Grey No More OOTD

It's officially October, though the sun remains to be shining over London. For most this is a reason to smile, but as someone who loves the holiday season, I'm yearning for winter festivities to fast approach us! Though with today's 22 degrees, it was impossible for me to squeeze jeans on and to throw a jumper over top. I'm not much of a skirt/dress wearer, yet over the passed year, the midi length trend has definitely allowed my legs to see the light of day. If I wear midi skirts or dresses during the day, I tend to style them with a pair of leather ankle boots - not only to add a little bit of a less feminine 'edge', but also to make the look appear more casual. I also added my Miss Selfridge Fedora , which just seems to be making an appearance every other day. I've been totally obsessed with chucking it on to add a little 'grunge' edge to every outfit, and it simply works wonders on third day hair (when it's beyond Batiste's help). Sunglasses, as always are my Ray Ban Classic Aviators, found  here.

As you may have gathered by now, my wardrobe colour pallatte does not exceed white and black, and grey is my idea of colour. If I've managed to incorporate a grey piece, then I tend to give myself a pat on the back for effort! This 'Army' cropped t-shirt is a Vintage Renewal buy from Urban Outfitters. This jersey charcoal grey skirt is from Boohoo and is still available to buy here for only £8!

These boots are totally Western meets Biker, the stitching and the slight metal toe cap add so much detailing to a somewhat simple outfit - love! They were bought in H&M last year so I couldn't find the exact pair to link for you, however you may be able to find similar styles from their new A/W range online here. Finally, my bag - this little gem is a vintage Celine satchel-style bag, which I was incredibly lucky to receive as a hand-me-down. Although it may be a little difficult to find this particular handbag, you can rummage through your local charity shops and thrift stores for that similar 'vintage' effect (probably for an eighth of high street prices).

I hope you've all had a lovely start to October!
Saina
xo

Long-haul Beauty Survival Kit

 

We've all seen the likes of Kim Kardashian, and Victoria Beckham being papped at international airports, looking superbly fresh-faced and picture perfect, and we've all wondered just how they do it. A plane is not the most glamorous of settings, but with help from a few cult favourites, you can transform that cramped seating and musky recycled air into your very own pamper sesh.  Today's post is a little snippet of my beauty regime on long-haul flights, which is quite fitting as I'm due to go to Canada this week. Here's my list of tips and recommendations: 

Hydration - Although I'm quite good when it comes to drinking enough water on a day-day basis, I take extra precaution before and during a flight. This not only avoids me from feeling dehydrated and rather travel sick, but also maintains hydration for my skin. Make sure your body is well and truly hydrated before boarding your flight, but also ensure you grab yourself a big bottle of water for throughout your flight! 

Cleanse - I'm a big fan of not wearing any makeup during flights (especially long ones for that matter), and therefore brave the bare face through security until I am tucked away in my seat (or bed for the next few hours). However, I'm sure many people prefer even a light coverage, and that's why I reccommend you taking an effective cleanser. I prefer the Bioderma Sensibo H20 - it's perfect at removing every trace of makeup and dirt, and you do not require water with this product. I also reccomend you take both some face, but also eye makeup remover wipes with you, I'll be taking these Witch cleansing wipes as I've used them before and my skin has not reacted to them (not usually a fan of face wipes). I also highly recommend the Halo travel size makeup remover wipes if you intend on wearing eye makeup before your flight. These do an excellent job at removing every trace of eye makeup!

Moisturize - I've chosen to take this Neal's Yard Power Berry moisturizer as it does a perfect job at your boosting your skin's radiance, and its rich antioxidant ingredients (such as acai, bilberry and goji berry) protects your skin. Of course, I don't go anywhere without my La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, this holy grail product will act as my lightweight moisturiser and makeup base, which I apply half an hour before landing. Any eye cream is better than no eyecream (or so I like to tell myself). This Balance Snake Venom eye cream will be used generously around the eye area, which is incredibly prone to drying and creasing whilst on flights. Another beauty must is my Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm, this is not only one of my faveourite lip balms, but I also tend to use it as a lip scrub too. My first application acts as a slight scrub, and a second layer as a heavy duty lip moisturizer. This is perfect to layer on before you go for your mid-flight nap, as you'll wake up with beautiful soft lips. I know some people are not a fan of this products scent, so I've also included another faveourite lip care product - the Balance Me Rose Otto Lip Salve. Finally, I'm taking this Body Shop Coconut hand cream to ensure my hands are nice and moisturised throughout my flight. 

