Review: Lush Eau Roma Water Toner

I have been a fan of Lush products for a number of years now as I love their ethical values and the charity work that they do. They source their ingredients from companies that do not test on animals, and use little or no preservatives in their products. The attention paid into what goes in their beauty products is what makes Lush stand out from other companies.

I have tried various Lush goodies, including face masks, cleansers and body washes. Todays product I will be reviewing is the Eau Roma Water.

Info on the bottle "Tone your skin gently with rose and lavender water. Excellent on dry, older or sensitive skin. use on cotton wool to remove excess cleanser and to referesh the skin."

My skin goes through changes depending on the time and season, so this is great for calming my skin. In winter it helps to keep moisture locked in and also smells great! Compared to Lush Tea Tree Toner, this is much gentler and ideal for sensitive skin. The Tea Tree would suit more oily/spot- prone skin.

 Mini and big!

Lush do two bottle sizes- 100g priced at £3.75 and 250g priced at £7.00. This may seem expensive but when you look at the process to produce the rose water, it is well worth it.

Vegan friendly too!

What I like about Lush's rose water is that it also contains lavender water. This is an added 'super' ingredient, which acts as an antiseptic and calms skin. It also refreshes and tones the skin-great for someone like me who suffers from regular breakouts. I like to spray onto a cotton pad and wipe gently over my face after cleansing. It's also ideal for refreshing your skin during those long, hot Summer days.

I initially purchased the smaller bottle from their store, but found I ran out of it pretty quick. I then decided to buy the bigger bottle, which is much better! The 100g bottle is best used for travelling as it takes up less space in my beauty case, which means more room for Lush goodies!

 The small bottle fits well inside my mini travel bag!

I think the sell by date is around a year, but I could be wrong (the date is faded on the two bottles) However as I use twice a day, the 250g bottle lasts around 2 months. This is because I like to literally soak my cotton pad in the rose water and also spray onto my skin at the same time-yes I am greedy!

Conclusion

This is one product I can not live without, no other toner that I have used can compare. It's as natural as you can find and vegan. The smell is so soothing and calming, and really feels like it works without loading my skin with uneccesary parabens. The rose water does contains one paraben-methylparaben' but as Lush have stated they rarely use parabens unless necessary, and even then it is limited.

I have tried numerous Lush products, which I will also be reviewing, but this is by far the best.  
Well done Lush!

Review: Primark Oil Balancing Cleansing Wipes with Tea Tree

Makeup wipes for me are a must have, not because I'm lazy and use them instead of a face wash, but because they work for me. I sometimes use them in place of cotton pads (add cleanser) which helps to remove my makeup. I'll also use wipes to remove eye makeup and lipstick.

So on to the review...

The makeup wipes were located in Primark near the till. They come in a twin pack, and as they were only a £1 I thought I would give it a shot!

They come in a twin pack, although the photo shows one pack

There are 25 wipes in each pack-so you receive 50 wipes for £1, not bad! As soon as you open the pack you can smell the tea tree, which may be overpowering for some, but for me its kind of soothing. What are the benefits of a tea tree makeup wipe I hear you asking?.... well tea tree contains anti-bacterial properties which help to repair skin, and is traditionally used in skin care for balancing out combination/oily skin.

 Decent size wipes, enough for the whole face

Other Key Ingredients Listed

* Aloe Vera- This is great for healing red, sore skin.
* Witch Hazel- An ingredient which helps the treatment of acne prone skin
* Glycerin- If you have dry skin, glycerin acts as humectant and helps to restore water levels in your skin. It may also help to heal wounds and prevent wrinkles.

I'm not sure if the wipes are supposed to remove eye makeup, but they do a great job for me. They do not sting around my eyes (just be careful not to get too close) and leave my face feeling clean and refreshed. They don't dry up inside the resealable packet-unlike other branded wipes, which is an added bonus! After cleansing my face (I use Johnson's cream cleanser with the wipes) my face feels soft. Removing makeup with the wipes alone, also does a great job-but I wouldn't recommend for heavy, party makeup. But having said that I don't know any makeup wipe that fully removes waterproof mascara, heavy foundation, eyeshadow, etc without the use of a cleanser.

Conclusion

I'm glad I took the plunge and purchased the wipes as they are an amazing buy for such a low price. These are my second favourite after the Bodycare Makeup Remover Wipes. The Bodycare wipes I use for my face and to remove eye makeup, whereas I will stick to using the Primark tea tree wipes for my face only. They are perfect for taking on holiday when you have mimumum luggage space, and for the gym.

I spotted some other beauty goodies in Primark so will be sure to purchase them pretty soon. Keep a look out for the Primark Cosmetic Pads review!

Let me know if you use wipes as part of your skin care routine and which is your favourite? <3

Akhawat Stunning Abayas-How to Wrap the Shayla

Princess Rockz in partnership with Akhawat

Akhawat have recently launched their website, and when I first had a look, I was very impressed. (first impressions count right?)

Here's some information about the company:

"Akhawat the first Abaya clothing company in the west to launch bespoke design and sizing for luxury abayas. We offer a myriad or choices when it comes to quality fabrics and designs. With an aray of different combinations, preferences, fittings, and sizes, the amount of freedom you have to express yourself is almost limitless."

Quite impressive right??

They have three collections in total, and each offer something different depending on the occassion:

BASICALLY BLACK

The Basically Black Collection offers abayas with a twist, much different to the standard black abayas I've seen. They are made from high quality material to make the abaya look, as well as feel comfortable.

I especially love this 'Sheer Silk' abaya with the pleated effect on the sleeves.

