Liebster Blog Award ♥

Woohoo, my first blog award! I'd like to thank my mum, my dad, and-and all my fans..*voice cracks as she tears up, fanning her face* Haha I kid, I kid. But seriously - a big thank you to Vanessa at Parisian Orchid (how pretty does her blog name sound? Almost as pretty as the girl herself!) for nominating me for the Liebster Blog Award! You've put a huge smile on my face ☺

This is how it works: you get nominated, then you reply with your post, and tag other bloggers who have under 200 followers to do the same. Easy peasy lemon squeezey!

Rules:

1. You must link back to the person who gave the award to you!

2. Post eleven things about yourself

3. Answer the questions the person giving you the award has set for you.

4. Create 11 questions for the people to answer that you have given the award to.

5. Choose people to give the award to and link them in your post.

6. Go to their blog and tell them.

7. You can't give the award back to the blogger who gave it to you!

Righto, let's get started!

11 Things About Me

1.   I'll start with an obvious one - I follow the religion named Islam; I am a proud Muslim!

2.   I adore baby animals. Mainly kittens but HAVE YOU SEEN A BABY PENGUIN? *cuteness overload*

3.   Ever since I was a child, I have had this unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I want to know everything. My dad often likes to tell the story of my first visit to the library when I was little un'. I went around touching all the books going 'OMG I WANNA READ THIS ONE! NO WAIT THIS ONE! NO NO THIS ONE!' *peeks excitedly around a huge pile of books*

4.   My signature dish is red kidney bean curry :P

5.   I suffer from intense and frequent migraine attacks. I used to get 7/8 a day, but with some medication it has gotten down to around 4/5. 

6.   I'm afraid of heights but I LOVE rollercoasters!

7.   I love football! I support Liverpool and the Spanish national team (No I'm not a glory supporter - I've supported them since the beginning of the 2008 Euros!).

8.   I've got a penchant for pretty hand held oriental fans. I have quite the collection you know..

9.   I love Ferrero Rochers. Omnomnomnomnom
10.   I love reading books, but hate borrowing them. I like to read at my own leisure, tyvm :P
11.   I love Sudoku!

11 Questions For Me To Answer

These are the eleven questions that the lovely Vanessa set for me:

1. What made you start blogging?

I wanted to share my knowledge on skincare to people I didn't know in person, and also help new muslimahs! Blogging seemed the natural way to do about this, because I read so many blogs anyway >.<

2. If you could only keep one make-up item in your makeup bag, what would it be?

I don't have a makeup bag lol, I never have time to touch up my face in the day/when I'm out. I shall answer anyway! Black gel eye liner. I look dead without it.

3. If you were stranded on a desert island, what 3 things would you take?

If I was stranded, that would mean I wasn't prepared! But if I was, then a swiss army knife, a compass, and a book on edible plants! ;D

4. What is your most treasured possession?

My translated Qur'aan e Majeed; it was a 20th birthday gift from a close friend of mine :-) 

5. What do you always order when you eat out?

Samosa chaat! I love the stuff. I can't get enough of it. I could eat it over and over and over and over and well you get the point. LOL.

6. What is something you always splurge your money on?

Apart from stuff that'll help me with my education, I'd say gifts for my nearest and dearest. (^__^)

7. What blog post do you enjoy writing about the most?

Hmm. I'd saaaaaay probably the ones I'm doing right now about Ramadan. Tis my favourite month of the Islamic year!

8. What are your hobbies?

Reading, baking, sewing, watching funny cat videos..

9. Would you change anything about yourself?

I'm always trying to improve myself. So yes. Currently, I'm trying to stop procrastinating as much.

*avoids looking directly at the mountain of ironing left to do*

10. What is your favourite makeup look?

I'm really boring when it comes to makeup looks, because I don't wear it much to be honest! Only on special occasions have I ever had a full face of makeup. But my favourite, everyday look has got to be a slick of eye liner and some tinted lip balm!

