Ethnicity Tag

I was looking around for some tags to do, and this one caught my eye! It's six questions about your ethnicity, and when I read the questions, a couple of times I had to look up the origins of stuff - didn't realise I was so rusty on my culture :O 
Anyhoo, lets get started shall we? :D

1. What is your ethnicity?

I am a British born Pakistani :o) I tend to get mistaken for other ethnicities a lot though, which is always funny because it's usually foreign students who come upto me and speak to me in their own language and I never know what to say! O.o poor kids, I feel bad that I can't help you! lol

[source]

2. When was the last time you visited your country?

Oof. Seven, eight years ago? It was for one of my aunty's wedding. Haven't been since. I think I've been about five or six times in my whole life haha. I'd show you a picture of me at the wedding but I hadn't donned my hijaab yet so.. :P

3. Name one ethnic food you enjoy the most?

Samosa chaat! A meat (and/or veggie) filled pastry, that is fried till golden brown, with chick peas in a spicy mix of yoghurt, onions, chillis, and boiled potatoes various other ingredients. NOM!

[source]

Wait.. I just realised that that dish originated in India.. Hmm. Okay well how about this: Pakistani style chickpea pilau. *tries not to drool* I very rarely have this because in my house, everyone favours having chicken or meat in the pilau rather than chickpeas. Hmph. (And yes.. I'm sure you've realised by now.. I love my chick peas! :D)

(Side note: ...why can I never find food pics that look appetising enough? Sigh. Just trust me, they look good when my mum makes them lol)

4. Name one household item that best represents your culture.

Just one? That's kind of hard. Can I have a collective one? If so it'd probably be our ground spices drawer. It's all about the spices bby~
If not, then I'd say a thawa! I have no idea what it's called in English, but we make chapattis on it. :D

[source]

5. What part of your country are you from?

I'd rather not answer this.. tis a bit too private for my liking!

6. Can you speak the language of your ethnicity?
Jee haan! Bilkul bhol sakti hoon. Lekin Pakistan ki bas aik hi zubaan - Urdu - nahi hai, meray pyaaray readers;  humaaray deis main khoob zubaanai hai! Urdu aur English Pakistan ki official zubaanai hain, lekin Punjabi, Potwari, Pushto, Balochi aur Sindhi bhi hamaarai behn bhaiyyo bolte hain! Aur bhi hongi, lekin mukhe maloom nahi hai.. heh.

[translation]

Yes! Ofcourse, I can definitely speak it. But Pakistan does not have just one language - Urdu - my lovely readers; our country has many languages! Urdu and English are Pakistans official languages, but Punjabi, Potwari, Pushto, Balochi, and Sindhi is also spoken by our fellow brothers and sisters! I'm pretty sure there are more, but I don't know them.. heh.

Well there you go my dears! Hope you enjoyed todays post (^__^) I tag everyone who reads this to do it, it's always fun learning about your background and culture, and it's always fun learning about others' too!

Easy 3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies Recipe ♥

Ahh Nutella. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. I love it so much that I can eat it by the spoon.. bad, I know. And now I'm going to pass on my nutella addiction onto you, dear reader, in the form of these easy peasy Nutella brownies. I know. I'm sorry in advance. :P

Ingredients:

♦ 1 egg 

♦ 5 tbsp plain flour

♦ ½ cup Nutella (approx 140g/5oz)

♦ ¼ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 6 hole muffin pan with cupcake liners

2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the Nutella, flour and egg until thoroughly mixed.

3. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin holes, and sprinkle some chocolate chips on each.

4. Bake in the oven for approx 12 minutes. 

5. Take out and leave on rack to cool for a few minutes, before stuffing your face with their deliciousness with a nice hot cuppa ♥

You're quite welcome. :P

P.S. I would have taken pics of the brownies.. but they're always gone before I get a chance to get my camera out. LOL!

Updated Skincare Routine for A/W 2012

Aloha my lovely followers (^__^) Today I thought I'd post my updated skincare routine, as it has changed a bit since I last posted my first one.. so come on then, let's get cracking! ;D

Cleansers & Exfoliators:

 Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2-in-1 Face Wash and Mask (£3.99)

These past few months my T- zone has gotten oilier than usual, so I busted out the old Neutrogena cleanser. I used to use this when I was younger - my skin was soooooo much more oilier back then than it is now, but still oily enough to have to use a clay based cleanser such as this. I recommend it wholeheartedly; even my sister who has sensitive skin uses this and her skin has never been irritated by it. It's great as a mask too!

St Ives Timeless Skin Apricot Scrub (Renew & Firm) (£4.29)

I'm currently using this exfoliator, but I won't lie it's nothing special. I prefer the old formula; it was gritter (which I prefer when it comes to exfoliators),whereas this one is not as much, but still enough to do the job. I suppose this is good for everyday because it's not as harsh. It smells lovely though, I love the smell of apricots!