Sleep - I've never been able to sleep whilst traveling, whether that be a car, train, plane etc. I just cannot seem to do it. However, during my last trip I decided to pick up these Kalms Natural Remedy tablets - the natural plant extracts used help relieve elements of anxiety and irritability. Although these tablets didn't help me in getting 5 hours sleep, but what they did was allow me to become more relaxed by bringing relief to any periods of worry or stress. This time, I've also decided to take this cute eye mask with me in hopes of getting at least an hour or so of sleep! (please, please, please). 

I really hope this post is of use to somebody, and I would love to hear if you have any recommendations.

Saina
xo

Autumn Sun OOTD

Hi lovelies, today's post is another ootd - these are some of my favourite types of blog reads, and I love doing them too. This outfit is an example of my usual monochrome casual getup, with an added splash of colour brought in from accessorizing. On more casual days, I tend to just throw my hair up into a messy ponytail, and opt for a nude lipstick - and today's look was an accurate depiction of that.

 

The sunglasses featured in this outfit, are my Classic Ray Ban aviators with a gold frame (I've practically worn these for 2 years straight). This faux leather jacket was purchased last year from H&M, similar ones can be found here. I've paired my Topshop white Joni jeans with a basic Zara tshirt - these tshirts are less 'slinky' than others that I have found on the high-street, and therefore do not look too much like pj's (am I the only one that feels like white tshirts look pyjama-y?)

For some people, the heeled Chelsea boots may be an unnecessary addition for a casual day out, but over the passed year I have embraced a sleeker and more classy look by adding a slight heel to my casual style. Am I the only one that feels more feminine and slightly more mature by wearing a small heel during the day? These boots were bought two years ago from Topshop (anyone remember the Topshop Allegra craze?) but I'm sure you can find similar ones that are in stock at the moment.
My handbag is the Michael Kors Jetset Safiano in black, with gold hardware.
Finally, this Topshop scarf is my new favourite addition to my wardrobe, it's that gorgeous mustard-camel colour and instantly lifts a neutral outfit.

What are your wardrobe style essentials? Do you have any staple Autumn pieces?

Saina
xo

Best Bargain Polish Buys

Today's post is about my latest but favourite nail polish discovery - the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine nail paints. I think everyone has at point in their lives been a fan of the Barry M nail range, however in the past couple of years I found myself drifting away from their nail range until my recent purchases from this polish range. Barry M's latest range includes 32 colours, claiming to have a 'gel' effect on the nails whilst maintaining 'an extra glossy finish'.

Pros: 
Painting my nails is an important part of my beauty regiment, and I tend to paint my nails a total of 3 times a week. Over the years, I've also accumulated quite the boat load of nail polishes from varying brands, both high end and drug store. For that reason, I do not tend to repurchase a particular range if I feel it's not working for me i.e. in terms of chipping, losing shine, fading, problematic application etc. However, this range has absolutely surprised me, and may even be my favourite nail formula at the moment! Although, I'm a devoted user of the Seche Vite top coat, I prefer products that have a high shine formula already - I've never been a fan of matte nails, and I absolutely hate when some products tend to fade after a handwash (Mavala, I'm looking at you). This range does exactly what it says on the bottle, it maintains this gel like appareance and also prevents any chipping or fading! For me, this means I can have a decent manicure at home for as little as £4 - always a good thing. The application is also amazing, the colours are opaque enough for one coat (though, I prefer two) as they're a little thicker in consistency, perhaps due to the 'gelly' like quality. What surprised me the most, was how little time I required for the polish to dry - no more than 2-3 minutes is needed for this formula. Finally, the polish seems to be extremely chip resistant, even without a top coat, I could wear the same application for just over a week. Amazing!

Fantastic formula aside, Barry M has mastered it's colour pallatte for this range. Each and every colour is equally as beautiful, but more importantly - wearable! There are some beautiful neutrals from this range (lychee, almond and cocoa are amazing), which I've found drug store brands tend to fall behind on. There are also some classic but unique shades such as Paprika and Chilli - both a burnt orangey-red with brown undertones, these shades definitely make your nails seem like they've had a high quality pampering using the most luxurious and expensive manicures (Shhh, I wont tell if you wont).

Cons:
My only complaint of this product is the brush - I'm being picky I know. From my experience, a polish with a wider brush makes application such a dream. It not only makes it faster to apply your polish, but also ensures equal distribution of product across the whole nail.

I highly reccommend you give this range a try if you haven't done so already. I promise you will not be dissappointed - take that from a nail polish snob! Leave me any of your reccomendations, I would love to hear what you're all loving at the moment.