11. What would be the first 3 words on your dating profile (if you had one!)

I wouldn't have one :P But if I did, it'd probably just say 'Ask my Dad (first).' LOL

11 Questions For You To Answer!

1.   If there was one type of food/drink you could get a lifetime supply of for free, what would you choose?
2.   What is your most reached for lip product?
3.   Would you rather lose all the chairs in your house or your tables?
4.   What's your favourite fashion trend of the moment?
5.   How did you come across my blog? :P
6.   What's your own special haircare secret?
7.   Got a favourite joke? Tell me/us!
8.   What is your favourite skincare brand?
9.   What's your motto? *resists urge to sing Hakuna Matata*
10.   What makeup items are you wearing today?
11. Who is/are your inspiration(s)?

I nominate Laura-Jayn, SaritaAgerman, and MangoWhirl!


♥

The Benefits of Sehri/Suhoor

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

I hope that when you're reading this you are in the best of health and imaan, In Shaa Allah! Today, I'll be sharing with you the benefits of Sehri/Suhoor.
Sehri is the meal eaten early in the morning before Muslims close their fasts - usually when the sky is entirely dark.

Abdullah ibn Harith reports that one of the sahaba said: 'I once visited the Prophet (PBUH), at a time when he  (PBUH) was busy partaking of suhoor. The Prophet (PBUH) then said:

'This is a thing full of blessings which Allah swt has granted you. Do not give it up.'

How great is Allah swt's favour upon us, that even the partaking of food before dawn for fasting is so greatly rewarded! All ulama' are agreed on it being mustahab (desirable). And even if we are only able to drink a sip of water or eat a single date, we will still receive blessings. SubhaanAllah.

It is highly recommended that you have this special meal; surely letting your laziness get in the way of obtaining great reward (that is so easy to get) is the height of foolishness!

Ibn Umar (ra) relates that the Prophet (PBUH) , said:

'Verily Allah swt and His mala'ikah (Angels) send mercy upon those who eat suhoor.'

Bearing in mind that this meal is eaten in the last portion of the night, a time in which supplications are answered, we should always take up the opportunity to make dua whilst sitting and eating the food 
that we have been blessed with. 

I hope I have given you enough incentive by now to get up and have some sehri, In Shaa Allah!
If not, then I have another hadith for you, related by Muslim on the authority of Amr ibn Al-Aas, 
who quoted the Prophet (PBUH) as saying: 

'The difference between our fasting and that of the people of earlier revelations is the suhoor meal.'

So, in conclusion, Sehri is a huge and unique blessing bestowed upon the Ummah of the beloved Prophet (PBUH). Not only is it an opportunity to arise and nourish ourselves which is seen as an act of worship in the eyes of Allah swt, but it also gives us the opportunity to performs other forms of Ibadah such as Fajr salaat, alongside the benefits I mentioned earlier.

That's all for today - do share this with your friends, and keep me in your duas In Shaa Allah, just like I keep you in mine☺ 

Everything good in this post is from Allah swt, and any & all mistakes are mine.

St Ives Elements Timeless Skin Daily Microdermabrasion Review

I've heard the word microdermabrasion thrown around in the past a lot, and I never really knew what it meant - till a few weeks ago that is, when I came across the St Ives Elements Timeless Skin Daily Microdermabrasion scrub in Tescos, 

(Goodness me, what a mouthful! >.<)

A quick Wikipedia search resulted in this definition:

'Microdermabrasion is a cosmetic technique that uses a mechanical medium for exfoliation to remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells from the epidermis.'

So basically it does what a face scrub does? 

Well I suppose, yes. It's a general term for the application of small, rough grains in order to scrub off the top layer of dead skin cells. This leads to smoother, younger looking skin because when your outermost layer of skin is broken up and taken off, your body treats it as though it's an injury, increasing blood flow to the area (which means more oxygen) and renewed skin cell production. It also means that it helps get rid of shallow acne scars, fine lines, and any blemishes from sun damage as well!

