturiser in Sand and conceal any blemishes.
4. Apply MAC Prep and Prime Highlighter in Bright Forecast under the eyes, above the cheekbone, along the ridge of the nose, cupids bow and chin. ( I used to contour too but now I strobe/highlight more in the summer months).
5. Dust LM Baked Radiance Highlight 01 above my cheek bones, cupids bow, ridge of nose and forehead.
6. Sweep Sleek Blush in Suede to my cheeks for a pop of colour.
7. Use Collection 2000 Liquid eyeliner to draw a cat eye liner on upper lid and UD 24/7 Eye Pencil in Crave on the lower lash line.
8. Curl lashes with LM Eyelash Curler - pump for 10 seconds and lift.
9. Use Benefit Rollerlash Mascara to separate and hold curl to lashes and then apply UD Cannonball mascara to intensify the look.
10. Apply Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Rose Gold to highlight those key areas again.
11. Dab Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream on lips to prep them for lipstick application.
12. Swipe Natural Collection Lipstick in Rose Petal onto the lips and then L'oreal Cream Gloss in Protest Queen.

*If I was going out for the evening I would use my LM Translucent Pressed Powder and gently buff into the skin to ensure my makeup holds for the evening but for everyday wear I leave it like this!

Et voila the look is complete :)

I know it is lengthy writing down each and every product I apply it makes each process clearer. I can also now apply my makeup in 20 minutes which is a turn around for me!

I hope you enjoyed reading.

Love & Blessings,
Sara xx

Highlighter Haulage!

As you can tell I have hauled too many highlighters since I've returned from Kuwait! I initially wanted to replace my Sue Moxley Baked Highlighter in Miami as it was almost finished. I had researched a few and had my eye on a Dior one however I was gutted that it was limited edition and had sold out so back I went to researching!

Then I came across Laura Mercier Baked Radiance Powder in Highlight 01. It looked silky, smooth and provided a gorgeous glistening glow. I wanted it! As I was due to replenish a few Laura Mercier beauty products I headed down to my local Space NK store. I have to rate their customer service at the Solihull store as the assistant manager was just so lovely and caring. Well to cut a long story short I bought a few products however the highlighter wasn't in stock but the lovely sales assistant directed me to 'Indiscretion' by Laura Mercier. I had seen it before and thought it looked pretty but wasn't sold. Anyways, she applied it to me and I really liked how warm and subtle it looked so I bought it.

A few days later my mum took me out for birthday treat shopping and we ended up at Space NK again. I still wanted to try out the Laura Mercier Baked Highlighter so I asked if it was in stock and it was! I was SO happy and when I swatched  it I fell in love with it. The previous highlighter I bought also from Laura Mercier mirrored this product. It was silky smooth with good pigmentation and colour payoff. So my mum bought me that along with some other goodies.

I used them both on and off switching on what kind of look I wanted and was pleased with the glowing effect they gave but also during my research I came across the best seller Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal. Aah! Again I fell in love with the swatches but read mixed reviews about it, mainly saying that it was too glittery and shimmery. I went through a phase where I loved really shimmery and sparkly bronzers but now I am into more of a subtle glow. So I tried to hunt it down but it is only stocked in the larger Space NK stores. Earlier this week I trekked to Space NK on Warren Street and was SO happy to find out they stocked the pressed powder version (although opal was out of stock ). So I went in and was greeted by some lovely sales assistants who told me that Opal the best seller was unfortunately out of stock. I swatched Opal and Rose Gold and loved the finish if them both. I actually didn't find them although shimmery as people made them to be and I also leaned more towards Rose Gold. It felt much warmer and natural against my skin tone so I decided to purchase and since then I have been using it since and I LOVE it!

All in all, yes I may have gone highlighter crazy but they were all worth it and I won't be running out of a highlighter anytime soon!

Love & Blessings,
Sara xx

L -R: LM Baked Highlighter, LM Indiscretion, Becca Rose Gold

Top to Bottom: Becca Rose Gold, LM Indiscretion, LM Baked Highlighter 01

Eid Henna ♡

Yesterday was the start of Eid-al-Fitr, Eid Mubarak to those who are celebrating. On Thursday evening, it was the usual debate of what day is Eid?! Luckily at 5.30pm, Saudi Arabia announced the sighting of the moon and confirmed that Eid would be celebrated on Friday.

