Travel Entry 1: Amsterdam

 

We've all heard the rave over Amsterdam and with it being one of the most cost efficient destinations from London, myself and a couple of friends booked a 5 day break to the Netherlands. With the weather being in our favour we made the most of the city's offerings, from spending hours in Vondel Park indulging in Dutch bakery favourites, to walking the narrow cobble stoned roads to find Leidesplein's fashion boutique offerings.

After arriving to Schipol airport we got the train to Amsterdam Centraal station, which took us approximately 25 minutes and cost no more than a few euros. From Centraal station, you're pretty much at the heart of things (think London Euston) - trams 1, 2 and 5 become your best friends. Any of which, will take you to Amsterdam's main 'strip' of tram stations if you like. If you're going for a short break, staying around these areas between Dam station - Rijks Museum to Leidseplein - Museum Plein.

Dam Square

 On the sunny August days we spent in Amsterdam, this old concrete square looked beautiful. The square was filled with street entertainment (singers and dancers), we also walked into a 'free hugs' crowd on the last day. Dam square is surrounded by lively cafes, bars and restaurants. There are also some more commercial museums here such as The Royal Palace and Madame Tussaud. Along with the many horse and carriages around the area, and the Old Clock chiming so beautifully, you can really take a historical step back and images what this town square once used to be. 

We made a point to visit a few of the local attractions including some historical places and museums. First on our list was the Anne Frank House, where Anne Frank and her family were hidden in the house annex for two years in fear of the Nazi's during WW2. Located on 263 Prinsengracht, the building holds the original diary of Anne's, letter's exchanged between the family and friends and personal messages written from Anne's father Otto Frank. 

Anne Frank House second right of the street

 Amsterdam is better known for its Red Light District - a lively but dark neon-lit neighborhood within the streets around the canals, notoriously known for its promiscuous nature. In addition to the red fringed windows, the Red Light District features an extensive list of bars and cafes (this is where you'd get those brownies!), many museums and live shows. In real Amsterdam spirit we decided to visit the Red Light Secrets Museum of Prostitution - this brought the history of the 14th century winding cobble stoned, narrow roads of the area to life.

Red Light Secrets Museum of Prostitution

Baba's Cafe, Red Light District

Being the crazy cat lady that I am, I also made a point to visit the Katten Kabinet - essentially an old home devoted to art dedicated to cats, but also home to a few residential cats. The museum is across three floors and is filled with posters, paintings, sketches and cat ornaments. 

Cat shrine, duh

Along with the colourful streets and uplifting spirit of the people of Amsterdam, this is more of a city break. You're sure to make some friends - be it with bartenders, shop keepers or a polite stranger in the park (it's not as dodgy as it sounds, trust me!). Let me know what you're thoughts are if you've made a trip to the Dam, and I hope you enjoyed one of many travel posts to come. 

Saina 

xo

Where have I been?

After graduating from university last year, I decided to make it my personal mission to travel to a few destinations as a pat-on-the-shoulder from me to me (for achieving a 'First' - eek!), but also as a way in which to enrich my experiences. A random burst of travels is nothing that I am a stranger to - after completing my A-levels in 2011, I conquered parts of the USA including 3 months in Los Angeles, and a further month driving from LA - San Diego - San Francisco - Las Vegas.

In true Sagitarian spirit, I thrive in adventures and travels. I get bored easily, and I'm always thinking about my next move in order to bring new and exciting challenges to my routine. My addiction? Very simple. The likes of holiday booking websites - now for most, this may sound like the usual sun, sand and sea obsession. For me? Not so much. The idea of sitting by a pool, or on a sunny beach brings me nothing but torment. I'd much rather hike my way through unknown mountains and peaks, or drive aimlessly to discover that one wrong turn that changes your life. Me and traveling are a story book love affair. Having conquered as much of the UK as I possibly could as a child, I've now taken it upon myself to explore further.

I am going to share with you parts of my travels as I know I love reading travel blogs, but also in hopes of giving you some recommendations and ideas - look out for my travel posts and let me know if you have any you want me to check out!