Homemade All Purpose Sugar Scrub (not pictured - click here for the recipe)

For days when I feel like I really need to exfoliate my skin, when it's feeling dull and my moisturiser isn't sinking in as fast as it normally does, I reach for this. Simple, cheap and easy to make, it's gritty enough for me and really sloughs off the dead skin cells, and leaves my skin feeling as soft as a babys bum! I tend to use this on the weekends when I have more time in the mornings to really exfoliate properly (as it can get a bit messy, depending on how much oily I've decided to put in!), otherwise I use the St Ives one in the weekdays just because it's easier and faster.

Soap & Glory Mini Mitt (£4)

For when I really don't have enough time to exfoliate, I put some cleanser onto this little beauty and massage it onto my wet face - gentle exfoliation and cleansing all at the same time, which means more time for me to eat more in the morning :P

Moisturisers, lip balms, & spot treatments:

Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser (£3.79)

I use this in the morning before I put my makeup on. Sinks in fast, keeps my skin moisturised all day, very rarely do I need to apply two layers - only when my cheeks are feeling overly dry. I stock up on this when it's on offer hehe :oD

Garnier Dark Spot Corrector (£7.49)

I'm not going to lie to you, this hasn't really helped with my dark marks. But what it is good at is moisturising - you only need a tiny amount aswell, which is always a bonus haha. I use this at night when I give my skin a break from using Benzoyl Peroxide.

EOS Lipbalm in Summer Fruit

It does the job,  and smells asdfghjkl;', if you know what I mean. And tastes amazing too. Is it any wonder it's in my November favourites? Sometimes I just put it on for the sake of it, just to smell it or to lick my lips LOL. I really should stop doing that.. kind of defeats the purpose of a lipbalm haha xD

Witch Stick (£2.89)

Come on, do I really need to tell you how amazing this stuff is? If you want to read the full review, just clickety clack over here instead - this post is getting long enough already without me raving about this haha.

Makeup Removers:

The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Make-up Remover (£8)

I use this for when I have more eye makeup on than usual, and for touch ups. I think this was my first ever makeup remover. Glad I picked it up, it's well worth the money. It's really good for correcting eye liner mistakes with a q tip too (^__^)

Garnier Skin Naturals Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 Make-up Remover 

(not shown, because I ran out of it and haven't had a chance to repurchase it *sad face*) (£2.99)

My HG makeup remover. I can use this to take off a full face of makeup and not feel the need to cleanse my face, because it takes off all traces of makeup. Really need to buy some more of this but I've decided I'm going to try and finish a couple of others I have already first before I do. If you haven't tried this, you are missing out! Haha. 

Purity Conditioning Cleansing Lotion Make-up Remover* (£5.29)

This rivals my Garnier makeup remover, I swear lol. Just like with the Garnier one, I don't ever feel the need to cleanse my face after using this. Nor do I feel guilty either, which I usually do if I take my makeup off and not wash my face haha! This is running low now, will definitely have to pop in to Holland & Barretts soon to replenish this (>.<)

Makeup wipes:

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes (£3.25)

When I can't be bothered using a cotton pad to remove my makeup (or when I've run out of them) I reach for makeup wipes. Who doesn't? When I have a full face on and I've had a long, long day, I choose the Simple ones. I like these because they're thick and wet, and never irritate my skin or eyes. They've made them softer now, which is awesome because nwo that I think about it, if I tugged a bit too hard it would sting a bit (although I try not to tug anyway - wrinkles anyone? :P lol jk, I just don't want my eyes to sting before I go to bed lol).

Witch Cleansing & Toning Wipes (£1.99)

I love the smell of these! I expected them to smell like the witch stick, but they don't smell anything like that at all. I don't know what it smells like, but it is refreshing. I remember when I first opened it I was like whaaat? *breathes it in* I am going to like using you! Haha. They're thinner than the Simple wipes, and not as moist, so I use this when I've just got concealer and some powder on. :o)

Woo! Hadn't realised I used so much stuff to maintain my face haha. Nor how much it had changed since I was younger! Has your skin and skincare routine changed? ☺

*PR Sample. All views are my own, I promise! The rest was bought by my own money (^__^)

My December 2012 Wishlist ♥

December 2012 Wishlist by themaryfairy 

Now I don't normally post wishlists.. but because a) I'm trying to mix it up with my blogposts, and b) some of my friends are stuck for ideas for a belated birthday gift, I thought I'd make up a little wishlist and kill two birds with one stone and put up what I've been wanting to get these past few months (^__^)

Plus I thought because Christmas is on the way, stuff will be on offer, and Boots are doing those points events thing aren't they? See, I'm so considerate *tweaks halo* hahaha ;D

[clockwise from left]

1. Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel

I've read quite a few rave reviews about this, and have been meaning to pick it up but I don't have an Origins counter near me; and when I do go where there is one, I always seem to forget! I'm a goldfish, I know.

