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

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