Saina
xo

The Battle of The Felt Liners

Everyone has that one makeup stage they prefer the most, and the one item they could not live without and mine would have to be.. eyeliner. Since the age of 14, I've been attempting to perfect that feline winged liner look and along this journey of uneven feline flicks, smudges and bad-liner days I have discovered what products work best for me. The eyeliner pens with the felt tips. What I've found is that felt liners help create the most defined and accurate feline flick, without much concentration and in little time. So today, I'm going to share with you my thoughts on 4 eyeliner that's I've been trying out recently.

1) L'oreal's Super Liner - This eyeliner is one of my all time favourite eyeliners. This product features a 0.4mm tip, which helps to create the perfect one stroke sweep across the eyelid. This is what I love about this product, you can create the main body and 'base' of your eyeliner look with one sweep. The pen also features a slight dented/curved section where the pen becomes slightly slimmer, allowing aided accuracy in application. Be warned, do not be fooled by the thin precise tip - you cannot use this to 'draw' on your flick as it does not hold enough product or sturdiness due to it's length.

2) Eyeko's Skinny Liner - Having always come across raves about this brand, I was extremely excited to try this liner. However, I was more than disappointed. This has to be one of the most dry liners I've tried, making it extremely difficult to even produce a line - let alone anything of precision! To make matters worse, the ink used in this product is of poor quality. It dispenses in an odd manner, which requires particular angles to produce any ink at all. But when you finally attempt to use the little ink the pen hold, it creates 'splodges' rather than anything smooth. Application aside, the liquid also dries in a peculiar way, creating spotty patches that almost 'crust' over when you try to go over them. Considering this is the most expensive (£12) eyeliner out of the bunch, it's definitely the worst (worst I've tried).

3) Collection's Extreme 24 Hour Liner - I will start by saying this is probably the best value for money. This eyeliner is £2.99, and considering the price, the product is not half bad at all! As the liner features a shorter, more rounded tip, it's more helpful for creating a thicker eyeliner look. You're definitely going to struggle if you're using this eyeliner for a thin and precise feline look. This product is far more useful for creating a thicker but well defined, bold flick. I also found that this product lasts forever (we're talking over 6 months here) - it seriously never seems to dry out! The ink dispenses perfectly, not requiring any fancy angles to get the ink out evenly. In terms of the longevity, I cannot say I've attempted keeping my eyeliner on for 24 hours, but I can confirm it lasts at least 12 hours, without any smudging or fading. Your eyeliner will remain just as black and pigmented all throughout the day!

4) Maybeline Master Precise Liner - This product is my favourite. It ticks every box for my eye defining needs. Let's start by saying that it's very pigmented, which I love!  One sweep across the eye is enough as it holds extremely opaque black ink. The felt tip is flexible, though very sturdy, allowing you to create thin or thick lines and flicks with extra precision. This product enables you to produce the perfect winged liner as it holds and distributes ink evenly - no fancy techniques required here. The tip of this liner is slightly thicker than the L'oreal eyeliner, which means you can use the tip to not only sweep across, but to also 'draw' on the eyelid. I also find that the product lasts all day without fading, and I've never had problems with it in terms of smudging etc.

For the sake of being a makeup hoarder, I'm always on the look out for different eyeliners, so I would love to know some of your favourites to try out!

Saina
xo

Camden Town OOTD

Here's a quick post of my outfit details from yesterday where I made a trip to Camden Town for lunch and little browse around the market. Yesterday's weather was much more Autumn-like, allowing me to wear only this long length cardigan over my tshirt without feeling cold. I've also been loving wearing my fedora hat recently - it's also a God send for those ever so frustrating bad hair days!

Outfit details:
Felt fedora hat - Miss Selfridge here
Long length knitted cardigan - Monki here
Cropped acid wash tshirt - Brandy Melville here
High waisted Joni jeans - Topshop here
Vagabond Dioon boots - Office here
Bag - Hermes Birkin

What are your Autumn wardrobe essentials? 

Saina

xo

My Top 5 Mac Lipsticks

Today I am going to share with you my top 5 Mac lipsticks, and these are the shades that I genuinely reach for the most (I promise). Firstly, I thought I should begin with a little disclaimer about my lipstick preferences in terms of formula, finish and shades. In terms of formula I prefer hydrating, creamy textures that don't dry out the lips as I have naturally dry lips that are prone to peeling (gross, I know). Here's where we are faced with a predicament, I prefer my lipsticks with a matte finish. This can be quite problematic as I need to ensure my lips are in good condition prior to lipstick application, otherwise I'm left with bitty lips with gathered dead skin around the edges (there's no graceful way of putting this description, trust me I tried.