2. Lancome La Vie Est Belle Perfume

As mentioned in my monthly favourites post, I received a sample of this in the post and fell in love with it. I'm going to be really sad when I run out of the sample.. :[ It smells absolutely gorgeous! The one I've linked is the gift set with the EDP (30ml), body lotion (50ml), shower gel (50ml), a mini Hyponse Mascara in black, and a mini Juicy Tube lipgloss! BARGAIN.

3. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Natural

I've been wanting this for a while now, but I haven't bought it because I had so many powders to get through! I kind of went a bit powder mad once I realised I had found something to banish my shiny nose and bought about four and have been working through them ever since LOL. Luckily I only have two left now and I've hit pan on one already! :oD

4. New Look Wide Fit Tan Cuffed Wedge Boots
I think I've tried these boots on ten times now, like every single time I've been into New Look I've tried them on and left them. I don't know why I keep leaving them, but I just do. No wait I think I know why.. it's because it's something I want and not need rofl. I do that a lot.. I satisfy my cravings for something by just looking at it from afar lmao. (hash tag life of a broke uni student -__- hahaha!)

(Also side note - I'm usually a) a size four but in this I'm a size five, and b) I never fit New Look's wide fit shoes, so how on earth do I fit these?! Dya know what I don't even care.. these beauties are just toooooooo comfy! xD)

5. Benefit That Gal Brightening Face Primer

Eeeeeee I love this stuff! I've never found a primer that works so well for my dry cheeks/oily t zone skin type! The mini version I got in the Benefit Besties set is used when I know my dry/oily areas are more extreme than usual (which has been a lot lately :/ I think it's the weather..) and I get the feeling I'm going to need to replenish it soon.. *hint hint*

6. Benefit Hervana Blush
This has been on my wishlist ever since a Benefit makeup artist put it on my cheeks once day when I went to Trafford Centre, many moons ago. I'm not one to wear blush but OHMYGOSHTHISSOPRETTY (;____;) If I didn't need to buy more important things I would have gotten it there and then - I got quite a few compliments after wearing it that day, it really made me smile :oD hehe

So ladies (and gents if there are any reading this!) have you tried any of these? What's on your wishlist for this month? ☺

November Favourites ♥

Goodness me, this year has flown by! Can you believe it's nearing on the end of November already? I remember January like it was just yesterday.. O.o *shakes her head* Where does the time go? Honestly? Its like I blinked and it's the end of the year already :/ 

Anyway.. here I am today with my favourites for November! (^__^) This month it was all about rediscovering my favourite scents and discovering new ones, too. 

♦     Yankee Candle in Cranberry Ice - this is my first Yankee candle, and it was a birthday gift from my younger sister. She knows me too well - I adore fruity scents, and this is just mouthwatering. *tries not to drool* I only have to light it for a few minutes and it makes my whole room smell absolutely delicious!

♦     EOS Lipbalm in Summer Fruit - another birthday gift! One of my best friends went to America for a holiday and brought me back a poop load of stuff! (If you're reading this, ASDFGHJKL THANKYOUUU [AGAIN!] ♥ haha!) I can honestly say that I've never tried a lipbalm that actually tastes as good as it smells. I have to stop myself from licking my lips whenever I put this on. LOVE IT!

♦     Benefit Benetint - got this in glamour last year (or was it this year? I have such a bad memory..) and finally got to using it. I like how it adds some colour to my face on days where I look a bit blargh, and that it doesn't really dry my lips out as much as some tints have done in the past. Plus it smells and tastes really nice too.. I just can't put my finger on what the scent is! Anyone know?

♦     Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - I finally found a foundation that is the perfect match and isn't a cream to powder one either! As much as I love my Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous Foundation, it was a bit too pink for my skintone, whereas this one is literally a perfect match. Thank the Lord! But it took so long trying to find my shade. It was ALWAYS out of stock.. EVERYWHERE. :/ Is everyone shade 53 or something?! :| 

♦     Ghost Sweetheart - this was a birthday gift from a close friend of mine from last year, and I rediscovered it near the end of October and fell back in love with it. I love that my friends know me and my tastes so well :o) I'd describe the scent but I'm terrible at it.. Sorry haha x) 

♦     L'oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara* - Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh I love this mascara! I didn't think I would like any other mascara apart from the original Telescopic, and I don't, but this is really close, tied with the Avon Super Extend Mascara in second place! The formula is the same as the Telescopic (as far as I can tell), but the brush is a bit thicker. It makes my lashes look naturally long and thick and defined. I recommend this to e'rybody!