I decided to henna myself this time around as I haven't used henna in a while. I used to make my own henna a fee ears back and I really enjoyed the whole process of finding out how to get a good colour release to ensure the outcome of the henna was a deep dark stain. However since I started teaching, whenever I wanted to henna anyone for an occasion I would order it. I've used 'Henna by Afruza' for my own personal use and for school fairs and I highly recommend her. The henna is reasonably priced and she offers kits as well as the powder and glitter and mica glitter gel to decorate it too.

However this time I came across Riffat Bahar who is a professional henna and makeup artist. Her stain of henna is what caught my eye and I was interested in trying her henna mix out. So I ordered one tube and the aftercare kit which consisted of a lemon sugar -orange blossom infused spray and a lemon henna balm. The delivery was quick and I stored it in the fridge until Thursday. The tube itself is thinner with less henna than 'Henna by Afruza' and it was more expensive. Also, ordering one cone was a one off as she messaged me that usually it was a minimum order of 5 cones. So in comparison I think 'Henna by Afruza' is more flexible with how little you can order.

So on Thursday evening I decided to henna myself. I used a design I saw on 'Nail Station Kuwait' and then amended it to what I wanted. I usually end up doing floral patterns freehand so this easy a change and I really like it. On the right hand because it is obviously trickier to do I just decorated my fingers with patterns and wrote my name in Arabic.

On Eid day, my sister wanted me to henna her so I hennaed her, again using a design from 'Nail Station Kuwait' but amending it to suit my sister's requests. Overall I really like that pattern too as it's branching into trying out new patterns.

I have included a few pictures for you to see how henna looks when it is first applied, then with the lemon seal spray, scraped off - light orange, after a few hours - bright orange, 24 hours - brown and 48 hours - dark brown.

I'm also going abroad for a family wedding next month and because the henna won't keep or last I have decided to make my own henna for everyone as it will be more fresh. Fingers crossed it will come out with a beautiful stain.

Love and Blessings,
Sara xx

The Review: 'The Fifth' Watch in Peach & Rose Gold ♡

I came across the brand 'The Fifth' on Instagram about 3 months ago and was quite intrigued by them.  Now this is news for me as I am not and have never really been a watch person as I would rather wear an ornate bangle than a watch. However over the years my style is changing to more of a simplistic and minimal look. By no means have I ditched the jewellery bit I'm changing my ways a little.

So here's the lowdown. They are a company based in Australia who specialise in watches. Now this is the cool part. The exclusivity of the brand. Every month on the  5th day at the 5th hour they release 5 styles of watches for 5 days or until they sell out and you can only access the shop if you sign up to their mailing list. I think that is a pretty darn cool idea but more so because the style of their watches are designed to suit everyone. They are unisex and come in black/gold, peach/rose gold, tan/silver, black/black and tan/black (I'll have to double check on this one!). They are a simple style with a large dial face fastened by a real leather strap, which would suit every day wear. Now these watches are sold for approximately £66 which is a very reasonable price. I would definitely recommend having a look at them on instagram.

After deciding that I wanted to invest in one I eventually chose the peach/rose gold watch. I liked the tan but the feminity of the rose gold watch stood out more. So I actually signed up to their mailing list and received VIP access to the store on the 5th July. It was an easy process to pay and they informed me that I would be able to track my package once in the post. They also specify how long delivery will take. From Australia to the UK they stated between 8 - 20 working days. I was super impressed how I was emailed along the way from the status of my order to the package being delivered. My watch took 10 days to arrive which was great!

I have included a few photos below of the watch from opening the package to trying it on. I absolutely love it and I can see myself wearing it quite frequently. It's got a weighted dial along with a durable strap and I love the colour combination. Well done and thank you to 'The Fifth' for my gorgeous watch!

UPDATE: The lovely guys from THE 5TH recently contacted me and have given me a discount code for my readers. Use' SARA' and you'll get 10% off your first order with THE 5TH! What are you waiting for? Go and have a browse now at : www.the5th.co and buy your first amazing watch!

The Reality of Teaching in Kuwait

As you know last summer, I decided to take a break from teaching in the UK and teach in Kuwait. After teaching there for almost a year, I felt it was necessary to blog about my experience. 