Saina
xo

Jeans & Tee Kinda Girl: OOTD

As promised, here is a super casual outfit post featuring my new (ish) loves - my Nike Flex Runs!
This outfit is very typical of what I tend to wear on a daily basis, keeping me incredibly comfy but *somewhat* trendy.

Today's errand running outfit was pretty minimalistic (isn't it always), featuring my trusty Zara jeans that I've consistenly purchased and worn over a 3 year period. This Zara slogan t-shirt was purchased in the sale for £1.99 - I'll let you take that in for a moment. Zara stores still have a small section dedicated to last sale items, so I'd definitely recommend you go for a quick browse to pick up some bargains. My faux leather jacket is also from Zara (there seems to be a trend here)- similar one here  and I'm wearing a New Look shawl, that I also found in the sale for £10, around my neck as a statement scarf.

Another item which has quickly made its way to the contents of my most worn wardrobe is this Michael Kors Jet Set Saffiano-leather cross body bag. It's the perfect size to hold your daily necessities and matches almost any outfit due to its simplistic style and colour. You can find the bag here.

xo

Spring 2015 Wishlist

Here is a little snippet into my current wants and needs - Spring 2015 edition.

New Balances: 
Recently, I have delved into the fashion world of trainers. Have you had asked me about wearing trainers a few years ago, I would have given the idea a definite no-no. However, after my recent city trips around Europe, I had to face the aches and pains, blisters and cuts - heeled boots are a definite back-packing red flag. I therefore made it my mission to find a wearable pair of trainers and after a few weeks of hunting I came across the perfect pair for me - Nike Flex Runs in black (I'll make a note to show them in an upcoming outfit post). After buying those, I've grown obsessed with trainers, and have pretty much worn nothing but my Nikes. Now that I'm a trainer 'freak', I feel that I need a new pair in my one-pair collection and New Balances are on my radar (I need, need, need a pair!). This grey pair are beautiful and will pretty much match any outfit.

Topshop Washed Black Jamie Jeans:
I'm forever on the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans, and for that reason I have an ever growing collection. Naturally, I need this pair too! The ripped jeans trend is definitely here to stay, and Topshop's Jamie jeans have always been my favourite cut and material.

Fur Coat: 
For as long as I can remember, I've been wanting the 'perfect' faux fur coat. I have fur gilets and waistcoats but nothing I can actually call a 'coat'. During the Spring months, a fur coat is perfect when paired with a t-shirt as it keeps your relatively warms whilst making any simple outfit appear stylish and edgy.

Philip Lim Satchel:
Obviously I'm still wanting a Philip Lim satchel, and this one pairs perfectly with the grey trainers (duh)


Nars Velvet-matte Lip Pencil (Walkyrie):
I'm sure if I rummaged through my lipstick collection, I'd find at least 5 variations of this lip pencil shade. I'm a big fan of the Nars jumbo crayons, and this burnt coral red shade has recently caught my eye.

Nixon Watch: 
This rose gold and leather strap beauty speaks for itself. I only really have two watches (which I never wear) and both of which are silver metal. This watch features a wearable leather strap which I know I'd feel more inclined to wear as it would pair well with my various bracelets. The simple rose gold face is a subtle hint of hardware and stylish arm-candy.

What have you been eying and yearning this season?

Saina
xo

Current Skincare Favourites

Following a skin mishap, I took it upon myself to seek a handful of new items to put into my routine. Surprisingly, I've come across a few staples that I don't see myself giving up on any time soon.
For reference my skin is combination - oily, with the occasional dry patches around the nose and mid forehead. However, following a trip to the beautiful city of Prague, my skin seemed react awfully to the colder climate, leaving me with a bad episode of xerosis. This resulted in my skin becoming extremely dry and visibly scaly all over - no amount of heavy duty moisturizer seemed to relief the issue.

