H3W Box

When you receive a box that says its been packed with positive vibes I am all over that!

H3W Box is a holistic subscription box that is packed with carefully thought out fab products.

This particular box's theme is called 'In Bloom' which is full of nourishing items to help you love yourself more.

Its all about taking time for yourself and giving yourself permission to enjoy the moment.

Let me go through the items in this box....

First of all we have a 'Mandala Beach Throw' which is a circular shape with a vibrant pattern on it. Its actually really beautiful and can be used at the beach of for picnics... I'm currently using it in my garden and it looks so pretty.

Secondly, we have a Rose Garden Wellness Bath Salt which is perfect for a lovely relaxing bath after a long busy day.  Just pour these natural, aromatic, soothing Rose bath salts into the hot running water and enjoy these tantalising bath salts which are infused with the delicate scent of geranium to soften the skin to soothe aching muscles and ease the mind, body and spirit.

Next there is a Bloom Botanical Facial Steam. I love this concept and thoroughly enjoyed using it. I placed two tablespoons in a large bowl and added 3 cups of boiling water. I draped a towel over my head and captured the steam. I stayed there for 10 minutes and enjoyed the heat and aroma. The herbs help to purify and cleanse your pores. Its very relaxing and takes your mind to wondrous places. This natural recipe includes antioxidant-rich rose petal and jasmine petals, which will nourish the skin, even out skin tone and protect skin from environmental stressors. It also contains Lavender which helps ease inflammation and also hibiscus which is the most powerful anti-aging plant actives... it is called the botox plant because it increases the skins elasticity for a stunning, natural youthful-boost.

There is also Blossom Wellness Tea which was my favourite product in the box, because if you know me, you will know I'm a tea addict! This herbal tea is a calming kind, containing Jasmine which soothes the spirit, helps reduce stress and anxiety and acts as an anti-depressant and combined with Hibiscus helps aid high blood pressure, helps with cholesterol and disturbed digestive and immune systems and it eases inflammatory problems. Hibiscus can help reduce the risk of cancer, speed up your metabolism and help healthy, gradual weight loss.  It's also rich in Vitamin C, minerals and various antioxidants.

Nuxe 24hour Soothing and Moisturising Cream. A cream infused with notes of Ylang Ylang, Jasmine and Orange Blossom which gives it a captivating scent and this can be used as part of your skincare routine to help you look youthful and radiant.

I also love the Rose Water Hydrating Facial Mist. An instant moisturising and revitalising face mist. Perfect for these hot Dubai days. I've been spraying this before my moisturiser and it makes my skin feel super soft!

Skinade is also in the box. I love Skinade and have tried it before so know it gives great results. This is a sample size to be mixed with water. Best to be taken with breakfast and should be taken for a minimum of 30 days to see results.  The skin will look beautiful from inside out.

Check www.skinade.com for more information.

In the box was also a voucher for a personal one-to-one training session with Zara Hovelsas.

For more information on her classes and personal training, please email Zara@beyond-human.com.

Hope you enjoyed this post....

Love 💗

dubaicitychic

xoxo

Fenty Beauty By Rihanna Review

The moment Fenty Beauty was available I was one of those people that could not wait to try it but I was also one of those people that could not be bothered to stand in queues at Sephora and wait in line to get my products as I just don't have time for that so on-line shopping it was.

I bought a wide range of products and enough to create a Fenty face!

Firstly I just want to say YES, the products are as amazing as everyone said and I have been testing them/ using them for a few months now and I literally love what I picked out.

Fenty Beauty is made by the same company that makes Kat Von D and Marc Jacobs so I had high expectations.

First of all, the outer packaging of this range is lovely, very chic and the actual packaging of the make-up is just so stunning. I am loving the frosted glass bottles which are super heavy and super luxe!

Anyway, without further ado, I bought the Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer in Soft Matte. I love primers and needed a new one so this came at the right time and it is so smoothing and my foundation applied so well on top of it. It creates a beautiful base.

I also ordered a Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in the shade 190 which was a perfect match and considering I chose my colour online, I did a pretty good job. I am just loving this foundation as it gives a full coverage and I believe it is the first matte foundation I have tried as I normally go for a more glowy look.

Fenty Beauty offer 40 shades of foundation which is just incredible. They literally cater for the lightest to the darkest colour skin so there is a shade suitable for everyone.