♦     Benefit That Gal Brightening Face Primer - if you follow me on Twitter, you should know by now that I love this stuff. I got it in the Benefit Besties set, and I have to say that I love it! It keeps my makeup in place all day, it melts into my skin, and even feels a bit moisturising if you ask me! Oh, and as is the theme of this month, it smells really good but as usual I just cannae put my finger on what the scent actually is. ARGH! Help me out here ladies, I suck so much as pinpointing scents lately rofl.

♦     Lancome La Vie Est Belle Perfume sample - .... I bet you're all sick of me gushing about how much I love something's scent and not being able to describe what it is lmao. I apologise. But what can I do. I received this in the post one day and smelt it and was like ooooooooooooh.... this smells GOOOOOOOOOD! *proceeds to drench herself with it* LOL! If I didn't already have a billion perfumes already, I would have used my Boots points to buy this by now. xD 

Whew - didn't realise how much of a fragrance-y themed kind of month I've had until I typed up this post haha. What have you guys been loving this month? (^__^)

*Won it in a L'oreal Insider Goody Bag Competition (click here to see what else I won!). The rest I was either given as gifts (as stated) or I bought it myself (^__^)

I ♥ Autumn Tag

Today, whilst typing up a blog post, I realised that all I've really been posting is reviews, empties posts, or favourites posts lately. 

So I took to twitter and asked my fellow bbloggers if there were any tags going around that I could do, and my lovely friend Sal over at Little Girl, Big Thoughts sent me a tag she recently did (clickety clack over here to read it :]) and officially tagged me to do it too! (^__^)

So here goes nothing.. ;D

1. Favourite fall lip product?

Benetint! Or the Revlon lip butter in Macaroon. Or both at the same time! :D Obviously I use the lip stain lightly, I could never go out with a full on red lip lol. 

2. Favourite fall nail polish?

I don't wear nail polish :/ But if I did.. probably dark blues or purples (not that I would have the guts to wear such bold colours outside of my room.. rofl). 

3. Favourite fall/autumn Starbucks drink?

Waaaaaaa. I only ever get tea from Starbucks, if that. My favourite drink is tea, all. year. round. I love the stuff - I can't get enough of it! I have to stop myself from making myself a cuppa every time I walk into the kitchen (which is a lot.. I get hungry easily.. heh.). 

4. Favourite fall Yankee Candle?

To be honest I've only just gotten into Yankee candles and the one I have tried so far is Cranberry Ice and I adore it! :D

5. Favourite fall scarf/accessory? 

My favourite scarf for the winter is a thick, black, white & teal leopard (or is it cheetah? I never could tell the difference) hijaab that I bought last year (^__^) As for my favourite accessory, it's probably my black gloves - they have leopard print (or is it cheetah?!) fur trim where the wrist is :D Gosh, I really am obsessed with those kinds of prints. (>.<)

6. Haunted house, haunted hay ride or haunted corn maze?

Before we start.. what on earth does a haunted hay ride actually entail?! O.o And as for my answer, probably a haunted corn maze - I'm one of those strange people who love to get the poop scared out of them once in a while. I like the adrenaline rush. But I have to drag someone along with me, so in a way it is kind of bad .. LOL.

7. Favourite Halloween movie?

When I was younger (and watched tv lol), I remember watching Hocus Pocus. The witches were hilarious. I want to watch it again now!

8. Favourite candy to eat on Halloween?

I don't celebrate Halloween. But my favourites sweets are anything sour! :oD

9. What are you dressing up as for Halloween? 

Like I said before, I don't celebrate Halloween. But if I were to, I'd probably dress up as Thor.

Or Gandalf..

Yep, pretty much a tie if you ask me..

10. What's your favourite thing(s) about fall?

The fact that I can warm up if I want to by adding more layers - unlike in summer, when I can't take enough layers off to cool down! My fellow muslimahs will be acquainted with this problem all too well.. how hard can it get trying to stay covered and cool at the same time?! -___-
Also that I can fall asleep listening to the rain and wind all snuggled up in bed (^__^) So soothing!

I tag:

Hareem at Iheartmexo

Sarita at A Hotchpotch Hijabi in Italy

Mez at All Made Up

Vanessa at Parisian Orchid
& Mel at Mirror on the Wall...

Hope you had fun reading something other than a review :P Have a nice day! :D

Purity Organic Skincare Facial Exfoliator Deep Pore Cleanser Review

Hello there my dearies! Hope all is well with you (^__^) Today I have a review for you from a brand I have previously featured on my blog - Purity Organic Skincare. I've already reviewed their facial wash and their (AMAZING) makeup remover, but today's post is about their facial exfoliator/deep pore cleanser* :o)

I'm going to make this post short and snappy and to the point.

