Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask

The cold weather has not been a friend to my skin. I've been in need of some serious moisture. As I am an eczema sufferer, I always need of a bit of extra moisture anyway, whatever the weather. 

I have never tried an overnight mask before, and didn't like the idea of lathering my face in product whilst sleeping. But, I am glad to say that this is not the case with Clinique's Moisture Surge Overnight Mask. 

The mask cream formula includes ingredients of pomegranate and olive extract. The cream is luxuriously rich and goes on like a moisturiser. I apply a generous layer all over my face and leave it on for a minute or two to sink in. I then massage it into the skin and pop myself off to bed. In the morning I am greeted by deeply moisturised and glowing skin. And never fear; this is a non-messy, no-fuss mask, so it won't leave any residue on your pretty fluffy pillows.  

The formula  seals in moisture and leaves my skin feeling super supple. It's great to use as a pick me up when your skin is in need of some pampering/extra hydration. I use this product once or twice every two weeks (maybe a bit more if the weather is really horrid).

Obviously this mask will perform differently on different skin types. For instance, if you have oily to combination skin, you can afford to use it once or twice a month. My skin dries out quicker than most, so this mask is really effective for me and works instantly.  

This is a great product for maintaining your skin's natural radiance and I would recommend it for all. 

~Nas~

*PR Sample

Hero Product #1 - Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

My current body scrub love has to be the Sugar Crush Body Scrub by Soap and Glory. It smells absolutely DELISH, I literally want to scoop it out of the tub and gobble it down. If you are a fan of fruity scrubs, I highly recommend this product. 

This yummy scrub includes ingredients of super sweet lime, almond oil, smashed brown sugar and macadamia grains. The fragrance is perfect for summer, as it leaves you feeling sweet and light. 

It exfoliates intensely and leaves my skin feeling lovely and soft and ready for moisturising. Although I don't (and never have done) used fake tan, I have heard that this is a great product for scrubbing off any traces of a faux tan.  

A little goes a long way with this scrub. It comes in a 300ml tub and lasts for absolutely ages. 

My hero.

~Nas~

March Glossybox

Every month when I receive my Glossybox I let out a little squeal of utter delight. I absolutely LOVE Glossybox, it's a great way of finding out about new make-up/skin care/hair products. Each box comes with up to 6 random products, some mini and some full sized. I have discovered more than one little gem from this beauty service. If you have not signed up yet, you are missing out! 

Every Glossybox has a theme and this month it's travelling. The products included are perfect for taking away on holiday with you. I love the little Travelling Book that comes with the box. It includes super cute travel stickers and international recommendations on restaurant, hotel, beauty stores. Very handy for anyone with upcoming travel adventures. 

My March Glossybox includes: 

Jelly Ping Pong Lip Blush (moisturising lip stain)

The shade of this lip product isn't mentioned but when swatched it comes out as a very girly, barbie pink. I haven't actually tried this lip stain yet as I'm still debating about how good the colour will look on me. When I swatched it, it had a lovely balmy texture with a sheer finish. It contains beeswax and cersin for that silky lips feeling. So it seems like it could be a nice enough dupe of the classic Clinique Chubby Sticks.

Juicy Couture - Couture La La fragrance

I have to admit, I'm not normally a fan of Juicy Couture but I'm loving this scent. It reminds me a little bit of D&G Light Blue. It's very woody and musky, which is right up my alley. I've been on the lookout for some fragrances for summer and I think this will be perfect. It's delicate, very feminine and bold.

Elizabeth Arden - Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Fragrance Free
This is the product that I am most excited about this month. This is a cult product amongst all beauty lovers and I have heard nothing but high praise for this cream. I've been meaning to try it out for ages and was absolutely ecstatic when I opened my Glossybox and found this staring back at me! YAY! This beauty classic has won numerous beauty awards and was created in 1930. It moisturises and protects chapped skin and can also soothe minor  scrapes and burns. This cream can basically be applied to everywhere and anywhere you like; face, skin, brows, nails, hands...
It also apparently makes a really good in-flight skin caring product, so brilliant for travellers. It includes a mixture of petrolatum and vitamin E and the story goes that one of Miss Arden's loyal clients used this cream to soothe her child's scraped knee. Lo and behold, "8 hours later" the skin was all better. I am most definitely looking forward to using this cream.

Nails Inc - St James
I don't normally wear bold red colours on my nails, I usually go for darker shades like navy blues and deep plums. I love Nails Inc, they have a huge variety of colours that last for ages. This polish is named after St James, the London residential area of high class and society. Glossybox describes this shades as a " classic pillar box red" that will "add instant glamour to any outfit".

TRESemmé - Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray 
I try not to use too much product in my hair, as I have a sensitive scalp. I am partial to L'Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil though. I don't use hairspray ever so I might give this one a whirl. This product has a fast drying formula with flexible control. It has strong hold control that is humidity resistant and brushes out nice and easy. That sounds good to me! If I were to use hairspray I would want to use one that leaves no residue or build up. Glossybox suggests flipping your hair over your head to ensure for full coverage of the product. 

So all in all, a fantastic Glossybox haul this month.

If you want to sign up (and I suggest you do) to this beauty service than click here. It costs £12.95 for a monthly subscription including p+p. 

~Nas~

Benefit's Fake Up Crease-Control Hydrating Concealer

Concealers are one of my favourite makeup products. They're perfect for those lazy I-can't-be-bothered-for-makeup-days. Benefit's new Fake Up Crease-Control Hydrating Concealer  comes in a super shiny, sleek silver tube with a pretty pink pattern. It's so cute, I almost don't want to use it! 