*Please note this is my own personal experience and I understand that everyone teaching in Kuwait or the Middle East may have had different experiences.

So rewind back to August 2014, when I touched down in Kuwait and was excited at the prospect of teaching in a Middle Eastern country. I have always been drawn to the Middle East since I travelled to Jordan and now I have travelled to a few more countries, I am in love!

But let's get back to my teaching experience, so initially all was okay until about November/December when I started to get a feel of the Principal and how she was not equipped to deal with people. She had poor management as well as poor communication skills. I raised a number of issues with her and the response I always got back was "What do you want me to do?" which I thought was not very helpful let alone professional! 

Actually I should have mentioned prior to that, what shocked me the most were two things:

1.  The negative attitudes of most teachers really shocked me. I could not believe I would sit at the table in the staffroom whilst marking my books and hear them say 'Oh my kids are just dumb...thick...stupid'. They also used the excuse 'They don't get it...and they are slow because they're ESL learners'.

Sorry but I've taught children who had no English at the start of the year and are conversing and writing basic sentences by the end - so that was just a cop-out!

2. Serial complainers - again a lot of the teachers would just complain day in and day out about literally anything they could. Even my flatmate who eventually left in December, used to ask why they moaned about everything.

Anyways, I was still trying to be positive about the school at this point and I was meeting my deadlines, working overtime and at the weekends. I was then asked if I would be interested in attending a COBIS Middle Leaders Conference which was exciting but I was a bit apprehensive as it came with a condition. It was to stay with the company for 2 years so that certain issues could be implemented. I understand the point of implementing what was learnt but I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay in Kuwait for 2 years. 

Kuwait as peaceful as it is with amazing weather and beaches and endless malls there isn't much else to do. There are some quirky markets along with some cool bespoke markets too which I enjoyed but they aren't really advertised as much and you do have to go on the hunt to find out about them unless you hear it from word of mouth. Kuwait is fine for teaching for perhaps 2 years but any longer I don't think so.

So I kind of got forced into going to the COBIS Conference which was great, it was so useful and eye opening to hear other leader's experiences and advise on how to tackle difficult situations too. However when I returned that's when I noticed a major change in how I was treated. I found out during my absence that the Principal had scrapped all the planning the  Maths Committee had done for 'Maths Week', so I was very annoyed as each member knew their role and what was expected. I won't go into all the details but I had a very long meeting with her that day and voiced my concerns about issues within the school and changes that needed to be made in order for the children to learn effectively. She had no strategical answers which really baffled me. A principal who doesn't truly believe in her school or the children and did not even attemp to acknowledge or deal with problems caused ultimately by her.

Just to give you an idea of what problems were in the school:

• Unqualified staff ( including the Principal!) Some teachers only had TEFL!
• No support for NQT's 
• Most staff ( including the Principal and Vice Principal) had no idea about the National Curriculum
• Most staff had no knowledge on how to level children
• Consistent negative attitudes and comments teachers made towards children
• Lack of knowledge of how to plan
• No communal ethos
• Expat teachers rude to the local Arabic staff
• Lying about levels and marks
• Teachers spent their free periods planning parties rather than marking and then complained after they had no time!

You might think well who am I to list these problems but the fact is, knowing what you are teaching and assessing are fundamental to teaching. The other factors are also important too and I have to say I didn't feel as if I was working in a school this year at all. There was no communal feel whatsoever. 

I was annoyed with myself as I wish I had not been naive and let her use me for a lot things like CPD, parent workshops, assessments, etc. At this point I knew I would not be happy staying another year but wasn't sure what to do but I was to stick it out until the end of my contract.

I am relieved  I finally made the choice to leave the company and it was most definitely the right choice. If I had stayed, my CPD would not have been developed and I perhaps would have learnt bad habits something I steered very clear of this year. I would not have progressed to become an effective and excellent teacher.

It's sad because the parents put so much trust in the teachers and school and are of course paying fees for high quality education and they are not getting it. 

I think the company in general needs to reassess it's priorities. Does it just want to be a  low quality daycare provider? Or does it actually and genuinely care about the children's education? 

Overall,  I didn't have a great experience of working at the school/for the company but I made some lovely friendships with the local Arabic staff and 2 expat teachers at my school along with some lovely teachers at the sister school/branches. But I will miss the relationships I formed with my parents and of course my children.