Ingredient-wise, this contains the same kind of natural ingredients as the rest of them do: coconut oil, sweet almond oil, glycerine and aloe vera. It also contains ground coconut shell to exfoliate.

Texture wise, it's basically a lotion with really small ground up pieces of coconut shell. You can barely feel the shell pieces imo, and it does not lather up.

Now I know this is called an exfoliator, but this barely did any exfoliating at all. It wasn't rough enough, most likely because as I mentioned earlier, it didn't have enough ground coconut shell. However, it is also called a deep pore cleanser.. and boy did it live up to that part of its name!

In fact so much so that I think it did it's job too well on my skin. Now my skin is combination, with an oily T-zone. This was so strong that it dried out my t zone to the point of it being painful! I know that's hard to believe but it practically sucked out all the moisture/oils on my nose and upper lip (that was the painful part :/).

Now I'm sure that if you have oilier skin than mine, and that if you used it for under a minute or so once a week, this will be all right for your skin. But if you have combination or dry skin - I'd advise you to stay WELL away from this xD

That's all I really have to say on this; I don't really like to write bad reviews unless I feel it would be beneficial - I mean I would like to know if it suited my skin type first if I was using something new for the first time/thinking of buying something new!

You can purchase this from Holland & Barretts or their own website for £5.99. Has anyone else tried this? What are your thoughts on this exfoliator/deep pore cleanser?


*PR sample, sent to me for consideration. All views are my own, I promise. (^__^)

October & November Empties ♥

Well hello there my dearies, how is everyone doing? All good I hope! (^__^) I have a combined empties post for you today - including some of the usual suspects and a few which I'm sad to see go! 

[anticlockwise from bottom left]

The Body Shop Chamomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover - the first of my favourite eye makeup removers, this is particularly good for correcting eyeliner mistakes or when you've got mascara dotted all over your eyelid!

Garnier Skin Naturals Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 Make-up Remover - You all should know by now that I love this stuff! It's been in all my empties so far xD It is definitely, hands down, the best one I've ever tried!

Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser - I really like this moisturiser. It's light enough for my oily T-zone but hydrating enough for my dry cheeks. There are times when I get patches that are drier than usual, so I just have to let my first application sink in and apply another layer on only the dry patches. Works a treat, and never makes my skin feel greasy in the slightest.

Olay Beauty Fluid - Yeah I know, it looks like it hasn't finished, but that's because I took this picture before I cut up the bottle and took the rest out! It's a pretty good moisturiser, doesn't make my skin feel greasy, but does take a tad longer to sink in compared to the Simple one (especially when I haven't exfoliated in a couple of days), but I don't mind. I like how this smells too :o)

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Facial Wash - I don't think I even need to talk about this one, I'm sure everyone knows how crazy I am about this facial wash haha. I have now started using a different one though, just to switch it up. Would anyone like an updated skincare routine? Let me know in the comments below if you do! >.<

The Body Shop Ice Blue Shampoo - I am so sad that this has finished, I can't find it in stores anymore (;_____;) Why do all the best things get discontinued?! I tried to not use it as much, only on days I felt like I needed a pick me up, otherwise it would never have lasted this long haha! (For the full review, clickety clack over here~)

Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Scrub - Another thing that I'm sure y'all are sick of me banging on about. :P It's amazing! But I have decided to try and find something else, as I don't want to get bored of the scent (^__^)

Benefit BadGAL Lash Mascara - This was a pretty good mascara! Although I did keep making a mess because the brush handle was kind of small.. heh. The formula was good and didn't flake and make me end up with panda eyes, which is always a bonus! xD (full review here~ ^.^)

Avon Super Extend Extreme Mascara - I got this in Marie Claire as a freebie waaaay back in July, and I finally got around to opening it and using it mid-September. I think I prefer this plastic bristled wand compared to the natural bristled wand of the BadGAL mascara. It separated my eyelashes better and added a lot of length - I'm more into defined lashes now than voluminous. The formula was pretty awesome too - not too wet, nor too dry. It's up there with my L'oreal Telescopic & False Lash Telescopic Mascara! I was actually quite sad to see it dry up and end up in my empties bag. *sniff.*

Nivea Hydrocare Lip Balm - My ALL TIME FAVOURITE LIP BALM ♥ I was SO SAD when I finished this, I adore it, it's perfect for my lips. It has just enough.. tug (?) but also just enough slip (?!) too - not sure what the actual terms are haha but I hope you know what I mean! currently trying some foreign ones now so watch this space.. ;D

Soft Lips Lip Balm in French Vanilla - This was a bit of a meh product. I mean it did the job, but I didn't like the fact that it made my lips tingle and feel cold, nor the fact that it was so small - I mean my lips are big, but this made me feel like I was drawing my lips in with a short stubby lip liner or something! Not something I wanted to do first thing in the morning, honestly, ain't nobody got time fo dat! *finger snap in Z formation* LOL