Product 1:
The first product I used after my trip was The Body Shop Camomile Cleanser - you can understand why I initially gravitated towards this item - dry skin + oil cleanser = better skin? Although oil cleansers are not usually solely targeted just at dry skin (they work wonders on oily skin too!) But this product did inject some well needed moisture back into my face.
How to use this product:
The directions for this product are pretty basic, pump the product into your hands and massage onto your dry face, gently massage it around your eyes and into the lashes to break down and remove your mascara fully. The oil is slightly runny in texture and emulsifies around the face like a dream. I then use a hot muselin cloth to wipe off any excess.
Results:
This cleanser does not leave your face feeling like a greasy mess, and neither does it leave you with a tight feeling dry face. Thanks to the camomile ingredient, it's a gentle formula and leaves your skin feeling fresh, hydrated and silky smooth. 

Product 2:
I found this facial soap after one too many trips to my local Lush store, and was attracted to the fact that it's supposed to exfoliate (with extracts of wholemeal bread) and revive the skin whilst maintaining moisture (with organic coconut oil) and hydration, using the best essential oils (such as wheatgerm and hop oil).
How to use this product:
With a touch of water, lather the soap in your hands and work into the skin in circular motions to really allow the wholemeal particles to spread and exfoliate your skin. Although I haven't come across any negative reviews of this product, I like to use this only 2-3 times a week to really give my skin an exfoliating cleanse. I also find that using the same 'wow' factor product every single day can run the risk of your skin becoming 'used' to the pampering - therefore eliminating the glow factor results.
Results:
This soap is amazing! It has dramatically improved the condition of my skin, transforming my dull looking and feeling skin into a healthy and glowy wonder. I found that my oilier t-zone area has become less greasy, allowing makeup to sit and last longer on my face. My pores have also definitely minimized since using the Movis bar - absolute bread winner!

Product 3: 
Hyaluronic acid has been the ongoing buzz in the beauty world as one of the favourite skin enhancing cosmetic ingredients. Skin care junkies swear by HA because of it's ability to retain water 1000 times its weight - therefore helping your skin to remain moisturized from within, smoothing out any dullness and fine lines and helping your skin appear fresh, plump and hydrated. HA comes in many forms of serums, masks and moisturisers - most of which also come with an expensive price tag.
Balance Active, a popular skin care range, known for it's high quality products with more affordable price tags offers this 30ml HA Max Hydration serum for £4.99.
How to use this product:
I use this product twice a day, everyday, just before applying my day/night moisturizer. Using it's pipette dispenser, I place a large pea size amount in the palm of hands and massage all over my face. The product does not leave a greasy residue on your face but sinks into your skin rather quickly - much like water on skin!
Results: 
This product is beauty sleep in a bottle. My skin looks and feels rejuvenated after use, helping my moisturizer and makeup to sit better on my face. It has also eliminated the dry patches of skin around my chin and nose.

Product 4:
Now I'm sure I've raved about this product before, but I wouldn't forgive myself if I couldn't mention it once more!
How to use: I use this twice a day as my sole moisturizer. I also use this as the final step in my nighttime skin care routine, and as a the base to my daily makeup application - the gel like formula works as a great foundation primer!
Results: 
La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo - where do I begin? This is a single skin care solution to all your skin imperfections . Does you find that your skin becomes clogged? Do you suffer from acne? Or perhaps you are prone to whiteheads or blackheads? This product will combat all of these issues by removing bacteria, dead cells and excess oil. The moisturizer then hydrates and soothes your skin with it's healing ingredients such as Linoleic Acid. 

Grey No More OOTD

It's officially October, though the sun remains to be shining over London. For most this is a reason to smile, but as someone who loves the holiday season, I'm yearning for winter festivities to fast approach us! Though with today's 22 degrees, it was impossible for me to squeeze jeans on and to throw a jumper over top. I'm not much of a skirt/dress wearer, yet over the passed year, the midi length trend has definitely allowed my legs to see the light of day. If I wear midi skirts or dresses during the day, I tend to style them with a pair of leather ankle boots - not only to add a little bit of a less feminine 'edge', but also to make the look appear more casual. I also added my Miss Selfridge Fedora , which just seems to be making an appearance every other day. I've been totally obsessed with chucking it on to add a little 'grunge' edge to every outfit, and it simply works wonders on third day hair (when it's beyond Batiste's help). Sunglasses, as always are my Ray Ban Classic Aviators, found  here.

