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

What look am I rockin'?...Vacation Makeup :)

Whilst I was in Cyprus, I took a few selfies ( as you do) as I really liked my makeup look for that day. I think it was the day I was leaving :( By the way Cyprus was beautiful and so relaxing. Anyways so I thought I should do a make up post as I used a few different products from my regular ones. At the moment I am loving a slightly bronzier look with a pop of colour in my lower lash line. However I am on the hunt for a rose gold/bronzey highligher as I am not diggin' the Balm's Cindy Lou-Manizer anymore.  I think I prefer more of a warmer highlighter than a neutral champagne- gold based one. Here is a breakdown of the products used:

Face: LM Oil Free Primer, LM Tinted Moisturiser in Sand, Giorgio Armani Maestro Eye Concealer in 2.5, Timebalm Concealer in Med/Dark, ABH Contour Kit, ABH Dipbrow Pomade in Chocolate, ABH Tinted Brow Gel in Chocolate

Cheeks: theBalm Mary Lou Manizer ( highlight) , NARS Madly Blush

Eyes: MUFE Liquid Eyeliner in Black, UD 24/7 Eyeliner in Craze ( I changed this to UD Chaos once I got back from chilling outside :p) LM Eyelash Curler, Revlon Photoready Mascara, UD Cannonball Mascara

Lips: Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipgloss in Pink Apricot, MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Sweet and Sour, Barry M Lipgloss in Coral

Smile :)

Signature Pout :p

So that's my vacation make up look!

Also I will be doing a review on theBalm 'Balmshelter' as I had been using it for a week or so prior to travelling but didn't love it enough to pack in with my vacation makeup.

I am loving using NARS Madly as this is one of my all time favourites! I feel a makeup haul shop coming on soon as some of my staple products need replacing. Oh I do LOVE Sephora but I much prefer the Dubai one in comparison to the store here in Kuwait.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post.

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

Travel Diaries #2: Exploring Lebanon

Welcome to my newest feature on my blog, 'Travel Diaries'. I recently vacationed in Lebanon with also a short break in Cyprus too however this post focuses primarily on Lebanon. Before I start, I have to say I am in LOVE with Lebanon. Ana baheb ya Lubnan :) It is such a beautiful country and I wish I visited it sooner!

So I went just for 4 days and 2 days in Cyprus as I also had to think of the school work  I had to do when I got back.

I was aware Lebanon can be an unstable country in terms of politics due to the numerous religious groups. However I was not going to let that deter me  from visiting and a few of my Lebanese friends told me which places to steer clear of. So I researched on Trip Advisor and on Google about any tours I could join so that I could make the most of my trip. I read good reviews about Nakhal Tours so I booked 3 tours to see Jeita, Harrisa and Byblos, The Cedars, Qadisha Valley, Kozhaya and Bcharre and then Saida, Sour and Maghdouche.

I arrived on Thursday evening and after being ripped off by my airport taxi I eventually got to Hamra where I was staying. The hotel was nice and I was delighted to be upgraded from my single room to a double deluxe! The hotel was in an excellent location as it was slap bang on Hamra street so one way led you to Place E'toile and the other to the Corniche and the famous Raouche 'Pigeon Rocks'.

On the Friday, I ventured out to explore the Place E'toile and Corniche, after stumbling across many roads manned by the Army and Police I eventually got to Place E'toile and then walked along the Corniche. I also saw the Mohammed Amin Mosque which is situated right next to a beautiful church. Along the way to Raouche, I stopped off at Zaytouna Bay for a drink and it was so lovely and peaceful. The weather that week was perfect - it wasn't too hot or cold and there was a nice breeze too. The walk along the corniche was nice and it was relatively busy with people fishing, jogging and just enjoying a walk. After taking lots of photos, I decided to stop off and have a bite to eat and nargileh at Bay Rock Cafe which was recommended to me by a colleague. It was lovely and the views were stunning especially as the sun was setting. Afterwards, using my trusty google maps, I walked back to my hotel which was surprisingly quick.

Place E'Toile

Mohammed Al Amin Mosque

Raouche

The next three days were full on days touring Lebanon. Day 1 consisted of Jeita which was again just amazing with how something so beautiful can be formed naturally, Byblos and Harissa. Byblos is also next to Jounieh where we stopped off for a delicious Lebanese lunch. Just by visiting Byblos I could see there is so much history in Lebanon which I really want to read more about.

Byblos Port

The next day I visted Bcharre where Gibran Khalil Gibran's museum and tomb is. It was really interesting to see his works and art. Although I have to say visiting his tomb was a little eerie! The route to the mountains was magnificent. I  could see luch green mountains and greenery and then behind were the snow capped mountains of Lebanon.  Afterwards we visited The Cedars which again was a sight to see, the national tree of Lebanon with fresh snow around. The last place we visited was Kozhaya which is situated in the Qadisha Valley where one of the oldest monasteries is. It was amazing to see that monks and hermits used to pray there.

Driving through the mountains to Bcharre

The Cedars

The last visit was to Saida, Sour and Maghdouche which I was looking forward too. Back in London, I always go to this one Lebanese restaurant, I have been since I was at university and the majority of the staff are from South Lebanon. The photo's displayed in their restaurant have always made me want to visit Lebanon so I am truly thankful that I have been able too this year :)

Saida was beautiful, especially the old city and learning about the crusader castle by the sea was fascinating! In Sour, we visited Byzantine and Roman ruins which were breathtaking. Honestly, I have always loved history and seeing it in front of you is just an amazing experience. Afterwards we visited Maghdouche which was slightly up in the mountains to see the cave where Mary waited for Prophet Jesus (pbuh). I loved learning about different religions growing up and again to see a Holy/Biblical sight was again really amazing. We also got the opportunity to walk through the garden where there were 12 special plaques displaying important moments in Christianity.

Saida

Overall, I had an absolutely enjoyable trip to Lebanon and  the truthfully speaking once I landed in Cyprus I was really missing Lebanon. So I am planning on revisiting it soon to see Baalbeck and Beitedine insha'allah! Nakhal Tours were excellent and the tour guides who were archaeologists were very knowledgable and answered lots of my questions. I would definitely recommend them if you are a solo traveller. I also met some really lovely solo travellers too which was nice on  the trip.

So if you have not visited Lebanon, book a ticket and go now!

Love and Blessings,

Sara xx

The Balm Haul

So I was running low on my beloved Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser but it was out of stock in Debenhams and Va Va Voom. So I decided to research and see if there was a more affordable alternative that delivered similar results.

I should note that a few years ago I tried and tested MAC'S tinted moisturiser and it failed miserably. It was far too sheer and I found it very drying.

Fast forward to now and I found a lot of hype about the Balm cosmetics. I already own their famous  highlighter Mary Lou-minizer which I love as it's silky and smooth on the skin.

I decided to hunt down the Balm 'Balmshelter' as it got quite a lot of positive reviews and at 11 KD I thought it won't break the bank.

Off I went to Marina Mall as there was a small stall there and bought it in medium/dark as I read it oxidises quickly and didn't want to get a shade a darker for fear of looking like an oompa  loompa! I also wanted to pick up 'Read these lips' lipgloss. I chose 'Bam' which was a lovely rose pink colour. It was quite creamy and moisturising with good colour payoff too.

I also bought 'timebalm'concealer in medium/dark to match up with the moisturiser. I want to try this out for about 2 weeks before I review and give my rating.

So keep reading and I will update you on it.