Yeah so, not too interesting a post, but a post it is all the same! I'm trying to post whenever I can, but ultimately uni will be my first priority so don't be surprised if I disappear again for another week (>.<) but let me tell you, I will ALWAYS come back - I love the blogging community too much hehe ♥

Have a good weekend my lovelies! :o)

Disclaimer: All products were bought with my own money unless stated otherwise. All opinions are my own. :D

Mini Haul ft The Body Shop & Benefit ☼

Ayoooooooo what is up my lovely readers?! Guess what I have for you today? Why, it's a cheeky little haul ofcourse!

I've decided that there is no point in putting myself on a spending ban anymore because most of the stuff on my Project Pan has been finished and the rest are just powders or my friends have taken them off me because they like what I don't (>.<) hence this post!

Anyhoo! I decided I needed some retail therapy after a particularly bad period of time, so I headed to my two favourite shops - The Body Shop and Boots!

I browsed the aisles, just window shopping at first, only intending to buy a Love Your Body card seeing as mine had expired, but then I saw that they had some new body butters out! I already have more than enough body butters but Pink Grapefruit and Vineyard Peach really caught my eye..

.. and after catching a whiff of each, the rest as they say, was history. ♥

I forgot to mention that I brought a friend along with me. I kind of sort of inadvertently by accident talked her into buying them too. LOL 

Hey don't look at me like that, she wanted them really! I mean who wouldn't, have you smelt these?! Yeah that's what I thought :P

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaanyhooooo. Next I went into Boots and if I'm honest, nothing really appealed to me but the Benefit Besties set. I needed another mini Some Kind-a Gorgeous for my bag because my first one had almost finished, and was also curious about the That Gal primer too. I'll be putting up a review of it soon hopefully :o)

I also bought myself some socks but thought it would make me look weirder than usual if I put up a picture of my fuzzy pink socks..heh. xD

And on that rather random note, I shall bid thee goodbye - but not without leaving you with a question! What do you do to cheer yourself up when you've had a particularly bad week? 

Disclaimer: All products were bought with my own money unless stated otherwise. All opinions are my own. But if you read the post you'd know that. :P 

Guess who's back, back again.. ;D

Heyyyy.. *smiles timidly* how is everyone doing? 

..uh, guys? Where are you going? Wait.. what?! NO NO WAIT NO COME BACK I'M SORRYYY! asdfghjkl;'

 I am SO sorry I left you, you guys. Seriously! *wide eyed* This stupid thing called Life and it's friend Uni got in the way of us. Please forgive me. Please take me back!

What's that? You will?! *squeals and does the dougie* I love you all SO much! ~GROUP HUUUUUG!~

Seriously though, I've missed blogging. A LOT. All I ever do these days is go to uni and sleep. And maybe eat sometimes. It's exhausting (;__;) 

So I thought instead of disappearing for months on end I'd MAKE SOME TIME and POST SOME STUFFS. Not only because I miss it, but because some of my blog followers have actually been asking me regularly when I'm going to be posting another blog post! Everytime someone asked I would always react the same - like, you actually follow my blog enough for you to notice that I haven't been posting for a while?! 

My reaction usually goes something like this:

 

Then proceed to do this:

or alternatively, something like this, but more halal:

(When in reality I actually do this:

 

.. mainly because most people who say it are online. Awkward laptop dancing ftw! *fist pump*)

LOL no but REALLY.. like really really..

..it honestly does make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that even one person likes my blog, forget all of my followers and people I know in real life and on twitter who tell me they read my blog! It honestly makes my day whenever someone compliments my blog, because it is my baby, and I did put a lot of work into it and to know that I've helped someone - whoever it may be, even in the smallest way possible - it makes it all feel worth while, so thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

Where was I going with this? I don't even know. Oh wait yes! I have already started typing up a blog post  - a short one but a blog post all the same! *beams, proud of herself* And if I get any more time this weekend, I will type up another one too! :D

So yeah.. watch this space, ladies and gentlemen.. watch. this. space... cuz I am BACK and I am here to stay! ;D

Anyway.. peace out - for now! 

*dances out backwards to Gangnam style*

P.s. Yes, I was in a ridiculously odd mood when I typed up this post. You know you love me. :P 

July, August & September Empties ♥

Hello there you beautiful lot, hope your week is going well! I'm here with my July, August, & September combined empties. I just couldn't stand them being in my room for much longer, and I didn't think that I'd be finishing anything else any time soon so.. 

Leggo!

