Camden Town OOTD

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

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

What are your Autumn wardrobe essentials? 

Saina

xo

My Top 5 Mac Lipsticks

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saina
xo 

Olympia Beauty: NYX Cosmetics Haul

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

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

Do you have any NYX favourites?

Saina
xo

OOTD: Monday Calls for Cocktails

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

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

Bag: Chanel 2.55 Medium Classic flap Bag with gold hardware 

Lipstick: Mac's Viva Glam III - here

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

Saina
xo

The Olympia Beauty Show

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

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

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

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

Saina 
xo

Primark Home: Deluxe Candles

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

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

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

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

Saina
xo

Farewell To A High Street Favourite

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

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

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

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

Saina
xo

Series: Salad Struggles

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

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

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

The Restaurant:

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

The Menu: 

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

The experience: 

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

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

Saina 

xo

Autumn Wish List

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

What transitional pieces are on your Autumn wishlists?

Saina
xo

OOTD

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

What have been your pre-autumn essentials?

Saina
xo