My Beauty and Skincare Travel Essentials

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! It has been such a long time since I last wrote a blog post, but I have been very busy with work and all. I will be getting back in track so make sure to subscribe to my blog to get notified whenever I post. I will be travelling in a few days, so I thought that writing a blog post on my beauty and skincare travel essentials would be ideal. I love knowing what people take with them when they travel so thought why not do one my own! I am travelling for one week only, so I like to cut down on the products that I take with me, and make sure to only carry the essentials. So, I'll first start with skincare and then move on to beauty and perfumes.



My travel essentials!

A) Skincare

• The most important product has to be my sun block! Not only does the Bioderma Aquafluid have a SPF 50+, but it is also perfect for sensitive skin. So it is great for providing full protection all day long. A few years ago, I never used to wear sun block at all! Now it is the most important part of my skin care routine. 

• As for a moisturiser, I usually take my Simple Light moisturiser, but this time I will be taking the Bioderma Light Moisurising Gel. As the name suggests, this has a gel-like formula that glides on so easily, while lightly moisturising the skin. It is very light and can also work great as a makeup primer (for those that wear foundation)! I have a sample size of this product, so it is the ideal travelling size.

• The Simple Facial Cleansing wipes are a must have whenever I'm travelling. These are very practical and are much easier than getting a makeup remover and some cotton pads. They easily remove makeup and are very compact in size. 

• Last but not least, I like taking a lip balm just because I have very dry lips! And with constant wear of liquid lipsticks, a lip balm is a total necessity! I currently like the Vaseline Petroleum Jelly lip balm (tints and moisturises your lips). 



My travel skincare essentials

B) Makeup

1. Face:

 * NYX Wonder stick- this has a great cool toned contour shade that mimics a shadow. It is perfect for contouring while giving a natural overall look. I don't use the highlight shade as it is very chalky and can really emphasize texture on the face.

* Rimmel Match perfection concealer- I love this concealer. It has a light to medium coverage and it is also very brightening. I like using this concealer wherever I want to highlight.

* MAC Desert Rose blush- a beautiful muted matte pink blush that is great for all year round.

* NYX liquid illuminator (sunbeam)- a great and affordable highlighter. I like to apply it on top of my cheeks.

2. Eyes:

* NYX single eyeshadows- I will specifically be taking 4 single eye shadows in the shades: Milan, Transylvania, Stockholm, and Prague. I don't normally wear eye shadow on daily basis, but when I do, I like to apply a shimmery shade on my entire eyelid, with a matte brown eyeshadow on the crease. These single eye shadows are travel friendly and well pigmented.



NYX single eyeshadows : Milan, Transylvania, Stockholm, and Prague

* Rimmel Exaggerate liquid eyeliner - my favourite drugstore eyeliner! Lasts all day for me and is very easy to apply.

* Max factor 2000 Calorie mascara-this is a good mascara, but it is not my all time favourite. For a list of my favourite mascaras, you can find them here.

3. Brows:

I don't usually fill in my brows on a daily basis, but I love using a brow gel for tinting my brows (giving them a fuller look) and making sure they stay in place. I love the Rimmel brow gel! I ran out of this product a few days ago, so I will be taking the MUA brow gel instead. I do find the applicator of the MUA brow gel slightly stiff in comparison to the Rimmel one. So, I don't really recommend this product, but it will do the job for a few days.

4. Lips:

* Huda Beauty liquid lipstick in the shade Bombshell- this is a stunning liquid lipstick. I love everything from the formula to the colour. It is a perfect everyday pinky nude. A full review can be found here.

* NYX soft matte lip cream in the shade London- this is a great and affordable browny nude lip cream that lasts well. A full review can be found here.

C) Perfume:

I am currently in love with the YSL Mon Paris perfume! And luckily, I have a travel size of it, so it fits easily in my handbag. This has a sweet scent to it, but it isn't over powering! The lasting power is also great. 

So this is it for my beauty and skincare travel essentials! Thank you so much for reading. Please leave any questions down below. Until next time xx 

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Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick

Happy New Year everybody, hope this year will be filled with love, good health and success! Today’s post will be on one of the most hyped liquid lipsticks in the market, and these are the Huda Beauty liquid matte lipsticks. These lipsticks were launched in July 2016, and ever since the launch, everyone was talking about them. The reviews were highly positive and as a beauty lover, I knew I had to give them a try. I have the shades Bombshell (which is a perfect pinky nude), Medusa (which is a dusty mauve), and Heartbreaker (a stunning pinky red). 

These are the Mini Liquid Matte Lipsticks. They are available in both the mini and the full version. 