[L-R]

Johnson's Baby Shampoo - I use this to wash my brushes, and it lasts me a long time too because I only really use eyeliner brushes and a powder brush. It always leaves my brushes clean and soft, and I will always repurchase this - because of the aforementioned reasons and because it's always handy to have when you run out of your normal shampoo ;D

Side note: I wrote up a tutorial on how to clean your makeup brushes using this back in July (click here to check it out!) it tells you everything from how to wash them to how many times to wash which type of brush. :o)

Garnier Skin Naturals Simply Essentials Soothing 2 in 1 Make-up Remover - You could call this my 'Holy Grail' makeup remover. Takes off makeup without leaving a film of oil on your face or stripping it of oil. Full review here :] I've already got two of these as back up hehe.

Witch Naturally Clear Blemish Stick (x3) - Love this stuff. This is the best spot treatment I've tried so far. Really does its job well and it's fast too. I went through one more than usual because of what happened on Eid. For the full review, just clickety clack on over here!  I really need to get some more and stock up - I only have one more left, eep!

Soap & Glory Thick and Fast Mascara - I stopped using this around the end of July because it'd been over three months and I'm paranoid about getting an eye infection (even though I've never had one, Alhamdulillah!). Don't think I'll be buying this again soon - I have a couple of other mascaras that I've received and/or bought to get through, and I'm digging the long lashes look instead of the volumized look lately - which this does well I might add! I've reviewed this in my Five Favourites Friday: Soap & Glory post way back in July, and I really did like it! :)

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara in Blackened Brown - Really liked this! The formula was great, not too wet  not too dry. It had the same brush as the Soap & Glory one and the Benefit Badgal Lash mascara! Also, I really couldn't tell that it wasn't fully black. Again, this does the same thing as the Soap & Glory one and the Benefit one too; very good at volumizing my lashes! I have a spare that I'm selling in my blog sale if anyone is interested in trying it! :o)

Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Scrub - Love everything about this scrub. If I go and try something new, I always come straight back to this. It's just too good - another favourite from my Five Favourites Friday: Soap & Glory post. Will always repurchase this ♥

Hmm, a lot of makeup related stuff compared to my June Empties post. What do your empties mostly consist of? ☺

Disclaimer: All products were bought with my own money unless stated otherwise. All opinions are my own.

September Favourites ♥

Is it just me, or did September go by really fast? No? Just me? Okay then >.< I'll just shut up and get on with my September favourites then shall I? Yes? Okay cool stuff..

♦     Garnier Dark Spot Corrector - Haven't been using this long enough for me to notice that any of my marks fading, but it's a brilliant moisturiser and smells very citrusy, which is always a winner for me because I'm obsessed with fruity smells. :P It leaves my skin feeling very hydrated and it really is 'illuminating' just like it says on the bottle!

♦     EcoTools Mineral Powder Brush - Aaaahh I love anything travel sized and brushes are no exception. I bought this off ebay in a diddy little set that cost a fraction of the price compared to if I bought it from Boots! It distribute the powder evenly and isn't scratchy in the least. I've washed it a few times now and it hasn't shed even a single hair!

♦     Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey - I know I know, I broke my makeup ban. Again. For the third time I believe? I don't buy makeup much anyway, and most of the stuff on my Project Pan list is either body care, skincare, or face powders! And besides, this was on offer for £5.99, and I got to use a £2 off any Revlon product Boots voucher that I had on top of it so it cost me £3.99! I couldn't resist it okay. I was WEAK. Not my fault it was such a bargain and looks and feels so good on my lips. Hmph.

♦     Avon Super Extend Extreme Mascara in Black - Looooooooving this. got this with the July Edition of Marie Claire and have finally started using it after my other two (which shall be in my next empties post In Shaa Allah) finished/dried up. The wand is plastic and it separates and lengthens my lashes so beautifully that it's almost rivalling my favourite L'oreal Telescopic mascara! The formula is just right too, and it holds the curl for aaaages. I don't usually wear mascara much, but this has been making me reach for it every day!

♦     Natural Collection Loose Powder in Warm Translucent - I went through a phase of loving powders (one of which I'm selling in my blog sale if anyone's interested) and in it I bought this. I forgot all about it once I found Rimmel's Clear Complexion Clarifying Powder, and it sat at the back of my draw for ages. I thought I'd pull it out and give it a go with the mineral powder brush I got in the EcoTools set that I  mentioned before, and it works really well with it and it reminded me of how much I love this powder! It reduces shine and sets makeup really well, all for just £1.99!

♦     Purity Organic Skincare Conditioning Cleansing Lotion Makeup Remover* - special mention for this guy. I ran out of my Simple wipes and had finished my usual makeup remover (again, shall be in my next empties post, In Shaa Allah) and I started using this a lot more, and it really has helped condition my skin. Sometimes when I use my Simple wipes to take off my mascara (which I've been wearing more often lately) on days when I'm far too tired to do anything for longer than five minutes, it really makes my eyelids sore. This is where this makeup remover comes in. I mean, I have a full review on it here but seriously, this even takes off my mascara without irritating my eyelids, and I don't even have to wash my face after wiping it off. Something we all need at the end of a long day I reckon!