Next, I ordered the Match Stix Trio in the shade Medium 200 (Bamboo/Mocha/Trippin) which just won me over as they looked pretty cool with their magnetic honeycomb look. This offers to conceal, contour and highlight and I am obsessed with the contour stix which is just gorgeous. I have used it every day since purchasing it and Bamboo is a great concealer for my skin tone and I love its creamy formula. It doesn't budge from my face. Lastly I've been using Tripping as an eyeshadow... I just love the colour of it and think it looks great on the eyelid. It is kind on a peachy colour and also its great for its actual role of highlighting!

I love when you find products you can use for a multi purpose use.

The Kilowatt Freestyle Highlighting Duo in the shades Mean Money and Hustle Baby are stunning. It can be used for cheeks, eyes or anywhere you want to glow basically. The packing is gorgeous. It's a white gloss with a holographic sheen to it. The product is fab with a subtle matte highlight on one side and a glistening full-on highlight on the other.

I've also tried the Invisimatte Blotting Power and the Invisimatte Blotting Paper. The Blotting Powder comes in the same packaging as the Highlighting Duo and the texture of the product is nice and light. Its perfect for an instant refresh and gives an on-the-go filter effect. The Blotting Paper packaging looks very cool, a portable anti-shine tool which mattifies on the go but it is quite hard to take out the blotting paper... On every attempt I ended up with a small ripped amount that was useless so unfortunately I will not be purchasing the refills for that. :-(

And last but not least, I purchased the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer called Fenty Glow which has an addictive shine, nourishing wear and universal finishing touch. It is a very neutral shade that just gives a lovely soft natural glow. I love it! The bottle is very chic and the colour suites every skin tone.

I'm just loving Fenty Beauty!!

Hope you enjoyed this post....

Love 💗

dubaicitychic

xoxo

The Ordinary by Deciem Review

Recently I tried the super hyped products by Deciem to find out what everyone has been raving about.

I discovered the brand on You Tube, where every vlogger in the UK had tried the products and it seemed everyone had fallen in love with the cheap skincare brand!

Deciem is a Canadian Company who started in 2013 and they have many brands under their umbrella including The Ordinary, NIOD, STEMM, Fountain and the Chemistry Brand.

As I live in Dubai, I ordered my products online from ASOS who delivered them very efficiently and quickly to me.

I only ordered products from The Ordinary as I know the products are stripped down to a very basic level of ingredients that are proven to work.

The packaging is very basic and clinical looking and the price is very affordable! All products are between 4 - 12 GBP.

I have 4 products and the first one being the Advanced Retinoid 2% (A Stable Emulsion of Next-Generation Forms of Retinoid). It has a little dropper to release the product and overall it was very effective on my skin. The product is amazing and has a nice texture. I was very impressed with this great anti-aging serum! 

The next product I tried is another serum, the Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (A Hydration Support Formula with Ultra-Pure Vegan Hyaluronic Acid) I must say, this serum is also amazing as it penetrates different layers of the skin in order to hydrate those layers. It has done wonders for my skin and it definitely helps living in the heat of the UAE. The texture is great and it sinks straight into the skin.

I have tried the Azalaic Acid also which is a Brightening Formula. (Multifunctional Brightening Formula) It helps with skin pigmentation and it mentions great for acne prone skin.  I have used this twice a day in the morning and in the evening and the texture is very smooth and it really helps to brighten the skin.

The last product I tried is the High-Spreadability Fluid Primer (Spreadability-Enhancing Lightweight Surface Smoother and Primer) This has been my favourite product up-to-now and I love the fact that it is so lightweight when applied. It is a silicon based primer and my make-up goes on so well afterwards.

The Ordinary basically make really effective products for really affordable prices and I definitely recommend that you check the Deciem website and learn more about the products.

Overall, I'm very impressed by all of the products that I have tried! Looking forward to trying the foundation next!

www.deciem.com

Love 💗

dubaicitychic

xoxo

My top 5 Body Oils

I love a good body oil and its something I've used for years. I love applying after a bath so normally only once a week as I shower every day and then on a weekend when I have more time I take a bubble bath. Its such a treat to be honest. I put the kids to bed, run a bath and relax. Of course, I take the opportunity to have a full pamper session and use a lot of products including a body oil.

These are in no particular order and some are highstreet and very affordable and others are quite luxurious and indulgent.

1. Bio Oil

This has to be a proven favourite of mine as I used it during two pregnancies and until this day I do not have one stretch mark on my body! I used it quite religiously during my pregnancies and literally over my whole body (well as far as I could reach!!). It feels really warm and silky soft when applied to the skin and is rapidly absorbed. I really love this oil. It is a specialist skincare oil specifically designed to target scars, stretch marks, uneven skin tone, ageing and dehydrated skin. It works a treat and it should be applied twice daily for a minimum of 3 months to really notice results and if pregnant, use twice daily from the beginning of the second trimester. It can be purchased from the pharmacy and is very reasonable in price. It can be used on face and body, is suitable for sensitive skin and contains many vitamins including A & E and also Calendula, Lavender, Rosemary and Chamomile oils.