I know what you're all thinking - yes, there are a lot of concealers out on the market today, what is so special about this one? Well let me tell you! This concealer is a blend of two active properties. A vitamin E and apple seed extract shell with a concealing centre. The shell part moisturises and brightens up dull skin. The concealing centre hides dark circles and diffuses fine lines. It comes in three shades; light, medium and dark. 

To be honest, I was a little a bit scared when I opened the product for the first time. As my skin tends to get a bit oily as the day wears on, I thought this concealer would be a bit TOO moisturising for my skin and would leave me looking super shiny. Luckily, this was not the case at all. It glides onto skin really smoothly and requires little blending as the two properties blend together on application. It conceals my under eye dark circles nicely and I have even used it on a few blemishes. This product has a lovely sheer formula and stays in place for up to 6 hours. A little bit of setting is of course required, I usually use Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent. 

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

~Nas~ 

*PR sample

Pearl Ladies Pampering Event Review

I was lucky enough to be invited to a pampering event over the weekend. As some of you who know may know me - I never say no to a spot of pampering. The event was hosted by Pearl Network Events and I had a lovely time browsing the stalls which included fashion, beauty, skin care, food and drink. 

I was treated to a super relaxing neck and shoulder massage by the talented massage therapist, Bushra Ahmed Daudi. Lately my right shoulder has been hurting a lot, as I have a tendency to over pack my handbag. So a neck and shoulder massage sounded right up my street! After a 15 minute session the pain in my shoulder had lessened drastically! And by the next day it had completely vanished  Bushra also does a full body massage including head, shoulders, arms, legs, feet and back - using some of the products below. If you fancy treating yourself, book your appointment with Bushra on 07971741375. 

I also came across a yummy natural honey company called Bee Mercy. This company specialises in all natural raw honey products from northern Spain. There were some absolutely scrumptious honey flavours available, such as Chestnut (very high in antioxidants and minerals with a strong flavour), Oak (also known as Honeydew, it maintains and promotes probiotic bacteria with lower levels of glucose) and many more. All of them smelled gorgeous and super sweet. They also do a range of lovely and super nurturing honey soap. Raw honey is different from the honey sold in supermarkets as it is non-pasteurised. It's highly beneficial and is jammed packed full of antioxidants, minerals, vitamin B and C and proteins. 

I did also wonder along the Forever Aloe Vera skin care range. I am always on the lookout for new skin care products, I love trying new things. Aloe Vera is widely known to contain incredibly valuable skin care properties. As I am a sufferer of eczema, I know how beneficial Aloe Vera can be to the skin. However I was informed by a lovely lady (Susan Rodrigues) that it can have wondrous effects internally as well as externally. It can help to balance your immune system, improve your digestion as well as your musculoskeletal system. It's full of vitamins and minerals. 

 Of course I had to indulge my sweet tooth! (duh) The above image of the yummy sweets are  by a company called Zorba Sweets Ltd,and they're based in Westfield, London. These sweets are vegetarian and halal (non-gelatin, Muslim-friendly sweets). It is very rare for me to find sweets that I can actually eat so this was a MASSIVE treat for me. I am a big lover of fizzy cola bottles and any sort of sour sweets, so I made sure to load myself up with a bucket full. They are absolutely delish, so if you are a veggie and if you are ever in Westfield I urge you to pop over to Zorba Sweets.  Pure yum. 
There was also some very scrumptious (and beautiful) cakes (below) by Sweet Crumbz, made by the talented Hafah Adham. Who doesn't love a beautifully decorated cake to tuck into? 
There was a lovely selection of mocktails to choose from by Razzle Dazzle Mocktails. I sipped on a divine drink called the Shirley Temple which included ingredients of ginger ale, lime soda and grenadine topped off with a cherry!  

For beauty, the lovely freelance hair and make-up artist, Shaista who was demonstrating her fabulous make-up and beauty skills. My friend Hera was lucky enough to receive a free make over (which she was super excited about). I really liked the beauty looks created by Shaista. The colours used were really bright and creative and didn't look too heavy. Hera looked stunning - although she was a bit shy and I wasn't able to get a picture of her. If you want to check out Shaista's full portfolio, click here.

Even though I wasn't able to get an image of Hera all dolled up - she was more than happy to share her thoughts about the event as a whole:

"I enjoyed the atmosphere, which was really buzzing and the lovely Lebanese food. I also loved the gorgeous free makeover I received!" .

Many thanks to Pearl Network Events and Hafsah Adham for inviting me, I had an absolutely wonderful time! 

Mother's Day Beauty and Skin Care.

What I love about Mother's Day is even if you're like my family (who doesn't really celebrate it) there are loads of products/items available just for pampering! And who doesn't love a bit of pampering? 

Check out my article for Time & Leisure about Mother's Day Gift ideas, featuring all the products in this post and a couple more. The ones seen here are: 

- Mother’s Day Hand Care gift set 

- This Works No Wrinkles Wonder Essence 

- This Works Clean Skin Moisture Scrub

- Clarins Joli Rouge Brilliant Perfect Shine Sheer Lipstick in Cherry

- Clarins Gloss Prodige Lip Gloss in Raspberry 

- Benefit Cosmetics World Famous Neutrals in the Sexiest Nudes Ever

- Clinique’s Moisture Surge Overnight Mask

- Clinique’s High Impact Waterproof mascara

- Clinique’s Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Mightiest Maraschino

www.clinique.co.uk

 uk.melvita.com

 www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

 www.clarins.co.uk
www.thisworks.com

~Nas~

*All products are PR samples