Claiming to be gentle enough for daily use, it contains fine mineral crystals, and is formulated without parabens and phthalates, which is always a bonus because they have been linked to cancer and I highly doubt anybody wants that, now do they?

It's consistency is actually quite odd: when squeezed out, this feels like a cross between a gel and a foam, but when spread onto the face it becomes slightly grainy but also more like a face wash. Quite hard to explain!

Nothing unpleasant though, and it always sticks to your face, unlike some scrubs which have a tendency to fall off and make a mess.

Anyhoo, I've been using this from the beginning of the month now, and I must say I have noticed a difference on the shallow scarring on my cheeks. Everywhere else.. not so much to be honest.

After about two weeks of using it, I started noticing that my T zone was becoming very oily, in fact far oilier than usual. I would wake up and my face would feel like an oil slick!

I was also getting loads of tiny little spots in my T zone area as a result, and had to use my Dark Angels as a mask more frequently to combat the influx of oiliness. I almost stopped using it, but then I thought almost everything has a 'purging-the-skin' phase, right? But nope, it was still the same a week after. 

So I decided to stop using it on my T zone as much, and focus on my cheeks instead. This resulted in not as many little spots on my T zone, and the scars on my cheeks faded noticeably.

Final verdict?

It does what it says on the tin I suppose, just not on the T zone - especially if you're prone to oiliness in that area. 

I doubt I'll repurchase it, I don't want a repeat of what it did to my T zone - even though they were little it  was horrible because there were so many, and the redness that came with it couldn't even be covered up properly. 

So overall, I'd say 3/5. I can't seem to find it on the Tesco, Boots, or Superdrug website, but I did manage to find it here on the Asda one, priced at £3 for 125ml.

Have you tried this before? Anything similar to this? Let me know if there are any others on the market to try ☺


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

Am I exempt from fasting?

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

Today's Ramadan related topic is on deferred and exemption from fasting.

Fasting is compulsory for every sane Muslim who has attained puberty. It is one of the five pillars of Islam, and once you are able to do so, you are required to fast - it is obligatory.

However, in Islam, we believe that Allah swt never puts us through anything that He Knows we won't be able to get through. And with fasting, it is no exception - He has laid down some rules as to who is and is not obligated to fast, depending on their condition.

Deferred fasting, i.e. fasting at a later date, is permitted for the following groups of people:

♦     Pregnant women on medical grounds - this is an obvious one, because it would harm her child.
♦     Breastfeeding mothers - only if as a result of fasting her or her child's health suffers.

♦     Women who are menstruating - in Islam when women are on their period, we are prohibited from praying, fasting, and touching the Holy Qu'ran, as women are considered unclean in that state. Also, fasting and doing our five daily prayers on top of period pain/cramps would be too much for us to handle; another way Allah swt has shown how Compassionate and Merciful He is!

It makes me thankful that he allows us to relax and relieves us from our religious duties while we curl up with a hot water bottle >.<

 Aishah (ra) said: “When we had our periods at the time of the Prophet, we were ordered to compensate for fasting but not for prayers.”
(Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

♦     The young - although they are encouraged to fast so they are prepared for when they are obligated to when older (obviously here we are talking about kids 9+ not little children, and also the parents should know whether or not fasting will affect their childs health adversely and act appropriately).
♦     A person who is not of sound mind, e.g. the insane or someone mentally handicapped - again, this is obvious. It is unjust to make them do so.


“But he who is ill or on a journey shall fast instead the same number of days later on.” (The Holy Qur'an 2:185).


♦     A traveller on a journey of three or more days - the intent of this and the above verse is to not add any further hardship upon the person that is already taking up the hardship that comes with travelling for an extended period of time.
♦     A person whose health is likely to deteriorate as a result of fasting - once they have recovered and are not in any danger of getting worse if they fast, then they must make up their missed fasts immediately.
♦     Someone who is temporarily ill  - be it from a fever, a really bad cough, the flu.


But what if I can't make up my fasts later - what do I do then?