So if any of you are considering moving to the Middle East for the sun, sea, sand and tax free salary as well as easy teaching - think again. You may want to research well into the school you are interested in. Be aware that a lot of them are similar and will sugar coat the school before you arrive. 

Love and Blessings,

Sara xx

My Birthday Beauty Haul ♡

Last Thursday I celebrated my birthday by treating myself to some makeup. My sister recommended that I should pop to SpaceNK as I wanted to repurchase some products from Laura Mercier that were not in stock in Kuwait.

So off I went to my local Solihull on a lovely sunny afternoon. After doing a large toiletries haul too ( not so exciting so didn't think it would be worthy of a post  as they were pretty much essentials), I went for a mooch in SpaceNK, I was greeted by a lovely beauty advisor who was nice and friendly and not at all pushy. So I asked if my tinted moisturiser was in stock and unfortunately it wasn't. I also asked for the LM Baked highlight but they were out of stock of that too. I was feeling as though I wouldn't be able to a hold of my prized LM products. Although they did have the oil free primer which was good!

After we got talking about how I shouldn't have been recommended previously an oil free primer with an oil free moisturiser as my skin is actually normal with a little shine on my T Zone. I have to admit I was little sceptical as I didn't want to be talked into buying an alternative to what I normally buy when it was doing the job just fine. So she offered me a makeover which I agreed to plus it was nice to pampered a little :)

I won't go into every detail but she was lovely and talked me through everything she put on. She tried the LM Oil Free Primer with the normal LM Tinted Moisturiser in Sand. Then to conceal she used LM Secret Concealer in 3.5. I asked her to try out the new LM Face Illuminator in Indiscretion as I fell in love with the swatch on my hand. She applied that together with NARS blush in Luster and I have to say I really liked the look. However I had to do the test of checking my makeup in the natural light. Afterwards I was sold!

The original LM tinted moisturiser felt much more lighter than the oil free and also oxidised less. It was an exact match to my skin tone which was fine too. I maybe would have gone a little darker but I wasn't too fussed. I have been using it now for over a week and I think I do prefer it. I may opt for the oil free version in the Winter to add more warmth but I will see.

I ended up purchasing the LM original Tinted Moisturiser in Sand, LM Oil Free Primer, LM Secret Concealer in 3.5 and the LM Face Illuminator in Indiscretion. A very heavy LM haul :)

She was kind enough to give me a sample of Caudalie Oil which smelt divine and can be used for hair, skin and body which I will try out soon. Even though for the next year I won't be based in the UK, I signed up for the Ndulge loyalty card where you gain 1 point for every £1 you spend. Then for every 100 points they reward you with £5 incentive to use in store. I was lucky enough to get the £5 incentive straight away :) which I am saving for another purchase before I leave.

I was really pleased with the customer service and will definetly visit SpaceNK again very soon.

On that note I did (haha!) on the Saturday as my mum wanted to take me out and treat me. I initially went to John Lewis as they had Clearance and last time I bought a beautiful top from Mango. However this I wasn't satisfied as they had quite a bit of junk!

My mum was like how about some makeup so I agreed. I had just cleared out my makeup and didn't want to buy anything unnecessary but then I remembered that I wondered if they had received the LM Baked Radiance Highlight. Luckily they did so I got that and then my mum (bless her) was like get something else too.

I initially had my eye on the LM Caviar Eyeshadow stick in Amethyst but it was out of stock. Then another beauty advisor recommended By Terry Ombre Black star shadow stick in Misty Rock which was a very similar match just with more sparkle. So I also picked that up too. This time I gave my points to my sister :p as she would have more use here.

I've been treated to a lot of makeup recently so I am thinking that is all for now :p unless anything else catches my eye ;)

Although I do need to get some essentials for when I move to Oman as I don't think I'll be able to find them there. They include Collection Liquid Liner, Barry M Lipgloss in Coral and Bold Eyeliner in Black.

That's all for now. For some reason I can't add the photo from my phone. So I will do it later.

Love & Blessings,
Sara xx

A Belated Ramadan Kareem and an update :)

So I am finally back in the UK, well I've been back now just over 2 weeks and it feels great! I spent a few days in London as I wanted to sort out some things out as well as have a much needed haircut! A few days after arriving home home ( back in Solihull) with my parents and brother, Ramadan started.