Description:

The Huda Beauty liquid matte lipstick claims that it gives an intense matte colour payoff that is both transfer-proof and has an amazing staying power. It also claims that it has a very lightweight formula that glides on easily and intensities to give a matte colour when dry. It is also said that these liquid lipsticks are very comfortable to wear and that they help maintain the lips' hydration. As I mentioned earlier, these lipsticks were launched in July 2016 and come in 16 different shades. These liquid lipsticks are housed in a pretty frosted glass tube making it slightly stand out, in terms of packaging, from other liquid lipsticks in the market. You can use the corresponding lip contour (full review here) from Huda Beauty to line your lips before applying the liquid matte lipstick, or you can simply fill your lips using the liquid lipstick alone. This product is Cruelty-free. The size of this liquid lipstick is 5ml/0.17 oz per piece (for the full size version). These liquid lipsticks also come in a mini version and the size of these are 1.9ml/0.064oz.

What I like about this liquid lipstick:

These liquid lipsticks definitely stand out in terms of comfort from many of the leading liquid lipstick brands from both the high-end and drugstore market. They have a very water-like formula that glides on very easily. All of the shades that I own dry into an opaque colour. They are highly pigmented and one dip in the tube is more than enough to coat my entire lips. So as I mentioned, these are very comfortable and don't dry your lips, which I totally have never experienced with previous liquid lipsticks. They also smell like coconuts and vanilla which I am obsessed with! The smell will definitely become undetectable once it dries down, so it is not an issue for those that aren't fond of the smell. Some of these liquid lipsticks don't transfer (such as Bombshell and Medusa), but I have found that Heartbreaker does slightly transfer. These lipsticks also layer perfectly well, so reapplication isn't messy at all. 

Lip Swatches:

Below are some lip swatches. Keep in mind that the shades can vary depending on your skin tone.

Bombshell  (pinky nude colour). This is my favourite go-to lip colour.

Medusa ( a dusty mauve). I'm not a big fan of this shade, cause it kinda washes me out.  

Heartbreaker (pinky red). I absolutely LOVE this colour! It is beautiful and very flattering. It will look more pink/more red depending on your skin tone. 

What I don’t like about this liquid liptick:

The only thing I'd say is that since they are non drying, this means that the lasting power won't be similar to for e.g. the Kat Von D Everlasting liquid lipstick (this lipstick is extremely long-wearing 8 hrs+). The Huda Beauty liquid lipsticks can stay for approx. 5 hours on if you don't eat or drink a lot. Reapplication will be necessary after a meal as they tend to fade a little bit in the center.These liquid lipsticks leave a tacky feeling after application, which I don't personally mind, but I know that it is something that many people dislike. Also, since the tube is made from frosted glass, it might slightly misrepresent the true colour of the lipstick, so it is advisable to swatch before purchasing.    

Availability:

Available worldwide, as you can order any of the lipuid lipsticks from her website: shophudabeauty.com (a full review on the ordering process, shipping etc can be found here). Also available in Sephora stores in the US,Kuwait, UAE etc. Her products are available in store in Harrods UK, and on cultbeauty.co.uk. 

Price:

Kuwait: 7.750 KD in Sephora (that is the price that I remember seeing in store)
US: 20$ (this is the price in Sephora and on her website)
UK: £18 (found on cultbeauty.co.uk) 

Final thoughts:

These are my current favourite liquid lipsticks in the market. They are very comfortable, non drying, look and smell great!  These liquid lipsticks are available in 16 shades! My favourite everyday shade is Bombshell.The main downside would be the lasting power (approx. 5 hours), but these do layer very well so you can easily reapply in the areas needed.  

That is all for today's post, as always, leave any questions below. If there are specific products that you want me review then also leave them below.  Thank you so much for reading and until next time xx 

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NYX Advent Calendar

A couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get my hands on the limited-edition NYX Wanderlust Advent Calendar. For the first time ever, I actually managed to win this calendar by participating in an Instagram competition on their official page. So, when I first got the calendar, I noticed how pretty creative the packaging was. I love how it looks like a makeup box. The Nyx Wanderlust advent calendar is filled with 24 beauty treats for the holiday season.

Description: 

This advent calendar contains 12 of the Nyx soft matte lip products and 12 single eyeshadows. The eyeshadows are all full sized which is always brilliant, as most advent calendars contain sample sized products. Whereas, the lip creams are test size which are slightly bigger than sample size. The eyeshadows are 1.4 grams each, and the lip creams are 4.7 ml each. 

What I like about this advent calendar?