Well then you have to make up for it by paying to charity the equivalent of a meal for every fast missed. Type of food to be given as compensation should be:


♦     a regular, proper meal that they can eat, for example if red meat is part of a regular meal for you, you should give that as charity.
♦     If however, red meat is a luxury for you, then you should not give that, because you should only give what you can afford - yes you should give your due but that does not mean you should overdo it - you have to take care of your family and self also.
♦     Depending on where you are planning on giving the charity, it will vary from culture to culture - another thing to keep in mind. I don't think someone who lives on chapattis or rice would appreciate your donner kebab. Ahem.
♦     In regards to who you should give your charity to, you can feed various people, or feed one person many times, or a whole family a few times, as long as you make up for your fasts, that's all that matters.

The elderly (for obvious reasons), and the permanently ill (such as someone with diabetes, cancer, TB, terminally ill, etc.) fall into this category.


“Do not kill yourselves. God is compassionate to you.”
(The Holy Qur'an 4:29)


If someone fasts when they are unwell, in spite of his illness and bears the burden of fasting, his fast may be valid but his/her action is not commendable; God has granted him concession and has ignored His Mercy. God doesn't want you to strain yourself - He'll understand you know, He isn't called the Just Lord for nothing you know! >.<

Anyway, In Shaa Allah/God Willing this helped anyone out there who were unsure about anything regarding whether or not they should be fasting, or if you're a non Muslim and wanted to know just in general! ☺


Everything good in this post is from Allah swt, and any & all mistakes are mine.

Minty Madness: The Body Shop's Ice Blue Shampoo

My love for minty things has not diminished since my last Minty Madness post. I don't know why but I just can't get enough. I'm obsessed! 

I ordered this a couple of weeks ago from The Body Shop when they had their 50% sale on, along with some of my staple skincare items. I bought it on a whim, which is something I rarely do - I usually do my research and read the bad reviews as well as the good ones. But I'm glad I bought it anyway, because this stuff is really good!

It leaves my hair feeling squeaky clean for a good two days before it even starts getting a little greasy, which is good news for me because my hair can get oily quite fast sometimes. 

One really good thing about this is that you only need a little for it to lather up a lot. I'm serious here, a little goes a long way, which means this will last me for quite some time, making it good value for money - I paid £1.80 for 250ml!

And don't get me started on the smell. The menthol invigorates the mind, the hair, and the scalp. It's really good at waking me up on a groggy morning. 

I tried to find it on The Body Shop website, but it seems it has been discontinued! :( 

I did some digging, and it looks like they discontinue this a lot (just like my favourite papaya body butter :/). I wonder why.. I hope they bring it back again soon, because I haven't got a back up of this! >.<

Have you got a favourite shampoo at the moment? ☺

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

Ramadan Mubarak! ♥

The blessed month of Ramadan is upon us, and for those of you who don't know much about it, I thought I'd do a wee little blog post about my favourite time of year. 

It has finally come around again, and just the thought of it being so near has made me the happiest I've been in ages, Alhamdulillah! I've been looking forward to it since it ended last year - yes, I love it that much! 

Every year, Muslims all over the world fast for a whole month. Not continuously of course - that'd be just silly! There are a few reasons we fast, the main one being because it is God's command. But the others are to learn self restraint, to help control our ego and tongue, to help us empathize and help the poor.

Fasting really helps us realise how blessed we are to have running water, a warm bed, a roof over our heads, hot, delicious food to eat at the end of the day.. It really opens our eyes to how much we take for granted.

'O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self restraint...' 

(The Holy Qur'an, 2:183)

So how does it work? What do we do when fasting? Well, we follow the traditions of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessings be upon him).

We fast from dawn till dusk, not only from food, water, smoking, and conjugal relationships, but doubly so from actions which are prohibited in a Muslims every day life such as lying, slandering, adultery, backbiting, obscene/abusive language, hurting other people, etc.