PURPLE LABEL

The Purple Label range manages to paint a vibrant picture without being too bold. The designs on the abayas are simple but still stand out, which is perfect for modern Muslimah's today as they allow you to express your individual style. You can wear for a special event or combine with your everyday clothes for a more casual look.

 

The Entwined Abaya is one of my favourites from the Purple Label as the detailing on the sleeves make a statement, without being extravagant. This abaya is a must for every Muslimahs wardrobe!

SIGNATURE COLLECTION

The abayas in this collection are ideal for that special event, say a wedding or evening do, and you want to impress. The abayas are hand embroidered with elegant embellishments delivered on sumptuous, soft fabrics.

The Serenity Abaya from the 'Signature Collection' is gorgeous and perfect to wear as a bridal or wedding abaya. Made from pure silk, it is lined with silk satin, so you don't have to worry about wearing a seperate slip underneath.

There is a pure chiffon slit at the hip with a flared train (can be made to order with a double slit if preferred) The abaya comes with a shayla which is heavily detailed with hand embroidery of crystal stones and pearls. I especially love the drape beading, almost like a necklace-very much my style!

If you like this abaya but want to make some changes to the design or colour, then Akhawat offer a full custom order service where they will consult with you closely, offering expert advice to create a design of your choice.

I receive a lot of requests on my youtube and facebook page from people wanting to know how to style a shayla. So when Akhawat kindly sent me a shayla for the Serenity Abaya, I thought I would make a video on my Youtube Channel to show everyone just how simple it is. I've taken inspiration from the photos on their website and have come up with a second style where the border is placed at the front, as opposed to the side.

For Style Number one I re-created this look:

And here's my outcome...

Comparison....

The second style I've created....

To see how I created the 2 styles watch the video below:

Btw the beautiful hijab I'm wearing at the beginning of the video is called 'Awash with Teal' and is from Princess Rockz

What do you think of my styling?

You can visit Akhawat on their website
Check out their blog

Holland & Barrett's Aloe Vera Gel Review

Holland & Barretts have an extensive range of aloe vera products- from detox juice to capsules and even toothpaste! Although I'm not so sure about the toothpaste, I might give it a try one day.

The gel, which was given to me by my sister, is certified as 99.9% aloe vera and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Aloe Vera is traditionally used to soothe irritated skin, and is especially good for treating sun burn.

Full Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis leaf juice (organic aloe vera gel), acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, panthenol, disodium EDTA, sodium hydroxide, phenoxyethanol

It comes in a 100ml tube, which is quite generous as you only need a pea amount for the whole face. I tend to apply this gel after threading my upper lip as it can turn red and quite sore. It's also handy for treating pimples and marks. I would recommend applying a thin layer, as a thick layer can leave your skin feeling tight and dry. There is a slight smell to the product when first applied, but once rubbed in the smell disappears. The gel dries clear so you may apply moisturiser and makeup on top.

Conclusion

Overall this product is a staple must in any girls (or guys) skin care bag. It lasts a very long time, can be taken with you in your travel case or even slipped into your handbag.

You can purchase from any Holland and Barrett's store or online They have a special offer at the moment where it is priced at £1.99!

Sanctuary Review- Skin Warming Microbrasion Polish

I am in love with Sanctuary products-from their salt scrub to body butter, each beauty product is luxurious. So when I was given the Sanctuary Warming MicroBrasion Polish as a gift, of course I was delighted!

This polish "combines intense warming to help open the pores and stimulate circulation, with an ultrafine polish of marine earth and natural kaolin to help detoxify and leave skin feeling deeply cleansed and refreshed. Rich beeswax, jojoba and wheatgerm help to hydrate and protect, leaving the skin feeling refined, smooth and looking more youthful."

On first inspection I'm loving the packaging, simple but professional, and the fact that its a 100ml tube means you get more product for your money.

When applied to the face you can really feel the heat sensation. I like to rub mine in circular motions, and leave for ten minutes before washing off with warm water. Afterwards my skin feels really soft and any dry flaky bits have disappeared. I like to apply this 1-2 times a week as a special treat.

Once I run out of this product, I will definitely purchase as it lives up to its claim, and at £12.25 won't break your bank balance. As with any of the Sanctuary products, this will make a great gift for a friend or even your mum. 

Purchase online from Boots

Outfit of the Day-Smokin' Hot Weekend!

Since the British Summer time has arrived fashionably late, what better time to have a barbeque!

I decided to wear light colours to reflect my mood and add key accessories. I've teamed the light pink flowy dress with a cream long sleeve top underneath. White linen pants go well with the dress and are light enough for the hot weather.

The hijab I'm wearing is called 'Strawberry Delight' which will be available from Princess Rockz within a week. It is really light and has great coverage!

The belt I'm wearing is actually a necklace which I decided to wear as a belt, as it adds colour to the plain pink dress and shows off the various layers.

 Yes I am on a child see-saw and no it didn't break lol

What have you guys been up to this weekend? Hope you're having a good one. xox

*Ring-Queen of Gems

*Hijab- Princess Rockz

*Necklace (worn as belt)-Accessorize

Nail of the Day (NOTD)-Blue Tips

So I was experimenting with nail designs whilst watching TV, and this is what I came up with. Apart from attempting a French manicure once, its the first time I've done such a design, so its not perfect!

I used the stencils in the Sally Hansen's French manicure kit as a guideline for the blue nail varnish, with a top coat of clear varnish for an extra shine and to keep it in place.

Hopefully I will be attempting other more challenging designs, including water marbling! xox