I love the month of Ramadan as it's a time for everyone to nourish and strengthen their relationship with God. I believe everyone has their own connection and relationship with God that no one should interfere with or judge.

So far I have kept all but one and alhumdulilah they have actually  been fine. I eat 3 dates and a banana with a glass of milk and also a glass of water and it keeps me going until about 8pm, an hour and half before the fast opens.

Although the day before yesterday I found hard but I think it because I only ate a banana with not enough water. Honestly dates are magical so the day after I went back to them and felt much better!

For those who are fasting and read my blog I hope all is going well for you. I can't believe tomorrow will be the 15th fast. The month really does go quite fast!

Regarding losing weight, I lost like 3lbs in the first few days but since then I've stayed the same which I guess is better than putting on weight. I actually didn't realise how much weight I had put on since returning from Kuwait ( a stone and half) and I'm trying to stay motivated even though the progress is slow. I haven't over eaten at all during these fasts but it could be that I eat so late and don't exercise afterwards. After Ramadan I'm going to have to kick start my exercise routine again to at least lose half a stone.

I've also been helping out at my mom's school 3 days a week with  art planning and also teaching KS2 which has been good. The other 2 days I've been doing odd jobs and getting things ready for my own class.

I hope you all have a lovely summer break and Ramadan Kareem. I have a few posts which will focus on my birthday haul and a review of teaching in Kuwait.

Love and Blessings,
Sara xx

My Makeup Collection: Kuwait

This weekend I stayed in as over the past 2 weeks I have been ill with the flu and my sinuses have been playing up too. It has been quite relaxing as yesterday I decided to oil my hair and leave it in for most of the day and then I applied a hair treatment. I also got down to some making some handmade cards, well I started card #1 for my new collection which I was excited about. Today I cleaned my room a little and then painted my nails using Barry M Gelly Shine in Almond (a purple based grey), a colour I wouldn't normally choose but I like how it is neutral and will go with most colours.

I was actually packing up some thing for home and was going through my makeup when I thought I would snap some photos and do a blogpost on my makeup collection in Kuwait. I have previously blogged about my lip collection so I didn't want to repeat myself and therefore decided to focus on eyeshadows and blushes. 

I will talk about my top 3 eyeshadow palettes:

#1: L'oreal Quad Palette - I find myself packing this beauty on short trips as I can use this for simple daytime and smokey evening looks especially paired with NARS Mekong. I LOVE!

#2: Barry M Pressed Pigment Palette -  I made this palette a few years go when pressing eyeshadows was in. I still make good use out of it when I apply a coloured eyeliner on the bottom lash line, I like to intensify the colour by swiping a colour on top.

#3: Sleek Storm Palette - Out of all the Sleek Palettes I own this is  the one I used the most. It is more of a neutral to smokey palette which I tend to use for 'fresh' daytime looks. I usually opt for the rose gold, pale champagne colours and swipe a slick of black eyeliner on top. Definitely a must have!

R - L: ABH & Tammana Roashan Eyeshadow Palette, Barry M Pressed Pigments Palette, Sleek Storm Palette, Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadow Palette, Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. In the Middle from R - L: L'oreal Quad Palette, MAC Eyeshadow in Honeylust, Nars Single Eyeshadow in Mekong

I will talk about my top 3 blushes:

So I LOVE my blushes big time but looking at my collection I tend to sway more towards natural looking colours like browny-pinks and corals which also mirror my lip collection!

#1: NARS Madly without a doubt! This was my first or second high end blush I bought with the help of my Foundation Queen/Makeup Partner in Crime friend Sheena. It is a browny-pink but really gives you a natural glow. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

#2: Sleek Suede - this is more of a pink based brown and my favourite Sleek blush. It was limited edition before they made it permanent to their collection and I am so glad they did. I have been wearing this pretty much everyday and people have commented on how lovely it looks. It gives you a pop of colour and really compliments a fresh faced/dewy look. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

#3: MAC Peaches - I cannot believe I had not seen this blush sooner! I saw this on Sabina's Makeup Addict blog before she switched to documenting her looks on Instagram and it looked really nice and natural. So I took the plunge and bought it here in Kuwait. I have literally used it up until a month ago when I switched to Sleek's Suede. It is a gorgeous light peach that is buildable and again just gives a nice flush of colour to the cheeks. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

Top Row from L - R:  Sleek Blush in Pan Tao ( much oranger and brighter in real life!), Sleek Blush in Sahara, Sleek Blush in Suede, Nars Blush in Madly, Nars Blush in Torrid
Bottom Row from L - R: MAC Blush in Margin (frost), MAC Blush in Peaches ( sheertone) and Laura Mercier Illuminating Quad in Coral Red.