Traditions include:

♦     Eating just before dawn,

♦     Ending the fast at sunset, (which is about five minutes before before our evening prayer) with dates, water, or something sweet,

♦     Reciting the praise of and seeking the forgiveness of Allah the Almighty, the Most Merciful,

♦     Giving charity, particularly in the last 10 days of Ramadan,

♦     Performing the Taraweeh prayers with the last prayer of the day,

♦     And I'tkaaf, where you stay in the masjid (mosque) for the last 10 days of Ramadan.

There are of course more, but I thought I should keep my first post on this short and sweet (^__^) 

Now I'm off to write up a few more posts like this that I'll be posting throughout the month. They'll be (hopefully) handy hints and tips about fasting - I'll post them between my usual skincare posts. 

If you have any questions or requests, please comment below and let me know ☺ 

Everything good in this post is from Allah swt, and any & all mistakes are mine.

July Freebies: Marie Claire & Glamour

I was in Tescos the other day, and was walking past the magazines aisle and noticed that some of them had some pretty cool freebies. I picked up a copy of Marie Claire and two copies of Glamour.

I don't normally buy magazines but they were giving away a full size Avon mascara worth £10 with Marie Claire for £3.70 - bargain! I've never heard of her before this, but Marion Cotillard looks very pretty!

There was also an article that caught my eye on how a freelance journalist was kidnapped and held hostage in Somalia for 15 months, and how she used her horrifying experience to help Somali women by setting up a foundation that offers them scholarships, medical care, therapy, and education.

 

  

 To find out more and/or to make a donation to her wonderful cause, visit the Global Enrichment Foundation's website by clicking here.

With Glamour, there was a choice of four travel sized products from the brand balance Me. range - Pure Skin Face Wash (50ml), Balancing Face Moisturiser (20ml), Rose Otto Lip Salve, and Wonder Eye Cream (7ml). 

As you can see, I picked the first two. ☺

I was flicking through the pages and came across these pictures, and was instantly reminded of The Lovely Bones - that movie still creeps me out and makes me cry in equal parts. I have yet to read the book though, anyone know if it's as good as/better than the movie? 

 

  

I also came across this! I knew about the Coke Zero vs Diet Coke thing, but I didn't know about the wholewheat bread vs wholegrain bread part! Nice to know :D Plus the part about the peppers is pretty cool too.

Don't you just love learning new things? I know I do (^__^)

 

  

Anyhoo, enough of my waffle - have you picked up any mags with freebies lately?
How are you finding them? ☺

Ten Little Secrets Tag ♥

The lovely Vanessa from A Thoughtful Sunday Blog tagged all her followers to do this tag, and I thought why not? I need a post for today anyway :P And plus I've seen this tag a few times before and it's nice having a little insight into the life of the people behind your favourite blogs.

1. What is one product that makes you feel like a million dollars?

Eyeliner! Well, on the rare occasion I do both eyes the same. One eye is always perfect, and then the other is like I drew it on with my foot. (-__-)

2. What is your skincare secret?

For me, it's a good face scrub. If you're not exfoliating properly, you could be wearing hundreds of pounds worth of makeup, and you'd still not feel or look good, because exfoliation helps your makeup to glide on and not look cakey, and also help prevent your pores from becoming clogged, which leads to unwanted blemishes.

3. Share your haircare secret?

I have two - one, don't brush your hair when it's wet, and if you do, make sure to brush it gently from the bottom up. The other is to use coconut/jasmine/mustard oil as a conditioning mask for an hour before you wash your hair, or over night if it's feeling particularly dry. :-)

4. What is your biggest diet rule?

Ooh er, I don't diet. I try to eat healthily though, and drink lots of water and green tea. It's essential for clear skin  - and let's face it, we are made up of approx 75% water, so it only makes sense that we drink loads of it!

5. Any workout tips?

If you're finding it hard to start, do what I do when it comes to revision - do it for at least five minutes. 

It's always getting started that's the hardest part, so even if you just do five minutes, at least you've done something already, right? And usually, once you've done your first five minutes, you're already getting into it, which means you're more likely to finish your workout. :-)

6. Which perfume is your secret weapon?

Not sure what it means by 'secret weapon' but my favourite perfume is Ghost Sweetheart. I adore it! I'd try to explain how it smells like but I'm not very good at describing scents.