As you may have gathered by now, my wardrobe colour pallatte does not exceed white and black, and grey is my idea of colour. If I've managed to incorporate a grey piece, then I tend to give myself a pat on the back for effort! This 'Army' cropped t-shirt is a Vintage Renewal buy from Urban Outfitters. This jersey charcoal grey skirt is from Boohoo and is still available to buy here for only £8!

These boots are totally Western meets Biker, the stitching and the slight metal toe cap add so much detailing to a somewhat simple outfit - love! They were bought in H&M last year so I couldn't find the exact pair to link for you, however you may be able to find similar styles from their new A/W range online here. Finally, my bag - this little gem is a vintage Celine satchel-style bag, which I was incredibly lucky to receive as a hand-me-down. Although it may be a little difficult to find this particular handbag, you can rummage through your local charity shops and thrift stores for that similar 'vintage' effect (probably for an eighth of high street prices).

I hope you've all had a lovely start to October!
Saina
xo

Long-haul Beauty Survival Kit

 

We've all seen the likes of Kim Kardashian, and Victoria Beckham being papped at international airports, looking superbly fresh-faced and picture perfect, and we've all wondered just how they do it. A plane is not the most glamorous of settings, but with help from a few cult favourites, you can transform that cramped seating and musky recycled air into your very own pamper sesh.  Today's post is a little snippet of my beauty regime on long-haul flights, which is quite fitting as I'm due to go to Canada this week. Here's my list of tips and recommendations: 

Hydration - Although I'm quite good when it comes to drinking enough water on a day-day basis, I take extra precaution before and during a flight. This not only avoids me from feeling dehydrated and rather travel sick, but also maintains hydration for my skin. Make sure your body is well and truly hydrated before boarding your flight, but also ensure you grab yourself a big bottle of water for throughout your flight! 

Cleanse - I'm a big fan of not wearing any makeup during flights (especially long ones for that matter), and therefore brave the bare face through security until I am tucked away in my seat (or bed for the next few hours). However, I'm sure many people prefer even a light coverage, and that's why I reccommend you taking an effective cleanser. I prefer the Bioderma Sensibo H20 - it's perfect at removing every trace of makeup and dirt, and you do not require water with this product. I also reccomend you take both some face, but also eye makeup remover wipes with you, I'll be taking these Witch cleansing wipes as I've used them before and my skin has not reacted to them (not usually a fan of face wipes). I also highly recommend the Halo travel size makeup remover wipes if you intend on wearing eye makeup before your flight. These do an excellent job at removing every trace of eye makeup!

Moisturize - I've chosen to take this Neal's Yard Power Berry moisturizer as it does a perfect job at your boosting your skin's radiance, and its rich antioxidant ingredients (such as acai, bilberry and goji berry) protects your skin. Of course, I don't go anywhere without my La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, this holy grail product will act as my lightweight moisturiser and makeup base, which I apply half an hour before landing. Any eye cream is better than no eyecream (or so I like to tell myself). This Balance Snake Venom eye cream will be used generously around the eye area, which is incredibly prone to drying and creasing whilst on flights. Another beauty must is my Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm, this is not only one of my faveourite lip balms, but I also tend to use it as a lip scrub too. My first application acts as a slight scrub, and a second layer as a heavy duty lip moisturizer. This is perfect to layer on before you go for your mid-flight nap, as you'll wake up with beautiful soft lips. I know some people are not a fan of this products scent, so I've also included another faveourite lip care product - the Balance Me Rose Otto Lip Salve. Finally, I'm taking this Body Shop Coconut hand cream to ensure my hands are nice and moisturised throughout my flight. 