I hope you enjoyed checking out my collection.

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

Summer Skincare Regime

I just realised my last post should have been an update on my skincare!

Okay, before I think I posted that my skin is normal but can get dry especially with the air conditioning. So I switched to using The Body Shop Vitamin E range which worked well but then the last 2 months my skin was terrible. I have noticed that within the past year before 'time of the month' I usually get a mofo' of a zit somewhere on my face. I know it's like ' Hey Sara, your period is due soon!' Trust me, it is horrible! But going back to the past 2 months ( March and April) , my skin was not good at all. It was just spotty/bumpy and I am not sure why so the only alternative was to switch up my skincare as the Vitamin E range wasn't doing it for my skin.


Cleanser and Eye Makeup Remover: Soap and Glory Peaches and Cream

Toner: Bioderma Micellar Water ( Pink top)

Moisturiser: Soap and Glory Feel Good Factor Translucent BB Cream

Eye Cream: Soap and Glory You Won't Believe Your Eyes Eye Cream

Exfoliator: Sephora Metamorphosis Exfoliating Powder  ( reminds me of Dermalogica Daily Exfoliant)

Spot Treatment: Boots Tea Tree Night Gel ( I only use this when I have a mofo of a zit and dab it lightly)

Night Moisturiser/Treatment: Superdrug Vitamin E Oil ( I use this every night)

Face Mask: Lush Brazened Honey ( I use this once/twice every 2 weeks)

I have to say I am anal when it comes to removing my makeup at the end of the day. I have my own little routine hence the list above! Alhamdulilah, my skin has been so much better since I have used these products and as well as drinking lots of water.

My skincare consists of a lot of drugstore/high street products which proves that you don't always need to use high end brands.

P.S. I will add photos tomorrow as my phone battery has just died!

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

Update in Kuwait...10 months on!

So I thought I would post an update on life in Kuwait...10 months on.

I moved to Kuwait in August 2014 after deciding that I wanted to travel and experience the world as well as teach abroad. Fast forward to May 2015, with 3 weeks to go before I return to the UK for the summer I wanted to summarise my first year of living abroad.

So has moving to the Middle East lived up to my expectations?

Well, I will start with the positives.

+ Kuwait offers a very relaxed and laid back lifestyle which I enjoy in comparison to London

+ The opportunity to meet people/colleagues from a range of countries and backgrounds.

+ An excellent hub to travel to a range of destinations

+ Lots of free time to take up hobbies, travel, alternative interests.

+ Weather ( come on 2 months of Winter suits me just fine :p )

Then there are the negatives...

- The quality of education in schools is questionable as lots of schools employ unqualified 'teachers' including the top schools!

- Some expats can have negative attitudes towards the Arabs here which annoys me ( you chose to come here so be respectful of other cultures and people!)

- Kuwaitis can come across as quite a closed off community but once you get talking to them they are fine ( well the ones I have spoken too!)

- If you don't have a circle of friends, life here can be pretty boring.

- Again in comparison to London, there isn't a lot to do here hence why I travel pretty much in my school vacations.

- It's normal to see workers/maids be exploited by some Kuwaitis and even expats ( something I have found very hard to comprehend)

Overall, I am glad that I made the choice to leave the UK  as I now have a work/life balance here which is something that I appreciate greatly. I have also been able to travel around the Middle East and enjoy experiencing a range of Arab cultures which I love! I love the food, music and best of all the hospitality of the people. However I do miss teaching in the UK, there are more expectations and challenges there and above all more structure and organisation.

Would I recommend it to expats?

Everyone has come here for different reasons, but if you enjoy Middle Eastern culture and have travelled before then yes I would say living here is not so bad or elsewhere in the Middle East. In terms of teaching it is a tricky one, because it can go against what you have been taught in teacher training and also against ethics and values. Again that is something I have found challenging as I am here primarily for the children. But if that doesn't bother you then, go for it.

