Face wipes that I say YES to...

My oh my, it is H-O-T! 

I am literally melting away in this heatwave. When it comes to days like this, where the sun is showing no mercy, I like to keep my face feeling cool and refreshed. Recently I have been using Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Wipes as a pick-me-up for my poor, over-heated face. 

As a beauty blogger/lover, cleansing face wipes are generally a bit of a no-no for me. I used them a lot, as a teenager mainly for removing make-up. I feel that facial wipes are better for teenage skin that is sensitive and still developing. But when you get older and into your 20's it's time to move onto something more substantial and more beneficial for your skin.

And yet, today I am here to tell you that I have found a brand of facial cleansing wipes that do work well for me. 

How can you not love the little quirky sticker-flap inside the pack of wipes? Definitely made me smile :D. 

I don't actually use these wipes to remove my make-up, but if that's what you would want to use them for, you could. I have tried to take my make-up off with them, just to see how it well it would work. It did remove most of my concealer, cream blusher, lipstick and highlighter. But I wanted to remove every last trace of make-up, so after using a wipe, I had to also use a cotton pad soaked with the Garnier Cleansing Micellar Water, which I am actually really loving at the mo as my everyday make-up remover.

As well as being hypoallergenic, these wipes are 99% natural and oil, Paraben and Petroleum free. They are super soft and the smell of cucumbers is absolutely-frickin'-amazing! They are really comfortable on the skin and make me feel really light. 

These babies include ingredients of cucumber (duh), green tea extract and aloe vera. These ingredients are especially brilliant for soothing and calming irritated skin. 

Available at Boots and feelunique.com , these would be brilliant If you're travelling this summer. They would make a handy carry-on essential for the flight, particularly if it is a long one. 

Loves. It.

~Nas~ 

Bourjois Lurve...

I have been slightly obsessing over Bourjois lately. I used to be addicted to their mascaras. I REALLY want to try the new ones that they have out at the moment, but my mascara collection is so vast, I really shouldn't add to it. The two products that I am going to talk about today aren't new products at all but I do think they work great in a summer look. 

Anywho...let's check out these little gems! 

Bourjois Délice Bronzing Primer and the Bourjois Healthy Balance Unifying Powder 

First up is the Délice Bronzing Primer. I adore primers, I love to wear them alone with a bit of concealer and bronzer, for a super quick and natural look. I really love Clinique's Superprimer Face Primers in bronze as well as Benefit's POREfessional. I'd heard about this bronzing primer a while ago, but didn't really think much of it. But somehow, whenever I would walk into my local Superdrug, I would always find myself standing in front of the Bourjois counter staring at it lovingly. 

So of course I eventually purchased it and I am really happy with it. I am particularly enjoying the mousse consistency of this primer. There is absolutely no shimmer (thankfully) and it blends into the skin nicely. This primer is almost the same colour as my natural skin tone, so it gives my skin a small hint of radiance whilst warming it up a bit. It also helps to mattify and smooth my complexion evenly. You can wear it under make-up or alone (which is what I tend to do). It also has a light chocolate scent, which is always a win. 

Next we have the Bourjois Healthy Balance Unifying Powder  in the shade 55, Beige Fonce. Now I made a bit of a mistake here, I picked up the lighter shade of this compact, I really should have gone for the shade 56, Hale Clair, which is a tad darker. But no matter! This one still works really well on me. 

It includes ingredients of Yuzu, that keeps shine at bay and Sharon fruit, to keep the skin hydrated and the powder has a really lovely fruity scent. I like to use this powder to mattify and set my make-up (can you tell that I am a fan of matte make-up?). It says it's supposed to last up to 10 hours, I'm not too sure of that, but it does last a good while. It's a nice slim compact, with a mirror that you can slide into your handbag easily. 

Recently, these two have been staple products in my make-up routine and I'm really been enjoying wearing them for the summer. 

~Nas~

Even Better...

A week or two ago, I decided to pop over to Brighton for the day with two friends of mine. 

Lately, I have developed a mild craving for Brighton and the sea, mainly due to watching Zoella and HelloOctober's vlogs. So I was very excited to spend the day relaxing on the beach with some good friends, walking along the pier and scoffing down some chips (of course).  