Sleep - I've never been able to sleep whilst traveling, whether that be a car, train, plane etc. I just cannot seem to do it. However, during my last trip I decided to pick up these Kalms Natural Remedy tablets - the natural plant extracts used help relieve elements of anxiety and irritability. Although these tablets didn't help me in getting 5 hours sleep, but what they did was allow me to become more relaxed by bringing relief to any periods of worry or stress. This time, I've also decided to take this cute eye mask with me in hopes of getting at least an hour or so of sleep! (please, please, please). 

I really hope this post is of use to somebody, and I would love to hear if you have any recommendations.

Saina
xo

Autumn Sun OOTD

Hi lovelies, today's post is another ootd - these are some of my favourite types of blog reads, and I love doing them too. This outfit is an example of my usual monochrome casual getup, with an added splash of colour brought in from accessorizing. On more casual days, I tend to just throw my hair up into a messy ponytail, and opt for a nude lipstick - and today's look was an accurate depiction of that.

 

The sunglasses featured in this outfit, are my Classic Ray Ban aviators with a gold frame (I've practically worn these for 2 years straight). This faux leather jacket was purchased last year from H&M, similar ones can be found here. I've paired my Topshop white Joni jeans with a basic Zara tshirt - these tshirts are less 'slinky' than others that I have found on the high-street, and therefore do not look too much like pj's (am I the only one that feels like white tshirts look pyjama-y?)

For some people, the heeled Chelsea boots may be an unnecessary addition for a casual day out, but over the passed year I have embraced a sleeker and more classy look by adding a slight heel to my casual style. Am I the only one that feels more feminine and slightly more mature by wearing a small heel during the day? These boots were bought two years ago from Topshop (anyone remember the Topshop Allegra craze?) but I'm sure you can find similar ones that are in stock at the moment.
My handbag is the Michael Kors Jetset Safiano in black, with gold hardware.
Finally, this Topshop scarf is my new favourite addition to my wardrobe, it's that gorgeous mustard-camel colour and instantly lifts a neutral outfit.

What are your wardrobe style essentials? Do you have any staple Autumn pieces?

Saina
xo

Best Bargain Polish Buys

Today's post is about my latest but favourite nail polish discovery - the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine nail paints. I think everyone has at point in their lives been a fan of the Barry M nail range, however in the past couple of years I found myself drifting away from their nail range until my recent purchases from this polish range. Barry M's latest range includes 32 colours, claiming to have a 'gel' effect on the nails whilst maintaining 'an extra glossy finish'.

Pros: 
Painting my nails is an important part of my beauty regiment, and I tend to paint my nails a total of 3 times a week. Over the years, I've also accumulated quite the boat load of nail polishes from varying brands, both high end and drug store. For that reason, I do not tend to repurchase a particular range if I feel it's not working for me i.e. in terms of chipping, losing shine, fading, problematic application etc. However, this range has absolutely surprised me, and may even be my favourite nail formula at the moment! Although, I'm a devoted user of the Seche Vite top coat, I prefer products that have a high shine formula already - I've never been a fan of matte nails, and I absolutely hate when some products tend to fade after a handwash (Mavala, I'm looking at you). This range does exactly what it says on the bottle, it maintains this gel like appareance and also prevents any chipping or fading! For me, this means I can have a decent manicure at home for as little as £4 - always a good thing. The application is also amazing, the colours are opaque enough for one coat (though, I prefer two) as they're a little thicker in consistency, perhaps due to the 'gelly' like quality. What surprised me the most, was how little time I required for the polish to dry - no more than 2-3 minutes is needed for this formula. Finally, the polish seems to be extremely chip resistant, even without a top coat, I could wear the same application for just over a week. Amazing!