 I love how they have included some of their best-selling shades from their lip creams such as Stockholm, Cannes, Morocco etc. I have a full review on the Nyx soft matte lip creams here, so feel free to check it out! I love the eyeshadows included! They have a good selection of both matte and shimmery shades that can easily be used to create endless makeup looks. Most of the eyeshadow shades are very pigmented and blend  very easily. Each eyeshadow comes with a magnetic cover that can be in handy when traveling, or when you just want to carry one or two shades in your handbag. 

What I don't like about this advent calendar?

I wish that they have included more nude shades in their soft matte lip creams in this calendar. There is a good variety of colours, however, I won't be wearing around 7 shades of the 12 lip creams included. Specially for the price (details below), I feel like they could have added slightly more wearable colours. Despite getting 4.7 ml of product in each lip cream, I felt that it was so difficult to get product out of the tube! Not sure why, it could be due to the applicator, but I felt that after 3 applications, getting product out of the tube was quite challenging. I also think that it would have been more enjoyable if they have included a wider variety of makeup products, and not just lip creams and eyeshadows. 

Availability:

US: nyxcosmetics.com also available in several drugstores

UK: Boots

Price:

US: 50$

UK: £60

Final thoughts:

This advent calendar was quite enjoyable to open. I was excited to see what I'd get, specially for the lip creams since I'm obsessed with matte lips. I think this advent calendar would be great for anyone that wants to try Nyx products for the first time (as you do get a good selection of products). I loved the colour selection and pigmentation of the single eyeshadows. I do think however that the price tag was slightly hefty in comparison to other advent calendars in the market. 

Thank you so much for reading! Let me know if you have any questions. Until next time xx   

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NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! Today ill be reviewing one of the most popular lip creams in the market, and these are the NYX soft matte lip creams! I have heard so many good things about them and I knew that I'll have to give them a try! I love matte lips and I have pretty much tried many liquid lipsticks/lip creams from both the drugstore and the high-end market. So by now, I have a solid opinion on the general features that I look for in matte lip creams and liquid lipsticks.   

Description:

The NYX soft matte lip creams come in 34 different shades, ranging from stunning nudes to bold, striking colours. The formula of these are very different from liquid lipsticks. They have a velvety, creamy texture that is also lightweight. These claim to be durable and smooth on the lips. Despite the creamy formula, they claim to dry completely matte. The packaging of these lip creams isn't see through, so the shade that the tube displays doesn't exactly correspond to the true colour of the lip cream. So to see the exact colour, just make sure to swatch any shade before buying. Each lip cream contains 8 ml of product, which is pretty good compared to the little price tag that you pay (prices and availability can be found below). 

Swatches: 

Below is a swatch of all the 12 shades that I own. 

Shades shown from left to right: Milan, Prague, Morocco, Addis Ababa, Seoul, Manila, Stockholm, Cannes, Rome, Monte Carlo, Copenhagen, Transylvania

What I like about these lip creams:

I love the formula of these lip creams. They are indeed lightweight and creamy. They dry completely matte, however, they need slightly longer to dry (1-2 mins) in comparison to liquid lipsticks. They also have a sweet smell to them, like marshmallows/cakes, but nothing too overpowering. The lasting power is also good, they can stay well on for 3-4 hours. Of course with eating, you will have to reapply, specially if you're eating greasy food. I love nude lips and these have a pretty good variety of different nudes. My favourite shade has to be Stockholm, which is a perfect everyday nude! There are also several great vampy, dark lip colours that are perfect for autumn and winter (e.g. Copenhagen, Transylvania).

What I don’t like about these lip creams:

These lip creams are pretty pigmented, but they definitely need two layers to look completely opaque. I do apply two thin layers for it to fully cover my lips. They are not drying, but they do tend to settle into the lines/cracks of my lips. So as I always mention with lip creams/liquid lipsticks, exfoliate and apply a lip balm before hand (if you have dry/chapped lips) to get the best application ever. 

Availability:

UK: can be found in Boots

US: can be bought online from nyxcosmetics.com or you can simply buy it in several drugstores 

Kuwait: available in Centrepoint 

Price:

UK: £5.50 (Boots) 

US: 6$  

Kuwait: 3.250 KD (Centrepoint)

Final thoughts:

I think these lip creams are great for anyone that is looking for beautiful, affordable, and comfortable matte lip creams. I am impressed with the extremely wide variety of shades that you get with these, so there is definitely something for everyone. The lasting power is also good, and for the price point, you really can't go wrong. 