The weather was absolutely glorious and the sun had come out of hiding. It was definitely time to break out the SPF. I know technically you should always wear a bit of SPF, but I am one of those gals that tends to only wear it in the summer (#naughtynas). 

Recently I have been using Clinique's Even Better Dark Spot Defense SPF 45*. 
This SPF is super lightweight and comfortable on my skin. A little goes a long way with this cream and It works well under my make-up. The formula does have a slight tint to it, which is not a problem if you are fair skinned. If you are of a darker skin tone (like myself) then all you have to do is work it into your skin a little more than you normally would. 

UVB/UVA rays are really harmful to the skin and are one of the main causes of hyperpigmentation. They exasperate the skin leading to dark spots and facial discolourations. This SPF tackles this head on and has a silky formula that includes no chemical sunscreens and is oil-free. 

Facial SPF can sometimes scare me as I really hate that chalky/greasy residue that they can leave behind. This SPF is wonderfully light, melts into the skin easily and is suitable for all skin tones. I also love the size of the product - It's so dinky! 

If you're travelling this summer, or popping out for a day in the sun; I would recommend this little gem.

www.clinique.co.uk

~Nas~

*PR sample sent for consideration. 

Ramadan Nights

Ramadan is one of the most important months in the Islamic calendar and is a time for fasting, prayer, self reflection and charity. 

If you attend the evening prayers (Taraweeh) at your local mosque (like myself and my family) then you know how hectic the nights can sometimes be. Here are my top essentials for the night. 

Small bag - A small compact bag is always easier to carry and to stash away whilst you're at the mosque. Big hefty bags are a no-no! The hall can get a bit crowded during Ramadan and you don't want your pretty Longchamp to get squished on #HandbagFail. 

This pretty purple bag actually belongs to my sister, she got it a couple of years ago from River Island and it's still going strong. It's nice for once to steal something from her, considering she literally lives in my wardrobe. I particularly love the deep purple colour and gold detail, it reminds me of the 40s era. 

Mirror, lip balm and multi-use product - I never pack too many beauty products when heading to the mosque. I always have a compact mirror handy, the one I am loving at the moment is a little souvenir mirror from Thailand that my friend got me, many moons ago. A lip balm of some kind is always handy, chapped lips are no joke, people. Here I have the Bene Balm tinted lip balm by Benefit, it keeps my pout moisturised whilst giving it a little sheen of colour. I always try and have a multi-use product on me, one that can be used on hands, face, lips and body. The one I am taking with me on most nights is the Yu-Be moisturising cream, it includes Vitamin C & E and is a concentrated glycerin moistuiser. It's super absorbent and leaves skin feeling velvety smooth.  I got this little tube from a GlossyBox and it's perfect for moisturising any dry skin areas you may have, whether it's on the face or body. 

Coin purse, travel card holder and phone -  When it comes to small bags/clutches, opt for a little coin purse. Pop a few coins, a note or two and your debit/credit card into it. It's a lot easier then faffing about with a chunky purse. The one I'm using at the moment is a little zip-up Paris themed purse that was given to me as a gift. It's from Accessorize and is very sweet. Accessorize is probably the best place to get zip-up/coin purses from as they have a large selection for decent prices. 
I love my travel card holder, I got it from Forbidden Planet, Gremlins is one of my favourite 80's films after all - anything 80's related is always a win for me. Even if you're travelling by car, it's always handy to have your travel card with you, in a case of an emergency. 
Not much to say on the phone front - just make sure you have it on silent/vibrate, there is nothing more embarrassing than when your phone goes off in the middle of prayer and your Michael Jackson's Beat It ringtone fills the hall...

Glaceau Vitamin Water Defense Raspberry and Apple - It's essential that you bring a bottle of water/juice or in my case Vitamin Water with you. As you have been fasting throughout the day, it's imperative that at night you keep yourself hydrated. It can also tend to get a bit hot and stuffy in the mosque and you will find yourself reaching for your bottle more often than not. I like to drink Glaceau Vitamin Water, my favourite flavour is the Defense Raspberry and Apple, it includes minerals, Vitamin C and zinc. During Ramadan, It's really important to top up on your vitamins when you can. I also try to have a fruit salad when I get home after the mosque, as a healthy bedtime snack :). 