However, after years of dabbling into different brands, both high street and high end, I've found that Mac's Matte lipsticks work well for me. This brings us to my preferred colour groups, which I must admit I'm a bit adventurous with lips as I always tend to keep my eyes quite minimal. Though I don't have a preferred colour range, I do tend to reach for neutral shades more on a daily basis. So here's my top 5 lipsticks from Mac:

 

1) Taupe (Matte) - Described by Mac as a "muted reddish taupe-brown"
This lipstick is one of my favourite lipsticks (Mac or not) and I've worn it to death. Mac's Taupe is a gorgeous red toned brown, a sort of brick colour that instantly lifts a very minimal earthy makeup look. On me (NC30 for reference) this lipstick is a definite brown, though if worn on a darker complexion it may appear as a soft brown-nude. This is a matte lipstick that applies extremely smoothly, and tends to dry from a creamy application to a wearable matte finish. I can wear Taupe for about 3-4 hours before having to reapply, as drinks can tend to make the lipstick seem a little patchy.

2) Mehr (Matte) - Described by Mac as a "dirty blue pink"
Mehr is my all time favourite lipstick, and I often find myself having to steer away from it as it makes me neglect the 50- odd other lipsticks I own! For someone that hates pink lipstick on herself, I absolutely adore this shade! On me this tends to mimic a more pinky nude, but if worn on lighter complexions the pink will definitely be further accentuated. This shade gives me the illusion of fuller lips, and once paired with the right lip liner it can transform a lip look quite drastically. This lipstick is also very creamy and non drying on the lips. However, unlike Taupe, this colour does not go patchy at all, and actually wears to a stain almost. This gives it a wearability of 5+ hours! I love this lipstick!

3) Honeylove (Matte) - Described by Mac as a "light beige toned with rose"
This is a recent purchase of mine, though I used to have an exact dupe of the shade from Wet & Wild (post upon request). This is a nude with a more brown undertone, that wears as a cool toned dark beige with a retro matte finish on my lips. From all the Mac matte's I own, this one is the most non-hydrating, and your lips definitely require some prep before application. Despite this, the lipstick has extra long staying power, and just as other nude lips, you can get away with a little bit of colour fading. 

4) Viva Glam III - Described by Mac as a "muted brownish plum"
Now when I first purchased this lipstick over a year ago, I somehow managed to convince myself that it was a limited edition shade. You can only imagine the excitement when I recently discovered this is a permanent shade from the Viva Glam rage. This shade is a gorgeous plum with brown undertones, which I like to wear both during the day for casual looks, and in the evening to dress up an outfit. This lipstick applies less creamy than most Mac mattes that I own, however it's lasts at least 5 hours before requiring re-application. I would recommend applying lip balm over the top every hour to avoid any skin gathering.

5) Yash - Described by Mac as a "deep neautral"
As I wanted to keep this post as true to life as possible, I had to cheat and include yet another nude shade. Yash has to be the best fitting nude lipstick for my fair-medium olive skin complexion due to its peach neautral tones with slight hints of yellow. However, if worn on fairer complexions this colour will definitely create a deeper beige look, and may be deemed a little too heavy to be classed as a 'nude lip'. This lipstick paired with a dark smokey eye look creates the perfect balance without making my lips appear as if they have a white cast. Yash is definitely one of Mac's more hydrating matte lipsticks and applies very smoothly and evenly.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and I would love to know what some of your favourite Mac shades are!

Saina
xo 

Olympia Beauty: NYX Cosmetics Haul

As promised, this post is about the little gems from NYX Cosmetics, which I managed to bag at the Olympia Beauty Show. Prior to this haul, I had dabbled into NYX products and there were two items that I had hopes of finding at the exhibition - the 'Xtreme Shine Lip Cream' lip glosses and their finely milled, pigmented blushers. Although the stand featured all their range, the stock seemed low at my time of visit and many colours had sold out. However, I did manage to snatch a few shades of both products and I have swatched all the items below. In addition to these items, I bought my first NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in ''Sugar Pie" which is a champagne based nude with slight shimmer running through it - I have heard quite a lot of about this lip gloss and it's non-stick formula, so I'm keen to layer it over nude lipsticks. Finally, I grabbed two Round lipsticks in the shades "Strawberry Milk" (pale pink) and "Circe" (peach toned true nude) - these lipsticks are super creamy and very pigmented (think Mac's Amplified lipsticks).

I checked and compared the prices online and found that the products were being sold at a slight discounted price at the show. All the products are quite cheap (£5 and under), being retailed at your typical 'high street' brand prices, but the products are definitely not of cheap quality as they have great colour pay off and long wearability. All these products are available on the NYX website, though I must admit, the online swatches are not really true to colour, making it extremely difficult to find the right shades.

Do you have any NYX favourites?