Fantastic formula aside, Barry M has mastered it's colour pallatte for this range. Each and every colour is equally as beautiful, but more importantly - wearable! There are some beautiful neutrals from this range (lychee, almond and cocoa are amazing), which I've found drug store brands tend to fall behind on. There are also some classic but unique shades such as Paprika and Chilli - both a burnt orangey-red with brown undertones, these shades definitely make your nails seem like they've had a high quality pampering using the most luxurious and expensive manicures (Shhh, I wont tell if you wont).

Cons:
My only complaint of this product is the brush - I'm being picky I know. From my experience, a polish with a wider brush makes application such a dream. It not only makes it faster to apply your polish, but also ensures equal distribution of product across the whole nail.

I highly reccommend you give this range a try if you haven't done so already. I promise you will not be dissappointed - take that from a nail polish snob! Leave me any of your reccomendations, I would love to hear what you're all loving at the moment.

Saina
xo

The Battle of The Felt Liners

Everyone has that one makeup stage they prefer the most, and the one item they could not live without and mine would have to be.. eyeliner. Since the age of 14, I've been attempting to perfect that feline winged liner look and along this journey of uneven feline flicks, smudges and bad-liner days I have discovered what products work best for me. The eyeliner pens with the felt tips. What I've found is that felt liners help create the most defined and accurate feline flick, without much concentration and in little time. So today, I'm going to share with you my thoughts on 4 eyeliner that's I've been trying out recently.

1) L'oreal's Super Liner - This eyeliner is one of my all time favourite eyeliners. This product features a 0.4mm tip, which helps to create the perfect one stroke sweep across the eyelid. This is what I love about this product, you can create the main body and 'base' of your eyeliner look with one sweep. The pen also features a slight dented/curved section where the pen becomes slightly slimmer, allowing aided accuracy in application. Be warned, do not be fooled by the thin precise tip - you cannot use this to 'draw' on your flick as it does not hold enough product or sturdiness due to it's length.

2) Eyeko's Skinny Liner - Having always come across raves about this brand, I was extremely excited to try this liner. However, I was more than disappointed. This has to be one of the most dry liners I've tried, making it extremely difficult to even produce a line - let alone anything of precision! To make matters worse, the ink used in this product is of poor quality. It dispenses in an odd manner, which requires particular angles to produce any ink at all. But when you finally attempt to use the little ink the pen hold, it creates 'splodges' rather than anything smooth. Application aside, the liquid also dries in a peculiar way, creating spotty patches that almost 'crust' over when you try to go over them. Considering this is the most expensive (£12) eyeliner out of the bunch, it's definitely the worst (worst I've tried).

3) Collection's Extreme 24 Hour Liner - I will start by saying this is probably the best value for money. This eyeliner is £2.99, and considering the price, the product is not half bad at all! As the liner features a shorter, more rounded tip, it's more helpful for creating a thicker eyeliner look. You're definitely going to struggle if you're using this eyeliner for a thin and precise feline look. This product is far more useful for creating a thicker but well defined, bold flick. I also found that this product lasts forever (we're talking over 6 months here) - it seriously never seems to dry out! The ink dispenses perfectly, not requiring any fancy angles to get the ink out evenly. In terms of the longevity, I cannot say I've attempted keeping my eyeliner on for 24 hours, but I can confirm it lasts at least 12 hours, without any smudging or fading. Your eyeliner will remain just as black and pigmented all throughout the day!

4) Maybeline Master Precise Liner - This product is my favourite. It ticks every box for my eye defining needs. Let's start by saying that it's very pigmented, which I love!  One sweep across the eye is enough as it holds extremely opaque black ink. The felt tip is flexible, though very sturdy, allowing you to create thin or thick lines and flicks with extra precision. This product enables you to produce the perfect winged liner as it holds and distributes ink evenly - no fancy techniques required here. The tip of this liner is slightly thicker than the L'oreal eyeliner, which means you can use the tip to not only sweep across, but to also 'draw' on the eyelid. I also find that the product lasts all day without fading, and I've never had problems with it in terms of smudging etc.

For the sake of being a makeup hoarder, I'm always on the look out for different eyeliners, so I would love to know some of your favourites to try out!

Saina
xo