7. Show us a clothing item of yours which always turns heads.

Again not sure what it means by 'always turns heads' but I do have a royal blue maxi skirt that I always get complimented on whenever I wear it. I adore it! I don't have it to photograph right at this moment, it's currently in the washing machine. >.<

8. What is your most treasured piece of jewellery?

A simple, silver necklace I got for my 20th birthday from a close friend of mine. I wear it a lot, even though nobody can see it under my hijaab. >.<

9. Who is your style crush?

Definitely Muslimah In Reverie! MashAllah, she's so modest and stylish.

10. Tell us something we don't know about you.

I'm TERRIFIED of heights but I'm a total adrenaline junkie. I know. I'm weird. xD

I'm not very interesting, I know >.< 

I tag everyone who follows me - if and when you've done it, do post a link below, I love reading other peoples tag posts! 

Modestly Stylish: Peaches and Cream ☺

Modestly Stylish: Peaches and Cream by themaryfairy featuring retro sunglasses

Petite Peach Galaxy Top from Wallis - £14 ♦ Petite White Curve Hem Shrug from Wallis - £23 ♦ Boohoo Amanda Ribbon & Crochet Maxi Skirt - £12 ♦ H&M Ballet Pumps - £7.99 ♦ Floral Scarf from Woolrich - £6.87 ♦ Taupe Eva Retro Sunglasses - £3 ♦ Topshop Blush in Neon Rose - £6 ♦  White Silk & Bamboo Fairy Bridal Fan - £2.18

Can you believe it's already July and it's still raining here in England? Alas, it seems like Summer has forgotten to visit us this year. Or maybe she's mad because on her last visit we were all dying for the rain instead.. xD

But fear not! There is still time left for her to come :P In the mean time, I shall be cranking out the summery outfit posts. I'm getting into lighter, peachy/pinky/corally type colours now. 
Subconcious, wishful thinking? Probably. *sigh* I just want to wear my skirts already. >.<


Also, I really want that blush. Every time I walk into Topshop I swatch this. It's so pretty! It looks neon in the pan but on the cheeks it gives a lovely flush of colour (^__^)


Have you had your eye on anything lately? ☺ 

Minty Madness: Original Source Mint & Tea Tree Shower Gel

I've been on a bit of minty kick lately, so I thought I'd do a little series of posts on all the minty things that I've been reaching for (^__^)

Ever since I finished my half-used and neglected shower gels from my Project Pan, I've started to use the ones I haven't allowed myself to go anywhere near because I knew they'd not help with finishing the other ones laying around.

This one mainly - the Original Source Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel. It smells absolutely delicious.

The tea tree oil smell is not overpowering at all, and the mint one is just.. *tries not to drool*

'Packed with 100% essential oils, we've crammed 7927 real mint leaves into our fully recyclable bottle. This super refreshing pack will definitely leave you tingling.'

Well, it sure does live up to it's claims - when I use this in the morning or after a good workout, it really does wake me up, making me feel super clean, refreshed, and ready to face the day. Whenever I use this the scent lingers on my skin for a long time, which is always an added bonus ☺

Also, I love that they counted how many mint leaves they put into it xD I know.. I'm weird haha >.<

But on a serious note, one of the best things about this is that the bottle is recyclable, and I am always looking for ways to look after our lovely little planet. And on top of that, this is suitable for vegans, which automatically makes this awesome because they don't test on animals! :D

The shower gel is on offer at half price in Boots for £1.15! Grab it while you can, you won't regret it ☺

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

Beauty Tip: How to Clean Your Make-up Brushes ☼

Taking care of your brushes is very important. Because they come into contact with your skin on a daily basis, they are bound to take up your excess oil and acne-causing bacteria -and nobody wants that, because even though you will have a clean face in the morning before you put your make-up on, the bacteria on your brush from the day before will be transferred from your dirty brush, and wreak havoc on your skin, no matter how much you wash it!