Saina
xo

OOTD: Monday Calls for Cocktails

For many of us Monday calls for a serious episode of post weekend blues as we dread making our way back to work/school. Despite my wardrobe choices being a part of the darkest colour palette possible, the weather in London today was absolutely beautiful. As a result myself and my friends decided to go for a few drinks in the evening whilst the sun was still making a definite appearance! As always my outfit was quite minimal, though I allowed the accessories do the talking - the strappy heels and my classic Chanel with gold hardware. I also put my hair in a sleek top knot *bad hair day alert* but I went for a bold berry lip colour to bring that edge to the overall look.
My outfit features a new firm favourite of mine and an absolute bargain-buy - the Primark strappy heels. These heels were bought in the sale (as if Primark needs a sale) for £8! I instantly fell in love with these beauties, and I just knew they had to be mine - you can only imagine my excitement when I found out they were almost half the price at the till (originally £14).

Lightweight Zara Knit Jumper - here
Topshop Blue Black Leigh Jeans - here
Heels: Primark

Bag: Chanel 2.55 Medium Classic flap Bag with gold hardware 

Lipstick: Mac's Viva Glam III - here

I hope you've made the most of the sun and your Monday hasn't been too awful!

Saina
xo

The Olympia Beauty Show

This weekend I was lucky enough to receive tickets to attend The Oympia Beauty Show, an exhibition including innovations and techniques for all beauty professionals to browse and purchase. Located in Kensignton Olympia's Great Hall, the show hosted over 550 brands from varying sectors of the beauty industry. In addition to big beauty reveals, there were competitions, international guest speakers, and live training sessions from a selection of experts. The stands included every aspect of the industry imaginable, from teeth whitening treatments to facial fuzz eliminators, or spray tanning sessions and eyebrow tinting to nail art training.

When I first entered the hall, the sight was rather overwhelming. Each and every corner was filled with stands surrounded by keen crowds and the thought of hurling my way through seemed impossible. So here's my tip of the day, look at the floor plan, mark which stands you want to see and immediately embark your journey towards finding them! Not only does this avoid you slowly dodging your way through stands you don't really care for, but also gives you a chance to pick up that last lipstick before it's out of stock.

Did that subtle hint give you an indication of what I was really there for? Makeup, of course. As soon as I discovered NYX Cosmetics had a stand featuring ALL their range, I was, shall we say, a tad too excited? I mage my way to the end of the hall where the stand was located, and knew it was a case of survival of the fittest, allowing no room for manners or orderly queues! Evidently, I was not the only one excited for NYX making an appearance, and I had to make a dive into the heaps of people to snatch whatever I could. I did manage to purchase a few things, and which I will feature those in a later haul post.

I spent the rest of my day wandering around live sessions including The Art of Makeup and The Art of Body Painting competitions, which included artists and body painters showcasing their phenomenal body art creations in hopes of being crowned Makeup Artist and Body Painter of 2014. It was a very educational and well-organised event, and I must admit I did pick up one or two tips along the way. My only complaint would be that there were not enough makeup offerings, especially when compared to the 100+ stands dedicated to nails. Though that's just down to personal preference!

Saina 
xo

Primark Home: Deluxe Candles

Love it or hate it, Winter is just around the corner, and for many of us this means Candle Season! Personally, I love candles and the cosy ambience they cast around the home - in fact, I continue burning candles even in the warmer months. Yet the need for candles exceeds around this time of year, and many of us take to home-ware stores in search of the right scents to provide our homes with that fragrant, warm glow.

Although I have a list of my favourite scented candles for Winter, I thought I would share with you an inexpensive option for the transitional period - not quite chestnuts and wild figs, but rather lighter scents that are perhaps more seasonally appropriate. If you are a lover of candles, then I'm sure you've dabbled into the branded offerings such as Yankee, Jo Malone, and Diptyque candles, which are slightly pricier, though worth every penny due to the scents and quality of the products. Despite being a committed buyer of such brands, I sometimes myself struggling to justify the price tag that goes with their products and as a result, I have tried more budget friendly alternatives.
I first discovered these Primark Home candles a couple of weeks ago and purchased almost one of every scent, and after a recent visit to the store again I repurchased these two scents as I was pleasantly surprised at their quality.

The products photographed for this post are brand new, but I have used up a couple of the Deluxe candles and I can confirm that the '30 hour' burning time is rather accurate! But what I was more impressed by is the way in which the flame burns the entire product down, avoiding that big dent in the middle and the wasted product at the sides. I will admit a couple of the scents were not to my liking, and a tad too artificially sweet (Red Berrie & Orchid was a nono for me), but my absolute favourite of the range is the Coconut & Vanilla Cream - this scent definitely brings an added warmth to your room with its sweet but light scent.