That is all for today's post, as always, leave any questions below. If there are specific products that you want me review then also leave them below. Thank you so much for reading and until next time xx 

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Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! Today ill be reviewing one of the first drugstore mascaras that I started wearing when I first got into makeup, and it is the Max Factor 2000 Calorie mascara. This mascara was my absolute favourite 4 years ago, and I used to wear it on daily basis. So, I recently ran out of my L'Oreal False Lash Sculpt mascara (which is totally amazing), so I decided to head over to Boots and grab myself a new mascara. When I passed by the Max Factor counter, I decided to relive the old days and try it again. Below is a review of what I think of this mascara, and I can tell you that after a couple of years, my opinion has definitely changed.  

Description:

The Max Factor 2000 Calorie claims to triple the volume of your lashes with its ultra volumising formula. This mascara doesn't need any primer to look good, and a single application can easily last on without any smudging. Despite being touch and smudge proof, it claims that it can easily be removed with your regular makeup remover. It is designed to suit both sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. Each mascara tube contains 9 ml of product. The mascara wand is very traditional looking, and has bristles all around it. 

Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

What I like about this mascara:

This mascara is pretty good at volumisng your lashes (I don't think it lives up to the 3x volumising claim though). The great thing about this mascara is that it doesn't clump at all! I personally don't mind the slightly clumpy lashes look, but I know so many people that absolutely hate clumpy lashes, and if you're one of those, then you'll really love this mascara. It also doesn't smudge or transfer when on, which is always great as no body wants to end up with panda eyes, right? It is also easy to layer up, so with 2 layers it still doesn't clump. 

What I don’t like about this Mascara:

Despite that this mascara gives my lashes some volume, I don't think it is outstanding in doing so. Additionally, I didn't feel that it gave my lashes much length. I personally love long, full and dramatic lashes. This mascara didn't help me achieve that look even with 2 coats! Whereas other mascaras featured here can do so with just a single coat. It is strange saying that, since a couple of years ago this literally was my favourite go-to mascara! But certainly with time, people's preferences do change.  

Availability:

Can be found in Boots (worldwide), Superdrug (UK), Amazon, Walmart (US). So it is easily available in most drugstores.  

Price:

Kuwait: 4.250 KD (Boots)

US: approx. 9.4$ (can also be found for 7.18$ & free shipping in amazon.com)
UK: £7.99 (Boots/Superdrug)  

Final thoughts:

This mascara would be ideal for those that want some volume and length without any clumps. It also doesn't smudge or transfer which is always great. I personally would not repurchase it as I love to go for full-on dramatic lashes, which this mascara clearly doesn't do for me. It is a bummer since Max Factor is one of my all time favourite drugstore makeup brands. I have also picked up several other mascaras from Max Factor that I'll be reviewing in the upcoming weeks. 

That is all for today's post, as always, leave any questions below. If there are specific products that you want me review then also leave them below.  Thank you so much for reading and until next time xx 

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Huda Beauty Lip Contour

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! Today’s post will be on the extremely popular lip contours from Huda Beauty. These lip liners were launched in March 2016, and ever since the launch, everyone was talking about them. The reviews were highly positive and as a beauty lover, I knew I had to give them a try. I have the shades Trendsetter (which is a stylish brown nude) and Trophy Wife (which is a a beautiful striking pink shade). 

Huda Beauty Lip Contour. Upper shade: Trendsetter
 Lower shade: Trophy Wife

Description:

The Huda Beauty Lip Contour claims that it gives an intense matte colour payoff that is both waterproof and transfer-proof. It also claims that it glides on easily. As I mentioned earlier, these lip contours were launched in March 2016 and come in 9 different shades. The packaging is very simple (as you'd expect from a lip liner). The lip liner doesn't come with a twist bottom, so you'll need to sharpen it to release more product. You can use 2 different shades to contour and highlight your lips, or you can simply fill your lips in with one colour depending on the look you're going for. This product is both Vegan and Cruelty-free so it is great for suiting a wider audience. The size of these lip contours is 0.042 oz per piece. 

What I like about this lip liner:

I love how this lip contour definitely lives up to all its claims. It is very easy to glide on and both of the shades that I have are very pigmented. It also stays on very well, and easily lasts me for 6 hours (before I need to touch it up a little bit). It is both waterproof and transfer-proof, which is perfect for me as I work full-time and touching up my lip liner is the last thing I'd want to do. I tend to apply the lip contour all over my lips, and I usually go for the shade Trendsetter as it is perfect for work. However, when I'm feeling a little bold, I use Trophy Wife all over my lips. 

Lip Swatches:

Below are some lip swatches with and without flash. Keep in mind that the shades can vary depending on your skin tone.