For my brushes, I tend to take a dollop of my tea tree oil facial cleanser (review here) in my wet palm, wet my brush, and swirl it into my palm. I then hold the brush head under the open tap until it runs clear. If it seem's to be taking too long (this is usually the case when you use a foundation brush), then repeat the process.

Every few washes, I use baby shampoo instead, just to keep the bristles soft so they don't irritate my skin.

So which brushes do I wash how many times?

♦     Powder/blush brushes: Every 2-3 days 

♦     Foundation brushes: Every time you use it!

♦     Eyeshadow/eyeliner/lip brushes: Again, every time you use them, because obviously,
(a) the eye shadow powder will mix, and
(b) eye liner and lip brushes get hard after you've used them.

♦     Synthetic/duo fibre brushes: I recommend using a mix of baby oil and baby shampoo to wash these if you're using a cream product.

Once you've washed them, gently swirl the wet brush onto some tissue paper to get rid of excess water, then reshape so the bristles are in the shape you bought them in - some brushes come with a brush guard which you can slide over to help maintain their shape.

I wash mine before bed, and leave them lying on a couple of layers of tissue, so they will be dry and ready by the morning for me to use ASAP. (^__^)

Hope this helps any newbies out there ☻

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

All Round Good Guys: Coconut Oil ☺

So after trying more than my fair share of conditioners that didn't seem to want to work on my poor, lacklustre hair, I got sick of it one day and started googling for alternatives. And this is what I came across..

Coconut oil!

Yep. Plain old coconut oil that you find in the supermarket. (I get mine from Tesco's or Holland & Barretts >.<)

When I was researching, the benefits seemed almost endless - I didn't realise that something so ordinary could have so many benefits, so I thought I'd share them with you in one condensed post. ☺

Coconut oil contains essential proteins that are required to help nourish broken and damaged hair. When used regularly, massaged into your scalp and hair, it even helps prevent dandruff.

Got dry skin, dermatitis, psoriasis, or eczema? 

Rich in Vitamin E, and similar to mineral oils, coconut oil is a good moisturiser for all skin types without the adverse effects associated with some mineral oils. Because it is natural and unfragranced (apart from its own natural fragrance, obviously) it will not irritate the skin at all - a bonus for all those with sensitive skin and eczema.

Starting to get some wrinkles and fine lines? 

The fats in the coconut oil help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and is a popular ingredient in many expensive anti wrinkle creams out there.

It's even antibacterial and antiviral, and when applied of a freshly cleaned cut or scrape, will form a thin barrier that prevents any potentially bad bacteria/viruses or dust from entering the wound.


So all in all, this is one of those multi purpose oils that can come in handy any time! Have you tried coconut oil? ☺

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

Five Favourites Friday: Soap & Glory ♥

I love Soap & Glory, so much so that my first blog post ever was on a S&G product. There's just something about their packaging that lures me in - despite it being pink, a colour I usually tend to avoid (unless it compliments whatever I'm using/wearing, but I digress).

It's probably the witty little descriptions at the back of the containers and the wordplay they use with the names. I don't think I've ever come across another brand that puts so much effort into stuff like that AND have such amazing quality products!

Plus I love how everything matches and is consistent. Other brands - take note!
Anyway, enough rambling, on to the good stuff! First up is..

Thick & Fast Super Volume Mascara

It's brush is huge, very akin to the Benefit Badgal mascara one, and gives my lashes a lot of volume! It's formula is not too wet, not too dry, not runny, not thick - very well balanced IMHO, and once I have it on it stays on - no panda eyes, no random little flecks of mascara underneath my eyes, none at all.

The only downsides are the price, and the fact that the wand is huge and for those who don't have a steady hand, would find it hard to put it on without dotting your brow bone/eyelid with the stuff!

Flake Away Body Scrub

Cannot say enough good things about this scrub. You know those horrible little bumps you get on your arms? I used to have those, and nothing I used would help. Until I came across this in Boots one day and thought why not?