Normally I am so bad when it comes to packing my handbag -  I over pack everything. So it's so refreshing carrying a little bag with me with only the essentials inside. I don't only use this packed bag for Ramadan, I sometimes take it with me (minus the Vitamin Water) when I need to run errands or when I fancy carrying a lighter load. 

For all of you observing the month of  Ramadan - Ramadan Mubarak! 

~Nas~ 

Bright Lip Love

By nature I am a deep-red-lippie-kinda-girl. I have to force myself to wear brighter colours. Although, having said that; I do love a good ol' purple. 

After watching a VivannaDoesMakeup vid, she mentioned her love of the matte Bourjois's Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks and I decided to pick one up in the gorgeous shade Olé Flamingo!

These lipsticks have been out for a while now and I was a bit dubious to try them, mainly because of my uncertainty over how much a matte lip would suit me. 

But I decided to ignore my doubts and be brave and I absolutely love the packaging! it's so dinky and chic!

I am pretty happy with the it as it stays for absolutely ages, when first applied it glides on as a liquid but dries quickly for a matte finish. I really like how it has a doe foot applicator, as It allows me to control the application of the product better. 

It is super creamy and doesn't dry my lips at all. As I do have a small pout, I did have to use a lip liner to create a crisp line and to define my lips more. When it comes to small pouts, it is quite easy to smear on the product haphazardly and make a  bit of a mess of it, so I find I always need to use a lip liner. 

The colour is a very bold and vibrant pink, perfect for the summer season and suits darker skin tones really well. I do like the way it looks on me, but feel it would look even more amazing on a fuller pout. 

All in all, a matte lip lover's dream. 

~Nas~

Dreamy Matte Lips

Clinique's Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick* range have been in development for the past 3 years and they are now here for all to enjoy.

Matte lips seem to be trending this summer and I have to admit I have never really liked the idea of matte lips on myself, as I don't think I have the pout to pull it off. I feel  like you have to have to be super elegant and chic to carry off this look. I'm not quite sure if I am there yet - I am trying though! 

I have had some bad experiences with matte lip products, the formulas can be so drying and uncomfortable, leaving lips feeling and looking parched. This is where the Long Last Soft Matte Lipsticks differ, the application is smooth and doesn't feather or dry out. It lasts all day and I only need to touch up once. The creamy formula includes beeswax which helps to keep lips feeling super moisturised, but still keeps them looking matte. 

The colour pay off is fantastic and includes porous silica beads and porous silica to set the colour and keep it looking fresh. 

There are 8 gorgeous colours in this range including the two pictured above; Matte Beauty (a pretty nude) and Matte Plum (a vibrant purple). 

Top Tip: Make sure your lips are smooth and flake-free by using a scrub before lipstick application. Check out LUSH's Bubblegum Lip Scrub. 

www.clinique.co.uk

~Nas~

*PR samples sent for consideration.

Benefit's Tinted Lip Balms

If you're a fan of Benefit's lip & cheek tints, then you'll be excited to learn that this June will see the release of the new Tinted Lip Balms! 

These moisturising lip balms come in four shades to match the tints; a rosy red (matches the Bene tint), candy pink (matches the Lolli tint), mango (matches the Cha Cha tint) and a baby pink (matches the Pose tint). 

Each of these creamy little balms include beneficial ingredients such as mango butter and beeswax for a super smooth and moisturised pout. 

They come packaged in metal twist up containers with pretty prints to match their big sister tints. 

The colour isn't highly pigmented but still delivers a lovely sheer wash of colour to the lips and leaves them feeling gorgeous and supple. They are perfect to wear for an everyday casual look with a gorgeous natural tint. I particularly love the rosy Bene Balm that matches the Bene Tint and I also like the look of the Cha Cha balm.

Of course you can wear these balms with their matching tints, or you can mix and match them for a number of different and pretty looks. 

These balms will be available from the Benefit counters at the end of May , so make sure you keep an eye out for them. 

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

~Nas~

                                                                                                                                                                         *PR samples sent for consideration