For the £1/£2 price tag, I think these candles are definitely worth it and I hope Primark Home continues releasing such high standard candles and scents towards the Christmas Season. I would love to know if you have any cheap candle alternatives.

Saina
xo

Farewell To A High Street Favourite

As some of you may be aware, earlier this season the fashion lingerie retailer, La Senza, announced that the company has fallen into administration once again, forcing its UK based highstreet stores to close down. As a firm favourite of mine, this news brought genuine sadness to myself and my wardrobe, knowing that I now have to venture elsewhere for sleepwear and lingerie (anyone else dread the whole fitting process, and finding the style and cuts that compliment your body best?). Nonetheless, I'm writing this post to let you in on the ridiculous discounts La Senza stores are offering at the moment, as most stores are due to close down within the next couple of weeks!

My local La Senza is quite a big store, and yesterday I had quite the rummage through endless piles of lingerie - all retailing at under £5! (Let's have a moment to take this in...) Garments that I noticed had only been brought to the shop floor a few weeks ago are already being sold at an 1/8 of their original price. Now if that wasn't crazy enough, I noticed that whilst I was slowly but steadily making my way through the rails of bras, a sales assistant changed the sign reading 'All bras £10' to another saying 'All bras £2' - you can only imagine how my steady pace reversed to a frantic hurry with the objective of 'any colour, any style' in mind.

A sales assistant informed me that our local store is due to close down on Saturday. If I find the time (or the persuasion), I'll pay it one last visit in hopes of swooping up any discounts but to also give the iconic hot pink and black franchise a goodbye.

What are your thoughts on this high-street farewell? Any idea's where you'll be turning to now that it's gone?

Saina
xo

Series: Salad Struggles

I remember a couple of years back when I began to embrace the healthier lifestyle, the thought of dinner with friends was much more sacrificial-like than enjoyable. Quite naturally, you cannot persuade a group of people to eat at one particular place due to their 'finer healthy options'. Over time however, I have accumulated quite the list of restaurants that offer healthy options as well as being a restaurant for those who aren't carbophobes to enjoy! As part of my 'Salad Struggles' I'm going to share with you my experience at Comptoir Libanais, and hopefully show you that healthy does not need to be the same routine supermarket salad. 

"It’s food that’s affordable and easy to know – healthy, light and you can enjoy it every day of the week. Comptoir Libanais means Lebanesse counter and that’s exactly what it is: somewhere you can eat casually, with no fuss.”

The creator of Comptoir Libanais, Tony Kitous, describes his Middle Eastern restaurants as a casual alternative to Lebanese food - where street style food meets traditional dishes.  

The Restaurant:

First, let me begin by saying that once you set foot into a Comptoir Libanis restaurant, you will feel that you have just entered a mini Marrakech Souk. You will find yourself surrounded by gift boxes of baklava and Turkish delight, meanwhile traditional Arabic music playing in the background. The restaurants have added a twist on the traditional Lebanese sandwich bars, by adding a variety of colours and patterns in forms of seating decor and wall art, adding a particular vibrancy to your experience. 

The Menu: 

What I love about this particular Middle Eastern restaurant, is the menu. Although kept very traditional with the standard falafel, shawarma wraps, haloumi etc. You can instantly see the effort and creativity gone into compiling the perfect menu with the variety of drinks on offer - both alcoholic and non. I opted for the frozen mint, lemon and lime lemonade and I can assure you I haven't stopped thinking about it since! The food menu is also similar in it's ability to cater to your requirements - with a variety of both hot and cold mezze, you and your friends can opt for a Tapas style meal. This is ideal if you are not familiar with Middle Eastern food as it allows to explore the variety of tastes in smaller portions. If you would prefer a set meal you can opt for a wrap, or for an extra £1 you can receive your wrap in a platter form accompanied with hummus and salad. Here's where the healthy gets speaking, the salad options! There are a few salad choices, and I opted for the haloumi salad (extremely generous with their haloumi) with a cheeky side of falafel (I can't do Lebanese without the falafel, that would be rude..right?). 

The experience: 

I'm a firm believer of stepping out of your food comfort zone, and trying new types of cuisine on offer. Although this was by no means my first try of Lebanese food, it was my first visit to this particular restaurant and I was pleasantly surprised at how a few unique touches created a far more special experience. 

I hope this encourages you to give this restaurant a visit. Do you have any other restaurant recommendations? I'm always trying to find new places and would love to hear some of your favourites. 

Saina 

xo

Autumn Wish List

I'm not entirely sure how this happens, yet every year when Autumn creeps its way upon us, I seem to convince myself that I have nothing seasonally appropriate! I have been lusting over camel coloured long length blazer coats, yet I am still to find one that fits and looks perfect (will I ever?). Zara have brought their A/W offerings, and there are a couple of similar styles that I have been eyeing - purchase pending.
Now if you know me personally, you will be no stranger to my ever growing collection of boots - located in a whole area of their own, my collection now exceeds 15-20 pairs. But this does not stop me from drooling over these beautiful Alexander Wang Anouck jodhpur boots. These boots are slightly higher than ankle length, which I find add so much to an outfit and add both length and sleek shape to the legs, especially when paired with black skinnies. These skinnies with rips at the knees just add a little bit of texture and harshness to the sleekness of a lengthened blazer.
Finally, on my wishlist I have featured this Phillip Lim mini messenger bag - perfect twist to the traditional professional satchel.

What transitional pieces are on your Autumn wishlists?

Saina
xo

OOTD

Here's a quick outfit post, featuring my recent Prada purchase from Bicester Village (look a few posts back). We've been holding onto the last few days of summer here in London, so my outfit involved light layering.
As always, I've let the accessories do the talking with this outfit and played around with textures and materials to liven up an all black outfit.
I wore a loose fitting silk-like shirt, similar one here and layered that with my beloved Asos longline chiffon blazer (I've worn this to death, I know).
My trousers are waxed leather effect jeans, purchased from Zara in the sale (unfortunately only available full price now) - identical pair here
As you may know, I am loving the pointy shoe trend that has well and truly made its way back, and these H&M pumps are the perfect day rendition of that sleek heel look - similar style here

What have been your pre-autumn essentials?

Saina
xo

DIY: Refreshing Face Mist

I'm sure we've all come across the highly raved about face mists, that not only freshen up your skin but help soothe any skin irritations during the day. I know I love a good face mist, and I always have one on my bedside table and another in my makeup bag. However, after a few trips to a variety of beauty halls, I found myself disheartened by the price tag that comes with these simplistic products. After inspecting a few ingredient lists, I found that this may be something I could create myself at home with only 2-3 items.
What I have discovered that works best for my skin is a combination of Rose water, Witch Hazel and well, water! And I'm sure there are many other combinations that would equally refresh your skin such as Aloe Vera, or Lavender.

How I make the Rose water & Witch Hazel Face Mist:

• Fill a spritz bottle with 1/4 of distilled water
• Add 2/4 of Rose water 
• Finally, add 1/4 of Witch Hazel

The best part of using these natural ingredients is that you can adjust the amounts depending on your personal preference. Sometimes I use 3/4 of Rose water and the rest water - anything that suits you! It also doesn't require much money or effort, I find that a trip to a health food store gave me all of the ingredients for under £5. I like to use these throughout the day if my makeup needs a little refreshing, a small spritz can liven up your skin again. I also find the rose scent to be extremely soothing, and applying the face mist can help calm and cool myself.

What are your thoughts on the DIY face mists?

Saina
xo

My Current Favourite Foundation

My skin is no stranger to trialing new foundations, however I have recently discovered a new favourite that instantly gives my skin that.. oomph? The L'oreal True Match foundation glides softly over my face creating that revitalized healthy glow without looking sweaty and feeling tacky to the touch. What makes this foundation for me, is how it reverts a bad, lifeless skin day to a beautifully blurred out, brightening finish. I have been testing this foundation out for a few months now, and I have had no problems with it in terms of break outs and reactivity (touches wood frantically). My desired way of applying this base is with the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge . By gently dabbing the foundation into my skin with a damp sponge, I am able to apply a sheer but buildable coverage, without leaving my skin looking caked on. The use of this form of application with this product creates a semi-matte finish on the skin, leaving it feeling fresh and able to breathe!

And if that hasn't swayed you, here are further points that have helped this little bottle of goodness earn a well deserved holy grail title:

• This product comes in a glass bottle with a pump - no cheap plastic or neon colours here!
• Buildable coverage without looking heavy faced
• SPF 17 (great for those who are lazy with SPF - I'm pointing at myself here)
• Lightweight
• Lasting power on my combination oily skin - 7-8 hours 
• Over 20 shades across 3 helpful undertones - warm, cool and neutral 
• Retailed at £9.99 (Repeat this point until persuaded) 

Have you tried L'oreal's True Match foundation, what are your thoughts? Do you know of any similar offerings?

Saina
xo

Garnier vs Bioderma

We've heard the beauty experts rave about the Bioderma Crealine H20, and along with that we've been told that it's gentle on skin, removes every trace of makeup (including eye makeup) with minimal effort, leaving the face feeling fresh and clean. As part of this new makeup remover movement, Bioderma Crealine H20 is a micellar solution - a solution cosisting of oils that are retained in water molecules, making this feel as gentle and texture free as water.
After purchasing two full size bottles of this product, I can safely confirm that I have been converted to the Bioderma wave. This solution is extremely gentle on my problematic skin, it does not dry my face out and does an amazing job at removing every scrap of makeup - I've even used it for waterproof makeup too! I soak two cotton pads with this solution, and glide it across my face and neck to leave my skin feeling clean and fresh. Now, I have to throw my hands up here and admit that nothing has come as close to the effectiveness of this product. So far so good right? Unfortunately not. This product is rather difficult to obtain, and can sometimes take a long while to receive from the like of eBay etc.

However, Garnier have noticed the hype and have fired back with their answer to Bioderma's micellar solution, offering a very similar alternative which is far easier to retrieve. Garnier’s Micellar Cleansing Water. I'm going to admit it didn't take much convincing for me to pick this product up, and I went ahead with the purchase before really reading up on it online. Firstly, let's point out the obvious - the packaging. The two look very similar in terms of the clear plastic bottle and pink caps, but it's what's inside that counts!
Unfortunately, I'm not in love with the Garnier Micellar solution. I feel that it doesn't work as well on eye makeup, and where I'd usually require two soaked cotton pads with the Bioderma, I require 3 using the Garnier solution. I also found the Garnier product to dry my skin around my nose.
I had a brief look at the ingredients, and it appears that Garnier have used less, perhaps this goes hand in hand with the ineffectiveness?

As much as I wanted to love this offering, which comes at 1/3 of the price and is readily available, it just did not amaze me. What are your thoughts? Have you tried any other micellar waters?

Saina
xo

My Experience: Bicester Village

Today, I thought I'd share with you my shopping experience at the fashion designer outlet - Bicester Village. I have visited this shopping outlet on 3/4 occassions, and my last visit was the most succesfful.
First of all, I should note that I don't live near and therefore only make 1 or 2 visits a year. Every other trip has resulted in one or two purchases from The Cosmetic Company, and a lunch before we leave! However, this time was quite different - I spent about 2 minutes in the Prada store (which might I add is a-mazing) and had my heart set on one particular handbag. Quite naturally, I clutched onto the handbag and produced quite the death stare at any one who gazed over at it. She was mine. I also popped into Michael Kors and purchased a wallet - at £75 I didn't really give it a second thought! A few Estee Lauder and Mac products were also bought at The Cosmetic Company (again) and that was about it.
Despite these successful purchases, I think it's worth mentioning, that Bicester Village is not the best high end outlet center that I've been to, and I must agree with most that the discounts are not worth the 2 hour drive for me. I would have liked to see a variety of designers, rather than the regular house names (Dior, Prada, YSL). I also felt that the high-street likes of French Connection and All Saints did not have much on offer - the in store discounts do not differ much from seasonal sale prices and offerings. As for The Cosmetic Company, the stock does not seem to change much at all! Each time I've payed the store a visit, I've seen the same discontinued Mac products, Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess range etc. Perhaps I've just been unlucky on these occasions, but generally speaking, I agree with the majority of Trip Advisor's reviews - good, but not great.

I'll be sharing my purchases in a future post, this was more about my experience.

Saina
xo

How to: Beat the bloat

Ever find yourself sporting the bloated, impossible-to-suck-in stomach?
Abdominal bloating can occur as a result of many factors, such as the collection of gas in the digestive system, or the inability to easily digest particular food choices (mac & cheese, I'm looking at you)
I'm sure we can all agree that whilst feeling bloated, there is no magic dress, or extra firm body shapers that can zap the bloat away. We all know we should avoid that take out before attempting to squeeze into our LBDs, but what are Saturday's for if we cannot indulge in a greasy Chinese?However, I am going to share with you a few tips and tricks which I have found extra helpful to eliminate as much bloat as I can!

• Ideally, you should avoid carbs/dairy products, as they are contributing factors to the post meal puff. Grilled steak/chicken/fish on a light bed of salad will avoid that swollen stomach. 
• If possible, try to eat your meal at least 3 hours before getting ready. 
• Drink a considerable amount of water before and after your meal to avoid you from over eating, but also help digest/flush your food, and release excess water that your body may be retaining.
• Drink herbal teas that are likely to help digest your food - peppermint, dandelion, or green tea is what I find most useful!
• Infuse a tall glass of water with fresh mint and freshly squeezed lemon/lime. When drunk at appropriate times, this drink will jump start your metabolism, and have a detoxifying effect on your body.
• Lastly, take a cold shower! Trust me this will help that flustered feeling we all get whilst getting ready. 

Hope this helps beat the bloat!

Saina xo