So I bought it, used it once, and was kind of underwhelmed to be honest. For some reason I was expecting results straight away after one use. Silly me, I thought, looking at the little tub, I really should give it another try. I mean it didn't make it worse like the others did, so maybe if I use it a bit more it will?

Best. Decision. Ever. I used up the whole pot before I knew it and my arms were SO much smoother than before - nothing has ever worked like this! I think it's because the grains that are used to exfoliate your skin are quite small, and also because it contains shea butter and sweet almond oil to moisturise.

It smells really good too.. *tries not to drool*

Energy Boosting Face Massage Mini Mitt

If you follow my blog, you must all be familiar with this little beauty by now! Worth more than £4 if you ask me. For the full review just clickety clack over here! (^__^)

Mist You Madly Body Spray

Once summer comes around (or tries to come around but gets kicked out by the bipolar British rain clouds >.>) I start to crave fresh, fruity body sprays. I can see why they describe it as a 'flirty floral' spray, but for me the blackcurrant note seems the strongest, and it makes my mouth water just thinking about the smell.. *sigh* I do love my fruits I won't lie! >.<

This costs £6.50 for 250ml, which I would say is a very reasonable price, because it lasts for ages. I've actually had it for over a year and I've only used about a quarter of it, I'd say. The scent lingers for a good few hours but not all day - but then again it is a body spray so it won't have as much staying power as a perfume. You can also get a mini, 100ml version of this which is travel friendly - you can actually get almost all of their products in travel sizes I think :)

And last but definitely not least, a cult favourite..

Hand Food Hand Cream

I reckon everyone and their mother has this - and rightly so! This rivals my papaya body butter, it's that good! It smells gorgeous, and is so moisturising that it can even tackle my horridly dry hands in the winter.

Described as a 'non-greasy hydrating hand cream with shea butter, macadamia oil, & marshmallow', it lives up to it's word and more - it leaves no greasy residue and absorbs into the skin quickly and completely.

What I want to know is, whose idea was it to put marshmallow in it? The smell makes me want to eat it.. I can't be the only one, right?! 

Ahh all this talk about S&G has got me wishing I wasn't on Project Pan.. *sigh* Ah well. Once I'm done with that, I might try out their concealers, they're meant to be quite good!

Have you got a favourite S&G product? ☻

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

I won a L'oreal Insider Goody Bag! :D

I'm seriously the Neville Longbottom of the Muggle world. I have zero luck, a bad memory, and I *never* win ANYTHING. 

So when I came downstairs one rainy, May morning and my dad asked me if I'd ordered something I replied with a very puzzled '.. no?' because as you all know, I'm on Project 13 Pan. 

I opened the package, curious and confused in equal parts, wondering if I had been sleep-online-shopping because the box had my name on it and I had definitely not ordered anything.

But when I opened it I found a letter from L'oreal Paris saying I'd won a goody bag! xD

How awesome is that! So I thought I'd show you what I got and if anyone would like any reviews of anything in particular, just drop a comment below and let me know!

 I haven't actually had a chance to play with them yet (it's been over a month, I know, but like I said I am on Project Pan!) but I'll test them if someone wants a review. If not I'll just wait until the end of P13P like a good girl hehe >.<

Nude Magique BB cream in Medium

Color Infallible Eyeshadow in Innocent Turquoise (Iridescent finish)

Color Riche Lipstick in Rose Tendre (303)

False Lash Telescopic in Magnetic Black

Not quite sure if the lipstick will suit me.. it says it's for blondes O.o Also for some reason, I couldn't find the exact colour on the Boots website - anyone know where to find it?

Ah well. I guess I'll just have to wait and see (^__^)

If you'd like to join, click here - they're always doing loads of competitions, and you get some pretty good personalised vouchers too, such as £2 off any L'oreal cosmetics, skincare, or new Glam Shine Range! Well those are mine anyway; like I said they are personalised to what type of stuff you're into! :)

Anyhoo, that's enough babbling from me. Till next time, stay beautiful! ☺