2. MOR Body Oil

The thing I love about this body oil by MOR is its Marshmallow scent! It smells so good! The packaging draws me in with a gorgeous glass bottle and pink outer box. It contains moisturising Avocado and Wheat Germ oils. It is a very light oil and great for hydrating the skin leaving a silky velvet finish. Its a light oil which comes in a spray bottle. Mango and Peach extracts leaves a delicate scent on the skin. It gives moisture to the skin and a renewed radiance which feels amazing!
After a fine spritz, the oil can be gently massaged into the skin leaving it gorgeously smooth. Top Notes are White Carnation and Marshmallow; Middle Notes are Jasmine, Althaea Fower, English Rose and Base Notes are Sugar, Madagascan Vanilla and Snow Musk.

3. Johnson's Baby Oil

A very mild oil  for the skin and lets face it, if its good enough for baby skin then that in itself proves
how amazing it is and it is clinically proven for its mildness. It is pure, mild and gentle and can be used all over the skin and contains Aloe Vera extract and Vitamin E acetate. Perfect ingredients for moisturising the skin. It is only mildly perfumed and absorbs into my skin quickly. Only a small amount is needed as a little goes a long way. It is not at all sticky and can be used on all skin types. A firm favourite for my baby and me.

4. FarmHouse Fresh Agave Nectar Ageless Body Oil.

A gorgeous lightweight body oil which smells beautiful! A powerful mix of extracts including Sandalwood, Barley and Amurense Bark significantly improves skin's rate of water loss, bringing a radiant, hydrated and less wrinkled appearance. Nourish your skin with a spritz of this oil after showering or taking a bath and it will nourish your skin and leave it feeling dewy and soft. This oil is suitable for Vegans and is 96% natural, Paraben and Sulfate free. Another luxurious oil in a beautiful glass bottle! Can you tell I'm a sucker for packaging?

5. Kosme Anti-Aging Beauty Oil

Last but not least, I recently discovered this brand and fell in love with its Anti-aging Beauty Oil for Body and Hair. I have been using the scent Patchouli, Vanilla and Bergamont and it smells good enough to eat! Your skin is sublimated and this oil contains different ingredients which target different areas. For nourishing the body it contains Camellia. Cranberries for protective care. Jojoba for anti-aging and Apricot to illuminate the skin and hair. It also contains Grape Seed which is an anti-oxidant. Together all of these ingredients work wonders for your skin and hair. It can be applied daily to see quicker results. It is 98% natural and preservative free, paraben free, mineral oil free and silicone free. A beautiful luxurious oil!

If you are confused about which oils to try or are scared to use them like I used to be, then please give them a go, try them out - your skin will be so happy!!

Love 💗

dubaicitychic

xoxo

Doll Me Up Subscription Box Review

I recently discovered a new make-up subscription box called 'Doll me up' in the UAE and of course I had to check it out!

The box arrived promptly with cash on delivery which is an option I love in Dubai. The box is filled with high-end and luxury brands / products.

I received the box for May and it was a fab box with make-up from some of my favourite brands including Smashbox, Becca and Urban Decay....

The first thing that caught my eye was the Becca Line and Illuminate Eye Pencil in Santorini. It is a double ended pencil which can be used for providing definition to the eyes whilst the eye brightener is perfect for giving the wide awake look when used on the bottom rim of the eye. Love it!!

Also, in the May box was the Smashbox Art.Love.Colour Limited Edition palette. If you know me you will know I am obsessed with palettes so this is a wonderful addition to my collection. It contains 6 eyeshadows and a blush colour. The eyeshadow shades are just beautiful and I can definitely use the neutral colours for day time and the blue / mauve colours to create a night time look. The blush is the perfect pink with a subtle shine for day or night.

Next in the box was a lip product by Australis. A mini sized Velourlips Matte Lip Cream in a very natural colour suitable for day wear. I will definitely be taking this travel sized cutie on my holidays! I much prefer matte lip creams rather than gloss. It has good staying power and lasted all day with no caking and flaking! 10/10!!

Lastly, there was a 24/7 Glide On eye pencil from Urban Decay in the most stunning gold colour! The shade is El Dorado and its made with jojoba oil, vitamin E and cottonseed oil. It glides on easily and is a creamy formula which turns into a waterproof finish that doesn't budge. The best part is it is a multi-purpose product that can be used all over the lid as an eye shadow or as a liner. Amazing!