Trophy Wife (no flash)

Trophy Wife (with flash)

Trendsetter (no flash)

Trendsetter (with flash)

What I don’t like about this lip liner:

There are 2 things that I don't really like about this lip contour. First, it is the sharpening issue, and I know it has nothing to do with the formula or anything, but I do prefer lip liners that have a twist to reveal more product, as it is a hassle to sharpen the lip liner; and these tend to need sharpening approx. every 2-3 applications. The second thing is related to the formula. Despite that these lip contours are very long wearing, they do tend to dry my lips. They can be very drying if you just apply them without exfoliating and prepping your lips. So, I highly recommend that you exfoliate, or at least apply some lip balm to your lips (for 15-30 mins) and then make sure to wipe the lip balm off before applying the lip contour, otherwise it won't last as long and will transfer.  

Availability:

Available worldwide, as you can order any of the lip contours from her website: shophudabeauty.com (a full review on the ordering process, shipping etc can be found here). Also available in Sephora stores in the US,Kuwait, UAE etc. Her products are available in store in Harrods UK. 

Price:

US: 19$ (this is the price in Sephora and on her website)
UK: £16 (found on cultbeauty.co.uk) 

Final thoughts:

I love these lip contours mainly because of how very long wearing they are. So, if you want your lip liner to stay on all day, then you'll really love these. With 9 shades available, there surely is something for everyone. The main downside would be the drying formula, but if you prep your lips, then you won't have a problem with that. Additionally, I think it is reasonably priced for a high-end lip contour. 

That is all for today's post, as always, leave any questions below. If there are specific products that you want me review then also leave them below.  Thank you so much for reading and until next time xx 

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Huda Beauty Online Shopping Experience

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog! I have been doing some serious online shopping for the past week, and with the Black Friday deals, I couldn't help but splurge on several beauty products. So, it happened that Huda Beauty had a great deal on Black Friday, and since I've heard so many positive things about her products, I decided to give them a try. Huda Beauty's products are sold in Sephora in Kuwait, but her Black Friday deal was exclusive to her online shop. So in this post I'll explain all about my experience in ordering her products. I hope this post will be useful for anyone that would like to order some of her products online!

My Black Friday products from Huda Beauty 

Ordering process:

Since it was a Black Friday deal, it was impossible for me to access her website (shophudabeauty.com) as it kept shutting down due to the huuuuuge traffic that the website received. Luckily, after a couple of hours, I tried again and her website opened which was so relieving. I made sure to quickly get my order through before it shuts down again. In the header, you can find a drop down menu of her lashes and makeup (since there are several products in each category). You can also find all about the stick-on nails and Henna tattoo products by pressing on the Nails and Tattoo buttons in the header. The Black Friday bundle that I bought was already on the homepage, so it was very simple to get to. When you select the desired product, simple click on the Add To Cart, then you can proceed to the checkout. You will need to enter all the usual necessary information for them to be able to ship the product to you. You will also need to create an account to proceed with the payment.

Payment:

The payment was very simple and straightforward. You can pay using your PayPal account (you can also simply create a PayPal account if you don't have one), or you can pay using your credit card, MasterCard, Visa. I simply paid using my PayPal account as it is the safest and easiest way to buy online.

Shipping:

a) Shipping fees: you can get free standard shipping on all international orders over 75$ (excluding New Zealand and Australia). You'll have to pay for shipping for anything below 75$, and the exact amount I would presumably think is country dependent (not sure about that though). The black Friday bundle was already 75$ so I didn't have to pay for shipping which is always great! However, you need to keep in mind that you might have to pay for customs, and the exact amount would depend on the country, weight of the parcel etc. I had to pay 3 KD for custom charges which was alright as I did get many products.

b) Shipping Countries: Fortunately they ship worldwide! So even if you don't have Sephora, you can simply get access to her products. I also believe that her products are cheaper on her website than if I'd want to get them here in Kuwait. However, the prices are exactly the same in the official Sephora website that is based in the US.

I was a little worried after I placed my order as I didn't receive an order confirmation email right away. It took around 3 days for me to receive the order confirmation (it could be due to the huge traffic that was on her website). The products were shipped via DHL and you also get a tracking number to keep yourself up-to-date with the shipment status. I received my parcel one day before the scheduled delivery, so I was pleased with the overall shopping experience.

Final thoughts: 

Despite the initial access to the Huda Beauty website was very stressful and kind of impossible, the actual ordering and shipping process was very simple. I am glad that I received my parcel within 5 days! I won't be reviewing her products in this post, but be sure to subscribe to my blog to be updated when I do so.

This is it for today's post. I hope that it was useful for all those that want to order from her online website. Thank you so much for reading and until next time xx








 

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