I wouldn't advise someone to come here especially if you are younger and have not travelled as I have noticed that they complain a lot and have found it hard to settle and integrate here and as a result some have done a 'runner' from their job.

At the moment it is Assessment Week at school and then I am pretty certain that most of the kids will leave after then which is fine with me :P All I am doing at the moment is counting down until I am back in the UK. I can't wait to see my family and catch up with my friends :)

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

What look am I rockin'?...Arab-Folksy Fusion

So yesterday I ventured out with a friend to the movies at Al Hamra Mall and before I went I snapped these pics of my look. I bought a new top at The Avenues the day before and really wanted to wear it. It is a folksy embroidered floaty kaftan with maroon, teal and gold. I also bought a matte turquoise cream liner from Laura Mercier which I LOVE and had to team with the top! Sorry in advance for the photographs, I was in a rush to get downstairs to my taxi so just snap, snap, snapped away hence the lighting is not that great. As always, a breakdown of the products I have used is detailed below.

Double flick on the eyes 

Full Face Photo

Products used:

Face: LM Primer. theBalm Balmshelter TM, theBalm TimeBalm Concealer, MAC Prep+Prime Highlighter in Peach Lustre and Bright Forecast, theBalm Mary Louminizer, ABH Dipbrow Pomade in Chocolate

Cheeks: MAC Peaches Blush, LM Matte Baked Radiance Bronzer in 03

Eyes: LM Creme Eyeliner in Canard (LOVE!) , LM Eyelash Curler, Benefit Roller Lash, NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk

Lips: MAC Sweet and Sour Lipstick, Barry M Lipgloss in Coral ( LOVE this combo!)

Et voila my signature pose :P !

I hope you enjoyed the blogpost! My next one will be focussing on my 'Summer Skincare' regime and an update on theBalm Balmshelter :)

Love & blessings,

Sara xx

The Review: theBalm Balmshelter Tinted Moisturiser

The Product: the Balm 'Balmshelter' Tinted Moisturiser

The Background:

As mentioned previously, I was on the hunt for a more affordable tinted moisturiser comparable to the quality of my current LM one. I had heard positive reviews about a lot of theBalm products. I now own 4 products: tinted moisturiser, concealer, mary-louminizer and read my lips lipgloss. Today I will just be focussing on the tinted moisturiser.

So I went along to Marina Mall as there is a small make up counter there and I swatched away. The lighting was not good at all and in hindsight I probably should have walked around the mall to see what it looked like in different lights. Anyways, I ended up purchasing the tinted moisturiser in Medium/Dark and also purchased the Timebalm concealer in Medium/Dark.

The Review:

I have been wearing this consistently for about a week now, I probably should have given it more time but since the original Kuwaiti weather is returning I thought let's see how it holds. I wear it the same as my Laura Mercier although I tried it on different days with primer and without and to be honest there were no difference at all.

On application it blends well and feels lovely and lightweight something which Laura Mercier's is not but it provides light - mid light coverage which isn't that buildable. I did layer it too but again it did not provide enough cover for minor blemishes whereas LM also doesn't cover them but blends them out.

The concealer I bought to go with it blended in nicely and the look at the end was similar to how I look after applying Laura Mercier however it does not last long at all and goes slightly patchy on me.

The Verdict:

So overall, the positives are that it comes in a 64ml for 11KD which is very reasonable and the consistency is silky smooth as well as application. It really blends into my skin well and it is a perfect match!

However I really wanted to love this moisturiser more but it doesn't deliver in terms of wearability which is a big factor for me. It stays on my skin for a good 4 hours before it goes slightly patchy which is not a good look when you're out for the day! I am not one to take a bag of make up outside with me and touch up wherever I go, I mean who has that time when you are enjoying yourself with your friends?! ( Don't get me wrong I do take a lipstick but that's it really!)

Anyways, like I said it blends well and as you can see in the pictures it leaves my skin looking glowing and flawless but in this Kuwati heat unfortunately this tinted moisturiser is a no-no. I forgot to mention it also only give an SPF coverage of 12 which is very low compared with Laura Mercier's SPF20 which mean I am rating this product at a 6/10 which is a such a shame!

It looks like I will be going back to Laura Mercier after all, it is amazing. I don't know why I want to always find an alternative - it must be the makeup addict in me :P

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx