MAC 'Strength' and 'Apres Chic' Haul

Hello lovelies, hope you're having a great day so far!

MAC collections take as much as 3 months to arrive to the Middle East after their release in America and the UK. It's a long time to wait for collections but I guess we got used to it. However, now it's taking much longer because the ingredients for each product has to be printed in Arabic on each item.  This means that we will get multiple collections in one release! 

Anyways back to the haul, last week I went to view the 3 latest collections that launched which were Strength, Apres Chic and the Pressed Pigments. All 3 collections were screaming at me, maybe because it's been so long since I hauled from MAC due to the slowness of releases (the holiday collection launched in January and I don't think I bought much from it)

Onto the haul! 

Lipsticks from left to right
Haute Altitude, Apres Chic and Absolute Power

Lipsticks from top to bottom
Absolute Power, Apres Chic and Haue Altitude

From the Strength collection, 3 lipsticks were calling my name; Party Parrot, Pink Pigeon and Absolute Power. The first 2 were re-promotes from a previous collection. I didn't end up buying them because I'm not that brave to rock bright lipsticks and it may clash with my skintone (NC42-43). I ended up with Absolute Power which is a rich red (as if I need anymore reds in my collection!)

I got more products from Apres Chic; 2 lipsticks (Apres Chic and Haute Altitude) and a mineralize tinted lip balm in Rosy Romance.

From the Pressed Pigments collection, I was eyeing 4 different ones but at the end I ended up with Deeply Dashing. I'm considering going back for a lighter one (I can't remember the name of the shade) as it's so pretty on it's own on the lid, I really like the sparkly finish.

Here are the swatches:

I also got the Oil Control Lotion as I'm really interested to see how it works in 'controlling' oil. I've been applying it after my moisturiserbut before my foundation and so far so good. I feel that I need to blot less throughout the day. I also asked the sales assistant to give me a sample of the Prolong wear concealers in shade NW30 and NW35 to try them out as under eye concealers. She also kindly through in a sample of their BB cream to try out.

  Did you get anything from these collections? 

Until next time

x x 

My Skincare Challenge

Hey loves! How are we all doing?

Ever looked at your skin-care stash and thought 'Woah when did I accumulate this amount of products?' Well I have and I have decided to do something about it. I stumbled upon some barely used face and general skin care items in my bathroom cupboard. I've come up with an idea of challenging myself to use these products until I have used them up. I'll be using these products as often as needed, ie, cleanser (everyday twice a day), face masks, exfoliators (once or twice a week).

I have a simple skin-care routine that consists of cleanser, toner (when I can be bothered) and moisturiser. I need to focus on the other products as well such as the mask, exfoliator, eye cream etc. The goal of this challenge is to use what I have and establish a proper skin care routine.

My skin-care items, some I use and some are barely used.

Let's get cracking, below are the skin-care products that I use and need to use daily:

1.Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser, 2. Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic, 3. MAC Oil Control Lotion
4. Biotherm Aquasource Gel, 5. Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream, 6. Carmex Cherry Moisturising Lip Balm

I start my routine with washing my face with the Clarins gentle foaming cleanser for oily/combination skin. After patting my face with a face towel I would apply a bit of Liz Earle's Instant Boost Skin Tonic on a cotton ball and pat it on my skin. I wait for it to dry and then apply my Biotherm Aquasource Moisturiser followed by Benefit's It's Potent Eye cream under the eyes only. I also moisturise my lips using Carmex Cherry Lip Balm. If I'll be wearing make up then I will apply the MAC Oil Control Lotion onto my skin at this point.

7. Soap & Glory The Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser , 8 Clarisonic Mia. 

I haven't tried the Soap &Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser yet, so I plan on using it in the evenings along with the Clarisonic mia.

Onto, the once or twice a week products:

9. Soap & Glory Scrub Your Nose In It, 10. MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator, 11. Soap & Glory The Fab Pore  Facial Peel
12. LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub, 13. Clarins Pure and Radiant Mask, 14. Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream

There are 5 exfoliators/scrubs in my skin-care stash that need to use up. I forgot to include the Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator in the above pictures. I'm alternating between these fasical scrubs everytime I use a scrub so that I end up using them all. Once a week I'm using the Clarins Pure and Radiant Mask. I'm going to be scrubbing my lips using LUSH's Bubblegum lip scrub once or twice a week. 

I'm hoping that I'll  stick to this challenge and use up some of these products.

What do you think of this challenge? Do you have a ton of skin-care products that you're not using? 

Until next time,

x x 

NOTW - MAC "Mischievous Mint"

Hello lovelies, I hope you're all doing well. 

Since Spring is here, I decided to use a light ,pastel-ish shade by MAC in Mischievous Mint. I love this light minty shade, it's such a beautiful colour, I just wish the texture wasn't so hard to work with. The formula is streaky and thin. It took 3 shades to get it to become opaque. 

Here's a bonus picture of my Minnie Mouse Mug <3 nbsp="" p="">

What are your favourite shades for Spring?

x x

Thank you Asmaa!!

Also known as Chcoholic Hijabi in the blogging-sphere.

I've been dying to try the Oreo with Cadbury dairy milk chocolate ever since it came out. Unfortunately we don't get all the yummy chocolate stock in Oman. I mentioned on twitter how much I would love to try it out and very kindly Asmaa my friend who I had the pleasure to meet in London back in May reached out and offered to post me some! I was so touched by her kindness and generosity
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Today, after nearly 4 weeks, it arrived!!! I was so excited when I saw a box laid out on my bed (thanks dad! he knew I was waiting for something in the mail). I've been quite ill suffering from an acute respiratory infection so I've been sat at home moping around waiting for this infection to clear.

I took pictures of it before opening it (as you do, lol) and opened to find that not only do I have more than one big cadbudy bar! But Asmaa kindly worked on a canvas especially for me! I have been admiring her work of art for ages. Every time I check her instagram (user name: asmaa17)  I am wow-ed by her amazing talent! If you haven't checked her work please do here.

Asmaa also sent me the new kit-kat chunky flavours (we don't have these either) 2 mini chuppa chups (yum), a lovely lip balm (i've been wanting a new lipbalm in my life so thank you Asmaa!) and a lovely (pink!) card with a gold design and lovely hand-writing.

Here are pictures of my box of goodies!

Thank you very much Asmaa , you've made my entire month  I can't wait to sit down with a cup of tea and dig in. Thank you for putting so much effort into it. From the box, to getting me the chocolates, to the canvas and to the lovely careful packing. 

Make sure you check out Asmaa's blog, facebook page and Canvases by Asmaa

Hope you have a lovely day

x x