Woo! That was a bit of a rambly post. I apologise. I am typing this up in the dead of the night sooo. :P What products have you been loving this month? ☺

*PR sample, sent to me for consideration. All views are my own, I promise. :o)

Face Mask Fridays: Superdrug Hydrating Self Heating Mask

Hello there me dears! Hope you're all keeping well In Shaa Allah :o) I'm back with another Face Mask Friday review for you all :]

Today I shall be reviewing Superdrug's Hydrating Self Heating Mask - I have reviewed two others similar to this before, which are the Garnier Skin Naturals Pure Self Heating Sauna Mask and Sanctuary's 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask. Click the names to check them out if you're feeling curious :D

My skin has been feeling a bit dry lately, so I thought I'd try this mask instead of something I'd use for my usual oily combo skin. And it would go with my little theme of self heating masks that I've been reviewing so far. Score! 

Haha anyhoo. This mask - just like the Sanctuary mask - contains kaolin clay, which has be known to help get rid of excess oiliness by absorbing the oil on your face.

'Quench that thirst! Enriched with Jasmine and Evening Primrose Flower extracts Superdrug's Hydrating Self-Heating Mask helps to nourish and moisturise skin.'

[source]

When I read this, I was amazed that someone had made something that would get rid of excess oil and moisturise the skin. Usually it's quite hard to find something that does both.

And both things it actually does! Quite well too I might add. After using this, I didn't feel the need to moisturise at all. In fact if I did, I'd wake up with my t zone feeling oilier than usual.

Now that we've talked about the hydrating part of the mask, let's move onto the self heating part..

'The gentle warming sensation draws out impurities for ultra soft smooth skin.'

[source]

Now that I think about it, they actually put an accurate description of the self heating part of the mask. Because I had tried the Sanctuary mask, I was expecting a blazing fire from the depths of Hell the moment it touched my face (I'm only joking.. well, half joking. :P) and so was quite underwhelmed by how, well, gentle it was. It was enough to notice though, definitely more so than the Garnier mask's!

In terms of consistency, it was quite runny compared to the Garnier and the Sanctuary ones. As you can see in the picture, it started running down my fingers before I could even steady my phone to take a picture of it. 

When I put it on my face it would slowly slide down my face so that after a few minutes I'd look like I have a big pink bum-chin and then drop off when I wasn't looking. O.o

Also.. I know this is going to sound silly, but even though there's a woman on the packaging with a pink face mask on, for some reason I was expecting it to be grey just like the other two. I know, I know, it seems obvious now that I look at it, but I genuinely was like huh?! This is bright.. *looks at packet again* Oh.. heh.  xD I know. My brain works in unfathomable ways. I can't help it haha.

Another thing I notice about this was that it didn't dry up, but around the edges of where the mask was applied it would turn white and harden a little after a while. It would also.. curdle.. on my face, especially my cheeks, which aren't even oil at all, a little dry in fact. I don't know. Curdle? Is that the right word? I hope you guys know what I'm talking about, I can't think of a better way to describe it >.<

One thing that I liked when I read the back of the sachet was finding out that it was suitable for vegetarians and vegans, that they do not test on animals so are cruelty free, and is also paraben free too! Awesome stuff. Now they just have to change the packaging to something recyclable and voila, it helps the world a tad more on it's way out hehe.

The only thing I didn't like about this mask apart from the odd curdling bit, was the smell. I mean it was nice and fruity/floral, and some people might like that, but the smell kind of got to my head a bit and made me a bit.. woozy. But other than that it lived up to what it said and it's always lovely to find something that does what it says on the tin, isn't it? (^__^)

For something that has 15ml in (just like the Sanctuary one - which I got four uses out of) I only got two uses out of this, but that may be because it was quite runny and you needed a lot of it to cover your face with.

But I must say that at just under half the price of the Sanctuary one (99p!) and with the same amount of product, and the fact that it lives up to what it says it does, I can safely say that this is one that you should definitely check out if you're ever in Superdrug in the skincare aisle. 

They're even doing a 4 for the price of 3 offer at the moment - they even do men's masks too, so there's something for everyone. Have you tried any of their masks? Tried anything similar? Let me know in the comments below! ☺

Disclaimer: All products were bought with my own money unless stated otherwise. All opinions are my own.

Related Posts: Sanctuary 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask, Garnier Skin Naturals Pure Self Heating Sauna Mask, DIY Fruity Face Mask: Oily/Combination Skin