Overall, I've really enjoyed the products from this box. These are all brands and colours that I would normally buy for myself so that's a bonus!

If you are looking for a make-up subscription box in the UAE please check them out at www.dollmeupbox.com - the boxes can be bought each month or as a package of 3 months, 6 months and 12 months.

Looking forward to the next box!

Love 💗

dubaicitychic

xoxo

Browz

Recently I visited Browz, an exclusive brow bar in the Middle East. 

They have opened a store in The Mall (opposite Jumeriah Beach Hotel) and have brought over from the UK some of the most talked about treatments including everything from Feathered Microblading to High Definition Brows.

If you want to have the most gorgeous fluttery lashes.... read on! 

My Before...

They have introduced a new luxury lash extensions treatment which is what I have experienced and their brow expert got to work her magic on my eye lashes by adding a half set to my natural lashes making them appear longer and much more fuller looking.

Before starting we had a consultation about what I wanted to achieve from this as the beauty about this treatment is you can choose to have a more natural look or you can opt for a very full on glamorous look.  Not being very daring, I went for the more day to day natural look.

The treatment took approximately 90 minutes where individual lashes were applied one by one to my natural lashes. They are not heavy at all and feel very natural and lightweight. I honestly have forgotten already that I have them until I check the mirror and am like ' hello beautiful lashes'.

Of course, like many other treatments, they have to be maintained properly with a visit to the salon every 2-3 weeks for a top up (or removal) to ensure your lashes will look best for longer. 

The results can last up to 8 weeks and are perfect for your Summer vacation or a special occasion.

Another treatment Browz has introduced is the LVL Treatment, meaning Length, Volume, Lift. A treatment that is loved by many celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox. LVL is designed to give the illusion of length, volume and lift and tinting them to make them appear more striking.

This treatment aims to help the natural lashes stretch out so they can reach their full potential and it can last anywhere between 6-8 weeks.

Browz have an amazing menu which includes semi permanent treatments for brows, lips and eyes. They sell an extensive range of wonderful products including Grown Alchemist, HD Brows, Elizabeth Arden and Red Cherry.

Browz are located in The Mall, Jumeirah Road, Umm Suqeim 3 (Opposite Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai.

To find out more, please check their website - www.browz.ae or you can find them on Facebook BROWZ.UAE and Instagram @BROWZ.UAE.

Love💗

dubaicitychic

xoxo

C is for Candles

One thing I love is candles! Its a little obsession.... I have way too many but I do burn them everyday. I burn them in the morning on my dressing table when I apply my make-up, in my living room at night when chilled watching TV, in the bathroom whilst I take a nice relaxing bubble bath, on my bedside cabinet when I read at night before I sleep....

I thought I would share with you my favourite candles.

1. Jo Malone London - Probably one of my more luxurious candles. The scent is 'Lime Basil & Mandarin'. This citrus aromatic fragrance was launched in 1999. Top notes are lime, mandarin orange and bergamot; middle notes are basil, lilac, iris and thyme; base notes are patchouli and vetiver.

2. Ralph Lauren - Also a luxurious scent 'ST. Germain' which is a blend of Smoky Bergamot, Leather and Fragrant Spice. This is quite a masculine smell but nevertheless I really like it.

3. Diptyque - This may be one of my favourite ever brand of candles. This one is 'Tubereuse' scent and it is as beautiful as the flower, although quite a strong scent which I love!

4. Sparrow Lake - Wild Bluebell, a fine artisan candle which has the most amazing scent. It has 60 hours of burning. It smells quite sweet. Fragrance Notes: Pineapple, kumquat, juicy currant, raspberry flower, vanilla, fruity musk. 

5. Bath & Body Works - Cinnamon Spiced Vanilla. A 3-Wick candle in a marble glass which radiates scent through its fragrant oils to fill the entire room. Fragrance is fresh Ground Cinnamon, Sugar Crystals, Tahitian Vanilla Bean.

6. Bath & Body Works - Black Teakwood. Also a 3-Wick candle with Rich Mahogany, Black Teakwood, Dark Oak, Frosted Lavender scent.

7. Cath Kidston - Lavender Scented in their beautiful signature print glass jar.

8. PEARCE Jar Candle - Pearce is my maiden name. ;-) The fragrance is 'White Tea' and its displayed in a pretty marble jar.

I absolutely love planting candles around the house and am always on the lookout for new brands and scents.

Leave a comment below and let me know what your favourite candle and scent are?

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Bye for now.

Love💗

dubaicitychic

xoxo